Baptism With water proved 176. 183 Of Infants vindicated 178 Sprinkling lawful 180 One Baptism consisting of two parts 178 182 Bible To be read and preached upon 20 See Scriptures C. Call To the Ministery how lawful 211 Inward to be tried by the outward fruits 214 The Churches call spiritual 215 Some may counterfeit an Immediate call 211 Some mediate calls good 213 214 Some bad ibid. Christ Exalted by the Scriptures and the Scriptures by Christ 43 44 Christ above his gifts 59 His Godhead asserted and cleared 54 How he leads out of the fall 86 How he was made sin or a sinner 132 As Mediator not in natural men 262 276 When and how in the soul 264 His condemning sin in the flesh beyond conscience-condemnation 266 A Savior according to Scripture 283 Commandment How the general includes particular persons 106 What is a command in the Spirit 109 Saints experiences about a command 110 What is a Gospel-command 111 Communion Of Saints on earth with Saints in heaven 146 Conviction By the Spirit beyond that of a natural conscience 266 Conscience If but natural and not renewed gives no saving testimony 269 Covenant Of works and of grace what 90 Of works in Adam 97 Differences of the Covenant of works and of grace 90 Covenant of grace one for the substance 91 Two for maner of administration 93 Old and new what 8 The reason of the change 94 E. Elders Their Ordination by man though not of man 207 F. Forms Of Religion 291 Of Speech 292 Fruits Of the Spirit 293 Of the flesh ibid. G. God How God is Light 68 His Essence not mixed with created Beings 236 Gospel Gospel-Light above natural reach 75 Grace Given by means 173 H. Hearing Of the word 173 Holy Ghost A person one of the Three in the Godhead See Spirit 49 c. 207 Honor Civil due to Superiors and to all men 231 ibid. Gestures of honor some bad and idolatrous 233 Some civil and but good maners ibid. The denial hereof what it argues 292 I. Imputation Gods imputation of righteousness his covering of our sin 130 A constant act of Gods free favor 131 The doctrine of it no pleading for sin 123 c. Justification The material cause not the new-birth 119 Not sanctification 132 Its difference from sanctification 126 God justifieth sinful persons believing 120 121 How justified by faith ibid. Defilements of sin remain in a pardoned soul 125 Peter in his falls not out of a state of justification 128 Perfect at first believing 135 L. Law How set up in stead of Gospel 12 Levitical Law way Typical Gospel 89 Law-Levitical no Covenant of works 95 Law-moral positions concerning it 97 How subservient to the Covenant of grace 98 How inservient to the Covenant of works ibid. Gods Law above the conscience 307 Letter What in a large or in a strict sense 4 5 The Spirits Letter is Gods written word 9 How denied 244 Light Of the Godhead in every man not redemption-light 52 Strange notions of the Light in every man 53 How light without Scripture is no light 64 The Light-giver not to be confounded with the light-given 59 84 Light in every man no Teacher of saving truths 60 Not Gospel-light 75 Not the light of Saints as such 61 261 Much less equal with Christs person 59 Not supernatural 61 Not above but beneath the Scripture-light 66 Not a part of the New-creature 77 Not the Corner-stone 80 Nor the first principle of Christian Religion 82 Leads not out of the fall 83 Obeyed gives no saving excuse or testimony in the conscience 269 Creature and Scripture-light compared 76 Not to be confounded 275 Mysterious absurdities 263 How the least degree of light is perfect 274 How counterfeit ibid. True conclusions about light 69 Lords Supper The visible outward part no carnal invention 185 Bread and wine the outward matter 186 The Institution spiritual 188 The benefit great 190 A strange trans-mutation by 192 James Nayler His reasons broken 193 Antidotes against the dissolution of the Lords Supper 200 M. Magistrates Their forbearance 308 Means of grace attended with a promise of blessing 174 N. Nakedness No Commission for going naked in these times 291 O. Oaths see Swearing Ordinances How owned or disowned 302 P. Perfection Of holiness but comparative 162 164 Not absolute in all degrees till death 143 144 How denied how not 141 158 161 This life a time onely of pressing after it 290 Person What it is 48 What a person in the Godhead is ibid. How distinguished 49 Prayer Publique not forbidden 201 Gods Spirit is there 204 Preaching By Doctrine Reason and Vse c. justified 72 293 How free and consistent with taking Wages 209 Printing When invented 21 The benefit of printed Bibles ibid. Promise Of grace and leading out of the fall none annexed to the good use of natural light 87 Yet the light of a promise helps to lead out of the fall 86 Prophets Some immediately inspired some mediately taught 217 They studied the Scriptures 218 Some distinguisht from men in office 217 Psalms Not sung without some kinde of meeter 205 Q. Quaking From visible manifestations of Gods majesty how and by whom imitable 287 See Trembling Questions Their fit place 223 Which are of the devil 224 R. Reconciliation Of the person perfect before the heart is perfectly sanctified and how 134 135 Regeneration By the Scripture-promise 132 257 Remorse What. 171 Repentance How decryed 171 Righteousness What our own 145 329 What the Quaking Papists mean by Christs righteousness 278 S. Sabbath A mercy as a duty 303 Saints Their light beneath Scripture-light for the degree 271 Their highest degree of light and grace not here attained 272 Experimentally imperfect 148 Scriptures The word of truth 1 To all 2 The word of God and truly so called 3 40 In what sence 25 The witness of God 4 The Letter of God and the Scripture of God all one Ib. A standing