was made an Offering for sin he having offered himself through the Eternal Spirit yet his Soul or Spirit did not die with the Body though J. O. hath ignorantly made no distinction but joyns both as being but Humane Nature which was Sacrificed to death but yet its evident that though his Soul and Spirit did not die with the Body yet his Soul was offered for sin for the sins of men were laid upon him or did meet on him as is frequently confessed and so he suffered and his Soul travelled under the burthen of them so that his Sufferings were twofold both inward and outward and which were the greater suppose ye Professors and whether there be not a mystery to be known in the Sufferings Death and Blood of Christ beyond what could be seen or perceived with the carnal or outward eye since that he is truly and savingly to be known after the Spirit as the Apostles knew him who experienced the Fellowship of his Sufferings and a conformity unto his Death and bare in their bodies the Dying of the Lord Jesus that his Life might be manifest in them And Christ being touched with the feeling of their Infirmities was able to relieve them that were tempted and as Paul saith Colos. 1. You that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds through wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the Body of his Flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight if you continue in the Faith grounded and setled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which you have heard which is preached to every Creature which is under Heaven whereof I Paul am made a Minister who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his Body sake which is the Church verse 21 22 23 24. where mark that the reconciled state was not that of enmity in their minds and the end of this reconciliation through his Death was to present them holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight which does not admit of sin and imperfection term of life nor yet of Professors arguing or pleading for sin as they do and was there any of Christ's afflictions or sufferings then to be filled up in the Apostle for the sake of his Church how do Professors resent this Doctrine and what meaning will they give to it can they say that Christ's suffering was all at an end or fulfilled at once whilest yet some was behind to be filled up in his Saints and that for his Churches sake although still he was the one Offering Ransom and Sacrifice for sin and was offered once for all as both being opposed to and ending the many Offerings under the Law and consecrating a new and Living Way and establishing an Everlasting Covenant of Life and Salvation as also that in what he did and suffered be set us an Example bare Testimony unto and confirmed the Truth this J. O. confesseth page 199. And as to his being a perfect High Priest and discharging the Office thereof and all other the Father required of him these we never opposed nor went about to slight or lessen as some injuriously represented us Neither would we have any unreverent and slighty Contests entertained on any hand about the Sufferings Afflictions and Death of Christ in the least to lessen or undervalue them nor yet ought you to meddle and tamper about either God Christ or Holy Spirit or about the Suffering and Sacrifice of Christ with your pitifull sorry confused School-terms and distinctions and beggerly scraps of mens Traditions and Rudiments of the World c. wherein you have laboured more to fill your heads with airy notions invented words and brain knowledge rather then your hearts and souls with a saving Knowledge and experimental sence and feeling of the Life and Power of Godliness or of the Vertue and Efficacy of Christ Jesus and his Reconciliation as the one Offering and Sacrifice which puts away sin and whose Blood both remits and clenseth from all iniquity But to evade these blessed Effects which are only known to them that walk in the Light 1 John 1.7 many of you Professors have found out a very easie way and notion of all being fully satisfied and payed for you both for sins past present and to come and of all being suffered and perfectly obeyed for you by Christ in your stead though you deny his dying and being a Propitiation for all men in the whole World so that you can plead and wrangle for sin imperfection and body of sin all your life and say Christ hath fully payed all and perfectly obeyed for you as also you can easily evade or refuse to suffer either with him or for him if but a little Storm Trial or Persecution doth arise you and your Leaders can secure your selves and creep into corners though now you can make a shew and bluster in this time of calm and some of you make a boasting and insulting against W. P. and a hidious reviling of him now he is in suffering and you at liberty thinking probably that you may get your selves some credit and repute with those in power by your railing Pamphlets which you bring out one after another like cowardly base spirited men so many to go to trample upon a man that is already underfoot as to the outward man in regard of his confinement which some report that some of you Presbyterians were the Instigators and occasion of by such invective Clamours and Complaints as some of you are accustomed to clear your selves as well as you can but yet withal you do but befool your selves in so many of you going to war against and reproaching a poor man in Prison who freely offered up himself to suffer which the most of you would be loath to do for by that your so great stir and noise you make against him you render him how mean soever he be in himself such a potent Antagonist contrary to your many slighty and scornfull Characters of him in your Books that you make many momoderate people the more enquire after him and to have the better conception of him because of your enmity and outrage but such who wait upon the Lord and in his Light stand still can see beyond you all and your spirits and work which the day hath declared More Errors escaped the Press IN the Epistle Page 2. Line 12. for agree in read are p. 23. l. 2. blot out 1. l. 23. for for r. in p. 25. l. 10. r. produced l. 35. for 13 r. 3. In the Answer to T. V. p. 65. l. 1. blot out that In the Answer to T. D. p. 2. l. 24. for gifts r. gusts p. 5. l. 18. for in r. on p. 7. l. 5. for 13 r. 3. l. 11. for by r. high p. 9. l. 10. for and all r. an act p. 12. l. 2. for he r. the. p. 17.
get some gain if you had Bawdy-houses but if you go to the People of God's Meetings then you will get no gain Well might William Pen say the Priest prayed whiningly and looked pale when you had lost your Easter-Reckonings and Midsummer-Dues Is not the Great Bason holden at Door What this is a new way Is it Whether brings in more profit to the Priests mouths Tythes and Easter-Reckonings and Midsummer-Dues or the Great Platter Now do you not cry up Bawdy-houses or any way so that you can get gain I wonder for all this idle time you have had that you could not Answer Samuel Fisher's Book amongst you for it stands upon your heads he hath Answered all your Principles and more then you have questioned Have you forgot your Regiment of Fighting Priests and how the Presbyterians and Priests beat the Quakers Read the Book of Fighting Priests how they tore the Cloaths off Lasses and young Men and drew their Rapiers upon them and broke their heads and shed their blood and yet you must have the Title of Gospelers but more like unto raging Heathens who imagine vain things against God and Christ and his People but the Lord hath broken your horn the wild beast and put him under a chain So we looked you would have given out a Book of Repentance for all your wicked Actions in the other Powers dayes and shewed forth a work of Reformation Do you not remember how you came with your Drums and Fiddles Independants and Presbyterians Is it not clear here to all People That you deny God and Christ and the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles in your saying That God hath ordained some Persons to be damned when God saith Ezek. 18.32 He desires not the death of him that dieth And in Isa. 1.18 it 's said Come let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow and though they be red like crimson they shall be like wooll And vers 16. Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well And the Apostle saith in 1 Tim. 2.4 God would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth And Christ hath given himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time And Christ tasted death for every man and is a Propitiation for the sins of the whole world And his Blood was shed for all men And the Gospel is to be Preached to every Creature And Go and teach all Nations Matth. 