Righteousness It was given out by God himself for that end it contains the whole Obedience that God requires of the Sons of Men It has the promise of Eternal Life annext to it Do this and Live But there are two things that discover the Vanity of seeking Righteousness in this Path 1. That they have already sinned and come short of the Glory of God Rom. 3. 23. So that though they should for the time to come fulfil the whole Law yet there is a Score upon them already they know not how to answer for 2. That if former Debts were blotted out yet they are no way able to fulfil the Law for the future many other Devices men have found out but in the Issue the matter comes to this They look upon themselves 1. As sinners obnoxious to the Law of God and the Curse thereof so that unless that be satisfied it 's in vain from thence to seek after an appearance before God 2. As Creatures made to a Super-natural end and therefore bound to answer the whole Mind and Will of God Now both these being beyond the Compass of their own endeavours it 's their wisdom to find out a Righteousness that may answer both these to the utmost now both these are to be had only in the Lord Christ who is our Righteousness Who 1. Expiates former Iniquities 2. Fulfils the whole Law by his active Obedience Rom. 5. 10. We are saved by his Life And now the Doctor has told you the short of his Story But our Author confutes him much shorter and without Cicumlocution replies This is a mighty comfortable Discovery how we may be Righteous without doing any thing that is good or Righteous I 'le warrant you a whole Cart-load of Books hath been Written of this Subject all which with Laconick Brevity our Author has blown away with one Puff And is not this a Compendious way of Dispatching Controversies out of the World It is a Truth that none is Righteous but he that doth righteousness and as great a Truth that None is righteous before God because he doth righteousness Without Holiness no man shall see God and without something more than his own holiness no man shall see God or it were better he had never seen him But more distinctly 1. It 's seasonable to enquire what is the Mind of the Church of England in this Matter and She speaks freely Art 11. We are accounted righteous before God only for the Merit of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ by Faith and not for our own Works Pray ask her then Whether we may be Righteous without doing any thing that is Righteous for which we are so accounted in the sight of God And whereas he says with a Scoff This is a mighty comfortable Doctrine The Church in that very Article determines in earnest Wherefore that we are justified by Faith only is a most whole some Doctrine and full of Comfort Either then that Article Confutes his Assertion or his Assertion confutes the Article Again Art 13. Works done before the Grace of Christ and the Inspiration of the Spirit are not pleasant to God for as much as they spring not of Faith in Christ. And for that they are not done as God hath Commanded them to be done no doubt but they have the Nature of sin Hence it were easie to argue against our Author Those works which are not pleasant to God which have the Nature of sin cannot justifie the doer of them But all works done before the Grace of Christ the Inspiration of his Spirit which spring not from Faith are such therefore they cannot justifie the doer of them before God Either then we must never be justified or else we must be justified without good Works as that for which we are justified at least though the Article would conclude something more It 's very uncomely to see ill taught Children to spit in their Mothers face and we account that an evil Bird that defiles its own Nest. 2 It will be no less seasonable to enquire into the mind of the Spirit also And the Apostle Paul seems to speak high Rom. 4. 5. To him that worketh not but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness And more modesty would become him than to quip the Apostle and tell him This is a comfortable discovery how a man may be righteous without doing any thing that is righteous Again In the business of Election the Apostle argues thus Rom. 11. 