and worship him but to plead so obstinately as ye do that the Fourth Commandment bindeth to a particular observation of that day and yet to be found so slack in the observation of it as you generally are in such an Inconstancy as the Quakers cannot own And so whereas thou would'st confine the Lord his giving rest and comfort to the Souls of his People and the falling of the Manna to the First Days calling them Spiritual Market-days as if there were no other we cannot own it knowing that the Lord giveth rest and comfort every day and causeth the Manna plentifully to fall every day to those that walk in his fear and wait upon him and he has no such circumscribed Market-day as thou dreamest of The Priest's Market-day But that ye I mean the Priests make a Market-day of that day so that ye may call it Your Day as thou say'st Page 44. our day we know wherein you sell and vend your Babylonish Commodities and will be forcing and compelling all to come and buy of them or if not to send you Money whether they receive ought or not or else ye will endeavour by the help of the Magistrate to have them punished So that it is made manifest that it is only the Inventions of Men that we disown and not any of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ. Page 46. Thou grantest the word Original Sin is not found in Scripture and yet thou pleadâ—st for it because say'st thou the thing intended by it is contained and expressed in Scripture Answ. We deny that the thing by you intended is exprest in Scripture to wit That all Infants are sinners before God only for Adam 's sin and that there are Reprobate Infants who are sent to Hell only for Adam 's first sin This we deny nor do the Scriptures cited by thee prove it Psal. 51. Behold I was conceived in sin But first if this place should prove the Infant guilty of any sin Infants not guilty of Adam's sin it should be of the sin of its own immediate Parents In iniquity did my Mother bring me forth Now you say the Infant is not guilty of the sin of its own immediate Parents but only of Adam's and Eve's first sin of which this Scripture speaks nothing 2. It doth not say I was conceived and brought forth a Sinner as you would have it why make you Infants guilty of Adam's sin and not the sins of their immediate Parents Now it is granted that there is a seed of sin derived unto Adam's Posterity The Seed of Sin but we say none become guilty of sin before God until they close with this evil seed and in them who close with it it becomes an Origine or Fountain of evil Thoughts Desires Words and Actions which are their sins who close with it But that the guilt of Adam's first sin lyes at the door of Infants who never actually sinned we deny For a Second Proof thou citest Rom. 5.12 alledging It should be rendred that in Adam all sinned But it is no such matter For the words however they be truly Translated can never be so rendred In Adam all sinned The strictest Translation of the words is thus upon which all have sinned or in which all have sinned They hold forth how that Adam by his Sin gave an entrance to Sin in the World and Death by Sin and so upon this accasion all others have sinned to wit actually in their own Person so that all who ever sinned actually it was upon the occasion of Adam's Sin For the Apostle is here speaking not of Infants who are not capable of any Law but of such as have a Law and act against it Yea from the Apostle's words in the other following Verse it is plain that Sin is not imputed to Infants For saith he Sin is not imputed where there is no Law Now there is no Law given to Infants as such for they are not capable of it What the Law saith it saith to them No Law no Transgression who have in more or less some exercise of understanding which Infants new born have not Or if the words be translated in which all have sinned that word WHICH hath a nearer Relative than ADAM to wit Death for the seed of sin is justly called Death because where it is joined unto and obeyed it killeth and so in this seed all have sinned who ever did actually sin And as for the 18 th Verse of Rom. 5. which is commonly used to prove Infants guilty and under Condemnation it is not rightly translated for the word Judgment or Condemnation or Guilt is not at all in the Greek but those who have drunk-in this imagination have added this word to the Scripture so bending and bowing the Scripture to their false Opinion And whereas thou say'st We were all in the Loins of Adam and therefore wouldest infer That Infants are sinners in him or guilty of his sin I say It follows not more than to say We are guilty of all the sins of our Fore-fathers because we have been in their Loins Again thou labourest to prove that Infants are sinners because they are subject to pains and diseases and death But this proveth them not to be Sinners as it proveth not that the Earth is a Sinner or that the Herbs and Trees of the Field are sinners for even these things have suffered by Adam's fall a great decay And as for the outward Death of those that are saved from Eternal Death it is rather a Sleep The outward and eternal Death than a Death as Christ said concerning Lazarus he sleepeth And concerning the Maid she is not dead but sleepeth And therefore that Scripture Rom. 6.23 cannot be applied to them who dye not or perish not eternally for though the Saints lay down the outward man is not as the punishment or reward of their Sins which are forgiven and from which they are delivered And so the sting of Death being taken away in those who are saved it is not that Death which is the Wages of Sin And seeing the Apostle said unto the Saints that all things were theirs even Death it cannot be that their Death should be reckoned the Wages of their Sin How many of the blessed Martyrs have looked upon their Suffering a most violent Death for Truth and Righteousness as a Gift of God How then could it be said to be the Wages of their Sins which implys as if their Sins were not all freely forgiven Page 48. From this Doctrine thou say'st it will follow First That all Infants that dye in their Infancy are saved and though Charity may be pleaded for this Opinion thou say'st yet what Scripture can be alledged for it Infants dying how saved Answ. If I should bring that Scripture Suffer little Children to come unto me for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven It will much more naturally flow from the words than that they ought to be sprinkled which is the meaning
not under the Law but under Grace Q. How cometh the Apostle then to cry out and complain of Sin saying Who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death Doth he speak that as a Condition always permanent to him and other Saints or only that which he had passed through What saith he afterwards A. There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 2 3 5 36 37 38 39. who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit for the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ Shall Tribulation or Distress or Persecution or Sword as it is written For thy sake we are killed all the Day long we are accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Q. What saith that Apostle then unto such who taking Occasion from his words should plead for Continuance in Sin for Term of Life and think to be saved by the Imputative Righteousness of Christ as being under Grace A. What shall we say then shall we continue in Sin Rom. 6.1 2. that Grace may abound God forbid What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid Q. Is not the Apostle then so far from supposing that Condition of being always under Sin to be his own Constant Condition Freedom from Sin or that of all the Saints that he even supposes many of the then Church of Rome to whom he wrote to be free of it How bespeaketh he then as in relation to this matter A. How shall we that are Dead to Sin Rom. 6.2 7 11 12 13 16 23. live any longer therein Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his Death Therefore we are Buried with him by Baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father even so we also should walk in Newness of Life For if we have been planted together in the Likeness of his Death we shall be also in the