that it 's as possible for the Black-Moore to wash himself white which is the Embleme of Labour in Vain or the Leopard to rub out his Dapples as for such a one so enslaved to doe good And if difficulty onely be designed in the Comparison there 's great danger of seduction to have the Case of habituated sinners thus described 3 Our Author is much mistaken to say That the Apostle speaks of the Case of the Heathens The place is Eph. 2. 1. And you hath he quickened who were Dead in Trespasses and Sins c. And these things are exceeding clear 1. That to be dead in Trespasses and Sins let it signifie what it will is a Condition common to Iew and Gentile v. 3. Amongst whom also we all had our Conversation in times past in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the Mind and of the Flesh and were by Nature the Children of wrath even as others v. 5. When we were dead in sins 2. That the same Power and Grace was required to Quickening of the one as the other v. 4. God who is rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith he loved us quickned us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 It 's very ridiculous to express some strength by None As if you should say A dead man will hardly walk above five miles a day and then he must rest himself too at every miles end It 's true a Natural Death does not deny a Resurrection by Divine Power nor a Moral Death exclude the efficacious Power of him that raised up Iesus from the dead yet both exclude all Ability in the subject or we must despair of ever understanding one Syllable of Scripture to the Worlds end 2. There is Another Doctrine he will examine by this Rule viz. the Manner of Gods Working in Regeneration Concerning which the Apostle Eph. 2. 10. when he had before shewed all to be dead in Trespasses and Sins thus expresses himself For we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works and 2 Cor. 5. 17. He that is in Christ is a New Creature Wherein the Apostle does instruct us in three very material points 1. Here is the Product of Gods Grace A real Effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Something brought forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a New Creature a New Creation Another a better though a lesser World 2. The End of this Work or Product of Gods powerfull Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was to good works which God ordained they should walk in The End of the New Heart New Creature and New Nature is New Obedience 3. The Manner of Gods producing this work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye were Created to that End so that as God at the first by his Creating Power exerted brought forth the Creature and gave it power to bring forth fruit after its Kind So in this New Creation there is something that Answers both the created Effect the Creating Power and the End of this Creation This would have done pretty well had it not chimed too near the words and therefore our Author shall expound it himself and then if ever he will be in the good Humour This were true says he if our being created to good works did signifie the Manner and Method of our Conversion and not the Nature of the New Creature But what if it signifies both Here 's a Workmanship and here 's the Manner of working We are his Workmanship created The work called a New Creature shews the Thing and its being said to be done by Creation shews the Manner All the Apostles Metaphor will else be very lame The Manner of Gods producing the Old Creation expressed but Nothing to answer it in the New Creation and yet this was the Main of his design v. 5. Even when we were dead in sins and trespasses he hath quickened us v. 8. By Grace ye are saved not of your selves it 's the Gift of God But let us hear his Paraphrase That as in the first Creation we were created after the Image of God so we are renewed after his Image in the second which is therefore expressely called Renewing and Renovation An excellent Similitude just as God wrought All in the first Creation so for all the world he does Nothing in the second That is in plain Terms The New Creation is no Creation and the Apostle could not more unluckily have express'd the Doctrine of our own Ability to good Works than by saying we were created by God in Christ Iesus to the Performance of them To conclude That the Image of God restored should answer the Image in which God created Man at first I can be content onely to fill up the Pà rallel What is that act of God in the New which answers to Gods creating Act in the first Creation And that the New Creation should be called a Renovation I can very well digest but then we must take in Gods Renewing Power as well as the Renewed Effect but that this is called so expressely in other places I do not very well approve nor will our Author when he thinks better upon 't for that will discredit the whole Paraphrase because it chimes too harmoniously to the sound of words Hitherto we have heard a very learned Declamation against interpreting Scripture by the sound of words and now we shall have another Oration against Metaphors Similitudes Allegories Types Figures and all this under the same Head If they say Christ is our Righteousness our Wisdom c. then they interpret all by the sound of words and if they say the Pearl the Manna the Rock c. signified Christ which seems to be very remote from yet that is interpreting Scripture by the sound of words also so that we are in a Fork Snick or Snee and both wayes equally undone Mr. Watson thinks that The Pearl in the Parable Math. 13. 46. may be accommodated to Christ for as the Pearl is there said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2. 7. That he was praefigured by the Manna upon the onely Credit of Christs own Interpretation Joh. 6. 48. I am the Bread of Life your Fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness and are dead This is the bread that cometh down from Heaven that a man may eat thereof and not dye That the Rock also did typifie Christ from the Apostles warrant 1 Cor. 10. 3. They drank of the Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ That Christ was also Resembled by the Brazen Serpent upon Christs own Authority Ioh. 3. 14 15. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up and that Christ is compared to a Vine Joh. 15. 1. I am the True Vine He proves also or thinks he proves That Christ has very lovely and excellent Titles given him in the Scriptures He is the Desire of all Nations Hag. 2. 7. The Prince of Peace Isa. 9.
vouchsafed them but not the Foundation of their Religion under any Notion When God gave the Law upon Mount Sinai He Prefaces it with this strong Inducement I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage Thou shalt have no other Gods before me May we now upon our Authors Warrant say That Gods delivering them out of Egypt was the Foundation of their Religion in Worshipping the true God and none besides Him or rather that it was an Additional Enforcement to command Obedience to that Law which yet Antecedent to such particular Obligation approved its Authority to their Consciences But that these Deliverances and Providences were no Foundation for the Mosaick Religion I shall endeavour to prove 1. In that God himself declares that he had laid another Foundation Isa. 28. 16. Behold I lay in Zion a sure Foundation And this is not constitutive of what was New but declarative of what was Old not only a Prophesie of what he would do but a clearer Discovery of what he had done that he might lead them into stronger Expectations of that Messiah which from time to time was promised would come and in fulness of Time should come and this Foundation God laid in Zion Which though it may express the Gospel-Church yet surely must not exclude the Iewish to which the Name Primarily appertains 2. In that God had actually laid another Foundation from the Foundation of the World for sinners to Build their Hopes upon in their addresses to God Thus was Christ the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World Apoc. 13. 8. Slain particularly in the Sacrifices which commencing with the New Covenant ran a Line parallel with the Old World to the one great Sacrifice of Christ our High Priest upon the Cross. In that first Promise then made to our first Parents and afterwards Amplified to Abraham was the Foundation of all acceptable Religion and Worship Gen. 12. 2 3. God promises to Abraham In thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed which promise that it contained Christ the Apostle assures us Gal. 3. 8â—… The Scripture fore-seeing that God would justifie tâ—… Heathen through Faith Preacht before the Gospâ—… to Abraham In thee shall all the Nations of tâ—… Earth be blessed ver 16. Now to Abraham aâ—… his Seed were the Promises made he saith not tâ—… Seeds as of many but as of one and to thy Seeâ—… which is Christ. Now unless we will find out â—… Quintum Evangelium that has nothing of Chriâ—… in it Abraham had Christ for he had the Gospâ—… Preacht to him and I do not understand what Gospâ—… signifies without Christ. Our Author I me sure of all the Men under Heaven has Reason to alloâ—… it for he would have Christ signifie Gospel anâ—… therefore cannot blame us who would have Gospâ—… to include Christ because we are loth his Persoâ—… should be quite shut out of it And again Thâ—… Promises were made to Abraham And is it not strange that Promises should be made to him and he not understand one word of them What waâ—… the Foundation of Abraham's was the Foundation of the Iewish Religion Nothing at all in their Service or Worship could plead for Acceptation bâ—… as it came under the Influence of those Types which were of no value in themselves but upon the Account of Christ. In Levit. 6. 1 2 3 4. If â—… Soul sin and commit a Trespass against the Lord c. I cannot but give the Reader a Breviate of some Remarkables in this Scripture 1. That the Sins here mention'd were not ceremonial Pollutions legal Defilements but such Wickednesses as were discoverable by the Light and condemned by the Law of Nature Lying Cozening False-swearing Unfaithfulness in Trust c. 2. That these sins did bring a proper Guilt upon the Conscience as being committed against the Lord and therefore the Sinner was guilty before God that is Obnoxious and liable to his Displeasure and bound over in conscience to answer it at Gods Tribunal ver 1. If a Soul sin and commit a Trespass against the Lord ver 4. Then it shall be because he hath sinned and is guilty 3. That for that part of his Fact which was Injurious to his Neighbour that which he violently took away or the thing he hath deceitfully gotten or that which was delivered him to keep or the lost thing which he found he was to restore the principal in Specie and to add a fifth part more because of the Damnum emergens 4. That notwithstanding he had thus compounded with man he must bring his Trespass-offering to the Lord a Ram without blemish ver 6. 5. The Priest was to receive the Trespass-offering at his hand and offer it up to the Lord. 6. The design of this Offering was Attonement procuring Favour from God 7. Here 's a Promise of the full Pardon of sin annexed unto this Sacrifice ver 7. It shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in Trespassing therein Now upon the whole Matter we observe here was Pardon of sin annext to a Sacrifice and yet their Reasons could tell them as Paul has told us Heb. 10. 4. It 's not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sin And I think we may venture to say the same of the blood of Rams too How shall these then be Reconciled I know no other way but by owning the Respect which they bore to the Lord Iesus Christ who was from the Foundation of and all along the World the only Lamb slain of value for these ends in Gods Account Thirdly The Christian Religion is founded on the Incarnation Death and Resurrection of the Son of God Our Author had founded his own and the Christian Religion on the Sacrifice and Intercession of Christ p. 15. But perhaps fearing or finding the Foundation too narrow has here widened it at the bottome and taken in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. But I hope now the Storm will blow over and the Indignation conceived against those Persons who Love Honour and admire Christs Person a little Slake for if their Religion the Acceptation of their Persons and Services be built upon Him as Sacrificed for them on the Cross and Interceding for them on the Throne they do judge it their duty to love him against the World Nay what will you say if our Author himself should become a Convert his own Hope and that 's his All he says is Built on the Sacrifice and Intercession of Christ And can you imagine but he should Admire and Adore his Person And then may there not arise a danger that he should set up a Religion of Christs Person However that goes This I know it was Christs blessed Person that endured the Shock and abode the Storm of that Displeasure which was due to our sin and no Reason can be assigned why a Person should endure all the Sorrow and not have
