He was raised again for our Justification Chap 8. 34. He lives for ever to make intercession for us So his Godhead concurs with his Man hood in applying his purchase to us and thus his Divine Power gives us all things that pertain to Life and Godliness But this hath nothing in it to prove that considered meerly as God he is our Saviour and that he never as God man purchased Salvation for us or that he applies salvation to us without any respect to his purchase or that his manhood doth not at all concur in applying salvation to us God is our Saviour but in saving us he give us nothing but what is purchased Let it be remembred that since Christ as God-man did purchase our salvation and still his Manhood concurrs with his Godhead in applying it Christ as God man is our Saviour and not as God only And to deny that Christ is our Saviour as God-man is to contradict all promises and Prophecies concerning Christ as the Son of Man the Seed of the Woman the seed of Abraham of David that a bone of him shall not be broken that he should be a man of sorrows In the old Testament And to contradict the whole History of the New and indeed the whole Gospel of Christ What saith he of himself Rev. 22.16 I am the Root and Of-spring of David As God the Root as man the Of-spring And what was his main design in taking our nature Mind that Scripture Matt. 26.28 This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins His design was by dying for us to purchase our pardon and consequently salvation Act. 20.28 God purchased the Church by his blood This never could be excluding his manhood As God man then he is our Saviour It follows If the light in every man can of it self Reveal Chrst as our Saviour then it must without the help of supernatural Revelation discover that the Son of God took our Nature on him that he did dye for us that he did purchase forgiveness and salvation for us by his death If it cannot Reveal these things it cannot reveal our Saviour for by these things he is our Saviour Let me a new propound my Argument That that Reveals not Christ as God-man that hath dyed for us to purchase our forgiveness cannot be a full Rule cannot guide us to salvation But this Light cannot so Reveal him I prove the Major by that Scripture John 6.53 Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you Except by a lively Contemplation of your humane nature assumed into one person with my divine Nature faith in Gods mercy springs and is dayly nourished and strengthened and quickned in you Your souls are not sanctified not reconciled to God and his wayes you have no heart to serve God in sincerity so as to be accepted of God and to live with him in Eternity You are dead in your sins If life Eternal be to know him as Jesus Christ whom the Father sent John 17.3 Then not to know him as Jesus Christ whom the Father hath sent is to be deprived of Eternal life The Jews therefore though they trust in a promised Messiah yet not looking on him as already sent they perish God hath now set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his Blood Rom. 3.25 If we have have not faith in his blood then there is but little hope to have Gods wrath turned away from us But the light in every Man as hath been shewn cannot of it self reveal Christ at all much less thus reveal him We have a Maxim in Philosophy nil fit in intellectu quod non fuit prius in sensu All our knowledge comes in by our senses And it holds good here for as we in this age could never have known that there was such a man as Alexander the great were it not that we read and hear of him so by the bare light in every man never could we attain to know that Christ was born that he lived a sinless life that he suffered death suffered for our sins by the appointment of the Father and thereby obtained Eternal Redemption for us and that he rose the third day and is now removed up into glory God doth not ordinarlly give us this knowledge any other way but by our senses Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing vers 14. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard This knowledge then comes not from our light within but from our light without viz. the Gospel read or preached to us The Conclusion 1 hope is now evident that this light in every man is no full Rule nor by it self is it any Rule at all to Heaven Object G. W. Divinity of Christ p. 41. Then all the Gentiles that have not the Gospel preached to them perish Answ 1. The Scriptures Reveals but one way of Salvation for the Jew and for the Gentile or Heathen and that his knowledge of and faith in Christ Rom. 3.30 Seeing it is one God shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and the Vncircumcision through Faith Gal. 3.8 The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith Preached before the Gospel unto Abraham 2. Therefore where God designs the saving of any among the Gentiles he doth bring them to the knowledge of Christ and works faith in them and this ordinarily by the Gospel which the word of Faith Ro. 15.12 There shall be a Root of Jesse and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust 3. Therefore where the Gospel is not given generally they perish Where no Vision is the people perish Object Divination of Christ p. 40. This layes the blame upon God that they are not saved Answ Methinks Men should dread to oppose so clear a truth by so desperate a deduction least God condemn them for Blasphemers of his Majesty at the last day A fallen creature without a Saviour cannot be saved now is the blame to be laid on God that Devils are not saved because God provided not a Saviour for them What a wicked and hellish Position is this if God gives not every sinner what is necessary to Salvation the blame is to be laid on God that he is not saved Without Regeneration no man can be saved is the blame of every damned mans perdition to be laid on God because he did not Regenerate him Is God thus a debter to sinners Who hath first given to him By sin all mankind hath forfeited salvation God was not bound to provide for us a Saviour any more then for the fallen Angels therefore it cannot be he should be bound to give the Gospel to every one of us though without this we ordinarily perish The Gospel is Gods own and may he not without blame do what he will with his own give it to whom he please and deny it to whom he
