Devil and the Wrath to come No Incouragement to Holiness like this like the Perswasion and Belief of this because this carrieth in it the greatest expression of Love that we are Capable of Hearing or Believing and there is nothing that worketh on us so Powerfully as Love And herein is Love not that we Loved God but that he Loved us and gave his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins He then that by Faith can see that the Body of his Sin did hang upon the Cross bâ— the Body of Christ and that can see by that action Death and Sin the Devil and Hell destroyed for him 't is he that will say Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me Bless his Holy Name c. Psa. 103. 1 2 3 4. Secondly Moreover the Knowledge of this giveth a man to understand this Mistery That Christ and himself are united in one For Faith saith If our Old man was Crucified with Christ then were we also Reckoned in him when he hanged on the Cross I am Crucified with Christ All the Elect did Mystically hang upon the Cross in Christ. We then are Dead to the Law and Sin First by the Body of Christ Rom. 7. 4. Now he that is Dead is free from Sin now if we be dead with Christ we Believe that we shall live with him knowing that Christ being raised from the Dead Dyeth no more Death hath no more Dominion over him for in that he dyed he dyed unto Sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Likewise reckon your selves also dead unto Sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. This also Peter doth lively Discourse of Forasmuch then saith he as Christ hath suffered for us in the Flesh Arm your selves likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the Flesh hath ceased from Sin 1 Pet. 4. 1 2. By which Words he Insinuateth the Mystical Union that is between Christ the Head and the Elect his Body Arguing from the Suffering of a Part there should be a Sympathy in the whole If Christ then suffered for us we were even our Sins Bodies and Souls reckoned in him when he so suffered Wherefore by his sufferings the Wrath of God for us is appeased the Curse is taken from us For as Adam by his acts of Rebellion made all that were in him Guilty of his Wickedness so Christ by his acts and doings of Goodness and Justice made all that were reckoned in him good and Just also But as Adam's Transgression did First and immediately Reside with and remain in the Person of Adam onely and the Imputation of that Transgression to them that sprang from him so the Goodness and Justice that was accomplished by the Second Adam First and Immediately Resideth in him and is made over to his also by the Imputation of God But again As they that were in Adam stood not onely guilty of Sin by Imputation but Polluted by the Filth that Possessed him at his fall So the Children of the Second Adam do not onely though first stand Just by Vertue of the Imputation of the Personal acts of Justice and Goodness done by Christ but they also receive of that inward quality the Grace and Holiness that was in him at the Day of his rising from the Dead Thus therefore come we to be Holy by the Death and Blood of the Lord This also is the Contents of those other Scriptures which abusively you Cite to Justifie your Assertion to wit That the great Errand of Christ in coming into the World was to put us again into Possession of the Holiness which we had lost And that onely Designed the Establishing such a Holiness as is Sealed Originally in our Natures and Originally Dictates of the Humane Nature The rest of the Chapter being spoken to already I pass it and Proceed to the next Your Eighth Chapter tell us That it is onely the Promoting of the Design of making Men Holy that is Aimed at by the Apostles Insisting on the Doctrines of Christ's Resurrection Assention and coming again to Judgement Though this should be granted as indeed it ought not yet there is not one Sillable in all their Doctrines that tendeth in the least to drive Men back to the Possession of the Holiness we had lost which is still the thing Asserted by you and that for the Proof of which you make this noise and adoe Neither did Christ at all Design the Promoting of Holiness by such Principles as you have Asserted in your Book neither doth the Holy Spirit of God either help us in or excite us to our Duty Simply from such Natural Principles But the Apostles in these Doctrines you mention had far other Glorious Designs such as were truly Gospel and tended to strengthen our Faith yet farther As First For the Resurrection of Christ They Urge that as an Undeniable Argument of his doing away Sin by his Sacrificing and Death He was delivered for our Offences because he put himself into the Room and State of the Wicked as undertaking their Deliverance from Death and the Everlasting Wrath of God Now putting himself into their Condition he bears their Sin and dyes their Death but how shall we know that by undertaking this Work he did accomplish the thing he intended The answer is He was raised again for our Justification Rom. 4. 