gate it was that he might sanctifie the people with his own bloud 〈◊〉 this is more than a may be Rom. 3 25 26. Why did God set forth Christ to be a propitiation It was to declare his righteousness for the remission of sinnes that are past that he might be just and the justifiâ—r of him that â—eleeveth in Iesus a Certaine Real thing Many moe passages might be added to this purpose but these may suffice to discover the absurd falshood of this Quakers doctrine 17. Adde 6. such passages as mention the Actual Accomplishment and Effect of Christ's death where it will yet more appear that this was no meere May be or Possible thing but that which was to have a certaine Bâ—ing and Reality as to the persons for whom it was designed Such as Heb. 1 3. when he had by himself purged our sinnes Can their sinnes be said to be purged who pine away in hell for ever because of their sinnes could this be true if no man had been saved and yet if it had been a mere possible and may be Redemption it might have come to passe that not one person should have been actually saved So Heb. 9 12. by his owne blood he entered in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption Is a meer possible Redemption to be called an Eternal Redemption and was that all that Christ obtained Then Christ's blood was more ineffectual in the truth than the type was in its typicalness for the blood of buls and goats and the ashes of an hiefer sprinkling the unclean did not obtaine a possible and may be-sanctification and purifying of the flesh but did actually and really sanctify to the purifying of the flesh vers 13. Againe vers 14. which also confirmeth what is now said how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God So that all such for whom he offeâ—ed himself and shed his blood and none else have their consciences purged from dead works to serve the living God and who dar say that this is common to all or is a meer may be which the Apostle both restricteth and asserteth as a most certaine real thing Againe vers 26. but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself So that he did Actually and Really and not Possibly and Potentially only put away sin the sin viz. of those for whom he was a sacrifice even of them that look for him and to whom he shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation vers 28. and sure no man in his wits will say that this is the whole world Gal. 3 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us 24 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith Here are three Ends and Effects of Christ's Redemption mentioned which no Man will say are common to all viz. Redemption from the curse of the Law this was Really not potentially only done by Christ's being made a curse for us the Communication of the blessing of Abraham and the Promise of the Spirit which are ensured to such as are Redeemed from the curse of the lâ—w and to none else So Ephes. 2 13 14 15 16. But now in Christ Iesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ for he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us having abolished in his flesh the enmity the Law of commandements in ordinances for to make to himself of twain one nâ—w man so making peace and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the crosse having slaine the enmity thereby To which adde the parallel place Col. 1 21 22. 2 14 15. was all this delivery from Wrath Enmity Law of commandements whatever was against us but a meer Potential thing and a May be common to all in whose power it was to cause it take effect or not as they pleased Esai 53 5. 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 with 1 Cor. 15.3 Christ died for our sinnes 1 Pet. 2 24. who his owne self bear our sinnes in his own body on the tree by whose stripes we are healed How can we then imagine that all this was a meer May be seing he was so bruised for our iniquities so died for our sins so bear our sinnes in his own body as that thereby all in whose room he stood are healed by his stripes The Apostle doth moreover fully clear this matter Rom. 5 6. Christ died for the ungodly was this for all Or was it to have an uncertane End and effect No vers 9. much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him The ungodly and the sinners for whom he died are such as become justified by his blood and shall at length be fully saved from wrath And againe vers 10. for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Upon his death followeth Reconciliation with God and then Salvation and his death is for no more than his life is for By him also they receive an atonement vers 11. As the consequences and effects of Adam's sin did Certainly and not by a May be redownd to all that he represented and engadged for so the fruites and effects of Christ's death do as certainly come unto such as are his as the Apostle cleareth in the following verses laying the advantage on the side of Christ and his vers 15. much more the grace of God and the gift by grace by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded unto many vers 16. but the free gift is of many offences unto justification vers 17. much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reigne in life by one Iesus Christ vers 18. even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to justification of life ver 19. so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous vers 21 so might grace reigne through righteousness unto eternal life by Iesus Christ our Lord. Is all this a Common thing and a meer May be or Possibility Ioh. 10 11. he giveth his life for his sheep vers 15. But may they for all that perish No in no wise vers 28. and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish He came that they might have life and might have it more abundantly vers 10. To the same purpose he saith Ioh. 6.33 that he
which he citeth is Ambrose who died An. 397. Because I do not lay much weight upon the Authority of men in this matter and this man for all his faire shew of respect to Antiquity in citing some five or six sentences out of all their writtings within few lines condemneth them all pretending that the Quakers who are but of yesterday very late have only found out the truth hid from so many ages I will not therefore trouble my self to examine the passages adduced by him Only I must tell him that whereas he citeth Augustine he bewrayeth much impudence seing it is sufficiently known to all that are acquainted with his writings that he was of a far other opinion If this man who will not bottome his faith upon the Scriptures of truth will nevertheless be fouling his fingers with these humane writings I pray him read August ad art falso impos ad art 1. De Trinit lib. 13. c. 15 Contr. Faust. Manich. lib. 11. c. 7. Enchirid. ad Laurent Cap. 61. in Psal. 21. in Ioan Tract 53. 110 111. 48. 87. Serm. 41. de verb. Apost decor grat Cap. 11. He citeth Chrysost. in Ioan. Cap. 1. But let him read him in 1 Cor. hom 39. He citeth Scriptor devocatione Gentium lib. 11. Cap. 6. But let him read the same Author lib. 1. c. 3. ult or rather Prosper lib. 1. Cap. 9. lib. 2. Cap. 1. He citeth Prosper ad Gall. Cap. 9. Resp. ad obj Vincent Resp. 1. In both which places he is expresse enough for us Read him also de Ingrat Cap. 9. He citeth Ambros. in Psal. 118. Serm. 8. Let him read the same Author de fid ad Grat. lib. 4. c. 1. in 1 Cor. 15. in Rom 5 He citeth the same Author lib. 2. de Cain Abel Cap 3. Let him read also the same Book Cap. 4. 66. But if this man would have known the judgment of Antiquity he should have gone a little higher And if he please let him consult Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. 4. c. 15. where he will finde a letter of the Church of Smirna written concerning the martyrdome of their Pastor Polycarpus and in it these words Christ suffered for the salvation of the whole world of them that shall be saved Iustin. Martyr coetaneus with Polycarp de ver Christ. relig saith Christ is made an oblation for all sinners that are willing to turne and repent And thereafter Our Christ suffered and was crucified he lay not under the curse of the Law but shewed clearly that be only would deliver them that would not fall away c. And againe as the blood of the Passeover delivered them that were saved in Egypt so the blood of Christ shall deliver them that beleeve from death Ireneus who suffered Martyrdom An. 198. lib. 2. c. 39. saith Christ came to save all men by himself all I say that by him are borne againe in God Infants Children Boyes Young men and Old men and lib. 5. Christ in his passion hanging on the crosse alone saveth all men that do not depart from the land of promise that is the faithful continueing in grace to the end Origenes who died An. 254. in Levit. saith the High Priest and advocat Christ prayeth for them only that be the Lord's portion who waite for him without who depart not from the temple where they give themselves to fasting and prayer Ignatius an ancient Martyr Epist. ad Phil. saith He is the Shepherd the Sacrifice the Door of Knowledge by which entered the spouse of Christ for which instead of a dowry he poured out his own bloud that he might redeem her Clemens a most ancient Author of whom mention is made Phil. 4 3 Epist. ad Corinth saith for the love which he i. e. Christ had unto us he gave his blood for us according to his purpose and his flesh for our flesh and his life for our lives Cyprian martyred An. 250. ad Demetrium saith This grace hath Christ communicated subdueing death in the trophee of his crosse redeeming beleevers with the price of his blood Others might be cited who speake more clearly of this matter after Pelagianisme arose and was revived againe by the Semipelagians of whom Prosper in his Epistle to Augustin complaineth saying among other things That they would affirme that our Lord Christ died for whole mankind and that no man at all is excepted from the redemption of his blood because the Sacrament of Gods mercy belongeth to all men Therefore in respect of God life eternal is prepared for all But in respect of freewill it is laid hold on by them that shall willingly and of their owne accord beleeâ—e in God And he addeth this Quaker would do well to advert that they are fallen to the extolling of such graâ—e because they would avoid to confesse that God according to the purpose and counsel of his own will in his secret judgment but in his manifest work maketh one vessel to honour and another to dishonour neither will they assent that the predestinate number of the elect can neither be increased nâ—r diminished Whence we see who have bin the first Patrons of this Quakers doctrine and whose brests he hath sucked He may read also if he will Prospers verses de Ingratis contra Pelagionos Cap. 10. 11. which I need not here set down CHAP. IX Of Universal Salvation Possible 1. AFter a pedantick parad wherein our Quaker discovereth as much Vanity as Ignorance conceiting that he and his party alone are the men of understanding and that wisdome must die with them and supposing that the Opinions which they embrace and which he now broacheth were never known in the world before they whom he calleth Pag. 78.79 a company of poor mechanicks were raised up to declare the same he proceedeth to declare what these new Revelations are which they have received It is not worth the paines to spend words in discovering this mans Ignorance Folly Pride and Pedantry in all his excursions for these appear manifestly in his whole discourse He not only falleth foule upon the worthy Ancients Augustine and Prosper whom yet he cited as favouring Universal Redemption and upon Luther and Calvin but his dear friends the Arminians cannot escape his rode for albeit they asserted Universal Redemption yet because they did not cleare so fully the way how the benefites of this death of Christ were communicated to all as he could have wished they must be censured as a company of Ignorant-Fooles that knew not how to speak consequentâ—ally to their own renent And yet for any thing I see they said little less than he saith himself for we must not think that his errours are as New as his Fond Fanatical Expressions are wherewith he setteth them off The Devil can helpe to the coining of new words and to the framing of a new dress for he is not so little Master of Words and Notions nor is he so little versed
of their lost condition And in our examination thereof in its several parts we have manifested the contrary And whether this be not a palpable untruth the Reader is free to judge He faith moreover That they deny remission of sins or justification to be had by any work of theirs c. And what is this to the point seing they say that we are justified by an Inherent Righteousness and not by Righteousness Imputed 10. He giveth us in the next place good words about the satisfaction of Christ which if he would stand to and not deceive us with Socinian glosses and metaphoricall senses he should withall overturne his owne doctrine about justification as we did shew lately § 6. In the third place he saiâ—h several things that are not true as first That all men that have come to mans age except Christ have sinned insinuating that none else have sinned nor are capable to sin until they come to Mans age and so denieth original sin and denieth that the wicked actions of young children and young girles who are not yet come to be men and women are sinnes Then sayes he Therefore all have need of a Saviour to take away Gods wrath due for sinnes Have none need of a Saviour but these only who are come to mans age qui aetatem virilem adepti sunt Doth the Scripture make any such restriction Where is then his universal Redemption that he pleaded For He addeth In this respect therefore he is truely said to have born the sinnes of all in his owne body on the tree In what respect is this Is it in respect that all have sinned but what sense is there here or truth either did he bear the sinnes of none but of such as are come to mans age what becometh then of infants boyes and girles and if he beare all their sinnes they must upon that account be freed from the guilt of sin and justified and so we shall have an universal justification as well as Redemption and this is confirmed indeed by the following words to wit therefore he is the sole mediator removing the wrath of God that our bypast sinnes may not meet us seing theâ— are pardoned by vertue of his sacrifice For this he understandeth of all for whom Christ died But he tels us afterward that remission is no other way to be expressed And I would ask whether there be any remission in or by justification and if so why are we not justified upon the account of the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith Then followeth a word which undoeth all not to mention his parenthesis were he saith some may partake of this remission who have