Sincere and Upright accompanied with an earnest reaching after Perfection as Paul did p. 51. Answ. What ever Perfection with respect to a full Apprehension or Knowledge was prest after by Paul as Phil. 3. 12 13. yet this his Perfection granted of Sincerity and Uprightness was sinless it was pure in Nature wherein he was capable of attaining a perfect Growth in spiritual Understanding And this is implyed in his pressing after Perfection while he was perfect as appears in his own Words But if in this Sence sincere and upright Men do earnestly reach after a sinless Perfection and that Paul did so then it is attainable otherwise both Paul and the rest did â—…rnestly strive after an Impossibility and this renders both their Praying Striving and Preaching in valid as yours is who put on People earnestly to reach after Perâ—…ction and yet tell them it is not attainable Upon Mat. 5. 〈◊〉 Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect thou presumest We intend not that we should be perfectly powerful wise and good as God is Answ. 1st We do not intend that we should be God but holy just and good men renewed after his own Image which is perfect 2ly Though not so perfectly powerful and wise as God is yet while thou withal excludes being good as God is thou art contradictory in saying the meaning of the Text is Be Merciful as your Heavenly Father is Merciful that is Love your Enemies do good to them that hate you p. 51. these are not intelligibly consistent That we must not be good as God is and yet Merciful as he is that is love our Enemies c. I would know if that Soul is not endued with the Goodness of God that is endued with his Mercy and Love so as to do good to enemies Was it not a plain Caracter of being his Children when they did so love their Enemies and do good to them that did hate them See Math. 5. 44 45. But this perfect Resemblance of the Heavenly Father such Sin-pleasers and pleaders as T. H. will not admit of in this Life who is so far from this Love and Goodness towards Enemies that his Enmity leads him to abuse bespaâ—…ter and defame such of us who never owed him or his Friends ever any ill-will in the World But when doth he expect this divine Resemblance of God or sinless Perfection to be brought forth It doth appear in Answer to the Question stated by him thus viz. Where wouldst thou be perfectly free from Sin if not in this Life His Answer is in Heaven p. 50. Reply He would be perfectly free from Sin in Heaven as he pretends but opposeth Perfection being attainable in this Life accounting that it causeth much Pride Presumption hinders all holy Fear Humility Watchfulness and industrious Endeavours to Persons in a holy Course whereas this all tends to a perfect Life But sufficiently hath he contradicted this his sinful Doctrine against a perfect Freedom where he confesses p. 24 That Christ came to carry on in the World the Design of insinite Grace and Love in being a Saviour of Sâ—…ers from Sin Death and Hell Note here he hath given a deadly Blow to his own Imperfect lame and Sinfull Cause for if Christ came into the World to save Sinners from Sin and to redeem us from all Iniquity then to be so saved is attainable in this Life for Christ is able perfectly to do the Work which he came for that is to save from Sin and to redeem from all Iniquity Again T. H. in his Forgery deals very corruptly according to his â—…onted manner in stating the Christian and the Quaker thus speaking viz. Chr. If thou canst prove a perfect Freedom from Sin 's Inherency c. remember thou must prove it by Scriptures or Instances Qua. I will prove it by both First By Scriptures Phil. 3. 15. Math. 5. 48. Secondly By Instances Many of our Friends do witness it p. 50 51. Reply Herein most falsly and abusively he hath acted the Quakers speaking his own Notorious Forgery as Prooâ—… They have no Reason to chuse him for their mouth for what needed they bring any Instances of themselves for any Proof when they are left to prove Perfection by Scriptures or Instances while the Scriptures plainly prove it And let me tell him it is not our manner of arguing with our Opposers to tell them that many of our Friends do witness Perfection knowing not only that to be the thing which they seek to reproach us by but also that to plead the Verity of Principles from the meer Credit of Persons asserting them to be no prevalent Proof nor Effect any Conviction while the Persons themselves are slited and abused But our Adversary having thus falsly acted the Quaker as before as saying many of our Friends witness Perfection he declines the Scriptures for it and falls upon personal reviling and to express to the World some wrong Expressions and Mistakes of Persons If he rightly state them which I much question because his many notorious Abuses Sect. XXII Tho. Hicks his groundless Calumny and malitious Railing against G. Whitehead NOw we come to his Railing and Slaâ—…der against G. Whitehead viz. That he is guilty of Deceit and Falshood in matter of Fact and that he told him he was a Knave that is he was a false deceitful man p. 53. Answ. Here I shall take leave to answer for my self therefore understand Reader what he pretends as his Reason for this abusive Language to me I find two things he pretends for it First He accuseth me with denying mine Opinions when charged with them 2ly He that shall give a false Relation of what another man asserts and does it wifully is false and Deceitful But thâ—…s he accuseth me and why so But because I acknowledged Explicatioâ—…s to be given to his Propositions yet gives not the least him what tâ—…ose Explications were p. 53. Reply To the first what I did deny I still do deny as none of my Opinions as stated by T. H. in his accusing the Quakers That they deny the Person of Christ his Offices Satiâ—…action and the Râ—…surrection of the Body I do recharge these upon him as his Lyes and Slanders forged and brought forth in Envy and Darkness as I did in the Paper and publick Debate between us and in so doing I do not deny any Opinion or Tenent of mine or my Friends And he dealt most dis-ingenuously in not laying down my own Words to prove that I denyed the Person of Christ or his Offices Satisfaction and the Resurrection But instead thereof was it either ingenuous or honest to bring my â—…dversary T. D. his Pamphlet stiled a Sinopsis which falsly accuseth me with saying there is no Resurrection from the Dead for Proof Most falsly instancing my Answer to W. Burnet in which Answer quite contrary to what I am accused oâ—… I have given a plain Confession to the man Christ his Offices Satisfaction and the Resurrection
in Fundamentals Answ. First we thought that Water-Baptism had been a fundamental Point with the Baptists and do they and Presbyterians agree therein 2. Have not the Baptists whom Presbyterians call Anabaptists been accounted Hereticks by the Presbyterians Why do they now joyn against the Quakers so called 3. Dare he say there are no good People among the Quakers that he makes good People's being among Presbyterians a Reason of his joyning with them against us Is it not easy to see a manifest Dissimulation and feigned Confederacy therein among these our Opposers If our Opposer saith we have not inserted his Explications upon his Assertions Answ. That 's his Work he hath Liberty to do it himself But he hath not done it nor vindicated these his Assertions in his Pamphlet Christ's Light within asserted as it is Divine and therefore a sufficient Rule of Life unto Salvation to all that truely obey it and vindicated from Tho. Hicks his dark Exceptions fallasious and impious Arguments consisting of manifest Ignorance Confusion and Ranterism which are here inserted as they were exhibited in a Paper afterwards owned and signed by him HIs harge against G.W. That George Whitehead affirmed that there was that Light in every Man if followed that was sufficient to Salvation T. Hick's Assertions against this 1. In Answer to which it is asserted that the Light in every Man could not understand the Doctrine of Instituted Worship 2. That the Light in every Man could not understand the Doctrine of Jesus Christ concerning his coming to save Sinners 3. The Light in every Man could not bring him to the Understanding how Sin came into the World 4. The Light in every Man cannot acquaint him with the Knowledge of the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead Reply G. Whitehead still affirms that God hath gratiously afforded that Light to every Man which he ought to follow and is sufficient to guide him to Salvation To his four first Assertions I query Is that Life which is the Light of Men John 1. 4. divine in it self the Light of Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word able to apprehend and bring Man clearly to see the Invisible things of God even his Eternal Power and Godhead as confessed from Rom 1. 19 20. And yet is this Light neither able to understand the Worship that 's due to him the Doctrine of Christ Jesus concerning his coming to save Sinners how Sin came into the World nor yet to acquaint Man with the Knowledge of the Resurrection can the Light apprehend or bring men to see God's Eternal Power and yet neither bring them to understand the Cause of Man's Separation and Death from God nor his Duty or Restoration to God again How manifestly in consistent and contradictory are these and how plainly doth he charge men's Ignorance and Defects for want of Obedience upon the Light within And then what is it given for and what can it do But these Assertions are grounded upon his taking it for granted that it is not a Light of Grace but of Nature when that Life which is the Light of Men is granted to be divine in its own being able to discover the Eternal Power and Godhead then which there is not a higher Power but how this divine Light should become Natural as a Creature we are still to enquire as that which neither T. H. â—…or his Brethren have ever yet proved That the Light within every Man could not be a Rule for it must be a Light of Nature or of Grace This Light cannot be understood the Light of Grace because the Scripture doth suppose a time when Men are without it It is said after those Dayes I will put my Laws in their Hearts and they shall know me that must be the Light of Grace Answ. Where doth the Scripture say that the Life of Christ which was with and in the Father which is the Light of men is the Light of Nature and not a Light of Grace The man in taking this for granted most filthily begs the Question and that contrary to his own Concession before neither doth the Scripture suppose a time wherein Men have no Light of Grace in them as he insinuates but a time when they are out of the New-Covenant and Strangers in their Minds to it as not being come into that Agreement with God or Union with his Light which this Covenant doth import And because the State and Tenour of it is both the having God's Laws written in his People's Hearts and Minds their knowing him to be their God and they to be his People and it s a Covenant of Mercy and Forgiveness of Sins past It doth not therefore follow that none of his Law is in them before they come to this Holy Attainment and Blessed Agreement though his Laws are not so universally written or deeply engraven in their Hearts before for it s now granted by divers of our Opposers who are of the more moderate 1. That the pure or holy Law which God placed in man's Hearts before Transgression was never wholy abliterated though much clouded by man's Disobedience 2. Some of these Anabaptists do confess to a Light in man which reproves for Evil and excites to good which they say is the Substance of the morral â—…aw or first Covenant which enjoyns Man truely to love and worship God and to love our Neighbours equally with our selves to do justly c. That this the very Heathens or Gentiles have in them And then I ask if this Law doth not appertain to the New-Covenant as one principle Law thereof also and never intended to be destroyed by Christ but fulfilled and renewed in his Followers who have Union with it as having a more deep impression and being more fully discovered in the Hearts of Men when become Children of this Covenant then before Was not Love the fulfilling of the Law and was not this preached by Christ's Ministers and was not love one to another both the Old and New Commandment yea the Old Commandment renewed and established If not a Light of Grace in every Man then it must be the Light of Nature but the Light in every Man cannot be sufficient to Salvation Acts 11. 18. When they heard these things they held their Peace and glorifyed God saying then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance to Life then they had it not before Answ. His Argument still depends upon his former Fallacy that 't is not a Light of Grace but a Light of Nature that is in every Man as also in putting Repentance for the Light of Grace he puts the Effect for the Cause as if no man had saving Grace or a Light thereof before Repentance or Conversion whereas his Argument doth not at all prove that those Gentiles who received the Word of God had not a Light of Grace but only of Nature in them before Peter preached Jesus Christ to them but rather the contrary that it was a Light of Grace a