so revealed This may well be called saving because it puts us actually into a state of Salvation and infallibly brings us to Heaven Thus the special Illumination of the Spirit in Believers is an internal saving Light John 17.3 This is Life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent I say the special Illumination for there is a common Illumination not saving It causeth to receive the Seed with joy to taste of the heavenly gift and of the powers of the world to come but it doth not effectually prevail with the whole Soul to prize above life and so entertain and stedfastly cleave to the truths and ways of God This premised 1. I affirm that the Light in every man is not in this latter sense saving It doth not enlighten any mans Understanding effectally to apprehend all Truths necessary to Salvation though they should be revealed before him Arg. 1. What God gives not man hath not a man can receive nothing except it be given him from above But God doth not give to every man a savingly enlightned understanding Therefore every man hath it not I proved that God gives it not to every man Deut. 29.4 The Lord hath not given you eyes to see to this day This was urged the first Dispute G. W. p. 19. They did see v. 2. You have seen all the Lord did Ans What are we to understand by Eyes not given Not an understanding enlightned only with that Light that every man hath for with this they saw all the Lord did therefore an understanding effectually and savingly enlightned This had not been given them to that day He objects They did close their eyes therefore God did not enlighten them Answ It was impossible they should close the Eyes of an effectually savingly enlightned understanding for they never had such eyes to close All men then have not a saving Light Arg. 2. Darkness cannot savingly enlighten The Light in every man is darkness as hath been already proved And who puts darkness for light if not he that puts the dim light of every man for an effectual and saving Illumination Arg. 3. A saving Light breaks the heart for sin Luke 22.61 62. The Lord turned and looked on Peter and Peter remembred the words of the Lord and he went out and wept bitterly Changeth the heart 2 Cor. 3.18 All we beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory Giveth Soul satisfaction in God Psal 89.15 16. Blessed are they that know the joyful sound they shall walk O Lord in the Light of thy Countenance in thy Name shall they rejoice Causeth the Soul to come to Christ John 6.45 Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father comes to me And engageth the heart to Obedience Psal 119.102 I have not departed from thy Judgments for thou hast taught me 1 John 2.4 He that saith he knoweth him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Liar But all men have not their hearts broken changed satisfied in God closing with Christ and Gods ways Therefore every mans Light is not saving How can that be called effectual which doth not effect these things And if it doth not effect these things it never sayes And how can that be called saving which never saves Obj. p. 18. Many rebel against grieve resist the Spirit therefore are given up to hardness Answ But if they had had an effectual saving Light they had not rebelled against grieved and resisted the Spirit their hearts had been changed they had closed with Christ and his wayes This very Rebellion proves they never had a saving Light Obj. Man is not a Block or a Beast that saving Light inevitably and irresistably should force a change upon a Rebel Answ No no but it doth infallibly irresistably in a most sweet manner turn change and win and prevail upon him to close with Christ and his Commandments Saul was a Rebel but when it pleased God to reveal his Son in him Gal. 1.15 Immediately he consulted not with flesh and blood And there is 10 one taught of the Father but comes to Christ Not a Soul that knows God but he keeps his Commandments John 10.16 Other sheep I have which I must bring Then they must come and cannot stay back so irresistably by Love doth Christ win them Arg. 4. If a greater by far and a higher Light be not effectual and so saving much less is this Light that is in every man saving But as hath been hinted there is a common Illumination of the Spirit that goes along with the Preaching of the Gosplel yet not effectual This having the advantage of the Gospel can help a man to so far more than the dim light of Heathens can either reveal or discern Arg. 5. That Light that leaves men in a natural estate can never save For he that is in his natural estate is a Child of wrath But this Light within leaves all the ungodly in their natural estate Arg. 6. That Light which cannot help a man to understand Spiritually the things of God can much less effectually win him to embrace and live to Christ that he might be saved But this Light though it can help to understand literally yet not spiritually the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 with all his Light the natural man cannot know them Arg. 7. That which leaves men under a disability of coming to Christ of breaking off their sins of obeying the Law of God is far from saving But this Light leaves men under a disability of coming off from their sins Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his Skin then may you who are accustomed to do evil learn to do well Their Light could not deliver them from Impemtency A disability of coming to Christ John 6.44 No man can come unto me except the Father draw him Without drawing by a special Illumination for all his Light he is left under an impossibility of coming Rom 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed can be All his Light cannot rescue him from an impossibility of obedience Can such a Light save Arg. 8. If this Light could be effectual to mans Salvation then the special illuminations of the Spirit given or promised would be needless John 16.8 The Spirit shall convince of Righteousness Isa 54.13 All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord Jer. 24.7 I will give them an heart to know me But God doth nothing in vain therefore every man is not enlightned with a saving Light 2. I affirm that the Light in every man is not in the former sense saving It doth not objectively reveal all Truths necessary to salvation This is already abundantly proved when I proved this Light no full Rule To all there I shall here only add Arg. 1. If the natural man with all his Light cannot so much as understand those spiritual Truths which are
instituted Circumcision did he not threaten the man child not circumcised the eight day shall be cut off he hath broken my Covenant Gen. 17.14 These things are written for our example and for our learning for whom God hath instituted Baptism to be of that use to us that circumcision was of to the Jews The Lord hath said Call upon me fear me the same Lord God hath said Go teach Baptizing The Pharisees rejected the Counsel of God against themselves not submitting to this Ordinance Christ submitted to it whether shall we chose to imitate Christ or the Pharisees Whether the Lords Supper be an Ordinance of Christ binding us For this also take these two arguments Arg. 1. What is ordained of Christ for his Church and not abolished still binds but such is the Lords Supper It was Instituted by Christ Mat. 26.26 27. And as they were eating Jesus took bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to the Disciples and said take eat this is my body And he took the Cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it It was instituted for his Church 1 Cor 11.23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you v. 24. This do in remembrance of me He delivered the very command of Christ to them being a Church of Christ plainly discovering that they were all bound to the observance of it Let any shew now where did Christ ever repeal this Institution Ob. Divin of Christ Second part p. 50. The Apostles condescended to the low capacity of the Corinthians as not grown up to that spirituality to see through the outward shadows Their example is no President Answ 1. The Apostle delivered to them the command of Christ ver 24. This do ver 25. This do He warneth them of unworthiness under penalty of making themselves guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. He enjoyns them with due preparation to obey the commands of Christ ver 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat Is all this but an Indulgence or Sufferance Paul presseth to have the Institution of Christ in a right manner obeyed in his Church Answ 2. Could not the Corinthians see through the outward shadows were they not believers in Christ who is the substance of all the shadows were they not sanctified in Christ Jesus ch 1.2 Yet the Apostle enjoyns them obedience to the Institution of Christ Answ 3. Either the Apostle did deliver to them the commands of Christ or not and they were to obey the Apostles commands as the comands of Christ or not If they were to obey the Apostles comands as the comands of Christ then are they to be our President For we are to obey the commands of Christ as well as they Here is no manifestation of a repeal Ob. It could not in reason or truth be enjoyned all others that succeed who spiritually enjoy the Communion of the body and blood of Christ where none of their disorders have any place Answ 1. This Objection seems to yield that Christ ordained the Supper for weak Coristians who are subject to Disorders but not for strong and the Corinthians are a President for such weak Christians Then why at least do not those who look on themselves as Teachers from Christ among Quakers enjoyn as Paul did such weak ones to partake of this Ordinance Are there no weak ones among them Answ 2. Will this man take himself to be wiser than Christ and wiser than the Holy Ghost who inspired Paul to enjoyn the Corinthians according to the institution of Christ There was not one sanctified Corinthian but had Communion with the Body and Blood of Christ And many of them were well grounded in Grace ch 1. v. 5. In every thing ye are enriched by him in all utterance and in all knowledge and yet these even these are enjoyned to partake of the Lords Supper Will he say the Holy Ghost did not act in reason or in truth Answ 3. A grown Christian may grow more and he that hath Communion with Christ may have further Communion and he that is strong may yet have more strength and so by this Ordinance be further and further helped on to Salvation There doth appear then very good reason why the Holy Ghost should enjoyn strong Christians this duty of partaking the Supper Ob. p. 51. They who know a beginning in the Spirit ought to wait for this spiritual appearance and coming of Christ and not turn back again to shadows Ans 1. He condemns Pauls practice which he approved of before If condescending Paul acted according to the mind of Christ then true Ministers ought thus to condescend and put weak believers upon receiving the Supper that they might act also according to the mind of Christ â—e ye followers of us saith he as we also are of Christ But if weak believers must not partake of it because a shadow then Paul should not have condescended to give them the Lords Command putting them upon receiving examine your selves and so eat Will this man become Pauls Teacher and pretend to know Christs will better then Paul Ans 2. According to this Doctrine the Corinthians ought to have rejected the commands of Christ by Paul Do this let a man examine himself and so eat We do know a beginning in the Spirit and must we return to shadows Ans 3. As if partaking of the Supper were inconsistent with waiting for a more full manifestation of Christ or Naaman washing in Jordan could not expect from God a cure of his Leprosic It is the duty of all believers in the use of means which the Lord hath appointed to expect his presence and his blessing and in the use of such means it may be had If God appoint the blowing of Rams horns in their obedience Israel may expect the fall of Jerico's walls And so in the use of the Supper it being of the Lords own appointment we may expect his gracious presence 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ We may expect the confirmation of our faith touching pardon Mat. 26.28 This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Answ 4. Though it be a shadow yet an Evangelical shadow a shadow of the Lords own appointing and which he never yet repealed And shall not this be dear to every gracious soul Who is not bound to uphold the unrepealed ordinances of Jesus Christ As every Jew was bound to uphold the Passeover in a Holy manner till Christs death did put an end to it So is every Christian bound to uphold the Lords Supper Christ having neither done nor said any thing to cause the celebration there to cease And therefore where the Lords unrepealed ordinance are contemned they may talk of Christs spiritual appearance but they may wait long enough and with small hope to obtain The Lord
if Sanctification and Holiness without Christs dying for thee could suffice to redeem thy lost soul Christ gave his Life a ransom in vain 2. Christs sufferings are of that worth that they are abundantly sufficient to redeeâ— our lost souls If not I am willing mine should perish everlastingly But he is God blessed for ever who purchased the Church with his blood Act. 20.28 In his sufferings then there is worth enough worth abundantly enough to redeem our souls for ever Heb. 9.12 He hath obtained eternal Redemption for us We may be as confident of it as we are that we live Our soul is pretious and Christs blood is as pretious and far more pretious 1 Pet. 1.17 18. We are not redeemed with corruptible things but with the pretious blood of Christ Let us then with Paul abhor all sanctification in us all Holiness all works of Faith whatever is wrought by us in comparison of what we spie by faith in Christ And let us put our whole trust in Christs sufferings for the redemption and acquittance or discharge of our lost souls from whatever damnation they are by sin exposed unto that is for justification Arg. 12. For that only doth God justifie us which doth suffice to turn away his wrath from us But Christs sufferings only not any thing done or suffered by us is that for which God doth justifie us This Argument was also pressed the first dispute and enlarged And there not being one word of answer pertinent in his book I proceed and prove the former Proposition Gods wrath hath been kindled against us A Fire saith God Deut. 32.22 is kindled in mine anger and shall burn to the lowest Hell Tophet is prepared Adam unto whom God said in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death sinned and kindled Gods wrath against himself and all his posterity for we are by Nature the Children of wrath In our own persons likewise we have failed of continuing in all and hence is Gods wrath up against us for the Law worketh wrath If Gods wrath hath been stirred up against us it cannot be that we should be justified till his wrath be turned away God burning in his wrath is ready to condemn us to take vengeance on us to consume us as fire not to justifie and acquit us from our ill deserts That therefore for which we are justified must suffice to turn away Gods wrath from us The next Proposition consists of two parts 1. Nothing done or suffered by us sufficeth to turn away Gods wrath Heb. 10.5 Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not Isa 40.16 Lebanon is not sufficient to burn nor the beasts thereof sufficient for aburnt offering ver 