A DEFENCE OF THE Doctrine of Iustification BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST SHEWING True Gospel-Holiness flows from Thence OR Mr. FOWLER' 's Pretended Design of CHRISTIANITY Proved to be nothing more then to trample under Foot the Blood of the Son of God and the Idolizing of Man's own Righteousness AS ALSO How while he pretends to be a Minister of the Church of England he overthroweth the wholesom Doctrine contained in the 10 th 11 th and 13 th of the Thirty Nine Articles of the same and that he falleth in with the Quaker and Romanist against them By JOHN BVNYAN Disalowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious 1 Pet. 2. 4. Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle without Temple-Bar 1673. A Premonition to the Reader Gentle Reader THat thou mayest not be tired with longing to know what Errors and Doctrines Destructive to Christianity Mr. Fowâ—er in his Feigned design of Christianity hath presented the World withal and that thou mayest even in the Entry see that which more fully is shewn in the House Namely of the Contradiction that is in his Book to the wholesome Doctrine of the Church of England while he stands a Minister of the same I have thought convenient instead of an Epistle to present thee with those Doctrines contained in his and that are refuted by the Book that thou hast in thy hand The which also I hope will be a sufficient Apologie for this my undertaking His Doctrines are these 1. That the First Principles of Morrals those First Written in Mens hearts are the Essentials the Indispensible and Fundamental Points â—r Doctrines of the Gospel Pag. 8 281 282. 2. That these First Principles are to be followed Principally as they are made known to us by the Dictates of Humane Nature and that this obedience is the first and best sort of obedience we Christians can perform Pag. 8 9 10. 3. That there is such a thing as a foundness of Soul and the purity of Humane Nature in the World Pag. 6. 4. That the Law in the first Principles of it is far beyond and more obliging on the hearts of Christians then is That of coming to God by Christ Pag. 7 8 9 10. 5. That the Precept of coming to God by Christ c. is in its own Nature a thing indifferent and absolutely considered neither good nor evil Pag. 7 8 9. 6. That Christ's great Errand in coming into the World was to put us again in Possession of the Holiness we had lost P. 12. 7. That John the Baptist the Angel that was sent to Zecharias and Mary Preached this Doctrine and so also did Malachy the Prophet Pag. 13. 8. That Christ by saving us from Sin is meant not first his saving us from the punishment but from the Filth and from the punishment as a Consequence of that Pag. 14 15. 9. That Christ's Work when he was come was to establish ONLY an inward Real Righteousness Pag. 16. 10. That Christ's fulfilling the Law FOR VS was by giving more perfect and lighter instances of Morral Duties then were before expressly given Pag. 17. 11. That Christ's Doctrine Life Actions Miracles Death Resurrection Ascention and coming again to Judgement is all Preached to establish us in this Righteousness Chap. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. 12. That it is not possible a Wicked man should have God's Pardon Pag. 119. 13. That it is impossible Christ's Righteousness should be imputed to an Vnrighteous Man Pag. 120. 14. And that if it were he boldly affirms it would signifie as little to his happiness while he continueth so as would a Gorgious and Splendid Garment to one that is almost starved Pag. 120. 15. For God to Justifie a Wicked man c. would far more disparage his Justice and Holiness then advance his Grace and Kindness Pag. 130. 16. He saith Men are not Capable of God's pardoning Grace till they have truly repented them of all their Sins Pag 130. 17. The Devils saith he have a large measure of these Attributes of God as his Power Knowledge c. Pag. 124. 18 That Christ did himself perform as our example what ever he required of us to do Yea That he trod himself EVERY step of our Way to Heaven Pag. 148. 19. The Salvation of Christ First Consists in curing our Wounds our Filth And Secondarily In freeing us from the Smart Pag. 216. 20. That pardon doth not so much Consist in Remission as in healing to wit our filth Pag. 216. 21. Faith Justifieth AS it includeth true Holiness in the Nature of it it Justifieth AS it doth SO Pag. 221. 22. That Faith which Intitles a Sinner to so high a Priviledge as that of Justification must needs be such as complyeth with ALL the purposes of Christ's coming into the World c. And it is no less necessary that it should Justifie AS it doth THIS Pag. 222. 23. He wonders that any Wordly man should be so difficultly perswaded to imbrace THIS account of Justifying Faith Pag. 222. 24. There can be no pretence for a man to think that Faith should be the condition or instrument of Justification as it complyeth with only the Precept of relying on Christ's Merits for the obtaining of it Pag. 223. 25. It is saith he As clear as the Sun at Noon-day that obedience to the other Precepts must go before obedience to this Pag. 223. 26. He shall be his Apollo that can give him a sufficient reason why Justifying Faith should consist in Recombancy and Relyance on Christ's merits for the pardon of Sin Pag. 224. 27. He will take the boldness to tell those who are dispeased with this account of Justifying Faith that in his opinion it is impossible they should ONCE think of another Pag. 225. 