if Sanctification and Holiness without Christs dying for thee could suffice to redeem thy lost soul Christ gave his Life a ransom in vain 2. Christs sufferings are of that worth that they are abundantly sufficient to redeeâ— our lost souls If not I am willing mine should perish everlastingly But he is God blessed for ever who purchased the Church with his blood Act. 20.28 In his sufferings then there is worth enough worth abundantly enough to redeem our souls for ever Heb. 9.12 He hath obtained eternal Redemption for us We may be as confident of it as we are that we live Our soul is pretious and Christs blood is as pretious and far more pretious 1 Pet. 1.17 18. We are not redeemed with corruptible things but with the pretious blood of Christ Let us then with Paul abhor all sanctification in us all Holiness all works of Faith whatever is wrought by us in comparison of what we spie by faith in Christ And let us put our whole trust in Christs sufferings for the redemption and acquittance or discharge of our lost souls from whatever damnation they are by sin exposed unto that is for justification Arg. 12. For that only doth God justifie us which doth suffice to turn away his wrath from us But Christs sufferings only not any thing done or suffered by us is that for which God doth justifie us This Argument was also pressed the first dispute and enlarged And there not being one word of answer pertinent in his book I proceed and prove the former Proposition Gods wrath hath been kindled against us A Fire saith God Deut. 32.22 is kindled in mine anger and shall burn to the lowest Hell Tophet is prepared Adam unto whom God said in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death sinned and kindled Gods wrath against himself and all his posterity for we are by Nature the Children of wrath In our own persons likewise we have failed of continuing in all and hence is Gods wrath up against us for the Law worketh wrath If Gods wrath hath been stirred up against us it cannot be that we should be justified till his wrath be turned away God burning in his wrath is ready to condemn us to take vengeance on us to consume us as fire not to justifie and acquit us from our ill deserts That therefore for which we are justified must suffice to turn away Gods wrath from us The next Proposition consists of two parts 1. Nothing done or suffered by us sufficeth to turn away Gods wrath Heb. 10.5 Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not Isa 40.16 Lebanon is not sufficient to burn nor the beasts thereof sufficient for aburnt offering ver 15. The Nations are but as a drop of the Bucket How can it be that we poor nothings should be able by doing or suffering any thing turn away the wrath of this Great self-sufficient Soveraign offended with us Can fallen Angels do or suffer any thing When we are made to suffer in our own persons it is for ever for ever that we suffer because miserable worms we never can suffer enough that his wrath should be turned away from us And if burning Ten thousand Millions of years in Hell is not enough to turn his wrath away how little reason is there to imagine that a little faith and the works that follow should suffice If this were enough then in vain did Christ say Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy will O God In vain was Christ our Passover sacrificed for us for what end did he come for what end was he sacrificed for us but that he might make attonement for us that he might make Reconciliation for the sins of the People that he might turn away wrath and so the destroying Angel might pass over us 2. Christs sufferings do suffice to turn away Gods wrath from us 1 Jo. 2.1 2. We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous And he is the Propitiation for our sins Heb. 13.12 But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever sat down on the right hand of God Eph. 5.2 Christ hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and asacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Let us then place no confidence in sanctification holiness faith and the works that follow as if these saying aside Christs death on the Cross could turn away Gods wrath and render God so well pleased with us as to discharge acquit justifie us but let us by true faith repose all our trust in Jesus who offered himself a sacrifice for us for justification deliverance from wrath to come He is the only hiding place from the storm the only covert from the tempest Arg. 13. That for which God justifies us must suffice to satisfie his justice for our transgression But Christs sufferings only nothing done or suffered by us can suffice to satisfie Gods justice for our transgression Therefore Christs sufferings and not any thing done or suffered by us is that for which God doth justifie us Justice is satisfied upon transgression when it hath duely punished it This premised I prove the Major We having not continued in all God will not justifie us without satisfaction to his justice for our sin 1. We may judge of this by Gods dealing with fallen Angels there being no provision made for the satisfaction of Justice for their fall God will never justifie them but they are to be condemned and bear their deserved punishment for ever Why should we imagine that God will justifie any of us who have fallen as well as they never punishing our fall as justice doth require 2. We may conclude it from Gods Law the contents whereof are all equal holy just and good In the Law we may take notice of three things each of which are conclusive of the point in hand 1. Gods Judgement which is alwaies according to truth and he hath judged that whoever of us in the least tittle do break so equal so holy just and good a Law we do deserve his Curse If he had not thus judged he would not have added this sanction to his Law and said Cursed is he that continues not in all God judgeth this but a meet and deserved punishment And shall we imagine that God will not do what is meet to be done That God should not act according to his own Judgement Hence I think we may conclude God justifieth none of us without punishing our sins 2. Gods Truth God having said in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death and cursed is he that continues not in all doth not his truth engage him to execute his justice in punishing sin should mercy offer to pronounce any man absolved his sin unpunished Truth would stop the mouth of mercy and say hold I have said Cursed is he that continues not in all and I cannot but be true Hence I conclude no offender is justified but his sin is punished to the full 3.
