you Mentioned the First though but once your Babel had tumbled about your Ears For if in the Holy Jesus did dwell the Word One of the Three in Heaven or if the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was Truly Essentially and Naturally God then must the Principle from whence his Works did Proceed be better then the Principle from whence Proceeded the Goodness in Adam otherwise Adam must be God and Man Also you do or may know that the self same act may be done from several Principles And again that it is the Principle from whence the act is done and not the bare doing of the act that makes it better or worse Accepted or not in the Eyes either of God or Men. Now then to shew you the Main or Chief Design of the Life and Conversation of the Lord Jesus First It was not to shew us what an Excellent Holiness we once had in Adam But that thereby God the Eternal Majesty according to his Promise might be seen by and dwell with Mortal Men For the Godhead being altogether in it's own Nature Invisible and yet desirous to be seen by and dwell with the Children of Men therefore was the Son who is the self same Substance with the Father closed with or Tabernacled in our Flesh that in that Flesh the Nature and Glory of the Godhead might be seen by and dwell with us The Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory What Glory The Glory as of the onely Begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth Again The Life that is the Life of God in the Works and Conversation of Christ was Manifest and we have seen it and bear Witness and shew unto you that Eternal Life which was with the Father and was Manifested unto us And hence he is called the Image of the Invisible God or he by whom the Invisible God is most perfectly presented to the Sons of Men. Did I say before that the God of Glory is desirous to be seen of us Even so also have the Pure in Heart a desire that it should be so Lord say they shew us the Father and it suffiseth us And therefore the promise is for their comfort that they shall see God But how then must they see him Why in the Person and by the Life and Works of Jesus When Philip under a mistake thought of seeing God some other way then in and by this Lord Jesus Christ What is the Answer Have I been so long time with you saith Christ and hast thou not known me Philip He that hath seen me hath seen the Father and how sayest thou then shew us the Father Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me The Words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me he doth the Works Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me or else Believe me for the very Works sake See here that both the Words and Works of the Lord Jesus were not to shew you and so to call you back to the Holiness that we had lost but to give us Visions of the Perfections that are in the Father He hath given us the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. And hence it is that the Apostle in that brief Collection of the wonderful Mystery of Godliness placeth this in the Front thereof God was Manifested in the Flesh Was Manifested viz. In and by the Person of Christ when in the Flesh he lived among us Manifest I say for this as one Reason that the Pure in heart who long after nothing more might see him I beseech thee said Moses shew me thy Glory And will God indeed dwell with Men on the Earth faith Solomon Now to fullfil the desires of them that fear him hath he shewed himself in Flesh unto them which Discovery Principally is made by the Words and Works of Christ. But Secondly Christ by his Words and Works of Righteousness in the days of his Flesh neither shewed us which was nor called us back to the Possession of the Holiness that we had lost but did Perfect in and by himself the Law for us that we had Broken Man being Involved in Sin and Misery by reason of Transgression Committed against the Law or Ministration of Death and being utterly unable to Recover himself there-from the Son of God himself Assumeth the Flesh of Man and for Sin Condemned Sin in that Flesh. And that First by walking through the Power of his Eternal Spirit in the highest Perfection to every point of the whole Law in it's most Exact and full Requirements which was to be done not onely without Commixing Sin in his doing but by one that was perfectly without the least being of it in his Nature yea by one that now was God-Man because it was God whose Law was broken and whose Justice was offended For were it now possible to give a Man Possession of that Holiness that he hath lost in Adam that Holiness could neither in the Principle nor Act deliver from the Sin by him before Committed This is Evident by many Reasons First because it is not a Righteousness able to answer the Demands of the Law for Sin that requiring not onely a perfect abiding in the thing Commanded but a satisfaction by death for the Transgression Committed against the Law The Wages of Sin is Death Wherefore he that would undertake the Salvation of the World must be one who can do both these things One that can perfectly do the Demands of the Law in Thought Word and Deed without the least Commixture of the least Sinful thought in the whole Course of his Life He must be also able to give by Death even by the Death that hath the Curse of God in it a compleat satisfaction to the Law for the breach thereof Now this could none but Christ accomplish none else having Power to do it I have Power said he to lay down my Life and I have Power to take it again And this Commandment have I Received of my Father This Work then must be done not by another Earthly Adam but by the Lord from Heaven by one that can Abollish Sin Destroy the Devil Kill Death and Rule as Lord in Heaven and Earth Now the Words and Works of the Lord Jesus declared him to be such a one He was first without Sin then he did no Sin neither could either the Devil the whole World or the Law find any Deceit in his mouth But by being under the Law and walking in the Law by that Spirit which was the Lord God of the Law he not onely did always the things that pleased the Father but by that means in mans Flesh he did perfectly accomplish and fullfil that Law which all Flesh stood Condemned by It is a Foolish and an Heathenish thing nay worse to think that the Son of God