no knowledge of the history of Christ sufficiently above spoken unto Christ saith he hath by his death and passion reconciled us while enemies unto God that is to say he offereth unto us reconciliation and maketh us capable thereof If this be all it is but the Arminian Reconciliation he hath been speaking of yea and nothing but what a Socinian may say Sure the Apostle speaketh otherwayes of this Reconciliation as of that which certainly is attended with Iustification with such a Iustification as hath life following saying Rom. 5 8 9 10. But God commendeth his love towards us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then being now justified by his bloud we shall be saved from wrath through him for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by â—is life The reconciliation then which was had by the death of Christ the Son of God was not a meer offer of reconciliation nor a meer capability for it But that which was a certain forerunner of salvation and that which Salvation must necessarily with a much more follow He citeth 2 Corinth Chap. 5 vers 19 20. and tels us that the Apostle insinuateth that seing the wrath of God is removed by Christ's obedience the Lord is ready to be reconciled with them and pardon their sinnes if they repent Which is a manifest perversion of the scope and meaning of the Apostle who is there shewing how the Reconciliation of sinners unto God is brought about both upon Gods part and upon mans part not of all the world but of the Elect scattered over the face of the earth and from the beginning of the world how they were brought into peace with God through Iesus so it is a limited world as appeareth by the us used ver 18. And againe more fully ver 21. for he hath made him sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him And therefore it is onlâ— that world he understandeth here for whom Christ was made sin having their sinnes imputed to him as their cautioner and sponsor who by vertue hereof are cloathed in due time with his righteousnesse imputed unto them and so are made the righteousness of God in him Now all this was not a meer may be or a mere possible or potential thing but such as was attended with a non-imputation of trespasses nor doth it import only a readiness in God to be reconciled with all upon conditions as if there were none in particular whose sinnes the Lord did bear and for whom he offered up himself a satisfactory sacrifice to the justice of God purchasing unto them faith to be granted in due time whereby they should come â—o be actually reconciled unto and brought in favour with God when through his grace they should yeeld unto the beseachings of Christ's messengers to whom the Word Ministrie or Administration of this Reconciliation is committed as to Ambassadours for Christ sent forth to beseach in Christ's stead By all which the Apostle is clearing how all things are of God and particularly all the new things which the new creature the man in Christ is made partaker of vers 17 18. And moreover we see verse 14 15. that these all for whom Christ died are one time or other made alive unto God through grace communicated to them from their Head Christ As it followeth And that he died for all that they which live should not hence forth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose againe And who will say that it shall at any time be said with truth of all the world that they are thus alive 11. He tels us next of a double Redemption both which he sayes are perfect in their owne nature and as to us cannot be separated Then all certainly must be redeemed the one way who are redeemed the other way What is the first That sayes he Pag. 127. made by Christ in his crucified body without us and by this Man as he standeth in the fall is put in a capacity of salvation and hath transmitted into him a certain measure of power of grace and of the vertue of the Spirit of life which
giveth life unto the world not such a life sure as may never quicken any Upon Christ's death doth the Apostle inferre Rom. 8 32. that the Elect shall have all things and vers 33 34 35. that they are free from all Accusations or any Hazard there from being justified and having Christs Death Resurrection and Intercession to secure them at all hands thereupon they have assurance that nothing shall separate them from the love of God Act. 20 28. Christ hath purchased a Church with his own blood The whole world is not this Church nor is this purchase an uncertane may be And all this Real and Certaine Effect of Christ's death was foretold by Daniel Chap 9 24 to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness c. And who can imagine that this is Universal or Uncerâ—ane 18. If we will 7. Consider some other Ends of the death of Christ which the Scripture pointeth forth which are not to be found among Heathens or any except the few Chosen ones Ordained to life we shall see how unreasonable this Quaker is Gal. 4 5. Christ died to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sones Was this end and fruit left at an Uncertanty Shall we think that Christ might have died and yet not one man receive this Adoption Was this Adoption purchased upon an uncertain condition Or was this purchased equally for all Then such as received it might have thanked their owne well natured Free will upon that account But let us consider some other fruits Gal. 1 4. who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world So 1 Pet. 2 24. He bear our sins in his own body on the tree but for what end That we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness Chap. 3 18. Christ suffered for sins the just for the unjust To what end and purpose To bring us to God Heb. 10 10. by the which will we are sanctified How came this to passe Through the offering of the body of Iesus Christ once for all So he suffered without the gate that he might sanctify the people Chap. 13 12. Revel 1 5 6. he loved us and washed us from our sins in his owne blood But was this all No it is added And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father So Ch. 5 9 10. thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood and what more And hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests c. So 2 Cor. 5 15 He died for all But for what end and purpose That they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose againe See Col. 1 22. These and the like passages do clearly pointe forth a special end of Christ's Death which was designed both by the Father that sent him and by himself and shall we suppose that this great and chiefe designe was made to hang upon the lubrick and uncertain will of man Shall Christ be beholden to mans good will for the purchase he made at so dear a rate If not why are not all these ends attained in all for whom he died Did Christ fail in laying down the Ransome Or doth not the Father keep condition Who can say either of these Then surely there can be no reason to say that Christ made an uncertain bargan and purchased only a Possibility of these fruites which he knew not if ever he should attaine in any one Nor to say that he died for all 19. Let us further 8. take notice That for whom Christ died he died to take away their sins And that so as they may be fully Pardoned never brought on reckoning againe that is that they be Remitted and Pardoned and that the poor sinner may not suffer therefore This sure must be the import of that prayer forgive us our trespasses If then Christ by his death hath taken away sin and purged it away making satisfaction to justice therefore how can we think that justice can punish the sinner in hell fire for these same sinns But let us see what the Scripture saith 1 Ioh. 3 5. he was manifested to take away our sins Ephes. 1 7. we have redemption in his blood what redemption foâ—giveness of sins according to the riches of his grace So likewise Col. 1 14. Now when sinnes are thus taken away they are blotted ouâ— and not remembered Esai 43 25. Ier. 31 34. Heb. 8 12. Yea they are blotted out as a cloud and as a thick cloud Esai 44 22. So they are said to be subdued casten into the depths of the sea Mica 7 19. Shall we now say that Christ hath died to purchase this Redemption the Forgiveness and blotting out as a thick cloud and casting into the depths of the sea of sin and yet multitudes of those for whom this was purchased and that by the blood of God should never obtaine this benefite but have all their sins charged upon their owne score This so pincheth the Adversaries that the best evasion they can fall upon is to say that none shall have Original sin charged upon them But the Scripture no where estricteth this Remission to that sin only Others therefore say That no sin now shall be charged upon any but the sin of Unbeleef Then Iudas doth not suffer to day for betraying his master was it for this sin only that the Old World was drowned or that the Cities of Sodom are suffering the vengeance of eternal fire Iude seemeth to say some other thing vers 7. so are there other sins there reckoned up vers 8 9 10 11 12. to which is reserved the blakness of darkness for ever vers 13. But some say that these are all but pardoned upon condition Then the Redemption is neither Actual and Real nor Compleat but a poor May be and a may be may not be and how can such sins be said to be forgiven or blotted out and casten behinde God's back and into the depths of the sea Did Christ know whether or not this condition would be performed If not then He is not the omniscient God If he knew that it would not be performed by the greatest part how can we imagine that he would notwithstanding lay downe his life to purchase a Remission for them And how can we think that He should purchase a Pardon to all and let the event hang upon the pendulous tottering will of a sinfull creature But as to that condition we shall 20. Propose 9. this consideration The not performance of that Condition was no doubt a sin and if Christ died for all the sinnes of the world he died for that too And if he died for that too that is taken out of the way or there must be another condition imagined upon performance of which that is to be taken out of
others who performe not the condition and so obtaine nothing but to Ourselves only who make ourselves to differ and so may we sing praises to ourselve and put the crown upon our owne heads and give no song of praise to the Redeemer but what such as go to hell are bound to give contrary to all Christian Religion If Christ hath purchased this Condition then iâ— is done either Absolutly or Conditionally If Aâ—soâ—utely tâ—an all shall Absolutely have it if Conditionally we enquire what is the Condition And whatever it be we may move the same questions concerning it 5. By this meanes the act should creat â—ts owne object for Faith in the death of Christ is ordinarily given as the Condâ—tâ—on and this faith maketh the death of Christ valide which otherwayes would not be 6. This maketh all the vertue of Christs death to depend upon mans act so that if man will all shall be saved if not no man shall be saved notwithstanding that Christ died for them 7. This makes Christ but at most a half Mediator doing one part of the work and man coming in to compleete it must be the other half mediator and so at least must have the halfe of the Praise 8. where saith â—he Scripture that if we beleeve Christ died for us or that Christ died for all or for any Conditionally It is true some of the effects of Christ's death are bestowed conditionally â—aking the word conditionally not properly as it the performance of that condition did in proper law â—ense procure a right to these mercies for through the merites of Châ—ist's blood have we a right properly to alâ— but improperly as denoteing nothing but the Methode and way of Goâ—'s bestowing the blessings purchaâ—ed fiâ—st this and thâ—n upon the souls acting oâ— that another as for examâ—le fiâ—st faith then upon the souls acting oâ— Faith Iustâ—fication then Saâ—ctification c. and upon the souls acting of Sanctification Gloâ—ification but the deâ—th of Christ cannot therefore be called Conditional more than thâ— will or purpose of God can be called conditional because some of the things willed may depend â—pon other as upon a condition 9 Then by performing thâ— Condition man should â—rocure to himself a Legal Right and Title not only to the dâ—aâ—h of Christ buâ—â—o Iustification Adoption Sanctification yea and to Glorification yea and that a more near and effectual Title and right than what was had by Christ's death for the Title had by Christ's death if it can be called a Title was far Remote Common to such as shall never have any pâ—ofiâ—e by it but the other is Câ—rtain Particular Proxime and giveth possession jus in re 10. Then Christ's blood as shed upon the crosse was but a Potential thing hâ—ving no power or vertue in it self to redeem any it was but a poor Potential price and all its vertue of actual purchasing and procureing is from mans performing the Condition this and this only giveth it Power and Efficacy and so Christ is beholden to man for giving vertue unto his Blood and making it effectual which before was a dead ineffectual thing Then let any judge who should have the greatest share of the glory of Redemption Man or Christ 11. was Christ's death Absolute in no respect or was it as to some things I mean belonging to Grace and Glory Absolute if in nothing then Man must certanely have a great share of the glory if it was Absolute as to any thing what was that and why was it more Absolute as to that than as to other things And why should it then be simply and without limitation said that Christ died for all Conditionally 12. what will this Quaker say as to infants did Christ die for them Conditionally But he must say that Christ died not for them at all because they have no sin where is then his Universal Redemption Infants sure make a great part of mankinde and therefore the Redemption from whâ—ch they are excluded and of which they have no need can not be called Universal 32. For Further confirmation of our 19. Argument and confutation of our Adversaries position we adde 21 That Christ Iesus is heard of the Father in all that he asketh Psal. 2 8. Ioh. 11 41 42. and as an High Prist he entred into heaven Hâ—b 9 11.12 â—ow to appear in the presence of God for us vers 24 to prepare a plaâ—â— Iob. 14 2. to act the part of an Advocat inteâ—ceding with the Father in the behalfe of all such for whom he died 1 Ioh. 2 1 2 If then Christ whom his Father heareth alwayes intercedeth in the behalfe all these for whom he died either he did not die for all or all must certainly be saved That Christ's Intercession and Death are so the same persons will be and must be denyed by our Adversaries But to us it is most manifest from these grounds 1. To Inteâ—cede and pray are as Essential and Necessary Acts of the Priestly office as to offer sacrifice and the Apostle Heb. 9 cleareth up how Christ did in truth what the High priest among the Jewes did in the type for as the High priest alone went once every yeer into the second tabernacle or holy of holies notwithout blood which he offered for himself and the errours of the people vers 7. So Christ being come an High priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle by his owne blood he entered in once into the holy place having obtained eternal Redâ—mption vers 12. Hence he is said to Live for ever to make Intercession for us Heb. 7 25. and he is an Advocat with the Father 1 Ioh. 2 1 Hence then it is manifest that Christ must Intercede for such as he did Offer up himself for or he shall not be a Perfect and Compleet High Priest or not faithfull to performe all the Oâ—fices of the High Priest neither of which can be said 2. The ground of his Intercession is held forth to be his Oblation as the High Priest went into the holy of holies with the blood of the sacrifices which he had offered so Christ entered into the holy place having first obtained by the sacrifice of himself an Eternal Redemption Heb. 9 12. So he is an Advocate with the Father being first a Propitiation for sinnes 1 Ioh. 2 1 2 3. Both his Death Intercession make up one Compleet Medium and are intended and designed as one Medium for the end designed viz the bringing of many sones unto glory saving to the uttermost all that come to God through him c. 4. How unreasonable is it to think that Christ would refuise to Pray for such whom he loved so dearly as to lay down his life for yet he saith expresly thâ—t he prayeth not for the world but for others distinguished from the world Ioh. â—7 9. 5. As His Death was for such as the Father had given him as we saw above so his
