parts for one may be supposed to be erronious Now what is more cruel than false worship Ergo the Magistrate is to punish false Worshippers or else he must not punish all evil doers forasmuch as such are the greatest evil doers in quality if not in quantity or number But here lies a Falacy occult to most mens judgments false worship say they consists in mode or manner of worship not considering that the greatest evil in worship lies in the substance not in the mode For false worship consists either in the substance as in a false Faith and false Principle or else in false mode or manner of worship the last is bad but the former worst of all because it is the ground of the latter the latter though true is but a form of godliness if the former be wanting Hence all Arrians Socinians and the greatest part of Rattabaptists Arminians Free-willers General Redemptionists Conditional Decretists and Quakers err in the former though some of them may not in the latter therefore at best have but a form of godliness and from such we are commanded to turn away for the Power consists in true Faith and true Principles and true love to God and Man both arising from the diphthongued Union between the Soul and the Man Christ Jesus by the Spirit of the Lord and then mode order and disciplinal method will be soon rectified if the Premises be truly grounded or else not The Doctrine of Quakers Pelagians Arminians Grotians Pharisees Assidians Papists and Justitiaries ABsurdities from your Errours arising That God gave his Son for all Universally upon condition that they believe repent and obey him and so Election upon condition of something in the Creature either naturally as restored by Christ at once as the Pelagians or else wrought in them by the Spirit upon the assent of their free will as the Papists and Council of Trent only by Gods fore-knowledge ab Eterno but not determination and free act and without considering any thing in the Creature and particular free Personal Election from Eternity meerly of good pleasure without any thing in the Creature but to be wrought in the Elected as the purchase of Christs Blood after Election 1. You make Christ the Minister of sin Gal. 2.17 for you make man's act of Faith Repentance and Obedience the formal cause of their Justification not only without which sine quâ non but by which they are justified before God and not by Christs Merits only But man's act of Faith repentance and obedience is sin and filthy rags Isay 64.6 Phil. 3. Ergo that which is sin you make to justifie and consequently Christ must be then the Minister of sin if his Righteousness alone be not sufficient to justifie being imputed by God and received by Faith for something that is sinful and of man's must help to justifie and Christs Merits only make it passable and acceptable so then Christs Merits makes sin passable and acceptable for all our righteousness is but filthy rags Is 64.6 Phil. 3. dung and dross yea loss which is worse than sin for man hath no righteousness except it be wrought in him by the assistance of the Spirit therefore it must be that righteousness wrought in man that the Prophet means and the Apostles for in him we live move and have our being Acts 17. Now the major is proved by all the Testimonies and Writings of Arminians Baptists of that Sect and Pelagians and Papists and is notoriously known The minor is made good from Isay 64.6 and Phil. 3. Ergo the COnclusion is true That they make Christ the Minister of sin The second Absurdity is That those of this Errour do make the Souls of Men before Christ's coming mortal and to dye with the Body which is contrary to the Apostle Phil. 1.23 24. worse than the Papists their Purgatory For a live Dog is better than a dead Lyon and agreeable to Atheists Stoicks and Heathens Besides it makes all Christ's Sufferings on the Cross as they say to remove the first Covenant of perfect works and to bring in a Lex remediens a milder Law to be only Temporal Punishment For such as was our Deliverance such was his Passion 1 Thes 1. ult to deliver us from the Wrath to come did he die Ergo our first death is both Eternal and Temporal Again such was Gods promise to Adam had he stood such was his punishment if he fell But if he had stood he had life Eternal Ergo falling Eternal death besides The wages of Sin is Death Rom. 5. and Rom. 6. ult and James 1.13 14 15. But all man's Sin entered with his first fall Rom. 5.12 Ergo the first fall is the ground of Eternal Death And that Unbelief only is the cause of Damnation is a Lye against the Scriptures For 't is true Unbelief is the cause of all sins efficiently And Sodom and Gomorrah were damned instrumentally for Adultery and Fornication Ep. Jude 2. Pet. 2. and not instrumentally and directly for Unbelief in the Son of God Yea Originally because they were reprobated from Faith effectual Calling and Glory 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. and because he did not taste death for them nor deliver them because they were not elected ab eterno 2 Thes 2.13 1 Thes 5.9 John 22.40 Heb 2.