that thereby he might the more undiscernedly represent him as an Impostor Recanter and one inconsistent with himself Having put before a quite contrary construction upon it meerly to blind the eyes of his Reader to what the Dr. produces it for Thus having clapt his own sense to what he has partially pickt out of the Dr's work he runs and setches what the Dr. urges to clear and prove the same both by Scripture and Argument to render him the vilest cheat and most vainglorious Person imaginable This I will be bound to make good even to our Author's Face if he dares openly appear in this Cause As for instance he quotes the Dr. ut suprà Vol. II. Serm. 8. viz. That God's pardoning sinners and justifying the ungodly are not now or hereafter to be done c. And thereupon our Author fixed his virulent sense ut priùs that we must not look for Remission of Sins or Justification in this Life c. but retains the Dr's own explanation of them for another Charge against him even that of Fallacy and Recantation thus dividing betwixt the Dr's Positions and Explications he would make way for the fixing of Heresie upon him on the one hand and of Double-dealing and Deceitfulness on the other Therefore I shall quote what our Author himself scatâ—eringly cites out of the Dr. for the fore-mentioned ends and then let the Reader determine as Auth. That God's pardoning Sinners and justifying the ungoâ—ly are not now or hereafter to be done they are not present or future but were dispatched long ago Quoted in Crispiams Vnmask'd p. 51 52. even from Eternity God had all this at once in his eye and having this Platform before him as if all were then in being he sets down his own Act of his Royal Assent that for every such Person as he had chosen and for every such Transgression that should be committed at such and such a time by such and such Persons he would accept of such a Christ whom he would fit to bear their Transgressions As the Elect were in the Eye of the Lord before they had a real Existence and Being so all their iniquities were laid on Christ from Eternity But it must needs be granted that the particular Application of this Grace to Persons that the Lord hath laid mine iniquities and thine iniquities upon Christ individually must needs be in time Now what grounds had our Author to deal so wretchedly false with the Doctor as he doth as to â—ay That there is no need of begging for Faith or any other Grace or Forgiveness of Sin or any other spiritual Priviledge c. this being prefixed to one part of his curtailed braâ—ch against the Dâ—ctor and to usher in another part of the same which is the Doctor 's Explanation of the former part he tells us That it fell from the Doctor 's own Lips and Pen by chance and that here you see he expresses it as a future thing that God would accept of Christ And then for the third part of his quâ—tation he tells us That He i. e. the Doctor at length submits to this which is the real Truth but which he had boggled at so long and that indeed this is his way very often he takes a great deal of pains to rear up a Notion and then of a sudden pulls it down again Thus our Author like a cunning Sophister to divert his Reader from attending upon him in his vileness and manner of his Proceedings as conscious to himself of what he had done like a Thief on the pursuit of an Hue and Cry leaves his theft with another would charge them upon the Doctor This is not only the Jesuits Method to divide and rule but also the practical dexterity of the Atheist to undermine the Scripture endeavouring to make of it a meer self-contradiction What Peace such Courses are like to be productive of one day I think it were well our Author did in time consider Thus he deals with the Doctor in the remainder of his Charge p. 56. 57 58 c. wherein by endeavouring to unmask others who fully plainly soundly and honestly as in their proper colours appear in their Writings he drops down the Vizard of his own Face verifying the old Maxim That there never yet was cheat but sooner or latter proved an open exposed Fool. Unto the Reader 's farther Satisfaction as to our Author's Treachery herein I shall refer him to an impartial disquisition and comparing of both Books together which by then he has done he will soon be able to determine on whose side the Scales turn for there is not one of those Authors he brings against the Doctor whose Treatises I am acquainted with but fully speak of him both as to Election Justification Graces and Duties which I could with ease make to appear were it my present work so to do only this let me add That amongst the many scores of black characters that he gives the Doctor I know not one of them as far as I have been informed either by Teacherâ— or Authors Men both of sound Matter and excellent Spirits to be in a State of Reproâ—ation as deriding the new Birth and the like c. a special Mark of the Son of the Bond-Woman Gen 21. 9. compare Gal. 4. 