Likeness of his Resurrection 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 for he that is dead is free from Sin Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto Sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not Sin therefore reign in your mortal Body that ye should obey it in the Lusts thereof Neither yield ye your Members as Instruments of Unrighteousness unto Sin but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the Dead and your Members as Instruments of Righteousness unto God Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves Servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of Sin unto Death or of Obedience unto Righteousness But God be thanked that ye were the Servants of Sin but ye have Obeyed from the Heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered unto you Being then made free from Sin ye became the Servants of Righteousness I speak after the manner of Men because of the Infirmity of your Flesh for as ye have yielded your Members Servants to Uncleanness and to Iniquity even so now yield your Members Servants to Righteousness unto Holiness For when ye were the Servants of Sin ye were free from Righteousness What Fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the End of those things is Death But now being made free from Sin and become Servants to God ye have your Fruit unto Holiness and the End Everlasting Life For the Wages of Sin is Death but the Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Q It would appear then that God requires of us to be Perfect A. Be ye therefore Perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven Matt. 5.48 is Perfect Q. Is it then possible to keep the Commandments A. My Yoke is easie and my Burden is light For this is the Law of God Matt. 11.30 that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous 1 John 5.3 Q. Is it necessary then for Salvation to keep the Commandments A. Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have Right to the Tree of Life Rev. 22.14 and may enter in through the Gates into the City Q. Do you understand by this Perfection that any have so kept the Commandments as never to have sinned 1 John 1.10 A. If we say that we have not sinned we make him a Liar and his Word is not in us Q Do you understand that those who are Perfect may say they have no Sin or only that having sinned and so having Sin in respect they once sinned as the Apostle in the Passage cited mentions May they notwithstanding thereof come to know Forgiveness for the Guilt but also Cleansing from the Filth A. If we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us 1 John 1.8 If we confess our Sins he is Faithful and Just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all Unrighteousness Q. This Scripture seems to be very plain being compared with the other before mentioned But because some are apt to mistake and wrest the Words of that Apostle What saith he else-where Did he judge any could know God or be True Christians who kept not the Commandments A. My little Children these things write I unto you that ye Sin not 1 John 2.1 3 4 5 6 3.2 10. and if any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous And hereby do we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Liar and the Truth is not in him But who so keepeth his Word in him verily is the Love of God perfected Hereby know we that we are in him He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when we shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And every Man that hath this Hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Whosoever committeth Sin transgresseth also the Law for Sin is the Transgression of the Law And ye know that he was manifested to take away our Sins and in him is no Sin Whosoever abideth in
therefore finding this to pinch him he brings it up again p. 126. where bringing me in saying Infants are under no Law J. B.'s proofless Assertion of Infants under a Law he answers But the Apostle saith the contrary He would have done Charitably to have told me Where that I might have observed it What he saith in this as well as the former page in answer to my Affirmation that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may relate to Death and that it 's understood upon which occasion Man sinnedâ— urging Absurdities by the like Application of Christ's Righteousness is solved by a serious observation of the Comparison as stated by me betwixt Christ and Adam His Arguing from Childrens dying doth not Conclude until he prove Death simply considered necessarily to infer guilt in the Party dying Whether Childrens DEATH argues Guilt in them of which I have spoken before p. 126. n. 20. to my answer to Psal. 51.5 alledged by them wherein I shew that David saith not My Mother conceived me sinning and therefore it proves not his Assertion His Reply is after he has given a Scoff It quite crosseth David's design But why so because in that Psalm he expresseth his Sorrow and Humiliation for his Sins and what then might not David lament upon that occasion that he was not only a Sinner himself but also came of such as were so But when I urge this place further shewing their Interpretation would make Infants guilty of the Sin of their Immediate Parents since there is no mention here of Adam His Answer to this is a Repetition of his own Doctrine A rare Method of Debate very usual to him And then taking it for granted he asks me Whether this Originated Sin of which he supposed David spake for he never offers to prove it though it be the matter in Debate came from another Original than Adam What he affirmed here of my Insinuating Marriage-Duties to be Sin is but a false Conjecture but as to the Hurt and Loss that Man got by Adam which I ascribe to no other Original as being no Manichee I spake before But he should first prove before he Obtrude such things upon others and I desire yet to be Informed of him In what Scripture he reads of Original Sin and whether if the Scripture be the only Rule he cannot find words in it fit enough to express his Faith or must he shift for them else-where The Wages of Sin is Death proved Eternal ¶ 8. Pag. 127. n. 21. He urges Paul's saying The Wages of Sin is Death and to my saying This may be a Consequence of the Fall but that thence it cannot at all be Inferred that Iniquity is in all those that are subject to Death he saith It is in plain terms but my Modesty dare not speak it out to say the Apostle speaketh not Truth Answ. Is not this to take upon him to judge of another Man's heart which elseâ—where he accounts a great Presumption and why takes he no notice or gives he no Answer to the Absurdity I shew followed from thence since the whole Creation received a Decay by Adam's Fall and yet we say not Herbs and Trees are Sinners And while he would make-out this great Charge of my Contradicting the Apostle he forgets the half of his business which is To prove the Apostle meaned in that place Natural Death and not Eternal since the Apostle opposeth it there to Eternal Life and Eternal Death he will Confess is the Wages of Sin which the Apostle shews they shun by Jesus Christ's obtaining Eternal Life whereas Natural Death they do not avoid Likewise he should have proved that all the Scriptures mentioned by him p. 128. are meant of Natural Death which he will not find very easie As for his citing Death as mentioned by the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. the Apostle's words ver 56. Confirm what I say That Death is only a punishment to the Wicked not to the Saints for the words are The Sting of Death is Sin so where Sin is taken away there Death has no Sting and that is the Saints Victory Now he cannot Apply this to Infants without supposing that they have Sin which were to beg the Question And whereas he asks Whether Death be NO Punishment for Sin I Answer that I said not so neither is that needful for me to affirm seeing it is sufficient if it be not always a Punishment of Sin which if it be not it cannot be Concluded that because Infants die therefore they must be guilty of Sin Since then the Absurdities he after urges follow from his Supposition That Death is No Punishment for Sin which I say not they do not Touch me He judgeth