28. The Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Consisteth in dealing with sincerely Righteous Persons as if they were perfectly so c. Pag. 225. 29. The rand intent of the Gospel is to make us pertakers of inward real Righteousness and it is but Secondary that we should be accepted as before Pag. 226. 30. It is not possible he saith that any other notion of this Doctrine should have truth in it Pag. 226. 31. Whatsoever is commanded by the customes of the place we live in or commanded by Superiours or made by ANY circumstance convenient to be done our Christian liberty consisteth in that we have leave to do them Pag. 242. 32. For our resuffering to comply with these can hardly proceed from any thing then a proud affection of singularity or at best from Supersticious Scrupulosity Pag. 242. 33. Those Ministers hinder the design of Christianity that Preach up free Grace and Christian Priviledges OTHER WAYS then as Motives to obedience and that scarce ever insist upon any other Duties then those of believing laying hold of Christ's Righteousness applying the Promises c. Pag. 262. 34. But to make the Christian Duties to consist either wholly or MOSTLY in THESE c. is the way effectually
but to speak to this more anon Perhaps you will say I deal not fairly with you because you treat as of moral so of Gospel or New Testament Laws But to that I will answer at present that in this description of your Holy Principle which is the Foundation of your Book whether the Laws be Natural or Spiritual moral or of Grace the Principle by which you do them is no other then the Principle of Nature the dictates of the humane Nature and so such as can by no means reach the Doctrines of the Gospel any farther then to make a Judgment of them by that wisdom which is enmity with God as will farther be seen in my progress through your Book Indeed you make mention of Divine Laws and that under two Heads 1. Such as are of an indispensible and Eternal Obligation as those purely moral 2. Such which you call positive precepts in themselves of an indifferent Nature and absolutely considered are neither good nor evil Of those of this kind that we have under the Gospel you say you know but three viz That of coming to God by Christ and the Institutions of Baptism and the Lords Supper Page 7 and Page 9. So then although you talk of Gospel positive Laws and particularly that of coming to God by Christ yet those which you call first Principles of Morals are of higher concern with you and more indispensible by far then this this being a thing of an indifferent Nature and in it self absolutely considered is neither good nor evil but the other is the life of the matter But a little to gather you up The Morals say you are indispensible and good in themselves but that of coming to God by Christ a thing indifferent and in it self neither good nor evil Wherefore though in this your description you talk of confirming to all those good and practical Principles that are made known either by Revelation Nature or the use of Reason yet in this your obedience you reckon coming to God by Christ but an act of a very indifferent Nature a thing if done not good in it self neither evil in it self should a man leave it undone and so consequently a man may have in him the ground and essentials of Christianity without it may be saved and go to Heaven without it for this I say whatsoever is of an indifferent Nature in it self is not essential to the Christian Religion but may or may not be done without the hazard of Eternal Salvation but say you this of coming to God by Christ is one of the positive precepts Page 9. which are in themselves things indifferent and neither good nor evil therefore not of the substance of Christianity But Sir where learned you this new Doctrine as to reckon coming to God by Christ a thing of so indifferent a Nature a thing not good in it self but with respect to certain Circumstances Page 7. Had you said this of Baptism and the Supper of the Lord I could with some allowance have born your words but to count coming to God by Christ a thing iudifferent in it self is a blasphemy that may not be born by Christians it being too high a contempt of the Blood and too great a disgrace to the Person of the Lord the King of Glory of which more hereafter but to return The intent of this your description is to set before us these two things 1. What are the essentials of the Rule of that Holiness which by the Gospel we are immediately obliged to if we would be justified in the sight of God 2. What are the principles by which we act when we do these works aright For the first you tell us they are the first Principles of Morals such as are self evident and therefore not capable of being properly demonstrated as being no less knowable and easily assented to then any proposition that may be brought for the proof of them Page 8. Such as are self-evident or evident of themselves to what To us as men that know the Principles of Reason and that are as easily assented to as any proposition such as may be as easily known as we know there is a day or night Winter and Summer or any other thing that may be brought for the proof of them This Law therefore is none other then that mentioned in Rom. 2. 14 15. which is the Law of our Nature or that which was implanted in us in the day of our Creation and therefore is said to be our selves even Nature it self 1 Cor. 11. 