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
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
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
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
vertues of Soul as maintains in life and vigour whatsoever is essential to it and suffereth not any thing unnatural to mix with that which is so Answer If as was said before there is no soundness of Soul in man as man and no such thing as a purity of our Nature abstract from that which is sin then where shall we find so healthful a complexion or temperature of Soul as to maintain in life and vigour whatsoever is essential to it and that suffereth not any thing unnatural to mix with that which is so But let us take Pauls definition of a man There is none righteous no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God they are all gone out of the way they areâ— together become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Their threat is an open Sepulchâ—e with their Tongues they have used deceit the poison of Asps is under their lips whose Mouth is full of Cursing and Bitterness their feet are swift to shed Blood destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of Peace they have not known there is no fear of God before their Eyes I the rather give you this of Paul then any of my own because it is the soundest complexion of Soul that the Holy Ghost himself could draw Here is now no purity of the humane Nature nor such sound complexion of Soul as can keep it self from mixing with that which is contrary to itself And note that this is the state of all men and that as they stand on themselves before God Wherefore together even altogether all the men in the World take them in their most pure naturals or with all the purity of humanity which they can make and together they still will be unprofitable and so must come short of doing good that every mouth might be stopped and all the World become guilty before God ver 19. 3. But proceeding you say that this complexion is so forcible as to keep his supreme faculty I suppose you mean the Conscience in its Throne and that brings into due subjection all his inferiour ones as namely his sensual imagination bruitish passions and affections Answ. These words suppose that it is within the power of a mans own Soul always to keep sin out of it self and so guilt out of the Conscience albeit the Scripture saith that both the mind and it are defiled with the filth of sin in all whoever do not believe the Gospel with which belief this description meâ—leth not 2. They suppose that this Conscience is perfectly clear and light when the Scriptures say they have the understanding darkened yea and farther in despite of these your sayings of the sound complexion of Soul of the purity of humane Nature and of this supreme faculty the Scriptures teach that man in his best estate is altogether vanity that they are darkness and night c. Yea say you this sound complexion brings into due subjection all his inferiour ones Answ. Here seems to be a contradiction to the former part of this description yea to the Nature of the Soul it self for you say before it suffereth not any thing unnatural to mix it self therewith when yet here you seem to suggest that part I say even part of it self is disobedient and rebellious It brings into subjection all his inferiour ones It brings into due subjection Answ. Due subjection is such as is everlasting universal perfect in Nature kind and manner such as the most righteous perfect comprehensive Law or Commandment cannot object against or find fault therewith Here 's a Soul here 's a pure humane Nature here are pure dictates of a brutish beastly man that neither knows himself nor one title of the Word of God But there is a Generation that are pure in their own Eyes yet are not washed from their filâ—hiness It is the purity of the humane Nature ingaging those in whom it resides c. Answ. That is verily in none at all for there is no such thing in any man in this world as a purity of humane Nature we are all an unclean thing and who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Again what is man that he should be clean or he that is born of a Woman that he should be holy These are therefore expressions without the Testimony of the Word arising from your own phantasie It is a Divine or Godlike Nature Answ. Thus you seem allso to fetch from the similitude or likeness of God that was in us at out first Creation before we sinned but that similitude being at best but Created and since most unspeakably defiled defaced and polluted with sin there is now no not in the best of men as men any smiles likeness and similitude of God to be found no such petty Divine or Godlike Nature to be found as you magine But having thus stated your holiness in its Nature and essence you come in the next place to tell us under what considerations it moveth a person to act also by what Rules and Laws it squareth its acts and doings First by or under what considerations it acts and these you scatter here and there in this your description of holiness under these heads First To act as becomes a Creature indued with a principle of reason eyeing the state or place in which God hath set him approving of affecting and complying with the Eternal Laws of righteousness Pag. 6. which eternal Laws in Page 8. you call the Divine moral Laws those that were first written in the hearts of men and originally the dictates of humane Nature c. Secondly To do these from truly generous Motives and Principles Page 7. such as these 1. Because it is most highly becoming all reasonable Creatures you might also have added and those unreasonable to obey God in every thing within their Spheres and as much unbecoming them to disobey him Page 8. 2. Because it is a base thing to do unjustly Page 11. Now a little to touch upon all these and then to proceed to what is behind First To act and do the things of the moral Law but as Creatures indued with a Principle of Reason is but to do things in our Sphere as Men as the Beast the Hog or Horse doth things in his as a Beast which is at best if it could be attained to act but as pure naturals which state of man is of at infinite distance from that in which it is by God expected the man must act that doth ought that is pleasing in his fight For First The qualification and consideration by you propounded is that which is in all men in men simply as men they being reasonable Creatures and somewhat though qut somewhat capable of acting as such Secondly This qualification is not only in but of men reason is of the Man himself even that which is as essential to him as is that of his being