p. 128. n. 22. That I run wilder than Papists in saying We will rather admit the supposed Absurdity of saying All Infants are Saved to follow from our Doctrine than with them say That Innumerable Infants perish Eternally not for their own but only for Adam's Fault This he reckons a Contradicting of my Doctrine of Christ's dying for all Infants saved without Christ J. B.'s horrible Lie saying I here grant That all Infants will be saved without Christ. What horrible Lie is this Where say I That all Infants will be saved without Christ If he say it is by Consequence that I say so which he must needs do or else be an Impudent Vnparallel'd Lyar then he Infers it either from my saying Christ died for all Therefore if all Infants are saved it must be without Christ or that If all Infants be saved Christ cannot have died for all for one of these two must be If I Contradict my self But such Consequences are only fit for such an Author as seems to have abandoned all sense of Honesty and Christian Reputation and resolves per fas aut nefas and without Rime or Reason as the Proverb is to bespatter his Adversary As for his adding They that have no Sin have no need of a Saviour to save them from Sin He Overturns it all by asking me in which also lies the pinch of his matter Since I affirm they have a Seed of Sin in them which is called Death and the Old Man how can they put-off this and sing the Song of the Redeemed which all that enter into Glory must do Infants are saved by Christ who died for them Does not this then shew I believe they have need of Christ as a Saviour who died for them to deliver them from this And is not the Contradiction his own in urging this Question which I thus answer How are those he accounts Elect Infants saved whom he affirms to be really guilty of Adam's Sin and so in a worse Condition than I affirm Infants to be for he will not say with Papists and Lutherans that the Administring of that they call the Sacrament of Baptism does it When he Answers this he will solve his own Argument To insinuate That some Infants are damned he asketh me What
Act of Sin and never actually sin in their own Persons do for this sin of Adam Eternally perish Now whether this Doctrine be sutable either to the Justice or Mercy of God I leave the Christian Reader to judge I shall examine the Reasons he brings for it His chief Argument for this in his Dialogue page 47. was That because Children die citing Rom. 23. The wages of sin is death Now I shew him pag. 41. of mine how that made nothing because natural Death of the Saints is not the Wages of Sin for their Sins are forgiven them c. this he hath not so much as mentioned far less answered And whereas he might as well argue that the Earth The Saints natural Death is not the Wages of Sin Trees and Herbs were Sinners because they received great decay by Adam's Sin He slightly passes it over alledging It will not therefore follow that all Mankind who suffer Death are not Sinners Now this is no answer but a meer shift and the thing I intended against his Assertion doth very naturally follow from my Argument thus If as W. M. says Infants be guilty of Adam's Sin because they are subject to Diseases and Death then the Beasts who are subject to the like and the Earth Herbs and Trees who have received their decay are Sinners before God But this is absurd therefore the other Let him answer this the next time more effectually The first proof he brings here is 1 Joh. 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh adding This intimates man by his natural Birth to be Corrupt and Fleshly But for this his gloss he bringeth no proof Though That which is born of the flesh be flesh he sheweth us not how it followeth thence that Infants are guilty of Adam's Sin After the like manner he concludes this his Doctrine from Job 14.4 Psal. 5.5 Whether Infants are guilty of Adam's Sin But as the words in these places do not plainly express any such thing so he brings no Reasons to make his Consequences deduceable from them After the like proofless manner he alledgeth Rom. 5.14 By one mans disobedience many were made sinners Now though the matter in question be Whether these many were made Sinners before they actually sinned in their own Persons He doth not so much as offer to prove it In the like manner though David said his Mother conceived him in sin he sheweth us not how it followeth from thence that David was guilty of Sin before he actually sinned And here I observe how he asserts That men are guilty of the Sin of their immoderate Parents contrary to the plain Testimony of the Scripture Ezek. 18.20 The Son shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father To prove Infants thus guilty he further addeth Rom. 5.12 alledging these words For that all have sinned includes Infants But I shew him this includes not Infants because the Apostle clears it in the next verse saying Sin is not imputed where there is no Law and that there being no Law to Infants they cannot be guilty of sin To this he Replies There was a Law to Adam and that he represented mankind and stood as a publick Person Therefore Children had a Law in him But for this signification of his own he produceth no proof and it cannot be received as being direct contrary to the Scripture above-mentioned The Son shall not bear the Father 's Iniquity He alledgeth That those the Apostle speaks of who sinned not after the similitude of Adam 's Transgression are Infants But after his usual manner bringeth not the least proof for it The 1 Cor. 15.22 cited by him is so far from making anything for his purpose that it maketh directly against him which any that have the least grain of true understanding may perceive The words are As in Adam all died even so in Christ all are made alive for here All are said to die in Adam None die in Adam until they actually join with his Vnrighteousness even as All are said to be made alive in Christ now as none are made alive in Christ until they actually receive and join with his Righteousness so none die in Adam until they actually receive and join with his unrighteousness c. He maketh a deal a do page 110 111. about the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein though it were easie to refute him were it not needless to fill up Paper with Grammatical Criticisms For giving but not granting the words might be Translated In Adam all have sinned it will not from thence follow that Infants are guilty before they actually sin seeing All are said to die or have sinned in Adam even as All are said to be made alive in Christ and yet none are said to be so until they actually receive his Righteousness as is above demonstrated Page 113. He alledgeth Though it be said that the Kingdom of God is of little Children yet some Infants are not saved because they are not of the Kingdom of Grace But for this he bringeth no proof at all And I here take notice That he acknowledges that God Sanctifies and Regenerates some Infants W.M. contradicting himself and thereby he notably contradicts his second Section concerning the Light and page 29. of his Dialogue where he condemns it as a dangerous Error in us to say Any can be saved without the outward Knowledge of Christ of which Infants are not capable To prove That some Infants perish even Eternally he alledgeth The burning of Sodom and Gomorrah citing Jude 7. But his wresting this Scripture is very manifest For the reason Jude gives of their suffering Vengeance was because they gave themselves up to Fornication and went after strange flesh Now of this Infants were not capable of whom therefore Jude speaks not one word He terms Impudent or else Ignorant for bringing Matth. 1.22 against them alledging It is an unjust charge to say they plead for a Salvation in their sins And yet he has the Impudence immediately to aver it himself saying They are but in part delivered or saved in this Life do they not then dream of Salvation while in part they remain in their Sins Compare Matth. 1.21 with 1 Joh. 1.7 Christ is said to cleanse us from All Iniquity not a part of it It is bad Inference drawn from my Assertion that Children are not guilty of sin to say that therefore they need not a Saviour I told him in my last Christ was truly a Saviour unto them in that he kept them from sinning as one How Christ is a Saviour to Children that 's kept from falling in a Ditch is as truly saved as he that 's taken out of one It is altogether Inconsequential to infer from this That Christ died to save the holy Angels from sin because they are not suffered to fall into it For Christ is said only to have died for Adam's Posterity of which number Infants are but not Angels It is likewise
