and commands and all exhortations spoken and pressed in the name of the Lord and those in speciall which tend to the purging out of all sin and the fulfilling of the Law in Christ yet are not only precepts but possible to the Saints as the said Augustine elswhere confesseth The School also saith and that truly Ultra posse viri non vult Deus ulla requiri God promiseth grace to fulfil all that he requireth Secondly he saith that many of those places of Scripture do shew us not what we are now in via in the way but what we shall be hereafter in patria at the end of our pilgrimage when we shall be freed from the imperfection of our flesh and clothed with the garment of perfect righteousnesse Yea they doe in a speciall manner shew us both what we are and what we should be now in via or here now yet it cannot fully be set forth what we shall be hereafter for as Paul speaks 1 Cor. 2.9 But as it is written eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Thirdly he saith that in many places the Scripture but he cannot produce one such terms them perfect and immaculate which have defiled their garments and polluted their consciences mark saith he not with no sins which is impossible but with no grosse sins or damnable enormities which as is said before is commendable But first we think the Vindicator alloweth no sin to be veniall but all mortal and damnable though not equally such Secondly we say that while any man pollutes his conscience he is neither called or accounted either perfect or immaculate by the Lord who is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity Haba 1.13 And thirdly what though all men have so defiled their garments for a time yet it is not impossible at length through grace to keep our souls and consciences so unspotted for so had Paul done 2 Cor. 1.12 and knowing that the like grace was attainable for others he prayed for it in their behalfe Phil. 1.10 11. that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Jesus Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousnesse 1 Thes 5.23 And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly that your whole spirit soul and body be preserved blameless until the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ See also Heb. 13.19 20. before cited Fourthly he saith the Scripture pronounceth men perfect blameless and blessed not because they have no sins but because their sins are not imputed unto them Psal 32.1 2. But we have shewed before that this not imputing is a purging them away by sanctification as well as a remission Further he saith and therefore though the Saints are called righteous and perfect not only in regard of the imputative righteousnesse which is wrought in them by the Spirit of Christ but we must understand in what sense the Saints are inherently called righteous for we must not think them to be so perfectly righteous as to be void of sin or to be justified in the sight of God because that together with the sanctification of the Saints there is still in them a remainder of original coruption by the touch and stain of which their best works are corrupted and defiled and therefore we say that though the Saints and holy men of God may and have lived sine scandalo without offence and page 29. sine querela without reproof and complaint on mans part by or in the observance of all outward principles yet it is impossible the best of them should live and die sine peccato without sin So he Unto all which we briefly answer that his distinction of imputative and inherent righteousnesse is vain for they are all one as we have shewed before Secondly the Saints are or ought to be so perfectly righteous by inherent righteousness as to be thereby justified in the sight of God whether the word be taken for a purging from sin as it is Acts 13.39 or for a positive righteousnesse as Titus 3.4 5 6. for there is no other way of justification in Christ unto eternal life spoken of in the Scriptures Thirdly we have proved before that there is not nor ought to be such a remainder of original corruption always found in the best Saints as to stain and corrupt their best works Lastly we have likewise asserted by clear Scriptures that the Saints through Christ not only may but should live here at the length not alone sine scandalo and querela but sine peccato without sin as well as without scandal or just reproof for to that end Christ gave himselfe Ephes 5.24 25 26. But he tels us in that 29 pag. that Rom. 4.1 2. is a remarkable place So it is indeed but not for his purpose to prove that Abraham lived and dyed an imperfect man and with some remainders of corruption in him which words ought to be thus translated as they lye in the Greek Text What shall we say then that Abraham our father hath found according to the flesh or in his unregenerate estate for if Abraham were justified by works to wit before not after grace received he hath whereof to glory but not before God as he proveth in the following verse but of this more in another place Then here he shews by a distinction that the Saints whom he holds to be always imperfect in this life may be in a four-fold sense called perfect First in regard of their intention and aime at and desire of perfection for resting in a good condition saith he is contrary to grace grow in grace But may not the Saints rest when they are at the end of their journey and race which is the final mortification of sin through faith according to Heb. 4.3 For we which have beleeved doe enter into rest Let him here who is tantus temporum observator such an observer of tenses before mark the tenses here for the work of beleeving is past and the entring into rest is present The Saints in heaven are doubtlesse in a good condition is it against grace for them to rest in it Secondly he saith that the Saints are perfect inchoatively and because they goe on more and more but inchoation and consummation are two remote terms or stations and progression may stand at a great distance from perfection and the end of the race at leastwise in the beginning and the middle of it Thirdly he saith they may be term'd so comparatively or in respect of other mens unrighteousnesse And fourthly acceptatively because God accepteth them though not absolutely just by the reason of manifold sins and defects yet in Christ and for Christ his sake through whom all our imperfections are pardoned as just and righteous men But by his leave God accepts no man no not in Christ otherwise then as he is according to his present inward state and growth hence
shall reward evill to mine enemies cut them off in thy truth and 59.13 Consume them in thy wrath consume them that they may not be and let them know that God ruleth in Iacob to the ends of the earth and 71.24 My toung shall talkof thy righteousnesse all the day long for they are confounded for they are brought to shame that seek my hurt and 101.8 I wil early destroy all the wicked of the Land that I may cut off all wicked doers from the City of the Lord which is every Saint Jerem. 4.14 Wash thine heart O Jerusalem that thou mayst be saved how long shall thy wicked thoughts lodg in thee Psal 112.8 His heart is established he shall not be afraid untill he see his desire upon his enemies and 139.23 24. Search me O my God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting and 143.9 10. Deliver me O Lord from mine enemies for I fly to thee to hide me with thee teach me to do thy will for thou art my God thy Spirit it is good lead me unto the Land of uprightnesse and of thy mercy cut off all mine enemies and destroy all them that afflict my soul Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do do it with all thy might for there is no work knowledg wisedome or device in the grave whether thou goest and Luk 1.74 75. That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the days of our life Tit. 2.12 Teaching us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree that we being dead to sin might live unto righteousnesse and 4.1 2. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind that he which is dead hath ceased from sin that he should no longer live the rest of his time in the flesh after the lusts of men but after the will of God Fifthly that when we were first converted sin had his death-wound contrary to Rom. 7.14 24. and 8.13 Gal. 5.17 Heb. 3.13 14. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but exhort one another daily lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin and 6.4 5 6. and 10.26 27 28 29 30. and 12.15 Looking diligently lest any fall from the grace of God lest any root of bitternesse springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled 2 Pet. 2.1.20 21. Jude 4. c. for no sin hath its deadly wound till it be by the patience and Spirit of Christ wholly overcome and lest Rev. 2.16 and 3.10 Sixthly That all the guilt of sin and punishment is taken away though the pollution and corruption remains contrary to Prov. 28.13 Jer. 33.8 Acts. 26.18 this is to take away the effect and leave the cause in force and being hence it is that Hieronymus saith on 1 Cor. 6. Be not deceived thinking that faith alone sufficeth for every sin that remaineth excludeth men from the kingdome of Heaven as the Apostle speaks Gal. 5. how the works of the flesh are hurtfull which are these adultery fornication uncleannesse c. of which I tell you before as I have told you in times past that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of Heaven But also saith he they pray sinfully who persevere in sin and desire that those sins of theirs should be pardoned or put away by the Lord which they themselves have not put away from them Seventhly they say that there is not any other active obedience or righteousnesse of Christ to be attained by faith then that which Christ works in his Saints for its contrary to Isai 45.24 25. and 48.18 and 53.11 and 59.17 and 61.3 10 11. and 62.1 2. Jerem. 23.5 6. and 31.31 32 33. and Rom. 4.11 and 5.7 18 19. and 8.4 Phil. 3.9 10. Eighthly that we are perfect in this life and complete by justification though not by sanctification where 's they are both one thing as hath been proved at large and while the one is imperfect the other is also Ninthly that justification lies in remission of sins or taking away the guilt of the same yet leaving the sin or pollution behind whereas justification taken in a liberative way is a purging and washing away of the fault and corruption in the first place as hath been proved out of Acts 13.20 and 1 Cor. 6.11 Tit. 3.4 5 6 7. Thirdly consider that the kingdome of God which Christ and his Apostles preached is not onely an inward kingdome Luk. 17.21 as it is a kingdome both of grace Rom. 14.17 and of glory also Rom. 8.19 Ephes 1.18 but consequently that there is an internal heaven of holiness and glory to be had and obtained by the Saints in this life Heb. 10.34 knowing that ye have in your selves a better and more induring substance in the heavens for so the words are in the Greek Text. As Paul also speaks of himself and fellow-Apostles whom God hath raised up and set together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Ephes 2.5 6. this is that kingdome which Christ taught his Disciple to pray for saying ' thy kingdome come and which he and John Baptist published 'to be at hand Matth. 3.2 and 4.17 and which ' John saw coming down from God out of heaven Rev. 21.23 before whose coming all sin must be purged away for ' no unclean thing can enter into it Rev. 21.27 yea all the spiriteal effects of sin as the second day sorrow crying and tears shall be removed Rev. 21.4 Fourthly that they which know not own not nor witness this kingdome of God with the way and means thereunto were never sent of God to preach the true Gospel of the kingdome but do publish their own imaginations and traditions of men as the Vindicator and many of far greater note then he both living and dead both do and have done Fithly that they who do not believe that he God will avenge his elect who cry unto him night and day for vengeance against their spiritual enemies for the rooting of all out Luk. 18.1 7. have not the faith of Gods elect as hath been said before Sixthly we shall leave it to your serious consideration whether it be not the voice of the unbelievers and not of the Saints of whom it is said concerning the beast of sin which came out of the sea with seven heads and ten horns saying Rev. 13.4 and they worshiped the dragon who gave power unto the beast and they worshipped the beast saying who is like unto the beast who is able to make war with him Which interpretation concerning the beast of sin is not ours but