alwaies when it makes use of the word Job 1.1 Job was a perfect man yet not without sin for he cursed his day Phil. 3.15 As many of us as are perfect It signifies not free from all sin for in this sense saith he ver 12. I am not already perfect Hence it follows an Argument from the use of the word in Scripture as I spake wisdome among them that are perfect c. concludes not unless it be first proved that the sense of the word in that place be free from all sin In the First Dispute G. W. objected many things As 1. Christians to destroy the works of the Devil It was Answered So he will in his time He took Six dayes to create the world when he could have done it in a moment Thus he mortifies sin more and more in this Life and will remove its being in the next Quest But why will he not in this Life Answ It is his good pleasure Quest p. 22. Can he see good not to abolish it Can he see the Continuance of evill good Or that his Commands should not be kept Answ He sees good to suffer the ungodly to go on in sin for the eternal advancement of his Justice If it were not so how easily could he change them He sees good to suffer Corruptions in part mortified in his Saints to keep them humble exercise them drive them to his blood and Righteousness for shelter from wrath and to render the infinite perfection of his merits and of his Fathers pardoning grace to all eternity more resplendent and glorious Ob. 2. Then his pleasure and commands are contrary for he hids us be perfect Answ God commands to offer Isaac he purposeth Isaac shall not be offered This shews he doth not efficaciously will every thing he commands Yet though here is a seeming here is no real contrariety By commanding he made it Abrahams duty his pleasure was to make it Abrahams duty Yet was it his pleasure it should not indeed be performed What real contrariety is here If he had further Objected God commandeth us nothing but what he enables us in this life to perform Answ He commands us from the beginning of Life to the end of Life to continue in all things written in the Law to do them yet he enables none of us to obey this command because he will not save us without Covenant of Grace and the continued sinless obedience of Jesus Christ our surety Ob. 3. Either sin is perfectly remeved in this Life or after death If after death whether doth it remain one moment after death Answ It sufficeth me to be assured from Gods word it is not done away in this Life it shall in the next Let the Lord take his own time to effect it Because I see mention of Purgatory p. 20. I further adde that since no unclean thing shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven since Christ is to present us holy unblameable unreproveable in his sight a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle As part of what Christ hath merited touching this point is applyed from time to time to a Believer whereby he dyes unto sin by degrees so at his death the whole of Christs merit is applyed immediately whereby sin is for ever totally abolished and the soul prepared to see God to his unspeakable comfort face to face Ob. 4. But it is the end of the Ministry which is to continue till we come to a perfect man Eph. 4.13 It was Answered That perfect man is Christ with all his Members for he consists of many till we all come to a perfect man And he is thus to be a perfect man in the other world not this Quest Is the Ministry to continue in the other World It was Answered The Ministry is to continue to the last Trump and to the last Trump will sin be in the Saints but then in a Moment will the Saints be changed and perfected and in the same moment will the Ministry cease In the second dispute he urged ver 12. Christ gave Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints Here I asked how long was the Ministry to continue in perfecting of the Saints whether till death or no After a pause he answered not so long as death I gave him a Scripture to prove that the Ministry and Scriptures were perfecting the Saints as long as they live Deut. 17.19 The King shall read therein all the days of his Life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God If he is to learn to fear God all the dayes of his Life Hence thus I argue whilst the Ministry and Scriptures are perfecting the Saints they are not perfected As whilst a Carpenter is building an house the house is not builded whilst God was creating the world the world was not created In the very moment when the world was created in that very moment God did cease from creating But the Ministry and Scriptures are perfecting the Saints all the dayes of their Life therefore the Saints are not perfected all the dayes of their Life He answered the Jews are under another dispensation or Covenant I asked in regard the Scriptures were perfecting the Jews all the dayes of their Life whether he would grant that the Jews at least were not porfected all the dayes of their Life here he was gone for he knew not how to deny it being made so plain though he would not grant it I could get no answer from him Here we may see how false that Assertion of theirs is that there is no coming