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
before we know it But say you the Actual removing of our Guilt is not the necessary and immediate Result of his Death Pag. 91. Answ. Yea but it is from before the Face of God and from the Judgement and Curse of the Law For before God the Guilt is taken away by the Death and Blood of his Son immediately for all them that shall be saved else how can it be said we are Justified by his Blood He hath made Peace by his Blood He loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood and that we are Reconciled to God by the Death of his Son which can by no means be If notwithstanding his Death and Blood Sin in the Guilt and Consequently the Curse that is due thereto should yet remain in the sight of God But what saith the Apostle God was in Christ Reconciling the World to himself not Imputing their Trespasses unto them Those that are but Reconciling are not yet Reconciled I mean as Paul not yet come aright over in their own Souls by Faith Yet to these he imputeth not their Trespasses Wherefore because they have none or because he forgiveth them as they Believe and Work Neither of both but because he hat First made his Son to be Sin for them and lay'd all the Guilt and Curse of their Sin upon him that they might be made the Righteousness of God in him Therefore even because by him their Sin and Curse is taken off from before the Law of God therefore God for the sake of Christ seeketh for and beseecheth the Sinner to be Reconciled That is to believe in and imbrace his Majesty No say you The Actual Removing of Guilt is not the necessary and immediate Result of his Death but Suspended vntil such time as the forementioned Conditions by the help of his Grace are performed by us Answ. 1. Then may a Man have the Grace of God within him Yea the Grace and Mercy of the New-Covenant viz. Faith and the like that yet remaineth under the Curse of the Law and so hath yet his Sins untaken away from before the Face of God For where the Curse is onely suspended it may stand there Notwithstanding in Force against the Soul Now let the Soul stand accursed and his Duties must stand accursed For First the Person and then the Offering must be accepted of God God accepted not the Works of Cain because he had not accepted his Person But having first accepted Abel's Person he therefore did accept his Offering And here it is said that Abel Offered by Faith He belived that his Person was accepted of God for the sake of the promised Messias and therefore believed also that his Offering should be accepted 2. Faith As it respecteth Justification in the sight of God must know nothing to rest upon but the Mercy of God through Christ's Blood But if the Curse be not taken away Mercy also hangeth in Suspence yea lyeth as drowned and hid in the bottom of the Sea This Doctrine then of yours overthroweth Faith and rusheth the Soul into the Works of the Law the Moral Law and so quite Involveth it in the fear of the Wrath of God maketh the Soul forget Christ taketh from it the Object of Faith and if a Miracle of Mercy prevent not the Soul must dye in everlasting Desperation But say you it is Suspended till such time as the forementioned Conditions by the help of his Grace be performed by us Pag. 92. Answ. Had you said the Manifestation of it is kept from us it might with some Allowance have been Admitted But yet the Revelation of it in the Word which in some Sence may be called a Manifestation thereof is first Discovered to us by the Word Yea is seen by us and also believed as a truth Recorded before the Injoyment thereof be with comfort in our own Souls But you Proceed and say Therefore was the Death of Christ Designed to Procure our Justification from all Sins past that we might by this means be Provoked to become New Creatures Answ. That the Death of Christ is a mighty Argument to perswade with the Believer to Devote himself to God in Christ in all things as becometh one that hath received Grace and Redemption by his Blood is True But that it is in Our Power as is here Insinuated to become New Creatures is as Vntrue The New Creâ—â—ure is of God yea Immediately of God Man being as Uncapable to make himself A-new as a Child to Beget himself Neither is our Conformity to the Revealed Will of God any thing else if it be Right then the Fruit and Effect of that All things are already or before become New in the Christian Man But to return After all the Flourish you have made about the Death of Christ even as he is an Expiatory and Propitiatory Sacrifice In Conclusion you Terminate the Business far short of which it was intended of God For you almost make the Effects thereof but a bare Suspension of present Justice and Death for Sin or that which hath delivered us at present from a Necessity of dying that we might live unto God That is according as you have Stated it That we might from Principles of Humanity and Reason act towards the First Principles of Morals c. till we put our selves into a Capacity of Personal and Actual Pardon Answ. The Sum of your Doctrine therefore is That Christ by his Death onely holds the Point of the Sword of Justice Not that he Received it into his own Soul That he Suspends the Curse from us Not that himself was made a Curse for us that the Guilt might be Remitted by our Vertues Not that Sin was made to be our Sin But Paul and the