15. The Nations are but as a drop of the Bucket How can it be that we poor nothings should be able by doing or suffering any thing turn away the wrath of this Great self-sufficient Soveraign offended with us Can fallen Angels do or suffer any thing When we are made to suffer in our own persons it is for ever for ever that we suffer because miserable worms we never can suffer enough that his wrath should be turned away from us And if burning Ten thousand Millions of years in Hell is not enough to turn his wrath away how little reason is there to imagine that a little faith and the works that follow should suffice If this were enough then in vain did Christ say Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy will O God In vain was Christ our Passover sacrificed for us for what end did he come for what end was he sacrificed for us but that he might make attonement for us that he might make Reconciliation for the sins of the People that he might turn away wrath and so the destroying Angel might pass over us 2. Christs sufferings do suffice to turn away Gods wrath from us 1 Jo. 2.1 2. We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous And he is the Propitiation for our sins Heb. 13.12 But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever sat down on the right hand of God Eph. 5.2 Christ hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and asacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Let us then place no confidence in sanctification holiness faith and the works that follow as if these saying aside Christs death on the Cross could turn away Gods wrath and render God so well pleased with us as to discharge acquit justifie us but let us by true faith repose all our trust in Jesus who offered himself a sacrifice for us for justification deliverance from wrath to come He is the only hiding place from the storm the only covert from the tempest Arg. 13. That for which God justifies us must suffice to satisfie his justice for our transgression But Christs sufferings only nothing done or suffered by us can suffice to satisfie Gods justice for our transgression Therefore Christs sufferings and not any thing done or suffered by us is that for which God doth justifie us Justice is satisfied upon transgression when it hath duely punished it This premised I prove the Major We having not continued in all God will not justifie us without satisfaction to his justice for our sin 1. We may judge of this by Gods dealing with fallen Angels there being no provision made for the satisfaction of Justice for their fall God will never justifie them but they are to be condemned and bear their deserved punishment for ever Why should we imagine that God will justifie any of us who have fallen as well as they never punishing our fall as justice doth require 2. We may conclude it from Gods Law the contents whereof are all equal holy just and good In the Law we may take notice of three things each of which are conclusive of the point in hand 1. Gods Judgement which is alwaies according to truth and he hath judged that whoever of us in the least tittle do break so equal so holy just and good a Law we do deserve his Curse If he had not thus judged he would not have added this sanction to his Law and said Cursed is he that continues not in all God judgeth this but a meet and deserved punishment And shall we imagine that God will not do what is meet to be done That God should not act according to his own Judgement Hence I think we may conclude God justifieth none of us without punishing our sins 2. Gods Truth God having said in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death and cursed is he that continues not in all doth not his truth engage him to execute his justice in punishing sin should mercy offer to pronounce any man absolved his sin unpunished Truth would stop the mouth of mercy and say hold I have said Cursed is he that continues not in all and I cannot but be true Hence I conclude no offender is justified but his sin is punished to the full 3.
according to my understanding to be as positive and intelligible in my Answers to Questions pertinent as I can and in my Answer to signifie an Affirmation or Denial if the Question be capable of such an Answer Having this Engagement I did hope he would keep close to the point or at least that I should force him to it I met and put him to his affirmation or denyal either the Scripture is a full Rule or not Either Gods will laid down in Scripture is the only Rule or not Whilst he exprest himself pertinently I listned giving him all Liberty but when he began to ramble for he knew not how to keep bounds having run wild so long I checkt him and required his affirmation or denial And thus holding him to it the Lord was pleased much to succeed my attempts They were forced though with as much reluctancy as a Bear to the Stake they were forced I say to acknowledge the Truth and this in the very essential Differences between us and them It was acknowledged openly that the Scriptures are a full Rule That The will of God laid down in the Scripture is the only Rule That The will of God reveled by the Light in every man without the Scripture is not the only Rule And if these things be granted what becomes of Quakery What is Quakery but the setting up of the Light in every Man as a Rule to Heaven They granting the first bruised Quakery very sorely granting the second they knockt Quakers down to the ground granting the third they fetcht out the very heart blood of Quakery Let but these three granted truths live in the hearts of all and Quakery must needs give up the Ghost it is impossible there should be one Quaker on the face of the Earth For if the Scriptures are a full Rule It cannot be denyed but that all those who walk according to this Rule in uprightness are in the way to salvation A full Rule will if practised safely bring us to glory What reason possibly can there be to desert this to be guided by the Light within If the will of God revealed in the Scriptures be the only Rule then all other Rules are false Rules and no Rules then who ever walks by any other Rule is not in the way to heaven must needs perish at last and be damned for ever What bloody enemies are they to the souls of men that counsel and direct them to seek salvation by walking after any other Rule what great Reason have we to cleave to Gods will laid down in Scripture there being but one way to heaven and this is it Men must seek the way to heaven where it is to be found if they would not miss of it Again If the will of God as much of it as is revealed by the Light in every man without the Scriptures be not the only Rule to salvation when there is but one this cannot be any Rule at all to salvation those that walk by no other Rule but this must not look to be saved those that counsel to walk by no other make themselves guilty of the blood of souls Suppose a City had but One only way leading into at a man were to be burnt alive if he gets not into this City by the evening in his travel asking one the way he bids him open such a Gate on the right hand and he should see before him the only way that leads into the City asking another he acknowledgeth that if he opens the Gate on the right hand he should see before him the only way yet bids him take a Lane on the