25. even to make it manifest that by the Offering of himself he had Purged our Sins from before the Face of God For in that he was raised again and that by him for the appeasing of whose Wrath he was delivered up to Death it is evident that the Work for us was by him effectually done For God raised him up again And hence it is that Paul calls the Resurrection of Christ the sure Mercies of David Act. 13. And as concerning that he raised him up from the Dead now no more to return to Corruption he saith on this wise I will give thee the sure Mercies of David For Christ having Conquered and overcome Death Sin the Devil and the Curse by himself as 't is manifest he did by his rising from the Dead what now remains for him for whom he did this but Mercy and Goodness for ever Wherefore the Resurrection of Christ is that which Sealeth the truth of our being delivered from the Wrath by his Blood Secondly As to his Ascention they urge and make use of that for divers weighty Reasons also 1. As a farther Testimony yet of the Sufficiency of his Righteousness to Justifie Sinners withal For if he that undertaketh the Work is yet entertained by him whose Wrath he was to appease thereby What is it but that he hath so compleated that Work Wherefore he saith that the Holy Ghost shall Convince the world that he hath a sufficient righteousness and that because he went to the Father John 16. And they saw him no more because he went he Ascended up to the Father was there
him by but as a Seal of the Righteousness of THAT Faith which he had being yet Vncircumcised Now we know that Circumcision in the Flesh was a Type of Circumcision in the heart wherefore the Faith that Abraham had before his outward Circumcision was to shew us that Faith if it be right layeth hold upon the Righteousness of Christ before we be Circumcised inwardly and this must needs be so for if Faith doth Purifie the Heart then it must be there before the Heart is Purified Now this inward Circumcision is a Seal or Sign of this That that is the onely saving Faith that layeth hold upon Christ before we be Circumcised But he that believeth before he be inwardly Circumcised must believe in another in a Righteousness without him and that as he standeth at present in himself Ungodly for he is not Circumcised which Faith if it be right approveth it self also so to be by an after Work of Circumcising inwardly But I say the Soul that thus layeth hold on Christ taketh the onely way to please his God because this is that also which himself hath determined shall be accomplished upon us But unto him that worketh is the Reward not reckoned of Grace but of Debt but to him that Worketh not but Believeth in him that Justifieth the VNGODLY his Faith is counted for Righteousness Rom. 4. He that is Ungodly hath a want of Righteousness even of the inward Righteousness of Works But what must become of him Let him Believe in him that Justifieth the Ungodly because for that purpose there is in him a Righteousness We will now return to Paul himself he had Righteousness before he was Justified by Christ yet he chose to be Justified rather as an unrighteous man then as one Indued with so brave a Qualification That I may be found in him not having mine own Righteousness away with mine own Righteousness I chuse rather to be Justified as Ungodly by the Righteousness of Christ than by mine own and his together Phil. 3. You Argue therefore like him that desireth to be a Teacher of the Law nay worse that neither knoweth what he saith nor whereof he Affirmeth But you say Were it possible that Christ's Righteousness could be imputed to an Vnrighteous man I dare boldly affirm that it would signifie as little to his Happiness while he continueth so as would a Gorgeous and Splendid Garment to one that is almost starved c. Answ 1. That Christ's Righteousness is Imputed to men while Sinners is sufficiently testified by the Word of God Ezek. 16. 1 8. Zech. 3. 1 5. Rom. 3. 24 25. Chap. 4. 1 5. Chap. 5. 6 9. 2 Cor. 5. 18 21. Phil. 3. 6 7 8. 1 Tim. 1. 15 16. Rev. 1. 5. 2. And that the Sinner or unrighteous Man is happy in this Imputation is also as abundantly Evident For 1. The Wrath of God and the Curse of the Law are both taken off by this Imputation 2. The Graces and Comforts of the Holy Ghost are all Intailed to and followers of this Imputation Blessed is he to whom the Lord will not Impute Sin It saith not that he is Blessed that hath not Sin to be imputed but he to whom God will not Impute them he faith Therefore the non Imputation of Sin doth not argue a non being thereof in the Soul but a Glorious act of Grace Imputing the sufficiency of Christ's Righteousness to Justifie him that is yet Ungodly But what Blessedness doth follow the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ to one that is yet Ungodly Answ. Even the Blessing of Abraham to wit Grace and Eternal Life For Christ was made the Curse and Death that was due to us as Sinners that the Blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Faith in Jesus Christ That we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith Gal. 3. 13 14. Now Faith hath it's eye upon two things with respect to it's act of Justifying First it acknowledgeth that the Soul is a Sinner and then that there is a sufficiency in the Righteousness of Christ to Justifie it in the sight of God though a Sinner We have Believed in Jesus Christ that we might be Justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law Therefore they that believe aright receive Righteousness even the Righteousness of another to Justifie them while yet in themselves they are Sinners Why do they believe in Christ The answer is That they MIGHT be Justified not because in their own Eyes they are They therefore at present stand Condemned in themselves and therefore they believe in Jesus Christ that they might be set free from present Condemnation Now being Justified by his Blood as Ungodly they shall be saved by his Life that is by his Intercession For whom he Justifieth by his Blood he saveth by his Intercession For by that is given the Spirit Faith and all Grace that preserveth the Elect unto Eternal Life and Glory I Conclude therefore that you argue not Gospelly in that you so boldly Affirm that