New Testament giveth us Account far otherwise viz. That Christ was made our Sin our Curse and Death that we by him not by the Principle of pure Humanity or our Obedience to your first Principles of Morals c. should be set free from the Law of Sin and Death If any Object that Christ hath designed the Purifying our Hearts and Natures I Answer But he hath not designed to Promote or to Perfect that righteousness that is Founded on and Floweth from the Purity of our Humane Nature for then he must design the setting up Mans righteousness that which is of the Law and then he must design also the setting up of that which is directly in opposition both also to the Righteousness that of God is designed to Justifie us and that by which we are inwardly made Holy As I have shewed before You have therefore Sir in all that you have yet Asserted shewed no other Wisdom then a Heathen or of one that is short even of a Novice in the Gospel In the next place I might Trace you Chapter by Chapter and at large Refute not only the whole design of your Book by a particular Replication to them but also sundry and damnable Errors
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
the Glory that we shall â—ossess in Heaven is questionable as to your notion of it your â—â—â—â—on is That the substance of it Consists in a perfect resemblance to the Divine Nature Answ. Therefore not in the Injoyment of the Divine Nature it self For that which in Substance is but a bare Resemblance though it be a most perfect one is not the thing it self of which it is a Resemblance But the Blessedness that we shall enjoy in Heaven in the very Substance of it Consisteth not wholly nor Principally in a Resemblance of but in the Injoyment of God himself Heirs of God Wherefore there shall not be in us a Likeness onely to but the very Nature of God Heirs of God and joynt Heirs with Christ Rom. 8. Hence the Apostle tells us that he rejoyced in hope of the Glory of God Rom. 5. Not onely in hope of a Resemblance of it The Lord is my Portion saith my Soul But this is like the rest of your Discourse You are so in Love with your Adamitish Holiness that with you it must be God in Earth and Heaven Who they are that hold our Happiness in Heaven shall come by a meer fixing our Eyes upon the Divine Perfections I know not But thus I Read We shall be like him Why or how For we shall see him as he is Our Likeness then to God even in the very Heavens will in great part come by the Visions of him And to speak the truth our very entrance into eternal life or the beginnings of it here they come to us thus But we all every one of us that shall be saved come by it onely thus with open Face beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2. Cor. 3. 18. And whereas you tell us Pag. 124. That the Devils themselves have a large measure of some of the Attributes of God as Knowledge Power c. though themselves are unlike unto him In this you most Prodigiously Blaspheme Your Thirteenth Chapter is to shew That our Saviours preferring the Business of making Men Holy before any other witnesseth that this is to do the best Service to God But still respecting the Holiness you have in your first Chapter Described which still the Reader must have his eye upon it is false and a slander of the Son of God He never intended to Promote or Prefer your Natural Old Covenant Holiness viz. that which we had lost in Adam or that which yet from him in the Dregs thereof remaineth in Humane Nature but that which is of the Holy Ghost of Faith of the New Covenant I shall not here again take notice of your 130 Page nor with the Error Contained therein about Justification by Imputed Righteousness But one thing I observe that in all this Chapter you have nothing Fortified what you say by any Word of God no though you Insinuate Pag. 129. and Pag. 131. that some Dissent from your Opinion But instead of the Holy Words of God being as you Feign Conscious to your self you cannot do it SO well as by another Method viz. The Words of Mr. John Smith therefore you Proceed with his as he with Plato's and so wrap you up the Business You come next to an Improvement upon the whole where you make a Comparison between the Heathens and the Gospel shewing how far the Gospel helpeth the Light the Heathens had in their Pursuit after your Holiness But 〈◊〉 the Excellency of the Gospel as you have vainly Dreamt is to make Improvement First of the Heathens Principles such good Principles say you as were by the Light of Nature Dictated to them Pag. 133 134 135. As 1. That there is but one God that he is Infinitely perfect c. 2. That we owe our lives and all the comforts of them to him 3. That he is our Soveraign Lord. 4. That he is to be Loved above all things Answ. 1. Seeing all these are and may be known as you your self confess by them that have not the Gospel and I add nor yet the Holy Ghost nor any saving Knowledge of God or Eternal Life Therefore it cannot be the Design of Jesus Christ by the Gospel to Promote or help forward this Knowledge simply from this Principle viz. Natural Light and the Dictates of it My Reason is because when Nature is strained to the highest Pin it is but Nature still and so all the improvement of it's Light and Knowledge is but an increase of that which is but Natural Now saith Paul The Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are Spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. But the Gospel is the Ministration of the Spirit a Revelation of another thing then is found in or can be acquired to by Heathenish Principles of Nature I say a Revelation of another thing or rather another discovery of the same As 1. Concerning the Godhead the Gospel giveth us another discovery of it then is possible to be obtained by the Dictates of Natural Light even a discovery of a Trinity of Persons and yet Unity of Essence in the same Deity 1 John 5. 1 5 8. 