6. If it be by Grace then it is not of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace but if it be of Works then it is no more Grace otherwise Work is no more Work 3. It 's seasonable to enquire whether our Author had not better have understood the Doctor better before he had undertaken to answer him For when he asserts that we are justified by Christ he excludes not the way and means that God hath appointed to make the righteousness of Christ to become ours He that saith we are justified by Christ doth not deny we are justified by Faith and therefore not without doing something that is good Nay he excludes not Inherent righteousness from the Soul nor Gospel obedience from the Life only he excludes them as too defective and imperfect to make us stand before God in the judgment And herein he seems a more dutiful Son of the Church of England than our Author let the 12th Art judge Albeit Works which are the fruits of Faith and follow after Iustification cannot put away our sins and endures the severity of Gods judgment yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known as a Tree discerned by the fruit Whence it is obvious That if our good Works which are the fruits of Faith which follow Iustification cannot endure the severity of Gods judgment What shall become of those that are only the fruits of Nature and go before Iustification Again If those Works which are pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ yet cannot endure the severity of Gods Iudgment Where then shall those appear that being done before Iustification have the Nature of sin and are not pleasant to God As the 13th Art determines To whomsoever then this is comfortable Doctrine I am sure it was once so to our Author who by Subscribing these very Doctrines got a Living of very comfortable Importance and might have had the Civility with them of Ephesus to have owned By this Craft we get our Living But if our Author like not the Doctors way let him prescribe his own only let him be sure it be a better and safer way That he will The Scripture tells us expresly he is righteous that doth righteousness and without Holiness no man shall see God that the only way to obtain the pardon of our sins is to repent of them and forsake
with that Reverend Divine and tell her to her Teeth she is a Tatter-de-mallion and a Rapscallion And let Vertue Duty and a good Life be Urged and Pressed upon the Conscience with the most Cogent Arguments that Reason and Scripture will afford you Mr. Watson will Live and Sleep and Love you They are only these Quaint Nice Finical points of Vice and Vertue which he and all Judicious Christians who had rather have their Hearts and Lives better'd than their Ears tickled do Disgust A Quaint point of Vice at which your Jesuites are so Excellent that they have acquainted the World with more Sublimated and Speculatives Rogueries than perhaps else the Devil himself had ever thought of Such we meet with in their Books of Casuistical Divinity where men are Taught an Art of sinning to be Villanous in Mood and Figure and as some have reacht the perfection of Poysoning by Smells at a distance so have these Infected the World with their Theories of Monstrous Debaucheries They have started Game for unclean hearts to Hunt down and set unsanctified Nature agog for those Pollutions of which it had else lived in a blessed Ignorance There are Quaint points of Vertue too which will not down with any sanctified Souls and Ears who desire to hear of their Redeemer and their Obligations to him upon the Account of what he has Purchased and Procured for them When one that suppâ—…ies the place of the Minister but more fit to fill up the room of the Ideot shall with a starched Gravity Dress you up a Vertue A-la-mode like a Morice-dancer with a comely Feather in her Cap Ribands at her Ears and Tuneable Bells at her Heels and then come off with a Flourish Oh what a goodly thing is this Madam Vertue Let him that speaks speak as becomes the Oracles of God let him without affected Quaintness with a serious Spirit in the Words which the Holy Ghost teacheth open the Excellency demonstrate the Necessity of any Vertue and Mr. Watson is very well contented Having now made an Essay towards the Reconciling Mr. W. and our Author I hope I may without Offence proceed Before our Author takes his leave of his Reader which he does with much Civility he lets him know what he has had for his Money First he tells him He has given him an entire Scheme of a New Religion resulting from an acquaintance with Christs Person But we crave leave to Demur to that It 's neither a Scheme much less an entire Scheme of any Religion New or Old only a Wispe that he set up to himself to Scold at Next he lifts up his Masque that we may see the full Face of his Design for hitherto he has been in Masquerade and that he tells us was to Expose these Mens Principles to Scorn But that we saw through his Vizor and needed not his Gazet to give us an Advertisment that his chiefest Talent lies in Misrepresenting mens Persons their Expressions and Intentions in casting Dirt upon the the sincerest Actions and Invidiously traducing the greatest Truth of the Gospel Thirdly He tells us That every considering Person cannot but