left hand If through the Gate on the right hand be the only way how can the Lane on the left be any way at all leading into the City If the Traveller takes that Lane he looseth his Life and the Mis-informer is guilty of his death By this is appears from what hath been confessed that the Light in every man is no way at all to Heaven that he that walks by no other Rule is to burn everlastingly in Hell and he that acknowledgeing Gods will laid down in Scripture the only Rule counsels to walk by no other Rule save the Light in every man is a Murderer of souls a wilful contriver of their damnation Oh! that God would give such to see their Crimson Transgression and break their hearts and turn them to himself that they may be saved If not that he would at least rescue a miserable flock out of their devouring mouths And yet I see but little hopes of the former for though thus overborn by the Power of Truth they have the Face still to appear against it and in Print vapour as if the day were their own and their Women Friends are able to confute us shattered Priests Glory of Christs Light within p. 11. Thus Bankrupts unable to subsist make a flourish fain would they keep up their credit in the World though they cannot their estates But where was this flourish then when refusing to affirm or deny the will of God in Scripture the only Rule I challenged them all seaven upon the stage One by one to deny it if they durst and they heavy-hearted men durst not a good while give me any Answer deny it they could not the truth is so plain to assirm it they saw were to knock down to the ground their unsound Opinion If they repent not of their errors they will be far from glorying at the Bar of Christ In their Narrative I can easily overlook their Reproachful speeches Presbyterian Priest p. 3. Shattered Priests p. 11. Dead men because Cromwel the Light of their eyes is dead p. 13. Ignorant Opposer p. 35. Defective Bawling Fellow acting like a Fidler c. This is very much the strein of other Writings A very strong Argument against our Doctrine T is easie to see they want Bullet when they are fain thus to shoot Dirt. I can easily pass by their Railing Language also The Devils sinful Agents and Messengers Contenders for the Devil Error darkness and the works thereof p. 3. The Lord doth Judge and will shortly manifest who are such How vain are they in their envious Counsel Giving that we have bread they advise to detein it from us p. 10. Do they think the Lord will ever cease to be Levies Inheritance Or that our Doctrine would die with us Neither they nor all the Gates of Hell joyning with them though we were removed shall ever be able to prevail against it How injurious to their own souls are they usurping Gods Throne of Judgement A Company of Hypocrites p. 10. The God of this World hath blinded their eyes p. 17. Are they Gods to know that these things are so Really in Hell imptatively in Heaven p. 37. It is in their powers to save and damn whom they please Their vain glorious boasting renders them Real Objects of pity and compassion We have been forward to suffer p. 5. We have been
to disgrace by openly as it were proclaiming your own ignorance during that time and by becoming unconstant to what you have so long professed to bear the reproach ill will and malice of your own Party they will contemptuously call you Apostates and what not What do you now say to the matter Can you still hold your purpose Now you begin to stagger The Devil is an utter enemy to Truth he knows it leads to Heaven In this case therefore he will be prompting what ever hazard thou dost run spare thy self Concerning the Kings Messenger said the Prophet See how this Son of a Murderer hath sent to take away mine Head look when the Messenger cometh shut the door and hold him fast at the door Unless the great God of Heaven and Earth stand by you thus will you deal with Truth if our Opinion appear to be it you will look on 't with as much malignity as on a spiteful enemy that would take away all that ever you have you would be sure to bar it out of your hearts But the Lord will enable all his savingly to take in his Truth Concerning such the Apostle could say God hath chosen you to Salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth Seek therefore your help from the Lord. If he shall graciously transform you by the renewing of your mind in spite of flesh and blood Earth and Hell you shall prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God And so shall your perswasion be undeceiving so shall your hopes be such as maketh not ashamed The Desire as well as Design of Your Souls hearty Friend STEPHEN SCANDRETT AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST Quakerisme Concerning the Scriptures compared with the Light that is in every man as to their being our Rule BY a Rule understand not an Artificial Rule that Instrument by which Artificers are guided but a Moral that Instrument that God makes use of to direct bind us to our duty that we directed by it and obedient to it may obtain Gods favour and be saved By the Light in every man understand 1. Not the special saving Illumination of the Spirit of God whereby we are able to discern effectually the Mysteries of the Cospel for though the truly sanctified have this Light Matth. 13.16 Blessed are your Eyes for they see yet not any in their unregenerate state 1 Cor. 2 14 The Natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually difcerned 2. Much less the In-dwelling Spirit of God P. 26. He consounds the Spirit the light making both one For though the truly sanctified as before have him dwelling in them to help their Infirmities to lead them into all truth to quicken comfort strengthen and cause them to walk in Gods Statutes 1 Cor. 3.16 Know ye not that ye are the Temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Yet the Spirit of God is not thus in every man Jude v. 19. These are they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit 3. Not the Light of the Gospel as the Word is used 2 Cor. 4.4 Lest the Light of the glorious Gospell of Christ should shine into their hearts For the Gospel is not given to every man Psal 147.19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob his Statutes unto Israel he bath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his Judgments they have not known them And where the Gospel is given all do not receive it into their hearts that it should be within them Acts 13.46 It was necessary the Word of God should first have been spoken unto you but seeing ye put it from you we turn to the Gentiles 4. Not Christ who is called the Light of the world For Christ Personally is in Heaven Acts 3.21 Whom the Heaven must receive till the times of Restitution of all things Christ spiritually or the Image of Christ consisting in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness is only in the Regenerate for in whom he thus is to them he is a sure ground of hope of Glory Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of Glory But every man hath not a sure Ground to hope for Glory All in whom Christ thus is are approved of God 2 Cor. 13 5. Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates or unapproved Is every man approved of God Again Some are without Christ Eph. 2.12 At that time ye were without Christ The Body that is without the Soul hath not the Soul in it and he that is without Christ hath not Christ in him 5. But understand that Principle of Knowledge that is indeed to be found in every man For Christ lighteth every man that cometh into the world This Principle therefore is in the disobedient as well as the obedient Ro. 1 18. The wrath of God is revealed against all unrighteousness of men who hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness Those that will not live the Truth have however a principle in them whereby they know much of it 't is in the Heathen as well as the Christian The Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law If they had not a principle whereby to know these things how could they do them It will render the whole world of ungodly men unexcusable at the last day even those that have not the Scriptures as well as those that have For they cannot say but that they understood something of Gods Will which yet they have not practised This Light let men term it how they please is nothing else but mans Reason For since it is none of the four Lights first mentioned let any tell what else can it be Take away any of those Lights from within a man he still hath Light or a Principle of Knowledge remaining in him But take away Reason the remaining Light is gone In this Controversie this principle we call not Reason so much as Light Yet the Light that is in every man to prevent Mistakes By Scripture understand not Paper Ink or Letters but the Truths and Will of God as written in the Books of the Old and New Testament The Terms opened we come to the Business The Essential difference between Vs and the people called Quakers lies here They hold that the Light in every man is the Rule that directs to Heaven that the Scripture therefore is to be embraced so far only as it agrees with this Light We hold That the Scripture is the Rule that directs to Heaven that the Light within every man therefore is to be regarded so far only as it agrees with the Scripture Now though we both agree that neither of these is wholly to be cast off yet that men might see which of them is to be embraced as the highest and safest Rule which of them is to be rejected in competition with the other I assert these things concerning the Scriptures 1.
with them Christs spiritual Coming therefore puts not an end to this Ordinance Therefore it must needs be that only his second coming in the flesh or his last coming at the end of the world that shall put an end to this Ordinance If they will cavil at Christs appearing in the Flesh let them know that Christ will change our vile Bodies and make them like his glorious Body And yet saith Job In my flesh shall I see God So that when Jobs Body is a glorious Body like Christs yet doth it not cease to be flesh No more doth Christs Obj. Div. p. 50. If Christs coming in the Spirit be not the end of the Lords Supper where then is the Mystery and inward Spiritual Grace signified by the Outward Sign Answ This man seems better pleased with his Conceits than Christs Truth and when he cannot by Reason perswade he would by Sophistry cheat men into a belief of Errour Is the Contest about the Design Is it not about the Cessation of the Supper He speaks not to the Point If the Argument had been framed thus What is the Design of the Lords Supper that attained is the Cessation of it But Christs Spiritual Coming is the Design The Maâ—or Peoposition would have carried as much Truth in it as this The Design of Preaching is to form Christ in us assoon as Christ is formed in a man therefore he must he preached unto him no more The design of eating is to have Hunger satisfied to be strengthened If therefore a person hath once satisfied his hunger and strengthened himself by eating he must never eat more It being clear that the Supper is an Ordinance of the Lords own appointing never repealed nay appointed to continue till Christs coming in the end of the world Is it not Rebellion against the Lord to reject it And shall we be found as Pharaoh crying Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice When the Lord hath appointed it for our good to further our spiritual Communion with him nourish strengthen our Faith and help us in our Obedience shall we reject this Love of Christ Shall we deprive our own Souls of this Spiritual Food Indeed had men only appointed it we could have no warrant to use it no ground to expect Gods blessing in the use of it In vain do they worship me saith God teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men But since it is the Lords own Institution there is good to be hoped for from it Deut. 12.28 It shall go well with thee and with thy Children after thee for ever when thou dost that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God This Ordinance is such a thing What though it be a Sign a Shadow If God sets us a Shadow a Brazen Serpent it shall not be in vain to look up unto it What if it were true that we were perfect Yet if the Lord will appoint Adam even in Innocency the use of a Sign the Tree of Life he hath reason to rejoyce in it And truly by instituted Worship in a singular manner doth God try our Love or Hatred of him as we may see in the Second Commandment He will show Mercy to thousands of them that love him punish the iniquity of Parents upon their Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate him God reckons those that are Conscientious Upholders of instituted Worship Lovers of him To conclude therefore Let us examine our selves and so let us eat for if we would judge our selves we shall not be judged of the Lord. Whether we are Justified by the Righteousness of Christ Imputed THis is a Point of great moment A man may erre in many other things and yet be saved as by fire but an Errour in the substance of this is certain Damnation All therefore had need be well informed about it By the Righteousness of Christ understand his Active and Passive Obedience or his fulfilling the Law in his own person when on Earth and his suffering to the death according to the will of his Father By the Imputation of it understand Gods making it over to us upon believing his giving granting vouchsafing it to us reckoning or accounting it ours As for the word Justifie the Scripture sometimes but very rarely useth it to signifie to make just by inherent Holiness or to sanctifie Tit. 3.5 7. He saved us by the washing of Regeneration that being justified c. It is used in contradistinction to Sanctification 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are sanctified but ye are justified c. And thus mostly We are therefore to take it in this latter sense In which it hath two significations all belonging to the same thing It signifies to declare Just Luke 7.35 Wisdom is justified of her Children Psal 51.4 That thou maist be justified when thou speakest To Absolve Acquit or Discharge Rom. 8.33 It is God that justifieth who shall condemn Prov. 17.15 He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the ust are both abomination to the Lord. Here it cannot signifie to make just for this would be no abomination to the Lord. As to the thing signified 1. Justification implies an Accusation true or false When a Father commends his Child charged with no crime this is not Justification but Praise The Devil may bring