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That by the Grace of God he might taste Death for every Son The third Absurdity is 2 Tim. 2.19 then by these mens Doctrine the Foundation of God is not sure if the acceptance of Christ and his Merits depend on mans Free-will for conditional is not certain for Faith is no condition on mans part but a Necessary Qualification wrought in the Elect to apply his Grace and purchased by his Blood too and wholly wrought by his Spirit in them as effectual Calling Rom. 9. Fph. 2. Cratia non offertur Deo singulis animo communicandi eam sed solis Electis Piscator against Papists The fourth Absurdity is That God's Grace is not free which is by his word declared to be most free Rom. 7. and Rom. 4. not at all of our works wrought in us for then it is not free Now Election is the top of his free Grace from whence flows all the other Justification and effectual Calling and Glory Rom. 8.29 30 31 c. for if it be upon any condition in us then it is not free but it is most free Ergo upon no condition in or by us at all Acts 13.48 None can believe but who are pre-ordained to live Ephes 2.8 9 10. The Elect are created unto good works according to his good pleasure Phil. 2. Huberus and Hemingius the great Jesuits and Patrons of this Sophistry say non absolué statuit sed defixit in Christo ut credant in eo salvi fiant but predestination is de scientia Dei voluntate ejus and Act of his Will Ephes 1.4 7. as well as of
Chap. 17. entitled Of the Voyage by Night and Chap. 18. called the Chapter of the Cave 27 28 29 30 lines To the second that all the misery and death and condemnation of the World brought in by the fall of the first Adam is but temporal corporeal and only as to this life is a Lye against Scripture Reason and the Authority of good and approved Authors This Opinion was held by Jacobus Faber and many other Papists but not by Bellarmine Gen. 2. In the day thou eatest thou shalt die the death is a Hebrew phrase signifying eternal and temporal death moriendo morieris Eph. 2.23 Rom. 8.6 7 8. Rom. 5.6.8 Rom. 6.23 Rom. 7.14.17.20.23 Rom. 5 14. to 21. Ezek. 16.3 to 9 10. Mat. 25.41 Gal. 3.1 the wages of all sin is death in that kind that the gift of God is life But the gift of God is life eternal to all Abraham's Seed ergo the wages of all sin is eternal death by the Rule of compar contrar My Authorities are Calvin Instit lib. 2. cap. 1 2 3. the Assemblies Catechism Quest 19. and Answer to it Dr. Willet against Papists in his eighteenth general Controversie read at large besides Luther Zuinglius Melancthon and more Ancient Augustine Hierom Chrysostom Ambrose Tertul. Justin Martyr The third Article professes General Redemption that the Father gave Christ out of his love to the whole world and a Ransom for all universally wherein 1. The Fathers gift is diminished and 2. The Sons Ransom belied for the Father gave him to be a Propitiation for the sins of the world of the Elect and none else that is to all the Elect of Jew and Gentile so is all taken 2 Cor. 5. definitely and John 17.6 7. and 10. he gave him to the Sheep only whose sins he laid on him Isai 53.6.11.1 Pet. 2.24 25. 2. Cor. 5.21 and to whom only he gave and imputed his Righteousness 2 Tim. 1.9 10. Gal. 1.15 16. The Elect Jews were his Sheep and other Sheep I have that is the Elect of the Gentiles and the Reprobates he called Dogs Wolves Lyons c. which he ransomed not neither was given to ransom so he did more for his Elect than you acknowledge viz. transacted and bore their sins on his own body 2. He did it not for all but only for them whom the Father gave to him and him to them Joh. 17.2.6.8.9.11.29 Joh. 6.44.39.37 Joh. 10.3.11.15 16 26 27 28 29. These only by his Blood hath he cleansed in his sight not by Water-Baptism but by his Blood 1 Joh. 1.7.9 and Chap. 5. and of this is the Water of Baptism a Figure and by his Blood hath satisfied Justice for all their sins past to come and present and redeemed them and of this is the Supper a Symbol or Sign 1 Cor. 11. c. The fourth Article sings the same Song wresting the word All to a false sense that God is willing that all should come to repentance and none should perish and that the pardon of sins should be preached to every Creature that none might suffer in Hell The Word of God is belied making it speak what it intends not and the Gospel sophisticated For first the Gospel is ministerlally offered to all Mark 16.15 but by recommunication of the Spirit only to the Elect Rom. 9.11 12 13 18 19 20. with 1 Pet. 3.17 Mat. 13.11 To the Elect it is given to