14. Secondly the Principle say you by which we act and in the strength of which we do this Law it is the Principle of Reason or a reasonable compliance with this Law written in our Hearts and originally dictates of humane Nature c. which certain Principle say you is this To count it most highly becoming all reasonable Creatures to obey God in every thing and as much disbecoming them in any thing to disobey him Page 8. The sum is this your Holiness both in root and act is no other then what is common to all the men on Earth I mean so common as that for the first is in their Nature as the second is also part of themselves they being Creatures whose prime or principal distinction from other consisteth in that they are reasonable and such as have reason as a thing essential to them wherefore the excellency that you have discoursed of is none other then the excellency and goodness that is of this World such as in the first Principles of it is common to Heathens Pagans Turks Infidels and that as evidently dictates to those that have not heard the Gospel I mean as to the Nature the good and evil as it doth in them that sit under the sound thereof and is the self same which our late ungodly Heriticks the Quakers have made such a stir to promote and exalâ— only in the description thereof you seem more ingenious then they for whereas they erroniously call it Christ the light of Christ Faith Grace Hope the Spirit the Word that is nigh c. you give it the names due thereto viz. A complexion or complication and combination of all the virtue of the Soul the humane Nature the dictates of it the Principles of reason such as are self-evident than which there is nothing Mankind doth naturally assent to Page 6 7 8 9 10 11. only here as I have said you glorifie your errors also with Names any Titles that are not to be found but in your own deluded Brains As that the virtues of the Souls can keep themselves incommixed that there is yet in us the purity of the humane Nature of such a disposition that can both by light and power give a man to see and powerfully incline him to and bring him under the government of all those good and practical principles that are made known either by Revelation Nature or the use of Reason But I say these principles thus
Devil and the Wrath to come No Incouragement to Holiness like this like the Perswasion and Belief of this because this carrieth in it the greatest expression of Love that we are Capable of Hearing or Believing and there is nothing that worketh on us so Powerfully as Love And herein is Love not that we Loved God but that he Loved us and gave his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins He then that by Faith can see that the Body of his Sin did hang upon the Cross bâ— the Body of Christ and that can see by that action Death and Sin the Devil and Hell destroyed for him 't is he that will say Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me Bless his Holy Name c. Psa. 103. 1 2 3 4. Secondly Moreover the Knowledge of this giveth a man to understand this Mistery That Christ and himself are united in one For Faith saith If our Old man was Crucified with Christ then were we also Reckoned in him when he hanged on the Cross I am Crucified with Christ All the Elect did Mystically hang upon the Cross in Christ. We then are Dead to the Law and Sin First by the Body of Christ Rom. 7. 4. Now he that is Dead is free from Sin now if we be dead with Christ we Believe that we shall live with him knowing that Christ being raised from the Dead Dyeth no more Death hath no more Dominion over him for in that he dyed he dyed unto Sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Likewise reckon your selves also dead unto Sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. This also Peter doth lively Discourse of Forasmuch then saith he as Christ hath suffered for us in the Flesh Arm your selves likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the Flesh hath ceased from Sin 1 Pet. 4. 1 2. By which Words he Insinuateth the Mystical Union that is between Christ the Head and the Elect his Body Arguing from the Suffering of a Part there should be a Sympathy in the whole If Christ then suffered for us we were even our Sins Bodies and Souls reckoned in him when he so suffered Wherefore by his sufferings the Wrath of God for us is appeased the Curse is taken from us For as Adam by his acts of Rebellion made all that were in him Guilty of his Wickedness so Christ by his acts and doings of Goodness and Justice made all that were reckoned in him good and Just also But as Adam's Transgression did First and immediately Reside with and remain in the Person of Adam onely and the Imputation of that Transgression to them that sprang from him so the Goodness and Justice that was accomplished by the Second Adam First and Immediately Resideth in him and is made over to his also by the Imputation of God But again As they that were in Adam stood not onely guilty of Sin by Imputation but Polluted by the Filth that Possessed him at his fall So the Children of the Second Adam do not onely though first stand Just by Vertue of the Imputation of the Personal acts of Justice and Goodness done by Christ but they also receive of that inward quality the Grace and Holiness that was in him at the Day of his rising from the Dead Thus therefore come we to be Holy by the Death and Blood of the Lord This also is the Contents of those other Scriptures which abusively you Cite to Justifie your Assertion to