it would signifie as little to the Happiness of one to be Justified by Christ's Righteousness while a Sinner as would a Gorgeous and Splendid Garment to one that is ready to perish For farther Thus to be Justified is Meat and Drink to the Sinner and so the beginning of Eternal Life in him My Flesh is Meat indeed said Christ and my Blood is Drink indeed And he that Eateth my Flesh and Drinketh my Blood hath Eternal or Everlasting Life He Affirmeth it once again As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that Eateth me even he shall live by me John 6. Here now is a Man an Hungred what must he feed upon Not his pure Humanity not upon the sound Complexion of his Soul nor yet on the Dictates of his Humane Nature nor those neither which you call truly Generous Principles But upon the Flesh and Blood of the Son of God which was once given for the Sin of the World Let those then that would be saved from the Devil and Hell and that would find a Fountain of Grace in themselves first receive and feed upon Christ as Sinners and Ungodly Let them believe that both his Body and Blood and Soul was offered for them as they were Sinners The believing of this is the Eating of Christ this eating of Christ is the beginning of Eternal Life to wit of all Grace and health in the Soul and of Glory to be Injoyed most perfectly in the next World Your Twelfth Chapter is to shew That Holiness being Perfected is Blessedness it self and that the Glory of Heaven Consisteth chiefly in it Answ. But none of your Holiness none of that inward Holiness which we have Lost before Conversion shall ever come to Heaven That being as I have shewed a Holiness of another Nature and arising from another Root then that we shall in Heaven injoy 2. But farther Your Description of
Precious Faith with all the Elect and that which is most Holy but those Acts of it which Respect our Justification with God from the Curse of the Law that is due for Sin are such as respect not any good Work done by us but the Righteousness that Resideth in the Person of Christ and is made ours by the imputation of Grace This Faith I say accounteth him in whom it is now a Sinner and without Works yea if he have any that in his own eyes are such this Faith rejects them and throweth them away for it seeth a Righteousness in the Person of Christ sufficient even such as is verily the Righteousness of God Now to him that worketh not but believeth Works and Faith are put here in oppposition Faith being considered as Justifying in the sight of God from the Curse The Reason is because the Righteousness by which the Soul must thus stand Justified is a Righteousness of God's appointing not of his Prescribing us a Righteousness that Intirely is Included in the Person of Christ. The Apostle also when he speaks of God's saving the Election which hangeth upon the same Hinge as this of Justification doth to wit on the Grace of God he opposeth it to Works and that not to this or that sort onely but even to Work in the Nature of Work Rom. 11. If it be of Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace but if it be of Works then it is no more of Grace otherwise Work is no more Work By this Text I say the Apostle doth so throughly Distinguish between Grace and Works as that which so ever standeth in the Case the other must be Annihilated If it be by Grace then must Works be no more then it is no more of Works but if it be of Works then is Grace no more then it is no more of Grace But this notwithstanding you urge farther That Faith Justifieth as it includes a sincere Resolution c. Answ. Although as I have said before the Faith which is the Justifying Faith is that of the Holiest Nature yet in the Act by which it layeth hold of Justifying Righteousness it respects it simply as a Righteousness offered by Grace or given unto the Person that by Faith layeth hold thereon as he stands yet ungodly and a Sinner Faith Justifieth not seperate from the Righteousness of Christ as it is a Grace in us nor as it subjecteth the Soul to the obedience of the Morral Law but as it receiveth a Righteousness offered to that Sinner that as such will lay hold on and accept thereof Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners by being their Redemption and Righteousness himself But you add The Faith that Intaileth the Sinner to SO High a Priviledge as that of Justification must needs be such as complyeth with all the purposes of Christ's coming into the World c. Answ. By this supposition Faith Justifieth not by receiving of the Righteousness that Christ by himself accomplished for Sinners but by falling in with all good Works which because they cannot be known much less done by the Soul at first his Faith being then as to the perfection of knowledge of Duties weak he standeth still before God unjustified and so must stand until he doth comply with all those purposes of Christ's coming into the World But yet again you recall your self and distinguish one purpose from the rest as a grand one Pag. 222. And that is to receive Christ as Lord as well as a Saviour Answ. 1. Although the Soul that in truth receiveth Christ receiveth him wholly and intirely as Christ and not as chopt and pul'd in Pieces Yet I distinguish between the act of Faith which layeth hold of Christ for my Justification from the Curse before God and the consequences of that act which are to engage me to newness of Life And indeed as it is impossible for a Man to be a new Man before he be Justified in the sight of God so it is also as impossible but that when Faith hath once layed hold on Christ for Life it should also follow Christ by Love But 