Rule 7 A more standing Rule then visions and revelations 13 15 37 38. Not mans word or other mens words 18 The Touch-stone of Doctrine 23 253 And Judge of controversies 258 Not carnal 24 The Spirits sword 26 Powerful 153 The ground of the Saints acting 26 31 And how 27 Interpretation by Scripture 37 A Voice a Light a Rule a Guide 43 44 Scripture-light above the light of nature 66 74 76 Its further preeminence 271 281 Scripture-light Salvation-light 73 Its fulness 284 It magnifies Christ above it self ibid A more excellent Teacher then the creatures 70 To be studied 218 220 Who deny them 244 Gods mouth is in the Letter 247 252 Sin Visible in and to the Saint 112 Groaned under all the life time by true Saints ibid in what respect 113 Sin and purity dwell in one soul not as one 118 Sin confessed is not pleaded for 125 It dwelleth and acteth in the Saints 138 It continueth in them they continue not in it 151 No heart perfectly pure form it 158 159 160
all this time but strengthned his own and fellows Contradictions to the Scripture Section 21. HEre I took up two passages the one of James Parnel in his tryal of Faith * Page 4. While sin is there no purity can dwell The other of James Nayler * Few words c. page 25. God and sin cannot dwell together in one Both contrary as I noâ—ed to 1 Cor. 3. 16. The Saints at Corinth had sin and the holy Ghost dwelling in them at the same time so had Paul Rom. 7. 17. compared with 1 Cor. 7. 25. lets this Section pass without answer and I shall dismiss it with but a little more animadversion whether their Doctrine or mine will stand Sin and purity dwell in one soul not as one let him that readeth understand I am sure of Contradictions one part must be false both cannot be true And if it hath been already cleared as a truth of Scripture and experience That Saints and Regenerate upon earth in whom God dwelleth have sin in-dwelling that must be false First which J. P. teacheth While or where sin is there no purity can dwell by which dictate he would destroy the faith of all those who believe no perfect freedom from the body of sin in this life Secondly which J. N. teacheth That God and sin cannot dwell together in one I suppose he meaneth in one soul by what he hath before Did ever Jesus Christ redeem such a people or dwell in such a people If he would say God and sin cannot dwell together as one or at agreement but as enemies warring and fighting one against another in the same field or house that is a truth evident enough For as Jacob and Esau were in one womb struggling so are grace and corruption in one heart As Hannah and Peninnah were contending in one family so are holiness and sin in one soul Even as two contrary qualities light and darkness are in the same air at the same time and heat and cold in the same water though one in a remiss the other in a higher degree God dwells as a Lord sin as a slave purity as a prince sin as a tyrant in the same Saint and Christian If any that is called a Saint thinks otherwise he is either not as he is called knows not himself as every Saint doth in part and in this case or if he be one really sanctified he is under a strong delusion and in a most drowsie dream for the present the Lord will awaken him in his good time 6. Head of Contradiction to Scripture Concerning Justification R. F. addeth And the end of the reighteous and wicked or unrighteous This I treated not of but he was disposed to darken counsel by words without knowledge Section 22. THe first contradiction I noted here was that which publiquely I had given me in Scotland That God justifieth not a believing sinner contrary to Rom. 4. 5. He justifieth the ungodly that believeth on him R. F. * Page 13. returns me for answer That such as are born of God do truly believe and faith in God purifieth their hearts and giveth them victory over the world and so frees them from sin 1 John 5. Rep. Here is enough before I examine the rest to discover the man and what a friend he is to the man of sin to lay the bottom of a believers Justification not upon Christs Obedience but upon his new birth c. This is plainly to build a mans Justification upon his Sanctification unless his meaning the better then I have reason to judge it is I The new birth is not our justification shall look to the words more then to the writer First 'T is one truth that such as are born of God do truly believe 2. 'T is another that faith in God purifieth the heart A third that faith gives victory over the world But put these together to make a compound for Justification and that so and so and so we are freed from sin that is from the guilt and punishment of it to speak ad idem and accepted as perfectly righteous in the eye of Gods justice This is so Popish a tenet as nothing is more unfound for it makes sanctification wrought within men the material if not the meritorious cause of their justification And that no better construction can be made of R. F. his words taken in any true Grammatical sense may appear by what followeth Such Believers are justified form sin and ungodliness and not in sin and ungodliness Rep. That Believers are justified from sin and ungodliness and not in it I have always and every where taught and was then teaching it at Edinburgh when I was publiquely affronted but the mystery of iniquity lies in the qualification such the Believer considered not as a sinner yet in himself short of Legal obedience but as a Saint conformable in his heart and life to the Law who must in his sense be the subject of justification For by Christ saith he again such as are so born and believe are justified c. And so Christ is their justification who are sanctified and from sin by him redeemed Rep. But