Life and Dominion are spiritual known in the true Believer who is of that Seed which Christ took upon him yea his spiritual begetting spiritual forming in man and spiritual birth is known within and all for the Redemption and Salvation of man to God or else he falls short oâ—… Lâ—…e and Glory and he that brings up the Soul out of the horrible Pit first descends thither And though it s not true to say he only comes to redeem raise up or save himself yet it may be truely said he doth arise to scatter his Enemies and to bring man out of the Pit and in conquering his Enemies his own 〈◊〉 brings Salvation to him Isa. 63. 5 9. And thus saith the Lord in an acceptable time have I heard thee and in a day of Salvation have I helped thee and I will preserve thee and give thee for a Covenant of the People to establish the Earth that thou mayst say to the Prisoners go forth and to them that sit in Darkness shew your selves Isa. 49. 8 9. which Promise is of a general Extent So mark here He that redeemeth the Prisoner and calleth forth them that are in Darkness he hath his help of God that sent him we are not to conclude that he helps not others because he is helped himself And Christ's Sufferings both inward and outward for they were two-sold were for man's Benefit as is testified in the said Book Love to the Lost accused by thee The Creature is blessed of God for the Seeds Sake and Redemption from the vain Conversation as Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity c. So if thou wert thus redeemed thou needst not enquire for the Subject of Redemption nor accuse others for owning the Seed of God both in an oppressed State and as raised up by the Eternal Power and Glory of the Father for wor thy is the Lamb that was slain from the Foundation of the World to receive Power and Wisdom and Glory and Might c. However T. H. slites our Testimony of the Seed of God within as in several States and so the spiritual Resurrection of Christ in man his Brother H. G. confesseth thereto in his Book p. 54. where he saith Praises and Halelujahs to God for ever who hath given us that Witness in our selves of which thou speakest that we can experience the Power of Christ's Spiit risen in us for our Sanctification and Renovation as well as Christ was raised from the Dead c. Thus far H. G. Is it not here evident that he hath confest to Christ's arising in man for man's Restoration What thinkst T. H. of this Is this Canting or Gibberish as his Words are against us p. 47. Moreover as the elect Seed is spoken of in the Scripture both with respect to Christ the Anointed and with respect to his Seed and Heritage so also the Seed is Christ not only as in himself aâ—…ointed with the Oyle of Gladness above his Fellows but also as in Union and Conjunction with his Church or Members As the Body is one and hath many Members so also is Christ and so Christ and the Body comprehensively is one he is the Anointed and we are anointed in him and he that hath anointed us is God By all which it is understood that we are Partakers of the Life Redemption and Priviledge that is in Christ as we are in him and grow up in him so that all our Opposers Cavils which render our Principle as only including Christ and God in the Redemption and not man do fall to the Ground as Groundless and Frivilous As for his groundless Cavills in his p. 48. The little Understanding he hath either of the Measure of God's Gift his Seed within or of Redemption by Christ the Elect Seed is very intelligible from the Tenour of his impertinent and contradictory Discourse throughout his Pamphlet By all which we see the Nature of his pretended Christianity and how Un-christian he is in his apparâ—…nt Oppositions against the divine Light and Seed within Sect. XXI The Baptist's Imperfect Work against Perfection COncerning Persection which we say is attainable in this Life he attempteth to confute us though very feebly here as will appear T. H. I perceive you are forced as much as any others to borrow from the Scriptures without which you can no more prove any thing either concerning Christ or Perfection then a meer Indian p. 49. Answ. Touching which it appears while thou grantst something for Perfection we proved from Scriptures how consistent with this thy after Work is against Perfection will â—…rther be manifest But while thou concludes that we can prove no more of Perfection then a meer Indian without the Scriptures How agrees this with thy former confessing that Man was alwayes under an Obligation that God's Soveraignity over him and his Inferiority unto God might be acknowledged Now if this be truely to be acknowledged by Man or Mankind in general why are Indians excluded And if God's Soveraignity over man and man's Subjection thereto be known doth not this extend to Perfection If either the Rule be perfect that thus obligeth man or if in God's Rule Power or Soveraignity as over man be Perfection which we affirm is able to evince it self where true Fear and Subjection to God is lived in or Sincerity and Uprightness towards him retained Though to such as thou art who opposes Sin-less Perfection as attainable in this Life there is a need especially of producing Scriptures to prove it while you pretend a Belief of them for the perfect Light or Gift of God within you do not believe in Yet thou hast granted to Perfection as sincere and upright p. 50. and is not this Perfection of Sincerity and Uprightness without Sin Were it good Doctrine to say that Persection as it respects the Sincerity and Uprightness of Saints is sinful But that a perfect Freedom from all Sin in this Life is attainable we intend is by the all-sufficient Power of Christ and no true Christian doth dissent from us herein Nor doth this cause either Pride or Presumption as thou falsly insinuates but the contrary Sin-pleasing Doctrine that 's for Imperfection and Sin while in this Life And while thou confessest a holy Fear Humility Watchfulness and Industrious Endeavours to persevere in a Holy Course to the End p. 50. Either thou dost hereby grant Perfection or a perfect Freedom from all Sin attainable in this Life or else thou excitest People to be industrious and endeavour for that which thou believest is not attainable which is as much faithless Inconsistency as to say use your industrious Endeavours to persevere in a holy Course that is sinless to the End but it is not attainable Were not this a sad and Heartless Way of Preaching to put People upon Impossibilities Again upon Phil. 3. 15. as many as are perfect be thus minded Thou sayst By Perfection no more can be understood in this Text then
with Intention to leave them without Recovery which though all in curreth the same End as is supposed to a certain fore designed Number of Persons yet the State of the Case as it reflects upon God is as much opposite and contrary as to say God doth absolutely eternally decree Man's Destruction or did reprobate them from Eternity and then that he purposely passeth by and leaves them to destroy or kill themselves whereas his good Will and Kindness and free Proffers of Grace and Salvation to lost Man admits of neither to wit neither of such Cruelty to nor Carelesness of his Creatures his Mercies are over all his Works and his Grace and Mercy in the first place extending to all And that saying He will have Mercy on whom he will is no Limitation to the first extent of his Grace and good Will But that he will have Mercy both by way of Encrease and Continuance to the Upright-hearted even to them that fear him who Love and obey him but those that are destroyed their Destruction is of themselves as it is written But my People would not hearken unto my Voice Israel would none of me Therefore mark the Cause I gave them over to their own Hearts Lusts Psal. 81. 11. and as S. S. in Contradiction to himself saith Nor doth God consume any Man meerly as his own Workmanship but he adds God endureth with much long Suffering unregenerate men and they fit themselves for Destruction pag. 113. See here how the Man breaks the Neck of his own Cause Is his Opinion of God's Eternally reprobating and ordaining partiticular Persons to Destruction come to this That now while he sheweth long Suffering towards them they fit themselves for Destruction that is they rebel against God resist his Spirit and despise the Riches of his Grace and slight his long Suffering and Patience till they bring swift Destruction upon themselves And this God is not the Cause of He doth not unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass Sin and Rebellion in the Wicked and their Striving against him Isa. 45. 9. are come to pass which he is not the Author of Wo unto him that Strives with his Maker thou hast hid thy Face from us and we are consumed because of our Iniquities which God is neither the Author nor Cause of S. S. God's Election is unchangeable he will certainly bring in never finally reject that Soul he had taken Liking to Nothing sect 7 can fall out not Sin it self causing God to alter his Purpose he foresaw all c. p. 113. Answ. His Election and Purpose thereof where made sure and confirmed by his Spirit in his Sanctified ones who are established in his Grace is unalterable But 1st There are Degrees and Growths in a State of Election before Establishment as those to whom Peter wrote his first Epistle were called Elect according to the fore-Knowledge of God through Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience c. 1 Pet. 1. 2. These though Elected so far as they were chosen out of the World through Sanctification and Belief of the Truth yet he both wrote unto them to stir up their pure Minds 2 Pet. 3. 1. and exhorted them to give Diligence to make their Calling and Election sure that they might never fall 2 Pet. 1. 10. But what need of this if they were personally elected from an absolute Purpose of God from Eternity Needed or could they make that more sure which God had made so absolute If so then the Exhortation had more properly run thus viz. Brethren believe that God hath made your personal Election sure from Eternity and then what needed he warn or admonish them concerning the Apostacy of those who denyed the Lord that bought them who had forsaken the right Way or of such who after they had escaped the Pollutions of the World through the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which sure was saving Grace yet were again entangled therein that their latter End was worse with them then the Beginning 2 Pet. 2. Did not then their Sin their falling from Grace and so their Disobedience hinder their Establishment and Security in a State of Election or keep from that Diligence in the Spirit whereby they should have made their Calling and Election sure 2dly His saying That Sin it self cannot cause God to alter his Purpose is not only a gross Mistake as in this Case but also gives a great Liberty to Hypocrites who believe they are eternally elect Persons to continue in Sin and Presumption But in Reproof to such and Confutation of the Mistake see what the Prophet Jeremiah saith in the 18th Chapter where having first declared the Power God had over them by the Instance of the Potter ver 3 4 5 6. He further shews his Purpose and the Manifestation of his Power both in Judgment and Mercy and the Condition on which his declar'd Thought or Intention may be alter'd as where he saith v. 7. at what Instant I shall speak concerning a Nation concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and destroy it v. 8. If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their Evil I will repent of the Evil I thought to do unto them v. 9. And at what Instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to build and to plant it v. 10. If it do Evil in my Sight that it obey not my Voice then will I repent of the Good wherewith I said I would benefit them See also ver 11 12. to the 18th Object If any should thus object That these conditional Alterations of God's Purposes did but concern their temporal Conditions not their eternal c. Answ. It may be answered That it is a Mistake they concerned both except Men repent they shall perish eternally Their persisting in Evil-doing and Disobedience to the Voice of God iâ—…currs eternal Condemnation as well as temporal Punishments so contrary wise through true Repentance c. both have been escaped by many and Godliness is great Gain which hath the Promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. 6. 6. Again my unanswered Objection was and still is Were it not impertinent and vain to warn Men of Destruction sect 8 eternal Death or Perishing if from Eternity they were secured from any such Danger Or on the other Hand in time to set before them Life and Death that they might chuse Life refuse Death c. as Deut. 30. 15 16 17 18 19 20. If God had particularly designed them for Death and Destruction how should they then chuse Life Were not this to mock them with a dissembling Proffer of Life if the contrary be so unalterably designed for them S. S. After his fashion answers God that decrees their Salvation decrees by such Warnings to work in them his Fear and an holy Caution to keep them in his Wayes that they may be saved p. 114. Rep. What Fear A Fear