know the Gospel but not to the Reprobate Joh. 12.40 Rom. 11.7 8 9 10. And Piscator a Protestant Divine saith Gratia affertur à deo animo communicandi eam folis Electis hand quaque singulis To the fifth I say degrees of Christianity abstractively adapt not to the Ministry beside I deny you to be a Church of Christ Ergo have no power to give your approbation in Ordination Beside the Church alone though true cannot by Divine Authority ordain Ministers or Commissionate them to go forth to Preach The sixth Article is ambiguous as most of your Preachments are to deceive the simple and obtain Proselites Rom. 16.17 18 19. Submelli Hybleo venenum latet Faith don't justifie as an Act nor is it the Root of Justification as Papists say it is Christ and his Personal Righteousness that justifies the ungodly being Elected Rom. 4 Rom. 8.33 Psal 32.1 2 3. and they by Faith when God gives it them Ephes 2. apprehend and receive this Righteousness of Christ wrote in his Person for their justification Rom. 8.2.3 Joh. 1.12 where you say Believers commit themselves to his Grace I boldly assirm you Arminians Grotians and Pelagians don't mean by Grace to the imputation of his Righteousness wrought in his Individual Person for all his Sheep and given to them for their justification and received by Faith of them Thus all true Protestants but you with Bellarmine and all the Papists mean that the Act of Faith in this your Opinion and new-fangled Gospel and Christ with repentance and obedience to your holy Baptism this is your justification and the Papists for which you will be ashamed in the day of the Lord Jesus when the Thrones of the Kingdoms of the World shall bow before him Phil. 2. and all that own and receive not his imputed Righteousness shall be slain and cast in the Lake Rev. 21.8 and 22.15 The seventh Article tells a loud Lye like his Fellows for God gives his Spirit to his Elect Sons before you do believe or can believe repent or obey for all these are done by the Spirit or some Power else but no Power else but the Spirit can work these Ergo the Spirit is given first not before their Redemption Reconciliation and Justification but before the Application of this Grace by the Office of the holy Spirit this Grace is revealed received and applied to the Elect only Gal. 4.6 Col. 2.10 11 12. Joh. 14.15 16. Chap. 1 Cor. 2.10 11 12. Rom. 8.15 16. Ephes 1.13.18 19 20. The eighth Article is swoln big with the poyson of Sophistication and Contradiction and that because you hide your Errours under a disguise like a hitter Pill wrapt up in a little Sugar or Wormwoodseeds in Plumbs to deceive the simple and Children for you would make us believe you own the Decrees of God while indeed you deny them 2. Acontradiction because if they be Elected for foreseen Faith works or repentance then it is not of meer mercy and good will and nothing in the Creature but sin So that the second part of your Article contradicts the first and the first is sophisticated You say God Elects from the Foundation of the world such as believe that is when they believe he Elects them that is he hath decreed to Elect all that believe but he Elects them as meer sinners and because he Elects them they believe and not that he Elects them because they believe The ninth is like his Fellows full of falshood for they were ordained to Condemnation before they were ungodly men and because of their Reprobation
became ungodly men because they were afore ordained to destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before decreed or afore written for destruction and therefore became ungodly The tenth lies like the father the second Article For Adam's fall brought in Eternal deaths as well as Temporal I said afore and if all are under that Condemation Rom. 5.16 17 18 19. Ex. 16. Rom. 6.21 then Infants for Infants are part of all Beside all that are fallen into Condemation which all are cannot be saved till they are born again of Water and the Spirit or baptized with Fire and the Holy Ghost Mat. 4. Jo. 3.3 5. 1 Jo. 5. Heb. 10. Ez. 36. Water in all which places is not your Baptism but the cleansing of Christ's Blood applied by the Spirit to the Elect in their Conversion and Regeneration of which Baptism is but a meer figure to Abraham and his believing Seed as Circumcision was before the actual payment of the Debts of the Elect by Christ on the Cross at Jerusalem Heb. 13.11 12 13. Heb. 9.26 Heb. 1.3 Heb. 10.54.10 14. see 18 Q. of the Assemblies Catechism and Answer Four things issue to all Adam's posterity by his fall First The guilt of Adam's first sin Secondly The privation of Original Righteousness Thirdly A depravation of the whole nature of Body and Soul by Hereditary descent And fourthly All actual Sins flowing from it Ro. 5.12 19. and 10. Ephes 1.1 2 3. James 1.14 15. Mark 15.29 Ro. 