2. The Light of Nature will not shew us that God was in Christ Reconciling the World to himself 3. The Light of Nature will not shew us that we owe what we are and have to God because we are the Price of the Blood of his Son 4. The Light of Nature will not shew that there is such a thing as Election in Christ. 5. Or that there is such a thing as the Adoption of Children to God through him 6. Nor that we are to be saved by Faith in his Blood 7. Or that the Man Christ shall come from Heaven to Judgement These things I say the Light of Nature teacheth not but these things are the Great and Mighty things of the Gospel and those about which it chiefly bendeth it self touching upon other things still as those that are knowable by a Spirit Inferior to this of the Gospel Besides as these things are not known by the Light of Nature so the Gospel when it comes as I also told you before doth Implant in the Soul another Principle by which they may be received and from which the Soul should act and do both towards God and towards Men as Namely the Holyâ—Ghost Faith Hope the Joy of the Spirit c. The other things you mention Pag. 138 140 142 143. viz. 1. The Immortality of the Soul 2. The Doctrine of Rewards and Punishments in the Life to come 3. Of the forgiveness of Sin upon true Repentance c. Answ. All these things may be Assented to where yet the Grace of the Gospel is not but yet the Apprehension must be such as is the Light by which they are discovered but the Light of Nature cannot discover them according to the Light and Nature of
if God will timely Advertise my Reader that the Gospel and it's Attendants are to be accounted things Distinct The Gospel properly taken being Glad Tidings of good things or the Doctrine of the for giveness of Sins freely by Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus For to speak strictly neither is the Grace of Faith Hope Repentance or Newness of Life the Gospel but rather things that are wrought by the Preaching thereof things that are the Effects of it or its unseperable Companions to all them that shall be saved Wherefore the Gospel is said to be Preached in all Nations for the obedience of Faith Hope also is called the Hope of the Gospel not the Gospel it self So again the Gospel is Preached that Men should repent but it is not Preached that men should Gospel But your Gospel which Principally or Chiefly Centers in the Dictates of Humane Nature and your Faith which is chiefly a subjecting to those Dictates are so far off from being at all any near attendants of the Gospel that they never are urged in the New Testament but in order to shew men they have forgotten to act as men Rom. 1. 19 20 21. Chap. 2. 14 15. 1 Cor. 11. 14. Your last Reason is because of several untoward opinions the Gospel is very unsuccessful Pag. 175. Answ. But what these opinions are we hear not nor how to shun them you tell us here nothing at all This I am sure there are no Men in this day have more opposed the Light Glory and Lustre of the Gospel of Christ then those as the Quakers and others that have set up themselves and their own Humanity as the Essential parts of it You in Answer to other things add many other Reasons to prove they are mistaken that count the Gospel a thing of but mean Operation to work Holiness in the heart at which you ought your self to tremble seeing the Son himself who is the Lord of Gospel is of so little esteem with you as to make coming to God by him so trivial a business as you have done Your large Transcript of other mens sayings to prove the good success of the Gospel of Old did better become that People and age then you yours they being a people that lived in the power thereof but you such Bats as cannot see it That Saying you mention of Rigaltias doth better become you and yours Those now adays do retain the Name and the Society of Christians which live altogether Antichristian Lives For take away Publicans and a wretched Rable c. And your Christian Churches will be laâ—entable weak small and insignifieant things I shall add to yours another reason of the unsuccessfulness of the Gospel in our days and that is because so many ignorant Sir Johns on the one hand and so many that have done Violence to their former Light and that have Damned themselves in their former Anathematizing of others have now for a long time as a Judgement of God been permitted to be and made the mouth to the People Persons whose Lives are Debauched and who in the Face of the World after seeming serious Detestings of Wickedness have for the Love of filthy Lucre and the Pampering their idle Carcasses made Shipwrack of their former Faith and that Feigned good Conscience they had From which number if you Sir have kept your self clear the less Blood of the Damned will fall upon your head I know you not by Face much less your Personal Practice yet I have heard as if Blood might pursue you for your Unstable Weathercock Spirit which doubtless could not but stumble the Weak and give advantage to the Adversary to speak Vilifyingly of Religion As to your Seventeenth and Eighteenth Chapters I shall say little onely I wish that your Eighteenth had been more express in discovering how far a man may goe with a notion of the truth of the Gospel and yet perish because he hath it not in Power Onely in your Inveighing so much against the Pardon of Sin while you seem so much to cry up Healing you must know that Pardon of Sin is the beginning of Health to the Soul He Pardoneth our Iniquities and Healeth all our Diseases Psa. 103. 3. And where he saith by the stripes of Christ we are healed it is Evident that healing beginneth at Pardon and not Pardon after healing as you would rather have it 1 Pet. 2. 