Spirit of Life maketh free from the Law of Sin and Death s Rom. 8 1 2. For such are become dead unto Sin and alive unto Righteousness and being made free from Sin are become Servants of Righteousness t Rom. 6 2.18 Therefore ought we to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect u Matth. 5.48 For the Yoke of Christ is easie and his Burthen is light x Matt. 11.30 And his Commandments are not grievous y 1 John 5.3 And whosoever will enter into Life must keep the Commandments z Matth. 19.17 Hereby do we know that we know God if we keep his Commandments a 1 John 2.3 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Liar and the Truth is not in him b 1 John 2.4 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him c John 3.6 Let no Man deceive us he that doth Righteousness is Righteous even as he is Righteous He that committeth Sin is of the Devil whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God d 1 John 3.7 8 9. For not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of the Father which is in Heaven e Matth. 7.21 Circumcision is nothing and Vncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God f 1 Cor. 7.19 ARTICLE XV. Concerning Perseverance and Falling from Grace WE ought to give Diligence to make our Calling and Election sure which things if we do we shall never fall g 2 Pet. 1.10 For even Paul kept under his Body and brought it into Subjection lest by any Means when he preached to others he himself became a Cast-away h 1 Cor. 9.27 Let us therefore take heed lest there be in any of us an evil Heart of Vnbelief in departing from the Living God i Hebr. 3.12 Likewise let us labour to enter into that Rest lest any Man fall after the same Example of Vnbelief k Hebr. 4.11 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted of the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come if they shall fall away to renew them again unto Repentance l Hebr. 6.4 5 6. For he that abideth not in Christ is cast forth and is withered m John 15.16 Yet such as overcome he will make as Pillars in the Temple of his God and they shall go no more out n Rev. 3.12 And these are perswaded that nothing shall be able to separate them from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus o Rom. 8.38 ARTICLE XVI Concerning the Church and Ministry THe Church of God is the Pillar and Ground of Truth p 1 Tim. 3.15 Whereof the Dear Son of God is the Head q Col. 1.18 From which all the Body by Joints and Bands having Nourishment Ministred and knit together increaseth with the Increase of God r Col. 2.19 Which Church of God are they that are sanctified in Christ Jesus s 1 Cor. 1.2 Who when he ascended up on high gave Gifts unto Men And he gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry t Ephes. 4.9 11. Who ought to be blameless vigilant sober of good Behaviour given to Hospitality apt to teach not given to Wine no Strikers not greedy of filthy Lucre but patient not Brawlers not Covetous u 1 Tim. 3.2 3. but Lovers of good Men sober just holy temperate holding fast the Faith as they have been taught that they may be able by sound Doctrine both to Exhort and to Convince Gain-sayers x T it 1.8 9. Taking heed to themselves and to the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made them Overseers to feed the Church of God y Acts 20.28 Taking the Oversight thereof not by Constraint but willingly not for filthy Lucre but of a ready Mind neither as being Lords over God's Heritage but as being Ensamples to the Flock z 1 Pet. 5.2 3. And such Elders as rule well are to be counted worthy of double Honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine a 1 Tim. 5.17 And to be esteemed very highly in Love for their Works sake b 1 Thess. 5.5 12. As every Man hath received the Gift so ought the same to be Ministred If any Man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God if any Man minister let him do it as of the Ability which God giveth c 1 Pet. 4.10 11. Preaching the Gospel not with the Wisdom of Words lest the Cross of Christ be made of none effect d 1 Cor. 1.17 Nor yet with enticing Words of Man's Wisdom but in Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power that the Faith may not stand in the Wisdom of Men but in the Power of God e 1 Cor. 2.4 5. Howbeit such spake Wisdom among them that are Perfect yet not the Wisdom of this World not of the Princes of this World which cometh to nought but they speak the Wisdom of God in a Mystery even the hidden Wisdom which God ordained before the World to their Glory f 1 Cor. 2.6 7. Which things they also speak not in the Words which Man's Wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth g 1 Cor. 2.13 For it is not they that speak but the Holy Ghost or Spirit of the Father that speaketh in them h Matth. 10.20 Who if they sow spiritual things ought to reap carnal things for so the Lord hath ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel for the Scripture saith Thou shalt not muzzle the Mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Corn and the Labourer is worthy of his Reward i 1 Cor. 9.11 14 Yet a necessity is laid upon them yea Wo is unto them if they preach not the Gospel and their Reward is that when they preach the Gospel they make the Gospel of Christ without Charge k 1 Cor. 9 15 17 18. Not coveting any Man's Silver or Gold or Apparel but their Hands ministring to their Necessities that so labouring they may support the Weak remembring the Words of the Lord Jesus how he said It 's more blessed to give than to receive l Acts 20 33 34. For they are not of the greedy Dogs that can never have enough m Isa. 56.11 Nor of the Shepherds that look to their own Way every one for his Gain from his Quarter n Ibidem That Feed themselves and not the Flock o Ezek. 34.8 That make the People Err biting with their Teeth and crying Peace and
hereunto we stand there for this Word always proceedeth and doth Eternally proceed from God in and by which the Vnsearchable Wisdom of God and Vnsearchable Counsel and Will Conceived in the Heart of God is Revealed unto us That then the Scripture is not the Principal Ground of Faith and Knowledge as it appears by what is above spoken so it is provided in the latter part of the Proposition which being Reduced to an Argument runs thus That the Certainty and Authority whereof depends upon another and which is received as Truth because of its proceeding from another is not to be accounted the Principal Ground and Origin of all Truth and Knowledge But The Scriptures Authority and Certainty depends upon the Spirit by which they were dictated and the Reason why they were received as Truth is because they proceeded from the Spirit Therefore They are not the Principal Ground of Truth To Confirm this Argument I added the School-Maxime Propter quod unumquodque est tale illud ipsum est magis tale Which Maxime though I Confess it doth not hold Vniversally in all things yet in this it both doth and will very well hold as by Applying it as we have above Intimated will appear Neither are they the Primary Rule of Faith and Manners The same Argument will hold as to the other Branch of the Proposition That it is not the Primary Adequate Rule of Faith and Manners thus That which is not the Rule of my Faith in believing the Scriptures themselves is not the Primary Adequate Rule of Faith and Manners But The Scripture is not nor can it be the Rule of that Faith by which I believe them c. Therefore c. But as to this part we shall produce divers Arguments hereafter As to what is Affirmed That the Spirit and not the Scriptures is the Rule it is largely handled in the former Proposition the Sum whereof I shall Subsume in one Argument thus That the Spirit is the Rule If by the Spirit we can only come to the True Knowledge of