28. Now is it not clear That these Presbyterians and Independants who say That Christ died but for some and offered but for some Have they not denied Christ's Blood for all men and his Propitiation for all men And in doing this they deny God's Will who would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth And would they not lay the fault in God when the fault is in man by not believing And do they not make Sects here in saying he died but for some and would have but some to be saved and he shed his Blood but for some And the Scripture saith That all are gone astray both Jew and Gentile that he might have mercy upon All See Rom. 11.32 And they say That he will not have mercy upon all and do not you say That he will have mercy upon some contradicting the Apostle and the Rule For the Scripture saith Christ enlighteneth every man that cometh into the World and you say that he enlighteneth but some And the Scripture saith That the grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men and you say The Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared but to some and all have not received Grace And the Scripture saith God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son into the World that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And do not you say he gave him but for a few and loved some of the World And do not you Contradict Scripture and God and Christ and the Prophets and Apostles words and so are found in an Erronicus Principled Spirit And so is it not clear that you deny Christ who died without the Gates at Jerusalem whose Blood was shed for all men and denies the Propitiation and Attonement for all men and denies Jacob's Prophecy who prophesied That the gathering of all Nations shall be to Shilo And you say That some of the Nations shall be saved not all and here do you not deny the very Scripture it self and God and Christ and the Prophets and Apostles words and denies their Doctrine And also Is it not clear that you deny the true Faith of God's Elect that the Just lives by And is not Faith the Gift of God And do you not say That Faith is not perfect Do not you hold Justification without and that it is without Man and Woman And doth not Faith heal See Matth. Mark Luke and the Acts. And was not the Church Established in the Faith Acts 16.5 Is it not called the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.13 And how that the Saints are Heirs by Faith and it is called the Word of Faith Rom. 10. And it is called the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 Gal 5.6 and Faith that works by Love So it 's clear that you are out of this Faith that lives in malice and hatred And the Scripture speaks of one Faith one Baptism Eph. 4. and the Unity is in the Faith and Faith gives Victory over that which hath separated from God And Faith is the Shield And the Saints was to strive together for the Faith of the Gospel 1 Thes. 3. Remember your work of Faith and put on the brestplate of Faith 1 Thes. 5.8 The work of Faith with Power and holding Faith and a good Conscience 1 Tim. 5.19 And have not you made shipwrack of this Faith in Christ Jesus and God to say Christ's Blood was not shed for all men and God would not have all men to be saved and hath ordained some to damnation Is not Faith called a Mystery 1 Tim. 3.9 Were not the Saints to fight the good Fight of Faith 1 Tim. 6.12 Are not you among them that have erred concerning the Faith and have overthrown the Faith of some in not believing the one Offering once for all his Blood for all his Death for all and so are become Reprobates concerning the Common Faith Tit. 1.4 And without Faith it is impossible to please God who is the Author and Finisher of our Faith which you made yours at Savoy in eleven dayes time in Oliver's dayes And the Just shall live by his Faith Heb. 2. and hearts purified by Faith Acts 15. and Sanctified by Faith Acts 26. Rom. 3. a man is Justified by Faith So it 's clear Reader that Faith Justifies Sanctifies and Faith purifies rhe heart and so this
Justification is within and the Mystery of Faith is held in a pure Conscience and the Conscience must be within must it not Reader And so here thou mayst see how these Presbyterians and Independants have erred from the Apostles Doctrine And in Rom. 5. and being Justified by Faith by whom we have access to God by Faith and Justified by Faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 2. And the Apostle saith I live by the Faith of the Son of God and the Just lives by Faith by grace you are saved through Faith Eph. 2.8 Luk. 2.5 thy Faith hath saved thee And do not the Presbyterians and Independants deny Christ's Doctrine who deny Perfection both the Doctrine of God and the Command of Jesus Christ and the Ministry of Christ Jesus and makes void all the Apostles Exhortation For God said to Abraham Walk before me and be thou perfect Gen. 17. And do they not deny the way of God which is perfect Psal. 18.30 And the Law of the Lord is perfect and Christ saith Every one that is perfect shall be as he is And be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Mat. 5. And Noah was a perfect man Gen. 6. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord He hath made my way perfect 2 Sam. 20. Job was a perfect man and one that feared God and eschewed evil Job 1.1 God will not cast away the perfect man Now do you not say there is no Perfection Do you not give the Scripture the lye God made my way perfect Psal. 18. Mark the perfect man Psal. 37. And the Wicked may shoot at the perfect Psal. 64. And are not you them that shoot at the perfect with your dirty Arrows And Christ prayed That they may be perfect in one Joh. 17. Is not Christ's Prayer to be fulfilled or did he pray in vain Will you deny his Prayer you vain men Is not Christ's Prayers available The Apostle said He spoke wisdom among them that were perfect ye false Ministers say there are none perfect God comforts his People and Ministers and sayes His strength is made perfect in their weakness Herein is encouragement to Perfection by God's Ministers Be perfect be of good comfort but you say none can be perfect and so you are miserable Comforters And the Work of the Ministry Eph. 4. was to bring People to the knowledge of God to a perfect man and to the measure and stature of the fulness of Christ And are not you false Ministers and evil workers who say there is no Perfection you cannot bring them it seems to a perfect man you cannot bring them to the measure of the stature of Christ but runs up and down and fetches all the weaknesses of the Saints and applies them to People to hold up Imperfection to them as Paul Peter John and some others 2 Cor. 13. We wish your Perfection and Heb. 6. let us go on to Perfection And Col. 2. the bond of Perfectness So is it not clear here whose Ministers you are neither according to God nor Christ nor according to the Scriptures nor according to the Prophets nor Apostles By one Offering he hath Perfected for ever them that are Sanctified And what Hee is this but Christ Jesus And now it 's clear That you deny this Faith that Sanctifies and that you deny this one Offering mark for ever them that are Sanctified And so it 's clear That you deny the one Offering of Christ Jesus without the Gates of Jerusalem and sayes That none are perfect and no Perfection here You may as well say there is no Faith here And you that say also there is no Overcoming here you may as well deny Belief here for he that believes is born of God and he that is born of God overcomes the World and greater is he that is in you than he that is in the World So it is manifest That you have not this greater Birth in you to overcome the World and here you stand against all the Believers and all the houshold of Faith which Faith gives Victory And you say there is no Victory here And so what can you cry up but sin and Bawdy-houses And you would rather have your People go into Bawdy-houses then to go to the houshold of Faith which preaches down Sin and Imperfection For God is perfect his Way is perfect and he bids be perfect And the Ministers was to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus see Col. And you Preach up Imperfection for term of Life so Ministers of Satan for the Devil made man imperfect Christ makes them perfect and God made them perfect and said Be perfect So are you not all the blind Guides that leads into the ditch which is a corrupted place that People are corrupted not perfect but the true Ministers presented them perfect in Christ Jesus And so is it not clear That you deny the Blood of Christ and trample it under your feet For Christ Sanctifies his People with his own Blood Heb. 10. The Blood of Christ Jesus cleanseth from all sin 1 Joh. 1. Rev. And he hath washed us from our sins in his Blood And they overcame by the Blood of the Lamb And whose Garments were made white by the Blood of Jesus And do you not give the Apostle and the Scriptures the Lye and makes Christ's Blood of none Effect And sayes They are not made white they are not cleansed from all sin and that they must have a body of sin and death as long as they live and that they are not Redeemed to God Do you not make the Blood of Christ of none effect here which is to wash and to cleanse away that which is brought into Adam by the Serpent and deny Christ's Purchase who purchased his People and Justifies by his Blood and Redeemed through his Blood And what Redemption is this and Purchase is this and Justification is this if they be not Redeemed out of sin and evil and old Adam Christ hath Redeemed us to God through his Blood Rev. 5. Eph. 1. Are not you them that have counted the Blood of the new Covenant of none effect Heb. 10. and troden it under foot wherewith he Sanctifies and so are they that have done despite against the Spirit of Grace for do you not say the Spirit of God is not given to every man to profit withal only some have the Spirit say you Who are they then that vexes it and quenches it and grieves it And were not they wicked People whom the Lord gave his good Spirit to to instruct them Nehem. 9. they were such as rebelled against Nehemiah And here it is clear That you make Sects and denies the Prophets and Apostles Doctrine And you say That Christ doth not enlighten every man that cometh into the World Do you not here deny John's Doctrine and Scriptures and Christ himself who saith He is the Light of the World And deny that which People should believe in believe in the Light that you may become