discover how Inconsistent the Religion of Christs Person and of his Gospel are But this Distinction was but the Superfoetation of his own Parturient Brain we own one God and one Mediator between God and man one holy Spirit one Faith one Baptism delivered to us in the Scriptures of Truth And further than the Scriptures have a Tongue to Speak we have no Ear to Hear Whereas therefore a certain Vagrant Principle concerning the difference betwixt the Religion of the Person and Gospel of Christ has been taken Begging at our Doors and would have Father'd it self upon us Now know all men whom it may Concern that we have Executed the Law upon it have Stript and Whipt it and do hereby send it from Constable to Constable till it shall come at the Parish of St. George ButtolphsLane and the Rectory there where the Brat was Born and Bred and there 't is most fitting it should be Maintained The Reader cannot but Observe that how Hotly soever our Author is Engaged in the Pursuit of his Design yet he can always find leisure to have a Fling at the Acquaintance of Christs Person If there were but two things in all the World to Rail at one of them should be Acquaintance of Christs Person Hence it is that he has not got a finer Nick-name for those he would Vilifie than the Acquaintances of Christ. Thus pag. 56. As these bold acquaintance and familiars of Christ use to speak p. 68. As another great acquaintance of Christ speaks which though it be perfect Nonsence yet serves to express his Scolding Humour well enough Now I confess I cannot Divine what should thus give Fire to his Choler and enflame his Passion against acquaintance with Christ. It must be either the Name or the thing it self that I am satisfied in 1. Then Is it that Term that disliks him Alas poor Word What harm had it ever done him I could wish that to prevent Quarrels and keep the Peace he may have liberty to make some other word its Substitute and Surrogate Let it be the Knowledge of Christ the Understanding of Christ or what ever other Synonima his Sylva will furnish him with rather than to have such a continual Peal rung in our Ears with this Acquaintance And yet he might have known that the Word is no worse than what the Learned Translators of our English Bible saw or thought they saw Reason to employ It has now lain so long Mellowing in that Version that it might be presumed to have lost the Austerity of its Nature and to have been Sweetned to his Curious and Judicious Palate In Iob 22. 21. Acquaint now thy self with him and be at peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the word signifies to Familiarize our selves to a Thing or Person And the same word is used to express Gods own Knowledge of and Acquaintance with his Creatures and all their ways Psal. 139. 3. Thou art acquainted with all my ways 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it s opposed to a strange overâ—…y Carriage when we live at a distance from another as if there was no good and clear Correspondence between us and the truth is it implies a thing called Communion and therein lies its Guilt But 2. I suspect that it is acquaintance with Christs Person that has provoked all this Rage Acquaintance with any Thing or Person else might have scaped a Scouring and yet under Correction 1. The Scripture presses it as our Duty to Study Understand and get a through Knowledge of the Personof Christ 2 Pet. 3. 18. But grow in Grace and in the Knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ to him be Glory both now and for ever Amen And 2. We find holy Men to have made it their business to get an acquaintance with Christs Person which this Gentleman makes it his business to Reproach
Divinity but here I want that Candor For not content to glean amongst Volkelius his Sheaves which an honest man may doe he steals the very Shocks and never so much as once owns his Benefactor Lib. 3. de verâ Relig. p. 173. Deus non nisi per Christum cognosci potest ut qui Dei inconspicui Imago est 2 Cor. 4. 4. eúmque id est ejus voluntatem nobis enarravit Now will you have our Authors Translation in Masquerade Christ hath made a True representation of the Divine Nature and Will and it 's plain that in this Sence Christ is called the Image of God 2 Cor. 4. 4 It 's Plain yes wondrous plain that Volkelius is of that Opinion and for any other plainness we are to seek For so he Ibid. Quâ de causâ splendor gloriae Dei character substantiae ejus appellatur Hebr. 1. 