29 30. And yet that the Doctor in our Author's Judgment together with his Prefaces should be a good Man and in Heaven is to me a perfect Riddle unless the measures they take here be from their owned allowed deceitâ—ul practises here and yet can retain confident hopes of Glory hereafter Lye not but let thy Heart be true to God Thy Mâ—uth to it thy Actions to them both Cowards tell Lies and those that fear the Rod The stormy working Soul spits Lies and Froth Dare to be true nâ—thing can need a Lye A fault which needs it most grows two thereby Herbert 's Poems pag. 3. Roma vale vidi satis est vidisse revertar Cum Caeno meretrix 〈◊〉 cinoedus ero GREAT Carbanado'd Crisp What 's now thy Crown And was thy Glory here is â—â—ampled down Here is no Synagouge alass foâ— thee Since Christ alone gave Eyes and made thee see Had'st thou but own'd some sub-caelestial Cause Heaven mix'd with Earth by some Creation-Laws A Ground-Work out of Nature for Free-Grace As of her kind Her Mysteries to place And in a Logical Phlehotomy Let out thy Notions by Phylosophy Thou hadst been crown'd for thy Divinity But 't is too late since thou hast scap't the Fire And yet dost live unsing'd in thy Attire Free from Chaldean Scent and rather more Enlarg'd than cramp'd from what thou wast before Pass on Jehovah's Test let England know Who are her Worthies Shibboleth and who Pronounce Sibboleth Want of this lisp With some impairs thy Credit Gracious Crisp Whilst others hunger thirst and pant for more Of that whereof thou hast an Ocean store T. Edwards AN APPENDIX THERE is lately come into my Hands a small Pamphlet
and of Fasting◠〈…〉 pâ—oportion of these answerable to the latitude and height of such transgressioâ—◠〈…〉 ease this takes away the burthen this lays the Soul at rest and quiet it Bâ—t he â—â—olly diâ—regards what follows namely Therefore when a Soul hath Transgrâ—ssed if iâ— be 〈◊〉 most or almost all the pantings of it are after extraordinary enlargemeâ—ts in bitterness and heâ—viness and mourning and melting and tears these are accounteâ— they that wash away Iniquity But beloved let me tell you it is impossible that all the righteousness of men though it were more perfect than it can be should lay one iniquity or any of the least circumstance of one iniquity upon Christ If a Man could weep his heart out if his heart could melt like Wax and dissolve into Water and gush out Riverâ— of Teâ—rs for sin all this could not carry away the least dram of the filthiness of 〈◊〉 from 〈…〉 â—oul unto Christ nor unload the Soul of any sin to load Christ with it And is not all this true can any of our Duties cause God to lay sins upon Christ Doth not herein â—e the secret yea radical difference as to what our Author would basely insinuate both in the matter and manner and that very distortively from what it iâ— thâ—t the Dr. assertâ— the same between the Protestant and Popish Doctrin See Hos 8. 13 compard with the Marginal Râ—ading Where the Lord's charge even against a professing People is not thâ—ir rejectiâ—g of his Sacrifice but a postponiâ—g of it unto their own and thereby assigning the meritâ— of all their acceptance both in pardoning and justifying Grace unto the Sacrifice of the Lord provided that their own believing repenting c. have but a precedent or at least a mixed interest therein but what the consequence thereof was is evident even a toral disappointment of them not only in their hopes and expectations but also that That which they seemed to have or thought they had would prove but an emptiness or a Lie unto them in that they should find themselveâ— but in Egypt still i. e. neither changed in their state or nature He further cites him leaving out a part of the Objection and Answer also whence he picks his Charge wherein thou mayst yet further see into the Orthodoxy of the Doctor together with the Jesuitical design of our Author As Obj But some will say Though our performances do not lay our iniquities upon Christ â—et they do prevail with God and Dr. Crisp 's Work Vol. II. Serm. 6. p. 319. move God with pity towards us and stir up God to take our iniquites off from us and lay them upon Christ Now our Author comes in God cannot but melt will some say to see the tears of his People and the bitterness of their Spirits and their crying and their earnestness and their sorrows These cannot but prevail with him â—o have compassion on them To which he replies in these words I know this is the general conceit of too many in the World But beloved let me tell you there is nothing in all the Creatures in the World that hath the least prevalency with the Lord let them do what they can all our Prayers all our Tears all our Fastings all our Mournings all our Reluctancy and fighting against our Corruptions they move God not a jot to lay our sins upon Christ But he leaves out what immediately follows wherein the Doctor explains himself thus God is moved only from himself If they move God what must