how as they are so born thinks he by way of evidence say I. It is not known to whom Christ is righteousness But an evidence of it for justification but as they are found sanctified yet for the thing it self He that is justified is justified by God not under the aspect or notion of a Saint and as such but of a sinner and as a sinner believing in Jesus That Saints are justified is a truth but that they are justified by their sanctification is a falshood and that none are justified but as Saints perfected in holines is a notorious contradiction to the whole Scripture and the tenor of the Gospel For God justifieth sinful persons 1 That God justifieth him who in legal strictness not onely before he is sanctified but after the work of holiness is begun would otherwise stand a sinner at Gods Bar and who hath sin yet dwelling in him is clear by all the instances in Scripture of justified persons think of Abraham David Paul Peter the Corinthians Galatians or whom you will there mentioned you will finde they had sin dwelling in them not holiness enough to answer the absolute perfection of the Law all their days while yet their sins and imperfections were not imputed The imputed righteousness of Christ was the cause why their sins were not imputed why their persons were accepted as perfectly righteous in Christ who were but imperfectly at the best righteous in themselves The best Saint that yet liveth upon the earth is yet a sinner in himself or his worser part and hath not wherewithal to cover his nakedness of any deserved guilt no not by his best in-dwelling and inreigning holiness but as Christ gives him of his white raiment Rev. 3. 18. All they are Laodiceans in this case who have no need or feel not
the want of a righteousness without them to hide their personal failings the defilements of their fairest and holyest performances Again as persons were considered in Christs death so they are to be considered when they come to be justified Christ dying for men and women considered them not as Saints but as sinners Herein God commendeth his love to us Rom. 5. 8. that while we were yet sinners and ungodly Christ died for us Yet further Law and Justice findes us and leaves us sinners Gospel and mercy declareth and pronounceth us righteous and continueth us such as it accounteth us If the Gospel did not pronounce sinners righteous that is in the righteousness of another till they had a righteousness in themselves and of their own it would do no more for us then the Law Gospel would become Law And therefore R. F. in denying that God justifieth a sinner denyeth the Gospel and would turn it into strict Law a covenant of Works 2. God justifieth a sinner not continuing in his unbelief God justifieth the believing sinner though some unbelief continueth in him not as he loveth God or overcometh the world by faith c. but as he believeth on Christ dying and on God raising Christ from How justified by faith the dead Rom. 4. 24. Believers as believers are justified that is 1. Without the help of other graces though not without their presence therefore our justifying righteousness is called the righteousness of Faith not the righteousness of Love of Patience c. Rom. 9. 30. 2. Instrumentally the believer as a believer receiveth Christ and his Righteousness to Justification Hence the phrases of being justified by Faith and through Faith The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preposition in the Greek construed with a Genitive Case signifying the instrumental cause means or way at least faiths passive capacity or that service it doth the soul in reception of Christ and his righteousness is held forth thereby Philip. 3. 9. Rom. 3. 25. 3. Relatively and improperly faith is said to justifie and to be counted for righteousness it is not properly faith but that which faith apprehendeth Christs personal obedience in our nature made meritorious by his God-head which justifieth it is not faith as our act or as an act that is our justifying righteousness but the object without a soul which faith carrieth the eye of the soul to look upon and the hand or heart of the soul the will to rest upon even Christs righteousness inherent in him alone as in the subject that justifieth the person of a believer so believing So believing respects the truth of faith not the measure A weak believer is perfectly justified as is the strong believer There is no ingredient qualification of ours or of a work in us that doth cast the ballance nor doth the Apostle Paul put in the ingredient of the new-birth for Justification in that place where R. F. seems to shelter himself and his Popish opinion Heresie I might call it Act. 13. 39. And by him Act. 13. 39. vindicated all that believe are justified from all things from which ye Jews who did more then the Gentiles could not be justified by the law of Moses R. F. his gloss upon allusion to this Scripture * Page 13. is By Christ such as are so born and believe are justified from all sins and such like things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Rep. 1. By Christ such as are new born are justified but they are not justified because so born nor for their believing The new birth and true faith go together but the infusion of new qualities or the qualities infused at the new birth take them all in the lump are not concerned in justification have no causality nor any maner of efficiency towards it 2. Christ doth not justifie us by his own Righteousness and by our Faith as a quality habit or act together but he singleth out the grace of Faith from the rest of the newcreature-work to apply what himself hath done and suffered as a surety undertaking and paying the whole debt and to rely