of Condemnation both to Angels and Men to be their Sin in forsaking the Lord and living Ungodly But whereas S. S. renders God's fore-knowledge of all his Works as the Reason or Proof That he from eternity decreed particular Angels and Men for Destruction which appears Contradictory to his Masters of the Assemblies confessing viz. That God hath not decreed any thing because he foresaw it as future Confess Chap. 3 This Proof is as impertinent as the rest of his shallow Arguments for his fore-Knowledge being infinite it is no Proof that he hath absolutely decreed or ordained all things that come to pass because he foresaw all for he hath not ordained that Men should live in Sin though he hath designed their Punishment who do so live yet known unto the Lord are all his Work 's both those of his Creation which he wrought according to his absolute Pleasure both in Heaven and in Earth and in the Sea c. Psal. 135. 6. and Man was not capable of resisting his Maker in forming of him he was as the Clay in his Hand as also the Lord foreknew his work of Sanctification and saving of man from Sin and Death but this is not effected without a Subjection to his Will and a Compliance with his Spirit and Power in his Work within They are not Partakers of Salvation from Sin who wilfully gain-say the Truth resist the holy Ghost and act Despite against the Spirit of Grace But further I find S. S. so uncertain in the Management of his partial Proposition for a personal Election and Reprobation that he is made sometimes to grant and confess to Truth to his own absolute Confutation and the Break neck of his graceless Cause As by his Confessing That God hath no Pleasure in the Death of him that dieth considered barely as his Creature for he is willing to receive to Mercy every returning Sinner yet if a Person perseveres in Wickedness as such God will laugh at his Calamity c. Thus far S. S. From whence it follows 1st That God did not from Eternity decree the Damnation of particular Persons contrary to his declared Pleasure 2dly That persevering in Wickedness is the Cause of Men's Calamity 3dly Aâ—…d their Perversness and Obstinacy in rejecting Wisdom's Reproof and Counsel the Cause that God will laugh at their Calamity and mock when their Fear cometh Now the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation as universally sect 11 and equally laid down in the Scriptures of Truth and as accordingly by us asserted for that there can be no Repugnancy either in God's Actions or in his Will whether secret or revealed as some vainly imagin cannot be inconsistent with God's Prohibitions Eat not of the Tree of Knowledge His conditional Promises If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted If you Seek the Lord he will be found of you Whosoever believeth shall not perish shall not abide in Darkness His conditional Threats If thy Heart turn away thou shalt Perish If ye for sake him he will for sake you His sending his Son into the World not to Condemn the World He should have added Christ's Dying for all Men tasting death for every Man his giving his Spirit to instruct them His Setting Life and Death before them in the Promises and in the Threats or giving Men up to their Lusts for Sin This cannot be inconsistent with God's Election or Choice of true Believers and Obedient nor with his rejecting the Rebellious unto Reprobation for they evince the Truth thereof But the Presbyters partial Doctrine of Election and Reprobation of particular Persons and certain definite number of Men and Angels and their most grosly Asserting that God from all Eternity did freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass This is both inconsistent with those and such his Prohibitions conditional Promises and Threats His sending his Son not to condemn the World but that the World through him might be saved his dying for all Men his giving his good Spirit to the Disobedient to instruct them his setting Life and Death before them to chuse Life or perish Deut. 30. 15. to the end but Alas if from Eternity God had reprobated them or absolutely ordained and designed their Damnation and Curse how should they Chuse Life or Blessing Or if particularly unchangeably ordained to Life and Salvation from all Eternity Could there be any such Danger of their perishing or that they should thus need to be threatned with Cursing and Perishing if their Heart turned away from the Lord For had they been unchangeably designed of God for the one End whether Life or Death were it not very inconsistent to propose both conditionally to them as namely to exhort them to chuse Life or if they refused to threaten them with perishing c. do not you partial-minded Presbyters and Calvinists by such kind of Preaching and Propositions so contrary to your partial Principle most grosly dissemble with People and mock them contrary to your own Belief whenas Moses the Prophets and Apostles in such like Conditional Promises and Threats believed what they spoak they believed and therefore spoak from the Spirit of God which cannot lie nor dissemble If you say God hath decreed particular Persons Salvation by such Warnings you thereby tell us that he hath decreed it by Threatning them with Damnation and thereby you affix your non-sense incongruous Doctrine upon God rather then you will confess your own nonsensical Contradiction therein which runs thus That God hath from all Eternity unchangeably designed some Persons eternal Salvation and yet that he warns and threatens the same Persons with eternal Damnation or Perdition if they refuse Life or to â—…earken to him and obey him or if their Hearts turn away from him pray mark how inconsistent and contradictory this is like as to say It is unchangeably designed of God that you must live for ever yet take heed you do not dye eternally And to S. S. his adding All these are subservient to the Soveraign Design of God's Decrees The Magnifying his Mercy and Grace in the Salvation of all the Elect his Justice or Wrath in the Reprobates c. pag. 115. Ans. If by the Words All these as we may take him he intends according to the Assembly's Confession That God from all Eternity did most freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass then it may be understood that all these things those Conditions or States both Good and Bad which he mentions before are subservient to the soveraign Design of God's Decrees as he words it But if by all these he intends all these conditional Promises and Threats are so subservient as I think he doth then God's Decrees of Men Salvation or Damnation are also conditional accordingly as first If you seek the Lord he will be found of you and then as all are called to seek the Lord he hath also given Liberty and a Capacity to all to seek him that they may
the Permission of Sin another to commit it between God's fore-ordaining the Sin and the actual Commission of it came in the Will and wicked Hands of Men The Will and these wicked Hands were the Author and Cause of Sin and not God's fore-Ordination Answ. How S. S. can clear himself from rendering God to be the Author of Sin while he accuseth him of determining or fore-ordaining the wicked Actions of these Men of fore ordaining the Sin let the unbyas'd Reader judge whether this be not an Unjust Charge against God And I ask Did God determine and fore-ordain the Wicked Actions of Men and yet warn and counsel them to turn from Iniquity What Inconsistency is this How will these hold together Doth not God first counsel and desire the 〈◊〉 before he lets them alone and gives them up to their Lusts and Hardness to Work their own Ruin How like the Ranters Principle that all Actions are of God and by his Power is it to say in these general Expressions That God hath determined or fore-ordained the Actions of wicked Men For then how should they reform as he counsels them by his Light in their Consciences and what need of Reforming what God hath fore-ordained But how contradictory to this Fore-ordination of wicked Actions which the Man hath unjustly accused God with is his Pâ—…rmission of Sin although he doth not alwaies permit Sin to go unpunished yet in this we agree that the Will and wicked Hands of Men as acted by the Divel were the Author and Cause of Sin and the Commission of it and therefore not God nor any Fore-ordination of his for he hath fore-ordained his Son Jesus Christ to call Sinners to Repentance to offer Life and Salvation to all before he gâ—…ves up any to a reprobate Mind or to work their own Ruin S. S. to those he counts Elect saith You are now afraid sect 16 you have lost all for you have greatly fallen as did David * your Faith is even giving up the Ghost yet are you not fallen from Grace God hath not forsaken you Psal. 89. 30. Answ. Although I confess that in the Lord is plentious Redemption and Forgiveness to all that unfeignedly repent and turn from Iniquity yet as this Man placeth all upon a personal Election even David's Forgiveness and Redemption not so much taking notice of his Repentance Judgment and Terror that he under went under which David often asked God Forgiveness for his Transgression This pretended personal Election and telling Men they are not fallen from Grace when guilâ—…y of horrible Wickedness gives them a large Scope and gross Liberty to Sin and Wickedness if they can but in the first place conceit they are elect Persons and be but such Hypocrites as out-face their own Consciences and murder the Just Witness and evade the Conviction and Reproofs of Truth therein and be so self-confident as to perswade themselves they are not fallen from Grace when they have committed Adultery or Murther and acted as badly as Reprobates can do and then flatter themselves with that Imagination That Christ hath payed all their Debt and satisfied the Justice of his Father which they call vindictive for all their Sins past present and to come This is an easy way to make Hypocrites for them to continue in the Sin of Whoredom and other Abominations But this is too broad a Way ever to lead them to Heaven and the Wicked had not need thus to have their Hands strengthened in Sin nor thus to be encouraged in a course of Impioty by a Pretence of an Impossibility of falling from Grace seeing there is a just Man that perisheth in his Righteousness and then where shall the Wicked and Ungodly appear and what manner of Persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 2 Pet. 3. Will it avail Persons any thing before the Just God for a Company of daubing Hypocritical Priests to tell a few conceited Electioners Though you have fallen very foully as did David or into Adultery or Murther yet have a good Heart on it believe still you are elect Persons chosen and designed of God for Salvation from all Eternity you are not fallen from Grace when you are guilty of Whoredom and the like as if Grace had such a great Affinity with them in this their Wickedness A pleasant Doctrine for the Devil and his Children to feed upon as Hypocrites Whoremongers and abominable Workers who though as bad and filthy as those they count Reprobates yet do imagine that God respects their vile Persons Eternally to makâ—… Choice of them only more then others who it may be arâ—… not so bad as they as if they were such choice Jewels in their Filthiness which is no small Blasphemy and Reflection upon God thus to render him partially-indulgent to the Wicked and unequal in his Way towards Mankind as eternally to design such great Favour and Indulgence to a small part thereof which is as bad as the rest and inevitable Cruelty as eternal Wrathin Hell to the greater part thereof whereas all Mankind in general is God's Workmanship by Creation all made of one Earth one Blood c. surely he is no such Respecter of Persons As concerning God's Covenant with David and his Seed sect 17 Psa. 89. It is said His Seed also will I make to endure for ever and his Throne as the Dayes of Heaven If his Children for sake my Law if they break my Statutes then will I visit their Transgressions with the Rod and their Iniquity with Stripes nevertheless my Loving Kindness will I not utterly take from him I ask From Whom Was it not David that is beloved who as he entered into Covenant and Agreement with God he was his Servant anointed with the holy Oyl There remained a true and tender Seed in him which the Name Beloved most properly related to though the Man passed through great Judgment and Tribulation he obtained Forgiveness and God had such regard to him for his own Name and Seed sake and the Sincerity that had a Root in him that his Children fair'd the better in some respects for his sake 1 Kings 11 12. howbeit this proves not that all the Seed of David after the Flesh kept their Covenant with God or stood in his Grace so as not at all to fall from it for however God for a time retains Favour Kindness and Patience to Revolters who have tasted of his Grace and Power as very unwilling they should be utterly lost yet in departing from the Lord into Iniquity they do in themselves turn from and abuse his Grace not being stedfast therein with the Lord So that the Instance proves not that his loving Kindness did always continue unto such as run into Adultery Idolatry and Abominations and continuing in Rebellion after their many gentle Chastisements though the Lord is long suffering and keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that fear him his Faithfulness fails not he is ready to fulfil the