they move him to If God be moved at any thing he is moved according to the nature of the thing that is done If the nature of the thing produce evil effects God must be moved to do evil to Men if good effects if there be good in the things they move him to Good Now I ask is there good or evil in any thing Men do When they have sinned they pray and they confess and they mourn and they fast is there evil or good in these looked upon in their own nature No Man can deny but that there is abundance of Iniquity in the best Performances a Man doth and God is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity That which must move God to do good must have a goodness in it self all the motive therefore in the Lord is simply himself Now doth the Doctor contradict himself at all in any of this Let him that runs both read and judge These proceedings in the manner of them may allusively be applied unto what old Jacob charges upon his Sons Simeon and Levi viz. That they made him even to stink in the Land i. e. under a pretence of estastablishing an Ordinance of God which was Circumcision they had deceitfully and villainously but gratified their own Lusts by the same Thus it is in reference to Reformation when Persons so cry up Holiness which is an indispensible Qualification as well as mark of a Child of God yet so as to dethrone what is of a higher nature both in kind and degree they are as experience all along informs us enforced to betake themselves to such visibly-pitiful subterfuges and wretched Prevarications in the Prosecution of their designs therein that even Holiness and Reformation themselves have become nauseous to them about us yea such has been their methods and measures in their seeming endeavours after a promoting of them as that they are so far from being truly expressive of the same both in their nature and kind as that indeed if practically attended unto would prove destructive unto the very receiveâ— dictaâ—es of the Light of Nature it self and that in the common moral operation of the same Wheâ—ce it is that true Holiness in the universal nature thereof is not only so little regarded by and appearing in most of their followers but also become a meer fancy and but a by-word unto those who expresly prefer Morality uâ—to Grace by denying unto them any essential difference in the same These things indeed both in their Principles and Practices are the very Achan of our Israel and though they have put a stop in some measure unto the Camp of real Reformation in its more apparent progressiveness therein yet I am satisfied that God is in this very day of Controversie a leading all such Abbetors of them so into the Valley of Decision as will manifest that his grand contest with them is not so muâ—h their espousing but appropriating even of his own truths his Silver Gold and pleasant things definitive of the Graces wrought by and Duâ—ies enabled unto by his own Spirit unto their own Temples all which however black they may seem for the present yet are absoâ—ute Tokens of God's being nigh at haâ—d and thâ—t with a purposed design to decide the matter in dispute for his sumâ—oning of 〈◊〉 herâ—uâ—to is as is evident but in order to his speedy appearance Jâ—el 3. 5. â—â— â—2 〈◊〉 v. 1 14. for God will remember Amalek for standing in the way
the assistance of the Holy Spirit But he leaves out his end therein as follows viz. But under favour the attributing Dr. Crisp's Works Vol. II. Serm. 1. p. 235 236. of such efficacy to this Righteousness though thus assisted by Christ's Spirit is more than is meet though Christ be explicitely owned as the Author of such assistance the righteousness so assisted hath no efficacy at all to obtainany thing of the Lord but rather an efficacy to hasten and multiply wrath in that it multiplies sin THE righteousness with which we come to God though we bring with it the Water of the Spirit of Christ to wash away our old dung p. 236. yet there is such filth in the Vessel of our present righteous actions that the action doth but add dung to dung instead of washing dung away Again our Author p. 22. quotes the Dr p. 150. The sum of which he tells us is That neither Prayer nor Hamiliation nor Repentance nor any other Duties whatsoever though they be done most sincerely servently and zealously though the persons that do them be helped by the Holy Spiâ—it therein are means of procuring Crispian unmask'd p. 22. any Blessing from God They never prevent any Evil or Danger they cannot divert God's Wrath and Displeasure they conduce not one jot to our peace and joy of Mind to our comfortable Walking they afford us no hopes of the Forgiveness of Sin and the Favour and Love of God and as you shall heâ—r afterwards they cannot be made use of as Signs and Tokens of the goodness of our condition Now hear what the Dr. says The Scripture is marvelous plentiful in this that no Believer for whom Christ died should have the least Dr. Crisp ' s