upon him for the Fathers gracious and just sentence of absolution and acceptation for his righteousness alone made ours in a way of imputation 3. Believers in the new Testament times are not onely justified from all sins as to the guilt and curse but from all the Ceremonies of Moses Law which are not called such like things as R. F. expresseth it as if they had the appearance of sin upon them but understood with sins under the general phrase which the Apostle useth from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses For the Moral Law considered strictly as Law once broken could not cannot absolve first from Guilt nor secondly from Punishment nor thirdly from Obligation to the whole by the payment of a part which part is either according to what was written at first fully after but in shreds and pieces left in mans heart or to what was positively given in command for trial of mans obedience and strength before or since the fall and therefore the new creature in us a beginning of that image of God which was lost by the first Transgression is no ingredient in our justification for by Christ they who believe in him and him alone are justified from all Legal obligations and conditions of their own workings within them or without them Christs Righteousness without them makes them compleat Rom. 3. 22. 2. Cor. 5. 23. Col. 2. 10. To assert this way of justification is not pleading for sin as R. F. * Page 13. objecteth For 1. Suppose I or any should abuse the doctrine of Free-Grace and of justification which is by a righteousness without us and inherent in Christ alone Answ 1 thereby to take liberty to sin the doctrine is not to be blamed nor Christ to be charged with the fault of the person as the Apostle preoccupieth such an objection with this answer Gal. 2. Gal. 2 17 18 opened 17 18. But if while we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves also are found sinners we our selves Jews also is therefore Christ by his way of justification the minister of sin God forbid For if I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressor I can make Christ none the fault is not Christs but mine Answ 2 2. They that plead for true Gospel-justification truly and sincerely in its proper place do also plead for Gospel-sanctification in its due place Their enlightnings into the Law teacheth them somewhat for as the Apostle reasoneth ver 19. I through the Law am dead to the Law I Gâ—l 2 19. opened have as if he should say a sufficient lesson from the clear sight of the Laws rigor to teach me never more to seek my justification from my own conformity to the Law that I might live in the
better then two in the Bush a little of their own within them far beyond all Christs righteousness without them although we call for the witness within them that will not suffice they must have the ground-work of their justification within them as well as the evidence nay some work within shall be ground and evidence too or they fly off and will not believe till they see and feel but groping in the dark lose themselves in the wilderness of self-fulness and sufficiency 7. Head of their Scripture-contradiction Concerning Regeneration Section 27. I Had noted what they say He that believeth is born of God without Scripture and yet witnessed in Scripture contrary to James 1. 18. and 1 Pet. 1. 23 25. which Regeneration by the Scripture promise not onely bear witness of a new birth but saith also it is wrought by the word of truth the word of God the word that is preached which was never without or besides much less directly against but always according to the Scripture both as the Apostles preached it and others after them and their written doctrine R. F. * Page 15. returns me in a retorting way as is his wonted maner this for an answer If thou was not blind thou would see that thou contradicts the Scripture and not they that attributes the work of regeneration and the new birth to the Letter which thou calls the word and so therein denyes God who begets by his own will by that word which liveth and abideth for ever which was in the beginning with God and was God Rep. 1. Gods essential will and the free act of his love and good pleasure is the primary impulsive cause of his regenerating a soul 2. Christ by his death purchaseth the grace of regeneration and by the power of his resurrection applyes it 1 Pet. 1. 3. 3. The Spirit of the Father and the Son comes with the Scripture-promise and quickneth the soul to believing and by believing of the word of truth which at the beginning R. F. acknowledged the Scriptures to be and at that instant the believing soul is as Isaac conceived and formed a childe of promise a believer and a new-creature together by the word of grace which the Spirit useth as the external means of regeneration yea he carrieth the word and voice of the Son of God John 5. 25. from the ear to the heart and makes them hear and live That part of the Scripture which is pure Gospel is the ministration of the Spirit as of righteousness and life 2 Cor. 3. 8. 4. They that speak of a regeneration such as the Scripture helps them not to know and obtain speak wildely of it as J. Nayler in his new piece * Love to the lost page 34. treating of the new-birth he tells his lost creatures There is the old man and a new man but he doth not say there are two contrary qualities in the same regenerate soul lusting one against the other as the Apostle describes their state Gal. 5. 