p. 64. and when that shall be he explains p. 85. at his Coming in the End of the World quoting 1 Thes. 4. 17. Mark Reader here how plainly he contradicteth his Saying That At Death Sin is forever totally abolished Now it is in the End of the World when Christ cometh Personally as he supposeth to Judgment So by this confused Work one while Sin is Not done away in this Life another while it Is done away At Death another while it Is done away After Death another while it is Not done away Till the last Trump or End of the World whereas there are many Believers and Saints deceased in the mean time and many long since dissolved as to their outward Man what becomes of their Souls between the Time of their Departure and the End of the World for he hath confessed that No Unclean Thing shall enter the Kingdom of God So then if the Saints deceased be not throughly cleansed from Sin before nor Sin to be done away till the Eâ—…d of the World what other Place besides Heaven caâ—… he provide or think of for the Saints deceased How can he avoid the Pope's imagined Purgatory unless he hold the Mortality of the Soul that it dyes or sleeps in the Dust with the Body To his alledging That the Ministry is to continue to the last Trump and to the last Trump will Sin be in the Saints but then in a Moment will the Saints be changed and perfected If he intends that the Saints have their Benefit and part in the Ministry each in their Life time and several Ages how doth this clear his concluding that to the End of the World or last Trump Sin will be in the Saints that then in a Moment they shall be changed for many of the Saints are deceased many Hundreds of Years since which if Sin be in them still they do not particularly partake of the blessed End of Christ's Ministry and Gifts which were for the Perfecting of the Saints till all come into the Unity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God unto a Perfect Man c. and yet those deceased Saints are not now under the Ministry of Apostles c. From Ephes. 4. 13. he saith That perfect Man is Christ with all his Members for he consists of many and he is thus to be a perfect Man in the other World not this pag. 46. Whereas the Benefit of God's Gifts did as well extend to the particular Saints and Members of his Body as to the whole Body to wit till we all come in the Unity of the Faith c. That we henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro c. Ephes. 4. 14. There is no Danger of their being tossed in the other World with Windy Doctrines Both their Perfection and Establishment and Growing up in Christ in all things being Effects of his Gifts and Ministry which were experienced and obtained in this Life S. S. The Ministry and Scriptures were perfecting the Saints as long as they live Deut. 17. 19. The King shall read therein all the Dayes of his Life that he may Learn to fear therein the Lord his God If he is to Learn to fear God all the Dayes of his Life c. pag. 65. Answ. Are the Saints then but a Learning to fear the Lord God all the Dayes of their Life or Doth that King in the time of the Old Covenant represent the best State of the Saints in the New the King that was forbidden to multiply Wives Horses Silver or Gold to himself Are the best of Saints in the New Covenant in Danger of these things and therefore to be restrained by an outward Law that their Hearts turn not away from the Lord whereas he hath promised I will put my Fear in their Hearts and they shall not depart from me and this is a Condition of his Everlasting Covenant That there is a time of Perfecting Believers or Saints before they are Perfected I confess as while God was Creating the World it was not Created but I differ with him in his counting it God's good Pleasure that Sin should remain in the Saints and that to keep them Humble either till Death till after Death or to the End of the World and it were more absurd to say That Sin will remain even in the Saints deceased till the End of the World to keep them Humble It is true as he saith That whilst a Carpenter is building an House the House is not builded pag. 65. but then if the Carpenter undertakes to build a House and bargains for a Price to build it and then doth not build it or tells a Man whose Money he hath got It is true I took your Money to perfect this Building but I can get but little of it builded you must not expect to have it builded while you live Would not the Man reply then Give me my Money again But Carpenters do not use to cheat men thus They that are Honest do not use to serve People as you pretended Ministers do who say You are sent for Perfecting the Saints and for this take Money and Gifts and Rewards and yet tell them Perfection is NOT attainable in this Life Honest Carpenters would not deal thus with them In Psalm 119. 1 2 3 4. Blessed are the Undefiled in the Way he saith In Point of Justification Believers are in Christ their Head clear as the Moon fair as the Sun In Point of Sanctification through the Renewing and Assisting Grace they do not allow themselves in any known Sin but in God's Fear oppose all pag. 65. He hath said enough to break the Neck of his own Cause 1st Unless to be In Christ Spotless Clear as the Moon and Fair as the Sun be a Spotted or Sinful State 2dly Unless that there must remain some Sins in those that are in Christ which cannot be known to them whereas he that abideth in Christ sinneth not And He hath left us an Example that we should follow his Steps who did not sin And the Word Justifie sometimes useth to signifie to make Just by inherent Holyness or to Sanctifie as he confesseth pag. 89. Upon Titus 3. 5. 7. But if to evade this he renders Justification in their sense of Imâ—…utation then it is to reckon them Spotless Clear as the Moon Fair as the Sun who are yet Spotted Corrupted and Defiled with Sin But if in the Fear of the Lord true Believers through Renewing and Assisting Grace do not allow themselves in any known Sin but in God's Fear oppose all then if a Discovery of all Sin by the Light be attainable to them not only to Oppose but to Overcome all Sin through assisting Grace is attainable in this Life for Resist the Devil and he will flye And we can do all things through Christ that strengthneth us knowing our Faith in him which is the Victory and also obtaineth actual Dominion over Sin Whereas Psal. 119. 3. They also do no Iniquity
nor the Being of Sin forthwith excluded p. 68. yet by Degrees it comes fully to be effected and Sin put an End to as there is a waiting in Patience and Diligence upon him who hath begun a good Work who will also perfect it That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us on this he thus paraphraseth Fulfill signifies sincerely to obey the Law 1 Chron. 22. 13. that is sincerely to obey every Precept so far as we attain to understand it Thus far he contradicts his pleading for the Being of Sin and Corruptions in the Saints and his denying perfect Obedience to be attainable in this Life yet I assert that Man in his own Will Strength cannot attain sincerely to obey the Law of God but through the Power and Aid of Christ Jesus he may attain to the Righteousness or Substance of the Law to be fulfilled in him being led by the Spirit of Life for the Law thereof in Christ makes free from the Law of Sin and Death But when this Opposer adds Thus in the other World God's People shall attain to fulfil the Righteousness of the Law p. 69. Herein he perverts Scripture and puts Christ's Work afar off who is the End of the Law for Righteousness not to indulge Men in Sin to them that believe and he came to condemn Sin in the Flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit which State the Apostle did not put off to the other World And if the Gospel or Law of the Spirit of Life free us from the Law of Sin and Death and Christ was sent to condemn Sin in the 〈◊〉 which Words he turns thus viz. Condemned our Sin in him I say First Why should we be subject to the Law of Sin aâ—…d Death or 〈◊〉 believe a Freedom from the Being of Sin when its Power Law and Rule is taken away These are inconsistent Must Men needs subject themselves to that which is brought under by the Power of Christ and Law of Life in him His saying He condemned our Sin in him will not excuse him from being condemned with Sin if he doth not come to find Sin condemned and destroyed in himself and Man's Disobedience to the Law of God within will not be excused by what Christ hath done and suffered without neither will your Application cause you to be lookt on as if from the Beginning of Life to the End to have obeyed the Law as Creatures to have satisfied it as Sinners p. 69. Surely God doth not so look upon you while you continue in Sin and his Spirit striving with you and reproving of you for Sin and Corruption God and his Spirit do not so oppose on another and yet he is Gratious and Merciful ready to pardon and forgive Sins past upon true Repentance and that for Christ's sake who is the Propitiation c. but the Notion of Satisfaction as it is taken in the severe Sense of strict Payment in Law by undergoing the full Punishment It is not consistent with the Gratiousness of God in forgiving Sins past on unfeigned Repentance but sufficient is said to that Point He is offended that we should say to him and his Brethren You plead for Sin he calls this an opprobrious and gross Slander but hath not cleared himself thereof but verified it as appears in this Discourse of his And his saying Who do more call Men off from sinning then we If he had added Who tell People that to come off or be free from Sin is not attainable in this Life and that it is God's good Pleasure not to destroy the Being of Sin in this Life and that he sees good Corruptions should remain in his Saints to keep them humble Then the World might easily have judged how heartily they call Men off from Sin or rather how they impiously plead for Sin as necessary He sayes Their Light without the Scriptures will help to call men off from Lying Injustice Uncleanness c. They should then obey it for then it necessarily calls unto Truth Justice Purity c. and consequently to Heaven Depart from â—…vil and do Good and dwell for evermore We urge Men to the Observance of the Christian Sabbath p. 69. And what is that Christian Sabbath And how do you urge men to Observe it Was not the Jews Sabbath a Type of the Christians Sabbath or Rest And do they not cease from their own Works and Thoughts being not to think their own Thoughts on this Sabbath or holy Day We press to repent of the very Being of an evil Thought in us But do you press it in the Faith Do you believe that the Being of evil Thoughts can be remov'd in this Life else what signifies your pressing to repent thereof Your Denouncing against men's Allowing themselves in Sin Wickedness Your saying It is the Duty of all to be Perfect to Press after it to watch against all even the least Sins p. 70. What avails all this when you press and preach thus in your Unbelief You unsay what you here pretend when you tell people It is God's Good Pleasure that the Being of Sin and Corruption should remain in his Saints to keep them humble What Incouragement do you here give People to press after Perfection and to watch against all Sin when you tell them A Sinless Perfection is not attainable But he brings an Instance for their Encouragement as he thinks viz. If two Companies of Children were to run a Race and one should say to this Company There are strong Men at the End of the Race if you run as strong and as fast as they can run you are to enjoy a rich Inheritance but if not you are to dy By the way observe he very egregiously doth mistate the Case and Doctrine of those called Quakers for they do not propose Heaven and Salvation upon these Terms as for Children to run as fast as Men but that Children may become Men and in the mean time act according to their Abilities beyond which God doth not impose upon them nor require of them but that the Race that is set before us may be run with Patience which ought to have her perfect Work that we may be perfect and intire wanting nothing It is certain that they who have begun in the Spirit and spiritual Journey who are diligent using their best Endeavours and hold out shall enjoy an Everlasting Inheritance And this is not to cut off their Endeavours by Despair as falsly is supposed against the Quakers upon the said Mistating of their Case but your Preaching tends to Despair when you press People after Purity and Perfection and then tell them It is Not attainable in this Life He further adds against us There must be no Sin at all in you and then you shall obtain Salvation 〈◊〉 I must be quite free from all Sin here or burn in Hell to all Eternity pag.