should onely or specially fullfil or perfect the Law and the Prophets by giving more and higher Instances of Morral Duties then were before expresly given Pag. 17. This would have been but the Lading of men with heavy Burthens But know then whoever thou art that Readest that Christ's Exposition of the Law was more to shew thee the Perfection of his own Obedience then to drive thee back to the Holiness thou hadst lost For God sent him to fullfil it by doing it and dying to the most sore Sentence it could Pronounce not as he stood a single Person but common as Mediator between God and Man making up in himself the breach that was made by Sin betwixt God and the World For Thirdly He was to dye as a Lamb as a Lamb without Blemish and without Spot according to the Type Your Lamb shall be without Blemish But because there was none such to be found by and among all the Children of Men therefore God sent his from Heaven Hence John calls him the Lamb of God and Peter him that was without Spot who Washed us by his Blood Now wherein doth it appear that he was without Spot and Blemish but as he walked in the Law These words therefore WITHOVT SPOT are the Sentence of the Law who searching him could find nothing in him why he should be slain yet he dyed because there was Sin Sin where Not in him but in his People For the Transgression of my People was he stricken Isa. 53. He dyed then for our Sins and qualified himself so to do by coming Sinless into the World and by going Sin-less through it for had he not done both these he must have dyed for himself But being God even in Despite of all that stumble at him he Conquered Death the Devil Sin and the Curse by himself and then sat down at the Right Hand of God Fourthly And because he hath a Second Part of his Priestly Office to do in Heaven therefore it was thus Requisite that he should thus manifest himself to be Holy and Harmless Undefiled and Seperate from Sinners on the Earth As Aron First put on the Holy Garments and then went into the Holiest of all The Life therefore and Conversation of our Lord Jesus was to shew us with what a Curious Robe and Girdle he went into the Holy Place And not to shew us with what an Adamitish Holiness he would Possess his own Such an High Priest became us who is Holy Harmless and Vndefiled Seperà te from Sinners and made Higher then the Heavens that he might always be Accepted both in Person and Offering when he Presenteth his Blood to God the Attonement for Sin Indeed in some things he was an Example to us to follow him but mark It was not as he was Mediator not as he was under the Law to God not as he dyed for Sin nor as he maketh Reconciliation for Iniquity But in these things Consist the Life of our Soul and the beginning of our Happiness He was then Exemplary to us as he carried it Meekly and Patiently and Self-denyingly towards the World But yet not so neither to any but such to whom he first offered Iustification by the means of his own Righteousness For before he saith Learn of me he saith I will give you Rest Rest from the Guilt of Sin and fear of Everlasting Burnings Mat. 11. And so Peter first tells us he dyed for our Sins And next that he left us an Example But should it be granted that the whole of Christ's Life and Conversation among men was for our Example and for no other end at all but that we should learn to live by his Example yet it would not follow but be as far from truth as the ends of the Earth are assunder that by this means he sought to Possess us with the Holiness we had lost for that he had not in himself 't is true he was born without Sin yet born God and Man he lived in the World without Sin but he lived as God-Man he walked in and up to the Law but it was as God-Man Neither did his Manhood even in those acts of Goodness which as to action most properly respected it do ought without but by and in Conjunction with his Godhead Wherefore all and every whit of the Righteousness and good that he did was that of God-Man the Righteousness of God But this was not Adam's Principle nor any Holiness that we had lost Your Fifth Chapter therefore Consisteth of Words spoken to the Ayr. Your Sixt Chapter tells us That to make Men truly Vertuous and Holy was the Design of Christ's Unimitable Actions or mighty Works and Miracles and these did onely tend to Promote it Pag. 68. He neither did nor needed so much as one small piece of a Miracle to perswade men to seek for the Holiness which they had lost or to give them again Possession of that For that as I have shewed though you would fain have it otherwise is not at all the Christan or Gospel Righteousness Wherefore in one word you are as short by this Chapter to prove your Natural old Covenant Promise-less Figurative Holiness to be here Designed as if you had said so much as amounts to nothing Farther Christ needed not to Work a Miracle to perswade men to fall in Love with themselves their own Natural Dictates to perswade them that they have a Purity of the Humane Nature in them or that the Holiness which they have lost is the onely True Real and Substantial Holiness These things both Corrupted Nature and the Devil have of a long time fastned and fixed in their minds His Miracles therefore tend rather to take Men off of the Pursuit after the Righteousness or Holiness that we had lost and to Confirm unto us the truth of a far more Excellent and Blessed thing to wit the Righteousness of God of Christ of Faith of the Spirit which that you speak of never knew neither is it possible that he should know it who is hunting for your sound Complexion your Purity of Humane Nature or it 's Dictates as the onely True Real and Substantial Righteousness They are Ignorant of God's Righteousness that go about to Establish their own Righteousness and neither have nor can without a Miracle submit themselves unto the Righteousness of God They cannot submit THEMSELVES thereto talk thereof they may notion it they may profess it too they may but for a man to submit himself thereto is by the mighty power of God Miracles and Signs are for them that believe not Why for them That they might believe therefore their State is reckoned fearful that have not yet believed for all his wondrous Works And though he did so many Miracles among them yet they believed him not But what should they believe That Jesus is the true Messias the Christ that should come into the World Do you say that I Blaspheme saith Christ because I said I am
Devil and the Wrath to come No Incouragement to Holiness like this like the Perswasion and Belief of this because this carrieth in it the greatest expression of Love that we are Capable of Hearing or Believing and there is nothing that worketh on us so Powerfully as Love And herein is Love not that we Loved God but that he Loved us and gave his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins He then that by Faith can see that the Body of his Sin did hang upon the Cross bâ— the Body of Christ and that can see by that action Death and Sin the Devil and Hell destroyed for him 't is he that will say Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me Bless his Holy Name c. Psa. 103. 1 2 3 4. Secondly Moreover the Knowledge of this giveth a man to understand this Mistery That Christ and himself are united in one For Faith saith If our Old man was Crucified with Christ then were we also Reckoned in him when he hanged on the Cross I am Crucified with Christ All the Elect did Mystically hang upon the Cross in Christ. We then are Dead to the Law and Sin First by the Body of Christ Rom. 7. 4. Now he that is Dead is free from Sin now if we be dead with Christ we Believe that we shall live with him knowing that Christ being raised from the Dead Dyeth no more Death hath no more Dominion over him for in that he dyed he dyed unto Sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Likewise reckon your selves also dead unto Sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. This also Peter doth lively Discourse of Forasmuch then saith he as Christ hath suffered for us in the Flesh Arm your selves likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the Flesh hath ceased from Sin 1 Pet. 4. 