would at first imagine and that is an Acquaintance with Christs Person which if we will believe some men is the onely Fountain of saving Knowledge And is it grown such an unpardonable Crime in England to be acquainted with or to have any Knowledge of Christs Person by his Gospel Are these things grown so inconsistent all o th' sudden It 's not so very long since that our Author could allow that the Greatness of his Person as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man was of some Consideration and that Consideration of some good use too we were told what Credit his Person gave to his Laws what repute it brought to his Doctrine what value it procured to his Sacrifice and what Influence it had upon the great Ends of Religion and are his Person and Gospel so fallen out of late that there 's no hopes of an Accommodation What our Author may doe I know not but other men I am sure have learn'd to distinguish betwixt a King and his Laws though they do not oppose them and to put a difference between a Prophet and his Revelations without creating differences between them they can look upon a Priest and his Sacrifice as two things and yet not as contrary things to consider Christ and his Gospel under distinct and yet not under inconsistent Notions Oh! but the Quarrel lyes a great deal deeper That they make the Person of Christ the onely Fountain of saving Knowledge I confess I could not expect that they should scape without a Chiding who say Christ's Person is the Fountain of saving Knowledge when the Apostle himself could not escape a Nip for calling him the onely Foundation p. 105. And yet as it has been accounted discretion not to throw away our foul Water till we have got fair so some I perceive are resolved not to leave their Confidence in Christ till our Author can show them a stronger bottom for Faith nor to despise Christ as the Fountain of Knowledge till he has discovered them one both fuller and freer of that which concerns their Salvation They will own the Gospel to be the Conduit which Conveighs to us the Knowledge of God but they are somewhat bold to assert Christ to be the Fountain that fills it They own the Gospel to be the next immediate Cause which Derives saving Knowledge to us but yet Christ is the Original Spring whence all true saving Knowledge of God is Derived and they are the more confirmed in it because Christ himself spoke a word John 1. 18. That no man had seen God at any time the only Begotten Son who was in the Bosome of the Father He hath revealed Him But yet say what you will or can There is another Notion of the Knowledge of Christ very distinct from our Authors The true meaning whereof is no more than this That it 's better so Excellent a Book had been Written upon a false Ground than none at all and that it 's more desireable to run upon a sleeveless Errand than to sit still And this is enough to stay any mans Stomach by way of Repetition what gallant Feats our Author has done in the former Section A Taste of his Modesty and Ingenuity follows For he will not envy the Author the glory of the Discovery and will therefore honestly confess where he had it For he who would be loath that any should Rob him of the glory of his rare Discoveries upon Ephes. 4. 20. is as unwilling to be accounted a pilfering Plagiary one that Filches his Notions from others and will not own his Benefactors Now the great Grievance lies against a Book Intitled Communion with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost distinctly Written by John Owen D. D. And here I must openly profess that I have no Commission either from this Gentleman or those others Concern'd in the Reproaches of our Author to Vindicate their Names or Interpose in their Concerns they need not my Defence and Vindication they are of Age to answer for themselves and would certainly do it but that they are Discouraged by an Old French Diverb Le jeune vault pas La chandelle The Game will not pay for the Candle And perhaps they may be of his Temper who could not be perswaded to wrest that dull Creature that is sometimes free of his Hoof. What I therefore write is by vertue of a general Warrant In a Common Invasion every one is supposed to be Listed against the Common Enemy and a charitable Bucket will not be refused towards the Quenching of a general Fire Every Christian has his Concerns in Truth and if it be lawful to Oppose it it may be presumed lawful too to Defend it Not waiting therefore till I receive express Order nor fearing the Fate of that noble Person who was Sentenced to Death by his own Father because he Fought though he Routed the Enemy without Command I shall Impartially consider what his loud Clamour against these Persons fignifies and whether the Fleece do answer the Cry of his Hog-shearing Our Author begins with Doctor Owen and from amongst all the Books that he has Publisht he has singled out that Practical piece of Communion with God This some think was most absurdy and disingenuously done to wave his Polâ—…mical writings wherein he has of set purpose Stated and Handled these very Points and fall Foul upon a Practical one which meant him no Harm But they that so Judge must Excuse me if I think otherwise and that it was most Politickly and Advisedly done for surely might he think if ever I take the Doctor Napping and Trip up his Heels it must be where he never Dreamt of an Enemy And yet so unluckily has it fallen out that as if he had been aware of After-claps and written his Book by Prophesie he has so warily Exprest himself that none need fear to be his Second or despair of his Faire and clear Vindication His first and great Quarrel is against these words Commun p. 88. Christ is not only the Wisdom of God but made Wisdom to us not only by Teaching us Wisdom as He is the Great Prophet of the Church but also because by the Knowledge of Him we become Acquainted with the Wisdom of God which is our Wisdom The summe of which is asserted in Terms Col. 2. 3. In Him dwell all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge The Reader is bound to presume that some great Mischief must needs Lurk in these words if one could find it out though as to us poor Dim-sighted Mortals there 's nothing but what might have Travelled safely upon the Road without a Hue and Cry and raising the Posse Comitatus against â—…t That Christ is the Wisdom of God and made Wisdom to us is the express Language of the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 24. 30. That He Teaches us Wisdom carrys the same Scripture Credentials along with it That He is the great Prophet of the Church is Voucht by the same Authority that by our knowing of Him
1 Cor. 2. 2. I determined not to know any thing amongst you save Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even him Crucified The Person of Christ under that consideration as Crucified and the Reasons are as Cogent as the thing is clear For 1. In the Knowledge of Christ that very Christ whom the Father sent into the World consists Eternal Life This is Life Eternal to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent 2. VVe are Commanded to love this Iesus another great fault our Author finds with these Men but how to love him and not to be acquainted with him may be reckoned amongst the Impossibilities 1 Pet. 1. 7. At the appearing of Iesus Christ whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with Ioy unspeakable and full of Gloâ—…y The Apostle commends their love to and faith in an unseen Saviour whence it 's easie to conclude that it was the Person of Christ they loved for the Scriptures they had seen the Gospel the Church they had seen an Office I confess they could not very well see and yet they are praised for loving him that was not seen 3. VVe are commanded to Worship this Jesus to give Divine Honour to Him Iohn 5. 23. That all should Honour the Son even as they Honour the Father And accordingly we read that the Disciples did Worship Him Luke 24. 52. Nay the Command is given to the Angelical Nature Heb. 1. 6. Let all the Angels of God Worship Him But it 's a strange kind of Worship that we give Darklings One of the smartest Rebukes Christ gave the Samaritans was that they Worshipped they knew not what but We says Christ know what we Worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVe must not only know who He is but what He is whom we worship 4. It 's our plain duty to acquaint our selves with God that we may be at peace Iob 22. 21. But Christ is true God very God witness the Athanasian and Nicene Symbols 5. VVe are in particular commanded to believe in Him John 14. 