24. compare Isa. 53. As for your Comparison of the Plaister and the Physitians Potion Pag. 217. I say you do but abuse your Reader and muddy the way of the Gospel For the first thing of which the Soul is sick and by which the Conscience receiveth wounding it is the guilt of Sin and fear of the Curse of God for it For which is provided the wounds and Precious Blood of Christ which Flesh and Blood if the Soul eat thereof by Faith giveth deliverance there-from Upon this the filth of Sin appears most odious for that it hath not onely at present Defiled the Soul but because it keeps it from doing those Duties of Love which by the Love of Christ it is constrained to endeavour the perfecting of For Filth appears Filth that is irksome and odious to a contrary Principle now implantin the Soul which Principle had its Conveyance thither by Faith in the Sacrifice and death of Christ going before The Love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge That if one dyed for all then are all Dead and that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but to him that dyed for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5. 14. The man that hath received Christ desireth to be Holy because the Nature of the Faith that layeth hold on Christ although I will not say as you it is of a Generous mind worketh by love and longeth yea greatly longeth that the Soul may be brought not onely into an universal Conformity to his Will but into his very likeness and because that State standeth not with what we are now but with what we shall be hereafter Therefore in this we groan being burthened with that which is of a contrary Nature to be cloathed upon with our House which is from Heaven Which state is not that of Adam's Innocency but that which is Spiritual and Heavenly even that which is now in the Lord in Heaven But I will Descend to your Nineteenth Chapter it may be more may be discovered there Your Nineteenth Chapter is to shew That a right understanding of the Design of Christianity viz. as you have laid it down will give satisfaction concerning the true Notion First Of Justifying Faith Secondly Of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Pag. 221. First Of Justifying Faith It is say you such a Belief of the truth of the Gospel as Includes a sincere Resolution of Obedience to all it's Precepts Answ. To this I shall Answer First that the Faith which we call Justifying Faith is like
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
other then Barbarous Quakerisme the stress of their Writing also tending to no other purpose But you tell us That you scarcely admired at any thing more in all your Life then that any worthy Men especially should be so difficulty perswaded to receive or imbrace this account of Justifying Faith and should perplex and make intricate so plain a Doctrine Answ. And doubtless they far more groundedly stand amazed at such as you who while you pretend to shew the design of the Gospel make the very Essential of it a thing in it self indifferent and absolutely considered neither good nor evil that makes obedience to the Morral Laws more Essential to salvation then that of going to God by Christ that maketh it the great Design of Christ to put us into a Possession of that promiseless natural old Covenant holiness which we had lost long since in Adam that maketh as if Christ rejecting all other Righteousness or Holiness hath Established onely this Yea that maketh the very Principle of this Holiness to consist in a sound Complexion of Soul the Purity of Humane Nature in us a habit of Soul truly Generous Motives and Principles Divine Morral Laws which were first written in Mens Hearts and Originally Dictates of Humane Nature All this Villany against the Son of God with much more as bad is Comprised within less then the first sixteen â—ages of your Book But say you what pretence can there be for thinking that Faith is the Condition or Instrument of Justification as it complyeth with onely the Precept of relying upon Christ's Merits for the obtaining of it especially when it is no less manifest then the Sun at Noon-day that obedience to the other Precepts must go before obedience to this And that a Man may not rely upon the merits of Christ for the forgiveness of his Sins and he must be presumptuous in so doing and puts an affront upon his Saviour too till he be sincerely willing to be reformed from them Pag. 223. Answ. That the Merits of Christ for Justification are made over to that Faith that receiveth them while the Person that believeth it stands in his own account by the Law a Sinner hath already been shewed And that they are not by God appointed for another purpose is manifest through all the Bible 1. In the Type when the bloody Sacrifices were to be offered and an Atonement made for the Soul the People were onely to confess their Sins over the head of the Bullock or Goat or Lamb by laying their Hands thereon and so the Sacrifice was to be slain They were onely to acknowledge their Sins And observe it in the day that these offerings were made they were not to Work all For he that did any Work therein was to be cut off from his People Lev. 4. ch 16. ch 23. 2. In the Antitype thus it runs Christ dyed for our Sins Christ gave himself for our Sins He was made to be Sin for us Christ was made a Curse for us Yea but say you What pretence can there be that Faith is the Condition or Instrument of Justification as it Complyeth with onely the Precepts of relying upon Christ's Merits that is first or before the Soul doth other things Answ. I say avoiding your own Ambiguous terms that it is the Duty the indispensible Duty of all that would be saved First Immediately now to close in by Faith with that work of Redemption which Christ by his blood hath purchased for them as they are Sinners 1. Because God doth hold it forth yea hath set it forth to be received by us as such Rom. 3. 23. to 27. 2. Because God hath Commanded us by Faith to receive it as such Act. 16. And I add If the Jaylor was altogether ignorant of what he must do to be saved and Paul yet bids him then before he knew any thing else Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and he should be saved that then Believing even Believing on Christ for a Righteousness to justifie and save him must go first and may nay ought to be pressed even then when the Soul stands ignorant of what else he ought to do Act. 16. 