concerning the Terms and Conditions whereon Sinners may be interested in the Satisfaction made by Christ J. O. saith pag. 167. It may also be farther evinced that there is nothing asserted in them but what is excellently suited unto the common notions which mankind hath of God and his Righteousness and that in their practice they answer the Light of Nature and common Reason exemplified in sundry instances among the Nations of the World Answ. First it is to be observed that a great stress is laid upon these Explications Declarations or Confessions of yours as relating to the terms and interest you claim in Christ's Satisfaction unto the determination of God's Will and Confirmation of Divine testimonies according to J. O's words wherein no less then Salvation appears to be concerned for without an interest in Christ and his Righteousness men cannot be saved Secondly Your Assertions herein being suited unto the common notions of mankind and as answering the Light of Nature and common Reason as it is called and as J. O's words are whether herein hath he not rendred this Light and common Reason together with the common notions mankind hath of God to be of a saving property since it so suits those things wherein Salvation is so deeply concerned according to J. O. but then if he does not reckon mens common Notions Light or Reason which is natural to be saving as indeed we do not believe that any thing natural as of man in the Fall can save then may we not reasonablely look upon J.O. to have asserted and declared those things wherein Salvation is not concerned or which we are not to look upon as answering that Light which is Spiritual and Saving but only common Notions and natural Reason whilst he and his Brethren keep not to plain Scripture Language and but run into notions terms distinctions which they have by Tradition from men mens inventions more suiting common and corrupt reason then Divine Light But and if the Light in men be Divine which manifests divine Revelations and Testimonies relating to Salvation such as J. O. would have us believe his matter to be grounded on then it follows that such a light is common or universal in mankind and not only given to a few nor natural as it hath been often rendred by such as J. O. and what doth this spiritual or divine Light teach concerning God and his Righteousness but that he is to be feared obeyed and honoured and that all sin and iniquity should be forsaken and God's Righteousness Power and Image which is Christ Jesus lived in obeyed and followed by man for herein is God well pleased and satisfied in beholding his own Image and birth renewed and brought forth which admits not of sin nor imperfection much less of either pleading contending disputing or preaching for its continuance in all term of life and this Light of Christ within however any miscall it is that which gives the knowledge of God's Love in Christ and of the vertue and efficacy of his Suffering and so of his Blood and to eat of his flesh which is given for the Life of the World wherein we partake of him as the one Offering at the Altar of God in his Sanctuary which the carnal Professors both among Jews and pretended Christians were and are ignorant of and in this Light are we come to know and receive Christ and reconciliation through his Death and also the glory of God through him in whom we have received the Attonement Peace and Union with the Father in the Son which all you that either slight oppose or deny this Light within and say its but natural are ignorant of being but in your dark notions natural apprehensions and conceivings which you intermix with Scripture so that the Dignity Glory Power and Vertue that is and ever was in Christ you do but talk of without the real sence discerning or enjoyment thereof but every one that truely waits upon the Living God in his Light and Life within whereby their minds and spirits being subjected unto his Will and their hearts truly broken before him such know the Ransom and Attonement which the Righteous and redeemed of the Lord knew and witnessed in all Ages and have that to offer unto God and such Sacrifices to present before him wherein he behold of his own glory and beauty and savours of his own vertue which is truly acceptable and well pleasing unto him who delighteth in his own Image Seed and Royal Off-spring which none truly know but who come into the Light to receive Christ the promised Seed which bruiseth the Serpents head and to eat his Flesh and drink his Blood without which you have no Life in you for all your talk and notions Pag. 185. J. O. The Sacrifice denotes his Humane Nature whence God is said to purchase his Church with his own Blood Acts 20.28 For he offered himself through the Eternal Spirit there was the matter of the Sacrifice which was the Humane Nature of Christ Soul and Body his Soul was made an Offering for Sin Isa. 53.10 his Death had the nature of a Sacrifice c. Answ. These Passages are but darkly and confusedly expressed as also we do not read in Scripture that the Blood of God by which he purchased his Church is ever called the Blood of the Humane Nature nor that the Soul of Christ was the Humane Nature or was put to death with the Body for the wicked could not kill the Soul though his Soul was made an Offering for sin and he poured it out to death he bore the sin of many and made intercession for Transgressors but what death and in what manner was it is a mystery truly to know for his Soul in his own being was Immortal and the Nature of God is Divine and therefore that the Blood of God should be of Humane or earthly nature appears inconsistent and where doth the Scripture call the Blood of God Humane or Humane Nature Neither do we read that the Blood which beareth record in the Earth and agrees in one with the Spirit and which purgeth the Conscience washeth and cleanseth the Believer in the Light from all sin was ever called by the Apostles the blood of the Humane Nature nor do we read that the Saints did eat and drink Flesh and Blood that was of a Humane Nature to receive Divine Life in them thereby for the Water of Life and Blood of Christ which are said to wash sanctifie and justifie which agree in one with the Spirit in those works and effects we never read that they are called in Scripture by the name of Humane Nature for the Spirit that quickens is divine and it is the Spirit that gives Life the Flesh profiteth nothing John 6. And the Soul of Christ is Immortal and did not die with the Body though it s deemed as being of the Humane Nature with the Body and so as of the Sacrifice in Suffering and Death whereas though his Soul