to heaven for any in the other world who are not first freed from all sin in this It is evident God brought the Jews to heaven yet was not one of them made free from sin in this Ob. Psal 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled It was Answered 1. In point of Justification Believers are in Christ their head spotless clear as the Moon fair as the Sun 2. In point of Sanctification through renewing and assisting grace they do not allow themselves in any known sin but in Gods fear oppose all and this is their evangelical perfection or sincerity Ob. 6. Psal 119.3 They also do no iniquity To which may be added Divin of Christ p 3. He that abideth in Christ sinneth not doth not commit sin in whose spirit is no guile Answ 1. They allow themselves in no sin but sincerely strive to do their duty Answ 2. So far as regenerate and acting from the regenerate part they do no iniquity a Parallel place is Rom. 7.17 It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me Where Paul manifestly distinguisheth between his regenerate and unregenerate part nor is this Tautologie as G. W. insinuates Glory Christs Light p. 21. For to say a man acteth from his regenerate part speaks the springing of his actions from a right principle to say he doth no iniquity speaks the conformity of his Life to a right Rule It follows not hence the Saints are perfectly free
from sin for when Paul in this sense did no iniquity sin dwelled in him Nor will G. W. say I suppose no man is regenerate but who is perfectly free from sin Otherwise though he boasts of being in the Light he must be unregenerate for he confessed he had not yet reached perfection Ob. 7. But guilt cannot be taken away whilst the being of sin remains It was answered it can Ro. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit This intimates there is flesh in such though guilt is removed The Apostle speaks of himself who was then regenerate and in Christ and so had guilt gone yet acknowledged a Law of sin in his members In the Second Dispute this being asserted Eccles 7.20 was urged There is not a just man on earth that doth good and sinneth not The Just person is one that is justified his guilt gone yet he sinneth To this there was no answer given It was said in the first dispute Job 9.19 If I sin thou will not acquit me Answ If I sin as do the wicked with allowance Thus he that is born of God doth not commit sin and God will by no means clear such as are thus guilty Ob. 8. Heb. 12.22.23 You are to come to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect Answ This speaks of spiritual comeing by faith whereby the Saints on earth enjoy communion with God and the Saints in heaven not at their having attained unto the perfection of the Saints in heaven Will he say they have attained to the perfection of God himself For 't is said ye are come to God Will he say every of the Hebrews had attained to be perfectly free from all sin so as to have no evil thought in them any more for ever as it is with the Saints in heaven p. 20. The Scriptures saith he speaks not of any perfection of the body Yet he goes on and would fain prove such a perfection from hence that it ought to be It seems then he asserts a perfection that he grants the Scripture speaks not of But his Argument is weakness it self Duty is one thing Power or Possession another These Eight Objections were all answered in the first Dispute so that he had nothing more to say in vindication of either of them He was not so ingenuous as to write my Answers lest he should discover the sandiness of the foundation he builds his doctrine on I find other objections in his Divin of Christ 1. In the Epistle He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Answ Meritoriously The sanctified need no other sacrifice to fly to all their dayes Will he say none are sanctified that have any sin in them 2. Christ cleanseth from all sin He hath washed us from our sins in his own blood Answ What sin is cleansed is cleansed by Christs blood Christ blood from time to time cleanseth away all guilt from Believers It cleanseth away the reigning power of sin in this Life the being in the next not in this for John washed and cleansed confesseth 1 John 1.8 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves 3. He will througly purge his Flooer Answ Separate the ungodly from the Righteous 4. Can the work of faith and grace be sinful Answ Faith it self can be imperfect therefore the work of faith Lord I believe help my unbelief Imperfection is sin for perfection is duty 5. Page 20. He that is born of God overcomes the World God hath made my way perfect 2 Sam. 22.23 Answ Though he hath his failings his course of Life is holy notwithstanding all opposition from the world or other enemies Will they say none is born of God but who is free from the being of sin then no Quaker is born of God for the man cannot be brought that is perfectly free from all sin Nor can it be proved that by perfect is meant free from all sin David had failings in the end of his dayes and he acknowledged his house was not so with God but David asserts the Perfection of his warlike attempts not of his graces as the context sheweth 6. Such as are in Christ have cast off the old man Answ The Reigning power of sin Have crucified the flesh Answ It is dying a lingring death Faith Purifies the Heart Answ Casts out the reigning power of sin from time to time delivers from an evil frame purgeth out evil thoughts and motions though still others succeed It is said Rom. 6.6 That the body of sin might be destroyed Answ In the other Life it shall in this our work is vers 12. Not to let sin reign not to obey it in the lusts thereof 7. In whose spirit is no guile Answ Who having sin doth not cloak it but confesseth it plainly and is sincere desiring mercy as appears in the next verse Psal 32.2 3. When I kept silence my bones