Works Vol. I. Serm. 10. p. 150. thought in his heart of promoting or advancing himself or any end of his own by doing what he doth And though as People may think here is a marvellous discouragement to Persons to do what God calls them to do when they shall have nothing for it I answer when there is a spirit of ingenuity as you know there is even in the World they shall be as industrious to glorifie God and do good to Men as if they did it for themselves They shall do as much for good already bestowed as if they were to procure it by their own doing Secondly I answer there can be no discouragement at all unto the performance of any thing God calls for at your hands though you get nothing in the World by what you dâ— I say there is no discouragement because you cannot propound or intend to your selves any possible gain by Duty But that whatever it is that is a Spur and Encouragement unto Duty is already freely and graciously provided for you to your hand that all your industry could not compass and bring in either so certainly or so plentifully as the very grace of God before the performance of any Duty hath provided and established that good for you In the close of this Charge p. 28 29. Our Author unravels like the old Journey-Man-Taylor the whole of his twisted and forced Sarcasmâ— against the Dr. though under this pretence as if he contradicted himself whereas indeed it is no more than his assigning unto Graces and Daties their proper places both as to the spring exercise uses and ends of the same which our Author hath as great a regard unto as the Turk himself whence it evidently appears That our Author's zeal in this cause is but the very self-same both as to the matter and end thereof as that of the Jews mentioned by the Apostle Paul Rom. 9. 31 32. chap. 10. 2 3 4. From hence he flies to his Sixth Charge VI. That the Author should deny That we ought to make any use of our Graces as Marks Tokens or Evidences of our State of Salvation Author p. 29. This falshood will soon be detected from the very places whence he partially cites the seeming matter of his miserable invective against him for with our Author unless the Graces of the Spirit be allowed as the very matter of our Righteousness and that in though not for which that being transferred over to the merits of the Righteousness of Christ as abstracted from the real actual or substantial Matter of the same we must be justified before God Antinomianism is presently set on foot as will appear from the way of his procedure in his quoting the Doctor pag. 106 432 446 462. Vol. 3. Serm. 3. 447 453 465 469. The Doctor in the whole of what our Author quotes of him declares that what-ever Marks or Signs we may have of Grace yet if they proceed not from our actual Interest in Christ and his Righteousness they will prove but deceitful there being that in Morality which as the common Herb in the Field hath a very nigh resemblance unto that in the Garden that beâ—rs a close comparate likeness with that of Grace Unto which places ut priùs that he quotes of the Doctor I refer the Reader for his solution Only to avoid a further Tediousness I shall recite one passage of the Doctâ—rs in reference to this Charge whereunto many scores might be added And that from p. 457. speaking from Rom. 10. 2 3 4 says he Observe it well here is a Zeal that is an earnestness of Spirit and this Zeal was after God so then it was a Zeal wherein they sought God and his Glory not in an indirect way neither nor in a corrupt way Dr. Crisp ' s Works Vol. II. Ser. 13. Pag. 457. of their own devising but it was a Zeal exercised in the Righteousness according to the Law of God himself for so much iâ— intimated when it is said that Christ is the end of the Law And yet for all this saith the Apostle though they had this Zeal of God according to the Will of God in his Law yet notwithstanding they submitted not themselves to the Righteousness of God So then there may be a singleness of Heart to the Lord and for the Glory of God and a walking in Obedience to the Will of God revealed in his Law yet notwithstanding there may be no portion in Christ but a withstanding of Christ and not a submitting to his Righteousness Thus he deals with the Doctor all along that when and where-ever he finds him degrading or depressing of Graces and Duties from an Usurpation or unsciptural Assent he sâ—atches out to present before us the bare Expressions themselves without a candid Discovery unto us of the Doctors Design therein as to the reference they have to the genuine Matter of his Discourse thereupon As to the Seventh Charge VII He tells us that Another position of this our Author i. e. the Doctor is That God is not angry with any elect Person before or after he is converted If we tell Believers saith he That except they perform such and such Duties Crispi Unmask'd Pag. 35. except they walk