of it in the Unregenerate state not come to know the Image of God renewed in them for men are not imputedly Righteous when actually sinners as impiously hath been Asserted nor imputedly saved when actually damned no more then imputatively Saints while actually Devils Seventhly Neither doth God account men Justified or reckon them Righteous whilst they are really unjust being reproved and judged as Unrighteous by his Light and Spirit in them for God's accompts and reckonings are true and Righteous and he Just and True in all his wayes and his Judgments are Right and he can no more therein Contradict his own Light in Man or it's Judgment and Testimony than he can oppose or deny himself Eighthly The Unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men they that are or continue actually sinful and polluted are neither acquitted nor Righteous in God's account but must bear their Iniquity which will be their ruine unless they Return and be reconciled in their minds to the Light of Christ within which reproves them of sin and evil and so except men Repent and forsake their sins they shall surely perish they that neglect the great Salvation cannot escape Condemnation If I sin against thee then thou markest me and thou wilt not acquit me from mine Iniquity Job 10.14 Psal. 32. God imputes sin to none but them in whom it is in being so he imputes nor Righteousness to any but them in whom it is as the blessed man to whom God imputeth not sin c. in his Spirit there is no guile Finally All that profess to be Ministers of the Gospel and Teachers of others ought to Preach or Teach nothing but what may make or tend to the Glory of God and Honour of Christ Jesus in the Exaltation of Truth and Righteousness in the Earth and all the Contrary as all sin and sinful Doctrines with all sin-pleasing and sinners-soothing Principles to be abhorred rejected and opposed by all professing Christianity that tender the Honour of Christ and desire the Exaltation of his Kingdom which stands in Righteousness T.V. his Contradictions W. Madox * Christ's Divinity owned * The Vnity of the Deity and Divinity of Christ Asserted * A poor Tryal * The Father the Word and the Spirit truly confessed by us according to the Scriptures but these Priests mis-calling them denyed * See our Opposers blasphemous Distinctions and Contradictions * W. M's Rayling * Presbyters vain prophane babling confusion and blaspphemous work * Contradictions * The Pit they have digged for others they are fallen into themselves Here you may see T.V. his invented un-scriptural riddle * Yet in Contradiction they other whiles state it as an Act of Law and Contract between Creditor and Surety depending on Christ as a second Person but in Contradiction again 't is as God-Man as their words are * Where then is his absolute Power and soveraignity so much profest Confusion and Distractions * For a life in sin is not God's terms * But J. Owen confesseth otherwise That God requireth Faith and Repentance in Sinners antecedently to their Participation of Pardon * This being God's Pleasure in both where do the Scripture call it his Vindicative Justice upon him as T. V 's words are which J. O. and T. D. call Vindictive Justice but by what Scripture we know not for the Scripture calls it the Chastizement of our Peace that was on him * The Souls that he hath made his Justice doth not with-hold pity from them to gain upon them Heb. 12.9 10 11. * It was Christ's Persecutors that charged or imputed Sin Guilt and Blasphemy to him and so such they are that impute Righteousness to wicked or sinful Persons T.V. ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Three Witnesses Page 14. Page 16. ‖ Here they deny the full satisfaction or plenary as they call it ‖ Here T. D. hath shot at us in the Devil's Bow as formerly he confessed he did ‖ But man in the faln state is worse then meerly a Debtor for he is a Malefactor guilty of high Offences and Crimes against the pure Law of God for which he must feel Justice in the Ministration of the Law and Sentence of death inwardly upon the Transgressor before he receive and enjoy the attonement ransom and peace with God ‖ Though God was alwayes well pleased and satisfied in Christ in his doing and Suffering and as he was a Sacrifice for Sin yet this is not enough for us to profess and believe without knowing the Work of Christ and Effect of his Sufferings and Righteousness within and his Spirit to make intercession c. Rom. 8. Phil. 3.9.10 Of Justication To Justifie what it is Of Perfection Of the Light within Of the Scriptures Of Baptism and the Lords Supper ‖ Rather Hireling at Sandwich Galat. 3.4 Chapters Of the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.35 36 37 38. Pag. 156 157 and 160. Pag. 163. and 176. Pag. 178. and 180. ‖ But what a strange instance is that of J. O. that God cannot lye he cannot deny himself c. to prove that he cannot freely pardon sin c. pag. 178. as if the one were as much contrary to his nature as the other and yet upon Faith and Repentance which are his gifts he doth pardon his Creature man Note also that J. O. to the Reader saith of his Authors that many of them do expressly blame some of the School-men as Aquinus Durandus Biel Tartaretus for granting a possibility of pardon without satisfaction as opening a way to the Socinian error See here J. O's Authors great able learned defenders how they censure and contradict one another yet he would have men be wary how they censure them notwithstanding ‖ Who with his Brethren were fully manifested and confuted by Sam. Fisher in his Book stiled Rusticus c. never yet answered by them nor like to be ‖ For it was committed into the hands of the Father and was that day in Paradice ‖ Whether his Soul's travel and suffering under the burthen of Mans Transgression also even till he was in an Agony or his Body suffering under the violence of the wicked hands to death and the shedding of his Blood c. And why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27.46 implies a deep suffering for Sinners under a cloud of Affliction yet not the Infinite Wrath or Eternal Death that 's due to the Wicked who reject God's Love and good will that 's tendred in Chirst we desire all may have as good an esteem of Christ in his Sufferings as may be but methinks you Professors do ascribe very mean honor to Christ and his Sufferings who therein reckon him not innocent but guilty of your sins and therefore that he suffered the same Vengeance or Vindictive Justice due to Reprobate Angels and Devils is this the Dignity you confer upon Christ Oh Miserable ‖ For if but a
THE Divinity of Christ AND Unity of the Three that bear Record in Heaven WITH The blessed End and Effects of Christ's Appearance coming in the Flesh Suffering and Sacrifice for Sinners confessed and vindicated By his followers called Quakers And the principal matters in Controversie between Them and their present Opposers as Presbyterians Independants c. Considered and Resolved according to the Scriptures of Truth And more particularly to Remove the Aspersions Slanders and Blasphemies cast upon the People called QUAKERS and their Principles in several Books Written By Tho. Vincent Will. Madox their railing Book stil'd The Foundation c. Tho. Danson his Synopsis John Owen his Declaration Which are here Examin'd and Compared by G. W. And their Mistakes Errors and Contradictions both to themselves and each other made manifest As also A short Review of several Passages of Edward Stillingfleet's D.D. and Chaplin in Ordinary so called to his Majesty in his Discourse of the Sufferings of Christ And Sermon preached before the KING wherein he flatly Contradicts the said Opposers Mark 14.56 For many bare false witness against him but their witness agreed not together Coll. 2.8 Beware lest any man spoyl you through Philosophy and vain deceipt 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5 20. If any man consenteth not to the wholsome words of our Lord Jesus Christ c. he is puft up or proud c. Acts 24.14 After the way which they call Heresie do I Worship the God of my Fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets c. London Printed in the Year 1669. An Epistle to the Presbyterians and Independants and their Rough Hearers who profess the Scriptures to be their Rule whereby they are examined and tryed and their wayes discovered 1 st WHether do the Scriptures speak of Three Persons in the God-head according to your own Rule in these express words let us see where it is written Come do not shuffle for we are resolved that the Scriptures shall buffet you about and that you shall be whipped about with the Rule 2 dly Where doth the Scripture speak of Christ's Righteousness imputed unto Unrighteous men who live in their sins and that in their Unrighteousness and Sins they shall live and die seeing that Faith purifies the heart from unrighteousness And he that believes passes from Death to Life and so from Sin that brought Death And he that receives Christ receives Righteousness it self by Faith in him the Lord the Righteousness this is Scripture 3 dly And where doth the Scripture say That a man shall not be made free from sin and that it is not attainable in this Life Let us see where ever Christ or the Prophets or Apostles preached such Doctrine Give us plain Scripture without adding or diminishing for Christ's bids men be perfect and the Apostle spoke Wisdom among them that were perfect 4 thly You that deny Perfection do ye not deny the One Offering Christ Jesus who hath perfected for ever them that are Sanctified Do you not deny the Blood of Christ Jesus in trampling it under your feet and the Blood of the new Covenant which Blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin and whose garments are made white by the Blood of the Lamb and he throughly purges his floor with his Fan and gathers his Wheat into his Garner 5 thly And did Christ make Satisfaction for the sins of men that they should live and die in their sins for he came to save his People from their sins and so he Died for them that they should not live to them but to God through him 6 thly Where do the Scripture speak of a Trinity of distinct Persons from Genesis to the Revelation give us plain Scripture for it without shuffling adding or diminishing you that talk so much of Scripture to be your Rule for the Father Word and Spirit this is owned according to Scripture and they agree in One. And we charge you to give us a plain Scripture that saith there are three separate Persons let us see Scripture we will have Scripture for it or otherwise be silent 7 thly And where do the Scriptures say That Christ the Light of the World which enlighteneth every one that cometh into the World is not sufficient to guide men to Salvation Christ saith Believe in the Light that you may become Children of the Light and Children of the Day and who walk in the Light there is no occasion of stumbling And this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and men love Darkness rather than Light because their deeds be evil And is not the Light sufficient that lets a man see whether his deeds be wrought in God read John 3. 