7. See Doctor Willet's 81 Gen. Controversie against Papists the Elect have their Sins transacted on Christ and his imputed Righteousness covering them and the Spirit of Christ in his time converting them to it and the rest great and small are blinded and damned Ro. 11. The whole Law broken by Adam and his Posterity in him comprehends both Faith and perfect and sinless obedience which Covenant being broke he brought both himself and posterity under Condemnation Rom. 5.18 19. temporal and Eternal for such is the Wages of Sin Ro. 6.21 and lying under the breach of the whole Law of God are eternally condemn'd except they be elected called justified and sanctified freely by his Grace Rom. 8.29 30 31. Christ did not come into the World to save men if they would Ephes 2.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. for then none would be saved but he came positively and absolutely to save them that were eternally given to him to save Jo. 17. and Jo. 10.26 to 29. Christ's death and passions were not Temporal and Bodily only Mat. 27.46 and Chap. 26.36 37 38 42. Mark 14.3 4. Luke 22.42 44. Joh. 18.11 but Spiritual and Infernal passions Acts 2.31 Ps 16.10 Lament 1.12 And if Christ's Sufferings were such then Adaw's fall must procure such But this Hellish Doctrine denyeth both By this Doctrine the Covenant of Grace was made since the fall of Adam and not from Eternity as the Scripture inculcates Titus 1.1 2 3. Ps 89. and Zach. 6.13 2 Sam. 23.5 and then the Covenant of Grace is but a new Covenant of Works viz. Faith and Obedience as if Faith was not included in the Covenant of Innocency and fulfilling the conditions of the pardon of Sin in the Gospel upon pain of Eternal Damnation so that by this Doctrine the new Covenant of Grace is a thousand times more bondaged servile and legal than the Covenant of Innocency For the forfeitures of that say they was but bodily and temporal and so was Christ's death that satisfied for it But the forfeitures of this new Covenant of Grace according to their Doctrine is Spiritual and Eternal Damnation and no help or satisfaction neither in the Covenant of Innocency Christ made up the breaches but the breaches of this Covenant of Grace we our selves must make up by our Free-will Faith Repentance and Obedience or else perish eternally And from the Pelagion Arminian Papistical new Covenant of Grace wherein Christ is only or chiefly an example only by his Kingly and Prophetical Offices in Heaven he prays for me my Faith Victory and Repentance but if I do it not or cannot his Prayer is in vain And as for his Priestly Office as Dr. Hammand saith it dyed with him For it was only to remove the Covenant of Works which was by a temporal death easily removed its forfeitures being but a temporal death from such a New Covenant Lord deliver me and his Elect and from the Promulgators of it Another Juggle they have is that Election is not in the Covenant of Works or from Eternity but in Christ since that is they that do believe the Doctrine they preach believe repent obey and be baptized are Elected and this God foresaw and knew and willed And to uphold this Babel and Whores Doctrine of Babylon they turn upside-down the very Heart and Entrails of the whole Scriptures to the last of the tenth Article I say the Jews were under a Covenant of Grace and by the sign thereof Gen. 17. brought by Divine Command their Children into the visible Church We are under the same Covenant of Grace and the matter and manner of the sign was changed under the New Testament or Administration of Grace but not the Subjects for then it had been necessary that Christ should have forbidden Infants Baptism or John Baptist his Messenger for Christ knew it was once commanded as the New Covenant sign but he never repealed the Subject nor his Messenger that came before him or the Ministers that followed after him Ergo what is not repealed by Divine Institution abides stedfast as a Nail fastened by the Masters of the Assembly given by one Shepherd Christ Jesus Therefore till the Catabaptists prove by Scripture that Christ or his Predecessor John Bapt. or his Successors the Apostles forbid the Subjects in Gen. 17. licensed till then you do all of you shamefully beg the Question and you shall be with your Antichristian Spirit famished for me before you shall have a Morsel from me to feed your Heresie wherefore leave that unlawful Trade of Begging and work for your livings that is prove out of the New Testament by Gods Word that Infants are commanded not to be Baptized or that Circumcision was not a Sign and Seal of the Righteousness of Faith Or that Baptism did not come in the room of Circumcision do one of these or be silent before the Lord for ever For because you have rent the Seal of his Covenant God will rend you and your Sect into a thousand pieces This will be the end of you to perish in your own Dung Phil. 3. Except the Elect among you and true Converts they only shall be preserved and in due time come out of your Babylon as well as Rome's or England's Babylon The Eleventh Article builds up your Idol Baptism and sets it on your sandy Foundation for there is not one word of Teach before Baptise but contrary after Baptism to Teach Mat. 28. latter end For the first word rendered to Teach is in the Greek Matheteusate that