is not common to all 9. All which receiveth confirmation from this that the Father who received this ransome did himself send his Son to lay it down and so it was his own Ransome and therefore must have been payed upon a certaine designe of actually Redeeming and delivering from Sin Satan Death and Hell those for whom it was laid downe 10. So is there an other end of this redemption mentioned Gal. 3 13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ. 1. Seing the Lord jehovah might have refused to free the sinner upon any Redemption or satisfaction offered and exacted all of the sinners themselves that they lay under by the law it was a great condescendence in love of this great Lord and a gracious act of Soveraignity to accept of a mediation and of Love and free grace to provide a Redâ—emer we cannot but in reason think that His good pleasure did regulate this matter as to the Persons who should be Redeemed and as to the manner and method after which they should actually partake of the Redemption And that therefore the persons to be redeemed were condescended upon and the persons condescended upon were certanely to be â—edeemed the Lord having intended in the contrivance of this Redemption the certaine Salvation and Redemption of those who were condescended upon of none else and the Intentions Designes and Purposes of God are not vaine nor frustrable 34. Further 23. Christ's death had a real Merite in it that is a worth and value to procure the good things it was given for so that thereby there was a Purchase made Act. 20 28. And therefore we cannot suppose that all that was Procured and Purchased hereby was a General Uncertane and meerly Possible thing If it had a value and worth in it as no question it had to purchase and procure grace and glory unto all for whom it was given and was accepted as a valuable price of the Father why should not the thing hereby purchased be given and granted in due time To say that all was suspâ—nded upon a condition is to make all Uncertaine or we must say that Christ's death did procure that Condition also and then all is right for that is it we say 35. 24. Christ's death is to be considered as the death of a Testator Heb. 9 15 16 17. And for this cause he is the Mediatour of the New Testament that by meanes of death for the redemption of transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance for where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testatour for a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all while the Testatour liveth So he said himself of the cup in the Sacrament that it was the blood of the New Testament Mat. 26 28. Mark 14 24. and that it was the cup of the New Testament in his blood Luk. 22 20. and Paul calleth it the New Testament in his blood 1 Cor. 11 25. So that his Death and Bloodshed was the death of a Testatour for the confirmation of the New Testament and for ascertaneing of the Legatees of the good things bequathed to them in legacy by the Testament Now a Testament commonly is a declaration of the Testatours free Absolute and Voluntary Purpose of bestowing such and such benefites to such and such friends and so it is the Testatours letter will whereby he willeth that this legacy be given to this person and that to another It is true men may insert some conditions as to some legacies because they are but men and know not contingent future things nor have they the wils and dispositions of such they appoint legatees in their own hand and power But it is otherwayes with our Testatour and therefore we cannot think that He left the legacies in his Testament at the uncertanty of conditions to be performed by men especially considering how as he died to ratify the Testament so he rose againe to administrate the same as the sole executor thereof by his Spirit and that what legacies he left to be bestowed upon such and such conditions he left not the matter at an uncertanty for the condition it self was bequathed as the necessary good of the Testament without which all would have been to no purpose It is unreasonable then to think that Christ died to give force to his Testament yet it might come to passe that he should have no heire to enjoy the goods left in legacy Nor is it reasonable to think that all the world were equally his heires seing the Inheritance and Kingdom is for the little flâ—ck Luk. 12 32. and a peculiar select number â— Pet. 1 4. Ioh. 17 24. Col. 1 12. who are heires of the promises of God of salvation of the grace of God of the Kingdom c. Rom. 8 17. Gal. 3 29. and 4 7 30. Ephes. 3 6. Heb. 1 14. and 6 1â— and 11 7. Iam. 2 5. 1 Pet. 3 7. Therefore all whom Christ hath appointed heires in his Testament shall certanely enjoy the good things tested in due time for his Death gave force to his Testament as being his Last and Unchangeable will so that they cannot misse of the Inheritance and be disappointed especially considering that Christ by his death laid downe a valuable rich price to purchase all these good things which he left in legacy to his friends heires 36. Christ's death moreover 25. is to be considered as the death of a Sponsor and Cautioner and this will further confirme our point Hence he is called a Surety Heb. 7 22. and is said to die for the ungodly Rom. 5 6. to be made a curse for us Gal. 3 13. and to be made sin 2 Cor. 5 21. and other expressions of the like kinde have the same import From whence it is evident that Christ took the debt upon him that was justly to be charged upon the account of sinners that he became one person in Law with sinners the principal debtor that he payed and satisfied for all the debt and that in their roome and place and that therefore all these for whom he died must certainly be delivered from the Debt and from the Charge and Consequences thereof These things are manifest of themselves and need no further confirmation Now seing all are not delivered from the debt of sin nor from the punishment due because of sin we cannot say that Christ died as a Cautioner for all for sure his death was a compleat payment of all the debt he undertook to pay and to satisfie for Nor can we say that he died as a Cautioner for he knew not whom far lesse that he died as a Cautioner and yet none might possibly receive advantage thereby Nor yet can we say that he died as a Cautioner and payed
hard to say That Christ laid down his life a Price a Ransome a Sacrifice an Atonement Propitiation c. to Purchase Procure Merite Grace Glory to make Reconciliation Peace betwixt God such as were already suffering the vengeance of eternal fire to satisfie for their sinnes who were already condemned to the torments of hell fire and yet this must be said by such as assert Universal Redemption Was Christ so prodigal of his blood as to cast it away for such as were irrecoverably gone If it be said that this is no more hard than to say that Christ suffered for such as were already glorified Any may see how vast the difference is for such as were glorified were glorified upon the account of Christ Death which was to be in the time appointed designed by Father Son When one promiseth a summe for redeeming of so many slaves and the summe according to mutual agreement is to be payed at such a day the slaves may be presently relieved in contemplation of the price which is accepted and is to be payed hereafter at the time appointed But when one cometh to lay down Ransome-money he cannot be said to lay it downe for such as are dead that he knoweth to be dead many yeers ago so uncapable of Redemption 41. Further 30. If Christ died for all then he intended to die for all then the Father also intended that he should die for all then he intended that it should be a Redemption for all that thereby all should be Redeemed for to what end else should Christ die redeem if not that such as he died for Redeemed be Redeemed Delivered Or to what other end should God intend that Christ should die for all than to the ends mentioned in Scripture of which we have spoken And how can we say that God did intend the Redemption of all when all are not actually redeemed Are his intentions so fallible and frustrable If it be said that he Intended only a Possible Salvation and not Actual I Ans. The Scripture speaketh no such thing as we have seen And how unsuteable is it to the wisdom of God to send his Son actually to die and bear the curse and only intend thereby a Possible Redemption which might never prove Actual to any one soul If it be said That he Intended an Actual Redemption but Conditionally I Answer Redemption upon a condition is but a Conditional Redemption and that is but a Potential Possible Redemption unlesse you say that the condition is also purchased and then as to God it is an Absolute Redemption and intended as such doth it suite the wisdom of God to intend Redemption to all and not intend also the Condition by which alone it must become Actual and which he alone can work but will not Must we thus ascribe such intentions to God as must hang upon mans will and be subordinate thereunto Or if he see that the Condition will never be performed how can we think that he intendeth any thing upon a Condition that shall never be But enough of this at present 42. Moreover 31. This doctrine of Universal Redemption is derogatory to the solide consolation of the Redeemed and Weakeneth the grounds of their long and therefore it is not to be admitted This Argument is fully and solidely prosecuted and vindicated from what can be allaiged against it by the learned and solide divine Mr Durham in his Comment on the Revelation Pag. 304. and 305. And to him shall I referre the Reader only I shall crave leave to adde this That by our Adversaries grounds the song of the Saved shall not run as it doth Revel 5 9 10. But rather thus We have saved ourselves out of every kinred and tongue and people and nation and have made ourselves unto God Kings and Priests For whereas Christ by his blood redeemed all of every kinred and tongue and people and nation and not some only out of them we ourselves have by our own free good will made a difference betwixt ourselves and the rest and we are no more beholden to Christ for all that we have attained to then the damned in hell are for whom Christ shed his blood as well as for us and to whom he purchased by his blood and death as much as for us as Adversaries say So that I see not how Arminians and Quakers can think to joine in this Song and have any share of this Consolation which is solely founded upon the Redemption of Christ as a peculiar and no common blessing Let them consider it for it concerneth them not a little seing all that come to glory will sing to the honour of their Redeemer upon other grounds as we see then these are which our Adversaries lay down and plead so earnestly for If any say that Christ moreover hath purchased faith to some even to all that are actually saved I Answere As neither the Arminians nor semi Arminians I mean the followers of Camero will say this or grant so much so the granting of it will evert the other Universal Conditional Redemption for the Scripture speaketh but of one kinde of Redemption of one Price laid down of one Covenant betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator and of one Giving unto Christ of Persons to be redeemed Shall we think that Christ would lay down as great a ransome for such as he was not to purchase faith unto as for the rest Shall we think that he would lay down his life in vaine and make no purchase thereby And of the Reprobat for whom he was not to purchase faith he knew he could make no purchase for without faith his death would be of no advantage unto them And where do we read that all were given unto him to redeem Yea are not the given ones clearly distinguished from the rest Ioh. 17 6 9. as we cleared above 43. Againe 32. If the Redemption of Christ be Universal and Conditional it must necessarily follow that Christ laid down his life and the price of his blood as much for Iudas and all the Reprobate as he did for Iohn and all the Elect for the Redemption being conditionally for all it cannot be more for one then for another And yet this cannot be said as appeareth from the reasons formerly adduced This would say that the Fathers and Christs love was equal towards all and that no more was purchased for the one than for the other and that the Elect have no more benefite by Christs death than the Reprobat have and that Christ had no more an eye to Redeem the Elect by his death than to Redeem the Reprobat and was no more a Cautioner for the one than for the other all which and the like cannot but be looked upon as most absurd Shall we think that Christ became sin as well or as much for Iudas as for Peter Shall we think that He redeemed all alike from the curse of the Law