wit That the great Errand of Christ in coming into the World was to put us again into Possession of the Holiness which we had lost And that onely Designed the Establishing such a Holiness as is Sealed Originally in our Natures and Originally Dictates of the Humane Nature The rest of the Chapter being spoken to already I pass it and Proceed to the next Your Eighth Chapter tell us That it is onely the Promoting of the Design of making Men Holy that is Aimed at by the Apostles Insisting on the Doctrines of Christ's Resurrection Assention and coming again to Judgement Though this should be granted as indeed it ought not yet there is not one Sillable in all their Doctrines that tendeth in the least to drive Men back to the Possession of the Holiness we had lost which is still the thing Asserted by you and that for the Proof of which you make this noise and adoe Neither did Christ at all Design the Promoting of Holiness by such Principles as you have Asserted in your Book neither doth the Holy Spirit of God either help us in or excite us to our Duty Simply from such Natural Principles But the Apostles in these Doctrines you mention had far other Glorious Designs such as were truly Gospel and tended to strengthen our Faith yet farther As First For the Resurrection of Christ They Urge that as an Undeniable Argument of his doing away Sin by his Sacrificing and Death He was delivered for our Offences because he put himself into the Room and State of the Wicked as undertaking their Deliverance from Death and the Everlasting Wrath of God Now putting himself into their Condition he bears their Sin and dyes their Death but how shall we know that by undertaking this Work he did accomplish the thing he intended The answer is He was raised again for our Justification Rom. 4. 25. even to make it manifest that by the Offering of himself he had Purged our Sins from before the Face of God For in that he was raised again and that by him for the appeasing of whose Wrath he was delivered up to Death it is evident that the Work for us was by him effectually done For God raised him up again And hence it is that Paul calls the Resurrection of Christ the sure Mercies of David Act. 13. And as concerning that he raised him up from the Dead now no more to return to Corruption he saith on this wise I will give thee the sure Mercies of David For Christ having Conquered and overcome Death Sin the Devil and the Curse by himself as 't is manifest he did by his rising from the Dead what now remains for him for whom he did this but Mercy and Goodness for ever Wherefore the Resurrection of Christ is that which Sealeth the truth of our being delivered from the Wrath by his Blood Secondly As to his Ascention they urge and make use of that for divers weighty Reasons also 1. As a farther Testimony yet of the Sufficiency of his Righteousness to Justifie Sinners withal For if he that undertaketh the Work is yet entertained by him whose Wrath he was to appease thereby What is it but that he hath so compleated that Work Wherefore he saith that the Holy Ghost shall Convince the world that he hath a sufficient righteousness and that because he went to the Father John 16. And they saw him no more because he went he Ascended up to the Father was there
us on Earth another because he now appears for us in Heaven there sprinkling for us the Mercy-Seat with his Blood there ever-living to make Intercession for them that come unto God by him If any man Sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the Propitiation for our Sins Yet this Worketh in us no looseness nor farvour to Sin but so much the more an abhorrence of it She loveth much for much was forgiven her Yea she weeps she washeth his Feet and wipeth them with the hairs of her Head to the confounding of Simon the Pharisee and all such ignorant Hypocrites But I pass this and come to the Twentieth Chapter which is to learn us by what Measure and Standard we are to Judge of Doctrines and that is by the Design of Christianity as stated you must know by Mr. Fowler Wherefore it will be requisite here again that a Collection of Principles and Doctrines be gathered out of this Book that the Man that hath a short Memory may be helped the better to bear them in mind and to make them if he shall be so bewitched by them instead of the Bible a Standard for Truth and a Rule for him to obtain Salvation by First Then he must know that the Principle by which he must walk must be the Purity of the Humane Nature a Divine or God-like Nature which yet is but an Habit of Soul or more plainly the Morral Law as Written in the Heart and Originally the Dictates of Humane Nature a Generous Principle such an one as although it respects Law yet acts in a Sphere above it above it as a Written Law that acts even in the first Principles of it Pag. 7 8 9 10. Secondly He must know that the Holiness Christ designed to Possess his People with is that which we had lost in Adam that which he had before he fell that Natural Old Covenant Christ-less Holiness Pag. 12. Thirdly He must put a difference between those Laws of the Gospel that are Essential to Holiness and those Positive Precepts that in themselves are indifferent absolutely considered neither good nor evil but must know also that of these Possitive Precepts he alloweth but three in the Gospel but three that are purely such to wit that of coming to God by Christ the Institutions of Baptism and the Lord's Supper Pag. 7 and 9. Fourthly He must