is Disciple all Nations But the Question may be asked How shall we Disciple them the Answer is Baptizeing them c. then teach them to observe all things c. the Jews did so Disciple their Children and Children Acts 15. are called Disciples and doubtless the Righteousness of Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven is given to the Elect of them Mat. 18.4 5 6. 1 Cor. 14 20. Mark 9.42 Luke 17.1 2. and belongs to them and therefore the Sign of the Covenant belongs to them which is the Water of Baptism and the very rantizing or sprinckling in the Figure is sufficient because the Sprinckling the Blood in the Substance is sufficient 1 Pet. 1.2 The same way that Abraham was Discipled are all aged ones in all times that being ignorant of God's Covenant never knew it or received the Figure before and this by teaching them the Covenant of God as God taught Abraham and then set the Sign on them But the way to Disciple Infants as in that day by Circumcision so in this day by Baptism Acts 15.10 1 Cor. 12.13 Their Children were called Disciples and so are ours Disciples of right if the Substance of the Covenant of Grace be the same as it is for there is no new thing sub Coelis and our Baptism now doth Baptize into the whole Body or Church Universal 1 Cor. 12.13 that is into the number of the Elect and not into particular visible Congregations and when they do actually believe then are they Members of the visible particular Church actual Members and then as Baptism shadowed out their cleansing by Christ's Blood and the Application of it to them in the Womb by God So doth the Supper when they believe figure out Christ's Redemption and Satisfaction to them by his Blood Joh. 6. ult 1 Cor. 11. ult And though the Sacraments be distant in Administration and Respect of time yet Satisfaction Redemption and Cleansing was actually done at once for all the Elect by Christ John 18.34 35. with 1 Jo. 5.6 7 8. and yet I say the Elect have their cleansing sealed and signed Externally for the Internal Seal is the Spirit Ephes 1.13 Rom. 4. mostly in their Infancy because God imputes Christs Righteousness to them in their Infancy Rom. 9.10 3. Gal. 1.16 Mat. 19.14 And because Baptism is not a Communion Sacrament as the Supper is 1 Cor. 11. hence they did not eat the Pascal Lamb till they were able to stand on their Feet eat bitter Herbs and walk Exod. 12. for the Pascal Lamb under the old Administration of Grace was the Sign of Christ's Death for the Elect as the Supper is now both figuring out the same thing to wit the pardon of Sins by Christs bearing them as the Lamb taking them away John 1.29 only that figur'd out the actual time of discharge of the Elect to come but the Supper that the actual time is past Heb. 9.29 and ch 10.14 Neither is Baptism the way of making visible Churches but Profession of the true Faith of Christ Rom. 10.11.10.12 Gal. 3.26 By Faith and not by Baptism you make Baptism your Christ and so slight the Lords Blood by placing life in the Figures But the Apostle when some in his time see 1 Cor. 1. did too much magnifie it he thanked God that he he had not Baptized but a few Families and tells them His Mission was to preach the Gospel A more weighty Affair than administring Baptism though both belonged to him The Apostles never preached up Baptism as the Catabaptists do And though Circumcision did make Disciples of right yet it did not make them visible and actual Disciples but Faith in God's Covenant and the eating the Pascal Lamb was a or the visible Communion as the Supper is now to professed Believers You belie the word of God to prove your own Heresie For this you must answer one day mark it Generation was not the way of the Jews intromiting Church-Members or making them It was the knowledge of God's gracious Covenant Gen. 15.6 Faith in Christ as now Christs Priestly Office took away the Sins of the Elect under the old Administration or Testament as well as now under the new The Covenant was and is substantially and formally the same only differs diathetically and by way of Administration Heb. 8. Jer. 31.31 32 33. 