by the Covenant of works for that is broken and all are become heires of hell wrath because of the violation of that Covenant Not by the Covenant of Grace for that requireth faith before persons be interessed in these special favoures privileges And the Scripture tels us that all men have not faith how then come all men to share of these highest privileges or of this divine and glorious life which are promised in the Covenant of grace through Jesus Christ by whom they are purchased Is this divine and glorious life so meane and common a thing that even Heathens and Reprobats share of it Sure the divine and glorious life pointed forth in the Scriptures is a rare thing and is the privilege of very few and even of few of those that are members of the visible Church Will this Quaker tell me if this â—ivine and glorious life whereof all Iaponians Brasilians Cannibals are made partakers be distinguished from the divine and glorious life peculiar to the Saints And if it be distinguished how Or if it be the same in kinde why Regeneration Union with Iesus Christ by faith the Effectual Working of the grace of God and a through Renovation is requisite to the enjoyning of that in some greater measure which all have Naturally in some measure 8. He saith this measure of the divine and glorious life is a seed But whereof Is it the seed of the Eternal weight of glory that the Saints live in the hope of Wherever that seed is it cometh at length to the harvest of glory as the Scripture teacheth us and if this seed be sowne in all all shall at length be saved If it be not the seed of Glory whereof I pray is it the seed Is it the seed of Grace This seed abideth 1 Ioh. 3 9. and is incorruptible and is by the Word of God even that Word of God which is preached by the gospel 1 Pet. 1 23 25. So that this seed is no common thing but peculiar to such as are borne againe who by Christ do believe in God who raised him up from the dead and who have purified their souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit 1 Pet. 1 21 22. 9. He saith this seed inviteth and inclineth all men to good But doth it invite and incline the Iaponians Braâ—ilians Artigovanteans and such Heathens who never heard of Christ nor had any shew of Religion to faith in Christ Or even to all that is enjoyned by the Law of Nature or the Law of the two Tables How cometh it then that Paul who was far better versed in the Law than Heathens are saith he would not have known concupiscence unless the Law had said thou shall not covet And how can this consist with the sinful state of every natural person whose thoughts and imaginations incline and invite to evil Read Rom 3 10 to 20. All are under sin vers 9. all have sinned and come short of the glory of God vers 23. Nay how can this be seing the carnal minde is enmity against God and is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom 8 7 Is not the heart of every man by nature deceitful above all things and desperatly wicked Ier. 17 9. is not their very minde and conscience defiled Tit. 1 15. Where then can this good seed lodge It lodgeth neither in Heart Minde nor Conscience And shall it lodge in the Flesh It is true there is left in every Man a bit of a Natural Conscience informing concerning some Natural good requisite for self-preservation and for the preservation of Societies and inclineing thereunto but what is this to that Spiritual good required now by the Gospel and discovered by its Light Alas I see the hieght of the Quakers divinity is what a Natural Conscience can teach a Man-eater and this is their Gospel and this is their divine and glorious life O poor wretches 10. This seed he calleth the Vehicle of God A wonderful expression savouring more of a distracted braine and of an audacious blasphemous spirit than of a sober Christian fearing God 11. He calleth it the Spiritual body of Christ But by what Scripture I know not Christ is called the Saviour of the body Ephes. 1 23. Is Christ the Saviour of this seed The spiritual and mystical body of Christ is the Church Ephes 4 4. 1 Cor. 10.17 12 12 13 20. Rom. 12 4 5. Col. 1 24. Ephes. 2 23. Râ—m 12 27. Ephes. 3 6. 4 12 16. Col. 1 18. 2 19 What are the members of this body the body is not one member but many 1 Cor. 12.14 12. He saith it is the flesh and bloud of Christ that came out of heaven But had Christ no other flesh and blood than this Then the whole Incarnation of Christ is denyed And where is our Christian Religion then where is the Death of Christ where is his Resurrection where is his Ascension where is all the History of his life Is all that but dreames and lies whither will the Quakers lead us Christ gave his flesh for the life of the world Ioh. 6 51. did he give this seed for the life of the world was this seed a sacrifice to satisfie the justice of God what foolries be these Now the man in deed appeareth in his colours a Quaker in graine speaking non-sense at random and hereby evidencing what Spirit acteth him But one word more where readeth he that Christ's flesh and bloud came out of heaven They mean that Christ had the same Spiritual flesh and blood within his carnal flesh and blood which they have and so they are as much the Christ's of God as he was O dreadful blasphemy 13. He saith all the Saints eat of this What do only the saints eat of this while it is in every Man Every man by this mans doctrine is partaker of Christ's Spiritual body and hath Christ's flesh and bloud in him but they do not all eat thereof a strange phancy that persons have food in their belly before they eate it that persons are partakers of Christ's flesh and blood before they eat him by faith what wilde Notions be these Men are partakers of a glorious and divine life by having the spiritual body of Christ in them and the flesh and bloud of Christ that came out of heaven and that before they make any application of him to themselves by faith where read we of such things Christ tels us the contrary that except we eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood we have no life in us Ioh 6 53. and that with a doubled asseveration verily verily And he tels us moreover that he dwelleth in such as eate his flesh that is in beleevers vers 56. and not in others and vers 57. that he that eateth him even he shall live by him But these Impudent Quakers whose work is as it seemeth to câ—ntradict Christ and all the Gospel tell us that even
acquanted with griefe who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities who was brought as a lamb to the slaughter and made his soul an offering for sin and poured it out unto death who bore the wrath of God due for sin and was crucified at Ierusalem But the Christ whom they command us to believe in is a Christ borne with every man that came into the world since the beginning that is neither God nor Man could neither suffer nor die nor satisfie justice So that their Christ is a Christ that the Gospel no where maketh mention of yea against which every Chapter and verse in a manner of the whole Old and New Testament beareth witness 7. He tels us that they exhort all men to beleeve in this Light and obey it And what can the Faith of or Obedience to this Light do Did ever this light teach or require of Aristotle and the wisest of the Heathens as Plato Seneca Cicero Pythagâ—ras and others Faith in the Messias or in Iesus Christ promised or at length exhibited and crucified Is that light Christ crucified and Satisfying justice and paying the Penalty of the Law and broken Covenant What desperat mischievous madness is this what horrid abomination do these men preach hold forth 8. He tels us that Christ is born and risen in every man and all their preaching is to exhort them to know him and yet he told us before that this was the work and proper effect of this Light and if this effect be already wrought in every man in no one person is this light resisted and suppressed and he needeth not preach and exhort every man to beleeve in this light and obey it for that is done in every man already having Christ formed in him and arisen in hâ—m Behold how their abominable doctrines cannot hang together but are ropes of sand yea crosse and contradict one another 9 Then he tels us that it delivereth them from all sinnes Then Heathens have a Christ within sufficient to purge and take away all sin Then all must be saved for who ever is delivered from sin cannot but be saved O what devilish doctrine must this be It may be a doubt if the Devil appearing in mens bodies and coming to preach among people could broach more damnable and soul-destroying Tenets than these are O! what times are â—hesâ— we live in wherein such doctrines are put in print and avowed O woful pagan preachers O hellish Paganisme Whither will these men run and be driven by the Devil 10. We have seen by this short hint what a dash they give unto the whole Gospel and what an indignity they have thereby done unto Iesus Christ cannot be hid from any that knoweth what true Christianity meaneth and he in the following words seeking to alleviate the mater doth in effect make it worse than ever for in stead of exalting Christ he doth with the base Unchristian Socinians debase our Lord Jeâ—us Christ for saith he P. 83. We desire not hereby to equalize ourselves unto that holy man the Lord Iesus Christ who was borne of the virgine Mary in whâ—m dwelt all the fulness of divinity bodyly nor as we destroy the reality of his present existence as some calumniate us Ans. Unworthy man that dar move such an Objection and give so unsatisfyinâ— an answere thereunto O what abjects of blasphemous pride must this gang of creatures be that dar have such thoughts of themselves What and was our Lord who was the Fathers equal no more but an holy Man and born of a virgine and had the fulness of divinity and not of the God head or Deity though the word in the original that is used Col. 2 9 is more emphatick than that used Rom. 1 20. it being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in him bodily And will this Miscreant deny him to be God equal with the father in power and glory But if he be but a man how can he be said to dwell in us He dwelleth not in us saith he immediatly but mediatly as he is in that seed which is in us But himself called this seed Christ born in us and raised in us and thus Christ dwelleth in us by Christ borne in us What demented creatures must these be who speak thus non sensically in these soul-maters He addeth as the top-mystery of their mischievous doctrine Seing He to wit the Eternal word which was with God and was God and immediatly dwelt in that Holy Man so that he is as the head we as the members He the vine we as branches and as the soul is far otherwise and more immediatly in the head and in the heart than in the armes and feet and as the sap and life of the Vine doth otherwayes and more exist in the trunck and root than in the wine branches so God dwelleth otherwayes in the Man Iesus Christ than in us Behold here is all the honour and preference that Christ geteth He was nothing but a mâ—er man as this Quaker is only God dwelt in him as the sap is in the root or trunk of the tree but he dwelleth in the Quaker as the sap is in the branches Christ and He is animated with one God as the Head and the hand are with one soul And thus Christ had no existence before he had it in the womb of the virgine more â—han this Quaker had an hundered yeers ago Where is then the God head of our Mediator Where is our Immanuâ—l How was the Word made flesh Ioh. 1 14 How was God manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3 16 Where is he who was the brightness of God's glory and the express image of his person Heb. 1 3 Where iâ— he who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the forme of a servant c. Phil. 2 6 7 Where is he who is the Image of the invisible God by whom all things were created Col. 1 15 1â— 2 Cor. 4 4 Where is he who toke part of flesh and blood and the see of Abraham Heb. 2 14 16 Thus the Quakers deny the Incarnation of the Son of God and that our Lord Iesus Christ was and is the Second Person in the Trinity very and eternal God of one substance and equal with the Father and so joyne themselves with the wretched Socinians wherefore we if their doctrine be true can no more be said to be purchased by the blood of God as Act. 20 28. And if He had not been true God how could â—e have stood under the infinite wrath of God and the power of death Act. 2 24 25. Rom. 1 4 with 4 25. How could he have given worth efficacy to his suffering obedience and intercession Act. 20 28. Heb. 9 14. 7 25 26 27 28. How could he have satisfied God's justice Rom 3 24 25 26. How could he have
Iustification is an act of Gods free grace unto sinners Rom. 3 23 24 25 and â— 5. in which he pardoneth all their sins accepteth and accounteth their persons righteous in his sight 2 Cor. 5 19 21. Rom. 3 22 24 25 27 28. not for any thing wrought in them or done by them Tit. 3.5 Ephes. 1 7. but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ by God imputed to them Rom. 5 17 18 19. 4 vers 6 7.8 and received by faith alone Act. 10 53. Gal. 2 16. Phil. â— 7. Adde to this Q. 72. What is justifying faith A. justifying faith is a saving grace Heb. 10 39. wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit 2 Cor. 4 13 Ephes. 1 17 18 19. and the word of God Rom. 10 â—4 17 whereby he being convinced of his sin and misery and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition Act. 2 â—7 and 16 30. Ioh. 16 8 9. Rom. 5 6 Ephes. 2 1. Act. 4 12. not only assenteth to the truth of the promise of the Gospel Ephes. 1 13. but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his righteousness therein held forth for pardon of sin Iâ—h 1 12. Act. 16 31. 10 53. and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for Salvation Phil. 3 9. Act. 15 11 And Q. 73. How doth faith Iustifie a sinner in the sight of God Answ. Faith justifieth a sinner in the sight of God not because of these other graces which do alwayes accompany it or of good works that are the fruits of it Gal. 3 11. Rom. 3 28. Nor as if the grace of faith or any act thereof were imputed to him for his justification Rom. 4 5. with Rom. â—0 10. but only as it is an instrument by which he receiveth and applyeth Christ his righteousness Ioh. 1 1â— Phil. 3 19. Gal 2 16. With all we will be hâ—lped to understand the orthodox truth in this matter by considering two other questions to wit Q 75. What is Sanctification A. Sanctification is a work of Gods grace whereby they whom God hath before the foundation of the world chosen to be holy are in time through the powerful operation of his Spirit Heb. 1 4. 1 Cor. 6.11 2 Thes. 1 13. applying the death and resurrection of Christ unto them Rom. 6 4 5.6 renewed in their whole man after the image of God Ephes. 4 23 24. having the seeds of repentance unto life and of all other saving graces put into their hearts Act. 11 18. 1 Ioh. 3 9 and those graces so stirred up increased and strengthened Iud. vers 20. Heb. 6 11 12. Ephes. 