30 31 32. But you say It is evident as the Sun at Noon-day that obedience to the other Precepts must go before obedience to THIS that is before Faith in Christ. Answ. This you say But Paul said to the ignorant Jaylor that knew nothing of the mind of God in the Doctrine of Justification that he should first believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and so should be saved Again when Paul Preached to the Corinthians The first Doctrine that he delivered unto them was That Christ dyed for their Sins according to the Scriptures c. 1 Cor. 15. 1 2 3 4. But what be these other Precepts Not Baptism nor the Supper of the Lord for these you say are as poor and inconsiderable as that of coming to God by Christ even all three things in themselves neither good nor evil but of an indifferent Nature they must be therefore some more weighty things of the Gospel then these possitive Precepts But what things are they It is good that you tell us seeing you Tacitely forbid all men upon pain of Presumption and of doing affront to Jesus Christ that they rely not on the merits of Christ for forgiveness till they be sincerely willing to perform them first yet I find not here one particular Precept instanced by you But perhaps we shall hear of them hereafter therefore now I shall let them pass You tell us farther that such a relyance as that of acting Faith First on the Merits of Christ for Justification is ordinarily to be found amongst Vnregenerate and even the worst of Men. Answ. This is but a falshood and a slander for the Unregenerate know him not how then can they believe on him Besides the worst of men so far as they pretend Religion set up your Idol in their hearts viz. their own good meanings their own good Nature the Notions and Dictates of their Nature living that little which they do live upon the Snuff of their own Light the Sparks of their own fire and therefore woe unto them But you add How can it be otherwise then that that act of Faith must needs have a Hand in Justifying and the special Hand too which distinguisheth it from that which is found in such Persons Answ. 1. There is no Act of Faith doth more distinguish true Faith from false and the Christian from the painted Hypocrite then that which first lays hold on Christ while the Person that hath it stands in his own esteem ungodly all other like your self being fearful and unbelieving Rev. 20. 8. despise it and wonder and perish Act. 13. 40 41. 2. And this Faith by thus acting doth more subdue Sin though it doth not Justifie as subduing but as applying Christ's Righteousness then all the Wisdom and Purity of Humane Nature or the Dictates of that Nature
thus being set free from Sin we become the Servants of God and have our fruit unto Holiness and the end everlasting Life Rom. 6. 20. Your description of a Child of Abraham you meaning in a new Testament sence is quite beside the truth Forâ—albeit the Sons of Abraham will live Holy Lives become obedient to the substantial Laws yet it is not their subjection to Morrals but Faith in Jesus that giveth them the Denomination of Children of Abraham Know ye therefore that they that are of Faith are the Children of faithful Abraham They that are of Faith the same are the Children of Abraham Yea they that are of Faith are blessed with faithful Abraham In Pag. 284. You say That there is not one Duty more affectionately recommended to us in the Gospel then is Alms-giving Answ. Yes That there is and that which more immediately respecteth our Justification with God then Ten Thousand such Commandements and that is Faith in Christ. Alms-Deeds is also a blessed Command yet but one of the Second Table such as must flow from Faith going before Faith I mean that layeth hold on Christ's Righteousness if it be accepted of God For before the Heart be good the Action must be naught now the Heart is good by Faith because Faith by applying Christ's Righteousness makes over whole Christ to the Soul of whose fulness it receiveth and Grace for Grace John 1. 16. Many things in this last Chapter are worthy Reprehension but because you tell us in the last two Pages thereof is the Sum of all that need to be said I will immediately apply my self to what is there contained You say Pag. 296. It is not possible we should not have the design of Christianity accomplished in us and therefore that we should be destitute of the power of it if we make our Saviours most excellent life the Pattern of our Lives By our Saviours Life as by a Parenthesis you also express you mean as your self hath in short Described it Chap. 5. viz. The greatest Freedom Affability Courtesie Candor Ingenuity Gentleness Meekness Humility Contempt of the World Contentation Charity Tenderness Compassion Patience Submission to the Divine Will Love of God Devoutest temper of mind towards him mighty Confidence and trust in God c. Answ. Our Saviours Life in not onely these but all other Duties that respected Morrals was not Principally or First to be imitated by us but that the Law even in the preceptive part thereof might be fully and perfectly fulfilled for us 〈◊〉 Christ is the 〈◊〉 of the Law for Righteousness the end not onely of the Ceremonial Law but the ten Commandments too For if the word Righteousness respecteth in special them Jesus increased in favour with God This respecteth him as made under the Law and his pleasing of God in that Capacity So also doth that In him I am well pleased Now I say as Jesus stood in this Capacity he dealt with â—lse Law in it is greatest force and severity as it immediately came from God without the advantage of a Mediator and stood by his perfect complying with and fulfilling every Title thereof Besides as Jesus Christ had thus to do with the Law he did it in order to his finishing transgression and putting an end to Sin and so consequently as Mediator and Undertaker for the World For his perfect complying withal and fulfilling every Title of the Law respected nothing his own private person that he for himself might be Righteous thereby for in himself he was eternally Just and Holy even as