1 2. By which Words he Insinuateth the Mystical Union that is between Christ the Head and the Elect his Body Arguing from the Suffering of a Part there should be a Sympathy in the whole If Christ then suffered for us we were even our Sins Bodies and Souls reckoned in him when he so suffered Wherefore by his sufferings the Wrath of God for us is appeased the Curse is taken from us For as Adam by his acts of Rebellion made all that were in him Guilty of his Wickedness so Christ by his acts and doings of Goodness and Justice made all that were reckoned in him good and Just also But as Adam's Transgression did First and immediately Reside with and remain in the Person of Adam onely and the Imputation of that Transgression to them that sprang from him so the Goodness and Justice that was accomplished by the Second Adam First and Immediately Resideth in him and is made over to his also by the Imputation of God But again As they that were in Adam stood not onely guilty of Sin by Imputation but Polluted by the Filth that Possessed him at his fall So the Children of the Second Adam do not onely though first stand Just by Vertue of the Imputation of the Personal acts of Justice and Goodness done by Christ but they also receive of that inward quality the Grace and Holiness that was in him at the Day of his rising from the Dead Thus therefore come we to be Holy by the Death and Blood of the Lord This also is the Contents of those other Scriptures which abusively you Cite to Justifie your Assertion to wit That the great Errand of Christ in coming into the World was to put us again into Possession of the Holiness which we had lost And that onely Designed the Establishing such a Holiness as is Sealed Originally in our Natures and Originally Dictates of the Humane Nature The rest of the Chapter being spoken to already I pass it and Proceed to the next Your Eighth Chapter tell us That it is onely the Promoting of the Design of making Men Holy that is Aimed at by the Apostles Insisting on the Doctrines of Christ's Resurrection Assention and coming again to Judgement Though this should be granted as indeed it ought not yet there is not one Sillable in all their Doctrines that tendeth in the least to drive Men back to the Possession of the Holiness we had lost which is still the thing Asserted by you and that for the Proof of which you make this noise and adoe Neither did Christ at all Design the Promoting of Holiness by such Principles as you have Asserted in your Book neither doth the Holy Spirit of God either help us in or excite us to our Duty Simply from such Natural Principles But the Apostles in these Doctrines you mention had far other Glorious Designs such as were truly Gospel and tended to strengthen our Faith yet farther As First For the Resurrection of Christ They Urge that as an Undeniable Argument of his doing away Sin by his Sacrificing and Death He was delivered for our Offences because he put himself into the Room and State of the Wicked as undertaking their Deliverance from Death and the Everlasting Wrath of God Now putting himself into their Condition he bears their Sin and dyes their Death but how shall we know that by undertaking this Work he did accomplish the thing he intended The answer is He was raised again for our Justification Rom. 4. 25. even to make it manifest that by the Offering of himself he had Purged our Sins from before the Face of God For in that he was raised again and that by him for the appeasing of whose Wrath he was delivered up to Death it is evident that the Work for us was by him effectually done For God raised him up again And hence it is that Paul calls the Resurrection of Christ the sure Mercies of David Act. 13. And as concerning that he raised him up from the Dead now no more to return to Corruption he saith on this wise I will give thee the sure Mercies of David For Christ having Conquered and overcome Death Sin the Devil and the Curse by himself as 't is manifest he did by his rising from the Dead what now remains for him for whom he did this but Mercy and Goodness for ever Wherefore the Resurrection of Christ is that which Sealeth the truth of our being delivered from the Wrath by his Blood Secondly As to his Ascention they urge and make use of that for divers weighty Reasons also 1. As a farther Testimony yet of the Sufficiency of his Righteousness to Justifie Sinners withal For if he that undertaketh the Work is yet entertained by him whose Wrath he was to appease thereby What is it but that he hath so compleated that Work Wherefore he saith that the Holy Ghost shall Convince the world that he hath a sufficient righteousness and that because he went to the Father John 16. And they saw him no more because he went he Ascended up to the Father was there
Entertained Accepted and Imbraced of God That is an Excellent Word He is Chosen of God and Precious Chosen of God to be the Righteousness that his Divine Majesty is pleased with and takes Complacency in God hath Chosen Exalted and set down Christ at at his own Right Hand for the sweet Savour that he smelled in his Blood when he dyed for the Sins of the World 2. By his Ascention he sheweth how he returned Conqueror and Victor over our Enemies His Ascention was his going home from whence he came to deliver us from Death Now it is said that when he returned home or Ascended he led Captivity Captive Eph. 4. that is carried them Prisoners whose Prisoners we were He rode to Heaven in Triumph having in Chains the Foes of Believers 3. In that he Ascended it was that he might perform for us the Second Part of his Priestly Office or Mediator-ship He is gone into Heaven it self there now to appear in the presence of God for us Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him as indifferent a thing as you make it to be seeing he ever-liveth viz. in Heaven whether he is Ascended to make Intercession for them 4. He Ascended that he might be Exalted not onely above but be made head over all things to the Church Wherefore now in Heaven as the Lord in whose hand is all Power he Ruleth over both Men and Devils Sin and Death Hell and all Calamities for the good and profit of his Body the Church Eph. 1. 19 20 21. 5. He Ascended to prepare a place for us who shall live and dye in the Faith of Jesus John 14. 1 2 3. 6. He Ascended because there he was to receive the Holy Ghost the great Promise of the New Testament that he might Communicate of that unto his chosen ones to give them light to see his wonderful Salvation and to be as a Principle of Holiness in their Souls For the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet Glorified But when he Ascended on High even as he led Captivity Captive so he received Gifts for Men by which Gifts he meaneth the Holy Ghost and the Blessed and saving Opperations thereof Luke 24. Acts 1. 2. Thirdly As to his coming again to Judgement that Doctrine is urged to shew the benefit that the Godly will have at that day when he shall gather together his Elect and Chosen from one end of Heaven unto the other As also to shew you what an end he will make with those who have not obeyed his Gospel Mat. 25. 