8 thly Where doth the Scripture say from Genesis to the Revelation That the true Faith of God is without Works Hath not Faith works that purifies the heart Doth it not give Victory Will you deny the Works of Faith because the Works of the Law was denyed by the Apostle 9 thly Where doth the Scripture say That it self is the Word of God Do you not belye the Rule here For doth not the Scripture say That Christ is the Word and the Scriptures are Words read Exodus 20 and Revelation 22. He that adds to these Words and takes from these Words the Plagues of God are added to him So see whether you are not adders to these Words as it is made appear before And Christ saith My words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and Life c. And in many places of Scripture God saith My Words Doth not Scripture signifie Writing For all your high Schollar-ship you may go to the English School-Master and it will tell you what it signifies What is all the writing in Peoples hearts Is Paper and Ink in Peoples hearts Come do not cheat People but confess truth you affirm Scripture to be the Rule but are found contrary to the Rule But what is all the Scripture the Rule from Genesis to the Revelations to walk by and practice Or what part of Scripture is the Rule are Herods words Pharoahs words Nebuchadnezars words Judas words the Jewes words Jobs Friends words the Devils words the Offerings and the Sacrifices c. Come what part of Scripture is your Rule Distinguish For you say the Scripture is your Rule Is it all a Rule for practice Must we obey every tittle of it for we own the Scriptures more then you do which Holy Men of God gave forth Christ Jesus and the Apostles and Prophets and they made a distinction but you make none Do not go with your Malice and envious minds to possess the People and say That we dis-esteem the Scriptures for we esteem Scripture more than you do that have kept People under your Teaching that they might be paying of you and so make a Trade of them The Scriptures speaks plentifully concerning Christ being the Word of God God is the Word is not this Scripture And in the Beginning
then sayes suppose as a subsistent or Person c. But which of these terms it is this Notionist hath not declared to us in his 13th page And this Notionist goes on in the said 13th page and sayes Nor can we say that the Notion of the Father as one Person in the God-head includes the Son nor the Notion of the Son as one Person in the God-head includes the Father Reader Didst thou ever hear the like This is but a Notion of the Father and a Notion of the Son indeed And are these Presbyterian Priests like to interpret Scripture with their Notions Conceptions and Suppositions no no. No one knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him Nor none knows the Son but the Father and to know God and Jesus Christ is Life Eternal and none can call him Lord but by the Holy Ghost And so this Knowledge is beyond all your false Conceptions Suppositions and Notions And if the Holy Ghost the Saints bodies be the Temple of it which Holy Ghost leads them into all Truth And if the Holy Ghost be a Person then have not the Saints a Person in their bodies And why did not the Apostle say That their bodies were the Temples of a Person according to your Doctrine and Rule the Holy Ghost is a Spirit and so let us see that Scripture which gives the Holy Ghost the Name of a Person And he speaks again in his 14th page of Three distinct Persons are one with the God-head Now Reader is not here Four to wit Three Persons and the God-head But Reader we charge him to give us Chapter and Verse for this Doctrine for we must order him with the Rule And then he tells us of a Notion of the Father and including the Son it 's but his own Notion for if he had known him he would have spoken in a form of sound words whereby he might not have been reproved And again the Presbyterian sayes the Three Persons are distinct and the Rule is to be understood that they are One among themselves only in respect of that wherein they agree not simply Answ. Reader take notice he sayes The Father and Son and Holy Ghost which he calls Three Persons doth not agree simply Is not this contrary to Scripture What agreement is this which is not simply What! separate distinct Persons not agreeing simply Come what is this agreement then if it be not an agreeing simply Tell us what it is by Chapter and Verse thou sayes the Scripture is the Rule Where doth the Scripture say That the Father Son and Spirit doth not agree simply Didst thou not say That God was so simple that he admitted of no parts what agreement is this if it be not simple What is it then tell us Dost thou not abuse the Father Son and Spirit and Scriptures clear thy self and make this good That the Father Son and Spirit doth not agree simply if not simply then tell us how and give Chapter and Verse for it out of the Scriptures or else acknowledge thy self to be of a Sandy Foundation Seeing thou sayst A Man is a Person and God is a Person and the Scripture saith God is a Spirit and Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost the begotten of the Father Was Christ the Image of the Father as he was of the Generation of Abraham or David or Adam or according to the Spirit Whether of these was he the express Image of his Father's substance because thou calls the Father a Person And the Scripture sayeth He suffered according to the Flesh which he did not die as he was God and the Scripture calls him Son of Man and Son of God and he being the express Image of his Fathers substance see the Old Translations And dost thou not in thy 16th page of thy Synopsis bring the Greek Philosophers to prove the Persons Yes How now Presbyterian Priest thou hast run beside thy own Directory and Scripture both but the Greek Philosophers must be thy Rule and Leader surely People will not alwayes have their Eyes blinded by you Christ is come to open them And in the 17th page of his Book the Presbyterian saith that Hypostasis must be rendred Person or Subsistent or some word to that Effect he sayes So People see it must be some word but what it must be he knows not and so in this manner they are giving Names to Christ and God besides the Rule of Scripture we charge thee shew us a Verse in Scripture that speak such Language and where one word may be put for another by Metalepsis and so leave People in Doubts and Questions you are going beside your Scripture and Rule that at last People shall not know what to call God and Christ. So the Presbyterians and Independants must give us Scripture For we will not be satisfied with your Notions and Whymsies and false Conceptions which you have from Aristotle and the Greek Philosophers and the Papists and Cardinals We do command you to give us Scripture Chapter and Verse Presbyterians and Independants for these things plainly seeing you are of late perked up in a way of scolding against us not like the Holy Men of God Patient and Meek and apt to Teach as you may see in the latter end of your Brother Vincent's Book Is that the Language of a Christian No He hath declared what spirit you are of Rabshecha's spirit railing and speaking evil of the way of Truth he thinks to overcome by Railing and complaining not by Love nay the Lamb must have the victory Whether or no was Christ's Blood shed for All men and by it Justifies All men they living in their sins and not believing in it are they saved by their saying they believe in the Blood and not believing in the Light which Christ Commands and become Children of the Light and they say they believe and yet not pass from Death to Life and from sin that brings Death And whether or no any are cleansed from all sin by the Blood of Christ but such as walk in the Light of Christ as in 1 Joh. 1. And so whether or no are those Justified who believe not in the Light of Christ nor passes from Death to Life nor walks not in the Light whether or no are those Justified by Christ's Blood and have not the Testimony of Justification in them as in the accompt to God Christ's Blood was shed for All men but for a man to come to partake of this Justification is it not to feel the Blood sprinkling the Heart and Conscience For the outward Jewes in the Figure had Blood sprinkled upon them in the outward Offerings Come answer us by Scripture Do not daub up People with untempered Mortar do you know the Mortar that is tempered Whether or no was Christ an Offering for the sins of the whole World and died for the sins of the whole World Whether or no all the sinners and ungodly of the whole World