1. Ye believe in God believe also in me And it concerns us to know by what authority he Imposes his Commands upon us what is his Varacity that we may depend upon his Promises and what is his Power to carry us through the difficulties that ever attend conscientious Duties to Eternal Life I am the more for acquaintance with Christs Person because it 's so great a Venture to trust the unknown This Prudence all men will be sure to exercise in Common affairs much more where Souls and Eternal Life lie at stake and such did the Apostle Practise 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed 6. The whole Design of the Scripture leads us to an acquaintance with the Father Son and blessed Spirit Hence was the Apostle so Zealous that the Colossians might come unto all Riches of the full assurance of Understanding to the acknowledgment of the Mysterie of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even of the Father and of Christ in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge VVhich are those Provoking words that have so often Ruffled our Authors thoughts into Disorder 7. The whole of the Scripture is an unaccountable Riddle without the Knowledge of Jesus Christ VVe are told there how God has been atoned by the Sacrifice of Oxen Sheep what a sweet smelling savour he has sented in the burned Flesh of the Holocaust which without Consideration of the Person of Christ and Reference to Him is Irrational To speak of the Death of Christ himself as reconciling God and man is also wholly Unintelligible without due regard to Him as Mediator what Office he bore what Place he filled in whose Stead he stood what that Covenant was that between the Father and his Son was agreed upon For according to our common apprehension of Things God should rather have Destroyed the World for Crucifying his Son than have been Reconciled and Propitiated by his Death Now I know well our Author will Reply that he good Man is no Enemy to acquaintance with Christs Person provided always we do not VViredraw New Doctrines from it and Extract greater and deeper Mysteries thence than are to be found out in the Gospel To which we Rejoyn That it 's not Christs Person that teaches us the Doctrine but the Doctrine that Acquaints us with his Person We study not the Person of Christ to find out Gâ—…spel Mysteries but to resolve them Not to Discover the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of New Truths but to Demonstrate to us the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Old But if after all that can be said our Author will be Clamorous we must be Content and Satisfie our selves with this that it 's the Nature of the Creature and some things we know are so untractable by their Constitution that though you Bray them in a Morter amongst Wheat with a Pestle yet their Crabbed Froward Awkward Tempers will not depart from them CHAP. III. Sect. 3. How unsafe it is to found Religion upon a Pretended Acquaintance with Christs Person I Foresee this Section will certainly prove Unanswerable the Comfort is it 's the onely one that appears to be such in the whole Book The Reader will judge with me that he must needs have a hard Task on 't and perhaps equal to any of Hercuâ—…es his Labours that shall maintain it safe To found Religion upon Hypocrisie and yet this must be his lot who will defend That it 's safe to build Religion upon a pretended Acquaintance with Christs Person Some report that that Goodly Beast which for Honours sake we will call a Porcupine keeps alwayes Two Avenues to her Cell that let the Wind sit where it will it shall never blow full in the Dore and let her Enemies besiege her how they can she has a secret Sally-port to creep out at With the same wisdom has our Author provided for his own Retreat in this Section For if any shall be so fool-hardy as to assault him with an Argument That it 's our Duty to be acquainted with Christs Person and for that end to search the Scriptures which testifie of him direct and lead us to him that so upon the Person of our Redeemer we may build our Faith as upon that Rock against which the Gates of Hell shall not prevail he can readily reply upon you True but it 's onely a Pretended Acquaintance with Christs Person that I so zealoâ—…sly declaim against I perceive it 's no small advantage in all Disputes to have the Priviledge to state the Question to our own good liking and he that has once got a Faculty for it is out of Gun-shot unless he be so incorrigible a Coxcomb as not to be aware of his own Interest That the Religion of Sinners is built upon a Mediator as the Religion of the Innocent was upon the Being of a God That this Mediator is the Lord
Hope and Expectations upon God through Christ The Knowledge of all which they owe alone to the Scriptures given forth by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost The supposition therefore that our Author has proceedeed upon all this while is a meer Falshood yet had it been True what he charges them with he had very weakly overthrown their Errour and none can doe greater disservice to the Truth than by a weak and feeble defence of it or a weak Opposition to the contrary it 's enough to tempt some men to take up what he opposes and to presume there are no better Arguments one way or other because so confident a Designer could give no better For all the Misadventures in his Tedious Scheme he will make us believe hee 's not bound to answer for them for if the Proportions be but regular let the Doctrine be what it will he does but personate the Mode of others But yet we have discover'd here many of his own dear Notions sent abroad in Masquerade which will appear more bare-faced in the following sheets Imitating herein the famous Limner who would stand behind his Exposed Piece to Eaves-drop the Censure of the Critical Spectator Just thus does our Author skulk behind his New Model of Divinity and if it meets with an Imprimatur he will play a more Overt Game but if otherwise he can quickly pluck in his Horns CHAP. III. Sect. 4. How Men Pervert the Scriptures to make it Comply with their own Fancies IT 's storied of Messa la Corvinus once a Famous Orator that he got such a Crack in his Pericranium that he quite forgot his own Name the most unhappy man certainly in all the World to have been Employed in the Management of a Lye the Mystery whereof consists mainly in Tying both the Ends so handsomely together that it may not Ravel out into Thrums Our Author has Managed a severe Charge against some that they Deduce all their Religion from an acquaintance with Christs Person without consulting the Scriptures And yet now The truth is says he if you consult their Writings you will find them stuffed with Scriptures These things did not Cotten very Lovingly and he was as much put to his Trumps to make both ends meet as the Gentleman who told it with great Confidence That he shot a Deer with one Arrow through the right Ear and the left Foot behind But he has an old Friend that never fails his Servants at a Pinch and he lifted him over the Style with this They do but accommodate Scriptures to their own Fancies Their Crime then in the last Result is this That they are not so happy Interpreters of Scripture as himself They have the same Text but they want his Head-piece to Comment on 't They have the same Materials to work upon but they want his Tools Or as one of his Friends expres'd it they have his Fiddle but cannot get his Fiddle-stick But to reproach them upon this Account is to reproach by far the greatest part of Mankind All were not Born under his smiling Stars nor had the same benign Aspects of the Planets in their Nativity It 's not every mans happiness to have the Bees swarm about his Cradle or to be entranced upon the Top of Parnassus However after all the Scuffle we have gain'd this Point that we may joyn Issue with him upon the Question and modestly Debate it Whether he or they do best understand the Scriptures Two great Faults and they are great ones indeed he finds in their Writings First That they Expound Scripture by the sound of Words And secondly That they reason about the Sence of Scripture from their own preconceived Notions 1. They Expound Scripture by the sound of words Our Author had discovered to us p. 80. the Danger of using a way of Reasoning that would serve any Mans turn that had but any Quickness and Vigour of Fancy What a dangerous way then must this be that will serve any Mans turn though he be not blessed with his Quickness and Vigour of Fancy For though his Antagonists Pulse toll as heavily as Tom of Lincoln though he never drew his Breath but in Boetia nor ever had his Temples crown'd with the Ignis Lambens yet he can with as much ease and more truth Retort all his Rhetorick When mens Fancies are so possessed with Schemes and Idaea's of Religion what ever they look upon appears of the same shape and colour where with their Minds are already Tinctur'd like a Man sick of the Iaundies or that looks through painted Glass who seeth every thing of the same colour that his Eye or the Glass gives it Some such Medium the poor Priest used to Prove that the Virgin Mary was Prophesied of from the beginning of the World because he had made a shift to read Gen. 1. 10. Congregationem aquarum vocavit Maria And with the same learned skill did the Rector of Convince his obstinate Parishioners that it was their Duty to Pave his Chancel for him from Paveant illi ego non Pavebo And let me tell our Author for all his Vapouring and that he looks so goodly on 't he has not a more serviceable Engine than this one in all his Arsenal For having once double-dyed his Fancy with a strong Conceit that the word Christ signifies a Church an Office a Doctrine you cannot Quote that Text where the Word occurs but his Fancy Chimes all in just as Imagination thinks so Scripture clinks and every thing he sees turns round to that Crotchet when all the while the Wind-Mill is in his own Head If you should but venture to say that for an Orator our Author is truly excellent but for a Logician he is but Ordinary I l'e undertake from the sound of that one word he shall conceit himself at first Dash to be a Bishop So easie it is for a French Cook to make Suffolk-street Soupe of a Stool-foot and most Ravishing Minc't Pies of an Old Boot-top or a Leather Doublet As it is a Ridiculous procedure to make the sound of words the Measure of our Interpretation so is it no less perverse a Method to Expound Scripture by the Ranverse and go just cross to the sound of words The Plain and Literal sence commands our Reception unless the Context and Coherence Evident contradiction to some other plain Scripture or some gross Absurdity and insuperable Difficulty compell us to Recede from it But now according to our Authors Rule which he has most Religiously observed throughout his Book the further any Interpretation departs from the sound of words the better it is that is to say for his own purpose As suppose you should meet with this word Heaven let not the Chiming and Tinckling of your Fancy betray you into a Notion of some Glorious place where the spirits of Iust men made perfect are Blessed in the enjoyment of God for that would be but to Gratifie your Tinctured Imagination with the sound of a word