17. He saith * Page 35. Nicodemns knew not the new birth though he loved Christ He did not know the maner and mystery of it before his coming to Christ but if he loved Christ before it was a fruit of the new-born-seed of grace or spiritual principle for even J. N. confesseth as is the man so are his works and as is the Tree so is the fruit And I may adde as is J. N. so is his Book and his his love to the lost for if the man may be known by his writing he may haply know as little of the new-birth as Nicodemus did though he would be a great Teacher in our Israel Some may say he speaks * Love to the lost p. 35. of a Promise as well as a power that puts off the old man with his deeds lusts and affections but if you mark it it is to them who remain in the seed of God and it in them he doth not say the new-creature hath a promise that it shall remain although the Scripture saith it shall Joh 15. 16. 1 Joh. 2. 27. Well if he holds but to what he saith That all who remain in this seed and it in them hath the Promise I would have R. F. ask him whether it be the Promise that begets the new man which helps to put off the old if it be we shall finde the new man quickned as the old man crucified and slain by a word of promise in several places of Scripture scattered The word of promise serveth to regenerate and begin the work as well as to preserve nourish and maintain the regenerate man in his state He that shuts out Scripture from being Christs organ or the Spirits instrument and means of Regeneration it had been better for him he had never known the Scripture or written a word about it 8. Head of Scripture-contradiction Concerning Sanctification and its Perfection Section 28. I Had noted from a little conference with them in Scotland That sin dwelleth not in act where Christ reigneth Sin dwelleth and acteth in the Saints Rom. 7. 17. opened This R. F. defendeth as true though never so contrary as I hinted in my book to three as many more places of Scripture Rom. 7. 17. It is not I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me sin is doing as well as dwelling it will not be idle and in whom in Pauls heart where Christ reigned Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and Gal. 5. 7. cleared the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other in whom in the Galatians the sons of God in whom considered in their better part Christ and Grace reigned yet they could not do what they would they could not be so gracious as their regenerate part would have them nor yet so sinful as their unregenerate part would have them Here is sin active enough and yet its force is broken that it cannot reign where Christ reigneth but there it dwells and remains very troublesome to a good heart Rom. 7. 23 25. Rom. 7. 23 25 explained I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my minde and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin that is in my members here is action and passion too here is fighting and scuffling a continual conflict Sin in the Saints is no sleepy habit it will be plotting using stratagems striking and serving it self and its own turn as ver 25. With my flesh I serve the Law of sin sin is very active in the Saints when so officious to its self and its own ends What weapons think you will R. F. finde for defence of the Tenet none spiritual I dare say but carnal and weak as followeth * Page 15. Where Christ reigneth the body is dead to the acts of unrighteousness because of sin being destroyed and the Spirit is life because of righteousness living and ruling Rep. I suppose he refers in this
who seem not to deny the authority of the holy Scriptures yet would have it meant of Christ for this reason because the word of God ver 12. is in the 13. ver described as a person in his sight and the eyes of him with whom we have to do Now this is but their mistake for albeit Christ in person is the living word yet it is the Apostles scope to gain honor to him by gaining honor to the declarative word which being Christs word spoken by him written by the inspiration of his Spirit and preached accordingly is therefore quick and lively powerful and piercing because it is his word and the words of the 13. ver are not a description of Christs person as he is the living word nor of the declarative word spoken written preached but of God the Father Son and holy Ghost who being the living God his declarative word is like himself and from the knowledge of his nature we may know what his word is If God hath an all-seeing eye his word hath an all-searching power He puts not one but two edges upon this sword of his Spirit Ephes 6. 17. and makes it sharp and piercing for conversion or conviction at least and for such ends as he hath intended by his word and the ministery of it to effect and work out therefore the words of ver 13. his and him with whom must be referred to God ver 12. distinguished into Father Son and Spirit i. e. to all three or any of the three Let sinners in whom sin reigns and Saints in whom sin remains look to it for God by his Scripture-word is able to finde them out even them that pretend to present perfection and have it not for whom these words speak nothing at all Should we take God ver 12. not onely at large and personally for any of the three but strictly for Christs person yet we must take the word to be as I have said the word declarative and read it thus The word of Christ is quick or lively c. We cannot read it out of the Greek the word-Christ nor the living word is lively nor the living word is powerful but as 't is read in our new Translation The word of God is quick and powerful or as in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Geneva Translation The word of God is lively and mighty in operation that is as their Note is The Doctrine of God is so and so hath lively and mighty effects why because it is Gods Doctrine Gods Word Gods Scripture if it be but his Letter or outward ministery it is Christs