the Father but it respected us even us For US he was made under the Law that we by his fulfilling the Law might by him be Redeemed from under the Law and also receive the Adoption of SONS For we having sinned â—â—nd transgressed the Law and the Justice of God yet requiring obedience thereto and the Law being too weak through our Flesh to do it God therefore sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh who himself for us did first of all Walk in the Law and then for Sin suffered also in his Flesh the Sentence and Curse pronounced against us by the Law For it was nothing less necessary when the Son of God became undertaker for the Sin of the World that he should walk in obedience to the whole of the Precepts of the Law to deliver us from the Judgement of the Law I say it was no less necessary he should so do then that he should bear our Curse and Death For it would have been impossible for him to have overcome the last if he had not been Spotless touching the first For therefore it was impossible he should be holden of Death because he did nothing worthy of Death no not in the Judgement of the Law to which he immediately stood Now as Christ Jesus stood thus to and walked in the Law it is Blasphemy for any to presume to imitate him because thus to do is to turn Mediator and Vndertaker for the Sin of the World Besides whoso doth attempt it undertakes an impossibility for no Man can stand by the Morral Law as it immediately comes from the Divine Majesty he having Sinned first even before he goeth about to fulfil it And in this sence is that to be understood as many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse held accursed because they have sinned first accursed in their performances because of imperfection and therefore assuredly accursed at last because they come short of the Righteousness thereof 1. Christ Jesus did never set himself forth for an example that we by imitating his steps in Morrals should obtain Justification with God from the Curse of that Law For this would be to overthrow and utterly abolish the Work which himself came into the World to accomplish which was not to be our example that we by treading his steps might have Remission of Sins but that through the Faith of him through Faith in his Blood we might be reconciled to God 2. Besides thus to imitate Christ is to make of him a Saviour not by Sacrifice but by example Nay to speak the whole this would be to make his Mediatorship wholly to center rather in prescribing of Rules and exacting obedience to Morrals then in giving himself aransome for Men. Yea I will add to imitate Christ as you have prescribed may be done by him that yet may be ignorant of the excellency of his Person and the chief end of his being made Flesh For in all these things which you have discoursed in that fifth Chapter of him you have onely spoken of that something of which is apprehended by the light of Nature Yea Nature it self will teach that men should trust in God which is the most excellent Particular that there you mention Wherefore our Lord Jesus himself foreseeing that in Men there will be a proudness to contentent themselves with that Confidence he intimateth that it would be in
this horrible thing be contended for by Christians Fowler Pag. 119. If it were possible as it hath been proved it is not that a Wicked Man should have God's pardon it would not make him cease to be miserable Fowler Pag. 120. Were it possible that Christ's Righteousness could be imputed to an unrighteous man I dare boldly affirm it would signifie as little to his happiness as would a Gorgeous and Splendid Garment to one that is almost starved with Hunger or that lyeth racked by the torturing Diseases of the Stone or Cholick Fowler Pag. 130. To Justifie a Wicked man while he continueth so if it were possible for God to do it would far more disparage his Justice and Holiness then advance his Grace and Kindness 7. Pen Pag. 26. Unless we be doers of the Law which Christ came not to destroy but as our example to fulfil we can never be justified before God Fowler Pag. 296. It is impossible we should not have the design of Christianity accomplished in us and therefore that we should be destitute of the power of it if we make our Saviours most excellent Life the pattern of our lives Those that sincerely and industriously indeavour to imitate the Holy Jesus in his Spirit and Actions can never be ignorant what it is to be truly Christians nor can they fail to be so 8. Pen Pag. 26. Nor let any fancy that Christ hath so fulfilled it for them as to exclude their obedience from being exquesite to their acceptance but onely as their pattern Fowler Pag. 148. This Son of God taught Men their Duty by his own example and did himself perform among them what he required of them Now that he should tread before us EVERY step of that way which he hath told us leadeth to Eternal Happiness and commend those Duties which are most ungrateful to our corrupt inclinations by his own practice our having so brave an example is no small incouragement to a chearful performance of all that is commanded Understand thou what thou Readest The End Reader thou art desired to mend these Errataes with thy Pen and to bear with some mis-pointings that have hapned by reason of the Authors absence from the Press PAge 1. line 2. read and that in it c. p. 3. l. 15. r. no. p. 5. l. 39. r. Sinless p. 6. l. 36. r. but. p. 8. l. 24. leave out was p. 9. l. 28. r. then p. 11. l. 35. r. why said you not such p. 12. l. 24. after Exact r. it l. 13. more p. 13. l. 3. for Laws r. 