3 16 17 18 19. Col. 1 10 11. as that they more and more die unto sin and rise unto newness of life Rom 6 to 14. Gal. 5 24 with Q. 77. Wherein do Iustification and Sanctification differ Answere Although Sanctification be inseparably joyned with Iustification 1 Cor. 6 11. and 1 30. Yet they differ in that God in Iustification imputeth the righteousness of Christ Rom. 4 6 8. in Sanctification his Spirit infuseth grace and inableth to the exercise thereof Ezech. 36 27. In the former sin is pardoned Rom. 3 23 25. in the other it is subdued Rom. 6 6 14. the one doth equally free all believers from the revenging wrath of God and that perfectly in this life that they never fall into condemnation Rom. 8 33 34. the other is neither equal in all 1 Ioh. 2 v. 12 13 14. Heb. 5 12 13 14. Nor in this life perfect in any 1 Ioh. 1 8 10. but groweth up to perfection 2 Cor. 7 1. Phil. 3 12 13 14. â—hus we have the orthodox doctrine in this point fully cleared and confirmed 3. Let us next see whâ—t is the opinion of the Qâ—akers in this matter And before we examine particularly what this Man with whom we deal saith we shall shortly see what other Quakers have maintained before Mr Clapham in his book against the Quakers Sect. 5. tels us that I. Nayler in his Love to the lost P. 3. joyneth with the Papists and pleads for our being made righteous by Gods putting in righteousness in us and by righteousness wrought in the creature And P. 50. with Papists he confounds Justification Sanctification and Mortification and argueth for it as they do So Mr Stalham in his book against them Part. 1 Sect. 22. sheweth out of their owne words what friends they are unto the man of sin by laying the bottome of a believers justification not upon Christs obedience but upon sanctification And Sect. 25. he tels us that I. Nailer said that the man of sin is discovered in them who say beleevers are pure and spoteless too by reason of imputation and in his Love to the lost p. 51. that men are so justified as they are sanctified and mortified and no further And that F. Howgil in The inheritance of Iacob Pag. 29. hath these words Christ fulfilled the Law and he fulfils it in them who know him and his work and herein man becomes to be justified in Gods sight by Christ who works all our works in us and for us Mr Hicks in his 2 Dialogue Pag. 4. tels us that Isaak Pennington asks this question Can outward blood cleanse And saith Therefore we must enquire whether it was the blood of the vail that is of the humane nature or the blood within the vail viz. of that spiritual man consisting of flesh bloud and bones which took on him the vail or humane nature It is not the bloud of the vail that is but outward and can outward blood cleanse And that Edward Billing most wickedly said that the mystery of iniquity lyes in the bloud of Christ. And that these words frequently drop from their mouthes dost thou look at Christs death afar off What will that bloud avail Didst ever see any of it That carnal bloud cleanse If thou hadst a great deal of it would it do thee any good If such as speak thus of the precious bloud of Christ can have right thoughts of Justification the sober may easily judge And what intimation Edward Burroughs giveth about this may be seen there P. 18 22 c. I love not to transcribe the words only that which he hath Pag. 26. seemeth to be plaine Thou beast who would have another righteousness than that which Christ works in the saints and by them He tels us likewise ib. Pag. 31. that Will Pen Sandy foundation Pag. 29.30 hath these words Obedience to justification ought to be as personally extensive as was mans disobedience to condemnation In which real not imputative sense those various termes of Sanctification Righteousness Resurrection Life Redemption Iustification c. are most infallibly understood for impute or imputing signifies no more in Scriptures but to express men really and personally to be that which is imputed to them whether as guilty or remitted For any to
is I know not are the ground of our Iustification But seing Iustification and Sanctification stand upon the same ground with him he must also say that we are not Sanctified by good works considered by themselves and if good works or works of Sanctification and holiness considered as such will not ground the denomination of Sanctification I would faine know what will 5. But if they neither be Sanctified nor Iustified by these good works by what are they Sanctified or Iustified It is by Christ saith he who is the gift and the giver and the cause produceing the effects in us But this Christ is nothing else but a Creature produced in man by mans industry and goodwill not stubbornly resisting but piously receiving the illumination of the light and that out of this light which is in every Son of Adam for he told us that this Light when thus religiously entertained becometh a holy pure and spiritual birth and this is the Christ formed in us who is the gift and the giver and producer of all the fruits of holiness which are acceptable unto God Are we not then Iustified by our works when Iustified by this Christ or Principle produceing these works in us especially seing this Christ is a Christ formed within and not that Christ who laid downe his life a ransome for sinners and offered up himself a sacrifice to divine justice to satisfie justice and the Law by his Obedience and Death for the Redemption of his people We heard lately that this Christ and his Blood is far off in their account and cannot cleanse or do us any good But further I think that even in this Quakers are far worse then Papists for when Papists will have us Iustified by works they speak of works wrought in the soul by the Spirit real works of grace flowing from an inward principle of grace but our Quakers though they give goodly words yet really their works by which they are Sanctified and Iustified are but works wrought at best by the Power of Nature For that Light within every man as was shewed above is but pure Nature and whatever is borne of or proceedeth from this seed is but Nature for that which is borne of the flesh it flesh Ioh. 3 6. And from nothing that is in man by nature or in all men can that which is heavenly and spiritual spring unless we turne Pelagians this is to be held And that Light within them if its eyes were not blinded with prejudice though it be not sanctified nor of the Spirit might even cauâ—e them understand so much And when all the Efficient cause that we hear of from him produceing this pure and spiritual birth or educeing it out of its matter or causing its change and being some other thing than it was is only man and man doing nothing but receiving the illumination of this light can we suppose this to be any thing else than a pure product of nature which Heathens and Pagans Turks and Tartars who never heard one word of Christ may be partakers of And can this Sanctification and Justification be that mentioned in the Scriptures when it is common to infidels who are without God and without Christ in the world if they will but obey the light of nature Is this which he talketh of to be borne of God No certainly but rather it is to be borne of bloud or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man but so are not any borne that receive Christ and beleeve in his name Ioh. 1 12 13. One thing more Seing this Light which the Quakers say is in every man is in Devils and that in a greater measure than in man may it not also be said of them that if they will receive this light and not resist it it shall become an holy pure and spiritual Birth and Christ formed within And shall not they likewise upon this account be capable of this Sanctification and Justification I must still put Sanctification first that I may speak according to the Quakers Language and shall we have no other Sanctification and Justification preached to us by Quakers than what Devils are capable of and have the real feed of already O poor deluded wreatches Is this the top of all their endeavours and the upshot of all their hopes Sall we get nothing at most but a Paganish Iustification and Sanctification 6. He closeth his Thesis thus who i. e. Christ when he reconciled us while enemies according to his wisdome doth save and justifie us this way as the Apostle saith else where He hath according to his mercy saved us by he lawer of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Ans. But what way did he reconcile us while enemies was it by his bloud and by his crosse Ephes. 2 16. Or by the bloud of his crosse or in the body of his flesh through death Col. 1 20 22. Or was it by his death Rom. 5 10. If so then sure he died for the ungodly Rom 5 6. And for sinners vers 8. that they might be reconciled to God by his death vers 10. And then the grace of God and the gift by grace must abound unto them vers 15. and that unto justification vers 16 18. Then sure Christ died in their roome and place as their Cautioner and Surety and as their Surety made satisfaction to justice that they should be redeemed and delivered from Law Justice and Wrath for what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his owne son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8 3 4. And if so as the Scriptures do richly witness then that mediatory Righteousness of Christ the Redeemer and Cautioner must legally be made over unto them to the end that they may be legally acquit and freed from the Accusation and Condemnation of the Law And by vertue of that Righteousness of Christ the Cautioner imputed unto them by God they as cloathed therewith by faith and appearing therein must be Iustified before God and not by any thing wrought in them at what hand so ever And thus all that he hath said in his Thâ—sis is overturned 2. It is true that the Lord in wisdom hath ordered things aright and appointed the way how we should be partaker of the benefites which he hath purchased and particularly of Iustification and Sanctification But that the wisdom of God hath appointed that we should be Iustified by any thing done by us whether from a principle of Nature or of Grace wrought in us even by the Spirit of God as the formal objective reason or that upon the account of which we can be accounted Righteous and Absolved from Accusation and have our inquities pardoned is not revealed to us in all his word but the contrare rather as hath been seen 3. Nor doth these words of Paul to Titus Chap.
him is the love of God truely and really and not feignedly or by mere profession See Beza on the place As also 1 Ioh. 4 12. where the word hath the same import And the ground is clear because obedience to God's command must flow from love and love to God and our neighbours is the summe of all the commands Hence love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13 10. So Iames 3 2. the same is a perfect man who showeth by bridling his tongue that he offends not in word that he is a real Christian For the Apostle is here in the first verse meaning men like our Quakers of a supercilious spirit masterly quarreling with and superciliously inveighing against all though it be a certain truth that we offend all in many things And therefore he saith to such that if they would shew themselves good and excellent Christians who are so ready to be masters in their reprehensions of others they would first bridle their owne tongues I wish Quakers would learne this See Calv. on the place 3. They may be called Perfect in regard of the Uprightness Sincerity Honesty godly Simplicity and Singleness that is in their way thus the word frequently signifieth as we saw above and is rendered bâ— the Dutch and in the margine of our Bibles Vpright Gen. 6 9. 17 1 Deut. 18 13. Iob 2 3. and in several places it is rendered so in the text Ps. 18 23 25. 2 Sam. 22 vers 24 26. Iob 1 vers 1 8. 12 4. Psal. 19 v. 13. 37 18 37 and elsewhere Hence oft Perfect and upright are joined together as Iob 1 1 8. 2 2. 4 They may be and are called Perfect in regaird of Perfection of Parts as being compleet and wanting nothing of the integral parts of Christianity thus a childe may be called a perfect man as having all the Essential and Integral parts of a man though but in their infant and tender grouth The saints are thus perfect as having the Spirit and thereby the seeds and beginnings of all grace In regeneration the whole man is changed so that he is new borne a new creature sanctified wholly in Minde Heart Spirit Affections Conscience Memory and Body though but in a small degree and measure See 1 Thes. 5 23. 5. They may be called Perfect because Respecting all the commands of God Ps. 119 6. and yeelding impartial obedience through the grace of God unto all God's precepts waving none 6. In that their good works have all the Essential Parts requisite as proceeding from a right principle done for a right end c. though not in the degree called for by the Law 7. They may be called Perfect in regard that the state whereinto they are is a state that certainly tendeth to perfection they are advancing thereunto and shall certainly reach that top of perfection in end which they look for and strive to attaine Ephes. 4 13. Phil 3 15. For as the several lusts of the body of death are more more weakened and mortified dayly so they are more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces Rom. 6 6 14. Gal. 5 14. Rom. 8 13. Ephes. 3 16 17 18 19. And so are perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7 1. and advanceing Phil. 3 12 13 14. 8. They may be called Perfect Comparatively in respect of others who are yet lying in nature And they may be so called in comparison of what sometimes they were themselves while Blinde Ignorant Dead and Lifeless lying in the state of nature which is indeed a fearful state of imperfection misery and woe 9. So in respect of young believers weak in knowledge and babes in Christ Others who are further avanced may be and are called Perfect as having attained an higher degree and measure of grouth in grace Thus Beza thinketh the word is taken Phil. 3 15. 1 Cor. 2 6. And it is clearly so taken 1 Cor. 14 20. Heb. 5 14. Ephes. 4 13. where each hath his owne stature according to the measure of the gift of Christ vers 7. Rom. 12 3 6. and its meaning and import we may see 1 Cor. 3 1. where such an one is only called spiritual 1 Cor. 13 11. where such is called a man 10. Why may they not also be called perfect in regard of Justification seing the Righteousness wherewith they are cloathed which is imputed unto them upon the account of which thâ—y are justified is a Perfect Righteousness being the Rghteousness of Jesus Christ And seing the sentence pronunced upon them to wit of Absolution in their Justification shall never be recalled they brought againe into Condemnation Rom 8 1. As also seing the state they are brought into thereby is an unchangeable state so that once in a justified state alwayes in a justified state 7. But all this will not satisfie our Quakers who with Familists Antinomians and Libertines will have this to be the privilege of all Christians after their Mode that they be as Perfect as Adam was in the state of innocency free of all sin and from yeelding to Temptation or Corruption and this taketh-in much if not a Perfection of parts and degrees Now to assert this Perfection which even Papists are ashamed of and to assert this as common to all them in whom this new birth is fully produced as it must be in all Justified and Sanctified Persons according to his owne principles is false and dangerous For 1. There are in Christ's house diverse syzes and degrees of persons some babes 1 Cor. 3 1. Heb. 5 13. or children or little children 1 Ioh. 2 12 13. and others young men and old men or Fathers 1 Ioh. 2 13 14. 2. Christians are exhorted to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. last and to put off the old man which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts and to put on the new man Epes 4 22 23 24. And to mortifie their members which are upon the earth Col. 3 5. But to cry up this perfection is to render all Gospel commanâ—s useless whereof we have abundance in the Epistles 3. This takes away the exercise of Repentance for where there is no sin there can be no sense of nor sorrow for sin and the exercise of Faith in running to the fountain for washing and the exercise of Prayer in seeking grace to withstand Temptations to strive against Corruption in seeking for pardon in the bloud of Christ. And 4. So this maketh these petitions in the Lords prayer useless forgive us our sins and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil 5. This saith that either beleevers are fully freed from an indwelling body of death contrary to Rom. 7 11 17 18 23 24. or that the motions of this body of death are not sin or sinful contrary to Rom. 7 5 7 8 15. Gal. 5 v. 17. Iam. 1 ver 14 15. 6 This tendeth to foment Pride and Security