his little Glosses Why they offend against his great standing Rule Interpreting things by the sound of words For says he what better proof can you desire for all this than Express words Really the Laws upon which we must be permitted to discourse with our Author are very severe for p. 78. he laid it down as a Law of the Medes and Persians that none must dare to Draw one Conclusion from the Person of Christ which his Gospel hath not expressely taught Well we accepted the Tearms and have brought him expresse and expressely express words and do speak as Volkelius commands us dilectis luculentissimisque verbis and yet we are never the nearer for now we offend in trusting to the sound of words Just thus did Procrustes entertain his Guests wracking out them that were too short and lopping off their feet that were too long for his Bed All men I perceive are awake to their Concerns in this Rule as well as our Vigilant Author When it is urged that Christ is called expressely God the True God He that was in the beginning by whom were all things made who upholds all things by the Word of his Power the Socinians have now a compendious Answer Ay this is to interpret Scripture by the sound of words And the Atheist has an inckling of it too he can subscribe all the Scriptures as True but when you urge him that God created all things out of Nothing that he is the Owner Governour Iudge of the whole World they are provided with a short Answer Yes this is interpreting Scripture by the sound of words And whether every Drunkard Swearer Adulterer all the Rakehells and Rakeshames upon Earth may not in time make their advantage of it I cannot tell That Ministers do but fright them with a sound of words Thus have some dealt with the Sacerdotal Office of Christ He is a Priest they confess he offer'd a Sacrifice was a Propitiation made an Atonement did expiate sin but have a care you do not interpret these things as the words sound he did indeed something like a Priest offer'd something like a Sacrifice but truely and properly he was nothing did nothing of All this It had been therefore more plain-heartedly and ingenuously done had our Author written a Confutation of the Scripture proving that the Spirit did not speak intelligibly but All in good time he has Materials ready for the work P. 100. The wildest and most extravagant Opinions that were ever yet vented under the Name of Religion have pretended the Authority of Scripture for their Patronage And yet he knew how first to break its head and then make it a Playster This famous Rule of our Authors may be applyed to all things under the Sun but there are two Principles onely that he will examine by it at present 1. The spiritual Impotency of all men without grace to perform that which is Acceptable to God This says he they prove wonderfully from our being dead in trespasses and sins and therefore as a Dead man can contribute nothing to his own Resurrection no more can we towards our Conversion I wonder when the Scripture will be able to speak so plain that deaf men will understand it One would have thought the Spirit of God should never have chosen that Expression of being Dead in trespasses and sins to signifie what mighty power and abilities the Creature has to Obey But we are instructed better from this usefull Caveat not to interpret Him by the sound of his words for now we must understand by Being dead Being Alive and proportionably by Sins and Trespasses we must understand Duty and Obedience and then to keep close to our Instructions and far enough from the sound of words To be Dead in Sins and Trespasses is to be Alive to all Duty and Obedience And thus that other vexing place Rom. 5. When we were without strength in due time Christ dyed for the ungodly must be Paraphrased When we were strong and Active and had no need of Christ he dyed for the godly And this I think if that be good for ought is very remote from grating our Ears with the unpleasant sound of words Ay but says our Author This is true of Natural Death but will be hard to prove of a Moral Death Hard to prove Methinks we want his wonted out-facing Confidence But why so hard to prove Has not the Spirit of God selected those words borrowed from the Condition of one Naturally dead to instruct us in the true Condition of one Morally dead It 's true of a Natural and therefore not of a Moral Death Nay it 's therefore true of a Moral Death because it is so of a Natural Death What wild Similitudes would he impose upon the Holy Scriptures Even as one that 's Naturally dead can contribute Nothing to his Resurrection just so one that 's Morally dead can contribute something to his Conversion This is the great Illustrator of dark Metaphors But wherein doth this Morall Death consist Oh says he In the prevalency of vicious habits contracted by long Custom which was the Case of the Heathens whom the Apostle there speaks of which do so enslave the Will that it 's very difficult though not impossible for such Persons to return to the love and practice of Vertue But who can tell whether by enslaving the Will which is a Luscious Metaphor our Author would not have us understand enfranchising the Will lest we should border too near upon a sound of words But I am not illuminated with our Authors Reasonings For 1 Moral Death doth not consist in the prevalency of vicious Habits it is the general Condition of all men born into the world who are privatively Dead in respect of that Life we all once had in the first Adam and Negatively Dead in respect of that Life which is attainable by the second Adam And in those dayes when men studyed not Aequivocations to subscribe every thing and believe Nothing it was not question'd in the Church of England Art 10. The Condition of Man since the Fall is such that he cannot Turn and prepare himself by his Own Natural Strength and good Works to Faith and calling upon God wherefore we have no power to doe good works pleasant and acceptable to God without his Grace preventing us that we may have a good Will and working with us when we have that Will. But 2 Supposing that this Moral Death did consist in the Prevalency of vicious Habits contracted by long Custom yet such may be the prevalency of them into such a slavery may the Will be brought that it may be not onely diâ—…ficult but impossible without the effectual assistance of the Spirit for the Sinner to return to God Ier. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also doe good that are accustomed to doe evil Whence the Prophet shews that such is the prevalency of a vicious Habit contracted by long Custom
in Question but hear his proof 1 Cor. 12. 13. By one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body In which says he the Apostle seems to allude to Baptism which conferres the same Holy Spirit on us All and thereby makes us all Members of that one Body which is his Church I think he is resolved never to produce a pertinent Scripture to prove the plainest Truth For 1. here 's but an Allusion at most and has he scolded all this while against Allusions Allegories and must he lay the main stress of his Argument upon an Allusion 2. It but seems to Allude neither and that weakens the Credit of it exceedingly An Allusion a seeming Allusion A shadow the dream of a shadow Any thing or Nothing will serve his turn for plain demonstration when a Mans Name is up for a demonstrative Man he may lye in bed till noon 3. This Baptisme says he conferres the same Holy Spirit upon us all But the Apostle sayes no such matter but the contrary by the Spirit we are baptized and not by Baptism receive the Spirit Thus the Spirit Unites us to Christ then comes Baptism which looks backward as a Seal of what we have received and forward to our visible state in the Church and hence it appears that our Union to Christ is the Reason of our Union to the Church and not our Union to the Church the Means to unite us to Christ. 4. Baptism admitts not into a particular Church but the visible Church at large and then it will be harder still for our Author to prove from thence that the Union of particular Christians to Christ is by Means of their union with a particular Church under the Bishops and Pastors But if Allusions will not pass currant Then sayes he more expressely in Eph. 4. 4 5. There is one Body and one Spirit as you are called in one hope of your Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism That is the Christian Baptism is but one and is A Sacrament of Union making us all the Members of that one Body of Christ this is called being Baptized into Christ i. e. Admitted into the Christian Church by a visible Profession of our Faith in Christ Now for a small matter I could grant him all this and yet despair of seeing his Conclusion Baptism is but one be it so It 's a Sacrament of Union take it for granted It makes us all Members of that one Body of Christ which is his visible Church let it be supposed But still I wait for proof of this That by Baptism we are all really united to Christ. But here are some things very pretty 1. Baptism is but one and is a Sacrament of Union Very good and so is the Spirit but one and therefore he is the Means of Union 2. By Baptism we are made Members of the one Body of Christ that is of the Visible Church but is there no means to make us Members of the Invisible Church 3. This is called being Baptized into Christ. But is there no other way of uniting us to Christ but by Baptism 4. We are admitted into the Christian Church by a publick Profession of our Faith in Christ Very true we are solemnly admitted into a Visible Station in the Visible Church thereby alwayes supposing Repentance whereby we forsake sin and Faith whereby we steadfastly believe the Promises of God made to us in that Sacrament which has already united us to Christ. 2. The Lords Supper is a Sacrament of Union and signifies that neer Conjunction between Christ and Christians Signifies it It presupposes an Union both with Christ and a particular Church All are supposed in one sence or other to be in the Church to be in Christ that are admitted to it Read over the Exhortation in the Liturgy at your best leisure My duty is to exhort you to consider the Dignity of this Mystery And so to search and examine your Consciences that you should come holy and clean to a most Holy Feast for otherwise receiving of the Holy Communion doth nothing else but encrease your Damnation Again in the other Exhortation For as the benefit is great if with a true penitent heart and lively Faith we receive that holy Sacrament for Then we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood Then we dwell in Christ and he in us so the danger is great c. and therefore if any of you be a Blasphemer of God N. B. an hinderer or a slanderer of his Word N. B. an Adulterer or be in Malice N. B. or Envy or any other grievous crime bewail your sins and come not to this holy Table least the Devil enter into you as he did into Iudas But what can be more evident our Author supposes we are united to the Church united to Christ by Baptism and therefore surely this other Sacrament confirms our Union and does not first Create it I have long waited for an Argument to enforce his Conclusion and now we shall have it The Intention of our Lord and Saviour in what he did and suffer'd for us was not to reform and save some single Persons but to erect a Church and to combine all his Disciples into a publick Society A fairer Truth never dropt from his Pen which some will like the better because it is so handsom and proper a Confutation of the whole Section For if this be Christs design to combine all his Disciples into a publick Society then sure they were his Disciples related to him as their Lord and Master before such combination Now to be a true Disciple of Christ is no such slighty and trivial matter that we may be such a one and yet not united really to Christ It implyes Self-denyal taking up the Cross and following Christ and that will go a great way to an Union with Christ and yet of such as these it 's granted the Christian Society must be composed But he copes up all this with a little Reason And therefore our Saviour does not own any Relation to particular men as such but as they are Members of his Body As such Now for an Explication of the Quà He owns no Relation to particular men as such that is as particular men No I am very well satisfied of that for then he should own a Relation to all particular men for à quatenus ad omne valet consequentia But does he own a Relation to particular Believers as Believers will he own a Relation to a Disciple as a Disciple I am sure he has promis'd to own those that own them as Disciples and I am as sure that if a particular Church be a combination of Disciples he will own his Disciples wherever he finds them so that I was just a concluding the clear contrary if our Author had not given me timely Notice That because Christ does combine all his Disciples into publick Societies that therefore he does own and is so related to united with and will have