measure of knowledge is to had if sought for that men shall not need to say know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest Jer. 31.32 33. and that the knowledge of the Lord shall abound like as the waters cover the sea Esay 11.9 His second reason is that if grace were consummate in this life there should be no difference between the state of grace and of glory Yea grace may here be consummate in his degree and that in a very high one and yet fall short of that transcendent measure which shall be attained in the life to come What saith Paul Phil. 1.21 for me to live is Christ and to die is gain His third reason is petitio principii all the Saints on earth have sin remaining in them and they that deny it are liars and have no truth in them Yet we do deny that all Saints must while they are upon earth have sin remaining in them and have a greater Divine then Mr. John Tendring to warrant us even the holy Apostle John upon whose testimony which he understands not he ignorantly and confidently relieth See 1 Joh. 4.17 5.4 5. Rev. 7.14 15 17. 14.3 4 5. before often cited Yet we are not such liars as he is notoriously known to be and we hope have more truth in us then he and his book set forth But he adds that all the Fathers against the Novatians and Donatists understand this place Which if it were true as it is not the Novatians may convince them to be Novices not Fathers and the Donatists evict them to be Dotists or Dotards for the Scriptures shew clearly that we must or ought to be such before and for the obtaining of the kingdome of glory 1 Cor. 1.8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 10.11 That ye may be pure and without offence in the day of Jesus Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousness 1 Thes 5.23 And I pray God that your spirit soul and body may be preserved blameless untill the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3.14 Wherefore beloved seeing ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless But he saith it is the Church triumphant and not the Church militant that must be found without spot or wrinkle Yet the Church of Smyrna Rev. 2. and much more the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3. do appear to be such here because Christ himself who searcheth the hearts and reines Rev. 2.23 and who finds fault with five of the aforesaid Churches of Asia and upon occasion rebukes them sharply finds not the least fault with these but commends them highly and that may also be in some sense a triumphant Church who hath upon earth gotten victory over all her enemies and in that behalf triumpheth with Paul Rom. 8.33 39. In the seventh place he brings 2 Tim. 4.7 to be answered by himself where Paul saith I have fought a good fight and finished my course which he fortifieth against himself as if it were not of sufficient strength by it self for him to oppose which Text the Vindicator will not observe nor the other place 1 Cor. 9.27 where Paul saith but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest when I have preached unto others I my self should be a cast-away To both which he answers page 46 as he was wont to do without truth or judgment First that Paul fought a good fight being now ready to be offered up but that conflict was yet to come saith he not so as to obtain exact perfection of grace and to be without all inherent sin of which he complaineth Rom. 7. Yes he was even at that time of his complaint freed from the Law of sin and death as we have often shewed out of Rom. 8.2 and that long before he was to be so offered up He tels us also but we know not to what purpose that Peter was led where he would not But surely it was not into sin John 21.18 Thirdly he saith Paul kept the faith and he who said unto him my grace is sufficient for thee and my power is perfected in weakness enabled him to overcome though he had corruptions remaining in him and the buffetings of Satan But doth the man understand what he saith It is the office of faith to purifie the heart from sin Acts 15.9.1 John 3.2 3. which faith Paul did not onely keep and retain but fought the good fight of faith till the battel was ended and so finished his race and course in that kind in dying to sin yet he justly expected that promised reward of which he speakes Rom. 6.8 2 Tim. 2.11 12. As to the second Text 1 Cor. 9.27 he saith that Paul kept down his body by fasting and prayer to bring it into subjection But was this the body of flesh and blood or the inordinate desires of the sinful flesh He tels us also that Augustine did use fasting prayers and tears to the same end But he did it not in the faith of Christs assistance and the hope of final victory of which it seems he despaired here and James shews that if we would obtain Jam. 1.6 we must him ask in faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like the waves of the sea c. In the eighth place he brings a second Scripture of which Doctor Drayton had made use in his sermon and these two are all that he can call his it is taken out of Ephes 4. from verse 10 to 15. And he gave some to be Apostles some prophets some Evangelists some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the work of the ministry and for the edifying the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfest man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Unto this he answereth after the old mode ignorantly and intricately First that the ministry of the word is given not onely to convert men from sin but to perfect men in holiness Then it must either effect that for which God hath designed it or else the Lord was mistaken in chusing and using too weak instruments But he adds yet so as the same Paul speaks Acts 20.32 Which is able to build you up that is to edifie and build the Saints more and more Where first he understands not that word of Gods grace which Paul speaks of there for it is the essential word which is almighty not onely able to build us up to perfection but afterwards to give us an inheritance among them that are sanctified Secondly he contradicts himself because this is able to build us up to the uttermost in the way of sanctification that we may be fittted for that inheritance Thirdly that fitting must also go before in this life therefore the two things
not to be in these after days expected though it be said Wisdom 7.27 Wisdome entreth into holy souls and maketh them friends of God and Prophets and Rev. 18.20 Rejoyce over her thou Heaven and the holy Apostles and Prophets and such also we look for when the new heavens and the new earth cometh wherein dwelleth righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3.13 And when the everlasting Gospel cometh to be better known and preached anew to them that dwell on the earth c. also then will Pastors be given by Christ according to his own heart Jer. 3.15 with such gifts as those had Ephes 4.11 who shall officiate in teaching his Church according to his own order and discipline in the mean time we cannot tel how to perswade our selves that our Presbyterrian publique Ministers or Bishops nor any other divided opinions among us who call themselves Ministers of Jesus Christ are more then Ministers for Jesus Christ in a prudential way which yet we do not despise but honour them if sober and peaceable in their ministration for we believe the said ministration to be very serviceable to righteous and just ends even to have its service until the time of a better reformation then we have yet seen for we see former if not worse deformities acted under other names and imployments of Ministers utinam id verum non esset But we say no more at present save only wish all whom it may concern to mind the words of St. James 2.12 13. So speak and so do as they that are to be judged by the Law of liberty or freedom for there shall be judgement saith the Apostle v. 13. without mercy to him that sheweth no mercy which Christ doth not relate to friends only but to reputed enemies Math. 5.44 c. and mercy rejoyceth over judgment Jam. 2.13 that is from the Father of mercies whose mercy is over all his works Psal 45.9 and if they do so speak and do c. then we doubt not according to that 2 Cor. 10.6 but the messenger of the Lord of Hosts will suddenly return again to his Temple Mal. 3.1 and build up once again the Tabernacle of David which is fallen down c. Act. 15.16 17. but in the mean time their service whose souls are not lifted up Hab. 2.4 in a prudential way of ministrarion will be acceptable to the Lord in their measure according to that Mal. 3.16 c. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name and they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in the day when I shall make up my jewels or special treasure and I will spare them as a man spareth his own sonne that serveth him then shall ye discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Mal. 3.16 17 18. FINIS The Contents of the Integral or of this whole Book is distributed into a Tricotomie and offered to the Readers view that he may primo intuitu perceive what he shall if he please find despersed and argued à capite ad calcem throughout the same THE first part of it is a genuine and fit Paraphrase on the Vindicators Hypocritical Saint like Preface And first a Paraphrase upon the salutation in the Preface To all the Lovers in his sense of Gods truth c. Secondly a Paraphrase on the Preface it felf consisting of many Paragraphs in coloured words of Scripture-phrase to deceive the hearts of the simple The Revindication it self comprehends two parts First the Anasceuastick confutative part i. e. to confute by answering the Vindicators pretended Scriptures and Fathers which he doth rashly and ignorantly produce to justifie his pernicious positions placed in the front of his Vindication wherein we trace him from pag. 2. to p. 146. The second part of the aforesaid Tricotomie is Catasceuastick the confirmative part of our contrary assertions by several Topick heads of Scripture testimonies Secondly by humane testimonies first of the Fathers commonly so called Secondly our English reformed Church in our first reformation from page 146. to p. 200. The last part of the foresaid Tricotomie consists of two sorts of Queries occasioned from our overforward contenders and Censurers and offered to them or whomsoever they may concern to pensitate with serious thoughts The first sort of them are to such as fix two magisterially their own sense before they have deliberately considered it upon some particular Scriptures as if their sense were before they are sure of it the very mind of the Lord in the said places some Scripture instances we have set down mistaken we appeal to all impartial Readers by several persons as that of John 3.5 6. by one Mr. Stevens who doth weakly call the said place their strong reason to maintain his old tradition of original sin in his shallow Book called A threefold defence of original sin Other instances of Scriptures in a mistaken sense are those Isaiah 64.6 Phil. 3.8 9. mistaken by two grave Committee men who have been our back friends in the County of Wilts Thus we have delivered the summe of the Tricotomy of our Book intituled A Revindication It s true we have inserted some personal reflections which do not concern every Reader and therefore it may be said they might have been left out as if they savoured of a like Spirit we answer we must commit that to him who knoweth all things we have much more to say a-against some and to vindicate the deceased whose death we wish them to consider of that were so violent against him who was more knowing I am sure and more meek I am affraid then themselves and we thought it not amisse to name some passages and persons having been so publickly wronged by the same that the world may see what unruly spirits there are in these dayes of reformation against the Doctrine of a possibility of a total mortification of sinne in this life because it hath been for the said Doctrine we have been traduced in the Vindicators senselesse Vindication and also through many counties it hath been sounded and ecchoed out that we are Jesuits and Factors for Rome so strangely and unexpectedly is Rome it seems by the foresaid callumny reduced as to hire us to publish and convince a possibility of a total mortification of sinne in this life and to cry up a possibility of a perfect obedience to the law of God in this life If this be to be vile we are content to be more vile 2 Sam. 6.22 If I have spoken evil bear witness of the evil John 18.23 Here are some Errata referring to the book aforesaid which we desire the Reader to take notice of for the better understanding what we mean in the respective places we confess they might by the mutual and diligent care of all parties of us concerned have been prevented therefore we do not excuse our selves that it could not be helped saying in many things we offend all for our endeavour here hath been to prove a possibility to live in this life through the grace and help of Christ without offence and therefore these Errata we acknowledge did happen by our neglect and oversight who were mutually concerned to have looked better about us Sed nihil factum infectum fiers potest it s too late now to mend them otherwise then by their subscription therefore we desire the Reader when he perceiveth in any page of the book a Crupsis either of inversion redundancy or defect of words to make grammatical construction then to reflect upon these nominated Errata to rectifie the sense of the said place and as for the objectum occupans and adjunctum occupat about the same we leave them to the Readers censure as he pleaseth PAraph p. 2. l 34. r. service l. 36. d. fore l. 37. r. 13.11 p. 7. l. 2. r. to reproch them for l. 29. r. Wilton p. 9. l. 39. after preface r. and positions p. 12. l. 2. for said r. side p. 13. l. 29. r. Act. 19. p. 15. l. 1. r. to do wickedly Book p. 2. l. 6. r. catasceuastically p. 25. l. 18. r. Mat. 22. p. 26. l. 28. r. 1 John 2.22 p. 37. l. 6. r. 1 Cor. 3.1 2 3. p. 39. l. 10. r. Sidkenu p. 35. l. 12. d. not p. 82. l. ult adde be p 100. l. 37. adde is p. 106. l. 21. f. servant r. Son p. 112. l. 23. del not p. 117. l. 30. r. as it is p. 127. l. 19. r. because of him p. 136. l. 1 2. d. it p. 139. l. 15. r. Joh. 5.40 p. 144. l. 17. f. note r. vote l. 30. r. commander l. 31. f. whence r. whom p. 188. l. 25. adde be p. 200. l. 4. f. held r. bold p. 210. l. 20. r. the res testata l. 23. f. prudentia r. constantia p. 217. l. 17. f. rules r. rites p. 228. l. 7. del a. p. 229. l. 22. r. Phil. 3.6 7 8. p. 230. l. 29. d. through the faith of Jesus p. 233. l. 10. after nature r. 2 Pet. 1.4 p. 241. l. 2. r. related p. 16. l. ult r. id bruti p. 243. l. 28. r. before all the people l. 29. d. the people p. 245. l. 10. f. who r. what p. 254. l. 10. r. yea not to be believed they can be c. p. 256. l. 8. after earth r. Rev 14.6