3. utpote clarissimè perfectissiméque Divinam voluntatem nobis explanans But here I perceive our Author will compound willingly with him and fairly part stakes with him Upon which account sayes he as well as with respect to his Divine Nature he is call'd The Brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person And when our Author has yielded him The May be so we remember his Excellency in concluding it Must be so I confess I have neither list nor leisure to follow our Author through the tedious Ramble of his Repetitions because I see he loves no bodies Tautologies but his own nor shall I be much concern'd to enquire after that odd generation of Men who if our Author may be believed clamour most unmercifully that Christ is never Preach'd unless he be Named in every Sentence For I know well it 's easie to make a Man of Clouts and then to arraign condemn and execute in Effigie the Creature oâ—… our own Making Thus did the Barbarous Heathens cloath the Primitive Christians in Bears-skins and then expose them to be torn in pieces by the Dogs And thus are Christians dress'd up by the bloody Papists in the Sambenit or Devils-Coat and then committed as Hereticks to the greater Mercy of the devouring flames I know it 's an easie thing with our Author to Name Christ a hundred times and yet to speak as very little of Gospel as he has done But one thing I must and desire the Reader that he will not fail to take special Notice of I find our Author over the shooes in Love and most desperately doting upon his own Critical Learning for having observed to us Ch. 1. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4. 20. signifies not Taught as our English Translation jejunely renders it but instructed emphatically Instructed And suspecting least by this time in a dust of words and hurry of Business we might have quite forgot it he very charitably rubs up our Memory and referrs us to the place of its Birth where that happy Criticisme first drew its breath and appeared in the World 'T is Chapter the First Reader Oh! never forget Chapter the First Happy Chapter the First that first teem'd so precious a Notion for the Benefit of succeeding Ages Now because these Papers of mine and his are like to be long-lived and perhaps not to survive the year of their Birth and yet to be deprived of the Observation would be a loss Irreparable let me begg of our Author to send this enclosed Note to Mr. P. which I have left open that he may have the Honour of Letters Patents TO THE Reverend Author of the Synopsis Criticorum aliorumque S. S. Interpretum SIR BEing a great Admirer of and a small subscriber to your learned Labours I was also Ambitious to contribute something to their Intrinsick Value Be pleased therefore when Ephes. 4. 20. shall call for your Industry to take special Notice of the latâ—… Observation of Mr. W. S. and instead of Taught to read Instructed and as you will thereby enrich your Work and doe right to the Author so will you Oblige Posterity and particularly Your humble Servant N. N. Having thus fairly rid my hands of the Encumbrance of our Author I might honestly wind up this Section did I not think it might be acceptable to the Reader to receive a Bâ—…eviate of some of the True Reasons why it was Necessary Christ should come into the world the main Work he had to do here and the special Design of that Work in reference to God and Man 1. The Causes rendering it Necessary that the Son of God should once appear in this lower World are such as these 1. The first Cause lay deep 〈◊〉 the Bosom Counsel and Decree of God who 〈◊〉 he viewed the Fall and Revolt of Man from 〈◊〉 the world was so did he purpose effectually to recover again to himself his Elect by Christ Therefore is God said 1 Tit. 1. 2. to promise 〈◊〉 Life before the World began that the Faith of 〈◊〉 Elect eyes this Promise that the Ministers of 〈◊〉 Gospel do preach this Promise all of which 〈◊〉 onely Yea and Amen in Christ 2. The Complyance of the Son of God in pursuance of this Eternal Purpose is very considerable who was autâ—…ritatively sent and voluntarily came to speed the Decree and Counsel of God Heb. 10. 7. Lo I 〈◊〉 to do thy Will O God 3. The Early Promise of a Redeemer almost from the Foundation of the World made God a Debtor not to Man buâ—… to his own Truth to send him in the Fulness of tiâ—… into the World who before all Time was purposeâ—… and in the first dawnings of Time was promised Heb. 10. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iâ—… the Beginning of the Scripture in the Head of the Book it is written viz. Gen. 3. 15. That the seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head 4. The renewed and frequently repeated and gradually â—…nlarged Promises and Propheâ—…ies of a Redeemer once to be actually exhibited whereby God kept alive the drooping Hope and languishing Faith of his Church as Candidates in a state of Expectancy superadded another Cause of the Necessity of Christs coming in the Flesh Gen. 49. 