and only watch for the Creep-hole of a bare Possibility If they intended honestly they would lay things together as well as they can labour to find out the meaning of God's Spirit with Sobriety and Humility and never strain their Wits and vex and torture the Scripture with utmost Possibilities The Text tells us that the namâ—… whereby Christ shall be called is the Lord our Righteousness Now it 's granted that this was not designed to be his Praenomen or Cognomen that which should distinguish him in Common Discourse from other persons and therefore He shall be called is no less than He shall Really be our Righteousness Thus 1 Iohn 3. 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called that is that we should become the sons of God Isa. 9. 6. His name shall be called i. e. he shall Really be Wonderful Counsellor The Mighty God the Everlasting Father The Prince of Peace The true intent and meaning of which place I know how some have attempted to elude by this fine device of the Possibility of another meaning and whether our Author sharpned his weapon at their forge he knows best But 3. He returns an Answer worse than both the other Righteousness in Scripture is a word of a very large sense and sometimes signifies no more than Mercy Kindness Beneficence and so the Lord our Righteousness is the Lord who does us good But 1. Is it not vainly supposed That for Christ to do us good is inconsistent with being our Righteousness 2. Though Christ be a Redeemer of Mercy Kindness and Beneficence yet he is no-where called The Lord our Mercy The Lord our Kindness The Lord our Beneficence Which clearly proves that when he is called and really is The Lord our Righteousness the expression implies more than an Imparting or Communication of good things to us Hence some would say That if our Author's Conscience were not larger than the sense of this word he had never given so stretching an Answer But says he Righteousness signifies that part of Iustice which consists in relieving the oppressed Isa. 54. 17. Their Righteousness is of me saith the Lord which is a parallel expression to The Lord our Righteousness and signifies no more than that the Lord would avenge their Cause and deliver them from all their Enemies So that all the benefit we are to expect from Christ is Temporal Salvation and Deliverance To which I answer 2. That the Reason of Christ's glorious Name The Lord our Righteousness assigned by the Prophet that in his days Iudah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely is interpreted by the Angel Matth. 1. 21. to be this He shall be called Iesus for he shall save his people from their sins And the end why God raised up his Son Jesus in the World is expresly assigned to be To bless his people in turning away every one of them from their iniquities Acts 3. 26. Thus Rom. 11. 26. Out of Zion shall come the Deliverer and he shall turn away ungodliness from Iacob To turn away iniquity from us and to turn us away from iniquity is I hope something of a more useful import than to relieve the injured and oppressed and deliver them from their Enemies I do not at all envy our Author therefore the glory of his discovery that for God to justifie good men is to deliver them from the violence and injuries of their Enemies And I would gladly hope that all good men have something better wherein to glory In Ier. 33. 16. the Church is called The Lord our Righteousness because she only glories in the Righteousness of Christ her Head and Husband to whom being so nearly related and with whom being so closely united his Righteousness is her Righteousness and therefore she who upon the account of the imperfection of her Inherent Righteousness can find no not the least matter of boasting before God yet has whereof to Triumph in Christ her Saviour Isa. 45. 24. Surely shall one say In the Lord have I Righteousness In the Lord shall all the seed of Iacob be justified and shall glory Now the Apostle whom I take to be a competent Interpreter of Scripture assures us that God has taken special care that in his dispensing of Grace to sinners No flesh shall glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1. 29. which he has well provided for ver 30. since Christ is made unto us of God for Righteousness and therefore he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord Which is exactly parallel to that of Isa. 45. 24. In the Lord shall all the seed of Iacob be justified and shall glory Come we now to our Author's Interpretation of Isa. 61. 11. which is of the same leaven with the former I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soul shall be joyful in my God For he hath clothed me with the garments of Salvation and covered me with the robe of Righteousness c. This Text one may perceive struck cold to his heart and he gives us as cold an Answer that 's ready to freeze between his lips The Garments of Salvation says he and the Robe of Righteousness signifie those great Deliverances God promised to Israel Signifie I would our Author would write a Dictionary of the Signification of words We use to say A bad Answer is better than none Reform the Proverb for shame for such an one is worse than none 1. It 's evident that the Triumph of the Church was upon the view of Jesus Christ vers 1. Anointed to preach Good-Tidings to the meek to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound To proclaim the acceptable Year of the Lord Which our Saviour Christ applies to himself Luk. 4. 18 19. when he was far from working out for the Iews those great Deliverances by improbable means which should make them glorious in the eyes of men 2. The Virgin Mary quotes this very place Luke 1. 46 47. My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour where the joy of her heart broke out at her lips in Contemplation of that Eternal Redemption wrought out by him in whom she could more seriously glory as her Saviour than as her Son And it 's a wonder to me then men can patter over their Magnificat every day and not observe it 3. It 's observable that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render Decketh signifies to Adorn as a Priest and implies that Christ as our High-Priest shall present us acceptable to God upon his Account 4. There 's nothing more familiar with the Spirit of God than to clothe Evangelical Mercies in a Mosaical Dress and to express New-Testament Salvation in Old-Testament Phrase Thus Gospel-Believers are understood by Israel the Church by the Temple Evangelical Ministers by the Legal Priests and the covering of Sin by the covering of Nakedness and by
therefore suppose them instructed in the Doctrine of Iustification But when the Apostle Paul who is called The Apostle of the Uncircumcision comes to preach and write to the Gentiles he must be more express they knew little of God and nothing at all of a Redeemer they must be taught their Catechism and the first Rudiments of Christianity and therefore do we find these great Points more explicitely handled in his Discourses which are more sparingly and more covertly delivered by the Evangelists 2. The Evangelists have given us a perfect account of Christ's Doctrine but then the perfectness of that account is not to be measured by what Christ preached but by what they were commanded to record and transmit to Posterity S. Iohn was faithful in giving us a perfect account of Christ's Sermons but his faithfulness and the entireness of the account he gives us thereof is not to be taken from every Miracle Christ wrought or every Sermon he preach'd for he omits that whole famous Sermon preach'd by Christ in the Mount recorded by Matthew And S. Matthew was also faithful in his account and yet he omits the excellent Prayer recorded by Iohn Chap. 17. and yet both of them and both the other have conveyed down to us whatsoever was delivered to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above Luke 1. What strange work would our Author's Dilemma make amongst the four Evangelists if it were discharged at them Did Christ instruct his Hearers in all things necessary to Salvation or Was the Evangelist John short in giving us a perfect account of his Doctrine If the first then Christ was not faithful in his Prophetical Office If the latter then you overthrow the credit of the Gospel And therefore unless you can prove every Article of the Christian Faith from express words in that one single Book of his Gospel and particularly The Doctrine of Imputed Righteousness our Author will retain his inveterate prejudices against it Nay we may fly a great deal higher Christ was faithful in the discharge of his Prophetical Office and therefore no doubt whenever he preach'd a single Sermon he acquainted his Hearers with all things necessary to Salvation and the Evangelists have delivered us a perfect account of every such Sermon and therefore unless you can prove every Article of your Creed from every single Sermon of Christ our Author is like Thomas he will not believe but upoń his own terms but will justifie his prejudices against it That the Doctrine is certainly to be found no-where because he finds it not every-where Christ preach'd so much of necessary Truth in every Sermon as he judg'd necessary the full account of his preaching must be gathered from the rest And every Evangelist has registred so much of Christ's Miracles Sermons and the passages of his Life as he had in charge and what is omitted in one must be supplied from others And all the Evangelists have delivered so much of what Christ taught the Iews as is needful for us to know and what is further necessary for Gentiles to know is abundantly and explicitely made up from other holy Persons divinely inspired for that very end The whole will of God necessary for us to know for salvation is not so explicitely revealed in any one Book of the Sacred Oracles but we have need to receive Information from the whole Nor were the Writings of any one Prophet Evangelist or Apostle design'd to complete the Canon of our Faith but the whole Scripture I say not this as if I at all questioned much less denied that the Doctrine of Christ's Righteousness imputed is laid down by the Evangelists though some mens prejudices will not permit them to see it either there or any-where else but that it is there spoken to more implicitly our Saviour doing another thing touching upon it by the way as supposing them already instructed in it And that the Writings of the Apostles qualified to preach to the Gentiles by the pouring forth of the Holy Spirit upon them have more clearly commented upon that and other important Doctrines and beaten out that Gold which was before in the Lump and though of equal weight yet not so dilated So that there remains no more just cause of Dispute about these matters with them who believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God And as for others they can never want Objections whilst their Corruptions and Unbelief continue in full force strength and power But 5. There is another Prejudice which extremely gravels him That in all the New-Testament there 's no such expression as the Righteousness of Christ And this he says is worth our observing A Learned Observation it is but I think the whole New-Testament is but one great expression of the Righteousness of Christ or else it is but one great blot However I am glad that he will own that the New-Testament mentions the Righteousness of God the Righteousness of Faith and the Righteousness which is by the Faith of Iesus Christ. For the Righteousness of Christ is the Righteousness of that Person who is God They who crucified Christ are said to crucifie the Lord of Glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. and that Blood by which the Church is purchased is called the Blood of God Acts 20. 