page 48 in his differencing of gratia gratis data and gratia gratum faciens you will find him as excellent a Schoolman or schoolboy rather Page 2. he saith that in Religion the Law is our marke or way from which if we swerve we sin But is not the Gospel our way therein also and that in a speciall manner of our Christian Faith and Religion That defect is the general nature of sin but is not excess which is the other extreme sinfull also That this defect is an inclination or action repugnant to the Law But what thinks he of evill words as false accusation lying cursing and swearing such as he frequently useth are not they sinfull also That there is in sin a double formality repugnancy to the Law and guilt But guilt is the effect and not the form of sin That the former of these two is a comparison with the Law but it is a disparison or dissimilitude therewith that the first fin of man was the disobedience of our first Parents in eating the forbidden fruit But if he understands it of their actuall eating of that fruit he is much mistaken for as the womans actual eating thereof did go before the mans so many gradual evils did precede them both as first diffidence incredulitie to Gods word who had expresly said in the day that thou shalt eat thereof dying thou shalt dye Secondly too much eare and credence given to the devils lying promise who said ye shall not die but be as gods knowing good and evill Thirdly the too much liking and approbation of the forbidden fruit Fourthly the hungring or thirsting after it Fifthly contempt of Gods justice Sixthly ingratitude towards him for all his former goodnesse And lastly their consenting to Satan and resolution to eat of that fruit That in the generall all our corruption and misery is sprung from that first sin of the first Adam Contrary to what the Lord saith Hosea 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in me is thine helpe But here he saith more particularly that eternall death came upon all their posterity by that first sin Contrary to Gods express Law Deut. 24.16 where God will not have the son to suffer a temporall death and much lesse an eternal for the fathers sin and directly contrary to Gods oath Ezek. 18.3 4. As I live saith the Lord God ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel Behold all souls are mine as the soul of the father so the soul of the son is mine the soul that sinneth it shall die So ver 20. The son shall not be are the iniquity of the father neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be upon him Num. 16.22 Shall one man sin and wilt thou be wroth with all the Congregation That the corruption aversnesse of our nature came from that fall aforesaid Pag 3. that all our actuall sins doe spring from thence See to the contrary Eccles 7.29 That the first sin of man is the cause of all other sins and punishments which is true of each mans personal fall and disobedience and not of the other That the Spirit by the Law entitles us to Adams sin He means the first Adams as a derivation from the root to the branches as poyson is carried from the fountain to the cistern and as the children of traitors have their blood tainted with the treason of their fathers and as the children of bondslaves are under their parents conditions But all these similitudes are but shaws to catch woodcocks for neither was the first Adam either the root or fountain of our soules which are Gods immediate workmanship Isai 57.16 for the spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made nor are our bodies unclean by birth being created to be Temples for the Holy Ghost nor are traytors children usually tainted with their fathers treason though by the civil Law of some Countreys in proditionis terrorem they are ignobled in their blood and dignity nor was Adam himselfe a bond-slave to sin but by the grace of regeneration Gods free-man Rom. 6.18 before he begat any children nor doth the sinful corruption of our parents pass to us more then the graces and virtues of those that are or were righteous for both these are spiritual things which nature cannot convey but he seeks to prove what he saith by some Scriptures long since worn thred-bare by allegation to that effect Joh. 3.5 Rom. 5.12 20 21. 1 Cor. 15.47 48 49. Ephes 2.3 Iob 4.4 Psal 51.5 Isai 48.8 Gen. 8.21 To all which we will give answer in the order set down with what brevity we can having answered the same at large in our Examen As for that Ioh. 3.5 Whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh it is true of the wisedome of the flesh and of the righteousnesse of the flesh as well as of the open sin but Christ speaks not here of the naturall birth of men but of a spiritual be it true or false As for Rom. 5.12 13 20. the Apostle speaks there thus Therefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin so death went over all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so far as all have sinned for so Chrysostome and Erasmus and others read those words for untill the Law sin was in the world but where there is no Law sin is not imputed or reputed for sin Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression who is the figure of him that is to come But not as the offence so is the free gift for the judgment was of one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto justification for if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive an abundance of grace and of the gift of Righteousnesse shall reign in life by one Iesus Christ Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon all to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all men to the justification of life for as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Unto which long Text we give this short answer First that it is a parallel and opposition betwixt Adams mischief and Christs remedy and cure but few in these days of supposed rather then true light understand either the one or the other aright for besides the first Adam or man whom the Vindicator with many more for want of a true Judicator here understands there are foure Adams mentioned both in the Scriptures and other writers The first is our natural or earthly man which is the creature of this world of whom our Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15 41. The first man is of the earth earthly The second is
but not of their finall estate to which they doe or may attain by grace in this life for Christ tels his Disciples Joh. 16.16 that he will pray unto the Father for them and he shall send another comforter unto them which certainly is the holy Ghost and he saith Christ shall abide with you for ever And those Scriptures which he produceth prove nothing to the contrary Psal 51.11 Take not thy holy Spirit from me for that spirit was for a time withdrawn from him for his great fall into adultery and murder Isai 63.17 Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy way and hardned our heart from thy fear return for thy servants sake the tribe of thine inheritance Where the Prophet in the name of the young Saints and not in his own bebalfe complains of an hardnesse contracted by their own sinnes as see 1 Kings 8.57 The Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers let him not leave us nor forsake us it seemeth to witnesse against him that God did not leave or forsake their fathers His conclusion from hence that the regenerate in this life doe always goe forward or backward and doe not at any time stand still or continue in the same estate is neither true nor consequent from the premisses Hosea 13.13 For he is an unwise son otherwise he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children did not the pillar of fire and the Arke often stand still at which time Jsrael was not to move Page 24 by the same miscount That the righteousness of the regenerate in this life is not such as may stand before God Contrary to many Scriptures Prov. 28.1 The wicked flee when no man pursueth but the righteous is bold as a Lion 1 Joh. 22. And now little children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming 1 Joh. 3.7 Little children let no man deceive you for he that doth righteousnesse is righteous as he is righteous 1 Joh. 4.17 Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldnesse in the day of judgement because as he is so are we in this present world That those who are converted can no further retain good inclinations thoughts affections or purposes to persevere or goe forward therein then as the Holy Ghost worketh and preserveth these in them This is not true for the Holy Ghost doth in time beget not only inclinations but habits in the understanding memory will and affections sometimes they need indeed the Spirits admonitory and excitant grace especially in time of temptation but not always either then or at other times See Rom. 15.14 15. where the Apostle saith That those Saints at Rome have no need of an outward admonisher or remembrancer at all times and the same may be concluded of an inward commonefaction Doth not Saint Paul charge Timothy to stir up the gift that was already in him 2 Tim. 1.6 And Christ himselfe gives the like charge Rev. 2.25 that which ye have already hold fast till I come Further he saith that if the Spirit of God withdraw it selfe the regenerate are blind and wander and slip and fall yet so as they perish not He speaks very favourably of wanderers if so be that they were ever truly converted but as the former part of his assertion is not true as to their blinding unless the Spirit of God wholly desert men so the latter part is false for some true converts may by their own default fall totally and finally and perish Heb. 6.4 5 6. Heb. 10.5 8. for the just shall live by faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him 1 Tim. 5.12 Having damnation because they have cast off their first faith Nor do the Scriptures to which he refers us ratifie what he saith 1 Cor. 4.7 What hast thou that thou hast not received I say unto him again what hast thou received that thou dost bring this and all other Scriptures which are silent to the point in hand But 1 Cor. 1.8 seemeth to plead for him where the Apostle saith that God shall confirme you unto the end that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Christ and Phil. 1.6 Also being confident of this thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it till the day of Jesus Christ But we answer that God indeed is constant on his part and will carry on the work which he hath begun if we prove not inconstant in our belief love and obedience to him as the Apostle speaks Rom. 11.12 goodness towards thee if thou continue in his goodness otherwise thou shalt be cut off and Christ himself Joh. 15.9 10. As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue ye in my love if ye obey my commandement sye shall abide in my love as I have kept my Fathers commandements and abide in his love So must Joh. 15.5 which he hath cited be understood He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit and Phil. 2.12 13. Work out your falvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure and 1 Cor. 10.13 Who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able but will with the temptation make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it and that of 1 Pet. 1.5 remaineth true notwithstanding that ye are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time Pag. 25. he saith but he saith without any ground of truth that the four-fold liberty of the will answerable to the four-fold estate of man before and after the fall in regeneration and glory may serve for one ground to confirme the point in hand That sin will have a being in the best of men while they are here is false also and no less then these which follow That the regenerate estate of man is here but begun and not to be perfected Clean contrary to the Scriptures even now by him cited 1 Cor. 1.8 Phil. 1.6 1 Pet. 1.5 That the estate of the regenerate here is but a growing in grace and a perfecting more and more and a prevailing in mortifying their corruptions but not attaining in this mortal life to have grace consummate nor corruption abolished but sin remaines and will remain till they lay down the body and be completely sanctified in glory But is not this principium petere to beg a principle or idem per idem probare But after a promise to confirme his position further by Scriptures Fathers and reasons he goes on and tells us out of Rom. 8.1 That the Apostle there doth not say that there is no sin in them that are in Christ but that there is no condemnation yet he tels us in the latter end of the same verse