unto himself and Christ is the Son of his Love and it was out of his Free Love that he sent him into the World His sending Christ surely was his own Free Grace and no man's Purchasing and then his Love was openly testified of when Christ was come who came in that Free Love of God which was testified and held forth in Christ Jesus to man and he gave himself a Ransom to Redeem and Purchase man out of Transgression and not to let him lye in sin and imperfection all his life time the Good Will of God in sending Christ in delivering him up for man and giving him for a Propitiation for the sins of the whole World and his tenders of Free Pardon Remission and Redemption in him was that man might receive Christ and come into the Living Faith and be partaker in himself of those precious benefits Heavenly Priviledges tendred in Christ not that man should live in sin all his time for an Act of Free Pardon is not granted that men may take liberty to live in Sedition and Treason all their life but for those Offences past Nor that men should Plead that all Offences past present and to come are Pardoned therefore they cannot be free from Rebellion Sedition and Treason all their Life time this were a sad Consequence and not to be born then you that plead a Satisfaction made to God extending thus far your sin and imperfection term of Life being in you the ground of this Plea and also that which you cover and maintain by it and then when God and Christ require true Repentance perfect Obedience Righteousness c. you tell God the Debt is paid and all satisfied by another without you How then do you Answer the pure Law and requirings of God within Priests and Professors their Answer viz. We indeavor and strive and press after perfection as much as we can but we don't believe it is attainable here Reply Then your indeavouring and striving is all in the unbelief How do you indeavour and strive Priests We Pray and seek God in Ordinances and perform Duties Query But what doth all your performances amount to while Perfection is denied and Sin contended so much for by you Pr. All our best performances are sinful we had need to ask forgiveness for the sins of our best Duties of our Prayers and all other Performances See our Directory Catechism c. So that all our Righteousness in our best state are but polluted and filthy Raggs Dross Dung c. Query How now Professors Do you thus requite God for his Love and is this the use you make of your Plea for a full Satisfaction and Debt paid for you do you thus requite the Lord and answer his requirings will he accept of these things at your hands Pr. God looks not upon us as we are in our selves but upon Christ's Righteousness in his Active and Passive Obedience whereby he fully satisfied for us Query What then Do you think that God will be satisfied on your parts with your filthy Raggs rotten Clouts Dross and Dung which you offer to him or will he not rather take it as a mockery or wrong at your hands thus meanly to requite him what do you signifie for him Was this the end of Christs suffering for Man and his being a Sacrifice well-pleasing to God and a Propitiation for the sins of the whole World did he appease Wrath fulfil Righteousness bear the Sins or the burthen of them in his own Body that men might take this liberty to Sin Pollution Rebellion term of Life and so live all their time in Disloyalty and without subjection to him and then when he requires Obedience of you and to answer his pure Law in the heart you go and offer a few rotten Clouts filthy Raggs Dross and Dung and such nauceous stuffe to him will not he return it upon your own faces as a mockery and contempt done to him Behold I will spread Dung upon your faces even the Dung of your solemn Feasts Mal. 2. So it may be justly said Even the Dung of all your best Performances feigned Humility feigned Confessions feigned Prayers feigned Pretences feigned Applications feigned claiming an Interest in the Satisfaction and Imputation of the Righteousness and Obedience of Christ whilst you are out of it cloathed with your own rotten Clouts and filthy Raggs And if a People should deal thus with their Prince after he has granted and given an Act of Free Pardon and Indempnity that they should both take liberty to Rebellion and Treason and not only so but Plead for it as you do for sin term of Life and tell People they must lay hold and apply this Pardon but they must not expect to be free from actual Rebellion against their Prince while they live How would this be taken and what ungratefulness and unworthiness would this import on their parts How would they be acquitted before him Nay if they should go to requite their Prince by spreading a deal of rotten Clouts before him and a deal of Dross and Dung under his Nostrils every day upon his Table and not only so but publickly in the sight of the People once or twice a Week at least as you do your sinful Prayers and Performances would not this be taken as an high Affront and Indignity put upon a Merciful Prince Judge what would be the effect hereof Nay if you should present an Oblation before him mixt with Poyson and Infection and he know it to be so what would be your recompence And do you not present your sinful Prayers and Performances before the Lord from your sinful polluted hearts which are deceitful and desperate wicked above all things and therefore full of deadly Corruption and Poyson will your feigned Humility feigned Applications stand you in any stead herein Bring no more vain Oblations before the Lord go offer it to thy Prince and see if he will accept thy Person Mal. 1. That the Son of Man came to give his Life a Ransom for many and that he is the Propitiation through Faith in his Blood and that in due time he died for the ungodly bare our sins in his own Body upon the Tree that he was wounded for the Transgressions of the People that he hath loved us and given himself for us an Offering and Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour See Matth 20.28 Rom. 5.6 1 Pet. 2.24 Isa. 53.5 Rom. 3.25 yea we own and confess to Christ in his Suffering being an Offering dying for the ungodly more than you Presbyterians do First as to the Universal Love of God shewed forth therein Secondly As to the Vertue Power and Effects of his Death Sacrifice Blood c. First In that he Died for All men for the Ungodly in general tasted Death for every man gave himself a Ransom for All to be testified of in due time that he is the Propitiation for the sins of the whole World which you say is
Heavens and is thereby become a most compleat Captain and perfect Example Obs. Here Christ is confest to as the Gift of God's Eternal Love for the Life and Salvation of men that come to receive him and his Appearance to destroy the works of the Devil which his own Light and Grace maketh manifest as it is believed and waited in and so Christ is the Leader and Captain of such and is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption And I ask who are those T.V. saith That the Lord extendeth his special Mercies to And whether is Mercy extended to All in sending his Son into the World and what more special Mercies can there be than the only begotten Son of God who is given for a Light for a Leader for a Covenant for Life and Salvation that whosoever receives and believes in him might receive the blessed End and Priviledge of his Coming and Manifestation to wit Life and Salvation in him from Sin Death and Destruction And whereas T.V. in pag. 65. brings an Instance That the Soul cannot see without the Body for want of an Organ and that therefore tho God separately cannot satisfie because he cannot suffer and man separately cannot satisfie because the satisfaction would not be of infinite value yet as God-Man he satisfied c. Reply Do but mark what an Instance and Comparison he has here brought in Competition with the Infinite Omnipotent God to shew us that God separately cannot satisfie any more then the Soul can see without an Organ And who is it that God cannot satisfie Is it himself Can he not satisfie or please himself Is he ever divided or displeased with himself What gross darkness appears in this Comparison Instance and Assertion to say God cannot satisfie c. and thus to bring the Infinite