Holy Unction that leadeth into all Truth whose Lips alone preserve Knowledge and therefore is it the Unchangeable Gospel-Rule to Believers And those who are thus freed or saved here from the Power Nature and Defilement of Sin are the alone Persons that are or shall be hereafter saved from Eternal Wrath and Vengeance the heavy Recompenee of Sin All this we understand by that Word Salvation and in this center the Great Glorious Prophecies and Performances of Christ. CHAP. V. The Second Question stated Particularly what is meant by Light It is a Principle that discovers the State of Man and leads to Blessedness THE second Question runs thus What is that LIGHT which leadeth to Salvation and if he pleaseth to give me leave I will add to this Question How doth It Lead to Salvation By Light I understand not the frequent Metaphorical Use of the Word as when Christ said 〈◊〉 the Lights of the World or as the Apostle Speaks Now are you Light in the Lord neither the meer Spirit or Reason of Man but that Glorious Sun of Righteousness and Heavenly Luminary of the Intellectual or Invisible World represented of all Outward Resemblances most exactly by the Great Sun of this Sensible and Visible World that as his natural Light ariseth upon all and gives Light to all about the Affairs of this Life so that Divine Light arises upon all and gives Light to all that will receive it about the Concerns of the other Life Such a Light I mean by That Light which inlightneth every man coming into the World and that leadeth those that obey it to Eternal Salvation The Scripture sayes no less John 1. In the Word-God was Life and that very Life was the Light of Men that inlightneth every man c. But to demonstrate it the most obviously that I can to the lowest Capacities I shall evidence the Nature and Virtue of this Light by the Holy Effects of it which is the HOW or the WHICH WAY it leadeth to Salvation This is so necessary in order to explicate the other that as the Tree is known by his Fruits so the True Saviour by his Salvation If then I can make it appear that the Light as obey'd in all its Discoveries and Requirings is sufficient to Salvation the Debate wil end and T. Hicks must yield to the Efficacy of the Light within I shall then by the Properties of the Light prove it Saving In order to which I shall begin with the first Step towards Salvation namely A Sight of the Cause of Damnation and from whom this most necessary Beginning must be taken viz. The Light within which I thus prove by Scripture CHAP VI. That the Light Within manifests Sin yea all Sin That Apostacy or Sin in any is no Argument against the Light but rather for it That the Additional Services of the Jews show No Imperfection in the Light but the People whose Minds were abroad If Insufficiency against the Light should be admitted of because of Rebellion and Wickedness in Mâ—…n the same would be objected against the Scriptures which overthrows our Adversary's Assertion concerning their Sufficiency THE Light with which Christ inlightens all Men manifests Sin as these Words import for every one that doth Evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be Reproved Implying That if they would have brought their Deeds to the Light the Light would have detected them and tryed them To which the Apostle Paul bears express Testimony in his Epistle to the Ephesians That whatsoever is Reproveable is made Manifest by the Light where the Universality of the Apostle's Assertion shows that nothing that is Reproveable is or can be excluded from the Search or Knowledge of this Light which takes in as well Thoughts as Words and Deeds So that nothing being Reproveable which the Light doth not first Manifest How obvious is it to every Understanding that if our Adversary believeth all Men to have committed Sin and so as that they know it which is Reproveable the Light must needs have been and be in all Men in order to such Manifestation and Conviction It is as much as if the Apostle had said Sin is that which Damns all Men now it could not Damn if it were not Reproveable and it could never be Reproveable if the Light did not Manifest and Condemn it as such So that our Adversaries affirming the Light not to be Sufficient to Discern all Sin is a flat Repugnancy and a down-right giving of the Lye to the Apostle For says the Apostle All things that are Reproveable are made Manifest by the Light But sayes Tho. Hicks All things that are Reproveable are not made Manifest by the Light Sober Reader dwell here a while and after a little paws tell me Who deals most Unworthily with the Apostle and the Holy Scriptures of Truth T. Hicks or the Quakers Obj. But T. Hicks objects with some others If there be that Light in all Men how comes it that all Men are not Convicted of their Disobedience and Duty as the Heathens of old and many Infidels at this day Did the Light in Saul reprove him for Persecuting the Church I Answer That this no way impugnes the Light although it greatly aggravates their Evil that so Rebell'd against it But that there were Heathens who became a Law unto themselves through that Light they had by which they did the things contained in the Law and were preferred far before the Circumcision that kept not the Law The Apostle Paul himself is very express in that known Passage to the Romans Nor are other Histories silent but loud in their acknowledgment of very Divine Attainments which by this Light several Famous Gentiles arrived at and for their Belief of One Eternal Being his Communication of Divine Light to Men and of an Immortality with their Strickt Conformity thereto are left upon Record by Credible Historians and their Praises not a little added to by after Ages even of those called Christians too Such are Reputed Pythagoras Timeus Solon Bias Chilon Anaxagoras Socrates Plato Antisthenes Xenocrates Zeno Antipater Seneca Epictetus and others But what if Jews and Gentiles at any time did Apostatize and particularly What if Saul persecuted the Church of God putting Disobedience for Duty Murder for Service Will it follow that the Light was Insufficient By no means but rather that Saul was Rebellious Stiff-necked Resisting the Holy Ghost as did his Fathers so did he and thus much the Words themselves show for he kickt against the Pricks Then it seems there were Pricks And where were they if not in his Conscience And what were they if not the Light of Christ within him which Manifests Evil and Reproves the Deeds thereof otherwise called that Son of God that to the Galatians he said It had pleased God to reveal in him though Paul knew him not nor his Voice of a long time his Eye being darkened and Ear stopt by the God of
and overturn the Gentiles Idolatries by his one most pure and Spiritual Offering and Worship IV. It plainly preaches thus much to us That as Him whose Body the Jews outwardly slew we by Wicked Works have crucified in the Streets of Sodom and Egypt spiritually so called our polluted Hearts and Consciences So unless we come to know the Benefit of the Inward Life answering to and expressed by that Outward Life he gave for the World it will avail little For so it is and very Marvelous in our Eyes that the Life of the Crucified can only save those who may well be reputed the Crucifiers O Mystery And because those that did not actually slay him Outwardly have slain him Inwardly therefore must every such one really know that Life Inwardly raised shed abroad for Sanctification and Redemption O how great was his Love Truly larger then Man's Cruelty who whilst he dyed by Wicked Men he would Dye for them and when dead they could not hinder him from Rising to do them good who had done their worst for his Destruction thereby shewing Mercy to those who shewed they had no Mercy for themselves O Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thee and thou wouldest not c V. That Expression of his is greatly worth our Notice I lay down my Life for the World All he did was for the Good of the World and particularly the Laying down of his Life that he might both express his Love and our Duty Had he not desired Man's Salvation and for that purpose prepared a Body in which to visit him and by his daily Labours among Men to further their Eternal Happiness the Jew had never been able to put him to Death But being come and when come so hardly used herein did he recommend his great Love to us that besides the Inward Weights of Sin he bore with his deep Concernment for Man's Eternal Well-being he chearfully offered up his Bodily Life to recommend and ratifie his Love for the Remission of Sin and give us an Holy Example to follow his Steps But these Words will bear another Sease too as do those he spoak to the Jews Unless ye eat my Flesh and drink my Blood you have no Life in you Where we may plainly see that as the Jews vainly and carnally fancyed he meant his Outward Body only to which they opposed the Impossibility of the thing so Christ declares their Mistake of his Meaning to his Disciples in these few but deep Words The Flesh profiteth nothing it is the Spirit that quickeneth So that the Words are true and weighty in both Senses VI. And we further acknowledge that in that Holy Body the Divine Principle of Light and Life did discover the Depth of Satan's Darkness encounter Hell Death and the Grave every Temptation it was possible for the Serpent with all his Power and Subtilty to beset him with in which Sense he was made like unto us in all things Sin excepted that he might be sensible of our Infirmities the Divine Life travelled and supported under all administring Strength to the outward Man that it might answer the End of its Appointment in the End utterly defeated and forever overcame the Power of the Tempter bruising the Serpents Head in general as Prince of Darkness and God of the World and in a plain Combat giving him that Foyl which in good measure shook his Foundation divided his Kingdom chased away his Lying Oracles and proved a very Fatal Blow to his whole Empire Which holy Conquest obtained by Sweat of Blood and deep'st Agonies with Holy Patience may not unfitly be compared to that of some Worldly Prince maintaining a Righteous Cause against an Usurper of his Territories whom he puts to rout in open Fields by which I understand the General Conquest yet many Towns and Cities and Cittadels remaining strongly guarnison'd by which I understand particular Men and Women enslaved by Sin they are not thereby overcome though the Approach be easier to them and they be truly more endanger'd then before The One Seed who is Christ who is God over all blessed forever having given that Proof of his Everlasting Arm that it has brought a general Salvation by a plain Overthrow of the God of this World the Enemy of his Glory and thereby weakened his Power in himself which is the single Battel fought in Garments rould in Blood between the two Seeds Spirits Natures and Powers God and Mammon Christ and Belial had many Towns Cities and Cittadels to vanquish who lay strongly guarnison'd by this God of the World which Places as I said represent the Souls of particular Men and Women inbondaged by him So that though their Hearts were or are more accessible by that general Victory over the very Spirit of Darkness it self and Light may be more clear d and broken up yet unless those particular Places or Persons are besieged and taken their Goods spoiled and Houses sackt of all the strange Gods so redeemed from under the Yoak of that Pharaonian Task-Master reclaimed renewed sanctified naturalized by way of an Holy Subjection to him who is Lord from Heaven the Right Heir of all things to receive his Mark and bear his Image Those Places or Persons must needs have yet been and be Subjects of the Prince of Darkness the God of this World who reigns and rules in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience To conclude We though this General Victory was obtained and holy Priviledges therewith and that the Holy Body was not Instrumentally without a Share thereof yet that both the efficient or chiefest Cause was the Divine Light and Life that so clearly discriminated and deeply wounded this Mystery of Iniquity and that none can be thereby benefited but as they come to experience that Holy Seed of Life and Mighty Arm of Power revealed to effect the same Salvation in each Particular Conscience which none can fail of who receive it first as a Light that manifesteth and reproveth every Evil Way and continues to walk up to all its holy Leadings VII But there is yet a further Benefit that accrueth by the Blood of Christ viz. That Christ is a Propitiation and Redemption to such as have Faith in it For though I still place the Stresâ—… of particular Benefit upon the Light Life Spirit revealed witnessed in every Particular yet in that general Appearance there was a general Benefit justly to be attributed unto the Blood of that very Body of Christ to wit that it did propitiate For however it might draw Stupendious Judgments upon the Heads of those who were Authors of that dismal Tragedy and dyed Impenitent yet doubtless it thus far turned to very great Account in that it was a most precious Offering in the Sight of the Lord and drew God's Love the more eminently unto Mankind at least such as should believe in his Name as his solemn Prayer to his Father at his leaving the World given us by his beloved Disciple