2 Thes. 1. 8. 2. Pet. 3. 7 8 9 10 11. Now 't is true all these Doctrines do Forcibly Produce an Holy and Heavenly life but neither from your Principles nor to the end you Propound to wit that we should be put into Possession of our first Old Covenant Righteousness and act from Humane and Natural Principles Your Ninth Chapter is spent as you as you suppose to shew us the Nature and Evil of Sin but because you do it more like a Heathen Philosopher then a Minister of the Gospel I shall not much trouble my self therewith Your Tenth Chapter Consisteth in a Commendation of Vertue but still of that and no other though Counterfeited for another then at first you have Described Chap. 1. even such which is as much in the Heathens you make mention of as in any other man being the same both in Root and Branches which is Naturally to be found in all men even as is Sin and Wickedness it self And hence you call it here A living up to your feigned highest Principle like a Creature Possessed of a Mind and Reason Again While we do thus we act most agreeable to the right frame and temper of our Souls and Consequently most Naturally and all the actions of Nature are confessedly very sweet and Pleasant of which very thing you say the Heathens had a very great Sence Pag. 113. 114. Answ. No marvel for it was their Work not to search the deep things of God but those which be the things of a man and to Discourse of that Righteousness and Principle of Holiness which was Naturally founded and found within themselves as Men or as you say as Creatures Possessed with a mind and Reason But as I have already shewed all this may be where the Holy Ghost and Faith is absent even by the Dictates as you call them of Humane Nature a Principle and actions when trusted to that as much please the Devil as any Wickedness that is committed by the Sons of Men. I should not have thus boldly Inserted it but that your self did Pag. 101. tell me of it but I believe it was onely Extorted from you your Judgement and your Apollo suit not here though indeed the Devil is in the right for this Righteousness and Holiness which is our own and of our selves is the greatest enemy to Jesus Christ the Post against his Post and the Wall against his Wall I came not to call the Righteous puts you quite of the World but Sinners to Repentance Your Eleventh Chapter is to shew what a miserable Creature that man is that is Destitute of your Holiness Answ. And I add as miserable is he that hath or knoweth no better For such an one is under the Curse of God because he abideth in the Law of Works or in the Principles of his own Nature which neither can cover his Sins from the sight of God nor Possess him with Faith or the Holy Ghost There are two things in this Chapter that Proclaim you to be aâ—â—â—gnorant of Jesus Christ. â— First you say It is not possible a wicked Man should have Godâ—â— Pardon Pag. 119. Pag. 130. Secondly You Suppose it to be impossible for Christ's Righteousness to be Imputed to an unrighteous man Pag. 120. Answ. To both which a little briefly God doth not use to Pardon Painted Sinners but such as are Really so Christ dyed for SINNERS and God Justifieth the VNGODLY even him that worketh not nor hath no Works to make him Godly Besides Pardon supposeth Sin now he that is a Sinner is a Wicked man by Nature a Child of Wrath and as such an Object of the Curse of God because he hath broken the Law of God But such God Pardoneth not because they have made themselves Holy or have given up themselves to the Law of Nature or to the Dictates of their Humane Principles but because he will be Gracious and because he will give to his beloved Son Jesus Christ the benefit of his Blood As to the Second Head What need is there that the Righteousness of Christ should be Imputed where men are Righteous first God useth not thus to doe his Righteousness is for the stout hearted and for them that are far from Righteousness Isa. 46. 12 13. The Believing of Abraham was while yet he was Uncircumcised and Circumcision was added not to save
Repentance of a Sinner is sufficient to answer whatever could be justly demanded as a Satisfaction thereto which if you should you would in consequence say that Man is or may be in himself just that is equal with God or that the sin of Man was not a transgression of the Law that was given and a procurer of the Punishment that is threatned by that Eternal God that gave it But let me give you a Caution Take heed that you belye not these men Christ cryes If it be possible let this Cup pass from me If what be possible why that Sinners should be saved without His Blood Ought not Christ to have suffered Christ must needs have suffered not because of some certain Circumstances but because the Eternal Justice of God could not consent to the salvation of the Sinner without a Satisfaction for the Sin committed Of which more in the next if you shall think good to reply Now that my Reader may see that I have not abused you in this Reply to your sayings I will repeat your words at large and leave them upon you to answer it You say Actions may become dutyes or sins two wayes first as they are compliances with or transgressions of Divine positive Precepts These are the declarations of the arbitrary Will of God whereby he restraineth our liberty for great and wise reasons in things that are of an indifferent nature and absolutely considered are neither good nor evil and so makes things not good in themselves and are capable of becoming so onely by reason of certain Circumstances Duties and things not evil in themselves sins SUCH were all the Injunctions and Prohibitions of the Ceremonial Law and some few SUCH we have under the Gospel page 7. Then page 9. you tell â—s That the reason of the Positive Laws that is concerning things in themselves iâ—different in the Gospel are declared of which say you I know but three that are purely so viz. That of Coming to God by Christ the Institution of Baptisme and the Lords Supper Here now let the Reader note That the positive Precepts declarations of the arbitrary Will of God in things of an indifferent nature being such as absolutely considered are neither good nor evil some few SUCH say you we have under the Gospel namely that of coming to God by Christ c. I am the more punctual in this thing because you have confounded your weak Reader with a crooked Parenthesis in the midst of the Paragraph and also by deferring to spit your intended venome at Christ till again you had puzzled him with your Mathematicks and Metaphysicks c. putting in another Page betwixt the beginning and the end of your blasphemy Indeed in the seventh Chapter of your Book you make a great noise of the Effects and Consequences of the Death of Christ as that it was a Sacrifice for sin an expiatory and propitiatory Sacrifice page 83. Yet he that well shall weigh you and compare you with your self shall find that words and sense with you are two things and also that you have learned of your Brethren of old to dissemble with Words that thereby your own heart-errors and the Snake that lyeth in your bosome may yet there abide the more undiscovered For in the conclusion of that very