2. Christ may be received at first as Lord and that in our Justification and yet not at all be considered as a Law-giver for so he is not the Object of Faith for our Justification with God but a requirer of Obedience to Laws and Statutes of them that already are Justified by the Faith that receiveth him as Righteousness But Christ is as well a Lord for us as to or over us and it highly concerneth the Soul when it believeth in or trusteth to the Righteousness of Christ for Justification with God to see that this Righteousness Lords it over Death and Sin and the Devil and Hell for us The Name wherewith he shall be called is The Lord our Righteousness Our Righteousness then is Lord and Conquerour over all and we more then Conqerours through this Lord that loved us The Author to the Hebrews calls him King of Righteousness because by his Righteousness he ruleth as Lord and King and can reign and Lord it at all times over all those that seek to seperate us from the presence and Glory of God Now how you will brook this Doctrine I know not I am sure he stands in need thereof that is Lorded over by the Curse of the Law the guilt of Sin the Rage of the Devil and the fear of the Death and Hell He I say would be glad to know that in Christ there is a Righteousness that Lords it or that Christ as he is Righteousness is Lord. Wherefore Reader when thou shalt Read or Hear that Jesus Christ is Lord if thou art at the same time under guilt of Sin and fear of Hell then do thou Remember that Christ is Lord more ways then one he is Lord as he is Righteousness he is Lord as he is Imputative Righteousness he is the Lord OVR Righteousness Of the same import is that also he is a Prince and a Saviour he is a Prince as he is a Saviour because the Righteousness by which he saveth beareth Rule in Heaven and Earth And hence we Read again that even when he was in the Combat with our Sins the Devils the Curse and Death upon the Cross he even in that place made a shew of them openly and triumphed over them Now in these things he is Lord for us and the Captain of our Salvation as also in that he hath Led Captivity Captive all which places with many more being Testimonies to us of the sufficiency of that Righteousness which saveth us from the Justice of the Law and Wrath of God But you respect not this his manner of Lording but will have him be a Saviour as he giveth Laws especially those you call Indispensible and Eternal the Morral Law You would have him a Saviour as he bringeth us back to the Holiness we had lost But this is none
to harden Hypocrites Pag. 262. 35. Those Ministers do nothing less then Promote the design of Christianity that are never in their Element but when they are talking of the irrespectiveness of God's Decrees the absolute promises the utter Disability and perfect Impotency of Natural men to do any thing towards their own Conversion Pag. 262. 36. He is the only Child of Abraham who in the purity of his heart obeyeth those substantial Laws that are by God imposed upon him Pag. 283. 37. There is NO Duty more affectionately commanded in the Gospel then that of Alms-giving Pag. 284. 38. It is impossible we should not have the design of Christianity accomplished in us c. if we make our Saviours most excellent life the Pattern of our lives Pag. 296. 39. To do well is better then believing Pag. 299. 40. To be imitators of Christ's Righteousness even of the Righteousness we should rely on is counted by Mr. Fowler more noble then to rely thereon or trust thereto Pag. 300. Reader I Have given thee here but a taste of these things and by my Book but a brief reply to the Errors that he by his hath devulged to the World Al though many more are by me reflected then the 40 thou art here presented with God give thee eyes to see and an heart to shun and escape all these things that may yet come to pass for hurt and to stand before the Son of Man Thus hoping that this short taste may make Mr. Fowler ashamed and thee receive satisfaction touching the truth and state of this Man's Spirit and Principles I rest From Prison the 27. of the 12 Month 1671. Thine to serve thee in the Gospel of Christ. J. Banyan A DEFENCE Of the Doctrine of JUSTIFICATION By Faith in Jesus Christ Proving That Gospel-Holiness flows from thence c. SIR HAving heard of your Book Entituled The Design of Christianity and in that was contained such Principles as gave just ofence to Christian ears I was desirous of a view thereof that from my sight of things I might be the better able to judge But I could not obtain it till the 13 th of this 11 th Month which was too soon for you Sir a pretended Minister of the Word so vilely to expose to publick view the rottenness of your heart in Principles Diametrically opposite to the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ. And had it not been for this consideration that it is not too late to oppose open Blasphemy such as endangereth the Souls of thousands I had cast by this answer as a thing out of season Two things are the Design of your Book 1. To assert and justify a thing which you call inward reall righteousness and Holiness 2 To prove That the whole the grand the only and ultimate design of the Gospel of Christ is to begin and perfect this righteousness Into the truth or untruth of both these as briefly as I may I shall at this time inquire First Therefore a little to examine the nature of your Holiness and Righteousnessâ— as your self hath described the same 〈◊〉 It 〈◊〉 say you so sound a complexion of Soul at maâ—â—tains in life vigour whatsoever is essential to it suffereth not any thing unnatural to mix with that which is 〈◊〉 By