God and his Infinite Power under the Limitations of finite Creatures Is this any less then Blasphemy let but the indifferent judge in this case Have not these our Oppossers been ready to call us Blasphemers but for bringing an Instance to shew the absurdity of their Doctrine whereas this is an Instance from a finite to an infinite tending to lessen the infinite Power of God And as to his telling That the Soul cannot see without an Organ in one sense that 's not true though he meant outwardly yet it hath a spiritual sight As to his saying That God cannot suffer is in one sense not true though he intended as to Death yet the Spirit of God hath suffered and hath been grieved by man's Transgressions The Rebellious Jews grieved and vexed his Holy Spirit until he became their Enemy and fought against them Isa. 63.10 And did not the Lord say Behold I am pressed under you as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves Amos 2.13 So did not he suffer in being pressed by them then and did not he say My heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I am God and not man the Holy One in the midst of thee Hos. 11.8 9. Did not herein his Suffering and Forbearance declare him to be God the Holy One and not man rather then the Execution of the fierceness of his Anger And was not God's being grieved by the rebellious Jews a Suffering when they hardened their hearts and provoked him in the Wilderness for he said Forty years long was I grieved with this generation Psal. 95. therefore to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your heart And did not God suffer long by the old World before he destroyed them seeing when he saw their wickedness it grieved him at his heart Gen. 6.6 Also he said His Spirit should not alwayes strive with them vers 3. So that his Spirit did suffer and was grieved by them before they were destroyed Again How oft did they provoke him and grieve him in the Desart Psal. 78.40 And did not he Complain against the People when they were Rebellious and Polluted saying Your new Moons and your appointed Feasts my Soul hateth they are a trouble to me I am weary to bear them Was not this trouble and being weary with them matter of Suffering and was not this his Suffering for some time before he did ease himself of his Adversaries and avenge him of his Enemies See Isa. 1. And also it 's said Chap. 7.13 Hear ye now ye House of David is it a small thing to weary men but will ye weary my God also And Chap. 43.24 25. Neither hast thou filled me with the Fat of thy Sacrifices but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thy iniquities I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my own sake and will not remember thy sins Mark for my own sake So then surely God could satisfie himself seeing it was for his own sake that he blotted out Transgressions and here the infinite Value Ransom and Satisfaction was in himself and what Patience Forbearance Long-Suffering and Forgiveness as was signified by Christ and testified of by his outward Suffering and Death was really in being in God before and in the fullness of time a signal testimony thereof given to man 〈◊〉 induce him to receive the free Love and Grace of God and Life and Salvation in the Son of his Love T.V. Who do ascribe more Grace and Mercy to God than we who do apprehend it in his Son pag. 65. Reply Indeed your apprehensions in that matter are sufficiently manifest before had T.V. added Who do apprehend more Grace and Mercy in God then we that say he cannot Satisfie himself and Christ as man could not satisfie him by finite Suffering and the Grace we ascribe we apprehend it only to extend to a few a select number c. Had T.V. spoke this plainly together People might the more easily have judged whether he has truly ascribed or apprehended concerning the Grace of God and whether many thousands do not ascribe more Grace and Mercy to God that own it in the free and general Extent of it to all men than he hath done Again his confessing That God doth execute his Justice freely as he doth love his Image in his People freely yet both are necessary because Natural and neither forced nor compelled by any External Agent Reply So here 's a better Confession then much of his Work before and it contradict much of it For 1st If his Love be as free as his Justice and neither compelled neither fotced by any External Agent how then is he obliged to take vengeance upon all that have transgressed when upon Repentance he readily pardoneth and passeth by former offences and how then is it impossible for God freely to Pardon 2dly What is that Image in his People he loves freely is it perfect or imperfect if perfect then how do they deny the perfection of any thing within or that 's inherent in the
Believers and if he loves his Image in his People freely then he is satisfied in his own Image and that which brings to know and injoy this Image and the renewing of it within is that which brings into Love and Union with God which is his Divine Spirit and Power that renews man into the Heavenly Image and Righteousness of the Everlasting God which they that injoy have the acceptable Sacrifice and from thence can present Living Sacrifices unto God to his Eternal Praise And to T. V's saying That if Christ were not punished for us to satisfie God's Justice it would follow from W. P 's words that Christ should be a sinner and that he was punished for his own sins Reply That 's a blasphemous Consequence indeed but not truly charged upon W. P. for he never intended by his words to render Christ a sinner nor that he was punished for his own sins for he never sinned but he was Punished and Suffered by sinners who by wicked hands and so by their injustice put him to Death and under the buden and weight of their Transgressions he Suffered as also his tender Spirit that made Intercession and suffered for Transgressors from a fore-sight of the Wrath that should come upon the Rebellious and was not the Wicked the Instruments that wounded bruised and afflicted him and that oppressed his Righteous Soul And did not his Innocent Life and Righteous Soul suffer under a great oppression and weight of man's Transgression when he was in his Agony and sweat drops of Blood before his being Crucified And so was not his Suffering two-fold both Inward and Outward And then if so that the pure Life and holy Spirit suffered as bearing the burthen of their sins and if the God-Head being in Christ so nearly united as to bear up the Manhood under the Suffering as is confessed How then can it be deemed that God inflicted the punishment of Eternal Wrath or Vengeance on his Son Surely his permitting wicked men by their wicked hands to punish him with a Temporal Suffering and Death could not be his Eternal Wrath or Vengeance which is supposed to Answer and Satisfie Divine Justice for man and so to acquit man Living and Dying in sin a great Error from Eternal Wrath whereas Christ Jesus was the Son of his Love were it not inconsistent to say That God's Justice did punish or execute Wrath upon his Love Seeing that it 's confest That Grace and Justice are very well consistent and that there is a free Exercise both of Justice and Love without force or compulsion How does T.V. his matter hang together let the moderate judge But had he stated it in the Language and sense of the Scriptures of Truth there had not appeared this Contrariety nor Opposition either between us or with himself For Scripture-accounts concerning Christ and his Sufferings for sinners both inward and outward I do own and Confess to and have a reverend Esteem of all his Sufferings and the worth thereof and do greatly prize his Meekness and Humility who hath freely condescended according to the Good Will and Pleasure of God not from Wrath nor Compulsion to offer himself a Lamb without spot to God to bear our griefs and sorrows yet saith the Prophet Isaiah chap. 53 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 and with his stripes we are healed he was oppressed he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth he was brought as a Lamb to the slaughter he made his Grave with the wicked and with the rich in his Death because he had not done no violence neither was any deceipt in his mouth yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his Soul an Offering for sin he shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes and the Pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand This is he that hath been despised and rejected of men This is he who hath been as a Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World This is he men have evilly entreated and evilly requited for his kindness and good Will that he hath shewed forth towards them This is he whom they have caused to suffer by their iniquities and so thereby have shewed great unworthiness and ingratitude towards him and his Father whose Pleasure and Good Will he came to perform both in his being delivered up to undergo Afflictions and