waxed old 8. Are not all the Works of the Spirit of God perfect They glory much in this Objection but there is nothing in it For Answ 1. The Operation or working of the spirit is alwayes perfect he works in infinite wisdom by infinite power 2. The Work or thing wrought is alwayes perfect for its part nature or kind a bud is a perfect bud An Embrio is a perfect Embrio The least Drachm of grace true and not counterfeit 3. Every saving grace though but like a grain of Mustard-seed shall be perfect in degree also in Gods time As was the work of Creation 4. But every saving work of the spirit is not presently perfect in all those degrees of perfection it is to attain unto 1 Thes 3.10 Praying that he might see your face and perfect that which is lacking in the Faith 5. Nor doth every saving grace wrought by the spirit of God forthwith exclude the being of all sin Which is the perfection enquired after To affirm this is to say in whomsoever is any sin in him Gods spirit never wrought any grace that since Moses chode at the waters of Meribah God never wrought meekness in him 9. That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Answ 1. Sometimes the word fulfil signifies no more then sincerely to obey the Law whether in part or in whole In part Ja. 2 8. If ye fulfll the Royal Law according to the Scripture thou shalt love thy Neighbour This is but part for there is another part of the Law requiring Love to God So Gal. 6.2 Bear ye one anothers burthens and so fulfil the Law of Christ That is that part of the Law which requires this duty In whole 1 Chro. 22.13 If thou takest heed to fulfil the Statutes and Judgments which the Lord charged Moses then thou shalt prosper Be strong And in this Life we receive grace thus to fulfil the Righteousness of the Law that is sincerely to obey every precept so far as we attain to
Gods will and purpose In the day thou eatest thou shalt die the death If it be his will and purpose to punish sin in us he doth it Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he Then no fallen man is justified but is sin is punished and so justice his satisfied for that his sin 4. We may demonstrate it from Gods not sparing his own Son Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all What made Gods justice lay on so did Christ ever by sin provoke to this will God punish where there is no sin This is an Ocular demonstration The Faith of a Believer that is justified can here see Justice punishing his transgression and that he is not justified without full satisfaction to Justice God hath punished then the sins of all that are justified in Jesus Christ And the Holy Ghost tells us Heb. 2.10 This became God It became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many Sons unto Glory to make the Captain of their Salvation perfect through sufferings Did it not become God to act according to his Judgement according to his Truth according to his Justice having executed his justice on some of his offending Creatures fallen Angels not to let the sins of his other offending Creatures fallen Men and Women to go unpunished The point is clear That for which God justifies us who have been Transgressors must be that which satisfies his Justice for our Transgressions The next Proposition hath two parts 1. Nothing done or suffered by us can suffice to satisfie Gods Justice Every known sin is a wilful rejection of infinite Goodness a free choice of infinite Displeasure a bold contempt of Infinite Majesty presumptuous Rebellion against infinite Soveraignty and a disdainful making him a Liar who is infinitely a Lover of Truth It therefore carries insinite demerit with it and nothing short of infinite punishment or sufferings of infinite wrath can possibly suffice to satisfie for it But what proportion to Infinity can any thing we do or suffer bear Why do men lie in Hell to all eternity but because they are not able to bear a Curse proportionable to the Infinity of Gods perfections against whom they have offended Faith and the Works that follow can this without the imputation of Christs Sufferings satisfie Gods Majesty for our sin It is Blasphemy against God it is most damnable Idolatry to suppose it It is to debase God and make him our Equal this is Blasphemy It is to exalt our selves and make our selves Gods Equal this is Idolatry in the highest degree For there is none but Gods equal and this is God himself in our Nature that is capable to satisfie God for sin Zach. 13.17 Awake O Sword against my Shepherd against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of Hosts If we crawling worms can satisfie Gods Justice any way for our sins then Christ received the Stroak of Gods Jvstice in vain 2. Christs Sufferings suffice to satisfie Gods Justice To compremise this Argument If when we lay under the Sentence of Death Christ became Surety for us had our sins imputed to him died for us God accepted his person his Sacrifice and for his sake turns away his wrath from us forgives us frees us from Condemnation is reconciled to us saves us then Christs Sufferings do suffice abundantly to satisfie Gods Justice for our sins But the Antecedent is true therefore the Consequent also 1. We lay under the sentence of Death Eph. 2.3 We were by nature the Children of wrath even as others 2. Christ became our Surety Heb. 7.22 By so much was Jesus made the surety of a better Testament 3. He died for us 1 Cor. 15.3 Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture 4. God accepted of his Sacrifice Eph. 5.2 He gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling Savour 5. God accepted of his Person Heb. 8.1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum We have such an High Priest who is set on the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens 6. For his sake doth God turn away his wrath from us 1 John 2.2 He is the propitiation for our sins He