that such as are in Christ who are truly incorporated first into his death and then into the similitude of his resurrection that they have no sin in them for they walke not after the flesh but after the spirit that Paul rejoyceth here that sin was not able to condemn him though it was in him as he had confessed in the former chapter that the evil that he would not that he did and that he saw a Law in the members rebelling against the Law of his mind But this sin will condemn any man where it remaineth as the Apostle saith Rom. 6.23 that the wages of sin is death and that of corruption Ephes 4.22 that ye put off the old man which is corrupting or destroying with its deceitful lusts for so the best Translators read the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it being the Apostles argument why he would have the old man put off But he saith that here he expects Cajetan's or Aquinas his false exposition and he shall have it to do him a pleasure out of his own book pag. 23. by the former account Cajetan one of their own fraternity saith damnatum est peccatum non extinctum Yet the worst of these two Epositors here are and will be of better repute even among the Protestants then the Vindicators glosses ever were or will be He saith further that here he expects that of Mr. Parkers that the Apostle spake this when he was a babe in grace But this is another of Mr. Tendring's lies for he saith onely the contrary and proveth it out of Rom. 8.2 1 Cor. 4.4 Phil. 4.13 that Paul was not now in that weak and corrupt estate complained of Rom. 7.14 24. and that therefore he speaks it not of his own condition though figuratively in his own person but in the behalfe of such as were babes in Christ Pag. 26. by the former account he citing Pauls words 1 Tim. 1.15 that Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am cheif bids us mark it that Paul speaks it not in the preterperfect tense of whom I have been chief but in the present tense of whom I am cheif as if Paul at that time were the chief of sinners But did ever any man besides himself that was not besides himself think or say so Is there not such a figure in the Scripture as Enallage temporum the putting of one tense for another Doth not Paul 1 Cor. 15.8 9 10. Ephos 2.4 5 6. Titus 3.3 4 5 6 7. and even at the 13 vers before set forth his corrupt estate of unbelief as a condition that was past But he goes on out of Paul his 2 Epist to I know not whom or what Church for none is named chap. 1. from vers 6. to the 13. to prove that Paul was not now a babe or child in Christ but rather an old man as he cals himself Paul the aged in his Epistle to Philemon Truly as old as the Vindicator would make himself he shews himself very young and childish in that his reasoning for we know none that affirms the thing that he goeth about to disprove but he loves to fight with his own shadow In conclusion he saith that these Jesuitical cavils which yet are his own are too well known and never did nor shall prevail against Gods truth Then he goeth on from Rom. 8.1 to the second verse upon which he makes as learned observations as he did formerly upon the first verse for whereas the Apostle saith that the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the Law of sin and death Here saith he we may observe that the Apostle saith not that we are fully freed from sin in this life but from the Law of sin But first it is evident that Paul saith that he was made free from that Law of sin of which he had so much complained chap. 7.21 22 23. Secondly that he cals it a Law of death as he doth chap. 7.24 a body of death because it hath death and condemnation appendant to it and involved in it And thirdly that he was now actually even in this life and for the present freed therefrom And lastly that it was not the death of Christ that had thus freed him to wit from guilt leaving the pollution behind as this Champion of corruption speaks hereafter but it was the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus that had now freed him both from that Law of sin and of death its concomitant so that he cannot possibly speak of his present condition in chap. 7. from ver 14. to the 24. And whereas he adds in the close of that page that Christian experience shews that no sort of men are more troubled with temptations then they whom God hath begun to deliver from the Law of sin Though this be true yet what is this to his purpose or the proposition which he would now maintain for we speak not what befals regenerate men at their first conversion but of that which they do or may attain by grace in the end Nor do all temptations arise from corruption they may proceed immediately from Satan and assault such as have no sin or corruption left in them as they did our first parents in innocency and Christ himself as he was man Heb. 4.15 Pag. 19. by the latter account he rols the old stone with Sysiphus saying that our deliverance from sin is but begun not perfected here but that God is faithful by whom we are called Then they are unfaithful that seek not to have the work finished Phil. 1.6 And there he breaks out into a great rapture saying blessed be the Lord that whereas before we were captives to sin now the case of the battel is altered Why what battel did we fight against sin before grace did convert us unto God That sin is become our captive through Christ Was it so with them in whose behalf Paul complaineth but I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin that is in my members we trow not sin was here too often the superiour That it remaineth in us not as a commander but as a captive of the Lord Jesus But doth it not till it be subdued often circumvent us and prevail against us and if so then that of Peter is true 2 Pet. 21.19 Of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought into bondage at leastwise for a time He saith further that the bolts of sin are yet upon our hands and are left to admonish us of our former miserable condition What are we under bolts and Irons and yet no prisoners or captives But Christ is sent to preach deliverance to the captives and the opening of the prison to those that are bound and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God to wit against his enemies Esay 61.1 2
when we have answered we will pay him in his own coine That it was the prerogative of Christ alone among all grown men to know no sin and to be found solus in hominibus qualis quaerebatur in pecoribus not in peccoribus as he hath it alone such among men as was sought among the beasts an unblamable lamb without spot Here he having cited Isaiah 53.6 saying we like sheep have gone astray and Gal. 3.23 that the Scripture hath concluded all under sin he might have spared Augustine contra Pelag. lib. 2. cap. 13. and Gregorie lib. 3. in Reg. cap. 6. saying There is no man that hath not some corruption in him which he may and should lament For take all this as spoken of the unregenerate man or the regenerate that hath not fulfilled his course with Paul 2 Tim. 4.7 and we have often affirmed the same But he brings Hieronymus contra Jovinian lib. 2. saying No man is clean from sin though he live but one day upon the long earth Which is true of the sinful earth spoken of Collos 3.5 mortifie therefore your members upon earth although we know that in that saying Hierom and others suffered the Septuagints ill translation of Job to impose upon them But we had almost lest out Lactantius whom contra Gentes lib. 6. cap. 13. he alledgeth saying No man can be without sin so as he is burthened with the garment of the flesh We say so likewise if he understand it of that flesh which Saint Jude speaks of vers 23. hating even the garment spotted by the flesh if otherwise he himself was Lactantick with Lactantius Further he brings Bernard upon Cant. serm 2. saying Non peccare Dei justitia est not to sin is the justice and property of God but remission of sin is the justice of man To which we say that the former is but true in part for the elect Angels never sinned and the latter scarcely true at all for remission of sins is one thing and righteousness is another And where the remission of sin follows the righteousness of sanctification to purge them away must go before of necessity Acts 26.18 Sed unus Bernardus non vidit omnia And his own conclusions there are as false for saith he As the Ivy will not die untill the Oke be cut down but Experience shews that if you cut the Ivy at the root it will forthwith die so our sins will not die as long as we live which is as false as the other neither will it ever be abolished until death ends the conflict between the flesh and Spirit Then death which is but a privation is stronger then the Spirit And such Quacks as he is have a good warrant and pretence to kill many yea were it many thousands for by this means according to his doctrine they should put an end to this conflict of sin and send men presently to be perfected in glory Here not only souldiers whose trade is to kill but high-way-men poysoners and all murderers especially of the Saints might find a strong plea for their murders But he brings us more of this Ambrosia out of Ambrose de Paenit lib. 6. cap. 1. saying It is not the voice of thy family I am whole and need not a physician but heale me O Lord and I shall be healed But if it be the voice of his family of what family is the Vindicator who saith that the Lord cannot or will not heal us is it death that must do that work for us is it not the voice of his family first to come to him for an absolute cure and then with the woman who was cured of her bloody issue and the cleansed leper and many others to come and give God thanks But he goes on page 23 24. with Ambrose speaking thus to the Novatian hereticks of his time and saith it may fitly be turned to the Jesuits of our time Darest thou O Jesuit call thy self clean and holy albeit thou wert clean in regard of thy workes this one word were enough to make thee unclean To which I say first that the way wherein Paul worshipped the God of his Fathers was called Heresie Acts 24.14 Secondly we know no Jesuit that counts himself perfect unless it be by his profession But we hope that he will not henceforth when it cometh to a trial at Law deny that be called us Jesuits which is no less then to accuse us of a capital crime no better then treason for which by Gods Law he ought to suffer death himself unless he can prove it Deut. 19.17 18 19. or to incurre a great mulct for his slander above that the Jury awarded at Sarum March 15. 1657. But lastly this pretender to no less degree then of a Doctor of Divinity doth not see that there is a gross absurdity if not contradiction in the words which he fathers upon Ambrose saying albeit thou wert clean in regard of thy works this one word I am clean which in that case is but the truth were enough to make thee unclean We hope the Vindicator hereafter will not be too forward to speak the truth any more then he hath done heretofore lest as he saith out of Ambrose it make him unclean But he giveth us presently some Nectar to his Ambrosia saying with him agreeth Augustine Serm. 29. de verbis Apost There are some like vessels that are blown up with wind filled with an haughty spirit of election not sollidly great but swelled with the humour of pride who dare be bold to say that there are men found upon earth without sin Why are there no promises of such persons see Isai 1.24.25 And I will turn mine hand upon thee and purely purge away thy dross and take away all thy tin See chap. 4.4 and 11 19. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters that cover the sea Eze. 36.25 I will pour clean water upon them and from all their filthinesse and from all their jdols will I cleanse them Zeph. 3.13 The house of Jsrael shall do no iniquity nor speak lyes But we know what sort of Protestants at this day are puffed up with the spirit of election And it seemeth the Vindicator being conscious to himselfe or his party did not English those words of Augustine inflati viri spiritu electionis pleni men puffed up filled with the spirit of election though for him we do it But the Father demands of such How sayst thou that art just and holy this prayer Forgive us our sins Yes such may say with Saint Math. chap. 6.12 forgive us our debts to wit of love and thankfulnesse to God yea and of love to men for his sake which debt is so great that it can never to all eternity be paid Rom. 13.6 Owe nothing to any man but to love one another and with Saint Luk. chap. 11.9 they can say also Forgive us