rasting Death for every Man was not by Way of Revenge or Wrath from the Father nor the Punishment due to the World's Sin for tasting Death is far short of eternally dying The Prophet said Surely he has born our Griefs and carried our Sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted but he was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him Isa. 53. It was man's Transgression that was his Burthen and Cause of his Grief and Suffering however some esteemed him smitten or plagued of God He hath born our Griefs and carried our Sorrows c. Such as suffer with Christ and lie under the Sence of their Burthen do not lay all both the Sorrow and Punishment Oâ—… Sin upon Christ such do not say Christ was sorry or repented for us therefore we need not or Christ was chastised and afflicted in our Person for us therefore we need not be chastised nor afflicted for Sin past Christ made Intercession therefore we need not pray This were not to know the Fellowship of his Sufferings nor to be conformable to his Death nor baptized with his Baptism Besides the Chastisement of our Peace upon him was not Revenge nor burning Wrath from God Chastisement and Vengeance are two things God's Chastisement is in Love not in Revenge it pleased the Lord to bruise him who had done no Violence Isa. 53. by delivering him up to suffer and bear our Sorrows and Griefs AN ACT OF HIS GOOD PLEASURE NOT OF REVENGE OR WRATH how could it be Justice fully to punish the Innocent for the Wicked's Offence Were it not Blasphemy to charge God with such Cruelty and Injâ—…stice Obj. Every known Sin is a wilful Rejection of Infinite Goodness a free Choice of Infinite Displeasure c. It therefore carries Infinite Demerit with it and nothing short of Infinite Punishment or Sufferings of Infinite Wrath can possibly suffice to satisfie for it Rep. Wo unto them that persist in Sin and reject Christ's inherent or inward Righteousness for such a Satisfaction as this of Infinite Punishment c. or that believe their Sins were thus punisht in Christ and thereupon continue in Sin Wo unto you that thus justifie the Wicked condemn the Innocent God's Controversie is against you you are afflicting oppressing and crucifying the Just with your Iniquities treading under Foot the Son of God rejecting the Blood of the Covenant you are Guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ as much as they were that condemned him and said he was Guilty of Death your Doctrine imputes the Sin Guilt and Punishment thereof to Christ you have esteemed him plagued of God but you have pierced him and grieved him by your Iniquity and Hypocrisie Take Heed of wilful sinning and rejecting the Goodness of God lest there remain no more a Sacrifice for you Repent repent repent Return return return to the Lord God before his Wrath sweep you away into Perdition Further he saith None but God's Equal and this is God himself in our Nature that is capable to satisfie God for Sin Christ received the Stroak of God's Justice c. Rep. While he states this Satisfaction to be only by Way of punishing men's Sin in Christ and now it is God himself that satisfies God this is of an absurd and blasphemous Tendence as if God punisht himself or as if God satisfied God with Infinite Punishment or suffering of Infinite Wrath and what is this but to divide God against himself Yet we may find out a better Sense for the Words before that God and Christ were one inseparable in the Suffering Affliction That his Soul bore as the Spirit of God was burthened afflicted and grieved under the Weight and Pressure of Man's Iniquity and Sin howbeit this was not of the Nature of strict Payment made to God by himself in Man's stead much less to punish man's Sin in Christ with infinite Wrath. Quest. Can Faith and the Works that follow without the Imputation of Christ's Sufferings satisfie God's Majesty for our Sin Answ. Here he misseth the true State of the Controversie or Question which should rather be Can your Imputation of Christ's Sufferings without true Faith and the Obedience or Works thereof either satisfie God's Majesty for Sin or justifie Men while he implies No he hath given away his Cause by granting That the Sufferings of Christ alone can not justifie Men without true Faith and Obedience to him By so much was Jesus made the Surety of a better Testament Heb. 7. 22. This is no Proof that your Sins were imputed to him as punish'd in him by the suffering of Infinite Wrath which to affirm renders him no better then a Transgressor guilty of your Sins as your Brother T. D. hath affirmed which is much beneath his being Mediator or the Surety of the new Testament which he was made the Surety of to ensure and make good the Promises and Priviledges thereof to true Believers which are all Yea Amen in him and to enable us to obey and perform those Terms and Conditions of the new Testament or Covenant which concern us for we cannot receive the Promises but in him nor discharge or pay our Duty without him therefore he is the Mediator of the new Covenant he is our high Priest made with the Oath of God and continueth forever and he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them Heb. 7. 24 25 28. But if God's Justice be fully satisfied for your Sins by the Sufferings of Christ and for them only God justifie men and secure them from Condemnation It being against Justice it self to punish those Sins a second time that have been punisht to the full already he saith How then shall God render to every Man according to his Works Indignation and Wrath to them that are contentious obey not the Truth but obey Unrighteousness Will they be able to plead this Doctrine before his Tribunal Lord thou hast punisht our Sins to the full in thy Son Christ It is against Justice it self to punish them a second time for Christ dyed for all Men tasted Death for every Man gave himself a Ransom for all for a Testimony in due Time But if this were a Punishment of their Sins to the full then how could Justice punish them again with Indignation Wrath But Glory Honour Peace to them that do Good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile to them that through Patient continuing in Well-doing seek for Glory and Immortality eternal Life see Rom. 2. Such do not plead Christ's doing Good and suffering only for them in his Person to justifie and excuse them in Sin in their Persons or to cloak their doing Evil all their Life long though Sin-pleasing Hypocrites thus endeavour to indulge themselves and others in their
with the Assemblies Opinion and Stephen Scandret's uncertain Proposition for it His Abuse of divers Scriptures in his State of the Case for a personal Election answered and the Way of God's â—…hoosing resolved The Weakness of his two first Arguments touching God's Decree and Promises His gross Ignorance of those Names written in the Lamb's Book Arg. 3. His Impertinency and ignorant Allegation and mis-understanding of divers Scriptures concerning God's Choice and Ordination and the Cause of Mens Destruction opened against Argum. 4. Persons being chosen proves not their Eternal Election as Persons Concerning Jacob and Esau Christ's Sheep those that come are drawn and given unto him of the Father Arg. 5 6. Election explained God's loving Jacob and hating Esau their Posterities concerned therein And how far the two Births were figured in Jacob and Esau. Our Opposers blasphemously placing a partial Resolution upon God as creating Persons with Intention to leave them to Destruction contrary to his universal Call and Tenders of Salvation The Unchangeableness of God's Election in what State and our Opposers Ignorance and Error concerning God's Purpose My unanswered Objection of setting Life and Death before Men and warning them of Destruction The Cause of God's hardning Pharoah Judas and others not grounded upon meer Will and Pleasure but for their Rebellion Touching the Fall of particular Angels and Men the Tendence of God's long-Suffering towards the Wickeâ—… and my Opposer's Confession to Truth to the â—…tter Overthrow of his Opinion Presbyterians Mâ—…ckery in their Warnings setting Life Death conditional Promises and Threats before People contrary to their partial Opinion of an eternal personal Election and Reprobation The sad Consequence of their accusing God with decreeing to deny saving Grace to particular Persons yea to the greater Part of Mankind shewing that divine Justice it self hath not so decreed Grace differing from Debt The Reason why God finds Fault with Men. The Question Who hath resisted his Will resolved Their urging all to for sake Sin contradictory to their Opinion and not in true Eaith Their Flattering many with fair Pretences contrary to their own Intentions the poor Encouragement and cold Comfort that their Doctrine of a personal Reprobation yields to the greatest Part of Mankind The wise God the just Judge is the Ordeiner of the Punishment not of the Fact nor the Author of Sin or their Wickedness who persecuted Christ. Hypocritical Priests making and strengthning Hypocrites by deceitfully daubing them up in their Sins and flattering them with a You are not fallen from Grace while they are guilty of gross Wickedness Concerning God's Convenant with David and his Seed and the Mystery typified in him To all which is added a short Postscript A Brief Introduction TO The following Discourse concerning Election and Reprobation STephen Scandret begins with an absolute false Charge against me as Depraving God's Truth whenas according to plain Scripture without any Depravation thereof I examined their partial and graceless Opinion as their making God the Ordeiner of whatsoever comes to pass both as to the States and Ends of Men and their placing his Decree thereof from all Eternity upon particular Persons and noâ—… upon the two Seeds and Conditions wherein Election and Reprobation do originally consist which in time extends to Persons only as related to the good or evil Seed and not from a partial absolute and meer voluntary Decree and Design to particular Persons as their narrow and silly Opinion imports which I opposed and that from the Scriptures of Truth testifying 1. God's Good-Will and Grace to Mankind in general 2. The real Causes on their Parts of his Severity towards them and their Reprobation I â—…aid down the Presbyterian Principle and Opinion as it may be seen in their Confession and Catechism agreed upon by their Assembly of Divines so called at Westminster and approved by the general Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland as where they say in their 3d Chapter That God from all Eternity did by the most wise and holy Counsel of his own Will freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass And that by the Decree of God for the Manifestation of his Glory some Men and Angels are predestinated unto everlasting Life and others fore-ordained unto everlasting Death and that these Angels and Men thus predestinated and fore-ordeined are particularly and unchangeably designed their Number so certain and definite that it cannot be either encreased or diminished c. And also upon the same Principle they add in their tenth Chapter That all those whom God hath predestinated unto Life and those only he is pleased effectually to call by his Word and Spirit out of the State of Sin and Death in which they are by Nature to Grace and Salvation by Jesus Christ enlightning their Minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God c. And in their eleaventh Chapter God did from all Eternity decree to justifie all the Elected and Christ did in the Fulness of time dye for their Sins and rise again for their Justification The Consequence of this Doctrine with a plain and scriptural Answer and Confutation are laid down in the latter End of our Book entituled The Glory of Christ's Light within expelling Darkness which Book yet remains unanswered by S. S. both as to this and other Heads wherein he and his Brethren are concerned though now in order to vindicate this Doctrine he layes down the Proposition thus S. Scandret That God did most freely and unchangeably and from all Eternity choose some particular Persons to partake of saving Grace c. from whence it will necessarily follow That he hath reprobated or passed by others I must manifest this by Parts Answ. In Opposition to this Partiality unjustly charged upon God I must assert this Proposition That God's eternal Election stands originally in his own Seed of Promise and free Grace thereby freely tendered to all Mankind both Jews and Gentiles and all Men in the first place left free for a Share therein and none are reprobated but who first reject this Grace and like not to retain God in their Knowledge his words that he hath reprobated or passed by others are very doubtful being as much as to say that either God hath from all Eternity reprobated particular Persons or left them to Reprobate themselves It is then either God's Act or the Creatures which as appears this Man's Masters the pretended Divines could not resolve and we do not expect him to be a more proâ—…ound Divine then his Tutors However their Opinion at least reflects upon God as passiâ—…g by the greater part of Mankind without aâ—…ording them any Saving Grace or the least Spiritual Assistance of Divine Light or Life so as if he thus takes no notice of them at all but passeth by them they must inevitably be left to Destruction and eternal Misery by this Graceless and Uncharitable Opinion which tends greatly to â—…cclipse the Glory of
God and his free Grace and renders the Tenders of it to Mankind in general and preaching Salvation by it conditionally to all no better then a Mockery to the greater part of the World And this neither S. S. nor his Assembly of Divines have answered nor can they clear themselves herein S. S. begins to vindicate his Opinion by parts thus sect 1 1. God's Act which Essentially takes in the Object thereof he hath chosen some particular Persons 2 Thes. 2. 13. God hath Chosen you Joh. 15. 19. I have Chosen you Ephes. 1. 4. He hath Chosen us This being directly denyed I shall add Arguments Answ. The Scriptures are not denyed by me as most falsely is here insinuated but I deny that these prove their Proposition for a Personal Election or Reprobation from all Eternity as also I deny that God â—…rom all Eternity did unchangeably ordein whatsoever comes to pass as they most grosly asserted or that his Decree or Act is so absolute from all Eternity to particular Persons as strictly eying and unchangeably designing each Person to his End a certain definite Number unto everlasting Life and others to everlasting Death This I still oppose and find this Man's Vindication thereof very â—…eeble and his Proofs impertinent For that 2 Thes. 〈◊〉 13. He hath left out the following words after chosen you he leaves out through Sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth which as they clearly explain how they were chosen to Salvation even the Conditions on which God's Act of Chusing them depends to wit Sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth So this makes clearly against my Opposers Opinion for they were not capable of this Belief of the Truth and Sanctification before they had personal Beings which sure they had not from all Eternity and so seeing the Way and Act of God's chusing Men must be through Sanctification and of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth which Condition answers this Decree he hath not designed nor ordeined the contrary Condition of his Wrath against Man as Sin and Unbelief though they are come to pass upon many whose Repentance and Return God rather willed then their Death or Destruction But if S. S. might have pleaded a little further from the words God hath from the Beginning chosen you if he had insisted on the Words from the Beginning I might answer That does not signifie from all Eternity much less that he hath had you particular Persons in his Eye as unchangeably designing you to Salvation meerly as particular Persons without having Relation to any such Conditions or Qualifications as Faith Sanctification c. which may be rejected by Man 2. The Words from the Beginning are so far from signifying from all Eternity that in this place they reach not so far as to the Time of the Beginning of the Creation but rather to the Time of their first Reception and Belief of the Truth according as they import in divers other places as 1 Joh. 3. 11. This is the Message that ye have heard from the Beginning and 2 Joh. 5. Though Beginning in the highest Sense relateth to Christ as the divine Word who is the Beginning and the End And also note that S. S. deals with that of Joh. 15. 