1 Joh. 2.1 2 3. Why do you lye against the Scriptures and say That Vnscriptural Sprinckling for 1 Pet. 1.2 as the Blood of sprinckling purges away the Sins of the Elect so will the Water of sprinckling sufficiently figure it out A little Wax will seal a great Lease when the Covenants therein are firmly agreed do you know what you prate of the Bond-woman and her Son You your selves are Children of the Bond-woman Gal. 4 The Seed of the Adulterer and Whore Isay 57.34 10. and 12. You trust in the life of your hand in your Faith Repentance and Obedience for your formal justification as all Papists do and as the carnal Jews did suppose that the Law of works was given for them to fulfill in their own persons and what they failed of it was to be supplyed by the Sacrifices and Ceremonies Thus mistaking the whole Order and End of the Law which was to carry them to Christ the Mediator who was ordained in his person to fulfill all the Law of God and that Righteousness of his to be imputed to the Elect for their justification and received by Faith when God gave it them to believe And so the Law at Sina given in Thunder and Tempest was to shew them their Sinfulness Rom. 3.19 20 21 22. and God's Wrath boyling against Sinners Rom. 1. and 2. ch who all in Adam have violated Gods holy Law Rom. 3. and come short of the Glory of God by it and to break the Rock of their Carnal Confidence and security 2 Cor. 3. Exod. 19. and 20. To bring the Elect thereby humbly to submit to Christ the Everlasting Mediator on whom the Lord laid all the Sins of the Elect Isay 53.6 11. 1 Pet. 2.24 25. Mica 7.18 19. Psal 89. and Psal 80. ult and imputes his Personal Righteousness to them for their justification 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 Now as they corrupted their Administration of Grace under the Old Testament so do you and your Generation Pelagians Arminians and Papists under the New Testament For the Apostle in that Text Gal. 4. opposes the Covenant of Grace to the Covenant of Works or to the Law made by the Jews as a Covenant of Works as aforesaid and not the New Testament or Administration of Grace against the Old for as they did take the Law for a Covenant of Works so do you the Gospel calling Faith Repentance and Obedience the Conditions of it which are freely given to them as Fruits of the pardon of Sins not procurers and rejecting the imputed Righteousness of Christ as Papists do and make the Acts of your Faith to justifie you which is full of Sin yea full of
And so thought the unbelieving Jews under the Law so do you under the Gospel and with the same Irony as the Prophet did them I answer you Go to then make you a clean heart and purge away all your sins clean out of God's sight get you a sinless Faith and Repentance and fulfill the whole Law in your persons perfectly and then God will perhaps receive you But secondly I answer Who art thou that replyest against God Object 4. The Scriptures bids all repent and believe Answer It speaks especially to all the Elect of Jew and Gentile Or ministerially to all universally but spiritually and effectually to the Sheep the Elect. Object 5. God don't desire a Sinner's death but that he repent Answer He dont desire the death of Elect Sinners nor never did for he hath loved them with an Everlasting love a parte ante post Jer. 31.3 Object 6. Then is God a respecter of persons Answer So he is 1. by way of decree for he respected Abel and rejected Cain because he had elected the one and rejected the other and so the person of Jacob and hated the person of Esau before they did good or evil Secondly Officially he respects mens persons for Ministers shall shine as the Stars and I have said ye are Gods to Magistrates and not to all and the Man is the Image and Glory of God according to the place and Authority of an Husband So is not the Wife as a Wife and a Woman See 1 Cor. 11. therefore they that contend and despise and rule over their Husbands are meritricious Gentlewomen and Amazon's terrible Monsters generated out of corruption and the worser part of Evah but the works done by his redeemed and justifyed Children he respects not their persons for their works but for Christs Righteousness imputed he respects both them and their works and will reward them Neither doth he respect the Beauty Riches or Wisdom of any man so as to respect the person for those things though good in themselves Object 7. He gave himself a ransom for all Answer for all his Elect definitively which shall be testify'd in their proper times Kainois idiois that is when he by his Spirit calls and doth convert them Object 8. It is not our works but Christ that works in us Free-will Faith Repentance and new Obedience Answer Though he does it is but filthy Rags Isay 64.6 Phil. 3. but Dross Dung and loss as to our justification Nothing can justifie in any Covenant but a perfect Righteousness performed in a perfect and righteous person that never sinned Rom. 8.2 3. Hab. 1.13 Rom. 7. Object 9. This Doctrine of Election and Reprobation will dishearten people from using