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more involved in Error concerning it then your self being truly what you charge upon others 1. Grosely ignorant 2. Too highly Opinionate 3. Proud in affection 4. Lignorish 5. A Self-Lover 6. And for your Blasphemy under the just Judgement of God If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them that believe not least the light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. I am come now to your last Chapter Pag. 281. which tells us wherein the essence and life of Christianity Censisteth viz. In a good state and habit of mind in a holy frame and temper of Soul Answ. 1. It consisteth in a Life of Faith when I live in the belief of this that Christ loved me and gave himself for me The Life that I now live in the Flesh saith Paul it is by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me 2. And besides a good state and habit of mind or an Holy frame and temper of Soul in your notion of them which respecteth purely obedience to Morrals from Natural Impulses or Dictates of our Humanity they are rather Heathenish then Christian and being alone end in Death rather then Life As many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse he saith not they that Sin against it but they that are OF the Works of it such as do Justice Righteousness Charity Goodness Mercy Patience and all kind of Morral Duties from Principles Humane Natural or as Men they are under the Curse because they have sinned first and also are in firm and weak in their pursuit after the perfections they desire These follow after Righteousness but that flyes from them wherefore they do not obtain it because they seek it not by Faith in Christ but as it were by the Works the Righteous Good and Holy Works of the Law But you add It is such a habit of mind such a frame and temper of Soul as esteemeth God as the chiefest good and preferreth him and his Son Jesus Christ before all the World and that prizeth above all things an interest in the Divine Perfections c. Answ. 1. God must needs be esteemed the chiefest good by all that have but and are ruled by the light of Nature because they see him by his Works to be Almighty Merciful and Eternal but this may be where the Knowledge of the Man the Mediator is not therefore this in this and in your sence cannot be of the Essence of Christianity for that it is common to all the World That estimation of God which is common to Natural Men cannot be of the Essence of Christianity because they want that knowledge of him that comes by Jesus Christ and so are not capable to esteem of him under a Christian consideration But you say it is that good habit and temper of mind that preferreth God and his Son Jesus Christ before all the World Answ. He that esteemeth God above all must needs at least in his Judgement so prefer him but whereas you add and his Son Jesus Christ you put in them Words but as a Cloak For your self have not preferred his Son Jesus Christ no not before a Morral Law no not before your obedience to it although but by Humane Principles Yea you have accounted the Command of God by which we are injoyned by him to come to God a thing in it self but like Levitical Ceremonies or as Baptism and the Lord's Supper a thing in itâ—self indifferent and absolutely considered neither good nor evil Pag. 7 8 9. You add It is such a tempâ—r as prizeth above all things an interest in the Divine Perfections such as Justice and Righteousness Vniversal Charity Goodness Mercy Patience and all kind of Purity Answ. Seeing by these expressions you onely intend Morral Vertues and those that are inherent in you and originally operations of Humanity it is evident that you have but Impiously and Idolatrously Attributed to your own goodness so high and blessed a Title For whatsoever is in your Nature and Originally the Dictates thereof and whatsoever proficiency you make therein by Humane Principles and helps of Natural Indowments these things are but of your self your own Justice your own Righteousness your own Charity Goodness Mercy Patience Kindness c. Now to call these the Divine Perfections when they are onely your own Humane Vertues bespeaks you I say Fond Impious and Idolatrous and shews you in the midst of all your prentended design to Glorifie God such an one who have set up your own goodness with him yea and given it the Title of his blessed Grace and Favour That Scripture you mention Rom. 14. 17. Although by the Word Righteousness there is intended obedience to the Morral Law yet to it by persons already Justified by Christ's Righteousness hence they are said to do it in the Joy and Peacâ— of the Holy Ghost or by the Joy and Peace which they had by Faith in Christ's Righteousness as Revealed to them by the Spirit of God Hence again they are said in IT to serve Christ or to receive the Law at his hand which he giveth to them to walk after having first justified them from the Curse thereof by his Blood 2. The Law was given twice on Sinai the last time with a Proclamation of Mercy going before and he that receiveth it thus receiveth it after a Gospel manner For they as Justified persons are dead to the Law as a Covenant of Works by the Body of Christ that they might live to another even to him that is raised from the Dead But you by this Scripture intend not this Doctrine for you make Justification by Christ come after not before obedience to the Law Yea you make obedience thereto the Essential and coming to God by Christ but a thing of a more remote Nature from true and substantial Gospel-Righteousness In Page 283. you speak again of the old Principle and thus you comment A Principle of Holiness that respecteth Duty as with respect to the Nature of the Command so not with respect to the Duty as occasioned by certain External Inducements and Motives but from a good temper and disposition of Soul Answ. This I say still respecting your old Principle of Humanity and the Purity of your Nature the most amounts but to this Your Principle is confined to a liberty of Will and Affections with respect to doing of the Law of Work which many have professed to have and do before you and yet have come short of the Glory of God For as I told you before I tell you now again that the Gospel-Principles are the Holy Ghost and Faith which help that Soul in whom they dwell to count believing in Jesus Christ the great Essential part of our Christianity and our reckoning our selves pardoned for the sake of him And