28. that is the Blood of that Person who is God though not as God Thus the Righteousness of Christ the Righteousness of God the Righteousness of Faith are expressions of the same import They describe the same Righteousness under various Considerations being called the Righteousness of God because it was the Righteousness of him that is God the Righteousness of Christ because it was fulfilled in his own Person and the Righteousness of Faith because Faith makes Him and thereby his Righteousness to become ours However we desire to plead for no more of Christ's Righteousness to be imputed to us than we can evidently prove was inherent in him and fulfilled by him And if after all our Author be so passionately fond of his Prejudices he may keep them to himself But now he will examine these expressions more distinctly 1. For the Righteousness of God He confesses That in the New-Testament most commonly it signifies that Righteousness which God approves and commands and which he will accept for the Iustification of a sinner That was well jumbled God approves and commands a Righteousness in a Believer which he will not accept for the Iustification of a sinner That Righteousness which God will accept he has commanded us to seek in Christ but that Righteousness which he has commanded us to find in our selves is not that Righteousness which he will accept for our Iustification Inherent Righteousness may be called the Righteousness of God because he commands it but especially because he works and creates it But the true Reason of the expression is because it is the Righteousness of him who is God and only discovered by the Wisdom of God and accepted by God in the
Justification of a believing sinner But though I agree not with him in the Reason of the Name let him make the best of it Now says he this Righteousness consists in a sincere and universal obedience to the Commands of God That 's Magisterially dictated however But where may we find this Righteousness It 's contained says he in the Terms of the Gospel We are as wise as we were before Why then we are posted over to Rom. 1. 17. The Righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith Evident it is hence That the Gospel reveals that Righteousness by which we are justified and as evident that the Righteousness of God and of Faith are the same thing under divers Considerations but that the Righteousness of God consists in an universal obedience to Commands or that these are the Terms of Iustification it speaks not one syllable only it speaks aloud that our Author had a very loving Inclination it should be so Then we are turned over to Matth. 6. 33. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness What then Why It is called the Righteousness of God It is called What is called without all peradventure the Righteousness of God is called the Righteousness of God not only there but where-ever else we meet with the Expression But what are we the nearer Why this is the same with the Righteousness of his Kingdom But what Kingdom and upon what account and in what place is the Righteousness of God called the Righteousness of the Kingdom But go on Now the Kingdom of God signifies the state of the Gospel Well proceed And the Righteousness of God or of his Kingdom signifies that that Righteousness which the Gospel prescribes which is contained in the Sermons and Parables of Christ Ergo c. Quod erat Demonstrandum Round-about our Coal-fire And now who can be so hard-hearted as not to allow our Author rarely qualified to Reform the Religion of Christendom What man would not be content to be argued out of his Seven Senses with such potent Demonstration 2. We must observe farther if at least it be farther that this Righteousness of God which he commands and rewards â—…is the Righteousness of Faith or Righteousness by the Faith of Christ. We have heard so The Gospel commands us to believe in Christ for Justification for he is our Righteousness This will not undo us yet But Faith is often taken objectively for the Gospel of Christ. Faith is sometimes so used but that Faith in Christ is so used we wait for evidence He produces it from Acts 24. 24. Felix sent for Paul and heard him concerning the Faith of Christ that is concerning Righteousness Temperance and the Iudgment to come But here our Author is taken napping 1. He corrupts both the Original and the Translation unless he has other Bibles than are come to our hands for neither the Greek nor the English say He heard him concerning the Faith of Christ which words are more liable to a perverse insinuation but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning that Faith which is in or upon Christ. 2. He prevaricates with his Reader most palpably in making those words concerning Righteousness Temperance and Iudgment to come to be an Exegesis of the foregoing words The Faith that is in Christ Whereas the Apostle argued with Felix about the Nature of these things wherein he knew he was Defective to awaken his secure and sleepy Conscience to consider what need he had by Faith to fly to Christ for a better Righteousness than his own The Apostle took the true Method of Gods Spirit to insist upon Righteousness to convince him of his Injustice Bribery upon Temperance or Continence to convince him of his Adultery and upon Iudgment to come to alarum him with the righteous Judgment of God that so being terrified by the Law he might more gladly entertain the Doctrine of Faith in Christ for Righteousness wherein he might stand before God which otherwise his proud unhumbled heart would never have brook'd and submitted to 3. His Next step is towards the deciding the Controversie about the way of Abraham ' s being justified before God And a great and weighty Question it is for Abraham being called The Father of the Faithful it might seem strange that the Father should be justified one way and his Children another when Believers are therefore and only therefore his Children because they walk in the steps of his Faith Rom. 4. 12. And seeing as our Author Confesses he was set forth as a Patern of our Iustification It were to be admired If the Exemplar and the Copy the Archetype and Ectype were of Divers kinds It will be of good use therefore to enquire What way Abraham was justified Though the best way to resolve it is to enquire What way Believers under the Gospel are justified Now the Apostle is very punctual herein Rom. 4. 11. Abraham received the sign of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith which he had yet being uncircumcised that he might be the Father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised that Righteousness might be imputed to them also Look what way Abraham was justified the same way are all true Believers justified for he is Father of the faithful and they his Children only because they tread in the steps of the same Faith but Abraham was justified by Faith by the Righteousness of Faith and in a way of Imputation whatever these Expressions signifie therefore Believers under the Gospel are justified by Faith by the Righteousness of Faith and in a way of Imputation Again Gal. 3. 6. Even as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for Righteousness v. 7. Know ye therefore that they which are of Faith are the Children of faithful Abraham Where the Apostle demonstrates that the sameness of a Christians Faith with Abrahams is as able to denominate him one of Abraham's Children as if he came out of his loyns Ver. 9. So then they which are of Faith are blessed with faithful Abraham If they have the same Faith with Abraham they shall have the same Blessing with Abraham for says he v. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us that the Blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Iesus Christ. All the advantage the Gentiles receive by Christ and they need no more to make them perfectly and eternally blessed is that Abraham's Blessing may come upon them But if we have not Abraham's Faith we must never expect a part in Abraham's Blessing Nay says the Apostle v. 8. Abraham had the same Gospel preach'd to him that we have The Scripture foreseeing that is the Spirit of Christ which gave forth the Scripture that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith preached before the Gospel to Abraham Now the preaching of the Gospel is the Spirits Engine for the begetting a true saving and lively Faith If then Abraham had the same
Devils the Will must also conspire with the Understanding For that which Faith is conversant about being not only true but good there must be an Act of Choice as Knowledg that the whole man may be employed about it 2. Says he The Object of Faith must be unseen things As the Being or Providence of God or a Future state something past or to come the Creation of the World or the final Dissolution of it or the accomplishment of any Promises or Predictions I grant indeed that these things may be called tropically the Object of our Faith but as they are things to be obtained they are more properly the Object of our Hope But that which Faith primarily eyes that which is its proper Object is the reason of its Assent and Consent And thus God in Christ through the Promise is the proper Object of a justifying Faith The mercles of the Covenant of Grace are many of them reserved for a future estate when the Soul shall be better qualified to enjoy them but Faith respects God actually giving himself in Covenant to be our God through a Mediator When we say we believe Heaven we belief Life Everlasting c. the meaning is only this we believe God has promised to give Heaven to give Life Everlasting through Jesus Christ I believe such a thing will be that is I believe God who has engaged that such a thing shall be The Authority of God speaking in the Promise is the true Reason and proper Object of Faith and the things contained in the Promise as they are such are not the Object of my Faith properly but have other powers of the Soul that are concerned about them 3. The different sorts of Faith says he result from the different Objects and Motives of it The Apostle takes notice of two kinds of Faith in this Chapter Hebr. 11. and faith in Christ makes a Third which are all the kinds of Faith the Scripture mentions Now I am afraid I shall grow every day less in love than other with our Author's Accurateness in Divinity For 1. What a mad way is this to distinguish Faith into its several kinds and sorts from the multiplicity of the things that it believes for at this rate he could have minted not three only or threescore but three hundred sorts and kinds of Faith The different sorts or kinds of Faith result says he from the different Objects and Motives of it But say I in his sence the Objects and Motives of Faith are innumerable and therefore the sorts and kinds of Faith are innumerable also The Object of Faith says he must be unseen things The Being or Providence of God or a Future state something past or to come c. Now according to this Doctrine we must believe the Being of God with one sort of Faith his Providences with another the Creation of the World with one kind of Faith its Dissolution with another Heaven with one kind of Faith Hell with another things past with one kind things to come with another Prophesies with one kind of Faith Promises with another And then for the Motives of Faith they are various The Power of God the Wisdom of God our Experience of God the Goodness of God So when