hold for certain that the Faith which Intituleth a Sinner to so high a Priviledge as that of Justification must needs be such as Complieth with all the purposes of Christ's coming into the world whiter at present it understands them or not it is no less necessary it should Justifie as it doth so P. 222. Fifthly He must know that a Man may not rely upon the Merits of Christ for the forgiveness of his Sins before he have done other good Works first Pag. 223. Sixthly And that the right explication of the imputation of Christ's Righteousness is this that it Consisteth in having to do with persons that are sincerely Righteous Pag. 225. For it is not possible for Christ's Righteousness to be imputed to an unrighteous Man Pag. 120. These things with many like to them being the main points by this Man handled and by him asserted to be the design of Christianity by these we must as by a Rule and Standard understand how to Judge of the truth of Doctrines And saith he Seeing the Design of Christianity is to make Men Holy still meaning from Principles of Humanity and by Possessing us again with the often repeated Holiness which we had lost whatsoever opinions do either directly or in their evident Consequences obstruct the promoting of it are perfectly false Pag. 227 228. Answ. Thus with one Word as if he were Lord and Judge himself he sendeth to the Pit of Hell all things that Sanctifie or make Holy the hearts of Men if they oppose the Design of his Christianity But what if the Holy Ghost will become a Principle in the hearts of the Converted and will not now suffer them to act simply and alone upon the Principles of pure Humanity or what now if Faith will become a Principle to act by instead of these that are Originally Dictates of Humane Nature Or what if a Man should act now as a Son rather then simply as a Creature indued with a Principle of Reason I question here whether these things thus doing do not obstruct put by yea and take the way of his Pure Humanity Dictates of Humane Nature and instead thereof Act and Govern the Soul by and with their own Principles For albeit there be the Dictates of Humane Nature in the Sons of Men yet neither is this Nature nor yet the Dictates of it laid by Jesus Christ as the truly Christian Principles in his But you add Those Doctrines which in their own Nature do evidently tend to the serving of THIS design of Christianity we may conclude are most True and Genuine Pag. 229. Answ. The Holiness which you so often call the Design of Christianity being by your self said to be that which we had lost for this one Sentence is it on which your whole Book is built P. 12. whatsoever Doctrine or Doctor it be that asserts it both that Doctrine is of the Devil and that Doctor an Angel of darkness or rather a Minister of Satan become as a Minister of Rigteousness For where is it said in all the whole Book of God that ever the Lord Christ Designed yea made it his Errand from Heaven to put us again in Possession of the Holiness which we had lost Yet this you affirm and tell us the business of your Book is to prove it But blessed be God your shifts are discovered and your Fig-leaves rent from off you and the Righteousness or Holiness so much cryed up by you proved to be none of the Holiness of the Gospel but that which stood with perfect ignorance thereof I might speak to what yet remains of falshood in the other part of this Chapter but having overthrown the Foundation and broken the Head of your Leviathan what remains falleth of it self and dyeth of it's own accord What you say of Modes or Forms and Sticklers for little Trifles such as place their Religion in meer Externals you may fasten them where of due they belong Yet I tell you the least of the Commandments of Christ is better then your Adamitish Holiness Your Twenty first Chapter tells us if we will believe you how we shall Judge of the necessity of Doctrine to be imbraced or rejected also you say it giveth us a brief discourse of the Nature of Fundamentals But because your discourse of them is general and not any one Particularized I might leave you in your generals till you dealt more Candidly both with the Word of God and your abused Reader Indeed you tell us of Primary Fundamentals such as without the Knowledge and belief of which it is impossible
by us This I say being the Doctrine you have asserted and the Foundation on which your Urim and Thummim stands the Foundation with your tryal are both from the Devil and Hell as hath at large been proved and discovered in this Book And I now will add and bid you take your advantage that should a man with all his might strive to obey all the Morral Laws either as they are contained in the first Principles of Morrals or in the express Decalogue or Ten Commandments without Faith First in the Blood and Death and Resurrection of Christ c. For his Justification with God his thus doing would be counted Wickedness and he in the end accounted a Rebel against the Gospel and shall be Damned for want of Faith in the Blood of the Lord Jesus Your Twenty Second Chapter saith That the Design of Christianity teacheth us what Doctrines and Practises we ought as Christians to be most Zealous for or against Pag. â—37 Answ. But there is not by that it being rightly stated one Sillable that tendeth to incourage any Man to have lower thoughts of coming to God by Christ then of keeping the Morral Law For even the first Text you bring doth utterly overthrow it Contend say you for the Faith I Answer then not for the Law of Work for the Law is not of Faith but the Man that doth these things shall live in them by them Contend earnestly for the Faith for there are certain men crept in unawares which were before of old ordained unto this Condemnation even the Condemnation that is to come upon them that Contend against the Faith for these ungodly Men turn the Grace of God into Lasciviousness and deny the onely Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Now these creeping ungodly Men may be divided into three Rancks 1. Such as by Principle and Practice both say Let us do evil that good may come thereon and their Damnation in Just Rom. 3. 