19. as he doth by the other leaving out both the foregoing and following Words which still make against him setting down only I have Chosen you whereas Christ said thus Because ye are not of the World but I have Chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you Joh. 15. 19. And then it is plain they were both of and in the World before they were chosen out of the World for could they be chosen out of that-which they were never in So that Christ's Chusing his out of the Corrupt Wayes and Spirit of the World through Faith and Sanctification is the Reason why the World hates them which it did not while they were Conformable to the World By the World here is understood those who are in the Natural Unbelieving State and also such as hate the true Believers and Disciples of Christ whence it follows that you Presbyterians how highly soever you conceit of your selves as Elect Persons from all Eternity above all others yet are not in the Election of Christ nor in a State of Election so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit oâ—… Persecution Rules in you as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shewed it self in many of your Leaders and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And to that of Ephes. 1. 4. He hath Chosen us 〈◊〉 him These words In him to wit in Christ S. Scandret hath left out like one that both shuts his own Eyes and seeks to keep others in a blind Belief of his partial Principle The very Ground and Principle of Election being in Christ which the man overlooks God hath Chosen us the true Church which is Elect in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be Holy and without Blame before him in Love Ephes. 1. 4. For as we are in him and become so well qualified in Holiness and thus nearly related to him as to be without Blame in due time we shew forth the Effects and Fruits of that Elect Seed and Principle wherein our Life and Ground of Election stood before the Foundation of the World not merely as we are particular Persons or Natural men but as his living and Royal Of-spring his Church and peculiar People sprung from his own Seed now in due time chosen by him out of the World and the Corruptions thereof through Sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth S. S. Arg. 1. Particular Persons in time receive Mercy are converted sect 2 made to pâ—…rsevere are saved Therefore God did Decree this beforehand for God worketh according to the Counsel of his own Will Ephes. 1. 11. Answ. Particular Persons in time receiving Mercy being converted and persevering in Grace doth not argue that Mercy was but only proffered and shewed to a few particular Persons nor yet that it is so absolutely and Eternally Decreed of God that all to whom Mercy and Grace is shewed shall so inevitably persevere in it as that there is no Possibility of their Declension and Falling from it after the time of their receiving Grace while yet unestablished for 1. He hath concluded all under Sin that he might shew Mercy upon all 2. Those particulars who sincerely receive Mercy and Goodness upon them he will have Mercy both in a way of Continuance and Increase and unto them Goodness who abide in his Goodness Rom. 11. 20 21 22. It is true God worketh all things after the Counsel of his own Will his gracious and good Will counsels him to shew forth Goodness and Mercy to all in the first place and Severity or Damnation to none without Cause And his Will is alfo Believers Sanctification in order to which he graciously counsels and perswades Men by his Spirit to forsake Sin and be converted which manner of working in
find him this I grant to be according to his good Will and subservient to his Decree as his sending his Son into the World not to condemn the World but that the World through him be saved for he verily was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World 1 Pet. 1. 20 21. But then I deny that God hath either decreed or ordained that men's Hearts should turn away from him or that they shall forsake him or love Darkness rather then the true Light which is come into the World whereby many cause their own Condemnation How dare any say or think that all these are subservient to the soveraign Design of Gods Decrees as they must who say that he has unchangeably decreed whatsoever comes to pass which renders him to be the Author of those and such Sins and Abuses against himself and his Love and that in order to serve his own Decree which is very blasphemous against God who hath testified otherwise as namely Thy Destruction is of thy self but in me thine Help saith the Lord Hoseah 13. 9. and why will ye die O house of Israel c. God is not the Author of Sin nor willing that any should perish therein he doth actually damn none but the finally â—…mpenitent as is plainly confessed So thus his Decree Justly stands against the finally Impenitent therefore do not continue in your Impenitency that you may not incurr final Damnation God is neither Partial nor Cruel in decreeing to deny saving Grace sect 12 to some whilst he decrees to give it to others p. 115. Answ. That God doth so decree is but Petitio Principii and sufficiently confuted in the whole Tenor of this Discourse and let the Ingenious Reader Judge whether this doth not render him both Partial and Cruel to conclude he hath unalterably decreed to damn some and to deny them saving Grace but decreed to give it to others who were by Nature Children of Wrath as well as the rest and yet all God's Creatures and Workmanship as Man and Woman both the saved and the damned are all inevitably brought into the World This partial Doctrine of God's eternally decreeing to save some and to damn the rest who by Nature are rendered as all a like is enough to make many despair and curse God that ever they had a Being and to destroy themselves as many have donc upon this Principle as by Satan's seconding it by perswading them That God hath decreed to deny them saving Grace on purpose to damn them forever which is â—…o small Reflection upon God and the Glory of his Soveraignity and Grace and tends more then a little to ecclipse the Glory of his divine Justice to render it so vindictive and cruel as not in the first place to regard his own Workmanship in general to wit Mankind but to decree eternal Vengeance for the greatest part thereof without affording them the least Degree of saving Grace to help them out of the sallen Estate Oh What a cruel dark Spirit is that in Electioners that thus reflects uâ—…on a most gratious and Merciful God who delighteth in Mercy and not in Destruction Neither is his divine Justice so Inconsistent with himself and his gracious divine Nature as not to respect poor lost Man and Woman in general or as not to allow Grace and Light sufficient for the Help Salvation of Mankind in general seeing that his being a Savour is not inconsistent with his â—…vine Justice for he said I am a Just God and a Saviour there is none besides me Isa. 45. 21 22. Divine Justice cannot be so partially cruel to the Creature as either to make void divine Goodness or withhold it from Mankind S. S. Who can prove that converting confirming Grace is a sect 13 due Debt to every fallen Man and Woman who hath first given to him p. 115. Answ. What an impertinent Question is this Who of us ever asserted Grace to be a Debt to any Man Grace being so contrary to Debt in the very Nature of it Rom. 4. 4. 11. 6. God loved us first so that his Grace or Favour in the first Place is free to all Men without Exception or respect of Persons and this condemns the Cruelty and Partiality which the particular Electioners or Predestinarian Opinion would lay upon God to limit and tye up his Grace in such Narrowness as it doth Why doth he yet find Fault Rom. 9. may be justly objected against that erroneous Doctrine That God hath unchangeably ordained whatsoever comes to pass for why should he find Fault either with his own Works or with the Effect of his own Design or Decree But he doth not find Fault either with his own Works of Creation as made by him noâ—… yet with any Vessel as made renewed oâ—… cleaâ—…sed by him but as polluted or corrupted with Sin and so with Man not as his Maker is the Potter or Framer but as the Devil is the Potter having framed Men up in his own Nature and Image of Sin and Unrighteousness and so Wâ—… unto him that striveth with his Maker Isa. 45. 9. to which that of Rom. 9. 20. relates And likewise Who hath resisted his Will or the Might of his Powâ—…r is a Question of some supposing that God absolutely Wills and Effects whatever comes to pass from an unchangeable Purpose or Design both as to the particular States and Ends of Peâ—…sons but herein maâ—…y partial Minds and narrow Spirits are greatly mistaken for though the Will of God and the Might of his Power both in creating Man and in many times convicting judging and condemning the Wicked and Rebellious for Sin be absolute and irresistable yet his Will as manifest in the Tenders oâ—… Good in Counsel and Perswasion to Man in the Strivings of his Spirit with the Wicked All which have a tendence to draw Men out of Sin and Evil and to induce them to Righteousness His Will as thus considered many do resist in rejecting his Counsel rebelling against his Commands quenching his Spirit resisting the holy Ghost despising his Law casting it behind their Backs striving agaiâ—…st their Maker in the time of his Patience and long Suffering towards them till for their Rebellion he bring his Severity and heavy Hand upon them for if Men did not resist the holy Spirit it should not need to strive with them God wills not that any should perish but that all Men should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. Who will have all Men to be saved and â—…o come unto the Knowledge of the Truth 2 Tim. 2. 3 4. And yet all are not saved all do not know the Truth and what hinders them Not any Decree of God but their resisting his Good Will Counsel and Motions of his Spirit O Man thy Destruction is of thy self but thy Help is of me saith the Lord. S. S. All fallen Men and Women are not reprobated this is sect 14 some Comfort and it importunately urgeth all in Compassion to their own Souls
their Weakness that he might both keep them from gadding after the Pompous Invention and Idolatrous Worship of other Nations and point out unto them under their great Carnality that more Hidden Glory and Spiritual Dispensation which should-afterwards be revealed to wit The Compleat Redemption of the Soul and Raign of the Holy Seed from the Child born and the Son given to the Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace of the Increase of whose Government there shall be no End So that then we ought and we do by absolute Force of Truth conclude 1. That the Seed which Seed is Christ was in all Ages with Abraham with the Israelites with the Prophets Therefore he was as well before he came in that prepared Body as then and since 2. Yet it is confest That He was not so clearly revealed perfectly brought forth and generally known before his so Coming as then and since but more darkly figured out by Types and Shaddowy Services which though they Cleans'd not Sav'd not Redeem'd not yet did show forth a more Hidden and Spiritual Substance that was able to Cleanse Save and Redeem and did all that received it and were truly subject to it 3. That it therefore is not at all Absurd that the more Excellent Manifestation of Truth should he Typified and Prophesied of under the Enjoyment of the Lesser since the Reason of the Thing and the Testimonies of the Scripture are so express for it which ends our Answer to this Particular CHAP. XX. The Fourth Part of the Objection stated and considered Christ's Death and Sufferings confessed to and respected they were beneficial The Light of Christ within is the Efficient Cause to Salvation HAving thus considered the Third Part of this great Objection I am now come to what chiefly stumbles People with respect to the Light within at least as I apprehend and that is this Fourth and Last Particular viz. But if the Light in every Man be Christ how doth it bear our Sins and are our Iniquities laid upon it and how can we be said to be Justified Redeemed or Saved by its Blood since all these things are spoken by the Holy Pen-men of the Man Christ or Jesus born at Nazareth Surely you wholy invalidate his Life Death Resurrection Ascension and Mediation by this Belief in the Light This I take to be the very Stress of the Matter collected out of the most Forceable Writings of our Adversaries To which I Answer and let him that reads understand It must be considered in this Last Part of the Objection how those Questions can be applicable to the Light and yet be reconciliable with those Scriptures that seem to attribute all to his Bodily Sufferings I hope to make appear that as we exalt the First so we dare not by any means to slight the Last The Light or rather He that is Light in Man for I have alwayes desired so to be understood Light being a Metaphor or word taken from the outward Day and chiefly so term'd because of Man's Darkness which is thereby discovered hath been as a Lamb slain since the Foundation of the World that is the World had not been long created before the good Order of it and every thing therein being envied by the Fallen Angels that Spirit of Iniquity betrayed Man of his Innocency and Sin by Disobedience prevailing the Light or Principle of Life under whose Holy Leadings Man was placed became Resisted Grieved and as it were Slain which word Slain is also Metaphorical that is to say the Innocent Pure Life was as Wounded unto Death through Man's Disobedience and Lamb-like Image in which Adam was created by him through Rebellion lost Thus that Holy Principle which God placed in the Heart of Adam in which was true Light Life and Power bore the Sin was prest under it as a Cart under Sheaves grieved exceedingly and as it were quencht with Iniquity This hath been the Condition of that Precious and Elect Seed Spirit Light Life Truth or whatever Name equivalent any may please to give it ever since that first Rebellion to this very Day And as in Wicked Men God's Holy Light and Spirit or that Principle which is so called hath been deeply Wounded yea as one Slain so in Good Men that have had a Sence of the World's Abomination hath it also born many Burdens and Weights for the Light and Life is One in All. And those who have been reformed by it and joyned to it have been as One Spirit and have not been without their Share of their Lord 's heavy Sufferings from the Ungodly World which was as well a filling up of Christ's Sufferings that were before his Outward Coming as what to this Generation are behind And as at any time Disobedient Men have harkened to the still Voice of the WORD that Messenger of God in their Hearts to be affected and convinced by it as it brings Reproof for Sin which is but a Fatherly Chastizement â—…o upon true Brokenness of Soul and Contrition of Spirit that very same Principle and Word of Life in Man has mediated and attoned and God has been propitious lifting up the Light of his Countenance and replenishing such humble 〈◊〉 with Divine Consolations So that still the same Christ Word-God who has enlightned all Men by Sin is grieved bearing the Iniquities of such as so sin and reject his Benefits but as any hear his Knocks and let him in he first Wounds and then Heals afterwards he attones mediates and re-instates in the holy Image Behold this is the State of Restitution And this in some Measure was witnessed by the Holy Patriarchs Prophets and Servants of God in old time to whom Christ was substantially the same Saviour and Seed bruising the Serpent's Head that he is now to us what Difference sâ—…ever there may be in Point oâ—… Manifestation But notwithstanding the same Light and Life with that which afterwards clothed it it self with that outward Body did in measure inwardly appear for the Salvation of the Souls of Men yet as have often said never did that Liâ—…â—…eminently put â—…orth it self for that End as in that 〈◊〉 and prepared Body so that what he then suffered and did in that transcendent Manisestation may by way of Eminency assume the whole Work unto it self that he ever did before or might do afterwards For doubtless that very Light Life and Power which dwelt in that Fleshâ—…y Tabernacle eminently was the Convincer Condemner Saviour and Redeemer yet not only as confined to that Body but as revealed in the Hearts of Men as he was in Paul who not consulting with Flesh and Blood against the Lord of Glory willingly receive him in to bind the strong Man spoil his Goods and cast him out that He might Reign And that the Divine Life Light Spirit Nature of Principle which resided in that Body was the efficient Cause of Salvation observe the Title that is given from the great Work he was to