Chapter even is and by a word or two you take away that glory that of right belongeth to the Death and Blood of Christ and lay it upon other things For you sâ—y The Scriptures that frequently affirm that the end of Christs Death waâ— the forgiveness of our sins and the reconciling of us to the Father we are not SO to understand as if the blessings were absolutely thereby procured for us page 91. any otherwise then upon the account of our effectual believing I answer By the Death of Christ was the Forgiveness of Sins effectually obtained for all that shall be saved and they even while yet Enemies by that were reconciled unto God So that as to forgiveness from God it is purely upon the account of grace in Christ We are justified by his Blood we are reconciled to God by the Death of his Son Rom. 5â— Yea peace is made by the Blood of his Cross And God for Christs sake hath forgiven us So then our effectual believing is not a procuring cause in the sight of God or a condition of ours foreseen by God and the motive that prevaileth with him to forgive us our manifold transgressions Believing being rather that which makes Application of that Forgiveness and that possesseth the Son with that Peace that already is made for us with God by the Blood of his Son Christ Jesus Being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The peace and comfort of it cometh not to the Soul but by believing Yet the Work is finished Pardon procured Justice being satisfied already or before by the precious Blood of Christ. Observe I am commanded to believe but what should I believe or what should be the object of my Faith in the matter of my justification with God Why I am to believe is Christ I am to have Faith in his Blood But what is 〈◊〉 to believe in Christ and what to have faith in his Blood Verily To believe that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us That even then when we were Enemies we were Reconciled to God by the Death of his Son To believe that there is a Righteousness already for us compleated I had as good give you the Apostles Argument and Conclusion in his own language But God commended his love towards us in that while we were YET sinners Christ-dyed for us much more then being NOW justified by his Blood we shall be saved from wrath through him And note that this word now respects the same time with yet that went before 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 or Intercession Believing then as to the business of my deliveranc from the Curse before God is an accepting of a trusting to or a receiving the benefit that Christ hath already obtained for me by which act of Faith I see my interest in that Peace that is made before with God by the Blood of his Cross For if Peace be made already by his Blood then is the Curse taken away from his sight if the Curse be taken away from his sight then there is no sin with the Curse of it to be charged from God by the Law for so long as sin is charged by the Law with the Curse thereto belonging the Curse and so the wrath of God remaineth But say you Christ dyed to put 〈◊〉 into a capacity of pardon 10 page 91. Answ. True But that is not all He dyed to put us into the Parsonal Possession of Pardon Yea to put us into a personal Possession of it and that
that their believing takes away the Curse but puts the Soul upon trusting to him that before Purged this Guilt and Curse I say before he sat down on the Right Hand of God Not to Suspend as you would have it but to take away the Sin of the World The Lord hath LAID upon him the Iniquities of us all And he BARE them in his own Body on the Tree Nor yet that he should OFTEN Offer himself for then must he OFTEN have suffered since the Foundation of the World But NOW and that at Once in the end of the World hath he Appeared to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself Mark he did put it away by the Sacrifice of his Body and Soul when he dyed on the Cross but he could not then put away the inward Filth of those that then remained Unconverted or those that as yet wanted being in the World The putting away of Sin therefore that the Holy Ghost here intendeth is such a putting of it away as respecteth the Guilt Curse and Condemnation thereof as it stood by the Accusations of the Law against all Flesh before the Face of God which Guilt Curse and Condemnation Christ himself was made in that day when he dyed the Death for us And this is the First and Principle Intendment of the Angel in that blessed saying to Godly Joseph concerning Christ He shall save his People from their Sins from the Guilt and Curse due to them first and afterwards from the Filth thereof This is yet manifest farther because the Heart is Purified by Faith and Hope Acts 9. 15. 1 John 3. 3 4. Now it is not the Nature of Faith I mean of Justifying Faith to have any thing for an Object from which fetcheth Peace with God Holiness before or besides the Christ of God himself for he is the way to the Father and no Man can come to the Father but by him Come that is so as to find Acceptance and Peace with him The Reason is because without his Blood Guilt remains Heb. 9. 22. He hath made Peace by the Blood of his Cross so then Faith in the first place seeketh Peace But why Peace First because till Peace is fetched into the Soul by Faiths laying hold on the blood of Christ Sin remains in the Guilt and Curse though not in the sight of God yet upon the Conscience through the Power of Unbelief He that believeth not stands yet Condemned Now so long as Guilt and the Curse in Power remains there is not Purity but Unbelief not Joy but Doubting not Peace but Peevishness not Content but Murmuring and Anger against the Lord himself The Law Worketh Wrath Rom. 4. Wherefore as yet there can be no Purity of Heart because that Faith yet wants his Object But having once found Peace with God by believing what the Blood of Christ hath done Joy followeth so doth Peace Quietness Content and Love Which is also the fulfilling of the Law Yet not from such Dungish Principles as yours For so the Apostle calls them Phil. 3. But from the Holy Ghost it self which God by Faith hath granted to be received by them that believe in the Blood of his Jesus But you add That Christ giveth First Repentance and then forgiveness of Sins Page 17. Answ. 1. This makes nothing for the Holiness which we lost in Adam for the Proof of which you bring that Text Acts 5. 31. 2. But for Christ to take away Guilt and the Curse from before the Face of â—ods is one thing and to make that discovery is another 3. Again Christ doth not give forgiveness for the sake of that Repentance which hath it's rise Originally from the Dictates of our own nature which is the thing you are to prove for that Repentance is called the Sorrow of this World and must be again Repented of But the Repentance mentioned in the Text is that which comes from Christ But 4. It cannot be for the sake of Gospel Repentance that the forgiveness of Sins is Manifested because both are his Peculiar Gift 5. Therefore both Faith and Repentance and Forgiveness of Sins are given by Christ and come to us for the sake of that Blessed Offering of his Body once for all For after he Arose from the Dead having led Captivity Captive and taken the Curse from before the Face of God therefore his Father gave him Gifts for Men even all the things that are Necessary and Effectual for our Conversion and Preservation in this World c. Ephes. 