following are false and his are his old picklocks for first he saith though the Saints do grow up under the word and Sacraments yet it is not to the attainment of an exact obedience in this life to be without sin in this life and to have grace consummate but they grow and edifie one another in love But we speak not here what the Saints do actually but what they may and ought to do nor of their mutual edification of each other but of the words design and abilitie to build them up to the top or the finishing of the edifice for a skilful and a faithful builder gives not over till the structure is finished Secondly he saith that the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ is attained onely in glory Which in his sense is false for here we may have a perfection of degrees as well as of parts to wit the perfection of sanctification or grace which we call the perfection of the way as we have often proved before whatsoever he saith to the contrary In the ninth place he brings in two or three Scriptures together out of Doctor Draytons sermon upon one and the same head as he might have found more of the same kind there They are these that the Apostle prayes for the perfecting of the Saints Heb. 13.20 2 Cor. 13.9 1 Pet. 5.10 and surely they prayed for things feasible and attainable nor can the prayer of Christ for the same be in vain John 17.25 I in them and they in me that they might be made perfect in one Unto which page 47 he gives in the old lying and sinful distinction for an answer namely That the Apostles prayed for the perfecting of the Saints and so did our blessed Saviour and they obtained what they prayed for that is to say to have them sincere in this life and to have grace consummate in the state of glory But we have proved that the sincerity which Paul prayed for in the behalfe of the Saints was a state devoid of sin and to be had before and in order unto the kingdome of glory Phil. 1.10 11. That ye may approve the things that are excellent and that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ and that ye may be filled with the fruits of righteousness 1 Thes 5.23 Now the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God that your whole spirit soul and body be reserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ But he brings in two replies of ours by way of Anticipation likewise the first of which is this is sin pardoned and mortified and doth it yet remain Which he answers with his old crambe centies posita It is so pardoned as not to be imputed it s so mortified that the power and dominion of it is taken away yet it remaineth to be more and more mortified and wholly cast out at the death of the body and death shall be destroyed at the general resurrection and so it is the last enemie that shall be destroyed But though he and others have often and confidently affirmed that sin shall be cast out at the death of the body they could never bring one Text of Scripture for this article of their belief nor should they be able to do it though they live to the age of Methushelah whose name and life is a dart of death against sin and their position Then he brings in our second reply which as he saith is this When must sin be purged out if not in this life must we carry the remainders of sin into the kingdome of heaven whereinto no unclean thing shall enter Rev. 21.27 To which he gives us his old thred-bare and beggarly we had almost said and lowsie answer that men shall not carry the remainder of sin into Gods kingdome with them but they shall lay it down at the death of the body Then there is hope that none shall go to hell for corruption or thereby be debarred from heaven there is hope also that the Vindicator may then lay down his lying and his other lewd prrctises against God and man at that day The thief saith he onely converted shall be that day in paradise Therefore he may safely continue in his sin till the hour of death But what if that thief had repented long before even from his first apprehension or perhaps from the committing of the fact for this is possible and the Scripture hath nothing to the contrary Yea what if he belived on Christ afore having heard of or seen his miracles though he had not the opportunity to confess him till now nor to pray unto him face to face nor doth he understand what paradise this was into which Christ and he entred for the first paradise is a submission unto Gods will even under the punishing hand of God and the last is the third heaven unto which Paul was caught by way of vision 2 Cor. 12.2 3 4. And as for Rev. 21.27 he saith it is confessed by our own fraternity to be the state of the Saints in patria It s true all the reformed Churches and that of England whose first reformation might have been a pattern to all the rest doe almost generally conceive that the new Jerusalem or heavenly City of God spoken of Rev. 21 22. chap. is the state of the Saints in patria and so do the Papists also for the greatest part which of those then must be our fraternity But there are some of both Religions that hold the new Jerusalem to be an estate attainable in this life because John saw it descending down from heaven unto men as a tabernacle of God wherein they were to worship him and he heard a loud voice following and saying behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he shall dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and be their God Rev. 21.1 2 3. But herein all doe agree that men must cease to be of Mr. Tondrings fraternity before they can enter into this state for there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye Rev. 21.27 Then he concludeth with the like confidence as he begun And thus have I briefly proved unto you the truth of the point which yet hath not one point of truth in it That sin will have a being in the best of men while their souls have a being in these houses of clay And this I hope saith he may be sufficient to satisfie the people Yea and perhaps some of the Priests also who are very easily perswaded to sleep still in sin and loth to be put upon an hard encounter against the Canaanites for such are apt to believe the unbelieving spies and much more the Scout-master-generall who like his Master doth go to and fro compassing the earth and walking up and down in it And if saith he I shall meet with any
it was not now for God saith he no nor ever will be to bend the rule of righteousnesse to the crookednesse of our affections that so he might make it answerable to our abilities yes through his promised and premised covenant of grace in Christ but rather to set down a straight rule not in favour of our sinful nature which he hateth but to expresse our whole duty though it be impossible for us after we have lost our ability to perform it What is it so now impossible after that a new supply of grace and assistance is vouchsafed if we seek it For saith he he that hath lent a thousand pounds may without injury demand it of them and when he knoweth that thou hast carelesly spent it and as a Bankrupt art not able to pay a penny which no merciful man will rigorously do unlesse it be to evidence his prodigality and folly so God having given us power to obey his precepts may at any time justly call for the performance of the same though he know that we by our sins have disabled our selves so much as to think a good thought But his thoughts herein are very evil for we have proved before that God cannot in justice and much lesse in mercy require of us that obedience for which we in our persons never received or could receive sufficient power to perform the same Ultra posse viri non vult Deus ulla requiri Pag. 59. he propounds another objection of his adversaries to wit that the regenerate have sufficientia principia operationis that is sufficient means and causes of well doing his soul being enlightned sanctified and assisted by Gods spirit and therefore he may perform what God requires And then he goes about to answer it with mincing the truth and extenuating Gods grace saying a regenerate man is enabled to doe good but not perfectly his undestanding being still obscured his will distempered and his power of doing good hindred by many lustful temptations and therefore these principles of operation being imperfect our actions which proceed from thence must needs be imperfect likewise which he proves with his old mistaken Scriptures Who can tell saith David how often he offendeth cleanse thou me from all my secret sins ye see saith he Saints have their secret sins and he himself wants not his open and manifest enormities I may quoth he have many sins and fail in many things which no man knows of we doubt it not nor yet my selfe which yet are known to God we cannot judge mens hearts Why then doth he judge ours for hypocrisie and carying on new pretended lights in a dark lanthorn for we know not our own it is Gods prerogative to search and try mens reins Jerem. 17.9 1 Joh. 3.20 and it is our duty with Nehemiah to pray chap. 13.12 accept mine obedience but pardon mine iniquity But the man of God doth not pray so there as we have shewed before though he had his former sins also A chosen vessel was compelled to say he knew nothing by himselfe yet was he not thereby justified of which before Thus ye see that his book is stuffed full of tautologies And this saith he may suffice for the clearing of the first branch of the second position Indeed it is pretty well cleared from probability of truth or piety But for further confirmation he dares appeal to any mans conscience that is no more careful then he is to keep it without offence to God and men how upon the consideration of Gods strict judgement and his own manifold infirmities he dare justifie himselfe in any one act not against God but before God But Abimeleck could do it as himself confessed before and Paul could do it for his habitual acts as we shewed before 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not in fleshly wisedome and much lesse fleshly lusts but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world And I doubt not saith he pag. 60. but the proudest heart would soon tremble and the boldest face save his own would blush and be ashamed to have his best works yea his prayer scanned by the strictnesse of Gods Law and justice But Job could say chap. 6.17 My face is foul with weeping and on my eye-lids is the shadow of death not for any injustice in mine hands also my prayer is pure Hath not the Lord promised Zephan 3.9 Then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may call upon the Lord to fear him with one shoulder or consent and Malach. 1.11 For from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same my name shal be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered up unto me with a pure offering But he goes on yet more confidently saying And of the adversaries to this truth I require quâ demum authoritate this one thing that they will either produce a man and prove it that hath ever what doth he mean from his youth up without any corruption performed in his own person such perfect obedience to the Law of God as not to offend against the same Unto which we have answered that if ever we knew any such we should not be very forward to shew them to such unbelieving and envious spirits as he is of and we have produced many such already as Caleb Numb 4.24 Josh 14.6 John and his fellow-Apostles 1 Joh. 17.7 with many thousands more Or else saith he let them acknowledge their error with shame and forbear opposing the truth as Jannes and Jambres did Moses and disturbing the peace of Gods Church He might have said the Devils chappel if all the Ministers of Gods Church were like himself But as he is no living member of a true Church which is a congregation of Saints so neither doth our doctrine disturb but further the peace of the true Church of God Act. 9.32 Then had the Churches rest throughout all Judea and Galatia and were edified and walking in the fear of God and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied To such Jorams or high-flown spirits as he is Iehu may answer what peace so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many 2 Kings 9.21 for there is no peace to the wicked saith my God Isai 5.21 But he fears first by our malicious wickednesse in decrying sin and opposing Satans kingdom to set up Christs our sin may become unpardonable yet he saith that he shall pray for us as he doth for himself while he continueth in wickednesse not that God would be pleased to convince us of our errours and humble us in the sense of our sins and be merciful to our poor souls because we oppose his sinful positions But we pray that the Lord would vouchsafe him mercy in reality and truth so far as to turn him from his enterprise and then we are
See Rom. 6.8 For if we be dead with him we believe that we shall live with him and chap. 8.13 and if children then heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified with him See 2 Cor. 1.4 5 6. 2 Tim. 2.11 12. 1 Pet. 4.1 2 3. This condition of conformity to Christs sufferings whether inward of which the Vindicator and his party say nothing or outward upon the crosse is not once thought of though there is no other way left us in Christ to obtain salvation Mat. 16.24 25. Pag. 68. he tels us but falsly that the material cause of our justification actually considered is Jesus Christ No it is the person to be justified and the benefits which we have by Christ saith he are two especially First redemption Secondly propitiation But those two say we will prove but one in the end First for redemption saith he it is a word borrowed from the use of war and why not from other civil and judicial acts and it signifies freedom from captivity And thus Christ is our deliverance but how First from the wrath of God see his method he sets that in the first place which should come last because saith he he is our reconciliation And is not that a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 which blood say we is the promised spirit for and signified by blood in the old Testament and not the blood of his crosse as he and others dream see Heb. 9.14 and 10.39 and 13.20 21. 1 Pet. 1.18 19. 