the force and power whereof a man is enabled to behave himself as a Creature indued with a principle of reason keeps his supreme faculty in its throne brings into due subjection 〈◊〉 his inferiour ones his sensual imagination his passions and 〈…〉 You adde farther It is the purity of the humane nature ingaging those in whom it resides to demean themselves suitably in that state in which God hath placed them and not to act disbecomingly in any coâ—â—â—ion circumstance or relation You say moreover It is a Divine or God-like nature causing aâ— hearts 〈…〉 of of and an affectionate complyance with the eternal laws of rigâ—teousness and a behaviour agreeable to the essential and 〈…〉 differâ—nces of good and evil page 6. Farther You call it a principle or habit of Soul originally dictates of humane nature page 8. A disposition and temper of the inward man as powerfully inclinâ— it to regard and attend to affâ—ctionately to imbrace and adhere too to be actuated by and under the government of all those practical principles that are made known â—ither by revelation nature or the use of reason page 11. Which in conclusion you call that holiness which already we have lost page 12. Thus Sir is your holiness by you described which holiness you aver is that which is the great and onely design of Christ to promote both by his life and glorious Gospel To take therefore your description in pieces if happily there may be found ought but naught therein It is say you an healthful complexion of Soul the purity of the humane Nature c. Answ. These are but words there is no such thing as the purity of our Nature abstract and distinct from the sinful pollution that dwelleth in us 'T is true a man may talk of and by Argument distinguish between Nature and sin but that there is such a Principle in man since Adams fall a Principle by which he may act or that Christs whole Gospel-design is the helping forward such a Principle is altogether without Scripture or reason There is no man by Nature that that hath any soundness in him â—o neither in Soul or Body his understanding is darkened his Mind and Conscience is defiled his Wills perverted and obstinate There is no judgment in his goings Where now is the sound and healthful complexion of Soul Let the best come to the best when we have mustered up all the excellencies of the Soul of man as man shall nought we find there but the lame the blind the defiled the obstinate and missed faculties thereof And never think to evade me by saying the Graces of the Spirit of God are pure for with them you have nothing to do your Doctrine is of the sound Complexion of Soul the purity of the humane Nature a habiâ— of Soul and the holiness we lost in Adam things a great way off from the Spirit of Grace or the gracious workings of the Spirit You talk indeed of a Divine or Godlike Nature but this is still the same with your pure humane Nature or with your sound Complexion or habit of Soul and so must either respect man as he was Created in the Image or likeness of God or else you have palpable contradiction in this your description But it must be concluded that the Divine Nature you talk of is that and no other then the dictates of the humane Nature or your feigned purity thereof because you make it by your words the self same it is the purity of the humane Nature it is a Divine or Godlike Nature 2. But you proceed to tell us of a Degree it is so found and healthful a complexion or temperature of the faculties qualities or
the Lord is changed from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Câ—r 3. 14 18. Objâ—ct But it seems a paradox to many That a man should live to the Law that is devote himself to the works of the ten Commandments the most perfect rule of life and yet not be counted one changed or new Answ. Though it seemeth an untruth yet it is most true That by the works of the Law no heart is made new no man made new A man from principle of nature and reason which principles are of himself and as old may give up himself to the goodness of the Law Yet these principles are so far off from being new that they are as old as Adam in Paradise and come into the world with all the children of men To which principles the Law or the first principles of morals so equally suit that as you have said page 8. they are self-evident then which there is nothing maâ—-kind dâ—th more naturally assent unto page 11. Now Nature is no new principle but an old even our own and of our selves The Law is no new principle but old and one with our selves as also you well have called it first written in mens hearts and originally dictates of humane nature Let a man then be as devout as is possible for the Law and the holiness of the Law Yet if the principles from which he acts be but the habit of Soul the purity as he feigns of his own nature principles of natural reason or the dictates of humane nature all this is nothing else but the old Gentleman in his Holy-day-cloaths the old Heart the old Spirit the Spirit of the man not the Spirit of Christ is here And hence the Apostle when he would shew us a man alive or made a new man indeed as he talketh of the holy Ghost and faith so he tells us suchâ— are dead to the Law to the Law as a Law of works to the Law as to principles of nature Wherefore my brethen you are also become dead to the Law the moral Law and the ceremonial Law by the body of Christ that you should be married to another another then the Law even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God Rom. 7. 