God If by the Spirit we be to be led into all Truth and so be Taught of all things Then the Spirit and not the Scriptures is the Foundation and Ground of all Truth and Knowledge and the Primary Rule of Faith and Manners But the First is True Therefore also the Last Next The very Nature of the Gospel it self declareth that the Scriptures cannot be the Only and Chief Rule of Christians else there should be no Difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel As from the Nature of the New Covenant by divers Scriptures described in the former Proposition is proved Wherein the Law and Gospel differ But besides these which are before-mentioned herein doth the Law and the Gospel differ In that the Law being outwardly written brings under Condemnation but hath not Life in it to save whereas the Gospel as it declares and makes manifest the Evil so it being an Inward Powerful thing also gives Power to Obey and delivers from the Evil Hence it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Glad Tidings The Law or Letter which is without us kills but the Gospel which is the Inward Spiritual Law gives Life for it consists not so much in Words as in Vertue Wherefore such as come to know it and be acquainted with it come to feel greater Power over their Iniquities than all Outward Laws or Rules can give them Hence the Apostle concludes Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace This Grace then that is inward and not an outward Law is to be the Rule of Christians Hereunto the Apostle Commends the Elders of the Church saying Acts 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an Inheritance among all those that are sanctified He doth not commend them here to Outward Laws or Writings but to the Word of Grace which is Inward even the Spiritual Law which makes free as he elsewhere Affirms Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death This Spiritual Law is that which the Apostle declares he preached and directed People unto which was not Outward as Rom. 10.8 is manifest where distinguishing it from the Law he saith The Word is nigh thee in thy heart and in thy mouth and this is the Word of Faith which we preach From what is above said I argue thus The Principal Rule of Christians under the Gospel is not an Outward Letter nor Law outwardly written and delivered but an Inward Spiritual Law ingraven in the heart the Law of the Spirit of Life the Word that is nigh in the heart and in the mouth But The Letter of the Scripture is Outward of it self a dead thing a meer Declaration of good things but not the Things themselves Therefore it nor is nor can be the Chief or Principal Rule of Christians § III. Thirdly That which is given to Christians for a Rule and Guide The Scripture not the Rule must needs be so full as it may clearly and distinctly Guide and Order them in all things and occurrences that may fall out But in that there are many hundred of things with a regard to their Circumstances particular Christians may be concerned in for which there can be no particular Rule had in the Scriptures Therefore the Scriptures cannot be a Rule to them I shall give an Instance in two or three Particulars for to prove this Proposition It is not to be doubted but some men are particularly called to some particular services their being not found in which though the Act be no general positive Duty yet in so far as it may be Required of them is a great Sin to Omit forasmuch as God is zealous of his Glory and every Act of Disobedience to his Will Manifested is enough not only to hinder one greatly from that Comfort and Inward Grace which otherwise they might have but also bringeth Condemnation As for Instance Some are Called to the Ministry of the Word Paul saith There was a Necessity upon him to preach the Gospel Wo unto me if I preach not If it be Necessary that there be now Ministers of the Church as well as then then there is the same Necessity upon some more than upon others to occupy this place which Necessity as it may be Incumbent upon particular persons the Scripture neither doth nor can declare If it be said Object That the Qualifications of a Minister are found in the Scripture and by applying these Qualifications to my self I may know whether I be fit for such a place or no. I Answer The Qualifications of a Bishop or Minister Answ. as they are mentioned both in the Epistle to Timothy and Titus are such as may be found in a private Christian yea which ought in
Adam's Sin is Confessed but that that infers necessarily a Guilt in all others that are Subject to them is denied For though the whole outward Creation suffered a Decay by Adam's Fall Death the Wages of Sin Answer'd which groans under Vanity according to which it is said in Job That the Heavens are not clean in the sight of God yet will it not from thence follow that the Herbs Earth and Trees are Sinners Next Death though a Consequent of the Fall incident to man's Earthly Nature is not the Wages of Sin in the Saints but rather a Sleep by which they pass from Death to Life which is so far from being Troublesom and Painful to them as all real punishments for sin are that Prop. 5 6 the Apostle counts it Gain To me saith he to die is Gain Phil. 1.21 Some are so foolish as to make an Objection further saying Object That if Adam's sin be not imputed to those who actually have not sinned then it would follow that all Infants are saved But we are willing Answ. that this supposed Absurdity should be the Consequence of our Doctrine rather than that which it seems our Adversaries reckon not Absurd though the undoubted and unavoidable consequence of theirs viz. that Many Infants Eternally perish not for any sin of their own but only for Adam 's Iniquity where we are willing to let the Controversy â—ist commending both to the Illuminated Vnderstanding of the Christian Reader This Error of our Adversaries is both Denied and Refuted by Zwinglius that Eminent Founder of the Protestant Churches of Switzerland in his Book De Baptismo for which he is Anathematized by the Council of Trent in the fifth Session We shall only add this Information That we Confess then that a Seed of Sin is Transmitted to all men from Adam although Imputed to none Original Sin no Scripture-Phrase until by sinning they actually join with it in which Seed he gave occasion to all to sin and it is the Origin of all Evil Actions and Thoughts in mens hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in Romans 5. i. e. in which death all have sinned For this Seed of Sin is frequently called Death in the Scriptures and The body of death seeing indeed it is a Death to the Life of Righteousness and Holiness Therefore its Seed and its Product is called the Old Man the Old Adam in which all Sin is for which cause we use this name to express this sin and not that of Original sin of which phrase the Scripture makes no mention and under which Invented and Vnscriptural Barbarism this Notion of Imputed Sin to Infants took place among Christians PROPOSITIONS V. VI. Concerning the Universal Redemption by Christ and also the Saving and Spiritual Light wherewith every Man is Inlightened PROPOSITION V. GOD out of his Infinite Love Ezech. 