the means Answer It will not Gods Elect but rather hearten them Secondly All are commanded ministerially to use the means and have Abilities to do it yea the blind may hear Rom. 10.10 11 12 13. but spiritually the Spirit blows where it listeth John 3. the Spirit is but given to the Sons alone Gal. 4.6 Mat. 13. John 12.40 Object 10. Disobedience to the Law brought and incurred but temporal punishments but to the Gospel Eternal punishments Heb. 12.2 Ans Disobedience to every or to one Tittle of the Law incurs now and ever did Eternal Condemnation for the wages of Sin is Eternal death and Sin is but a transgression of the Law Ergo the transgression of the Law deserves Eternal Death But the Jews as they were under the Law given at Sinai had a Temporal Conditional Covenant to restrain their exhorbitant Spirits and allure them by Temporal Blessings 1 Tim. 1.5 9. There were three ends of the giving the Law at Sinai 1. To shew the dreadfulness of the fall and breach of that Law in Paradise and that at the last Day God shall in Thunder and Flame judge the Bodies and Souls of all that fell and are not reconciled by Christ or covered with his Righteousness Rom. 4.6 7 8. Psal 32. or for whom he hath not fulfilled it in his most sinless and excellent person and so it is a demonstrative Covenant of works Rom. 3.19 shewing Sin and breaking in pieces the self-conceited carnal hearts of Gods Elect that they may receive the Grace of God in Christ by Faith Gal. 3.24 Isay 42.18 19 20. And this was then Externally and Internally and Spiritually and internally now in them that are called the use of the Law to bring them in the hand of Christ to nothing but despiration in and because of sin and self-impotency within and without that so they may in emptiness and poverty receive by Faith a full and able rich Christ Which when it hath done by Faith the Law vanishes out of the Conscience like a baffled Giant and retires into the Flesh to curb that to its duty and is then a Commandment and Law of Love upon the new Covenant heart of a Believer to freely move him according to the External Rule and Matter of the means to glorifie Christ in the World 2 Cor. 3. and 2 Cor. 5. the love of Christ constrains us Secondly a second end of the Law at Sinai was to be a rule to the Elect Believers then to walk with God whose Heart and Will the Law represents And so it was put in the Ark A Type of Christ in whom now the Law is for a Believers Rule Thirdly It was given as a Temporal Conditional Covenant to frighten the stubborn Jews from Rebellion and to engage them to Righteousness a thing God did and does delight in And so the breaches were as in this respect punished but with a Temporal Death and Punishment and the Performers with Temporal Life and Blessings and as such a Covenant its Epoca began at Sinai and did end when Christ came in the Flesh The ignorance of this distinction is the root of all Errours and Heresies And so it was to the Jews under that Testament of Grace as it is now to us under the new and last Testament of Grace sealed and confirmed not with the Blood of Creatures and Beasts but with the Blood of Christ the Son of God to the everlasting Comfort of the Elect Believers Object 11. This Doctrine General Redemption sets all on work to use the means and to endeavour Answer Have ye never read or heard of Penelope that famous Wife that when her Husband was gone to the Trojan-war and thought to have been slain by his long tarrying and she having many Woers perplexing her not delighting her as they do the Ladies of these times was spinning for Ladies in those more ancient times were good House-wifes though now they are many of them Sluts and she put back the sharp importunities of her Rivals with this defence That when she had spun off her Web she would answer them Now to prove her self Loyal to her Husband and deceptious to her Rivals she unspun in the Night what she had spun in the day Hence we call all labour in vain The spinning of Penelope
's Web And such is the Works and Endeavours of all unconverted and unbelieving persons whatsoever though not to so good an end as hers was and this is as good an Answer as your Objection Add to it the Testimony of Christ Mark 7.7 In vain do they worship me and of Jer. 12.1 2. Object 12. What if this Doctrine be Popery yet if it be true it is not to be rejected Answer Philpot the Martyr said to Bonner Bishop of London That the Papists held not one Truth but the Doctrine of the Trinity and yet they held this of Universal Grace and the Words of a Dying Man are true ut aiunt much more of a Dying Martyr and Christian Man Object 13. 