is no agreement betwixt light and darkness 2 Cor. 6 14. Now God is Light and all sin is darkness Answ. 1. All this would plead for a sinlesness from the very first instant of Regeneration Yea and for the highest degree of Perfection 2. Though corruption abideth in the Regenerated man as a vanquished enemy strugling in the dead thrawes yet is not the Regenerated man joyned thereto but separated therefrom in Minde Will and Affections in so far as regenerated and is fighting and lusting against it as his greatest enemy 3 It is sin delighted in and unrepented of loved and intertained in the soul that separateth betwixt God and the soul and that text Esai 59 2. speaketh of soul-wasting and land-destroying sinnes to which that people had given up themselves and would not turne from as we see vers 3 4 5 6 7 8 12 13 14 15. And yet we see there vers 16 17. What soveraignity of free grace can do to and for such a people for the glory of his name 4. What is impure as impure cannot be one Spirit with Christ But beleevers are reckoned according to what hath now the throne and the heart and the dominion in the soul with their free and sanctified consent for now they are maried to a new Husband and are engadged in warfare under a new Captaine They are dead unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord therefore they are under an obligation to strive against all that would labour to set sin againe upon the throne wrong the interest of their new Lord Soveraigne Rom. 6 11 12 13. And though they be risen with Christ and are dead have their life hid with Christ in God Yet they have members to mortifie uppon earth Fornication Uncleanness c. Col. 3 2 3 5. 5. God hath no fâ—llowshipe with corruption more then light can have fellowshipe with darkness yet he can have fellowshipe with his owne work of grace in the soul and with the soul as sanctified and renewed 19. But sayes he further Is it not against the wisdom of God to say He could finde no other methode whereby he should be served than by such actions by which the devil is no lesse yea more served for he that sinneth is the servant of sin Rom. 6 16. Ans. It is not fit for man to stand up and disput wickedly for God and under a shew of zeal for and patronage of his Wisdome condemne the same His folly is wiser than our wisdome What methods God could have found out whereby He might have been served by men what proud man will take upon him to determine The methode he hath chosen should satisfie us But to the matter when God's people are serving Him with some measure of sincerity and uprightness of heart howbeit the devil opposeth and by his temptations and the co-working of corruption prevaileth much to hold back or to cause the soul move slowly Yet the heart and the renewed part of the man being for God and for God only and directly against Satan and all his wayes doings and designes there is no formal service performed unto Saâ—an for the Lord regardeth the heart And though oft times there be more corruption in the work than grace Yet the heart being upright in the main the denomination is from the better part And albeit how more sin be in the action that is gone about by the honest Beleever in weakness Satan be the glader Yet in that the beleever cannot be called his servant For the Apostle in the place cited saith not he that sinneth but he that yeeldeth himself up as a servanâ— to obey sin is the servant of sin No doubt if the Lord had seen it for his glory he could have so ordered it that his children from the day of their new birth should never have sinned more but He hath thought it good that they should be exercised with a spiritual warfare all their dayes against Satan and a wicked world without and a body of death and its members within that his power might be made perfect in their weakness that they might live by Faith and get continual proofs of God's Power Love Care Faithfulness Grace Mercy and Tenderness that they might daily have use of the blood of Christ to wash in and so exercise Humility Godly sorrow Repentance Faith Patience Submission Watchfulness Diligence and might groan under the body of death that they might see through daily experience the riches and worth of their Redemption and read their great Obligations to their Lord Ransomer and Soveraigne King And if we were sober we might here mark wonderful wisdome and see a piece of the manifold wisdome of God But when we be come distracted as doubtless we are when we will be wise above what is written no wonder we become blinde and speak as fools as this man doth here and in the following words which I shall not so much as honour with a transcribing 20. He sayes our doctrine is repugnant to the justice of God requireing them to abstaine from all sin and not enabling them hereunto and requireing more then he giveth ability to do Ans. 1. The man runneth so hard that he runneth himself blinde Seeth he not that if this argument prove any thing it will prove that all the wicked world are perfect for God requireth of them obedience to his Law and it may be a question if hence it may not likewise be proven that the damned and the Devils are all perfect and without sin seing it may be a doubt if they be loosed from the Law of their Creation But 2. Though it were granted they had power I mean moral power for no other can be here understood yet this will not prove their perfection or freedom from sin many may have power and yet not use it Adam had power to resist Satans suggestion yet did it not His perfect ones may grow slack in their watch and so sin though he will grant they have power to do otherwise 3 This is old Pelagius's argument as Vâ—ssius cleareth to us Hist. Pelag. lib. 5. part 1. Thes. 6. where among other evidences he citeth Hieron adv Pelag. bringing-in Critobolus as a Pelagian reasoning thus Either God gave commandements that were possible or that were impossible if possible it is in our power to do them if we will if impossible we are not guilty if we do them not seing we cannot And thus whether the Lords command be possible or Impossible man may be without sin if he will Our Quaker is yet worse for the Pelagian would hence prove but a possibility of Perfection but he will hence evince the real being of Perfection and that common to all believers â— God made man upright and able to fulfil all his Law and when he hath dilapidated his stock of strength must God be unjust if he require due debt Or doth mans inability dissolve his obligation Seing God is pleased of his grace
to help his owne to performance of duty in part upon a new score let them mourne for shortcomings and flee to the bloud of Christ conforme to the Gospel that there they may get extracts of pardon and be thankful that the Lord hath so secured the matter that they shall never come into condemnation 21. As to the saints he reasoneth further thus Their imperfection is either from themselves or from God If from themselves then it is because they use not the power they have for that effect and if they have a power it is not impossible if from God as not giving them that measure of grace whereby they may be enabled to do all his will then He should be unrighteous Ans. Thus reasoned the Pelagian Caelestius of old and Crellius the Socinian of late See Hoornb ubisupra Pag. 103. And we say 1. This will at most conclude only for a possibility of Perfection or immunity from sin and so will not serve his point 2. If he mean a culpable cause I say it is from themselves and that not because they have any moral power now for keeping the whole Law perfectly though I grant withall that they have more than they make good use of but because that power which was once given was sinfully cast away 3. It is false that God should be unrighteous if he gave not that measure of grace whereby they should become perfect Nay sayes he God shall be more unjust than are the vilest of men who will not give to their children asking bread a stone nor a serpent to them when asking for fish Ans. The Lord rebuke this blasphemous tongue what ground is there for this They confess sayes he that they must ask of God deliverance from sin Very true And yet such a thing is never to be expected The Lord forbid We expect and hope for growing deliverance and final and full deliverance in end when the saints shall say and sing O grave where is thy victory and O death where is thy sting And they shall come unto the upper mount Zion the city of the living God to the Spirits of just men made perfect when all teares shall be wiped away from off their faces But it seemeth our Quakers expect all their heaven here Where is now the stones that God giveth instead of bread the serpents he giveth instead of fish His following calumnious insinuation hath been spoken to already elsewhere 22. His third argument followeth Pag. 156. § 5. He sayes our opinion is injurious to Christ and his sacrifice Christ was manifested chiefly for this end to take away sin and gather a people to himself zealous of good works Tit. 2 14. and to bring in everlasting righteousness that is Evangelical perfection Answ So hote is this man in his pursuite that to reach us he careth not though he pierce his owne bowels for by this one argument he destroyeth all that he said of Vniversal Redemption as we cleared above Chap. VIII But as to us it reacheth us not for we grant that Christ came to take away sin both as to guilt and this he did by the sacrifice of himself and as to the staine and being of it and this he doth by his Spirit piece and piece till in end he give full victory and so he hath a people redeemed from the guilt and power of iniquity though not fully from its presence and stirrings and a people zealous of good works which is not inconsistent with the stirrings of a crucified body of death That that everlasting righteounsess mentioned by Daniel Chap. 9. is to be understood of Evangelical perfection is said but not proved Againe he sayes It is said 1 Ioh. 3 5 8. that the Son of God appeared for this end to take away our sinnes and to destroy the works of the devil Answ. True and so he hath done by taking away the guilt and by destroying daily the works of the devil in his people mortifying lust and corruption and carrying on the work of grace till at length it be perfected Ay but he sayes it is added he that is borne of God doth not commit sin that is doth not break the Law in thought word or deed Answ. What that is to commit sin we shewed above and also that by this passage thus interpreted he shall prove what is against himself to wit that that highest degree of Perfection which whosoever hath attained cannot sin any more is not peculiar to some but common to all that are borne of God Is not Christ sent saith he further to turne a people from sin unto righteousness and from the Kingdom of Satan unto the Kingdom of his dear Son Answ. Yes Are not these thus converted his servants children brethren friends Ans. They are Are they not as he in the world holy pure and immaculate Answ. The text saith not this Read againe 1 Ioh. 4 27 Doth not Christ watch over them care and pray for them save them by his Spirit walking in them and among them Ans. This is all true and â—hence we inferre that they shall certainly be perfected in end and shall persevere unto the end contrare to what he saith as we shall see in the next Chap. But all this will not prove a sinless Perfection common to all the saints But will not Christ have them perfect or is he not able to make them perfect Ans. Yes But he will do it in his owne time and way He himself will not deny but Christ is able to make them all perfect in the highest degree so as not to be able to sin any more yet for all that he will not say that it is so He citeth also Ephes 5 25 26 27. But nothing to his purpose for we grant that the Lord will present his Bride to himself one day faire and cleane without spot or wrinkle or any such thing and that he is about this work bringing all his forward unto this state of perfection washing them cleansing them in his blond and by his Spirit sanctifying them more and more But saith he if they do sin in thought word and deed dayly there is no difference betwixt the holy and profane the cleane and unclean c. Answ. Notwithstanding of this the difference is great for what the profane doth is nothing but sin and in nothing accepted of God through Christ and is done with full purpose of heart without any contrary lusting of the Spirit all they do as it floweth from an evil principle so it is done for an evil end and in a corrupt sinful manner and so is wholly defiled But it is not so with the child of God He mourneth over and repenteth of his shortcomings and striveth against sin The other not So there are many moe differences too many here to be insisted upon 23. His fourth Argument Pag. 157 § 6. is That our doctrine maketh the work of the ministry preaching prayers c. useless while as Paul sayes Ephes.