1 Joh. 1.7 9. Rev. 7.14 and 12.11 Secondly saith he we are freed from the tyranny and dominion of sin because that obeying from the heart the form of doctrine unto which we are delivered that is the Gospel of Christ we are made free from sin and are become the servants of Christ which is our righteousnesse Rom. 6.18 Is this obedience then our righteousnesse sure he means nothing lesse though he speaks truer herein then he is aware of But he will have Christs external obedience to be our righteousnesse and none other Thirdly we are freed saith he from the punishment of our sins because it s against justice the punishment should be inflicted when the sin is pardoned for sin being the cause of punishment it must needs follow that sublatâ causâ which he elsewhere saith cannot be taken away in this life the cause being defaced or rather removed the effect should be absolved But against this he saith it may be objected That the sins of the elect are pardoned and yet they are afflicted continually and as the Prophet saith Psalm 73.13 they are chastised every morning and therefore how can it be that he should for give the guilt of their sins and yet as the Prophet speaks Psalm 99.8 he should punish their inventions But there are no sins pardoned say we till they be wholly left Unto which said objection he answers That the miseries of men before the pardon of sin are the punishments of sin but the affliction of the Saints after the remission of their sin are not to be reputed penalties of Gods anger but exercises of his servants and arguments of his love for as many as I love I rebuke and chasten saith Christ Rev. 3.19 so also Heb. 12.5 and that for a double end First for our salvation that we should not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.30 Secondly and subordinately for our sanctification that we may be made partakers of his holinesse But what difference is there between Gods holinesse and our positive salvation is not eternal life a participation in full of Gods holinesse Psalm 17 13. I shall be satisfied when I shall awake with thy likenesse But God punisheth those sins with temporal plagues in his servants for their humiliation and amendment and for a warning unto others which he pardoneth as to the world to come 2 Sam. 12.13 14. and before the pardon of sin men are chastised in love to their souls as well as afterwards Psalm 94.12 Pro. 3.11 12. and Heb. 12.6 7. As for Propitiation he tels us page 68 69. that it is a reconciling us to God through the blood to wit the blood of his Spirit and it is saith he the accomplishment of that which was signified by the Mercy-seat Exod. 30. But the Mercy-seat or Propitiatorie did represent Christ in the Spirit and in his second or spiritual coming in the power of his resurrection when the two tables of the Law are written upon our hearts and the face and aspect of God and the soul looks towards each other like the two Cherubims through Christ the everlasting propitiation and Priest And that which the Vindicator speaks there confirms it for first as God gave his oracles unto the Prophets he should have said unto the Priests also out of the Mercy-seat so he did yea doth reveal his will unto us his Priests and Ministers by Jesus Christ not without us only but especially within us 1 Joh. 2.27 Joh. 1.17 Secondly as God was said to dwell between the Cherubims which covered the Mercy-seat so in Christ the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodily or really Coloss 2.9 And thereby as God was made propitious and favourable unto his people to assist and bless them by the blood which the High-Priest sprinkled before the Mercy-seat so saith he he is pacified and reconciled unto us and procured to inrich us with spiritual blessings through the blood of Jesus Christ Coloss 1.18 Which is true of both bloods that of his Spirit and that of his cross yea of the blood of sin also which we must shed in conformity to the death and bloodshed of Christ But this last parallel is not apt but forced Again he saith the grounds of those benefits or the meritorious cause thereof is the most absolute and perfect obedience which our Saviour Christ performed unto his Father for our sakes and is to be considered first actively then passively first the active obedience of Christ is a most perfect performance of Gods Law even to the utmost tittle thereof touching which we must consider-first that although Christ as man fulfilled the Law for himself that in both natures he might be an holy High Priest to offer sacrifice unto God yet as mediator as God and man he became subject to the Law and did fully and perfectly execute the same for us But how doth he prove that for Christ saith he is not only our redemption by that ransome which he paid for our sins but he is also the perfection of the Law unto salvation most true but not in his sense unto every one that believeth And there he three things saith he that prove the necessity thereof to be performed for us what are they first the justice of God that will not justifie the wicked to wit while they remain such in deed and will Prov. 17.15 but such as are just and righteous either by a proper
as we shall in our catasceuastical or affirmative part of our discourse more fully manifest But he concludes with his form of prayer I pray God to enable us all to hold the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace and that we may renounce all those doctrines that set up any thing of man And much more say we do tend to the setting up of Satan or his kingdom to the abasing of Christ and that we embrace those doctrines which abase man and much more whatsoever is of the devil and which exalt the Lord according to that of the Psalmist Not unto us O Lord not unto us and much lesse unto the Devil but unto thy name and unto that only give the glory Psalm 15. Unto all which we say and that not formally but cordially Amen You see the Vindicator hath closed like a Saint of the Pharisaicall sect with a prayer even as specious in words of Scripture-phrase as his Preface was to his beloved friends placed in the front of his Vindication but when his prayer is explained to you in reference to his position That sinne will remain in the best of Saints as long as they live then it will appear to have the same scope and end to his said position as we have declared his Preface had For whom can he mean and include in the relative word us when he saith I pray God enable us but the Levites his friends and other his allies with himselfe For be it known to all men by these presents that we disown his Tenents and resolve to speak against them dum maneat Lachesi quod torqueat to speak until we lack breath if we have opportunity Secondly if to hold the unity of the Spirit be intended in reference to his position then these words must signifie to hold the onenesse of the wicked spirit for all sin is of the Devil 1 Joh. 3.9 therefore to pray in reference aforesaid to hold the unity of the Spirit is to pray to hold the onenesse of the wicked spirit in upholding and maintaining with one affection that sin will remain in the best Saints as long as they live Thirdly to hold it in the bond of peace is to pray in reference to the foresaid position that in the onenesse of affection to the wicked spirit that he and his friends may in all tyes bonds obligations of a quiet and peaceable agreement be bound together to maintain that sin will remain in the best of Saints as long as they live and not to disturb one another as those foresaid false Prophets do disturb them who deny their position Yea the Vindicator prayeth as ignorantly as he can if he maintain his position that he and his friends may renounce all the doctrine that sets up any thing of man to the abasing of Christ for if he intend that clause of his petitionary note in reference to our doctrine of a possibility of a total mortification of sinne in this life then his prayer is that nothing of man that is of us in contradistinction to himselfe and his friends may be set up to the mortifying of all sin and so to abase Christ by a total mortification of sin if he mean to prefer his own petition before our doctrine tendeth absit blasphemia dicto to the abasing of Christ But if he iutend to maintain to the end as he begun that sin will remain in the best Saints as long as they live then the said clause of his vote and prayer is a contradiction to himself and his position for doth any doctrine set up any thing of man but that Doctrine which maintaineth the necessary continuance of sin in this life for only sinne and allsin is of the Devill and man Joh. 3.9 Rom. 5.12 by one man sinne came into the world and 2 Thess 2.3 the devil or wicked one what ever men dream to the contrary is called the man of sin therefore for the Vindicator to pray that no doctrine be owned but renounced that sets up any thing of man is to pray against his own position that sin will remain in the best Saints as long as they live because only sinne and all sinne is from man as aforesaid And is there any thing which abaseth Christ but sins continuance when as the Lord complaineth thou hast made me to serve with thy sins and wearied me with thine iniquities Isai 43.24 Hence also upon the same account that the doctrine of sins remaining is the setting up of man and abasing of Christ we say here also the clause of his prayer which is expressed in these words And that we embrace those doctrines that abase man and exalt the Lord is a prayer for the embracing our doctrines because a total mortification of sin in this life is it which exalteth Christ in his holinesse will and power to destroy all sin according to that James 4.5 6. for the Lord offereth more grace that is to overcome it See Phil. 4.13 Joh. 1.16 who came to redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good works Titus 2.14 that the Lord may be exalted alone in that day Isai 2.17 Not unto us Lord Psal 115.19 in a better sense then the Vindicator doth apply those words in reference to his prayer relating to his position but unto thy name be the glory who hast in some measure made known to us and made us to believe the true doctrine which abases man and exalts Christ which doctrine is a possibility of a total mortification of sin in this world Thus we have traced the Vindicator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the first to the last of his Vindication wherein the unbiassed Reader may easily comprehend what nonsense tacit contradictions besides open ones this Vindicator is guilty of in this his Vindication so that he hath first and last verified therein another apt Anagram of his name In no end right Our Gusmond hath spit folly with despite But marvel not for He 's in no end right The finis rei by his confession Of his positions is transgression Will you his friends elect this sinful wight To be your Pilot who 's in no end right Can he direct your souls unto heavens blisse Who at both ends doth steer amisse You Levites in his Preface cal'd to fight With us forbear for he 's in no end right His Jus and Saints mentioned in his letters Are mongrels compared with their betters For he cannot on best Saints temper light It to define who is in no end right Disown him then who hath no morning light Detest this vagrant who 's in no end right Having demonstrated the Anasceuastick or confutative part of our revindication and observed the Vindicators ends what they are we proceed to the Catasceuastick or confirmative part thereof in two axioms or assertions contrary to the Vindicators positions First we affirm that there is a possibility through the grace and help of Christ of a total mortification of
the remaining and prevalence of their sins and spiritual enemies to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those that are bound to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God against his and our spiritual enemies to comfort all that mourn to appoint unto them that mourn in Sion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning the garments of praise for the spirit of heavinesse that they may be called trees of righteousnesse the plantings of the Lord that he may be glorified See Luk. 4.18 19 20 21. Luk 1.74 That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear Tit. 3.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity in a purifying way and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works 1 Joh. 3.8 He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning for this purpose was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil to wit by his spirit and power Rom. 16.20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly Ephes 5.24 25 27. Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and clense it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish The fifth Topick shall be the prayer that Christ his servants and his Apostles have made and thereby taught us to pray for this grace of a through purging from sin and victory over it and all temptations in this life who so prayed in faith that the things which they so prayed for might be obtained 1 Chron. 