two-edged sword which serveth unto his design of searching hearts of comforting the believer of cutting off and excluding the unbeliever from rest But this place of Scripture will not serve R. F. his design hitherto 2. Let us observe his application and inference Here the ground of sin is by the living word shaken at the roots and rooted out of such before their bodies and souls part asunder Rep. 1. Granting it is divine power that makes efficacious Mis-application the divine truths of the Scripture and that the Spirit doth by conviction shake a sinner at the very heart-root and by conversion shake yea kill sin at the roots for sound conversion is more then lopping of branches or moral restraints the best fruits of Quakerism yet is not all sin at first conversion nor all the life time extirpated or pluckt up absolutely totally and as perfectly as at death and if R. F. proves not this from the place as he doth not but onely say it he had better never have quoted it Nay he dare not affirm it in plain words but obscure The ground of sin c. What makes he the ground of sin If he meaneth the subject where sin dwelleth and is rooted what is that subject but the faculties of the Soul Minde Will and Affections Conscience c Now these are shaken I confess but not rooted out for neither Law nor Gospel the word of Terror or Grace and Peace nor the Power and Grace of the Word doth abolish or destroy the faculties and being of the soul If he meaneth by Ground of sin the cause of sin it must either be guilt of sin or the original stain and filth if the guilt 't is granted that sin is abolished and there is no ground or cause why a Believer justified and discharged from guilt and curse by the imputation of Christs obedience should be condemned Rom. 8 1 33 34. and the abolishing of guilt is the cause and reason why the inherent roots of sin are shaken and mortified in their regency or reigning power for the present and why they shall be rooted out as to residency and inherency at the last yea why no justified believer should allow the least sin that yet remaineth in him If by ground of sin he meaneth the original stain and filth it is the same with the roots of sin and then he proves nothing but idem per idem the same thing by the same namely that the roots of sin are shaken at the roots and rooted out when they are rooted out but the question is when are they perfectly and in all degrees rooted out I have said and proved it from Scripture it is not till the parting of Soul and Body The truth then and the illustration by the simile of the fig-tree stands firm and good for ought that R. F. hath objected to the contrary yet we must hear him * Page 16. out It is Christs work to take away sin here and to sanctifie by his Spirit 1 Cor. 6. 11. 1 John 3. 5. Rep. We know that he was manifest to take away sin in 1 Cor. 6. 11. 1 John 3 5. compared cleared and vindicated and from us as in him is no sin according to that in John and that of Paul to the Corinthians expressing two ways whereby he taketh away sin by the way of justification from defiling guilt and damning curse this is perfectly done here as to Gods act of reckoning and account though as to manifestation in us to us and concerning us it comes by degrees and not till the day of Judgement will all the world know who are now Gods justified ones By the way of Sanctification he takes away the dominion of sin in the very root and the strength of the roots of filth is mortified here in some Saints more in some less as he pleaseth who puts forth the power but in none are the roots of every sin nor of any sin wholly perfectly pluckt up till bodily death I am for purity and holiness here in heart and life but I am for purity of the Scriptures also according to their pure sense What saith the Scripture which R. F. next calleth forth As he that hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all maner of conversation 1 Pet. 1. 15. 2 Pet. 1. 15. vindicated Rep. This is a command of and
is no necessity then of immediate teachings setting Scripture aside nor ought we to receive any against the Scripture 2. Why may not fulness be in Christ and in the Letter How fulness is in Christ how in the Scripture conjoyned still with the sense of Scripture also The fuller the fountain is the more full is the conduit and its pipes The more full the heart is the fuller the mouth out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and the pen writeth what is good or bad truth or error In Christ is the fulness of the fountain in the Scriptures is the fulness of the stream flowing from and carrying to the fountain and and abiding inexhausted as a well fed by a continual spring Sect. 21 22 23. Christ having all fulness superabundantly in himself he doth abundantly and sufficiently fill the Scriptures with the savor and sweetness of his good oyntments which make the virgins and the upright love him and seek after him in these footsteps of the flocks the good and old ways of Scripture-teaching 8. Head of Self-contradiction Concerning Perfection Sections 21 22. IN the former of these Sections I noted their profession of Perfection and of Quaking after Moses example at the foot of mount Sinai to cross-shins one with the other R. F. returns me nothing in answer as if convinced it is no better then I judged it a Self-contradiction and one of his own In the latter the contradiction to themselves is as gross they speak of perfection in holiness here attained before death and yet acknowledge sin dwelleth in them though not in act R. F. hath nothing to say to this also and so it must stand as a testimony against them with the rest when he and all his fraternity have said what they can their