Bruises and many hard Sufferings for Mankind and surely God was in him Reconciling the World even in and through that low and suffering state which the Righteous Seed and renowned Plant of the Lord hath undergone but now what effect hath all this Love Tenderness and Compassion of God in and through Christ upon and in man whilst Sin Transgression and Imperfection term of Life is pleaded for by the Priests Surely they herein do not make a right use of Christ's Suffering but both reject him and the End thereof and this was not the use that the true Ministers did make thereof for they witnessed that he died for all that as many as lived should not live unto themselves but unto him that died and rose again 2 Cor. 5.15 and his own self bare our sins in his Body on the Tree that we being dead to sin should live to Righteousness this was not a living to sin nor pleading for Imperfectiom as T. V hath done who farther adds viz. The 7 th Consequence is childish and a shame that a man that pretendeth to any brains should mention it That though Christ hath satisfied for us the Debt remaineth still to Christ pag. 66. Reply Is this such a childish shameful or brainless Consequence that the Debt remains still to Christ Has not T.V. herein shewed his Ignorance of Scripture for ought nor Christ to be obeyed who is the Author of Eternal Salvation to them that obey him Heb. 5. and we are not under the Law to God but under the Law to Christ and to what end is his spiritual Law written in the Heart and his Spirit in the inward Parts but to be obeyed and we are Debtors not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh Rom. 8.12 to what then but to live after the Spirit and through it to mortifie the Deeds of the Body vers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. The Apostle was far from pleading for sin and Imperfection as Priests do for which God will judge them by Jesus Christ to whom all Judgment is committed who hath Power to proclaim the Day of Vengeance as well as the acceptable year of the Lord. The truth of it is T.V. has Confessed to what W. P. has writ in many places but to his own Contradiction but here he falls a Railing and vilifying him with such terms as Abominable Worm c. He has not at all dealt fairly or honestly
thereby being to his satisfaction how can men continuing in their sins truly plead they are fully acquitted at once without them and they onely in the implicite belief thereof received from the ridged Presbyters rest satisfied in their sins all their life time And where doth T. D. prove his Doctrine of Christ's being holy by a true inherent righteousness of the humane Nature pag. 25. what Scripture hath he for this or these Expressions was not his Righteousness from the Divine Nature and was it not Everlasting but is not that which is humane Finite And T. D. saying that the Socinians vomit the Quakers have now lickt up pag. 27. herein hath he spoken scornfully and falsly against us which will not at all tend to convince Socinians if they were as bad as rendred but to that they can answer him And his saying the Elect whilst Sinners in state where proves he this that the Elect are Sinners in state seeing the state of the Elect is a sanctified and chosen state out of the World and its wayes chosen in Christ through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth 2 Thes. 2.13 the impossibility of deceiving the Elect is signified Matth. 24.24 where the Calling and Election is made sure they shall never fall 2 Pet. 1.10 And that Christ was made surety of a better Covenant Heb. 7.22 And came to do his Fathers Will Hebr. 10.7 And that his being a Surety is an Act of Grace pag. 28. This we confess and own more then you that contend for Sin for the Will of God is our Sanctification and the better Testament and Covenant which Christ is the Surety Mediator and Establisher of is that of Righteousness Life and Peace wherein Sins and Transgressions are done away and wherein true Believers live to God And as for T. D. his so often comparing God to a Creditor Christ to the Surety and Sinners as the Debtors telling of God being considered as a Creditor and as a private Person pag. 32. But where doth the Scripture so call him Reply He does not speak from a true sence of God or Christ or of Gods Covenant but a Notion he hath learned by Tradition and as to Sinners their case is worse then meerly Debtors they not onely owing obedience to God and Christ but are disobedient and rebellious as the case of Fellons Traytors and other Malefactors is worse then that of Debtors yet Christ is our Surety Mediator and Intercessor to make agreement between God and man and to deliver man from the Punishment and Wrath to come by delivering from Sin the cause of it and destroying the Devil the Author of Sin not for us still to live in Sin and daily both contract more Debt and incur tribulation and anguish upon our Souls Howbeit the Wayes of God extend beyond T. D's comparison his Wayes are not as man wayes nor his Thoughts as mans thoughts for as the Heaven is higher then the Earth so are my Thoughts higher then your thoughts saith the Lord whose graciousness also to poor deceived lost man for his restoration is infinitely beyond mans legality and exactions as the Lord said I will not execute the fierceness of mine Anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I am God and not man the Holy One in the midst of thee Hosea 11.9 But is there not perfect obedience now for men to perform must they all live in Sin and Imperfection tearm of life and say all our Debts is paid and if all their Debts be paid why are they not out of Prison Are not all that are in Sin and Bondage of Corruption in Prison and would it be glad Tydings to tell them that though Christ has paid all their Debts and procured their release and ransomed them that they must not expect personal freedom out of Prison nor out of their Chains and Fetters so long as they lived here or if one should tell the Slaves in Turkey that they are ransomed and yet they must not expect personal freedom from their Vassalry and Slavery so long as they live here would this be glad tydings no sure but rather sad news and is just like these Presbyterians and Independants preaching to people and the tendence of their Gospel and pretence of Satisfaction Redemption Ransom c. whilst they hold none of them in Truth nor Righteousness nor in the same Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures of Truth and Testimonies of Christ or his Apostles T. D. pag. 29. He is satisfied and the debt paid too by his Intercession which being grounded upon his Satisfaction supposes it to be what it pretends full and compleat Observ. Here it is to be observed that notwithstanding this his Assertion of the Satisfaction both by payment and punishment being compleatly made and the debt fully paid yet he confesseth to Christ's Intercession but what does he ever live to make Intercession for if all be fully done paid satisfied at once by Christ's personal subjection and obedience must there ever be an intercession for that which is already so fully and dearly paid for as they reckon Christ hath done and God hath granted how will this hold consistent But then it appears it supposes it to be what it pretends full and compleat saith T. D. pag. 30. So here is now supposition and pretence put upon Christ's Intercession and Satisfaction what sorry shallow work is this but it appears But to proceed from one that hath followed his own conceptions notions weak judgement and humane understanding as also one that by his Logick and Traditional borrowed Notions and Doctrines goes about to make People to believe that from him that he hath no Scripture phrase for as that of God being a private person and other things And therefore like a Lawyer is fain to patch up his work as well as he can though in many things it be very inconsistant and repugnant to it self And whereas our confessing Christ both in Life and Suffering to be a perfect and real Example is so much struck at by these Priests and Professors we still withal confessing both to his Power and Living Effects through all and of all his Sufferings Afflictions Death and Life which we reverently esteem touching which I testifie in the Lord that if Christ be not really owned and confessed as he was a real Example both in Life Conversation and in Patient Suffering neither the Fellowship of his Suffering nor the Power thereof is truly known or experienced for they who would partake of the Benefit and blessed Effects of Christ's Death and Sufferings and yet will not own him for their Example shall never enjoy him therein seeing that Christ also hath suffered for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps who did not sin neither was guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2.21 22. Again Forasmuch then as Christ hath Suffered for us in the Flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind for he that hath sufferred