saves us from the wrath to come 7. For his sake doth God forgive us Col. 1.14 In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of our sins 8. For his sake doth God free us from Condemnation Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus 9. For his sake is God reconciled to us Rom. 5.10 If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son 1. Pet 3 18. Christ also hath once suffered for us the just for the unjust to bring us to God 10. For his sake he saves us Rom. 5.9 Much more then being now justified by his blood shall we be saved from wrath through him What can we desire more to manifest that Gods Justice is fully satisfied for our sins by the sufferings of Christ Christs Sufferings then are the hope set before us and God hath spoken with an Oath That by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie we might have strong Consolation who are fled for refuge from the Stroke of Gods Justice hither Christs sufferings fled to by Faith are they for which God will justifie us For in regard they have fully satisfied Justice for our sins we may be confident they will secure us from Condemnation it being against Justice it self to punish those sins a second time that have been punished to the full already Against this Doctrine of Satisfaction G. W. Div. of Christ objecteth many things I shall briefly run them over and reduce them to five Conclusions Obj. 1. Satisfaction is not needful Cannot God command his wrath p. 62. Cannot he satisfie and please himself Man can pardon without satisfaction this were to render God more cruel than man 62. Such Blasphemy is this man not afraid to utter The Lord convince and humble him But I answer Canst thou Reader see fallen Angels tormented in hell to all eternity because Gods Justice is no way satisfied for their sins and yet say what need is there for any satisfaction When God judgeth it meet all sin should be punished when in his Threats he hath declared his Will and Purpose for it bound himself by his Truth and Faithfulness canst thou yet say what need have I of any Saviour to satisfie Justice for my sins When God spared not his Son wilt thou say what need these Stroaks of Justice Yet if this Doctrine be true God is cruel in this mans eyes Possibly he will say too If God doth damn the Impenitent if he damnes the fallen angels he is cruel for he can command wrath Can a King forgive all violation of his Laws without punishing any and reign It would not be his perfection to do this
He was raised again for our Justification Chap 8. 34. He lives for ever to make intercession for us So his Godhead concurs with his Man hood in applying his purchase to us and thus his Divine Power gives us all things that pertain to Life and Godliness But this hath nothing in it to prove that considered meerly as God he is our Saviour and that he never as God man purchased Salvation for us or that he applies salvation to us without any respect to his purchase or that his manhood doth not at all concur in applying salvation to us God is our Saviour but in saving us he give us nothing but what is purchased Let it be remembred that since Christ as God-man did purchase our salvation and still his Manhood concurrs with his Godhead in applying it Christ as God man is our Saviour and not as God only And to deny that Christ is our Saviour as God-man is to contradict all promises and Prophecies concerning Christ as the Son of Man the Seed of the Woman the seed of Abraham of David that a bone of him shall not be broken that he should be a man of sorrows In the old Testament And to contradict the whole History of the New and indeed the whole Gospel of Christ What saith he of himself Rev. 22.16 I am the Root and Of-spring of David As God the Root as man the Of-spring And what was his main design in taking our nature Mind that Scripture Matt. 26.28 This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins His design was by dying for us to purchase our pardon and consequently salvation Act. 20.28 God purchased the Church by his blood This never could be excluding his manhood As God man then he is our Saviour It follows If the light in every man can of it self Reveal Chrst as our Saviour then it must without the help of supernatural Revelation discover that the Son of God took our Nature on him that he did dye for us that he did purchase forgiveness and salvation for us by his death If it cannot Reveal these things it cannot reveal our Saviour for by these things he is our Saviour Let me a new propound my Argument That that Reveals not Christ as God-man that hath dyed for us to purchase our forgiveness cannot be a full Rule cannot guide us to salvation But this Light cannot so Reveal him I prove the Major by that Scripture John 6.53 Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you Except by a lively Contemplation of your humane nature assumed into one person with my divine Nature faith in Gods mercy springs and is dayly nourished and strengthened and quickned in you Your souls are not sanctified not reconciled to God and his wayes you have no heart to serve God in sincerity so as to be accepted of God and to live with him in Eternity You are dead in your sins If life Eternal be to know him as Jesus Christ whom the Father sent John 17.3 Then not to know him as Jesus Christ whom the Father hath sent is to be deprived of Eternal life The Jews therefore though they trust in a promised Messiah yet not looking on him as already sent they perish God hath now set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his Blood Rom. 3.25 If we have have not faith in his blood then there is but little hope to have Gods wrath turned away from us But the light in every Man as hath been shewn cannot of it self reveal Christ at all much less thus reveal him We have a Maxim in Philosophy nil fit in intellectu quod non fuit prius in sensu All our knowledge comes in by our senses And it holds good here for as we in this age could never have known that there was such a man as Alexander the great were it not that we read and hear of him so by the bare light in every man never could we attain to know that Christ was born that he lived a sinless life that he suffered death suffered for our sins by the appointment of the Father and thereby obtained Eternal Redemption for us and that he rose the third day and is now removed up into glory God doth not ordinarlly give us this knowledge any other way but by our senses Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing vers 14. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard This knowledge then comes not from our light within but from our light without viz. the Gospel read or preached to us The Conclusion 1 hope is now evident that this light in every man is no full Rule nor by it self is it any Rule at all to Heaven Object G. W. Divinity of Christ p. 41. Then all the Gentiles that have not the Gospel preached to them perish Answ 1. The Scriptures Reveals but one way of Salvation for the Jew and for the Gentile or Heathen and that his knowledge of and faith in Christ Rom. 3.30 Seeing it is one God shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and the Vncircumcision through Faith Gal. 3.8 The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith Preached before the Gospel unto Abraham 2. Therefore where God designs the saving of any among the Gentiles he doth bring them to the knowledge of Christ and works faith in them and this ordinarily by the Gospel which the word of Faith Ro. 15.12 There shall be a Root of Jesse and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust 3. Therefore where the Gospel is not given generally they perish Where no Vision is the people perish Object Divination of Christ p. 40. This layes the blame upon God that they are not saved Answ Methinks Men should dread to oppose so clear a truth by so desperate a deduction least God condemn them for Blasphemers of his Majesty at the last day A fallen creature without a Saviour cannot be saved now is the blame to be laid on God that Devils are not saved because God provided not a Saviour for them What a wicked and hellish Position is this if God gives not every sinner what is necessary to Salvation the blame is to be laid on God that he is not saved Without Regeneration no man can be saved is the blame of every damned mans perdition to be laid on God because he did not Regenerate him Is God thus a debter to sinners Who hath first given to him By sin all mankind hath forfeited salvation God was not bound to provide for us a Saviour any more then for the fallen Angels therefore it cannot be he should be bound to give the Gospel to every one of us though without this we ordinarily perish The Gospel is Gods own and may he not without blame do what he will with his own give it to whom he please and deny it to whom he
Natures are corrupt It is true this confirms our Doctrine for this is the punishmem of the first Transgression but how can it be that we should be conceived in sin brought forth unclean and deprived of Gods Image and thus bear the punishment of Adams first sin before we were ever capable of actual Transgression but that we sinned in Adam God reckoned that first sin to us as ours God doth not punish that person in whom he doth not first see a transgression We conclude therefore we are made sinners not only by personal evil but by imputation of Adams sin also And because we are made righteous by Christs Obedience as we are made sinners by Adams Disobedience it follows this is by imputation also and not by conversion only as G. W. p. 21. would have it This Text saith not We are made righteous by the Obedience of many that it should be understood of every mans own Conversion but of one As the Disobedience Adam wrought in his own person on earth makes us sinners so the Obedience Christ wrought in his own person on the earth makes us righteous which must needs be by Gods imputing reckoning and making over to us when Believers Arg. 4. For what God frees us from the Curse of the Law for that doth God justifie us But for Christs Sufferings imputed doth God free us from the Curse of the Law Therefore for Christs sufferings imputed doth he justifie us The Major is evident for to be justified implies an acquittance or freedom from the Curse of the Law The Minor also Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us It is for the sake of Christ sufferings we are freed And if it be not imputed and so made ours and reekoned to us as under gone for us how should any of us reap the benefit of it or one more then another And if we were not discharged from the Curse for the sake of Christs sufferings imputed but for faith and the works that follow without the imputation of Christs sufferings then Christ bore the Curse of the Law for us in vain Arg. 5. What was Typified in the Ceremonial Law is certainly accomplished But the imputation of Christs sufferings was Typified in the Ceremonial Law Exod. 24.8 Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said behold the blood of the Covenam Heb. 9. The Holy Ghost tells us this was in order to remission What did this sprinkling Typisie but the imputation or application of Christ sufferings to us There is no pardon no justification without it 1 John 1.7 Christs blood cleanseth from all sin Yet if it be not applyed how can it cleanse Gods promise therefore is Isa 52.17 He shall sprirkle many Nations And Heb. 12.24 Christs blood is called the blood of sprinkling Ye are come to the blood of sprinkling because it cleanseth only as it is applyed unto us Arg. 6. For what we are freed from condemnation for that we are justified But for the death of Christ imputed or reckoned to us are we freed from Condemnation Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died Therefore for Christ death imputed are we justified Arg. 7. From the express testimony of the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.9 Much more then being now justified by his blood shall we be saved from wrath through him Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Arg. 8. For what God doth pardon and accept us for the same doth he justifie us For to be justified is to be pardoned and the ground of justification is the ground of acceptation But we are pardoned for the sake of Christs death imputed Col. 1.14 We have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of our sins Eph. 1.6 We have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sin Matth. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins We are accepted for the sake of Christ our surety whose sufferings and righteousness are imputed and so made ours Eph. 1.6 We are accepted in the Beloved 2 Cor. 5.19 21. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we may be made the righteousness of God in him It is evident that for the sake of what Christ hath done and suffered we are pardoned and accepted And indeed there is no other way to obtain pardon Heb. 9.22 Without sheding of blood there is no remission Nor to be accepted Exod. 17.3 What man soever there be of the house of Israel that killeth an Ox or a Lamb or a Goat ver 4. and bringeth it not to the door of the Tabernacle blood shall be imputed to that man he hath shed blood and that man shall be cut off from his people v. 5. to the end the Children of Israel may bring their sacrifices to the Priest This Typifies that if we think to have the best services that we are enabled to perform accepted immediately as from us and not for the sake of Christ our Priest presenting them to the Father for us in the merit of that sacrifice he offered once for all they are so far from acceptation that for this God will cut us off from his people He will as soon accept of Murther from us as such a service It remains therefore that Christs obedience to the death of the Cross is the only righteousness for which made ours God doth justifie us Arg. 9. I did argue by a similitude in the second dispute for explication sake because they do so much detest to hear of a righteousness wrought without us and will be justified by no righteousness but what is wrought within them Thus I form my Argument If the Righteousness we are justified by is a garment a Robe even the best Robe then we are justified by a Righteousness wrought without us For our Garments are not wrought within us but without us and we may well conceive that the Holy Ghost makes use of this similitude as for other ends so for this in point of justification to illustrate how that Righteousness for which we are justified is wrought without us even by our Saviour Christ when he was upon the earth here obeying his Father to the death But the Righteousness we are justified by is a Garment c. In this Dispute I found nothing at all of solidity in my Adversary so much as in his Answer to this The upright put on Zeal for a Cloak and Rightcousness for a Garment which is true of the Righteousness of Sanctification and is this Righteousness wrought without them Answ Hence it follows the Holy Ghost doth not alwaies using this similitude intimate to us that that Righteousness which is put on is wrought without us However he may sometimes And that he doth Luke 15.22 Bring forth the best
not the Author of sin in decreeing to permit or in fore-ordaining it p. 41 42. For what God doth can neither be partiality nor cruelty nor unholiness Is he partial that gives his Alms where he pleaseth Is he cruel that never denies any due Compassion Who can prove that converting confirming Grace is a due Debt to every fallen man and woman Who hath first given to him Or is the Judge cruel that hangs up a Murtherer God doth actually damn none but the finally impenitent Acts 2.23 Christ being delivered by the determinate Counsel and Fore-knowledge of God you have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain Chap. 4.27 28. Against thy Holy Child Jesus Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Governors and People of Israel were gathered together to do whatsoever thy Hand and thy Counsel determined before to be done Is God the Author of Sin in determining or fore-ordaining the wicked actions of these men It is one thing to decree the permission of sin or to fore-ordain it another thing to commit it Between Gods fore-ordaining the sin and the actual commission of it came in the Will and Wicked Hands of men This Will and these wicked hands were the Author and Cause of sin and not Gods Fore-ordination 3. That it doth not become us to have the least Risings of heart against it and say as p. 41. If any are reprobated they cannot avoid Hell and Damnation whatever they do Or as p. 45. Then the blame of mans Damnation is to be laid on God This is the same with that Rom. 9.19 For why doth he yet find fault who hath resisted his Will What the Apostle speaks in the following Verses must quiet us Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same Lump to make one Vessel to Honour another to Dishonour 4. That it tends not to drive any to a sinful Despair p. 41. It is indeed a dreadful Doctrine and to be trembled at yet doth it leave room for comfort It tends to make an impenitent man that loves his sin to despair of Salvation whilst such but this is a good Despair But it tends not to make any that have not sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost how vile soever they be absolutely to despair Had the Lord passed by all there had been no hopes for any Rom. 9.29 Except the Lord had left us a Seed we had been as Sodon and been made like unto Gomorrah But though all fallen Angels are all fallen men and women are not reprobated This is some comfort and it importunately