inheâ—ent righteousness is the matter in which though for the merits of the Righteousness of Christ all that shall be saved are justified or pronoâ—nced juridically just before God wherein it is evident That the whole of the eternal Counsels of God concerning Mankind in the Judgment committed by the Father unto the Son are demonstratively set forth in the very form of Christ's proceedings on that day and that to the stopping of the Mouths of Angels Men and Devils together with the Manifestations of the faithfulness of Christ in the discharge of his Mediatory Office by bringing about the full and undeniable accomplishment of the aforesaid Counsels not only in the very matter but order and regular course and manner of the same In short the whole of the transactions of that day will appear to be as sententially declar'd by Christ a perfect Epitomized Transcript of the secret of God's Covenant As 1. The Doctrin of Election wherein God's eternal purpose of Love towards a certain number of the Lump or Mass of Mankind without any regard unto by way of motive or foresight of their believing or justified state fully appears therefore called Sheep separate the Sheep from the Goats even before they were so much as actually changed in their state v. 32. comp John 10. 16. 2. THE Doctrine of Justification is made manifest in Christ's setting them on his right hand or changing their station which precedes his owning any of their works v. 33. comp Rom. 8. 5. 3. THE Doctrin of Regeneration attested unto in the fruits of the same even good works from a gracious principle to a right end and their self denial thereupon v. 35 36 37 38 39 40. Rev. 14. 13. Their works follow but go not before them compare Matth. 7. 22. Luke 13. 26. 4. ALL this is apparently founded upon their being blessed of the Father but when was that Even then when he had prepared a Kingdom for them and that from the Foundation of the World v. â—4 comp 2 Tim. 1. 9. whereupon it is that the blessed Son resigns up his Mediatory Office and Kingdom unto the Father together with the trust committed unto him 1 Cor. 15. 24. Heb. 2. 13. whereby God becomes All in All. Where now is room for boasting ye pitiful Hucksters in Divinity Where are you causa sine qua nons your Conditions Causes and Prerequisites BUT we must attend our Author who quotes the Dr. p 15. Though a Believer after he be a Believer doth sin often yet God no longer stands offended and displeased with him when he hath once received Christ And Dr. Crisp's Works Vol. I. Serm. 2. pag. 15. Quoted by Crispia unmask'd page 37. hench he gives what he thinks to be the Dr's reason on which our Modeller fixes his mistake but perfectly leaves out the bottom-ground thereof by which our Author gives us some Socinian glimmerings more of which both as to the matter and clearness we may see in his next Charge for ibid. here he tells us His reason is because if Christ bore our Iniquities he also bore the displeasure of God for them and though God be displeased at sin in Believers and hates and abhors it yet he is not offended with the Persons of Believers who commit that sin because they are justified Now compare this with what he leaves out in the same Page unquoted from the Dr. as follows whence thou mayst have a little view of Socinus's Face though pictut'd or shadow'd forth in what our Author says but somewhat side-ways And saith the Dr. unto them God saith Anger is not in me Isa 27. 4. And Isa 53. amongst many other notable expressions of God's being well pleased towards poor Sinners through Christ He saith he Dr. Crisp's Works Vol. I. Serm. 2. p. 15 was wounded for their transgressions you have this admirable expression of the effect of his wounding He shall see the Travel of his Soul that is towards the latter end of the Chapter And he shall be satisfied satisfied here is as much as pacified they are all one The Travel of the Soul of Christ makes God such amends for the sinfulness of all Believers that he can no longer stand offended and displeased with them If God doth remain offended with them there is yet some of their sinfulness remaining to be taken away that this offence also may be taken away All their sins must be taken away from them and all offences will be removed from them But except God will be offended where there is no cause to be offended which is Blaâ—phemy to speak he will not be offended with Believers For I say he hath no cause to be offended with a Believer because he doth not find the sin of the Believer to be the Believer's own sin but he finds it the sin of Christ He was made sin for us God laid the Iniquity of us all upon him The Blood of Christ cleanseth us from all Sin He bore our sins in his body on the Tree And if he bear our sins he must bear the displeasure for them nay if he did bear the displeasure the indignation of the Lord and if he did bear the indignation of the Lord either he did bear all or but part if he did not bear all the indignation of the Lord then he doth not save to the