to be circumcised when he did this to Cornelius the common opinion was that the Gentiles should be circumcised Ans. Where readeth he that Peter compelled the Gentiles to be circumcised That failing of his Gal. 2 12. will not prove this much and this was also after the unanimous resolution of the Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem Act. 15. â—not to put the burden of circumcision other Jewish ceremonies beside the few excepted for avoiding of Scandal upon the neck of the Gentiles And though this calumny of the Quakers had some ground Yet the difference betwixt the one practice the other is great Christ by his death did break down the middle wall of partition so put an end to the Jewish ceremonies but he did not so with his owne Gospel Institutions but rather confirmed them Where readeth he that at that time when Cornelius was baptized it was the common opinion that the Gentiles should be circumcised And how came it that Peter did not circumcise Cornelius if that was the common opinion But we must take dreames for reasons from Quakers For it is much that they will give any thing like a reason though it be but a reason with a rag and sometimes worse 18. Against the native signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I wash with water he giveth in his exceptions Pag. 283. § 10. saith That baptisme with water was in use among the Iewes before Iohn's dayes as Paulus Riccius witnesseth and so that ceremony gote the name from the nature of the thing Ans. Though all this were true it will be but a confirmation of this native signification of the word And he and his Paulus Riccius both will have enough to do to make it but probable that baptisme was in use among the Jewes before Iohn Baptist's dayes for as for the Jewish writings the eldest whereof come not near to Iohn's dayes we owe them no faith their designe being the same with the Quakers designe to wit to destroy Christianity the foundation of which was laid by Rabbi Iehuda Hakkadosh about the year 190. or 200. when he wrote the Misnaioth or Iewish Alcoran He addeth Christ and his Apostles give these terms a more spiritual signification Ans. That the word is sometimes taken figuratively as when we read of baptizeing with the holy Ghost and with fire we know as we read also of circumcision of the heart will he therefore interpret the Law concerning Circumcision of the heart excluding the outward circumcision of the foreskin of the flesh Why hath he forgoten his owne axiome granted by all mentioned Pag 278. that the propriety of the word should not be forsaken nor a figurative sense admitted unless necessity compel May not this serve to convince him that we must hold by the proper signification of the word and reject his figurative till he demonstrate the necessity He addeth if we hold to the etymology of the word we must dip in baptisme Ans. Whether we baptize by dipping or sprinkling it is all alike to him for neither will please him and either will prove that baptisme is with water Neither doth the word alwayes signify washing by dipping in the N. T. see Mark 7 4. Heb. 9 10. 1 Cor. 10 2. Act. 9 11 18. As for Iohn 3 5. I shall not urge it and so passe what he saith to it And what followeth is either little or nothing to the purpose or is answered already And as to the baptizing of Infants we need not be at paines to prove this to him who denieth all baptisme whether of Infants or of old Persons And so we come to hear what he saith of the Lords Supper against which he also fighteth CHAP. XXVII Of the Lords Supper 1. WE have seen this Mans weak reasons and strong rage against the Institution of Baptisme And must have a little more patience and hear the like against the Lord's Supper Such is their malice against all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ that nothing will satisfie them but a total extirpation of them all without exception of any and such is their enmity against Christ that they will have every memorial of him quite taken away that there might nothing remaine to discriminate us from Pagans And indeed if their Principles prevaile all Christianity is overturned and manifest Paganisme is introduced Christ did institute a Supper to be religiously observed in remembrance of himself and these men will not be satisfied to take away Baptisme the engadging and honourable badge of Christians but they must have the ordinance of the Supper of our Lord also quite Cashiered that by time when this lasting memorial is removed people may be more easily enduced to renunce all Christianity and perswaded to embrace Paganisme And thus they have sucked-in the venome of some of old who were against all Sacraments such as the Ascothyptoe Messalians Acephali Henry Nicolas the Father of the family of love Swenckfeldus and Almaricus the first broacher of the Seculum Spiritus S. wherein there was to be no use of Sacraments And they are in this worse then the Antichristian Socinians who though they destroy the principal end of these Sacraments viz. to be sealing and confirming ordinances owneing them only for outward professions of faith and thanksgiving yet keep up something of the practice but these our Quakers would take away both name and thing and the thing it self with all its uses and ends that so nothing might stand in their way while posting towards Paganisme 2. But whatever these Desperadoes say we must hold for a sure truth That our Lord Jesus in the night wherein he was betrayed instituted the Sacrament of his body and blood called the Lords Supper to be observed in his Church unto the end of the world for the perpetual remembrance of the Sacrifice of himself in his death the sealing all benefites thereof unto true believers their spiritual nourishment and grouth in him their engadgment in and to all duties which they owe unto him and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with him and with each other as members of his mystical body 1 Cor. 11 23 to 26. and 10 16 17 21. and 12 13. For therein by giving and receiving bread and wine according to the appointment of Jesus Christ his death is shewed forth and they that worthily communicate feed upon his body and blood to their spiritual nourishment and grouth in grace Mat. 26 26 27 28. 1 Cor. 11 23 24 25 26. have their Union and Communion with him Confirmed 1 Cor. 10 15. Testifie and Renew their Thankfulness 1 Cor. 11 24 25 26. and Engagement to God 1 Cor. 10 v. 14 15 16 21. and their Mutual Love Fellowshipe each with other as members of the same mystical body 1 Cor. 10 17. And though the body and blood of Christ be not Corporally or Carnally present in with or under the outward Elements of bread and wine Act. 3 21. yet they are spiritually present
to the Faith of the Receiver no less truely and really then the elements themselves are to their outward senses Mat. 26 26 28. And they that worthily Communicate in this Ordinance do therein feed upon the body and blood of Christ not after a Corporal and Carnal but in a Spiritual manner yet truely and really 1 Cor. 11 24 29. while by faith they receive and apply unto themselves Christ crucified and all the benefites of his death 1 Cor. 10 16 Therefore as upon the one hand we must reject all Corruptions of corrupt opinions concerning this Ordinance such as the Popish sacrifice of the Masse a most abominable device injurious to Christs one only sacrifice the alone propitiation for all the sinnes of the elect Heb. 7 v. 23 24 27. 10 11 12 14 18. for in this Sacrament Christ is not offered up to his Father nor any real sacrifice made at all for the remission of the sinnes of quick or dead Heb. 9 22.25 26 28. but only a Commemoration of that one offering up of himself by himself upon the crosse once for all and a Spiritual Oblation of all spiritual praise unto God for the same 1 Cor. 11 24 25 26. Mat. 26 26 27. As also private masses or receiving this sacrament by a Priest or any other alone 1 Cor. 10 6 And the denyal of the Cup to the people Mark 14 23. 1 Cor. 11 25 26 27 28 29. Worshiping the Elements the Lifting them up or Carrying them about for Adoration and the Reserving them for any pretended religious use they being all contrary to the nature of this Sacrament and to the Institution of Christ Mat. 15 9. As also the doctrine which maintaineth a change of the Substance of bread and wine into the substance of Christs body and blood commonly called Transubstantiation by consecration of a Priest or by any other way as being repugnant not to Scripture alone but even to Common sense and Reason and overthrowing the Nature of the Sacrament and hath been and is the cause of manifold Superstitions yea of gross Idolatries Act. 3 21 with 1 Cor. 11 24.25 26. Luk. 24 6 39. for though the outward Elements here duely set apart to the uses ordained by Christ have such Relation to him crucified as that truely yet Sacramentally only they are sometimes called by the names of the things they represent to wit the body and blood of Christ Mat. 26 26 27 28. Yet in Substance and Nature they still remaine truely and only bread and wine as they were before 1 Cor. 11 26 27 28. Mat. 26 29. As I say we must reject these errours about this Ordinance So upon the other hand we must owne the right manner of its Administration according to Christs appointment which is that his Ministers Declare his word of Institution to the people Pray and Bless the element of bread and wine thereby set them apart from a common to a holy Use and Take and Break the bread take the Cup and they communicating also themselves give both to the communicants Mat. 26 26 27 28 Mark 14 22 23 24. Luk 22 19 20. with 1 Cor. 11 23 24 25 26 but to none who are not then present in the Congregation Act. 20 7. 1 Cor. 11 20. and the Communicants are by the same appointment to take and eat the Bread and to drink the Wine in thankful Remembrance that the body of Christ was broken and given and his blood shed for them 1 Cor. 11 v. 23 24. Mat 26 v. 26 27 28. Mark 14 22 23 24. Luk. 22 19 20 And minde the right way of approaching both as to Preparation before in the time of Administration and after all which is plainely set downe in the Larger Catechisme Quaest 171 174 175. And withall remember that although ignorant wicked men receive the outward Elements in this Sacrament yet they receive not the thing signified thereby but by their unworthy coming thereunto are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord to their own damnation Wherefore all ignorant and ungodly persons as they are unfit to enjoy communion with him so are they unworthy of the Lords table and cannot without great sin against Christ while they remaine such partake of these holy mysteries 1 Cor. 11 27 28 29. 2 Cor. 6 14 15 16. may and ought notwithstanding of their profession of the faith and desire to come to the Lords Supper be keeped from this sacrament by the power which Christ hath left in his Church 1 Cor. 11 27. to the end Mat. 7 9. 1 Cor. 5. Iud. v. 23. 1 Tim. 5 22. until they receive instruction and manifest their reformation 2 Cor. 1 7 Withall it would be remembered that this Sacrament and baptisme though they agree in these things that the Author of both is God Mat. 28 v. 19. 1 Cor. 11 23. the spiritual part of both is Christ and his benefites Rom. 6 3 4. 1 Cor. 10 v. 16. both are seals of the same Covenant Rom. 4 v. 11. with Col. 2 vers 11 12. Mat. 26 27 28. both are to be dispensed by Ministers of the Gospel by none other Iohn 1 33. Mat. 28 19. 1 Cor. 11 23. 4 1 2. Heb. 5 4. and to be continued in the Church of Christ until his second coming Mat. 28 19 20. 1 Cor. 11 26. Yet they differ in that Baptisme is to be administred but once with water to be a seal signe of our regeneration ingrafting into Christ Mat. 3 11. Tit. 3 v. 5 Gal. 3 27. and that even to infants Gen. 17 7 9 Act. 2 38 39. 2 Cor. 7 14. Whereas the Lords supper is to be administrated often in the Elements of bread and wine to represent and exhibite Christ as spiritual nourishment to the soul 1 Cor. 11 23 to 26 to confirme our continuance and grouth in him 1 Cor. â—0 16. and that only to such as are of years ability to examine themselves 1 Cor. 11 vers 28 29. 3. This short account out of our Confession of Faith and larger Catechisme of this mater I thought fit to premise that all may see what that doctrine is which we owne and these men oppose And all may see the desperat wickedness of these Sacrilegious Anti Christians who laboure thus desperately to deprive the Church and people of God of all the soul quickening and soul strengthening and comforting Ordinences which Christ out of great love to his redeemed people hath graciously instituted for establishing and building them up in their most holy faith What gracious soul that hath ever tasted of the sweet Refreshing and soul-rejoyceing Communications of grace and love from the God of all grace and love in this special Ordinance can endure to heare these Soul-murtherers thus bereaving the people of the Lord of the meanes of their sweetest feasts These deluded deceivers talk much of their Experiences which yet are but the delusory gratifications of their blinded imaginations and the
are other wayes such as a Promise which is different from a precept and divine Institution virtually including a promise And because he taketh no notice of these wayes his whole discourse is to no purpose for we grant there is no Relation here flowing from the nature of the thing And we see not what way a precept hath any efficacy to the making of such a Relation It is not because God hath commanded us to be holy that therefore such as are holy shall see God's face but because of a promise What will he now do his light hath confounded him so as he knoweth not what he saith But howbeit a precept hath no interest here while speaking of his Relation Yet least he boast as supposing we could not maintaine that there was a command for the use of this ordinance we must see What he saith here If there were any such precept saith he it should be found there where the institution is Which is very true for the very Institution hath the force of a command though there were no more Matthew and Mark saith he mentione no command and Luk only saith this do in remembrance of me Answ. Here is an express command mentioned by Luk and what needeth more The Institution say I hath the force of a command and that the Apostles after practice declared and the practice of the primitive Church and beside all this we have Paul's large commentary upon this 1 Cor. 10. 