4. 6 7 8. This Text therefore with all the rest you bring falleth short of the least shew of Proof That the great Errand for which Christ came into the World was to put us in Possession of the Holiness that we had lost Your Third Chapter is as Empty of the Proof of your Design as that through which we have passed there being not one Scripture therein Tited that giveth the least intimation that ever it entred into the Heart of Christ to put us again into Possession of that Holiness which we had before we were Converted for such was that we lost in Adam You tell us the Sum of all is That we are Commauded to add to our Faith Vertue c. Page 35. I suppose you intend a Gospel Faith which if you can prove Adam had before the fall and that we lost this Faith in him and also that this Gospel Faith is none other but that which Origianally ariseth from or is the Dictates of Humane Nature I will confess you have Scripture and Knowledge beyond me In the mean time you must suffer me to tell you you are as far in this from the mind of the Holy Ghost as if you had yet never in all your days heard whether there be a Holy Ghost or no. Add to your Faith The Apostle here lays a Gospel Principle viz. Faith in the Son of God which Faith layeth hold of the forgiveness of Sins alone for the sake of Christ Therefore he is a great way off of laying the Purity of the Humane Nature the Law as written in the heart of natural man as the Prenciple of Holiness from whence is produced good Works in the Soul of the Godly In your Fourth Chapter also Pag. 28. even in the beginning thereof even with one Text you have overthrown your whole Book This Chapter is to prove that the onely Design of the Promises and Threatnings of the Gospel is to Promote and put us again in Possession of the Holiness we had lost For that the Reader must still remember is the onely Design of your Book Pag. 12. Whereas the First Text you speak of maketh mention of the Divine Nature or of the Spirit of the Living God which is also received by the Precious Faith of Christ and the Revelation of the Knowledge of him this Blessed Spirit and therefore not the Dictates of Humane Nature is the Principle that is laid in the Godly But Adam's Holiness had neither
the Son of God if I do not the Works of my Father believe me not but if I do though you believe not me believe the Works that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him John 10. 37 38. But what is it to believe that he is Messias or Christ Even to believe that this Man Jesus was ordained and appointed of God and that before all Worlds to be the Saviour of Men by accomplishing in himself an Everlasting Righteousness for them and by bearing their Sins in his Body on the Tree that it was he that was to Reconcile us to God by the Body of his Flesh when he hanged on the Cross. This is the Doctrine that at the beginning Christ Preached to that Learned Ignorant Nicodemus As Moses said he lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not Perish but have Everlasting Life The Serpent was lifted up upon a Pole Christ was hanged on a Tree the Serpent was lifted up for Murmurers Christ was hanged up for Sinners the Serpent was lifted up for them that were bitten with Fiery Serpents the fruits of their wicked Murmuring Christ was hanged up for them that are bitten with Guilt the rage of the Devil and the fear of Death and Wrath the Serpent was hanged up to be looked on Christ was hanged up that we might believe in him that we might have Faith in his Blood They that looked upon the Serpent of Brass lived They that believe in Christ shall be saved and shall never perish Was the Serpent then lifted up for them that were good and Godly No but for the Sinners So God commended his Love to us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ dyed for us But what if they that were Stung could not because of the swelling of their face look up to the Brazen Serpent then without remedy they dye So he that believeth not in Christ shall be Damned But might they not be healed by humbling themselves one would think that better then to live by looking up onely No onely looking up did it when death swallowed up them that looked not This then is the Doctrine Christ came into the World to save Sinners according to the Proclamation of Paul Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that through this Man is Preached unto you the forgiveness of Sins and by him all that believe are Justified from all things from which they could not be Justified by the Law of Moses The forgiveness of Sins But what is meant by forgiveness Forgiveness doth strictly respect the Debt or Punishment that by Sin we have brought upon our selves But how are we by this Man forgiven this Because by his Blood he hath answered the Justice of the Law so made amends to an offended Majesty Besides this Man's Righteousness is made over to him that looks up to him for Life Yea that man is made the Righteousness of God in him This is the Doctrine that the Miracles were wrought to confirm and that both by Christ and his Apostles and not that Holiness and Righteousness that is the fruit of a feigned Purity of our Nature Take two or three Instances for all The Jews came round about him and said unto him How long dost thou make us to doubt If thou be the Christ tell us plainly Jesus answered them I told you and you believed not the Works that I do in my Fathers name they bear witness of me but ye believe not because ye are not of my Sheep John 10. 24 25 26. By this Scripture the Lord Jesus testifies what was the end of his Words and wondrous Works viz. That men might know that he was the Christ that he was sent of God to be the Saviour of the World and that these Miracles required of them first of all that they accept of him by believing a thing little set by by our Author for in Pag. 299. he preferâ—eth his doing Righteousness far before it and above ALL things else his words are Verbatim thus Let us exercise our selves unto Real and Substantial Godliness such as he hath Described in the first part of his Book viz. That which is the Dictares of his Humane Nature c. and in keeping our Consciences vsid of Offence both towards God and towards Men and in studying the Gospel to enable us not to Discourse or onely to BELIEVE but also and above ALL things to DOWELL But Believing though not with this man yet by Christ and his wondrous Miracles is expected first and above ALL things from men and to do well in the best Sence though his Sence is the worst is that which by the Gospel is to come after Secondly Go into all the World and Preach the Gospel unto every Creature He that Believeth and is Baptized shall be saved and he that Believeth not shall be Damned And these signs shall follow them that Believe In my Name shall they cast out Devils they shall speak with New Tongues they shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them c. Mark 16. 