self-justifications will end in self-confusion 9. Head of Self-contradiction Concerning Quaking and Trembling Section 23. HEre I had noted the Contradiction between their profession of Quaking and trembling and prosessed boldness never having observed more daring creatures to open their lips or put pen to paper It fell out that R. F. his Reply to the Priests about Beverley was quoted for an instance he is therefore the more concerned in vindication but how doth he take off the self-contradiction even as along the Book by persisting in his evil cause * Page 28. The same power that made Moses c. to quake shake and tremble the same power we witness Rep. But Moses was under a Legal administration and at Legal what that time when he said I exceedingly fear and quake he was under a type of that Legal bondage which believers are freed from The false Apostles indeed by their corrupting the Doctrine of Justification carried Christians as much as laid in their power under the Law again for which the true Apostle Paul blames the Galatians Chap. 4. 21. Tell me ye that desire to be under the Law c. So these pretenders to a new Apostleship are discovered by their Doctrine of a Righteousness within them that is their Justification to lead people the same way as the ring-leaders among the Jews and Galatians did and would make them children of the bond-woman whom Christ hath made children of the free-woman yet boldly they will profess they are come from mount Sinai to mount Zion while their Doctrine of Justification hath no other tendency then to carry back to bondage R. F. yet seems to bleat more like a sheep then bark like a wolf in this passage We witness working out our salvation with fear and trembling Rep. 1. The fear and trembling which Paul speaks of Phil 2 12. vindicated Phil. 2. 12. as proper to believers is not that which Moses did typically represent at the foot of mount Sinai for the Apostle to the Hebrews Chap. 12. 18. to 21 denies that believers are under that state or that Legal administration with the effects of it 2. The fear and trembling wherewith believers are to Evangelical trembling what work out their salvation issueth from faith and love and Gospel-humility and is not the fruit of Legal humiliation 3. The Gospel-fear and trembling is not to be found visible or legibly to be discerned in all R. F. his vindication hitherto But he rounds me in the ear with this Thou speaks against the power of God that worketh effectually in his people as it did in Moses Habakkuk David Paul and other witnessed in Scripture thou there in contradicts the Scripture Rep. 1. To contradict the Scripture is worse then to contradict a mans self and therefore I desire the first part of this Reply may be minded by R. F. before the latter Yet there is scarce a Self-contradiction which I have mentioned and charged upon these men but the Reader will finde in it one contradiction or other to the Scripture If I should deny that Moses quaked or that Habakkuk or Paul trembled I should deny the Scripture and the Power of God but I deny that such a quaking as Moses Habakkuk or Paul when fallen to the earth Act. 9. 5 6. were taken with is the fear and trembling believers are to work out their salvation withal as for Davids it coming from the power of piety I desire we all had his measure of love to the word of God then should we tremble as he did Psal 119. 120. at the footstool of the Lord at the threatnings and judgements written and executed even upon Nations and the wicked ones and at the fatherly righteous chastenings upon our selves or his own people 2. When Gods power of majesty in visible manifestations to the eye of the body discovers it self to any as to Moses or to Paul or in visions as to Habakkuks spirit such a bodily trembling becomes them and they will not be able to avoid it but the power of Gods Majesty in visible manifestations to body or minde is not that power which worketh effectually to salvation in his people take it alone for Balaam had such a work but the Power of his love and grace in Christ which in the majesty of the Gospel is made known to us from the efficacy of our high Priest sat down Heb. 8. 1. at the right hand of the Majesty of God in the heavens is that power whereby he worketh in us and whereon he commands us humbly to rest and depend for the finishing of our salvation the same way as it was begun according to Gods good pleasure 3. How contradictious these men are to the profession of trembling I instanced for demonstration in their standing in an evil cause before magistrates without Quaking or fear R. F. * Page 29. in answer hereunto makes good the former branch of demonstration which I mentioned the boldness of his pen This is a fallacy of thine where thou hast shot out thy sting in thy tail herein thou art taught thy gradations methodically in old Antichrists school to lye slander accuse falsly and jeer and