uttermost those that come to God by him as in the seventh Chapter to the Hebrews he is said to do I say not to the uttermost because hee is some offence some indignation left behind and for lack of taking of this indignation upon himself it lights and falls upon Believers So that either you must say Christ is an imperfect Saviour and hath left some scattering of wrath behind that will light upon the head of the Believer or else you will say he is a perfect Saviour and takes away all displeasure of God then there remains none of it upon the Person of the Believer Beloved for my part I understand not what clouds are in the Mind and Judgment of other men To me it seems there is no truth more abundantly cleared in all the Scripture than this one truth of the transacting of our sins and consequently the offence or God for this Sin that it is wholly laid upon the back of Christ Dr. Crisp's Works Vol I. Ser. 2. p. 16 and so a poor soul hath rest from the indignation of God as Christ doth take the burthen off from his shoulders There is a two-fold burthen first in sin it self and the second burthen is the indignation of God for it Who can bear this indignation of his Christ alone and he hath born it NOW from hence thou mayst observe no small little of our Author's Treachery and what Arminianism as well as Socinianism lodges in the same notwithstanding his seemingly fair acknowledgments of commutative imputation of Sin and Righteâ—usness between Christ and a Believer The Dr. as we have heard positively as well as wâ—rrantably declares That God
the Devils of old in their owning of Christ which are fully expressive of his meaning against what our Author discerpts out of him as the matter of his accusation against him he would cast the imputation of Weakness and Fallacy upon him meerly to make way for the reception of his invidious and ungrounded stroke against him and thereupon gives us such a disquisitive explication of the matter in hand as roundly bespeaks himself to be both a Fool Cheat. p. 40. 3. That in his Concessions even from his quoâ—ation of Scriptures themselvâ—s he unravels the whole and thereby subscribes unto the Doctor yea confirms him against all his false Impeachments This Charge being much of the same nature with the former which our Author himself confâ—sâ—es I shall contrâ—ct my self as briefly as I can in my remarks upon the same THE first the Doctor himself confirms aâ—d that in the very place from whence our Author quotes him p. 17 8. 170. 258 In all which placâ—s the Doctor asserts two things 1. That all the Afflictions and Troubles that bâ—fall a Bâ—liever cannot expiâ—te or satisfie for the least Sin 2. That God in his punishing of a Believer doth it not in a proper vindicative sense as juridicallâ— charged with Sin to drive him from Sin All which our Author doth as much MASK from thy Sight as possibly he can as knowing that had he done otherwise he must with his own Pen have overthrown and dasht out the whole of this his invidious enterprize for proof of which take the following Quotations Christ is a way to take away the effect of God's displeasure Christ is the only way to take it away Shall I give the Fruit of my Body saith the Prophet Micah 6. 7. for the sin of my Soul a Thousand Rams or Ten Thousand Rivers of Dr. Crisp's Works Vol. I. Serm. 2. Pag. 17 18. Oyl No alass this will not buy out the penance of one Sin when he hath sinned it is all too mean a price there must be a better to take away that Wrath that is the heavy punishment of God froâ— a Believer I say a better price than this not a dearer price to us poor Men but yet a more dear and acceptable price unto God a price in its nature Infinite and Invaluable but of this price not a Farthing goes out of our purse there is the greatness Christ is a way to take away all Wrath in respect of the heavy hand of God which is the Fruit of Man's sin IN brief Beloved the sum plainly is this Christ is so the Way from Wrath Now our Author's Charge comes in as it lies in this Parenthesis That God doth never punish any Believer after he is a Believer for sin I say God doth not punish him for sin This seems to be a hard Proposition to many but give me leave to clear what I say and so according to the clear evidence of truth reject or receive what I deliver to you In Isa 53. 5. a Chapter of most admirable Excellency to set forth the wonderful incomprehensible benefit of Christ Observe it He was wounded for our Transgressions mark the punishment He was bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed Now beloved I will ask but this Question Are the Wounds of Christ part only of our punishment Or are they the whole of our punishment The Bruisings of Christ were they to be part of the punishment our sins deserved If they were but part we must bear the rest our selves but then we must be Co-Saviours with Christ Co-bearers of Indignation and Wrath Isa 63. 