8 9. 2. Such as by Practice onely appear to be such denying to profess the Principle thereof such are they that made excuse and delay when invited to come to the Wedding Mat. 22. 1 2 3. Luke 14. 3. There is yet another sort And they are such as seem to deny it both in Principle and Practice also onely they do it Covertly PRIVILY bringing in Damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them These bring upon themselves swift destruction 2. Pet. 2. 1. This Third sort make of the Doctrine of Grace and of the forgiveness of Sins through the Faith of the Righteousness of Christ a Loose and Liscentious Doctrine or a Doctrine that giveth liberty to the Flesh By reason of THESE the way of truth is evil spoken of and the Hearts of Innocent ones Alienated therefrom These will not stick to charge it upon the very chief of the Brethren if they shall say As Sin abounded Grace hath much more abounded that they press men to do evil that good may come of it Rom. 3. 8 9. But as I said these Vilisie Christ not with open Words but Covertly PRIVILY they bring in their Blasphemy under a Cloak crying the Law Holiness Strictness good Works c. Besides these cloath their Doctrines with Names and Notions that belong not at all unto them as of Christ Grace the Spirit the Gospel when there is onely there the Devil and his Angels and Errours as Angels of Light and Ministers of Righteousness Of this last sort are you and the subject matter of your Book for you bring into the World an Antigospel Holiness Holiness Antigospel Principles and Antigospel Fundamentals and that these things might be Worshiped by your Disciples you give them the Name of Holiness the Design of Christ and of Christianity by which means you remove the Christ of God from before and set him behind forbiding Men to believe on him till they have Practiced your things first Nay after they have Practiced yours they then must come to God by him still respecting the Principles and Dictates of Humanity as things of the greatest weight things that are good in themselves Still considering that coming to God by Christ is not good in it self but so onely upon the account of certain Circumstances a thing in it self of an indifferent Nature and absolutely considered neither good nor evil Wherefore Sir laying aside all fear of men not regarding what you may procure to be inflicted upon me for this may plain dealing with you I tell you again that your self is one of them that have Closely Privily and Devilishly by your Book turned the Grace of our God into a Lascivious Doctrine bespattering it with giving liberty to looseness and the hardening of the ungodly in Wickedness against whom shall you persist in your Wickedness I shall not fail may I live and know it and be helped of God to do it to discover yet farther the rottenness of your Doctrine with the accursed tendencies thereof What you say about doubtful Opinion alterable Modes Rites and Circumstances in Religion Pag. 239. I know none so wedded thereto as your selves even the whole gang of your rabling counterfeit Clergy who generally like the Ape you speak of lye blowing up the Aplause and Glory of your Trumpery and like the Tail with your Foolish and Sophistical arguings you cover the filthy parts thereof as you sweetly argue in the next Chapter Pag. 242. saying Whatsoever of such are Commended by the custome of the place we live in or commanded by Superiours or made by ANY Circumstance convenient to be done our Christian liberty Consists in this that we have leave to do them So that do but call them things indifferent things that are the customs of the place we live in or made by ANY Circumstance convenient and a man may not doubt but he hath leave to do them let him live at Rome or Constantinople or amidst the greatest Corruption of Worship and Government These are therefoâ—â— doubtless a Third sort of Fundamentals by which you can Wrastle with Conviction of Conscience and stifle it by which you can suit your self for every Fashion Mode and Way of Religion Here you may hop from Presbiterianism to a Prelatical Mode and if time and chance should serve you backwards and forwards again Yea here you can make use of several Consciences one for this way now another for that anon now putting out the Light of this by a Sophistical Delusive Argument then putting out the other by an argument that best suits the time Yea how oft is the Candle of the Wicked put out by such glorious Learning as this Nay I doubt not but a man of your Principles were he put upon it would not stick to count those you call Gospell-possitive Precepts of no Value at all in the Christian Religion for now even now you do not stick to say that that even that of going to God by Christ is one of these and that such an one as if absolutely Considered in it self