urgeth all in compassion to their own immortal Souls to turn from sin to God in Christ and to seek after good Scripture-Evidences of their Election I shall lay down two or three 1. Hast thou ever had a heart to chuse Christ Joh. 16.16 You have not chosen me but I have chosen you He that can assure his own Soul that he hath chosen Christ for his Saviour for his Teacher for his Governour for his Portion with his very heart and dearest affections may be confident he is a chosen Vessel of Mercy 2. Hast thou an heart to believe in Christ for Salvation John 10.26 You believe not because you are not my sheep He that can be assured that seeing himself lost in himself and renouncing all trust in his own performances placeth all his confidence in the Obedience and Death of Christ for Pardon Acceptance shelter from wrath and the salvation of his Soul as Paul who knew whom he had believed and was perswaded that he was able to keep what he had committed to him against that day this person hath no ground to fear Reprobation Those that are not the sheep do never thus believe 3. Hath God given thee power over thy Corruptions in some good measure a heart to pray sincerely and a holy Conversation so that thou livest not like the generality of thy Neighbours 1 Pet. 2.9 Ye are a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People Because ye are chosen and dear to God therefore doth Grace reign over sin in you therefore have you hearts to seek God uprightly Therefore are you lovers of Holiness and your Conversation differs from other men 4. Is your heart spiritually tender Rom. 11.7 The Election hath obtained it and the rest were hardned Rom. 9.14 He hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth You are not a Despiser of Mercy a Neglecter of Salvation a presumptuous person giving your self up to known sinful Practices but had rather lose your life than miss of Christ do grieve for what hardness you find do fear God and would in nothing offend him Are these things to be found in Reprobates Let Gods Word give your heart security that you are not Reprobates Yea if heretofore you did in truth experience these things but you are now afraid you have lost all for you have greatly fallen as did David you are sorely scourged as was Job your Faith is even giving up the Ghost with the Disciples We thought it had been he yet are not you fallen from Grace God hath not forsaken you Psal 89.30 If his Children forsake my Law and walk not in my Judgments I will visit their Transgressions with a Rod nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my righteousness to fail Nor have you totally forsaken your God Peter I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not Nor ever shall you totally forsake him for the foundation of God stands sure having this Seal to it the Lord knows them that are his There is a Recovery for you who have seemingly lost your Faith Thomas reach hither thy singer and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing And you shall yet find more strength against the Devil and your own Corruptions more wariness love to God than ever Rom. 8.28 All things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose Therefore still hope you in God still trust in your faithful Advocate Seek the Lord and his strength seek his face evermore Never cast him off that will not break a bruised Reed Strive to be more and more holy in all manner of conversation Faint not nor be dismayed the Lord is your God for ever and ever he will be your Guide unto death He will not forsake his People because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his People I have now through Gods help finished this Work and do hope that through these poor Labours of mine God will give some that are mistaken others that are staggering to discern the dangerous Errours of these People and avoid them And surely if Persons whose hearts the Lord hath framed with all readiness of mind to embrace Truth and only Truth if Persons to whom Truth is precious because proceeding from God and leading to him again if these do but see that where there is no Election among fallen Creatures there is no Salvation which is plainly visible in the fallen Angels they will readily and gladly and thankfully embrace the Doctrine of Election If these were but perswaded that they are cursed who ever diminish from Gods Word they will be afraid to reject Christs Ordinances of the Supper and of Baptism by Water If these heartily believe and they will that Christ did not die in vain Oh they will be torn Limb from Limb rather than part with that most precious soul-saving Doctrine of the Imputation of Christ Death and Sufferings to lost Sinners for Justification If these do but yield Salvation is not now attainable by the Covenant of Works that this Law is now weak through the flesh that it cannot give Life How will they at once let go all hope of attaining perfection in themselves here and desirously seek to have Christs Righteousness imputed to them that they may be found in him blessing praising and admiring God that he was graciously pleased to provide it for undone Sinners and invite them to it If these persons do but seriously consider that Adam fallen notwithstanding all the Light he brought with him into the world was not able to attain to the knowledge of Christ till God revealed him They will surely conclude the bare Light every man brings with him into the world cannot be saving And if these persons do but believe verily the Lord doth bestow on his Church and People a safer and better Rule to walk by than he bestows on the Heathen that know not God they will embrace the Scripture for their Rule and not prefer the Light that is in every man as a safer and better Rule These are the Truths I contend for and these I doubt not will be precious in the eyes of those whom God loves to the end of the World FINIS