16 17 18. Mark you here it is Believing Believing It is I say Believing that is here required by Christ. Believing what The Gospel even good Tydings to Sinners by Jesus Christ good Tydings of Good glad Tydings of good things Mark how the Apostle hath it the glad Tydings is that through Jesus is Preached the forgiveness of Sins and by him all that BELIEVE are Justified from ALL things from which they could not be Justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13. 33 39. These Signs shall follow them that Believe Mark Signs before and Signs after and all to Exite to and Confirm the weight of Believing And they went forth and Preached every where the Lord working with them and Confirming the Word with Signs following Amen Mark 16. 20. Thirdly Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that we have heard least at any time we should let them slip For if the Word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every Transgression and Disobedience received a just Recompence of Reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was Confirmed to us by them that heard him God also bearing them Witness with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will Heb. 2. 1 2 3 4. Here we are Excited to the Faith of the Lord Jesus under these Words so great Salvation As if he had said Give earnest heed the most earnest heed to the Doctrine of the Lord Jesus because it is SO great Salvation What this Salvation is he tells us it is that which was Preached by the Lord himself That God so loved the World that he gave his onely Begotten Son that whosoever Believed in
him should not Perish but have Everlasting Life John 3. God SO Loved that he gave his Son to be SO great Salvation Now as is expressed in the Text to be the better for this Salvation is to give heed to hear it for Faith cometh by hearing He saith not give heed to doing but to the Word you have HEARD Faith I say cometh by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. But that this hearing is the hearing of Faith is farther Evident 1. Because he speaketh of a great Salvation accomplished by the Love of God in Christ accomplished by his Blood By his own Blood he entred into Heaven it self having Obtained Eternal Redemption for us Heb. 9. 2. This Salvation is set in Opposition to that which was Propounded before by the Ministration of Angels which Consisted in a Law of Works that which Moses received to give to the Children of Israel For the Law a command to Works and Duties was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ. To live by doing Works is the Doctrine of the Law and Moses but to live by Faith and Grace is the Doctrine of Christ and the Gospel Besides the threatning being pressed with an HOW shall we escape Respects still a Better a Freer a more Gracious Way of Life then either the Morral or Ceremonial Law for both these were long before but here comes in another Way not that Propounded by Moses or the Angels but since by the Lord himself How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at First began to be spoken by the Lord and was Confirmed to us by then that heard him Now Mark It is this Salvation this SO great and Eternal Salvation that was obtained by the Blood of the Lord himself It was this even to Confirm Faith in this that the God of Heaven himself came down to Confirm by Signs and Wonders God bearing them Witness both with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own Will Thus we see that to establish a Holiness that came from the First Principles of Morrals in us or that ariseth from the Dictates of our Humane Nature or to drive us back to that Figurative Holiness that we had once but lost in Adam is little thought on by Jesus Christ and as little intended by any of the Gospel Miracles A Word or two more The Tribute Money you mention Pag. 72. was not as you would clawingly Insinuate for no other Purpose then to shew Christs Loyalty to the Magistrate But First and above all to shew his Godhead to Confirm his Gospel and then to shew his Loyalty the which Sir the Persons you secretly smite at have respect for as much as you Again Also the Curse of the Barren Fig-Tree mentioned Pag. 73. was not if the Lord himself may be believed to give us an Emblem of a Person void of good Works but to shew his Disciples the Power of Faith and what a wonder-working thing that blessed Grace is Wherefore when the Disciples wondred at that sudden Blast that was upon the Tree Jesus answered not Behold and Emblem of one void of Morral Vertues but Verily I say unto you if you have Faith and doubt not ye shall not onely do this which is done to the Fig-Tree but also if you shall say unto this Mountain be thou removed and be thou cast into the Sea it shall be done and all things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer Believing ye shall Receive Again Mark saith When Peter saw the Fig-tree that the Lord had Cursed dryed up from the Roots he said to his Master Behold the Fig-tree which thou Cursed'st is withered away Christ now doth not say as you this Tree was an Emblem of a Professor void of good Works but Have Faith in or the Faith of God For verily I say unto you whosoever shall say unto this Mountain Be thou removed and be thou cast into the Sea and shall not doubt in his Heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass he shall have whatsoever he saith Therefore I say unto you what things soever you desire when you pray believe that you receive them and you shall have them Mat. 21. Mark 11. Christ Jesus therefore had a higher and a better end then that which you propound in his cursing the Barren Fig-tree even to shew as himself Expounds it the mighty power of Faith and how it lays hold of things in Heaven and tumbleth before it things on Earth Wherefore your Scriptureless Exposition doth but lay you even Solomen's Proverb The Legs of the Lawe are not equal c. I might Inlarge but enough of this Onely here I add that the Wonders and Miracles that attend the Gospel were wrought and are Recorded to perswade to Faith in Christ By Faith in Christ men are Justified from the Curse and Judgement of the Law This Faith worketh by Love by the Love of God it brings up the Heart to God and Goodness but not by your Covenant not by Principles of Humane Nature but of the Spirit of God not in a Poor Legal Old Covenant Promiseless Ignorant Shadowish Natural Holiness but by the Holy Ghost I come now to your Seventh Chapter but to that I have spoken briefly already and therefore here shall be the shorter In this Chapter you say Christ's Death Answ. But not with your Described Principles of Humanity and Dictates of Humane Nature He Designed not as I have fully proved neither by his Death nor Life to put us into a Possession of the Holiness which we had lost though the Proof of that be the business of your Book 2. To make men holy was Doubtless Designed by the Death and Blood of Christ But the way and manner of the Proceeding of the Holy Ghost therein you write not of although the First Text you mention Pag. 78. 79. doth fairly present you with it For the way to make men inwardly Holy by the Death and Blood of Christ is First to Possess them with the Knowledge of this that their Sins were Crucified with him or that he did bear them in his Body on the Tree Knowing this that our Old Man is Crucified with him that the body of Sin might be Destroyed that henceforth we should not serve Sin Rom. 6. 6. So he dyed for all that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves as you would have them nor to the Law or Dictates of their own Nature as your Doctrine would perswade them but to him that dyed for them and rose again There are two things in the right stating of the Doctrine of the Effects of the Death and Blood of Christ that do Naturally Effect in us an Holy Principle and also a life becoming such a Mercy First For that by it we are set at liberty by Faith therein from the Guilt and Curse that is due to Guilt from Death the