4.10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying Oh that thou wouldest blesse me indeed and wouldest enlarge my coast and that thy hand might be with me and that thou wouldst keep me or redeem me from evil that it might not grieve me and God saith the Text ' granted him that which he requested as he will do unto us Psal 55.10 Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Hos 14.1 2. O Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity take with you words and turn unto the Lord saying take away all iniquity and give good or receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips Mat. 6.13 And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil See Luk. 11.14 Joh. 17.15 I pray not saith Christ that thou shouldst take them out of the world but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil 2 Cor. 13.7 Now I pray to God that ye do none evil Phil. 1.10 That ye may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ 1 Thess 5.23 Now the God of peace sanctifie you wholly And I pray God that your whole Spirit soul and body may be kept or preserved blamelesse unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ The sixth Topick shall be the faith of the Apostles and of the elect in the Primitive Church which now and for many hundred years hath been almost quite lost in two grand benefits and works which they believed and hoped for This faith expected Christs spiritual coming and return with his Father and the Holy Ghost to set up his kingdom not only of grace but of power and glory in them here and for ever and in order thereunto they were to purge themselves by faith through his grace and help from all iniquity in the mean time as these following places do clearly witnesse and prove without all contradiction if duly looked into Joh. 14.18 I will not leave you comfortlesse I will come unto you yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye shall see me because I live ye shall live also At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father and ye in me and I in you He that hath my commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him Judas saith unto him not Jscariot how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the world Jesus answered and said if any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come and make our abode with him and chap. 16.22 And ye now therefore have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take away from you See Rom. 6.5 as before 1 Cor. 1.7 8. So that yecome behind in no gift waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall also confirm you unto the end that ye may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will finish or perform it till the day of Jesus Christ vers 10. that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Jesus Christ 1 Thess 5.23 be preserved unto the coming of our Lord Christ as before 1 Tim. 6.14 That thou keep this commandement without spot unrebukable untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ Heb. 9.20 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation chap. 10.25 Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another so much the rather as you see the day approching vers 37. For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and he will not tarry Jam. 5.7 Be patient therefore brethren vers 8. be patient and stablish your heart for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh 1 Pet. 1.13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ All which places and many more to the like effect have absurdly been understood of Christs external last and dreadful coming to judgement which in so many ages since is not come to passe nor peradventure may arrive in many ages more whereas the former Texts speak of a day and an appearing or coming of Christ which the Saints were to expect and prepare themselves for in their dayes it being the kingdom of heaven which first John the Baptist and then Christ and his Apostles published to be at hand Mat. 3.21 and 4.17 which accordingly came to the Saints which waited for it in a right way Revela 12.10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven the Church of God wherein he dwels saying Now is
the young men shall utterly fail but those that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint chap. 42.21 The Lord is well pleased for his righteousnesse sake he will magnifie the Law and make it honourable Which it would not be if it were impossible chap. 48.17 18. Thus faith the Lord thy redeemer the holy one of Israel I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way which thou shalt go O that thou hadst harkened to my commandements then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousnesse as the waves of the sea chap. 51.4 5. Harken unto me my people and give eare O Nation for a Law shall proceed from me and I will make my judgement to rest for a light to the Gentiles my righteousnesse is neer my salvation is gone forth vers 7 8. Harken unto me ye that know righteousnesse the people in whose heart is my Law fear ye not the reproch of men neither be ye afraid of their revisings for the moth shall eat them up like a garment and the worm shall eat them up like wool but my righteousnesse shall be sure and my salvation from generation to generation Jerem. 31.32 33 34. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah saith the Lord not according to the covenant which I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which my covenant they broke although I was an Husband unto them or therefore I must overule them saith the Lord but this shall be the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel After those days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more Where take notice of these things that the first covenant is a covenant of works and the effect a compulsive obedience out of fear of vengeance Secondly that the second covenant is made to those that now love God and righteousnesse and obey it out of good will after the days of compulsion are ended which must have their foregoing work to break mans strong lusts and inclinations to sin after which comes the revelation of free mercy and salvation out of grace unexpectedly witnessed from Heaven to the lost yet humbled penitent and praying or deprecating soul which melts his heart with godly sorrow and inflames his heart with love to God and righteousnesse and with an hatred of all known sin Thirdly that this second covenant is of sanctification and then of some degree of glory As to the former the Lord promiseth to put his Law into our inward parts and to work the same in our hearts which is done no other way but by regeneration and by the promised Spirit of Christ which is called the blood of the new covenant and the blood of the everlasting covenant for the purging or the dimission away of our sins whereof both the expiative and consecrating blood of the old Testament was a figure Exod. 24.8 and 14.14 10. and chap. 8.23 24. and whereof the wine in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in the New Testament is a sign and representation as the bread broken is a representation both of his word to be broken received and eaten Jer. 15.16 and of his suffering patience and weakness which is a body of his to be broken unto us by degrees and received by faith and obedience where through we may remember Christs death and follow him therein crucifying sin till he come unto us in the Spirit and power of his resurrection Thus the Apostle saith ' Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ this Spirit and spiritual blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself as man without spot to God purge the consciences or souls from dead works to serve the living God And Heb. 10.29 He that falls from grace counts the blood of this covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing or a thing of smal price and so doth despite to the Spirit of grace and hence it is that the Apostle prayeth Heb. 13.20 that God who brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus that great shepherd of the sheep would through the blood of the everlasting covenant make the believing Hebrews perfect in every good work to do the will of the Lord as Peter also tells the Saints 1 Pet. 1.18 that they were through the same redeemed or delivered from their vain conversation in a Jewish righteousness received by tradition from their Fathers This blood is promised unto them that walk in the light with God and his Saints 1 John 1.7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all our sin With this blood the Saints washed their robes or imperfect righteousness and made them white Rev. 7.14 with this Christ washed the Apostles and made them Kings and priests unto God Rev. 1.5 6. for which they give him praise and glory and with this is the Devil overcome and cast out Rev. 12.11 A third thing observable in this covenant is that there is a clear full and glorious wisdome promised to each Saint in due time so that they shall not need to say to each other know the Lord for they shall know him from the least of them to the greatest for that perfect knowledge and love is then come which makes the imperfect knowledge and prophecying to cease 1 Cor. 13.8 9. Lastly the time of that perfect wisdome power and love is also limited namely vers 34. in those words for I will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more it is then when God hath purged and taken away all their sins by the same blood where forgiving of sins as in many other places is to be understood of the purging them away by Gods grace which we call dimission and that is the principal taking away of sin upon which the pardon or taking away of the guilt follows of course and is cast in over and above out of Gods abundant mercy for the death and sufferings of Christ But to proceed Ezek. 36.25 26 27. we have another of these promises of enabling grace Then will I pour clean water upon you and from all your sins and from all your idols will I cleanse you a new heart also will I give you and a new
me so we are justified by faith in Christ Gal. 2.16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Christ Thirdly as we are sanctified by the Spirit of Christ so we are justified by that Spirit 1 Cor. 6.11 But now ye are washed but now ye are sanctified but now ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Fourthly as sanctification is taken for a washing away of sin so is justification also Ibid. 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but now ye are washed but now ye are sanctified but now ye are justified Acts 13.39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses Fifthly sanctification is taken for a positive or infused holiness or righteousness whereby the contrary unrighteousness is purged out 1 Thes 4.3 For this is the will of God even your sanctification and chap. 5.23 Now the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly So is justification used for an inherent holiness and righteousness Isaiah 45.24 25. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength even unto him shall men come and all that be in censed against him shall be ashamed for in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified in way of inherent righteousness and strength communicated unto them as was said in the former verse and shall glory Sixthly as this sanctification is gradually attained so is justification also Rev. 22.11 He that is unjust let him be unjust still but he that is justified let him be justified still and he that is sanctified let him be sanctified still that is more and more where justification and sanctification are used for an inhesive holiness or righteousness as was said before Seventhly as sanctification is communicated and given to make us obedient unto the law that it may be fulfilled by us so is justification also Rom. 8.4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledg of God or through the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ Eighthly as forgiveness of sins follows sanctification as an individual companion of those sins that are purged away by it Acts 26.18 that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in me so that remission of sins is not justification but an effect or concomitant of the same Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth who shall condemn So did our Church believe and did pray for children and persons to be baptized saying Almighty and immortal God the aid of all that need c. We call upon thee for these infants that they coming to thy holy baptism may receive remission of their sins by spiritual regeneration Ninthly whereas our Saviour makes the new birth absolutely necessary to salvation John 3.3 Verily I say unto you that unless ye be born again ye cannot see the kingdome of God so Saint Paul leaves out sanctification in order of causes unless sanctification and justification be all one Rom. 8.30 Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called those he justified and whom he justified them he also glorified And so doth our Church in the 39. Article speak of sanctification under justification or else leaves it out as needless which were impiety in us to think which is yet more clear out of the thirteenth Article thus intituled ' Of works before justification The words of the article are these Works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant to God forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ neither do they make us meet to receive grace Tenthly every grace and vertue of God whereby we perform obedience to Gods law is called a justification and all the graces of the Saints are named as so many particular justifications Rev. 19.8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linnen clean and white for the white linnen is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or justifications of Saints Hence it is that Basil Psal 118. according to his account 119. upon vers 2. he cals the commandements justification as those which are to justifie or make just those that observe them rightly so before Psal 119.7 the law c. Eleventhly by doing and fulfilling of the law which we do accomplish by the grace and Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.4 we become fully justified before God Rom. 2.13 For not the hearers of the law are just before God but the doers of the law shall be justified Lastly as we are sanctified by the blood that is the Spirit of Christ Heb. 10.29 Of how much forer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified an unholy thing and done despite to the Spirit of grace So we are justified by the same blood Rom. 5.9 How much more being justified by his blood shall we be saved from wrath through him Hence it is also that the Apostle speaking of the love of Christ to him and his fellow-Apostles and Saints saith who hath loved us and washed us in his own blood and made us Kings and Priests unto God Rev. 1.5 6. where Saint John speaks of the work of justification See 1 Pet. 2.9 10. compared with Exod. 19.5 6. Concerning which work of justification by Christs internal righteousness take these few testimonies of the Fathers following instead of many more which might be alledged Justin Martyr in quaest ad Orthodoxos before cited But what is the universal righteousness of the law To love God above himself and his neighbour as himself which is not impossible to those men that apply themselves thereunto Wherefore the Apostle did not therefore say that no flesh should be justified by the works of the law because we cannot perform impossible things but because we will not do possible things Cyprian serm 6. de oratione Domini speaking of the Publican that went away rather justified then the Pharisee saith he by his humiliation deserved to be sanctified c. Where he makes sanctification and justification to be one and the same thing Hieron in lib. 1. dialog advers Pelag. That a man is not condemned for that which he hath not but is justified for what he hath Ambrose lib. 6. exam cap. c. I pray thee answer whether justification seem to conferred upon thee according to the mind But thou canst not doubt seeing justice or righteousness from whence justification hath its derivation but that it belongs unto the mind and not unto the body Epiphanius doth not onely make righteousness and goodness to