4. Ye are become dead to the Law dead to the Law Why That you should be married to another Married to another Why That you should bring forth fruit unto God But doth not a man bring forth fruit unto God that walketh orderly according to the ten Commandments NO if he do it before faith in the Spirit of a man by the dictates of humane nature respecting the Law as that by the obeying of which he must obtain acceptance with God This is bringing forth fruit unto himself for all that he doth he doth it as a man as a Creature from principles natural and of himself his own and for none other then himself and therefore he serveth in an old Spirit the oldness of the letter and for himself But now that is yeâ— being dead to the Law and married to Christ that the Law being dead by which while in our selves we were held Now we are delivered from that law both as to its curse and impositions as it stands a Law of works in the heart of the world we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter v. 6. A man must first then be dead to your principles both of nature and the Law if he will serve in a new Spirit if he would bring forth fruit unto God Wherefore your description of the principle of holiness in man and also the principles by which this holiness is put forth by him into righteous acts they are such as are altogether void of the true essentials of inward Gospel-holiness and righteousness But there is one thing more in this description or rather effect thereof which I shall also inquire into And that is saying As it was the errand of Christ to effect our deliverance out of that sinful state we had brought our selves into so to put us again into possession of that holiness which we HAD LOST page 12. The proof of this position is now your next business that is if I understand your learning the remaining part of your book which consisteth of well nigh 300 pages is spent for proof thereof which I doubt not but effectually to confute with less then 300 lines Onely first by the way I would have my reader to take notice that in this last Clause to put us again into possession of that holiness which we had lost is the sum of all this large description of his holiness in the foregoing pages that is the holiness and righteousness that Mr. Fowler hath been describing and adds that Christs whole business when he came into the world was as to effect our deliverance from sin so to put us again in possession of that holiness which we had lost The holiness therefore that here he contendeth for is that and onely that which was in Adam before the fall which he lost by transgression and we by transgressing in him A little therefore to inquire into this if perhaps his reader and mine may come to a right understanding of things First then Adam before the fall even in his best and most sinless state was but a pure natural man consisting of body and soul these to use your own terms were his pure essentials In this mans heart God also did write the Law that is as you term them the first principles of morals This then was the state of Adam he was a pure natural man made by God sinless all the faculties of his Soul and members of his body were clean God made man upright But he made him not then a Spiritual man The first Adam was made a living Soul howbeit that was not first which was Spiritual but that which was natural and afterwards that which is Spiritual The first man is of the earth earthy 1 Cor. 15 A living Soul he was yet but a natural man even in his first and best estate but earthly when compared to Christ or with them that believe in Christ. So then the holiness of Adam in his last estate even that which he LOST and we in him it was none other then that which was natural even the sinless-state of a natural man This holiness then was not of the nature of that which hath for its root the holy Ghost for of that we read not at all in him he onely was indued with a living Soul his holiness then could not be Gospel nor that which is a branch of the second covenant his acts of righteousness were not by the operations of the Spirit of Grace but the dictates of the Law in his own natural heart But the Apostle when he treateth of the Christian inherent holiness first excluding that in Adam as earthly he tells us it is such
that their believing takes away the Curse but puts the Soul upon trusting to him that before Purged this Guilt and Curse I say before he sat down on the Right Hand of God Not to Suspend as you would have it but to take away the Sin of the World The Lord hath LAID upon him the Iniquities of us all And he BARE them in his own Body on the Tree Nor yet that he should OFTEN Offer himself for then must he OFTEN have suffered since the Foundation of the World But NOW and that at Once in the end of the World hath he Appeared to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself Mark he did put it away by the Sacrifice of his Body and Soul when he dyed on the Cross but he could not then put away the inward Filth of those that then remained Unconverted or those that as yet wanted being in the World The putting away of Sin therefore that the Holy Ghost here intendeth is such a putting of it away as respecteth the Guilt Curse and Condemnation thereof as it stood by the Accusations of the Law against all Flesh before the Face of God which Guilt Curse and Condemnation Christ himself was made in that day when he dyed the Death for us And this is the First and Principle Intendment of the Angel in that blessed saying to Godly Joseph concerning Christ He shall save his People from their Sins from the Guilt and Curse due to them first and afterwards from the Filth thereof This is yet manifest farther because the Heart is Purified by Faith and Hope Acts 9. 15. 1 John 3. 