18.32 and 33 11. who delighteth not in the death of a sinner but that all should live and be saved hath so loved the World that he hath given his Only Son a LIGHT that whosoever believeth in him should be saved Joh. 3.16 who enlighteneth EVERY man that cometh into the world Joh. 1.9 and maketh manifest all things that are Reprovable Eph. 5.13 and teacheth all Temperance Righteousness and Godliness And this Light lighteneth the hearts of all in a Day in order to Salvation and this is it which Reproves the sin of all Individuals and would work out the Salvation of all if not Resisted Nor is it less Universal than the Seed of Sin being the purchase of his Death who tasted Death for every Man For as in Adam all die even so in Christ all shall be made alive 1 Cor. 15.22 PROPOSITION VI. According to which Principle or Hypothesis all the Objections against the Universality of Christ's Death are easily solved neither is it needful to recur to the Ministry of Angels and those other Miraculous Means which they say God useth to manifest the Doctrine and History of Christ's Passion unto such who living in the places of the World where the outward preaching of the Gospel is unknown have well improved the first and common Grace For as hence it well follows that some of the Old Philosophers might have been Saved so also may some who by Providence are cast into those Remote Parts of the World where the knowledge of the History is wanting be made partakers of the Divine Mystery if they Receive and Resist not that Grace 1 Cor. 12.7 A Manifestation whereof is given to every Man to profit withal This most certain Doctrine being then received that there is an Evangelical and Saving Light and Grace in all the Universality of the Love and Mercy of God towards Mankind both in the Death of his Beloved Son the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Manifestation of the Light in the heart is established and confirmed against all the Objections of such as deny it Therefore Christ hath tasted Death for every Man Hebr. 2.9 not only for all kind of men as some vainly talk but for every man of all kinds the benefit of whose Offering is not only extended to such who have the distinct outward Knowledge of his Death and Sufferings as the same is declared in the Scriptures but even unto those who are necessarily Excluded from the benefit of this Knowledge by some Inevitable Accident Which Knowledge we willingly Confess to be very Profitable and Comfortable but not absolutely Needful unto such from whom God himself hath with-held it yet they may be made partakers of the Mystery of his Death though ignorant of the History if they suffer his Seed and Light enlightening their hearts to take place in which Light Communion with the Father and the Son is enjoyed so as of wicked men to become holy and lovers of that Power by whose inward and secret Touches they feel themselves turned from the Evil to the Good and learn to do to others as they would be done by in which Christ himself affirms all to be Included As They have then falsly and erroneously Taught who have denied Christ to have died for all men so neither have They sufficiently Taught the Truth who affirming him to have died for all have added the Absolute Necessity of the outward Knowledge thereof in order to obtain its Saving Effect Among whom the Remonstrants of Holland have been chiefly wanting and many other Assertors of Universal Redemption in that they have not placed the Extent of his Salvation in that Divine and Evangelical Principle of Light and Life wherewith Christ hath enlightened Every man that cometh into the World which is excellently and evidently held forth in these Scriptures Gen. 6.3 Deut. 30.14 John 1.7 8 9 16. Rom. 10.8 Tit. 2.11 HItherto we have Considered Man 's fall'n lost corrupted and degenerated Condition Now is it fit to Inquire How and by what means he may come to be Freed out of this miserable
Doctrine of Papists that as the generality of them do not Vnderstand it so the Learned among them oppose it and dispute against it and particularly Bellarmine Thus then as I may say the formal Cause of Justification is not the Works to speak properly they being but an Effect of it but this Inward Birth this Jesus brought forth in the heart who is the Well-beloved whom the Father cannot but Accept and all those who thus are sprinkled with the blood of Jesus and washed with it By this also comes that Communication of the goods of Christ unto us by which we come to be made partakers of the Divine Nature as saith Peter 2 Pet. 1.4 and are made one with him as the Branches with the Vine and have a Title and Right to what he hath done and suffered for us Christ's Obedience Righteousness Death and Sufferings are ours So that his Obedience becomes Ours his Righteousness ours his Death and Sufferings ours And by this Nearness we come to have a Sense of his Sufferings and to suffer with his Seed that yet lies pressed and crucified in the hearts of the ungodly and so travel with it and for its Redemption and for the Repentance of those Souls that in it are Crucifying as yet the Lord of Glory Even as the Apostle Paul who by his Sufferings is said to fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ for his Body which is the Church Though this be a Mystery sealed up from all the Wise men that are yet Ignorant of this Seed in themselves and oppose it nevertheless some Protestants speak of this Justification by Christ inwardly put-on as shall hereafter be recited in its place Lastly Though we place Remission of Sins in the Righteousness and Expl. 5 Obedience of Christ performed by him in the flesh as to what pertains to the Remote procuring Cause and that we hold our selves formally Justified by Christ Jesus formed and brought forth in us yet can we not as some Protestants have unwarily done Exclude Works from Justification Good Works are not excluded Justification for though properly we be not Justified for them yet are we Justified in them and they are necessary even as Causa sine quâ non i. e. the Cause without which none are justified For the denying of this as it 's contrary to the Scriptures Testimony so it hath brought a great Scandal to the ProProtestant Religion opened the mouths of Papists and made many too secure while they have believed to be justified without good works Moreover though it be not safe to say They are Meritorious yet seeing they Prop. 5 6 are Rewarded many of those called the Fathers have not spared to use the word Merit which some of us have perhaps also done in a qualified Sense but no ways to infer the Popish Abuses above-mentioned And lastly If we had that notion of good works which most Protestants have we could freely agree to make them not only not necessary but Reject them as hurtful viz. That the best works even of the Saints are defiled and polluted For though we judge so of the best Works performed by man endeavouring a Conformity to the outward Law by his own strength and in his own will yet we believe that such works as naturally proceed from this Spiritual Birth and Formation of Christ in us are pure and holy even as the Root from which they come and therefore God Accepts them Justifies us in them and Rewards us for them of his own Free Grace The State of the Controversy being thus stated these following Positions do hencefrom arise in the next place to be proved Position I § IV. First That the Obedience Sufferings and Death of Christ is that by which the Soul obtains Remission of Sins and is the procuring Cause of that Grace by whose inward workings Christ comes to be formed inwardly and the Soul to be made Conformable unto him and so just and justified And that therefore in respect of this Capacity and Offer of Grace God is said to be Reconciled not as if he were actually Reconciled or did actually Justify or account any Just so long as they remain in their Sins really Impure and Vnjust Position II Secondly That it is by this Inward Birth of Christ in man that man is made Just and therefore so accounted by God Wherefore to be plain we are thereby and not till that be brought forth in us formally if we must use that word Justified in the sight of God because Justification is both more properly and frequently in Scripture taken in its proper signification for making one Just and not reputing one meerly such and is all one with Sanctification Position III Thirdly That since good Works as naturally follow from this Birth as heat from fire therefore are they of Absolute Necessity to Justification as Causa sine quâ non i. e. though not as the Cause for which yet as that Good Works are Causa sine quâ non of Justification in which we are and without which we cannot be Justified And though they be not Meritorious and draw no Debt upon God yet he cannot but Accept and Reward them for it is contrary to his Nature to deny his own since they may be perfect in their kind as proceeding from a Pure Holy Birth and Root Wherefore their Judgment is false and against the Truth that say That the holiest Works of the Saints are defiled and sinful in the sight of God for those Good Works are not the Works of the Law excluded by the Apostle from Justification Position I § V. As to the first I prove it from Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his blood Proof I to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of Sins that are past through the forbearance of God Here the Apostle holds forth the Extent and Efficacy of Christ's Death The Efficacy of Christ's Death to Redeem man out of Evil. shewing that thereby and by Faith therein Remission of sins that are past is obtained as being that wherein the forbearance of God is exercised towards Mankind So that though men for the Sins they daily Commit deserve Eternal Death and that the Wrath of God should lay hold upon them yet by virtue of that most-satisfactory Sacrifice of Christ Jesus the Grace and Seed of God moves in love towards them during the day of their Visitation yet not so as not to strike against the Evil for that must be burned-up and destroyed but to Redeem man out of the Evil. Prop. 7 Secondly If God were perfectly Reconciled with men Proof II and did esteem them Just while they are actually Vnjust and do Continue in their Sins then should God have no Controversy with them * I do not only speak concerning men before Conversion who afterwards are Converted whom yet some of our Antagonists called Antinomians do aver were Justified from the beginning but also