3. He hath troden the Wiâ—e-press alone saith the Text he looked for some that might help and wondred and there was none v. 5. No Creature in the World was able to be a helper with him I speak of Believers only they do not bear one lash of that deserved Wrath that is poured out for sin not one lash nor stroke Christ trod it alone himself Yea but you will say unto me Doth not God afflict his Children and Believers All the World seeth and knoweth he doth therefore why speak you against this Beloved give me leave to ask you Is there not a great deal of difference between God's afflicting of Believers and God's punishing of Believers for sin Here our Author comes in Quest Are not the afflictions of Believers for their sins I Answer No Afflictions are unto Believers from sin but not for sin What is the meaning of that will you say This God in afflicting of Believers doth not intend to punish them as now laying on them the desert of their sin for that is laid upon Christ but he doth afflict them in part to be a help to preserve them from sin c. It may be in affliction and when the Rod of God is fallen upon thee thy heart will be ready to raise such thoughts as these in thee Now God Dr. Crisp 's Works Vol. I Ser. 2. p. 170. will be even with me now shall I smart for my transgressions Thus far our Author But know this that at that instant when God brings Afflictions upon thee he doth not remember any sin of thine they are not in his thoughts towards thee for the Text saith not only of the present instant that God doth not remember them but of the future also nay of the everlasting future Your sins and your iniquities I will remember no more I beseech you consider this one thing you that think that God doth plague and punish you being Believers for such and sucâ— sins of yours and say Doth not God now remember these sins of mine Doth God punish such and such sins in others and take vengeance for them and doth he not remember them Doth God use to do things hand over head Doth God lay his Rod and his Scourge upon them and never think of the cause of it And if these Afflictions be the Judgment of God for these sins certainly God must remember these sins and so know them as Moâ—ives and Provocations to inflict such Vengeance upon them and if God doth punish them for them certainly God doth now remember them And what of all this Is it a Truth that God hath spoken Your iniquities and your sins will I remember no more Then surely whatsoever things befall the Children of God are not punishments for sin they are not remembrances of sin the Lord must be true and faithful in his Covenant and therefore if Men shall cavil against this Free-Grace of God yet let me request this of you Let the evidence of the Holy Ghost so prevail with your Spirits that if any Creature in Heaven or Earth Men or Angels shall endeavour to contradict this let them be accounted as they deserve Let all give way to this Truth if any thing in the World can make it appear to the contrary then let it go away with it But if the Spirit of
entituled The Agreement in Doctrin among the Dissenting Ministers in London Subscribed Decemb. 16. 1692. And that as referring unto the present Debates against the Dissenting Ministers justly and very wretchedly occasioned by one Mr. Daniel Williams in a most corrupt piece of his called Gospel Truth Stated and Vindicated wherein some of Dr. Crisp's Opinions are consider'd and the Opposite Truths are plainly Stated and Confirmed By the said Author On the which Pamphlet together with the Circumstances attending it I crave my Christian Liberty to fix my Remarks the cause in Hand being every Man's concern whilst he has either a regard to the Glory of God the welfare of his own Soul or the faithful and undaunted Service that he owes unto his Generation Non soli mihi natus eram and so leave shall every one to determine for himself though in my Judgment I must confess all things considered I never met with a more useless un-intelligible and yet insâ—aring Engine in all my days But before we proceed I shall offer thee Dr. Owen's Opinion in things of this nature It is an Agreement in words and the outward found Dr. Owen on Hebr. Vol. II. Exercit. p. 127. of them but the Belief and Profession of the same Truths or Things that is alone to be valued all that is beyond such an Agreement being left at Peace in the Province of Mutual Forbearance An Agreement in words only Parrots may learn and it will be better amongst them than that which is only so amongst Men because they have no mind to act dissenting and contradicting Principles but as for Men to declare their assent unto a certain form of words and in the mean time in their Minds and Understandings expresly to judge and condemn the Faith and Apprehensions of one another about these very things is a matter that no way tends to the Union Peace or Edification of the Church For instance suppose a form of words expressing in general that Christ was an High