false accusations against us Had man continued in the State of Innocency no true Accusations could have been brought against him But now Moses or the Law of God is the true Accuser of every one of us John 5.45 There is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust The Law saith Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 The true Accusation or Charge that it brings and at the Day of Judgment will bring against us is this Thou hast broken the Law for thou hast not from the beginning of thy life to the end thereof done every thing required in it The Law will thus charge us for it is not abrogated or made null If it were no wicked man could be condemned by it But our Saviour tells us Luke 16.17 It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass than one tittle of the Law to fail And we are assured Rom. 2.12 He that hath sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law 2. Justification doth necessarily suppose an Apology or a Defence made by or for the Party accused For if there be nothing pleaded on his hehalf the Judge may not justifie but must condemn him This Defence is but two ways to be made either proving the Accusation false So Wisdom is justified of her Children This world censures the Wisdom of God foolishness but her Children honour her And so would a good Angel be justified if accused the Accusation would be proved false and that he never from the first moment of his Creation once sinned against God thus he is capable of being justified by
most free such a person with an intention to leave and never recover him out of his fallen state by renewing grace Thus God doth not make any a wicked creature as G. W. imagines we must say p. 46. Nor doth God consume any man meerly as his own workmanship but God endureth with much long-suffering unregenerate men and they fit themselves for destruction This he that is recovered will acknowledge 2 Tim. 1.9 Not according to our works but according to his purpose The reason of God saving us in time by the washing of regeneration is not to be fetcht from our works any thing that we have done but from Gods purpose of old who freely and of his good pleasure did decree it Eph. 1.5 Predestination unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ is according to the good pleasure of his will 2. Gods Election is unchangeable He will certainly bring in he will never finally reject that soul he hath taken liking to Christ must bring in his sheep and he hateth putting away nor shall it be possible to deceive the Elect. Psal 33.11 The Counsel of the Lord shall stand for ever the thoughts of his heart to all Generations Election is that product of Gods counsel the determination of infinite wisdom consulting Rom. 9.11 The Purpose of God according to Election must stand So that here is purpose upon purpose a purpose to save such a soul and a purpose not to alter that purpose but infallibly to bring it to pass Men change their purposes for want of fore-knowledge but nothing can fall out not sin it self causing God to alter his purpose he foresaw all and can give repentance From this Doctrine grace will not cause a Child to sin the more boldly but to loath himself the more for sin As in other things the Lord purposeth and none disanulleth it Isa 14.27 So in this Psa 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth and in the Sea and all deep places 3. From all Eternity did God Elect. In time doth God convert and cause to persevere but Acts 15.18 Known unto God are all his works from the foundation of the world Eph. 1.4 According as God hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world 2 Thes 2.13 From the beginning hath God chosen you Rev. 17.8 Whose Names were not written in the book of Life from the foundation of the World Obj. p. 41. This puffs up Answ It works self-abasing admiration of Soveraign grace it gives great rest and engageth the heart of a sincere believer to an utter detestation of all sin Obj. If the everlasting state of persons is thus secured all Warnings are impertinent and vain Answ No God that decrees their salvation decrees by such warnings to work in them his fear and a holy caution to keep in his ways that they may be saved From this Doctrine of Election thus manifested thus vindicated by most evident consequence appears the Truth of the Doctrine of Reprobation viz. That God hath rejected or refused others from all Eternity or Decreed never to convert them by bestowing saving grace on them but for sin to damn them for the praise of the glory of his Justice For if God hath chosen some who can deny that he hath refused others And the Scripture if we will believe it will make it manifest in all the parts of it 1. That God hath refused some particular persons Jo. 10.26 You are not my sheep Rom. 11.7 The rest were blinded Rom. 9.18 Whom he will he hardeneth Peter deserved hardening as well as Judas that God hardeneth Judas not Peter proceeds from the meer pleasure of his Will He makes as the great Potter what Vessel he pleaseth to dishonour that is God makes him with an intention to suffer his fall and never recover him by renewing grace 2. That God hath from Eternity thus refused them Jude 4. There are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this Condemnation Rev. 17.8 Whose Names were not written in the book of Life from the foundation of the World Add this Argument As there are Particular Angels whom God suffered to fall though he could as easily have preserved them from it as he did the rest so there are Particular Men and Women whom God never recovers by saving grace out of their fallen condition though he could as easily have recovered them as others if he had pleased but he endures them with much long suffering to fit themselves for destruction Therefore from all Eternity did God decree thus to do concerning them in particular for known to God are all his works from the foundation of the world 3. That God hath decreed to damn these persons for sin Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil He damneth particular persons for sin therefore of old did he decree to damn those particular men for sin 2 Pet. 2.12 As Beasts made to be taken and destroyed 4. That all this is for the praise of the glory of his Justice Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much Long-suffering Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction And though God hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth considered barely as his Creature for he is willing to receive to mercy every returning Sinner yet if a person perseveres in wickedness as such God will laugh at his Calamity and mock when his fear cometh This Doctrine of Reprobation being the Truth of God according to Scripture from it I draw these Consectaries 1. That it cannot be inconsistent with his Prohibitions p. 42. Eat not His Conditional Promises If thou dost well shalt not thou be accepted If you seek the Lord be will be found of you Whosoever believeth shall not perish shall not abide in darkness His Conditional Threats If thy heart turn away thou shalt perish If you forsake him he will forsake you His sending his Son into the world not to condemn the world His giving his Spirit to instruct them in these things His setting Life and Death before them in the Promises and in the Threats Or his giving men up to their Lusts for sin For there can be no Repugnancy in Gods actions between themselves On the contrary all these are subservient to the Soveraign Design of Gods Decrees the magnifying his Mercy and Grace in the salvation of all the Elect who enabled by his special Grace to believe and obey are saved according to the Promises the magnifying his Justice or making known his wrath in the Reprobates who according to the Soveraign Dominion of God left to themselves reject Christ and increase in their Rebellion against God and so are justly given up and damned according to the Threats 2. That God is neither partial nor cruel in decreeing to deny saving Grace to some whilst he decrees to give it to others that he is