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet till Shiloh come Isa. 9. 6. Unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and his Name shall be called Wonderfull Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace 5. The Types and Shadowes which from the Beginning represented him to the Faith of Believers had all their Strength Vertue and Efficacy from Him and that also made it Necessary that Christ the Substance should come to answer them for what could the blood of Bulls and Goats signifie to the appeasing of Gods Anger the removing of Guilt and the making peace betwixt God and Man which the Scripture frequently assures us they did doe and yet the same Scripture as clearly assures us in their own Nature they could not doe otherwise than with respect to
would at first imagine and that is an Acquaintance with Christs Person which if we will believe some men is the onely Fountain of saving Knowledge And is it grown such an unpardonable Crime in England to be acquainted with or to have any Knowledge of Christs Person by his Gospel Are these things grown so inconsistent all o th' sudden It 's not so very long since that our Author could allow that the Greatness of his Person as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man was of some Consideration and that Consideration of some good use too we were told what Credit his Person gave to his Laws what repute it brought to his Doctrine what value it procured to his Sacrifice and what Influence it had upon the great Ends of Religion and are his Person and Gospel so fallen out of late that there 's no hopes of an Accommodation What our Author may doe I know not but other men I am sure have learn'd to distinguish betwixt a King and his Laws though they do not oppose them and to put a difference between a Prophet and his Revelations without creating differences between them they can look upon a Priest and his Sacrifice as two things and yet not as contrary things to consider Christ and his Gospel under distinct and yet not under inconsistent Notions Oh! but the Quarrel lyes a great deal deeper That they make the Person of Christ the onely Fountain of saving Knowledge I confess I could not expect that they should scape without a Chiding who say Christ's Person is the Fountain of saving Knowledge when the Apostle himself could not escape a Nip for calling him the onely Foundation p. 105. And yet as it has been accounted discretion not to throw away our foul Water till we have got fair so some I perceive are resolved not to leave their Confidence in Christ till our Author can show them a stronger bottom for Faith nor to despise Christ as the Fountain of Knowledge till he has discovered them one both fuller and freer of that which concerns their Salvation They will own the Gospel to be the Conduit which Conveighs to us the Knowledge of God but they are somewhat bold to assert Christ to be the Fountain that fills it They own the Gospel to be the next immediate Cause which Derives saving Knowledge to us but yet Christ is the Original Spring whence all true saving Knowledge of God is Derived and they are the more confirmed in it because Christ himself spoke a word John 1. 18. That no man had seen God at any time the only Begotten Son who was in the Bosome of the Father He hath revealed Him But yet say what you will or can There is another Notion of the Knowledge of Christ very distinct from our Authors The true meaning whereof is no more than this That it 's better so Excellent a Book had been Written upon a false Ground than none at all and that it 's more desireable to run upon a sleeveless Errand than to sit still And this is enough to stay any mans Stomach by way of Repetition what gallant Feats our Author has done in the former Section A Taste of his Modesty and Ingenuity follows For he will not envy the Author the glory of the Discovery and will therefore honestly confess where he had it For he who would be loath that any should Rob him of the glory of his rare Discoveries upon Ephes. 4. 