11. for if there had been no command for this why was the Apostle at all that paines to rectifie abuses among the Corinthians about this mater why spoke he of a cup which he blessed and of bread which he brake 1 Cor. 10 16 Why did he deliver this unto them and tell them that he had received it of the Lord 1 Cor. 11 23 Why doth he not discharge this altogether as he doth the Love feasts why saith he not There is no such ordinance of Christ There is no command for it Is there no precept presupposed nor included in all this wonderful The end which paul expresseth saith he 1 Cor. 11 26. is to declare the Lord's death but this hath no necessary â—elation to or connexion with partaking of Christ's body and blood for though such as partake of this cannot but commemorat his death yet his death can be commemorated without this participation Ans. 1. That declaration of Christ's death is a comprehensive end and includeth a Christian improvement and application of Christ's death to all the ends for which he is held forth in this Sacrament which appeareth by the whole context for where this is not there is an eating of the bread and drinking of the cup unworthily and an incurring the guilt of the body and blood of the Lord vers 27. and to which is required self examination as a necessary preparation and an eating of the bread and drinking of the cup so And such as includeth a discerning of the Lord's body the want of which maketh persons eat and drink judgment to themselves and was the cause why many were weak and sickly among them and many were asleep vers 29 30. And such as requireth self judging to this end that we may prevent God's judging vers 31. Thus we see that such a Commemoration of the death of Christ as is here understood cannot be without this partaking 2 This same end includeth a command to use this Sacrament until Christ's second coming 3. What thinks he of the ends mentioned 1 Cor. 10 16 17 4. How such as partake of Christ's body and bloud in his sense cannot but declare his death is a mystery to me Let him clear to me how a Pagan that never heard of Christ or of his death can by introverting unto the light within him declare Christ's death 5. Though Christ's death could be commemorated without partaking of his body and blood in this Ordinance Yet it will not hence follow that it must not be commemorated by this Ordinance He might as well argue that because Christ's death can be declared in this Ordinance therefore it must not be declared in the Word but the truth is this man would have all declaration of it laid aside that it might be quite forgotten or no otherwise declared than as may be by a Pagan introverting to his Light 12. What saith he to these words This is my body and this cup is the New Testament in my blood As Christ saith he used by the use of natural things to lead the mind of his disciples up unto spiritual things so here Christ took occasion from the bread and the wine which was before them while supping to tell them that as bread and wine served to nourish their bodies so his body and blood should be for their souls Answ. Are not these excellent Commentators Is it any wonder that they will not take this word for their Rule Who ever heard even mens words so abused and perverted O the patience of God! Though I think the very reciting of his words were enough to shame him if he could be ashamed and them both yet let me soberly ask him a few things 1. Why doth he not give us a like instance That which he mentioneth of Christ's speaking to the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. is nothing to the purpose for Christ sayes not there This well is my body Or this well is the New Testament in my blood 2. What signified Christ's blessing of the bread and blessing of the cup if this was all 3. To what end did he break the bread and give it to his disciples and said take eat c. when they had been eating and drinking already 4. Why said he of the cup drink ye all of it if there was no more imported 5. Why said he this do in remembrance of me 6. Was this all that Paul delivered to the Corinthians 7. Was this all that he received of the Lord 8. How cometh it that the Spirit of the Lord in Paul giveth us not that commentary of the words But enough of this piece of profane blasphemous boldness 13 What sayes he to 1 Cor. 10 16. The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ He answereth Pag. 298. That in all this Chapter Paul is not speaking a word of this ceremonie he should say Ordinance Answ. For as bold as he is we will not beleeve him Let us yet hear his reason He saith vers 21. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils c. but they could drink of the cup of Devils and of the outward cup. Answ. Not morally and lawfully because the Apostle here disswades them from having communion with idols upon this very account though they might physically as Robert Parclay may steal and murther But sayes he Paul speaks of one bread vers 17. and this cannot be outward bread
otherwise the inward should be excluded Answ. Both may consist for by the inward they become all one body really and spiritually and by the outward they became one body in profession and open declaration And what inconsistency is here He next tels us that he can see no ground or occasion in the Scripture for this figment of Sacramental union And what remedie seing Institutions of Christ must be figments with him it is no wonder he cannot see what others see But some are so far master of their sight that what they desire not to see their eyes can not see But it may be it is worse with him He cannot but see and yet the light within will not let him see We have mentioned lately some passages to this purpose both in the Old and New Testament and that may satisfie such as will see 14. He findeth the Apostles discourse 1 Cor. 11. A great mountaine in his way therefore Pag. 299 he laboureth all he can to blow it away He must grant that the Corinthians were in use of celebrating this Sacrament and that Paul rectifieth the abuses that were committed in their manner of going about it Yet he saith that the express and special use hereof in the Apostles judgment was to declare Christs death but this is far different from partaking of Christ's flesh and blood Ans. One use doth not destroy another the Apostle had in the preceeding Chapter mentioned the other use and needed not here againe repeat it expresly and we have showne already that this was a comprehensive use and could not but take in their eating of Christs body and drinking of his blood and this is clear in that the Apostle saith that whosoever did eat and drink unworthily were guilty of the body and blood of the Lord and did not discerne the Lord's body Nay himself granteth in the following words that to such as use this it hath an immediat relation to the outward body and death of Christ. And so there is a Sacramental union But he addeth It hath not a necessary relation to the participation of the Spiritual body and blood of Christ. Answ. We grant it as to that which he taketh the spiritual body and blood of Christ to be For there is no relation of the world there But that true beleevers partaking of these elements by faith are really and spiritually made partakers also of Christ and his benefites we assert and he dar not disprove it He addeth That these words of Paul vers 27. say only That seing the Corinthians would needs performe this ceremony as an act of religion they should do it worthily otherwise bring condemnation on themselves Answ. 1. If the Corinthians performed this ceremony as an act of Religion without a divine warrant they were guilty of will worshipe And shall he make us beleeve that Paul or the Spirit of the Lord rather in Paul would not discharge this superstition Nay not only not so but denunce such judgments on them for doing of it but amisse 2. Shall he make us beleeve that Paul would have taught and delivered to them modes of will-worshipe and prescribed the exercise of Superstion Yet Paul sayes vers 23. that he delivered this unto them 3. Shall he make us believe that the Lord would give Paul commission to establish among the Corinthians will worshipe and Superstition Yet he sayes vers 23. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you 4. What way can people go worthily about an act of will-worshipe 5. Would God have punished them with sickness weakness and death for an escape in the manner of will-worshipe and not for the will-worshipe it self What wilde and bold conceits are these He needeth not tell us that from their practice it will not follow that this was a religious act incumbent to others also for we lay not down their practice as our ground but what was their ground is ours the Institution of Christ which he delivered unto Paul and Paul received to deliver unto the Corinthians And therefore it is not a thing indifferent and so not to be compared with that Rom. 14 5. as he dreameth and the practice of things indifferent as such is no act of Religion or of worshipe such as this is And therefore what he addeth Paâ— 300. is but a laying of a further imputation of unfaithfulness on the Apostle for fomenting the Corinthians in their errour and mistake and never once rectifying or informing their erroneous consciences What wonder is it that these proud Quakers account our Ministers unfaithful and what not when this Man dar lay such a foule imputation in Print upon the Apostle Paul Nay blasphemously impute this to the Spirit of God that acted Paul 15. In the next place he thinks he will prove that this Ordinance is not a lasting ordinance § 6 Pag. 300. c. Passing what is but a repetition let us hear his arguments Matthew and Mark sayes he expresseth this as done while they were eating And this was usual among the Iewes as Paulus Riccius observeth for at their eating of the passeover the master of the family took bread and brake it and did distribute it and so did he with wine So Christ who would fulfil all righteousness and would observe the Iewish feasts used this ceremony for his disciples only and took occasion thereby to raise up their mindes to higher things Answ. 1. To this last we have spoken before and why did not Christ take occasion to give this Christian document before this time while they were eating 2. It is true Christ instituted this Supper before they rose from table and what then 3. As for what is reported of the Jewish practice not only by this Paulus Riccius but by several others I doubt if all that is said shall demonstrate that the Jewes had this custome before Christ's dayes seing the eldest of the Jewish writters out of whom they have it wrote not till a considerable time after the Temple was brunt And what credite is to be given to what they wrote when their purpose and designe was to deface and annull Christianity let sober men judge 4. Sure I am there was no divine command for this practice at the eating of the Paschal Lamb and how our Quaker can say that Christ would do this because he would fulfil all righteousness I know not seing righteousness stands in obeying the command of God 5. Though Christ did observe the feasts prescribed to the Jewes by the Lord Yet he would not observe their sinful additions and traditions No he condemned these Mat. 15. 6. That which we are to look to is Christ's practice and we are sure that that should oblige us more then the Jewish practice could oblige Christ. 7. We not only have Christ's practice but a command mentioned by Luk do this in remembrance of me This evinceth no more saith he but that seing that was to be the last occasion of his eaâ—ing with
themselves Are not these sufficient to evidence to all the world how the Quakers vilify the Scriptures of truth 5. Do they not disswade all in their writings as the cited passages evidence from reading or studying the Scriptures or from expecting any light or comfort from them Though Christ in express termes commanded to search the Scriptures Yet they perswade to the contrary And is not this a clear proof of their undervalueing of the Scriptures 6. Whereunto else tendeth that expression of Fisher's in his Velata quaedam revelato p. 4. Ye have Moses the Prophets within you but to disparage and vilify the Scriptures See also Parnel p. 11. For the Scripture is within and was read within before it was read without 7. Is it not a manifest vilifying of Scripture to say that there is no light in it Yet so faith The lip of truth opened p. 7. That light is in the Scriptures prove that or tell me what one Scripture hath light in it 8. Do not they say that whaâ— is held forth in the Scriptures is not bindeing to us Naylor love to the lost p. 16. for all the Saints have their commands in the Spirit but yours is in the letter and so another ministration We have mentioned more above Chap. IV. to this purpose and is not this sufficient to declare the Scriptures null in their esteem 9. What else doth that of Iohn Story in his discovery savour of And I. A. further saith let light without be guide to light within Reply if by this exhortation I. A. meanes that light without should try true light within which shines in the hearts of the Saints then I must needs say it is a very absurd and foolish exhortation and being spoken upon a divine account it is full of idolatry and evil 10. Do not the fore cited passages fully clear that in the Quakers judgment we canâ—ot come by the Scriptures to the knowledge of God or of Christ or of ourselves And is not that sufficient to disparage the Scriptures 11. Whâ—n Christ himself made use of the Scriptures to repel the temptations of Satan Mat. 4. Can we think the Quakers haâ—e any high esteem for the Scriptures who declare them utterly useless as to this as Martin Mason doth in his Loving Invitation p. 11 12. Can they value the Scriptures aright who desire the Lord that he would stripe us of all our knowledge of the Scripture and say that they only make us wise to oppose truth and so bring us into a state of condemnation wrath and misery beyond the heathen See Pennington's quaest p. 12. See also W. Pen's Spirit of truth p. 23. 13. Do they not undervalue the Scriptures who still set them in opposition to the Spirit And is not this the common language of the Quakers 14 If the Quakers have an high opinion of the Scriptures what meaneth all these expressions in the Morning watch Pap. 22.23 of them and of the doctrines received from them viz Traditions of men earthly root darkness and confusion Nebuchadnezzars image Putrefaction and corruption rotten and deceitful all out of the liâ—e and power of God Apostacy the whores cup the mark of the Beast Babylon the Mother of harlots Bastards brought forth of flesh and â—lood the birth that persecutes the son and heire Babylons brats and children graven images c. These sure are no expressions of great estimation 15. What shall we think of what the same Author saith p. 45. So amongst the words you finde how the Saints in some things walked and what they practised and then you strive to make something to yourselves and to observe it and do it as near as yoâ— can and here you are found transgressours of the Law of God who saith thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image nor the likeness of any thing Now what difference is there in the ground betwixt you and the Pope Hath this man the same esteem of the Scriptures that Paul had when he said Rom. 15 4. For whatsoever things were wâ—itten afore time were writen for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 16. Do we not all know how reproachfully the Papists speak of the Scriptures And do not Quakers and they go one way here Let any look Mr Faldo's parallel in the end of Chap. 12. of his book Pag. 131. c. and judge If this be not enough to discover what enemies to and undervaluers of the Scriptures the Quakers are I know not if we can get any more out of hell See what is said above Chap. IV. § 2. 4. 12. 5. What saith he more Hâ—nce moreover because we say that their clatterings and outward faith of an external life passion and death of Christ will no more justify them in the sight of God then the Iewes crying the Temple of the Lord c. but that they must acknowledge a Christ within themselves whom they have crucified to be risen and justifying and redeeming them from all iniquity they say we deny the liâ—e suffering and death of Christ and justification by his blood and remission of sinnes through him Answ. What meaneth he by that ill favoured word clatterings garritiunculae It hath no sound in latâ—ne and no good sound in Engâ—ish in this mater And what meaneth he by an external faith And what meaneâ—h he by an external faith of an external life and death of Christ These expressions are very quakerish that is unsavoury salt of non-sense But when he layeth all the weight of justification and redemption on a thing which they call Christ within every man formerly crucified but now risen is not that as much as if they denied all that Christ did for our Redemption and Justification an Pardon through his righteousness and blood What this man hath said of these things we have seen and examined and because he would fame wipe off this Aspersion from his fraternity let us see what they say in this mater Mr Faldo will help us to some others then we have seen and mentioned formerly 1. What meaneth that expression of Edâ— Burrughs Truâ—peâ— c. â— 17. All that are called Presbyterians and Independents with their seeding upon the report of a thing dead many hundered yeers ago And that of Farnworth what righteousness Christ performed without me was not my justification neither was I saved by it Is not this a plaine denial of justification through Câ—rist and hâ—s righteousness Pennington quaestions p. 2â— is clear enough Can saith he outward blood clause the conscience Can outward water wash the soul clean Parnel's Shield of truth p. 30. And this we witness who through the Lamb our Saviour do reigne above the world death hell and the Devil But none can witness this whose eye is outward looking at a Redeemer a far off Morning watch p. 21. And conclude to themselves a beliefe in Christ and apply his promises what he did for them in the body that