he was Separated to be an Apostle Capable to impart to the Romans Spiritual gifts and Chapter 8. vers 2. That the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus had made him free from the Law of sin and death so then he was not Carnal And seeing there are Spiritual men in this life as our Adversaries will not deny and is intimated through this whole 8 Chapter to the Romans it will not be denied but the Apostle was one of them So then as his calling himself Carnal in Chap. 7. cannot be understood of his own proper state neither can the rest of what he speaks there of that kind be so understood yea after verse 24. where he makes that Exclamation he adds in the next verse I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord signifying that by him he witnessed deliverance and so goeth on shewing how he had obtained it in the next Chapter viz. 8. v. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ and vers 37. But in all these things we are more than Conquerors And in the last verse Nothing shall be able to separate us c. But wherever there is a Continuing in sin there is a separation in some degree seeing every Sin is contrary to God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Trangression of the Law I Joh. 3.4 and whoever committeth the least Sin is overcome of it and so in that respect is not a Conqueror * Whom sin has Conquer'd is no Conqueror but Conquered This Condition then which the Apostle plainly testified he with Some others had obtained could not consist with Continual Remaining and Abiding in Sin †Obj. IV. Fourthly They object the Faults and Sins of several Eminent Saints as Noah David c. I Answer That doth not at all prove the Case For the question is not Whether good men may not fall into sin which is not denied Answ. but Whether it be not possible for them not to sin It will not follow because these men sinned that therefore they were never free of sin but always sinned For at this rate of arguing it might be urged according to this Rule Contrariorum par ratio i. e. The reason of Contraries is alike That if because a Good man hath sinned once or twice he can never be free from sin Can they that sin be never freed from sin but must always be daily and continually a sinner all his life long then by the Rule of Contraries If a Wicked man have done good once or twice he can never be free from Righteousness but must always be a Righteous man all his life time which as it is most Absurd in it self so it is Contrary to the plain Testimony of the Scripture Ezech. 33.12 to the 18 th Lastly they Object That if Perfection or Freedom from sin be Attainable Object V this will render Mortification of Sin useless and make the Blood of Christ of no service to us neither need we any more pray for forgiveness of sins I Answer I had almost omitted this Objection Answ. because of the manifest Absurdity of it For can Mortification of sin be useless where the End of it is obtained seeing there is no attaining of this perfection but by mortification Doth the hope and belief of Overcoming render the Fight unnecessary Let rational men judge which hath most sense in it to say as our Adversaries do It is necessary that we fight and wrestle Who fights and not in hopes to Overcome his Foe but we must never think of overcoming We must resolve still to be overcome Or to say Let us fight because we may overcome Whether do such as believe they may be Cleansed by it or those that believe they can never be Cleansed by it render the Blood of Christ most effectual If Two Men were both grievously diseased and applied themselves to a Physician for Remedy which of those do most Commend the Physician and his Cure he that believeth he may be Cured by him and as he feels himself Cured confesseth that he is so and so can say This is a skilful Physician This is good Medicine behold I am made whole by it or he that never is Cured nor ever believes that he can so long as he lives As for praying for forgiveness we deny it not Praying for Forgiveness of Sin for that all have sinned and therefore all need to pray that their sins past may be blotted out and that they may be daily preserved from sinning And if hoping or believing to be made free from sin hinders praying for forgiveness of sin it would follow by the same Inference that men ought not to forsake Murder Adultery or any of these gross Evils seeing the more men are sinful the more plentiful occasion there would be of asking forgiveness of sin and the more work for Mortification But the Apostle hath sufficiently refuted such sin-pleasing Cavils in these words Rom. 6.1 2. Shall we continue in sin that Grace may abound God forbid But Lastly It may be easily answered by a Retortion to those that press this from the words of the Lord's Prayer Forgive us our debts that this militates no less against perfect Justification than against perfect Sanctification For if all the Saints the least as well as the greatest be perfectly Justified in that very hour wherein they are Converted as our Adversaries will have it then they have Remission of sins long before they die May it not then be said to them What need have ye to pray for Remission of Sin who are already Justified whose sins are long ago forgiven both past and Prop. 9 to come § X. But this may suffice Concerning this Possibility Jerom speaks clearly enough Testimonies of the Fathers concerning Perfection or Freedom from Sin lib. 3. adver Pelagium This we also say that a man may not sin if he will for a time and place according to his bodily weakness so long as his mind is Intent so long as the Cords of the Cythar relax not by any Vice And again in the same Book Which is that that I said that it is put in our power to wit being helped by the Grace of God either to sin Jerom. or not to sin For this was the Error of Pelagius which we indeed reject and abhor and which the Fathers deservedly withstood that man by his natural strength without the help of God's Grace could attain to that state Augustine so as not to sin And Augustine himself a great Opposer of the Pelagian Heresy did dot deny this possibility as Attainable by the help of God's Grace as in his Book de Spiritu Literâ cap. 2. and his Book de Naturâ Gratiâ against Pelagius cap. 42 50 60 63. de Gestis Concilii Palaestini Gelasius cap. 7. II. and de Peccatô Originali lib. 2. cap. II. Gelasius also in his Disputation against Pelagius saith But if any affirm that this may be