Robe and put it on him I thus prove By this Robe the Holy Ghost understands Christs Righteousness even obedience unto death For not to speak of increated Righteousness even the essential and incommunicable Righteousness of God which never was wrought within or without but is the Eternal God-head There is a four fold Righteousness 1. The sincere obedience of an upright man 2. The perfect but loosable Righteousness of the first man in Innocency 3. The perfect but confirmed obedience of the blessed Angels 4. The perfect everlasting and infinitely pretious obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ when he was in our Nature on the earth doing alwayes those things that pleased the Father This last must necessarily be understood by the best Robe For this Righteousness of Christ is better than the first because that was not a Continuance in all from the beginning of Life Then the second because that was not a Continuance in all to the end of Life Then the third because that is but the Righteousness of a Creature whereas this is the Righteousness of God himself For God in our Nature obeyed God and this is Righteousness of infinite value and excellency the very best Robe It would be horrid blasphemy for any to say his own Righteousness that which he himself is enabled to perform in his own person is a better Robe then this Righteousness of the Son of God Since then God bestows Righteousness on a returning Prodigal and stiles it the best Robe he would have us to understand by it a Righteousness wrought without us There being none wrought within us so good We are justified then by that Righteousness of Christ which he wrought without us Arg. 10. Either we are justified by Christs Righteousness imputed and so made ours upon believing or we are justified by the Deeds of the Law the Apostle knew no Medium nor is there any revealed For either we must be justified by our own personal obeying Gods Law or Will or by our sureties obeying it for us Our own personal obediences to Gods will are the deeds of the Law Whether we obey in our own strength or Gods strength they are the deeds of the Law whether we obey from Faith or without Faith they are the deeds of the Law For the Law requires what we do otherwise it were not obedience But how sull is the Scripture telling us by the Deeds of the Law shall no flesh living be justified The only way of justification then is by our Sureties obedience for us which must therefore be imputed to us and so made ours how otherwise should we reap benefit by it Arg. 11. That for which we are justified must be of that worth as to redeen our lost souls But Christs sufferings only no Righteousness wrought by us is of that worth as to redeem our lost souls Therefore for the sufferings of Christ and not for any Righteousness wrought by us are we justified This Argument God enabled me the first Dispute to press with full enlargement on the Consciences of the People to secure them from the soul-destroying error of this man He hints it p. 23. And all he answers is such away of ustification shuts out sanctification and holiness which is indeed no Answer but an Objection To which I answer it shuts it out from being our justifying Righteousness For if Sanctification and Holiness were it which redeems our lost Soul and for which we are acquitted in vain did Christ suffer for us that we might be redeemed and acquitted thereby But it doth not shut it out either as inconsistent or as a needless thing Rom. 3.31 Do we make void the Law through Faith God forbid Yea we establish the Law It is so far from being inconsistent that they are inseparable and the one a means to the other Flying out of our selves as seeing nothing but matter of condemnation in our selves to Jesus Christ by Faith and apprehending the purity and holiness of our Saviours heart and life the sufficiency of his sufferings to redeem our souls from wrath and that on his account God is ready to forgive and receive us to favour hereupon our hearts turn to God we dislike our sins we are sweetly engaged to please God in all things Thus God purifies our hearts by Faith Thus are we sanctified by Faith which is in Christ And a lively Faith will work by love And though Holiness be not needful to constitute a justifying Righteousness yet is it needful to testifie our love to God and Christ for providing such a Righteousness for us and to please God and to honour God and that we may be a good example to our neighbour and that we might have a good evidence of the foundness of our Faith and to testifie our subjection to God who requires it of us But to return I prove the Major Our souls were lost Luke 19.10 The Son of Man is come to save that which was lost 2 Cor. 5.15 All were dead Matth. 20.28 The Son of man is come to give his life a Ransome for many If our souls were not lost and undone what need this we were lyable to the Curse because we had not continued in all this is to be lost And if we were lost that for which we are justified must needs have worth in it to redeem lost souls What is not sufficient to redeem our lost souls cannot be sufficient to justifie us It is impossible to be justified and yet left in a lost condition The Minor hath two parts 1. No Righteousness wrought by us is of worth to redeem our lost souls Consider the worth of our souls The Body is more then raiment the natural life is more to us then all the world Skin for Skin and all that a man hath will he give for his Life How precious is the soul capable of an everlasting fruition of God capable of everlasting torments in hell what can we give to God worth our souls Consider what it is to have our souls lost it is to have them obnoxious to Gods curse which if we have it will be an everlasting destruction from the glorious presence of God an everlasting torment in the flames of hell Go ye cursed into everlasting fire Now what can we give to God proportionable to so great a loss to so great sufferings Sanctification and Holiness or a little faith and the works that follow This is likely to do There is no real Sanctification no real Holiness till by Faith a person flies out of himself to Christ for redemption But if it were otherwise could this redeem our lost souls At Dice a man looseth an estate of Ten thousand a year he to whom it is lost gives the Looser a Cottage the Looser would fain give this Cottage to have his estate again Thus sillily thou actest who thinkest that thy lost soul may be redeemed with any thing of thine without the merit of Christs blood and sufferings If Faith and the works that follow