I believe any thing and take the Power of God able to accomplish it for my Motive I believe it with a Faith of another kind from that whereby I believe the same thing and take the goodness of God for my motive And now there 's a Foundation laid for one of his plain Demonstrations that Abraham's Faith differed toto genere from Pauls because Abraham in believing took his encouragement from the faithfulness of him that had promised and Paul from his Abilities to keep what he had committed unto him So that I think I have not over-shot my self in saying That he may upon these principles coyn as many several sorts and distinct kinds of justifying Faith as he can possibly spend in seven years time and as he grows out of sorts he may stamp as many more 2. I am not satisfied that the Apostle mentions two and but just two sorts of justifying Faith in this Chapter For the Apostle mentions one and the same Faith By Faith we believe the Worlds were created by Faith Abel sacrificed by Faith Enoch walked with God by Faith the Elders obtained a good report by Faith Noah took Gods warning by Faith Sarah conceived by Faith Abraham offered up Isaac c. But if these Faiths were of several sorts and kinds the Apostle could not manage his Argument with Consistency nor should he so insensibly have passed from one sort of Faith to another without fair warning that he had no plot upon his Readers imbecillity 3. It 's full as easie to make All the sorts of Faith appear in the Chapter as two if it had pleased the Painter For 1. Here 's evidently the Faith of Christians vers 3. Through Faith we understand we Christians that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God 2. There 's Enoch's and Abel's Faith which our Author allots for a second kind of Faith And then 3. The Faith of Noah Abraham and all the rest and their 's constitutes the third sort oâ—… Faith 4. Much less am I satisfied that Faith in Christ makes a third kind of justifying Faith distinct from the other two Faith is but one the Reason into which our Faith is ultimately resolved is but one the Mean whereby we believe in God is but one even Jesus Christ by whom we believe in God But the things the good things propounded in the Promises are infinite So that I doubt not when any necessity shall urge him he can reduce all these three sorts of Faith into one again by Synaeresis or split any one of them into a couple by a Diaeresis But now let us look into his three sorts of Faith 1. § The first says he we may call A natural Faith I confess he may call things what he pleases only let him be sure he do not miscal them the rather because he has not Adams faculty to make inspection into their Natures But what is this natural Faith A belief says he of the Principles of natural Religion which is founded on natural Demonstrations and moral Arguments as that God is and that heis a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him But I am still of the same mind that there is no such thing nor ever was as a Religion of sinners whereby they can draw nigh to God and worship him with Acceptation but what supposes Divine Revelation as the means of Manifestation and a Redeemer as the medium of Reconciliation It is owned that this is a Principle of all Religion that God is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him But there must be somewhat more than this namely Ability and strength from God that we may diligently seek him and a Mediator through whom we may seek him with him
the First must be justified if ever they be justified by the Second Adam v. 22. The Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe for there 's no difference for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God As all men that ever were are or shall be are sinners under Condemnation so all that ever were are or shall be righteous in the sight of God are so by that righteousness which is by Faith of Iesus So that every pardoned accepted justified sinner must own that he is justified freely by the Grace of God through the Redemption that is in Christ. From these and such-like Scriptures it is that Christians ascribe their Iustification before God not to their own good Works but to the Free Grace of God through Iesus Christ but our Author has a way of proving his Sentiments worth a thousand of these Could men says he be reconciled to plain sence it would need no other Confirmation but the Natural evidence of naked and simple Truth It has been observed of the great Bellarmine from whom our Author has borrowed some things that he never comes in with a Procui dubio but the next words are a Rapper the same I observe in our Author that when he has done just nothing he always makes the loudest cackle It was a handsom Come-of if you did but mind it that when he had pester'd us with his prejudices surfeited us with Arbitrary distinctions filled our heads with empty Notions and when we looked to have been attack'd with one of his old plain kill-cow demonstrations he faces about and pops us off with this It needs no other proof than the Natural evidence of simple and naked Truth But now let the Reader take something warm next his heart let him use his phial of Essences for our Author is just now a-coming to examine those Texts of Scripture which are abused by these men to set up the personal Righteousness of Christ as the only formal Cause of our justification And must not those Texts of Scripture be miserably abused indeed that are thus prest in for such a service What the personal Righteousness of Christ the formal Cause of our justification I have heard some say it was the Meritorious Cause some the Impulsive Cause others the Material Cause and some that it is no Cause but our Author is the first that ever I heard this expression from There was once a good Orthodox Bishop as Orthodoxy past in that Age his Name Downham he has Written many a long page upon this Subject and he acquaints us with the sence of Protestants Lib. 1. Cap. 3. Sect. 1. That the matter of our justification is Christ's Righteousness and the form is God's Imputing it and this way go most of your Systematical Divines but from hence I learn it 's the Mode now-a-days for these Gentlemen to Confute that is to Rail at those long-winded Authors they never had the patience to read nor the Brains to understand but let this pass amongst our Authors Negligences or Ignorances till I understand better where to marshal it In examining the Texts which they abuse he will begin and end with Phil. 3. 8 9. Yea doubtless and I account all things loss for the excellency of the Knowledg of Iesus Christ my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things that I may win Christ and be found in him not having my own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith The main Question here will be What was that Righteousness which the Apostle renounces from having any place in his Justification before God Upon this one hinge turns all the Controversie betwixt our Author and his Antagonists They say it was what-ever inherent Righteousness he had attained or could attain what-ever Obedience he had performed or could perform to the Commands of God Ay but says our Author what proof have they for this he can learn none but that they take it for granted that My Righteousness signifies Inherent Righteousness And really they are to be pittied if not pardoned that by His own Righteousness understand his own Righteousness for if Inherent Righteousness be not His own Righteousness it 's plain he could have none at all for an External Conformity of Actions to the Law alone is not Righteousness at all but Hypocrisie and Vnrighteousness but I shall inform him of some other proofs why they take His own Righteousness for Inherent Righteousness 1. That which he calls his own Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he tells you in the next words is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is from Law from a Law from any Law indefinitely now a Righteousness which is from a Law is such a one as the Law urges presses upon and prescribes to the Conscience but that without question is an Internal Conformity of soul to the holiness of the Law but this the Apostle rejects therefore he rejects Internal and Inherent Righteousness 2. The true Notion of My Righteousness is not to be fetcht from some sorry Conjectures from precarious Hypotheses which men when they are in streights invent to avoid present ruine but from the stable fixed constant use thereof in Scripture but so is this expression My own Righteousness and My own or your own Works used in Scripture viz. for real sineere Conformity of heart and life to a Law therefore so ought we to take it here till we see cogent Reason to the contrary That this is the fixed use of the expression in Scripture we shall see Gen. 30. 33. My Righteousness shall answer for me in time to come which our Author would paraphrase thus My Righteousness that is My Roguery Iob 27. 6. My Righteousness I hold fast my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live My Righteousness that is would he say My Hypocrisie Matth. 5. 16. That men may see your good works that is in the New Glossary Your Complement Dan. 9. 18. we present not our supplications before thee not for our Righteousnesses but for thy great Mercies The Prophet in the Name of the Church must be supposed here not to renounce real Righteousness but the Sceleton of Obedience Now had the Apostle designed only to reject his own Hypocrisie he was not so barren in expressions but he could have fitted it with its Proper Name 3. The Apostle expresly renounces both what-ever he had attained before or after his Conversion v. 7. These things that were gain to me whilst I was a Pharisee those I accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loss for Christ But is that all No! Yea doubtless v. 8. and I do now account 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things but loss I have accounted all things attained in my Iudaism loss when I was first convinced and I do now account all things even my own Righteousness loss and dung for Christ