we will believe their Ipsi dixerunt without any artificial arguments to prove what they say because we then know what they affirm is true by reason they have then received the unction 1 Joh. 2.26 which is truth and is no lye But in the mean time he must pardon us that we dissent from him and his catalogue of Fathers on which he buildeth his faith for ought we see in that point and desire him to give us leave or rectifie our weaknesse by some stronger reasons then we heard from him at that time to declare to him first negatively that the words of Christ could signifie no such thing Our reason is from the artificial arguments contained in that axiom Joh. 3.5 Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God The axiom is a compound axiom as all exceptive and exclusive axioms are wherein are two axioms one affirmative the other negative Now as affirmation is before negation so in the said exceptive compound axiom the affirmative axiom is first to be considered 1. That a man is to be born again of water and of the Spirit to enter into the kingdom of God 2. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God In the first axiom is laid down the effect to be born again and its causes water and the Spirit In the second axiom is intimated the necessity of those causes to the said effect that without those two said canses none can be born again to the kingdom of God And so much for the general consideration of the two axioms Our first reason we say why baptismal elementary water is not meant there is because the effect and its causes are of the same nature or quality according to the old and true maxime Qualis effectus talis causa contrà Such as the effect is such are the causes by reason that Causa est cujus vi res est A cause is by whose force and vertue a thing is Hence the birth specified Joh. 3.5 being as none we believe will deny spiritual the causes must be spiritual also which Christ nameth to be water and the Spirit in a copulate respect to the effect also Christ putteth water as the first cause in order to the effect aforesaid hence we affirm both causes water and the Spirit concurr as partial requisite causes to the effect Secondly that both causes therefore must be spiritual because the effect is spiritual but baptismal elementary water is a grosse material and no spiritual water and therefore the said water cannot be the water Christ meaneth as a partial concurrent cause to the new spiritual birth If it be said that baptismal elementary water is figurative and representative of the new birth That will not serve the turn because Christ doth not speak of a new birthin respect of a partial representative cause but he speaks of water as the true and reall partial coworking cause out of which a man must be born again therefore the said elementary water is not meant Neither can what is said be evaded by affirming that instrumental causes may be of another nature to the principal efficient causes as the Apostles were when it is said by St. Paul 1 Cor. 3.9 we are labourers together with God for though that be true in some respect when they are used as preparatory causes or instruments to the preparing of the said effect yet it is not true that heterogeneal causes can communicate immediately their vertue in common to the said effect and yet the effect be wholly of the nature of one of them and not of the other as we say in this place that the effect is wholly spiritual and Christ nameth water the preceding concurring cause in common with the Spirit from which this spiritual effect doth proceed Again though Paul do call himself a fellow-labourer as aforesaid 1 Cor. 3.9 yet the same effect of which he was a preparatory instrument and but a preparatory instrument might have been produced without him and no man we think dare affirm that except Paul or his fellow-Apostles had concurred that the Corinthians and others could not have been begotten again in Christ Again Christ specifieth the water in the said place to be so necessary that except a man be born of it and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God which if it be elementary baptismal water which is there meant then no man nor child can be saved or enter into the kingdome of God without it no not Seth Enoch nor Abraham nor any of the Patriarchs unless they and every one of them were baptized with elementary water but it is not likely though the Jews had ceremonial washings and though their washings were called baptism that any of them used to baptize with water as Christ hath left the institution direction of it to be In the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost as is expressed Matth. 28.19 which yet they must use in like manner or none of them were or could be born again to the kingdome of God without it because Christ saith Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter c. Again if it be such water aforesaid which Christ maketh so necessary as aforesaid then those do very ill who are of that opinion if they do not urge all parents to baptize their children so soon as they peep into the world especially if they maintain the old tradition of original sinne because they are liable to sudden death Quod cuivis potest accidere cuiquam potest and not deferre the baptizing their children unto some more convenient time as many do for a more pompous and magnificent administration thereof In the next place we do affirm with confidence that the water Christ meant in the said place is the divine and spiritual word according to that John 15.3 Now you are clean through the word I have spoken unto you which is Christs living and powerful word which is called spirit and life John 6.63 which also is aptly called water by Christ because it hath the same parallel effect to the defiled and unregen erate soul that water hath to the defiled body for as water cleanseth the defiled body so the said word maketh clean the defiled soul according to that Ephes 5.26 27. where it is said Christ gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by the washing of water in or through the word as the Greek expresseth it making the word the exegesis of the water and the vulgar Latine turneth it the word of life hence Christ did say to Nicodemus Except a man be born again of water that is the word called water as aforesaid he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Secondly this word is meant by the water aforesaid because none can enter into the kingdome of God without a washing with that word called also Tit.
3.5 the Laver of regeneration c. for no unclean thing can enter Rev. 21.27 and Christ said John 15.3 Now you are clean through the word I have spoken to you and James 1.18 it is said Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth But we presume to adde yet a little further to shew how needful it is to prove from the text or context that the sense we fix upon a Scripture-axiom is the proper sense which the Holy Ghost intendeth in the said place Because one Mr. Stevens of Fenny Drayton in Leicestershire hath set forth a book which he intitles A three fold defence of original sinne in reference to the old common notion thereof in which book he saith p. 94. that the Examiners of the late Synods Confession of faith deal sophistically with him and his party in leaving out their chief argument which lieth hid we confess to us in 3 John 6. But if it do appear that we have sophisticated with them we acknowledge that they may justly according to their large power of admitting or hindring interdicere nobis aquâ igne sed qui non est sponte nocens we desire him to pardon for we do profess to him that we did not dream of such a best in the said place among all their weak arguments for their tradition of original sinne as aforesaid The sense Mr. Stevens sixeth upon those words John 6.3 That which is born of the flesh is flesh is that original sinne and the impurity of the natural birth is meant by the same words and therefore there is a necessity of a new birth spoken of v. 5. from original sinne Which we grant if it be in all men but that is petitio principii it s the thing to be proved though yet there is a necessity of a new birth according to v. 5. and for the reason added v. 6. but we challenge Mr. Stevens who boasteth of this place to contain being as little to the purpose as the rest their chief argument to prove for as yet he hath not done it that Christ meant by flesh from which that which is flesh is born is original sinne and impurity by nature which we openly deny as it were at the market-crosse 1. Because flesh in Scripture is taken in more senses then Mr. Steven's his distinction of flesh in the said place p. 94. doth comprehend Secondly because flesh is more largely taken in Scripture then he can yet fathom within his apprehension and opposite also to the sanctifying work of the Spirit therefore we say Mr. Stevens distinction and his explication of it doth not prove what he with rash confidence affirmeth Now that flesh is taken in Scripture in other respects then Mr. Stevens mentioneth as aforesaid these following Scriptures do evidence 2 Cor. 5.16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth we know him so no more Let Mr. Stevens apply the said place to his sense of flesh John 3.6 and make good and Christian-like sense of the said words if he can for there is spoken of a knowing Christ no more after the flesh although they had known him so before now to know them after the flesh must intend not to own them after the flesh any more because Paul could not but know them after the humane flesh by reason all are in that condition to be outwardly conversed with Secondly He did never know that is own Christ at any time after the flesh as it is meant by Mr. Stevens in the second member of his distinction for Christ was not born in original sinne nor yet lived at any time in the corruption of nature Hence flesh in this place doth not come under any member of Mr. Stevens destinction Again flesh in this place is the same in sense as appeareth by Pauls expression in reference to men and the reason of the Apostles disowning any man henceforth after the flesh is grounded upon his disowning Christ after the flesh any more for so the arguing lieth clear by the emphatical expression or revocation yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth we know him so no more therefore the flesh is to be taken in that place in the same sense as it relateth to men and Christ and Paul would henceforth know neither men nor Christ after the flesh hence its plain that the flesh there was a state in contradistinction to the Spirit or his other sanctifying work of the Spirit in which Paul would not henceforth know them in Again in John 6.63 flesh is taken in another sense then Mr. Stevens doth apprehend But to come nearer to the sense of flesh as it may suit with John 3.6 flesh is taken Gal. 3.3 not for corruption of nature in any kind because none can think the Galatians ever did expect to be perfected by sinneful nature after they had begun in the Spirit much lesse did Paul drive at it so as to upbraid them for attempting to be perfected by the flesh in that sense but for the fleshly ordinances they were turning back unto after they had begun in the Spirit as doth plainly appear in chap. 4.21 22 c. chap. 5.1 2 3. So Heb. 7.16 the Ceremonial services in which the Sribes and Pharisees rested in and were captived to are called the carnal comman dement So Heb. 9.11 12. Hence the observances of them were but carnal because the ordinances were but fleshly Hence that which is born of the flesh is still flesh according to Christs words John 3.6 Now with Mr. Stevens his favour in this sense of flesh and not in his of original sinne and impurity of the birth did Christ teach Nicodemus first the necessity of a new birth Secondly the necessity of it by the water and Spirit which are the two copulate causes of it named by Christ and that upon the reason Christ giveth from the nature of the cause to the like nature of the effect in two instances v. 6. that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit for it was in that flesh that is in fleshly ordinances that he and others were captived in therefore not in Mr. Steven's sense of flesh did Christ intend that instruction to Nicodemus because Christ had no occasion given him from Nicodemus to fall upon the doctrine of original sinne this appears from Nicodemus discourse with him owning him upon his working such works to be a teacher come from God our Saviour knowing Nicodemus was a master in Israel v. 10. and likewise well knowing wherein all the present masters of Israel stuck and what they gloried in being puffed up though captived with fleshly ordinances Col. 2.17 18 c. he taught Nicodemus a new lesson of the necessity of his and their new birth from better principles then fleshly rules and services which onely served Heb. 9.13 but to the