3 4. Now it is not the Nature of Faith I mean of Justifying Faith to have any thing for an Object from which fetcheth Peace with God Holiness before or besides the Christ of God himself for he is the way to the Father and no Man can come to the Father but by him Come that is so as to find Acceptance and Peace with him The Reason is because without his Blood Guilt remains Heb. 9. 22. He hath made Peace by the Blood of his Cross so then Faith in the first place seeketh Peace But why Peace First because till Peace is fetched into the Soul by Faiths laying hold on the blood of Christ Sin remains in the Guilt and Curse though not in the sight of God yet upon the Conscience through the Power of Unbelief He that believeth not stands yet Condemned Now so long as Guilt and the Curse in Power remains there is not Purity but Unbelief not Joy but Doubting not Peace but Peevishness not Content but Murmuring and Anger against the Lord himself The Law Worketh Wrath Rom. 4. Wherefore as yet there can be no Purity of Heart because that Faith yet wants his Object But having once found Peace with God by believing what the Blood of Christ hath done Joy followeth so doth Peace Quietness Content and Love Which is also the fulfilling of the Law Yet not from such Dungish Principles as yours For so the Apostle calls them Phil. 3. But from the Holy Ghost it self which God by Faith hath granted to be received by them that believe in the Blood of his Jesus But you add That Christ giveth First Repentance and then forgiveness of Sins Page 17. Answ. 1. This makes nothing for the Holiness which we lost in Adam for the Proof of which you bring that Text Acts 5. 31. 2. But for Christ to take away Guilt and the Curse from before the Face of â—ods is one thing and to make that discovery is another 3. Again Christ doth not give forgiveness for the sake of that Repentance which hath it's rise Originally from the Dictates of our own nature which is the thing you are to prove for that Repentance is called the Sorrow of this World and must be again Repented of But the Repentance mentioned in the Text is that which comes from Christ But 4. It cannot be for the sake of Gospel Repentance that the forgiveness of Sins is Manifested because both are his Peculiar Gift 5. Therefore both Faith and Repentance and Forgiveness of Sins are given by Christ and come to us for the sake of that Blessed Offering of his Body once for all For after he Arose from the Dead having led Captivity Captive and taken the Curse from before the Face of God therefore his Father gave him Gifts for Men even all the things that are Necessary and Effectual for our Conversion and Preservation in this World c. Ephes. 4. 6 7 8. This Text therefore with all the rest you bring falleth short of the least shew of Proof That the great Errand for which Christ came into the World was to put us in Possession of the Holiness that we had lost Your Third Chapter is as Empty of the Proof of your Design as that through which we have passed there being not one Scripture therein Tited that giveth the least intimation that ever it entred into the Heart of Christ to put us again into Possession of that Holiness which we had before we were Converted for such was that we lost in Adam You tell us the Sum of all is That we are Commauded to add to our Faith Vertue c. Page 35. I suppose you intend a Gospel Faith which if you can prove Adam had before the fall and that we lost this Faith in him and also that this Gospel Faith is none other but that which Origianally ariseth from or is the Dictates of Humane Nature I will confess you have Scripture and Knowledge beyond me In the mean time you must suffer me to tell you you are as far in this from the mind of the Holy Ghost as if you had yet never in all your days heard whether there be a Holy Ghost or no. Add to your Faith The Apostle here lays a Gospel Principle viz. Faith in the Son of God which Faith layeth hold of the forgiveness of Sins alone for the sake of Christ Therefore he is a great way off of laying the Purity of the Humane Nature the Law as written in the heart of natural man as the Prenciple of Holiness from whence is produced good Works in the Soul of the Godly In your Fourth Chapter also Pag. 28. even in the beginning thereof even with one Text you have overthrown your whole Book This Chapter is to prove that the onely Design of the Promises and Threatnings of the Gospel is to Promote and put us again in Possession of the Holiness we had lost For that the Reader must still remember is the onely Design of your Book Pag. 12. Whereas the First Text you speak of maketh mention of the Divine Nature or of the Spirit of the Living God which is also received by the Precious Faith of Christ and the Revelation of the Knowledge of him this Blessed Spirit and therefore not the Dictates of Humane Nature is the Principle that is laid in the Godly But Adam's Holiness had neither