before we know it But say you the Actual removing of our Guilt is not the necessary and immediate Result of his Death Pag. 91. Answ. Yea but it is from before the Face of God and from the Judgement and Curse of the Law For before God the Guilt is taken away by the Death and Blood of his Son immediately for all them that shall be saved else how can it be said we are Justified by his Blood He hath made Peace by his Blood He loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood and that we are Reconciled to God by the Death of his Son which can by no means be If notwithstanding his Death and Blood Sin in the Guilt and Consequently the Curse that is due thereto should yet remain in the sight of God But what saith the Apostle God was in Christ Reconciling the World to himself not Imputing their Trespasses unto them Those that are but Reconciling are not yet Reconciled I mean as Paul not yet come aright over in their own Souls by Faith Yet to these he imputeth not their Trespasses Wherefore because they have none or because he forgiveth them as they Believe and Work Neither of both but because he hat First made his Son to be Sin for them and lay'd all the Guilt and Curse of their Sin upon him that they might be made the Righteousness of God in him Therefore even because by him their Sin and Curse is taken off from before the Law of God therefore God for the sake of Christ seeketh for and beseecheth the Sinner to be Reconciled That is to believe in and imbrace his Majesty No say you The Actual Removing of Guilt is not the necessary and immediate Result of his Death but Suspended vntil such time as the forementioned Conditions by the help of his Grace are performed by us Answ. 1. Then may a Man have the Grace of God within him Yea the Grace and Mercy of the New-Covenant viz. Faith and the like that yet remaineth under the Curse of the Law and so hath yet his Sins untaken away from before the Face of God For where the Curse is onely suspended it may stand there Notwithstanding in Force against the Soul Now let the Soul stand accursed and his Duties must stand accursed For First the Person and then the Offering must be accepted of God God accepted not the Works of Cain because he had not accepted his Person But having first accepted Abel's Person he therefore did accept his Offering And here it is said that Abel Offered by Faith He belived that his Person was accepted of God for the sake of the promised Messias and therefore believed also that his Offering should be accepted 2. Faith As it respecteth Justification in the sight of God must know nothing to rest upon but the Mercy of God through Christ's Blood But if the Curse be not taken away Mercy also hangeth in Suspence yea lyeth as drowned and hid in the bottom of the Sea This Doctrine then of yours overthroweth Faith and rusheth the Soul into the Works of the Law the Moral Law and so quite Involveth it in the fear of the Wrath of God maketh the Soul forget Christ taketh from it the Object of Faith and if a Miracle of Mercy prevent not the Soul must dye in everlasting Desperation But say you it is Suspended till such time as the forementioned Conditions by the help of his Grace be performed by us Pag. 92. Answ. Had you said the Manifestation of it is kept from us it might with some Allowance have been Admitted But yet the Revelation of it in the Word which in some Sence may be called a Manifestation thereof is first Discovered to us by the Word Yea is seen by us and also believed as a truth Recorded before the Injoyment thereof be with comfort in our own Souls But you Proceed and say Therefore was the Death of Christ Designed to Procure our Justification from all Sins past that we might by this means be Provoked to become New Creatures Answ. That the Death of Christ is a mighty Argument to perswade with the Believer to Devote himself to God in Christ in all things as becometh one that hath received Grace and Redemption by his Blood is True But that it is in Our Power as is here Insinuated to become New Creatures is as Vntrue The New Creâ—â—ure is of God yea Immediately of God Man being as Uncapable to make himself A-new as a Child to Beget himself Neither is our Conformity to the Revealed Will of God any thing else if it be Right then the Fruit and Effect of that All things are already or before become New in the Christian Man But to return After all the Flourish you have made about the Death of Christ even as he is an Expiatory and Propitiatory Sacrifice In Conclusion you Terminate the Business far short of which it was intended of God For you almost make the Effects thereof but a bare Suspension of present Justice and Death for Sin or that which hath delivered us at present from a Necessity of dying that we might live unto God That is according as you have Stated it That we might from Principles of Humanity and Reason act towards the First Principles of Morals c. till we put our selves into a Capacity of Personal and Actual Pardon Answ. The Sum of your Doctrine therefore is That Christ by his Death onely holds the Point of the Sword of Justice Not that he Received it into his own Soul That he Suspends the Curse from us Not that himself was made a Curse for us that the Guilt might be Remitted by our Vertues Not that Sin was made to be our Sin But Paul and the New Testament giveth us Account far otherwise viz. That Christ was made our Sin our Curse and Death that we by him not by the Principle of pure Humanity or our Obedience to your first Principles of Morals c. should be set free from the Law of Sin and Death If any Object that Christ hath designed the Purifying our Hearts and Natures I Answer But he hath not designed to Promote or to Perfect that righteousness that is Founded on and Floweth from the Purity of our Humane Nature for then he must design the setting up Mans righteousness that which is of the Law and then he must design also the setting up of that which is directly in opposition both also to the Righteousness that of God is designed to Justifie us and that by which we are inwardly made Holy As I have shewed before You have therefore Sir in all that you have yet Asserted shewed no other Wisdom then a Heathen or of one that is short even of a Novice in the Gospel In the next place I might Trace you Chapter by Chapter and at large Refute not only the whole design of your Book by a particular Replication to them but also sundry and damnable Errors