do namely To save his People from their Sins there is not one Word of Wrath but consequentially Therefore since that Sin is in the Heart and Conscience of Mankind nothing but a Divine Light Spirit or Power can reach Immaculation into those inward Parts and consequently that must be the Redeemer and Saviour But indeed those who have a Mind to Naturalize that strange Figure into the Language of the Holy Truth I mean to understand that to be saved is to be saved from Wrath and not from Sin whose assured Wages is Wrath may have some Interest though no Reason for their implacable Enmity against an Inherent Holiness But I farther confess that his Righteous Life with respect to its Appearance in that Body was grieved by Sin that the Weight of the Iniquity of the whole World with the Concernment of its Eternal Well-being lay hard upon him nor was his Manhood Insensible of it Under the Load of this did He travel he alone trode the Wine-Press that is All others were then Insensible of that Eternal Wrath which would be the Portion of Impenitent Persons as well as that it was his great Care and deep Travel that the Holy yet Oppressed Seed might arise over the Pressures of Iniquity in the Hearts of Men to bruise the Serpent's Head in all And as outwardly he gave his outward Life for the World so he might inwardly shed abroad in their Souls the Blood of God that is The Holy Purifying Life and Virtue which is in him as the Word-God and as which he is the Life of the World This was it which gave that visible Part the Understanding it had which fitted it for so great an Embassy by whose Power alone it Fasted Prayed Preacht Cast-out Devils Wrought Miracles Lived that most Unblemisht Life Patiently Suffered Death was Raised for an Holy Confirmation maugre all the Military Opposition of the Jews and this it was which accompanied the Ministry of his Followers rendring it Efficacious to Conviction and Conversion So that the Invisible Spiritual and Divine Life Principle or Nature was the Root and Fountain of all which is sometimes asscribed in Scripture to the Body by that Common Figure or Way of Speaking amongst Men the Thing containing which was the Body for the Thing contained which was the Eternal Power Wisdom Life c. Not that we would irreverently rob the Holy Body of whatsoever Acknowledgement is justly due nor yet separate that God joyned though I confess with holy Fear I dare not attribute to an External prepared Being which is the Natural Proper and Only Work of the Divine Light and Life to operate and effect But certainly if some Men in Scripture are intituled Saviours because of the Contribution of their Tryals Travels and Labours towards the Salvation of Man-kind of much more Right is that Honour ascribable to him who had the Spirit without Measure For I do freely acknowledge it to have been in some sense a Co-worker and Partner with the Divine Life in many of its Tryals Weights Sufferings and Travels for Man-kind Yet as it was the Divine Power in them that made them serviceable in that great Work so was it the Divine Power in him which made that what it was and therefore ought we chiefly to appropriate the Salvation to Christ as the Word-God and to the Holy Manhood not any otherwise then Instrumentally or by the same Divine Power in and through it I mean as it was a Chosen Instrument or Vessel in and by which God declared the Blessed Glad-Tidings of Love and his Message of Reconciliation to the World in which he gave the most Heavenly Example of Purity and through whose whole Life Doctrine and Death did shine forth the clearest Evidences of Truth Goodness Mercy Patience deep Travel for the World Self-Denyal Holiness and Triumphant Matyrdom No Wonder then if he be called a Saviour who not only came on an Embassy of Salvation and when come did draw many after him who were struck with the Authority of his Sayings when he allow'd for a time to have their Eyes and Hearts upon him as in that State present with them But afterwards he let his Disciples know of how much Benefit it would be to them that he should leave them How Forever In all Capacities No but as with respect to his outward Appearance that being scattered in that Day to their own Measure of Light Pon er and Life they might know him NO MORE AFTER THE FLESH but witness him come into their Hearts a Comforter who could not leave his true-hearted Disciples comfortless He that is with you shall be in you To be brief that I may yet again express our reverent Sense of Christ's Manifestation so far as relates to that Holy Thing that should be born of Mary take these few particulars in my next Chapter CHAP. XXI A Confession in particular to Christ's Redemption Remission Justification and Salvation I. WE do confess that though the Eternal Power Life and Light which inhabited that Holy Person which was born at Nazareth was is chiefly eminently the Saviour for there is no Saviour besides me saith God yet that it was Instrumentally a Saviour as prepared and choseâ—… oâ—… the Work which Christ had then to do iâ—… it which was actually to the Salvation of some and intentionally of the whole World then and in Ages to come suitable to that Scripture Lo in the Volumn of the Book it is written I come to do thy Will O God a Body hast thou prepared me c. II. That as there was a Necessity that one should dye for the People so whoever then or since believed in Him had and have a Seal or Confirmation of the Remission of their Sins in his Blood and that Blood alluding to the Custom or the Jewish Sacrifices shall be an utter Blotting out of former iniquates carrying them as into a Land of Forgetfulness This grand Assurance of Remission from the Wrath due upon the Score or former Offences do all receive in the Ratifying Blood of Christ who Repenting of their Sins believe and obey the Holy Light with which he hath Illuminated them For Paul's being turned from Darkness to the Light in his Heart was one with his believing in the Son of God revealed in his Heart III. This more glorious Appearance ended that less glorious Service of the Jews the Figures being compleated the Shadows they fell He in that Body preacht and lived beyond those Beggarly Elements He drew Religion more Inward even into the Secret of the Heart and made it to consist in an higher State oâ—… Righteousness called Evangelical and at once became both the Authâ—…ro 〈◊〉 Heavenly Dispensation and therein an Example to all as well Jews and Gentiles sealing such a Common and General Religion to both with his Blood as would forever end the Difference and slay the Enmity that they might be all one in Christ. Thus did he end the Jews External Services
of that which there is no Danger of or that from a Fear of Destruction they may fear him when they are from Etâ—…rnity unalterably secured from Destruction or of Salvation as is supposed What Non-sense and impertinent Preaching and Warning is this to dissemble People into a Fear and Cautiousness of that which they are out of all Danger of incurring especially if God's Purpose in the Case be so unchangeable as to particular Persons that Sin it self cannot alter it Is this Way of Presbyterians warning Men of Destruction being compared with their partial Opinion any better then frighting Children with fond Conceits and Fancies of things that are not But we are sure that the Warnings that both Moses the Prophets and Apostles gave were real and serious both as to their Tendence and Consequence and not with such partial and contradictory Reserves and Opinions as this of the Presbyterians eternal Election and Reprobation of particular Persons Object Whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9. Peter deserved sect 9 hardening as well as Judas That God hardeneth Judas not Peter proceeds from the meer Pleasure of his Will p. 114. Rep. The Man most egregiously mistakes in this his placing such a severe Act of God's Will as hardening any that are rebellious upon meer Will and Pleasure in our Opposer's Sense as the Cause of such a Judgment whereas it cannot be the meer Will and Pleasure of God to use such Severity as to harden and destroy his Creatures for he delighteth in Mercy Micah 7. 18. and hath no â—…leasure in the Death of him that dyeth and he willeth not the Death of a Sinner but rather his Return Ezek. 18. 23. 33. 11. So that when he will harden or give Persons up to the Hardeness of their Hearts Justice as being provoked is of Necessity the Reason of his so acting and not meer Will and Pleasure neither doth he harden Men from Eternity but in Time because of their Rebellion resisting and gain-saying him in the Time of his long Suffering and Warnings to them which doubtless he fore-saw in Pharaoh who was in himself a proud imperious cruel Rebel against God and Tyrant over his People which appeared when he was warned in his saying Who is the Lord that I should obey his Voice to let Israâ—…l go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go * Exod. 5. 2. As also Pharaoh's Rebellion appear'd when he hardened his own Heart when he saw there was Respite Exod. 8. 15. So God's giving him up to Hardeness of Heart was not upon meer Will and Pleasure for that is all the Reason that the severe Actions of such Tyrants as Pharaoh yields as namely Will and Pleasure their Will is their Law they will be cruel and oppress because they will do so But all the Judgments of the Lord are just and righteous respecting the Merit of the Fact or Cause more then meer Will and Pleasure therefore it was his Will to give Phaâ—…aoh Judas and many others up to Hardeness because it was Just so to do for that their Rebellion and Provocation was exceeding great and high against him when as rigorous and cruel Tyrants use their Power in their Cruelties and Oppressions and seek to temporize and draw out their Subjects into Irreligiousness and Debaucheries only upon Will and Pleasure which to affix upon God as the Reason of hardening any is no small Degree of Blasphemy as is this Man 's accusing God with the meer Pleasure of his Will as the Cause or Reason of hardening Judas not Peter his accusing Peter with deserving hardening as well as Judas is his manifest Error making no Difference between Judas his Offence and Peter's nor between their States and Conditions As the State of Peter who through Weakness and Fear denyed Christ which he presently repented of and that of Judas who wilfully betrayed Christ and delivered him into the Hands of Murtherers Was not here a vast Difference between Peter and Judas what say you Professors to it and a great Reason for the Judgment of God upon that Traytor Judas more then meer Will and Pleasure S. S. Arg. As there are particular Angels whom God suffered sect 10 to fall though he could as easily have preserved them as he did the rest so there are particular Men and Women whom God endures with much long Suffering to fit themselves for Destruction therefore from all Eternity did God decree thus to do concerning them in particular for known to the Lord are all his Works from the Foundation of the World p. 114 Answ. God's suffering Men and Angels to fall or to fit themselves for Destruction doth much differ from eternally decreeing them particularly for Destruction for if he had so decreed concerning them meerly as particular Persons what needed he endure tâ—…em with much long Suffering that being both a Testimony of his Grace or Favour towards them and of his Unwillingness to destroy them for his long Suffering and Goodness leadeth some to Repentance and his Judgment is according to Truth upon them that despise the Riches of his Goodness and Forbearance Rom. 2. And concerning the Fall of those Angels that fell 1st God did neither particularly design it nor was he the Author of it no more then of Men's Transgressions in general he hath ordained the Punishment of the Ungodly not their Ungodliness for in Jude 6. it is said The Angels which kept not their first Estate or Principality but left their own Habitation he hath reserved in everlasting Chains under Darkness c. To that Saying God could have preserved them I answer They provoked him which was their great Sin and Loss to themselves Therefore he saw it not meet to continue his Love and Favour to them which they had so abused Neither is it his Will or Way to detain or restrain any forceably in his Way whether they will or not nor to preserve any without their Diligence in attending upon him and keeping their Habitations 2dly So likewise concerning those that were ordained of old to this Condemnation Jude 4. or as it may be read who were of old prescribed to this Judgment of the Ungodly however they as Ungodly Men were so ordained for Condemnation not meerly as particular Persons but as such who were so far fallen from the Grace of God as to transfer his Favours unto Luxury denying the only Lord God They were also Trees whose Fruit wither d twice dead c. Jude 12. Surely they could not be twice Dead if they had never been Quickned but their Ingratitude and Abuse of the Grace of God that had quickned them caused their Condemnation as God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell they having left their own Habitation and spared not the old World nor the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah whom he condemned with an Overthrow making them an Ensample unto those that after should live Ungodly 2 Pet. 2. This sufficiently declares the Reason Cause