the Gospel because the Gospel Knowledge of them ariseth also from another Principle So then these Doctrines are not Cofirmed by the Gospel as the Light of Nature teacheth them Wherefore Paul speaking of the things of the Gospel and so consequently of these he saith Which things also we speak NOT in the WORDS which MAN'S Wisdom teacheth but which the HOLY GHOST teacheth comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual As if he shoul say We speak of God of the Soul of the Life to come of Repentance of Forgiveness of Sins c. Not as Philosophers DO nor yet in their Light but as Saints Christians and Sons of God as such who have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God But you add for the Glory of the Gospel That we have other things which no man could without Divine Revelation once have Dream'd of As 1. That God hath made miserable Sinners the Objects of such Transcendent Love as to give them his onely begotten Son Answ. I must confess If this one Head had by you been handled well you would have Written like a Worthy Gospel Minister But you add Pag. 146. 1. That when Christ was sent it was to shew us upon what terms God was Reâ—nciled to us viz. By laying before us all the Parts of Holiness which are necessary to Restore our Natures to his Likenessâ— and most Pathetically moreover to intreat us to do what lyeth or our Parts to put them in Practice that so to Eternity it may be well 〈…〉 What these things are you mention not here therefore I shall leave them to be spoken to under the Third Head 2. A Second thing you mention is That this Son of God Conversed upon equal terms with Men becoming the Son of Man bâ—rn of a Woman a great Demonstration that God hath a liking to the Humane Nature But little to the purpose as you have handled it 3. That the Son of God taught men their Duty by his own Example and did himself perform what he required of them and that himself did tread before us EVERY step of that which he hath told us leadeth to Eternal Life Answ. Now we are come to the point viz. That the way to Eternal Life is First of all to take Christ for our example treading his step And the Reason if it be true is weighty For he hath trod every step before us which he hath told us leads to Eternal Life 1. Every step Therefore he went to Heaven by Vertue of an Imputative Righteousness For this is one of our steps thither 2. Every step Then he must go thither by Faith in his own Blood for Pardon of Sin For this is another of our steps thither 3. Every step Then he must go thither by Vertue of his own Intercession at the Right Hand of God before he came thither For this is one of our steps thither 4. Every step Then he must come to God and ask mercy for some great Wickedness which he had Committed For this is also one of our steps thither But again we will Consider it the other way 1. Every step Then we cannot come to Heaven before we first be made accursed of God For so was he before he came thither 2. Every step Then we must first make our Body and Soul an Offering for the Sin of others For this did he before he came thither 3. Every step Then we must go to Heaven for the sake of our own Righteousness For that was one of his steps thither O Sir What will thy Gallant Generous mind do here Indeed you talk of his being an Expiatory Sacrifice forus but you put no more trust to that then to Baptism or the Lords Supper counting that with the other two but things indifferent in themselves Pag. 6 7 8. You add again That this Son of God being raised from the Dead and Ascended to Heaven is our High Priest there But you talk not at all of his sprinkling the Mercy Seat with his Blood but clap upon him the Heathens Demons Negotiating the Affairs of Men with the Supream God and so wrap up with a testification that it is needless to enlarge on the Point Pag. 150. But to be plain and in one word to tell you About all these things you are Heathenishly dark there hath not in these 150 Pages one Gospel truth been Christianly handled by you but rather a darkening of truth by Words without Knowledge What Man that ever had Read or Assented to the Gospel but would have spoken yet kept within the bounds of truth more Honourably of Christ then you have done His Sacrifice must be stept over as the Spider stradleth over the Wasp his Intercession is needless to be Inlarged upon But when it falleth in your way to talk of your Humane Nature of the Dictates of the first Principles of Morrals within you and of your Generous mind to follow it Oh what need is there now of Amplifying Inlarging and Pressing it on Mens Consciences As if that poor Heathenish Pagan Principle was the very Spirit of God within us And as if Righteousness done by that was that and that onely that would or could fling Heaven Gates off the Hinges Yea a little after you tell us That the Doctrine of â—ending the Holy Ghost was to move and Excite us to our Duty and to Assist Chear and Comfort us in the Performance of it Still meaning our close Adhering by the Purity of our Humane Nature to the Dictates of the Law as Written in our hearts as Men. Which is as false as God is true For the Holy Ghost is sent into our Hearts not to Excite us to a Compliance with our Old and Wind-shaken Excellencies that came into the World with us but to Write new Laws in our Hearts even the Law of Faith the Word of Faith and of Grace and the Doctrine of Remission of Sins through the Blood of the Lamb of God that Holiness might flow from thence Your 15th Chapter is to shew That the Gospel giveth for greater helps to an Holy Life then the Jewish Ceremonies did of Old I Answer But the Reader must here well weigh that in the Gospel you find also some poâ—sitive Precepts that are of the same Nature with the Ceremonies under the Law of which that of coming to God by Christ you call one and Baptism and the Lords Supper the other two So then by your Doctrine the Excellency of the Gospel doth not lye in that we have a Christ to come to God by but in things as you feign more substantial What are they Inward Principles of Holiness Pag. 159. Spiritual Precepts P. 16â— That height of Vertue and true Goodness that the Gospel Designeth to raise us to All which are General Words falling from a staggering Conscience leaving the World that are Ignorant of his mind in a Muse but tickling his Brethren with the