'T is Life and Conversation that saves us and makes us like God and not Opinion Answer The living Principles of the Doctrine of Christ are not Opinions but Fundamentals preached by the immediate in spiration of the Spirit confirmed by the ancient Testimony of the Prophets and sealed with the Signet of real Miracles and attested to by the ancient Fathers of the first 500 years and by all the true Churches to this day and the Scriptures are the rule and ground of Faith Ephes 2.20 But such is the Doctrine of Election ab eterno and Reprobation free and personal a good Life and Conversation built upon Christ is the fruit of Christs Spirit working love in the called Elect But such a visible Conversation built on the Law and mans own Righteousness or mans Faith and Repentance though wrought in time is no other than the superstructures of the Scribes and Parisees of old and of Mistical Papists and Antichristians the Bastards of the great Whore in this day Rev. 17.1 2 3. Rev. 2.26 'T is Christ's works Faith and Conversation in him that gives life to his and not that wrought in them though by the Spirit that does but testifie that they have life in Christ to the World 14 Ob. God then made man to damn him Answer with the Apostle But who art thou man that repliest against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me so And beside the Scripture saith He that made them will not save them Isai 27.11 15. Ob. The easiest way is the wrong but eternal free Personal Election is the easiest Answer you know not what you say no man is saved no man believes no man truly repents but it cost Christ his dearest Heart-blood and must cost us the farewel of dearest delights and sin and the loss of our own hearts self and interests Luke 14.28 29 30. 2. That that is the rationallest way is the easiest because all men have naturally reason but your General Redemption and Conditional Election and Free Will is the most rationallest and agreeable to reason therefore the easiest and the way of God above reason and is only fathomed by Faith as Heb. 11. Chap. appears And that gate is straight and narrow Mat. 7. and few enter into it 16. Ob. That whatever we do or sin we shall be saved by the way of Election Answer that is your carping Calumny against the Truth Gods people cannot sin that sin that God cannot or will not forgive 1 Joh. 5. ult There is a sin unto death and a sin not unto death the Elect are beloved when they do no good or evil they are beloved when they do evil their persons not their sins I mean Gal. 2.20 Rom. 9.11 and 13. 2 Tim. 1.9 10. and they are beloved when they do good and they shall do good because they are beloved Phil. 2.13 Heb. 12. two last verses Again the Truths of Christ believed and received and not Errours is the only ground of sobriety righteousness and godliness Tit. 2.12 and 13. 2 Cor. 5.14 And again pray inspicite vobis look upon your Peacocks feet how much unlike the Devils they are though like the Pharisees your Feathers be fine your envy your malice your pride your errours your instability your factions and schismes and Popish Principles back-biting whispering tale-bearing vain discourse tatling 1 Tim. 5. busi-bodying in other folks matters 1 Pet. 4.15 these and such like are the Ingredients that your holiness and righteousness is composed of crying out with the Pharisees Isai 66. Stand far off me I am more holier than thou art And this is the manners of you Baptists most of you in this latter day and Quakers and others too the more is the pity Ob. But we love one another Answer O! Do you so so do the Papists so do the arrantest Hereticks in the World and 't is but self-love and with dissimulation neither for to prop up Self and honour Self and secure your Reputations that is dearer to you than Christ's Blood or love Prate not thus See you what Christ saith Mat. 5.46 47. Luke 6.30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37. 1 Joh. 2.10 11. and Chap. 4.20 Joh. 5.40 41. Measure your life by these Scriptures and deal truly with your hearts Because you have Free Will answer me these Questions 1. Had the Angels Free Will to stand or fall if they had why did they fall or did the Elect Angels stand by their Free Will the other having no sin to tempt them to fall more than the Elect had and why are they called Elect that stand and the other not that did fall 2. Had Judas free will to believe and repent as much as Peter if he had why did he not do as Peter did or did Christ pray for Judas as he did for Peter Mark that 3. When Satan entred Judas and Saul had they power to resist and abandon him or not if they had why was it so great a burden to them that the one was mad the other hanged himself 4. If no sin be damnable but unbelief against the Gospel how came the Angels to be damned and how came Sodom and Gomorrah to be cast into Eternal Fire if the sin against the first Covenant be only the cause of a temporal death and punishment as is by you asserted Ocellos vobis Jehovah aperito c. Per Johannem H. FINIS