shall be Pardoned and Saved if we Believe and Obey without any Ability purchased to Believe and Obey 2. Christ did not purchase any one single spiritual Benefit for us as the Cause of it immediate and proper 3. He purchased Nothing but that he may lose the whole Benefit of his Purchase 4. Obedience will as soon save us without the Blood of Christ as with it Lesser Obedience with that Blood is not more acceptable to God than Greater without it But this he will call an Influence upon our Acceptation with God I confess he is a Free-man for ought I know and may call or miscall Things as he has done Persons at his pleasure but surely no man whose understanding is his own would ever call this an Influence upon our Acceptation with God A contingent uncertain Influence it may have upon our Obedience but none at all upon the Acceptation of our Obedience An act of Love to God is as welcome and acceptable to God at this rate without Christ as with Him But this is the Misery of it when Men must say something and yet cannot tell well what to say but either on the one hand they must flie in the Face of the Scripture which they hardly dare do or else on the other hand renounce their beloved Errors which they are resolved never to do then must the Scriptures be wrested to their crooked Sentiments instead of Rectifying their crooked Notions by the straight Rule of the written Word 2 Having now Informed us what Influence the Death of Christ has upon our acceptance with God it remains that he Instruct us with equal Ingenuity what Influence the Righteousness of his Life has upon God for the same end But here he will be to seek for having assigned in words so much to the Death of Christ there is nothing left for his Life No matter upon which it may work but seeing all the former was in pretence there is Employment enough for it left still Though the pardon of sin and our justification be attributed says he to the blood of Christ yet I could never persuade my self that this wholly excludes the perfect obedience and righteousness of his life He cannot persuade himself very strange what had he attempted to satisfie his judgement about the exclusion of Christs righteousness and yet could he not be persuaded yes persuaded he was to exclude it but not wholly to exclude it there were some rubs and little scruples in the way that he could not get over but had he improved his own principles and built upon his own foundation I could have shewn him a way how he might wholly have excluded it for p. 243. he gives it us as a Note worth our observing that in the whole New Testament there is no such expeession as the Righteousness of Christ And p. 78. he lays it down as an infallible maxime That we cannot draw any one conclusion from the person of Christ which his Gospel hath not expresly taught seeing then we cannot safely draw any such conclusion from Christs Person and the Scripture has not expresly taught it what should hinder him from a plerophory in this point wholly to exclude that from his Creed which is not expresly taught in the Scripture and therefore may not be drawn from the consideration of his Person by consequence And if his scruples had been but as strong against the righteousness of Christ or he had been in the scrupling mood as against the justification of Abraham by the righteousness of Christ this matter had been put out of doubt with him wholly long before this In the mean time The righteousness of Christ is mightily beholden to his good Nature that when by his principles he might yet out of civility he would not and therefore could not wholly exclude it Some Place some Room it shall have some Remote and Improper causality as the Death of Christ had in our Acceptation with God But what may be the Reason why he could not altogether as well as almost exclude it O he tells us that the Apostle tells him Ephes. 1. 6. That we are accepted in the Beloved And is this the great difficulty Alas one of his Wedges would make this little Knot flie at the first stroke May there not possibly be given another meaning of it Must it needs be Interpreted of Acceptation through the active Obedience of Christ This would have done the work Or thus Our acceptation is ascribed to the Obedience of Christs Life because that has a great Influence upon us to make us Obedient which is that Righteousness for which we are accepted of God The Example of Christ has given us a Pattern of Obedience which when we Imitate we are accepted of God but what now if he had played one of his Omnipotent Machines against the Text he might have Batter'd down the Conclusion with ease By the Beloved is meant Christ by Christ is meant the Gospel by the Gospel is meant Obedience and then the sence is no more but this We are accepted in the Beloved that is We are accepted for our selves And I must needs say this had been a far more Rational Course than that he has taken with the Death of Christ Ay but says he whatever rendred Christ beloved of God did contribute something to our Obedience Something That 's a huge Kindness indeed There 's a vast distance between something and nothing and yet it may be such a something as is next to nothing Well we are glad of a little till we can get more For because he was beloved of God we are accepted for his sake That 's high and surprizing But still What kind of Cause was Christs Obedience of our acceptance One of the Poorest Lowest causes in the World is one that they Nick-name a Causa sine quâ non which yet is properly no cause at all And yet our Author when time was could tell us pag. 43. That had Christ never appeared in the World yet we have reason to believe God is thus Wise Good and Merciful to forgive us our sins when we return to our Duty Such a Cause was the Death of Christ of our acceptance Pag. 46. Gods requiring such a Sacrifice as the Death of Christ for the Expiation of our sins was not because he could not do otherwise If now we might have been accepted without his Incarnation I presume we might have been so without his Obedience and then it is not so much as that little nothing of a Causa sine quâ non But this is pure Trifling For the Question was What Influence Christs Righteousness has upon our acceptance with God He answers That because Christ was beloved we are beloved for his sake That is Christs Obedience has an Influence upon our acceptance but what that Influence is remains a Secret Suppose the Question had been Why are we accepted for Christs sake The answer might have been His Obedience has an Influence upon our acceptation Those
to Christ we must go to Him And therefore Faith which is the Instrument of this Union is very Luckily called coming to Christ from whence it is very evident that to believe in Christ is to go to Him for Salvation Which Metaphors of coming and going are a very Intelligible Explication of Believing But does this Gentleman think we have not sins enough of our own to answer for but we must be Responsible for all the faults the Black-Jaundies of Malice can find in Scripture Or does he Fancy that we Penn'd the Scriptures and therefore must lie at Stake for all the Incongruous expressions that he is able to suppose in them Well thanks be unto God that the Scriptures never yet found a Match able to Cope with them For 1. It 's apparently false which he says These Metaphors of coming and going are a very Intelligible explication of Believing Whenas indeed Believing is that which Explicates those Metaphors of Coming and Going With the same Fore-head he might have reviled Christ for Interpreting the Preaching of the Word by the Sower Sowing his Seed whereas the Sower sowing his Seed is explicated by the Preaching the Word 2. Faith says he is very Luckily called coming to Christ. I shall spare him that Ignorant Expression that Faith is called coming to Christ No Sir not Faith but Believing not the Peace but the Acting of that Grace is so called But I shall not wave his blasphemous Flirtings of the holy Spirit What ever Expressions he has used to express Faith or its Acts by were upon advice with his own wisdom who will not learn of him how to guide the Heads and Hearts and Tongues and Pens of his Amanuenses in revealing to us the Mind and Will of God He has better Authority to Justifie Quod scripsi scripsi than either Pilate who once really Crucified Christ Or that other who has often Crucified him in Essigie It was advisedly so called but unluckily reproached 3. Those Metaphors of coming and going do very aptly and Intelligibly express the Motion of the Soul in its turning from sin to God by Faith in Jesus Christ For as in all Local Motions there is a Term from which and a Term unto which we move so in this Spiritual Motion there is a State or Term from which we pass that of Sin and Enmity against God and another to which we pass that of Holiness and Peace with God Our Saviour thought meet and we are to Acquiesce in his Sovereign Wisdom sometimes to employ a Metaphor in the Explicating of a Metaphor Mat. 13. 19. Then comes the wicked one and catcheth away the word that was sown in his heart ver 21. Yet hath he not Root in himself ver 22. The deceitfulness of Riches Choak the Word and yet till of late he was never branded for unintelligible explicating of his Notions If now the Reader would have an Instance to what Height encouraged Prophaneness may rise let him read what follows But when the Soul is come to Christ is this enough No sure the Soul then must receive Christ as St. Iohn tells us 1 Ioh. 12. To as many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God That faith which serves us for Leggs to goe to Christ must be a Hand to Receive him and to apply all his Merits and Fulness and Righteousness to our Souls And now when we have Received him we must embrace him in our Arms too as good old Simeon did when he found him in the Temple which is a little nearer Union as plainly appears from the Example of the Patriarchs who saw the Promises afar off and embraced them Heb. 11. 13. and now we have Christ we must trust and lean upon Him as we are often commanded to doe which signifies that Act of Faith whereby feeling our own weakness as unable to support our selves we do lean and rest on Christ and if leaning be not enough we may make a little more bold and Roll on him as appears from Psal. 37. 5. Roll thy wayes on the Lord as the Original Gal signifies which is that Act of Faith whereby we being weary and heavy laden with sin and seeking Ease at last discharge our load and cast it on Christ and this is plain from the phrase of Believing in Christ and on him for what can that signifie but leaning and rolling on him laying and building our selves on him as on a Foundation And now we have thus brought our Souls to Christ we must commit them to his trust to take charge of them and if they perish it shall be his fault he must give an account of it Thus St. Paul did 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that I have committed unto him against that day and Now we must hide our selves in Christ from the fierce wrath of God as the Dove in the Rocks But this is not enough yet for we must be cloathed with the Righteousness of Christ. And when we are thus united to Christ and made one with him then All Christ is ours as the Apostle tells us All is yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods The Merit of his Death is ours to free us from the Guilt and Punishment of sin and his Active Obedience to the will of God his Righteousness is ours for our Justification as is plain in that he is called The Lord our Righteousness and as I. O. well observes we are reconciled to God by the Death of his Son and saved by his Life Rom. 5. 10. And now I hope there 's none needs question but our Author is laid in with a Competency of those Endowments that may enable him to Deride the whole Bible from the first of Genesis to the last of the Revelations If our Author does not judge with others about the Meaning of these phrases and Expressions of Scripture he had the liberty for ought I know to discover and if he must needs to expose their Mistakes but to droll upon the very Expressions of Scripture without reference to any Interpretation and if to any to that which is most evidently the True is a Degree above the superlative of Blasphemy Let others admire which of his Talents they see good for my own part I read more of Ignorance in it than of all his other Characters 1. One gross piece of Ignorance is that he makes the Patriarchs embracing of the Promises explain Simeon's embracing Christ in the Temple 2. That in his goodly supposed Method of the Souls coming to Christ he fancies first that we have Christ and trust and lean upon him and yet after a while as if it were a new degree of Faith he tells us we must commit our Souls to him 3. He fancies that to come to Christ to receive him to embrace him are several Acts of Faith distinguished by some Intervals of time But let us hear the guilt of these Scriptures and