cannot prove what thou hast said Rep. 1. Neither do my words sound as if I jeered nor was it my sense nor do I mis-report their practise 2. The proofs I shall give will evidence the truth of the charge They stand in an evil cause who being convented before magistrates deny the Scriptures to be the word of God disturb the Churches in their publique worship and that sometimes on a solemn day of humiliation All this did J. P. last summer in Essex at Cogs-hall yea and that without quaking and fear witness his challenge of him that had preached witness his question to the magistrate when he was bidden pull off his Hat why he did not bid him in the Pulpit pull off his Cap witness his skipping up the Table before four Justices of the Peace placed at it with his back towards them in the room where they examined him after the publique work was ended pretending he should be heard the better witness his denyal of the Scriptures to be what they are the word of God neither regarding what was held forth to him from Hosea 8. 12. what God hath written is his written word c. nor from Prov. 30. 5 6. Every word of God is pure c. Adde thou not unto his words c. Again that is standing in an evil cause not to own and confess the Scripture to be a Rule to walk by when called to such an acknowledgement before the magistrate this William Dewsbery and Hen Williamson would not directly afford to Judge Windham when he askt the question but put it off another way as their maner is and that Discovery of persecution in Northamp pag. 12. without fear or due respect of the Power ordained by God for they would not stand uncovered till their Hats were taken off R. F. may shoot out his arrow against me Stop thy mouth deceiver and take in thy slander again but it will light upon his own pate or he thinks to answer all with what follows The Lord makes the righteous as bold as Lyons but it cannot be applied here when men will be silent in a good cause and bold in a bad one There is a bad Lion as well as a good the roaring Lion that goes about seeking whom he may devour and that first by seducing the minde to error and then come forth the effects of bodily shaking falling to the ground and roaring as lately at Witham in Essex hath been visible and audible enough The late Teachers hereabouts some of them have been so bold as they will not give over till they knock down people as Butchers do their calves although one of the last that came by name Will Dewsbery was against such violent dealing The boldness of J. P. lately in Colchester Castle is legible enough in Print * Fruits of a Fast p. 5. 6. c. What a bold falshood is that to say our Intent was to ensnare him and bring his body into bonds or that we were gathered against the truth a bold calumny That the four Teachers as he names them of Independent companies are all Parish-Priests a bold lye as is that which followeth that I spake to the Rulers in the publique place thereby to stir up their spirits to persecute The chiefest passage which I had in my Sermon none of which he heard reflecting upon this Sect was occasionally taken up by reason of his interrupting our work viz. that in stead of the term Quakers henceforth they may be stiled Church-disturbers That this was plotted among the Priests and gathered Churches to appoint meetings to insnare the innocent is still more impudent our meeting on a solemn day of seeking God was designed to bear witness against their errors to strengthen the hands of one another in the truth and to preserve the innocent in the way of truth but for insnaring it was far from our intendment the Lord knows nor did we know that J. P. would be there till we met But all these passages with his bold Letters to the Justices after his Commitment and to the Judge after the Assizes and his bold entituling his Book The Fruits of a Fast the Lord hath rebuked after his bold undertaking a Fast of his own for many days together in the aforesaid Castle and therefore I say no more but the Lord rebuke all those of his way by this warning piece though if it be his will I desire not one of them should perish either by death or by imprisonment Section 24. Section 24. 25. THey deny as I noted from their Books all them that deny Quaking and one saith Moses was a Quaker and yet they think it scorn to be called Quakers R. F. who was concerned in this seeing of all that I have read it is he that expresly affirmeth * A return to the Priests about Beverly page 14. Moses was a Quaker hath not a word for reconcilement what I noted therefore must stand with the rest of their Self-contradictions as a Testimony against them 10. Head of Self-contradiction Concerning growth in Grace Section 25. HEre I observed their witnessing as they say of the Saints growth and the time of their pressing after perfection and weighed it with their exclamations against those who deny perfection of degrees and affirm sin to dwell in the Saints all their life time R. F. cunningly asks me * Page 29. Art thou offended that we witness the Saints growth and the time of pressing on to perfection but hides from the Reader the contradiction that follows The time of prossing after perfection is not the time of perfect attainment by their condemning those that deny perfection of gradual holiness in this life For they that are yet to grow further are not at their full and perfect growth and if the time of this life be but a time to press after perfection it is not the time of the Saints attainment to those degrees which at death their souls are filled withal And if they that witness a time of pressing on do not therein cross nor contradict the Scripture as R. F. acknowledgeth and I acknowledge that their witness doth not cross us why then will they by their acclamations of some here already perfect and without sin both cross us and contradict themselves 11. Head of Self-contradiction Concerning Forms of Religion Section 26. WHereas they pretend against all mens Forms and are against Gods Forms of administring water-Baptism and a Bread and Wine-Supper yet they take up a Form of keeping on the Hat a Form of words Thou and Thee c. All this R. F. passeth over as having said enough to the latter at least in a Pamphlet of a sheet that he entituleth The pure language of the Spirit of truth where also he defendeth nakedness or some mens going naked in these times as a figure and sign of their nakedness who are naked from God and clothed with filthy garments all this upon supposition if the Lord bid them