Priest that the Acts of the Priesthood being Oblation and Intercession Christ in like manner offered himself to God and maketh Intercession for us that hereby he purgeth expiateth and doth away all our sins with many more expressions to the same purpose should be drawn up and subscribed by the Socinians and their Adversaries as they can safely do on all Hands will this in the least further any Agreement or Unity between us whilst we not only disagree about the sense of all these Terms and Expressions but believe that things absolutely distant and inconsistent with one another yea destructive of one another are intended in them Again the same Author saith Considering the Agreement in all Fundamental Articles of Faith between these Churches thus at difference and of what great use their Union might be unto the Protestant Religion Dr. Owen 's Enquiry into the Original Nature Justification Power Order and Communion of Evangelical Churches p. 300. both as unto its Spiritual and Political Interest in this World the effecting of such an Union among them hath been attempted by many Private Persons Princes Collâ—quies or Synods of some of the Parties at variance have sedulously engaged herein I wish they had never missed it in stating the Nature of that Union which in this is alone desirable and alone attainable nor in the Causes of that disadvantageous difference that was between them For hence it is come to pass that although some Verbal Compositions have sometimes by some been consented unto yet all things continue practically amonst them as they were from the beginning And there are yet Persons who are managing Proposals for such an Union with great Projection in point of Method for the compassing of it and stating of the Principles of Agreement some whereof I have by me But the present State of things in Europe with the Minds of Potentates not concerned in these things leave little encouragement for such Attempt for any expectation of any success After the Trial and Experience of an Hundred and Fifty Years it is altogether in vain to be expected that any farther Reconciliation or Union should be effected between these Protestant Churches by either Parties Relinquishment of the Doctrins they have so long taught professed and contended for or of their Practise in Divine Worship which they have so long been accustomed unto We may as well expect a River should run backwards as expect any such things Pag. 302 That all these differing Churches and whilst these Differences do continue be taught to prefer their general Iâ—terest in opposition unto the Kingdom of Satan and Antichrist in the World before the lesser things wherin they differ and those occasionâ—l Animosities that will ensue upon them It hath been observed in many places that the nearer some Men or Churches come together in their Pag. 302 303. Profession the more distant they are in their Affections as the Lutheraus in many places do more hate the Calvinists than the Papists I hope it is not so by us This makes it evident that the want of necessary Peace and Vnion amongst Churches doth not proceed from the things themselves wherein they differ but from the Corrupt Lusts and Iâ—terests of the Persons that differ This Evil can no otherwise be cured but by such a Reformation as shall in some measure reduce Primitive Simplicity Integrity and Love such as were among the Churches of the converted Jews and Gentiles when they walked according unto the same Rule in what they had attained forbearing one another in Love as unto the things wherein they differed Until this also be effected all endeavours for further Union whilst these differences continue as they are like to do unless the whole frame of things in Europe should be changed by some great Revolution will be fruitless and useless Were this conscientiously insisted on out of a pure Love unto Jesus Christ with Zeal for his Glory it would not only be of more use than innumerable wrangling Disputes about the points in difference but more than the exactest Methods in contriving Formularies of Consent or Colloquies or Synodical Conferences of the Parties at variance with all their Solemnities Orders Limitations Precautions Concessions and Orations Let Men say what they will it must be the Revival Flourishing and Exercise of Evangelical Light Faith and Love that shall heal the Differences and Breaches that are among the Churches of Christ nor shall any thing else be honoured with any great influence in that work From the whole of what our truly worthy Eleazer Dr. Owen has laid before us I would gather thus much who so stood in the 2 Sam. 23. 10. comp Dr. Owen 's Discourse of the Glory of Christ Part 1. Pref. latter end cause of his Lord and Master till his Hand was weary and yet quitted it not but clave unto the Sword yea though dead yet still speaketh in the great Victory the Lord wrought by him even such as that the People have little more to do save