20. is as unwilling to be accounted a pilfering Plagiary one that Filches his Notions from others and will not own his Benefactors Now the great Grievance lies against a Book Intitled Communion with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost distinctly Written by John Owen D. D. And here I must openly profess that I have no Commission either from this Gentleman or those others Concern'd in the Reproaches of our Author to Vindicate their Names or Interpose in their Concerns they need not my Defence and Vindication they are of Age to answer for themselves and would certainly do it but that they are Discouraged by an Old French Diverb Le jeune vault pas La chandelle The Game will not pay for the Candle And perhaps they may be of his Temper who could not be perswaded to wrest that dull Creature that is sometimes free of his Hoof. What I therefore write is by vertue of a general Warrant In a Common Invasion every one is supposed to be Listed against the Common Enemy and a charitable Bucket will not be refused towards the Quenching of a general Fire Every Christian has his Concerns in Truth and if it be lawful to Oppose it it may be presumed lawful too to Defend it Not waiting therefore till I receive express Order nor fearing the Fate of that noble Person who was Sentenced to Death by his own Father because he Fought though he Routed the Enemy without Command I shall Impartially consider what his loud Clamour against these Persons fignifies and whether the Fleece do answer the Cry of his Hog-shearing Our Author begins with Doctor Owen and from amongst all the Books that he has Publisht he has singled out that Practical piece of Communion with God This some think was most absurdy and disingenuously done to wave his Polâ—…mical writings wherein he has of set purpose Stated and Handled these very Points and fall Foul upon a Practical one which meant him no Harm But they that so Judge must Excuse me if I think otherwise and that it was most Politickly and Advisedly done for surely might he think if ever I take the Doctor Napping and Trip up his Heels it must be where he never Dreamt of an Enemy And yet so unluckily has it fallen out that as if he had been aware of After-claps and written his Book by Prophesie he has so warily Exprest himself that none need fear to be his Second or despair of his Faire and clear Vindication His first and great Quarrel is against these words Commun p. 88. Christ is not only the Wisdom of God but made Wisdom to us not only by Teaching us Wisdom as He is the Great Prophet of the Church but also because by the Knowledge of Him we become Acquainted with the Wisdom of God which is our Wisdom The summe of which is asserted in Terms Col. 2. 3. In Him dwell all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge The Reader is bound to presume that some great Mischief must needs Lurk in these words if one could find it out though as to us poor Dim-sighted Mortals there 's nothing but what might have Travelled safely upon the Road without a Hue and Cry and raising the Posse Comitatus against â—…t That Christ is the Wisdom of God and made Wisdom to us is the express Language of the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 24. 30. That He Teaches us Wisdom carrys the same Scripture Credentials along with it That He is the great Prophet of the Church is Voucht by the same Authority that by our knowing of Him
Church believed at all adventures right or wrong he has introduced another full as easie The Belief of the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead A Faith happily contrived for the Genius of this sparing Age which saves us two parts in three of Christ's Offices and eleven parts in twelve of our very Creed 3. Let it be modestly examined also whether To be justified through Faith in the Blood of Christ and to be justified by believing that God raised up Christ from the Dead â—…e expressions of the same importance If they be then we may be said to be reconciled to God by the Resurrection and that Christ in being raised from the Dead was made sin for us a Sacrifice for sin and it 's something strange that none of the Apostles could hit upon such expressions as might recommend them and their writings to our Author's Charity 4. Let it be considered also whether Christ's Resurrection was the last Argument he gave to confirm the Truth of the Gospel I think his visible Appearance to his Disciples after his Resurrection and those Miraculous Operations he then put forth his Ascension into Heaven whilst his Disciples looked on his pouring out the Spirit upon the Apostles enabling them to speak with Tongues his empowering them to work Miracles many years after his Resurrection and Ascension were all Confirmations of the Truth of his Gospel and all subsequent to his Resurrection 5. Let it have a place in our Thoughts too seeing Christ's Resurrection was the great Confirmation of his Doctrine without which all the rest and especially his Death had been no Confirmation of it and yet Atonement Propitiation Reconciliation Redemption are not ascribed to it whether the Death of Christ to which all these are ascribed have an Influence upon our Acceptance with God only as it confirms his Doctrine It is strange that the Apostles should word matters so crosly to attribute those things to the Death of Christ which do most properly belong to the Resurrection and those things to the Resurrection which do most properly belong to his Death And all-out as strange that our Author should make such a noise with Atonement Reconciliation Redemption and ascribe all these to his Death when-as upon the sole-Reason of his Ascribing them to that Death they are much more rationally applicable to his Resurrection There are some well-meaning Souls no doubt that have read our Author's Book who finding such Glorious things ascribed to the Death of Christ Iustification by his Blood Redemption by his Blood Reconciliation by his Blood lift up their Eyes and cry out What pitty it is that such a sweet young Gentleman that has written such a precious Piece of Union Communion Sacrifice Atonement Redemption and Reconciliation stuft so full with Orthodox Propositions should be taken upon suspicion for a Socinian and yet when we come to scan these fine words they prove nothing but a company of sweet Flowers stuck about his Dead Body And to be justified by Faith in the Blood of Christ is no more but to believe that Christ is a Prophet sent to reveal God's Will to us The Conclusion of the whole Matter then will be this If the Death of Christ has no other influence upon our Acceptance with God but that it confirms to us this Truth That God will pardon and save them that believe and obey the Gospel it has no influence at all upon God for that End for which I refer my self to the Reader and the Reader to the foregoing Discourse He goes on Hence is it also that the Apostles attribute such things to the Blood of Christ as are the proper and immediate Effects of the Gospel-Covenant and therefore all the Blessings of the Gospel are owing to the Blood of Christ because the Gospel-Covenant it self was procured and confirmed by the Blood of Christ. I am now perfectly cured of my Ambition to be one of the Corporation of your Rational Divines and if this be Reason I do by these presents renounce it for ever Here are two words Hence and Therefore which always pretend to inference and conclusion I shall examine how well they make good their Pretences First Hence I pray whence Out of what Premises is this Conclusion deduced That the Apostles attribute such things to the Blood of Christ as are the Proper and Immediate Effects of the Gospel-Covenant Let us look back as far as fairly we may To be justified by Faith by the Faith of Christ by Christ by his Blood c. signifie one and the same thing and Hence it is that the Apostles attribute such things to the Blood of Christ c. And really turn it quite backwards and it will conclude as strongly The Apostles attribute such things to the Blood of Christ as are the proper and immediate Effects of the Gospel Covenant and 〈◊〉 it is that To be justified by Faith by the Faith of Christ by Christ by his Blood c. signify one and the same thing Now when he can once bring matters into this Posture he is safe and out of the Gun-shot of Reply for which way soever you come to attaque him you must deny the Conclusion But let us leave out the Hence and consider the words absolutely The Apostles attribute such things to the Blood of Christ as are the proper and immediate Effects of the Gospel-Covenant To which I answer 1. It 's just as easie for another if he had but a Licence to say The Apostles attribute such things to the Gospel-Covenant as are the proper and immediate Effects of the Blood of Christ and with better Reason because whatever acceptation our Services and Duties our Repentance and Obedidience find with God is clearly assigned to the Blood of Christ. But 2. This is a foul scandalous slander which he throws upon the Apostles they give to the Blood of Christ it s own proper and immediate Effects they rob not Repentance and Obedience to adorn the Sacrifice of Christ with borrowed Plumes They give to Christ the things that are Christ's and to Faith Repentance and Obedience the things that are Theirs They ascribe our Redemption to the Blood of Christ as a proper Price paid to God and they ascribe to Faith it s own Efficiency to interest us in the Benefits of that Redemption They ascribe Reconciliation to the Blood of Christ as its immediate proper Effect without any intervening Act of the Creature for that End and they ascribe to Faith Repentance and Obedience their proper and immediate Concerns to put us into the actual and full Possession of all the Fruits of that Reconciliation made with God They attribute Pardon of Sin to the Blood of Christ who was made sin for us an expiatory Sacrifice to remove guilt that is the Obligation of the Sinner to punishment and they attribute the Application of that Pardon unto Individuals unto Faith as that whereby we receive Christ and all his Benefits 3. If these be the proper and