I think of those of Sodom Jude v. 7. the words are these Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to Fornication and going after strange Flesh are set forth for an Example Sodom's Children c. not guilty of their Fathers Transgressions nor of Adam's suffering the Vengeance of Eternal Fire But it is strange the Man should be so desperately Audacious as to proclaim his own Sottishness to the World Is there a word here of Infants Is not the very Reason of suffering the Vengeance of Eternal Fire given because of their giving themselves over to Fornication which Reason could not touch Infants Pag. 129. he thinks I wrong Zuinglius upon the Credit of the Council of Trent but if the Council of Trent wronged Zuinglius in Condemning him for that he was not guilty of he and his Brethren have the honour to have their Judgment Approved by that Council while ours is Condemned and let him Remember how he useth to upbraid me with Affinity with Papists yea in this very Chapter upon less ground Pag. 130. he goes about to prove his matter from several Scriptures but how shallowly the Reader may easily observe 1. He citeth Gen. 6.5 Mans thoughts are evil continually What then Are Infants therefore guilty of Adam's Sin that 's the thing in Question But the Hebrew signifies a pueritiis from their Infancy What then how proves that the Case I do not deny but Children may become guilty of Sin very early but the question is Whether they be guilty of Adam's Sin even in their Mothers Womb And hereby we may see he thinks not their Version so Exact but J. B. must take upon him to Correct it to help himself at a Dead Lift as they say The same way is answered the other Scriptures that follow Ezek. 16.4 Matth. 15.19 Eph. 2.3 which are yet more Impertinent as the Reader by looking to them may see and I might easily by Examining them particularly shew Infants perishing in the Flood proves not them guilty if it were not that I study Brevity and delight not to glory over the Man's Impertinency And though Infants perished in the Flood and that was brought upon the Men and Women that sinned for their Iniquities yet it will not follow thence that Infants are guilty of Sins until he better prove that Natural Death is always and to all the Wages of Sin albeit I confess with the Apostle Eternal Death is And indeed if these Infants were punished at all it must have been for the Sins of their Immediate Parents which he will not affirm since the Flood is not said to have come for Adam's Sin but for their own so this Instance clearly overturns his Assertion I leave to the Reader 's Judgment the Scriptures not mentioned at length but set down by him in this to judge whether they prove the thing in Debate to wit That Infants are guilty of Adam's Sin The Citations out of Augustin and Origen brought by him in the next page 131. the Reader may also judge of in case they be truly cited which I cannot Examin at present whether they have Weight enough to Overturn what has been here proved from Scripture The words of Eliphaz Job 15.14 speak of a Man not of a Child and therefore not to the purpose neither do I believe though the Spirit of God gave a Relation of what Eliphaz said that we ought to build our Faith upon his Affirmations Next he urges Gen. c. 5. v. 3. And Adam begat a Son in his own Likeness after his Image but this would prove Adam's Sons as guilty of all Sins as that first which he denied or let him shew a ground for such a Distinction And thus is further Answered Circumcision argues not Infants guilty what he saith next page Gen. 17.14 where it is said The Man-Child that is Vncircumcised shall be cut off which he thinks so strong that in a Vapor he desires me to Chew my Cud upon it For if this Cutting-off was a Punishment of these Children for Sin it must be for that of their Immediate Parents who neglected to Circumcise them which Adam could not do and therefore could not Sin in omitting it and since he will not say this he can Vrge nothing from that place He saith The Fathers used to make use of these words of Christ Joh. 3.5 Except a Man be born of Water c. But their Vsing it was upon their Mistake that Baptism took away Original Sin and that therefore Infants Vnbaptized could not to be saved Regeneration of Infants That Regeneration is needful to Infants I deny not and whereas he asks how they are Regenerate I answered that before asking him How those he accounts Elect Infants whom he confesses to be guilty of Adam's Sin are Regenerate He Confesses The Fathers Argument taken from sprinkling Infants with Water which they and he falsly call Baptism will Conclude nothing against me But since he names here Initial Sacraments in the Plural Number which the Fathers made use of it seems they had some more than Baptism And since he and his Brethren make use of no more as Initial but Baptism it seems he differs from them in what they judged needful here as well as the Quakers I have shewen above how I Evite both Contradicting my self as to Vniversal Redemption and Excluding Infants from the benefit of Christ's death And as for his last Question Christ's Birth without Sin and the Birth of other Infants differ Wherein did Christ Excell other Infants if they be born without Sin he should have said not guilty of Sin I answer In that he had no Seed of Sin in him as other Infants have and that not only but he had nothing of that Weakness and Propensity to yield to the Evil Influence thereof as other Infants but was in greater Strength Glory and Dominion over it than Adam even before he fell This shews his Priviledge above others and in nothing Contradicteth what I have said before SECT VI. Wherein his Seventh and Eighth Chapters of Reprobation and Universal Redemption are Considered ¶ 1. IN his seventh Chapter of Reprobation he Expspatiateth himself at great length in large and tedious Homilies which will make my Reply the shorter who look not upon it as my concern to answer them because these Controversies are largely handled by others and what is said by him is abundantly answered Yet if he will affirm he has said something that is New upon this Theam and point to it it is like it may not want an Answer And indeed the Reader may observe him much pained and strained to put a fair Face upon these Foul Doctrines and though what he saith here may be and it is most probable is to be understood of the Reason he gives in his Epistle in being so Large because of the Opposition of others besides Quakers and also because I touched these things but passingly as
the Testimony of the First Protestants 91 92. the Lord's day is not the First Day of the Week 39. nor is it limited to a particular Day 92. the First Day is not come instead of the Sabbath 93. superstitious observing of Days is the Inventions of Men 92 146. and an Inlet to all the Popish Holidays 39 92. the Priests make the First Day of the Week their Market-day to sell and vend their Babylonish Commodities in 40. It is convenient and necessary that a Day be set apart to meet and Worship God in 146 the Divines Nonsensical Proofs that the First Day of the Week is instead of the Sabbath 177 178. no Man is to be judged in respect of an Holy Day or the Sabbath-days c. 170. the observing of Days being a returning to the beggerly Elements 224. the first Dawning and breaking forth of the heavenly Day of the Lord in this our Age described 689-691 Deacons 508. ‖ Deaf Persons see Light Death see Adam Redemption it entred into the World by Sin 316 317 In the Saints it is rather a passing from Death to Life 316. a Sleep 41. and their Natural Death is not the Wages of Sin 94. Devil he eares not at all how much God be Acknowledged with the Mouth provided he be Worshipped in the Heart 272 355 356. he can form an outward Sound of Words 278. he haunts among the Wicked 391. How he can be a Minister of the Gospel 425 427. when he can work nothing 453 454. he keeps Men in outward Signs Shadows and Forms while they neglect the Substance 489 491 507. The Rage of the Devil against the Lord's Chosen 713. Differences in the Church in outward Matters to be Composed 207. as coming from the besetments of the Enemy 228. the Spirit of God giving Judgment in the Church of Christ 240. Dispute The Dispute of a Shoo-maker with a certain Professor 422 423. of an Heathen-Philosopher with a Bishop in the Council of Nice and of the Vnletter'd Clown 423 424. Divinity School-Divinity 417. how pernicious it is 423 to 427. Divisions see Schism Dreams see Faith Miracles Doctrine That Doctrine which is both contrary to Scripture and Experience is not for the Spirit but against it 601. the Fruits prove the Doctrine 624. J. B. brings his own Author in for Devilish Doctrines 749. Duty The hardned and blinded see not their Duty 242. Duties natural and spiritual differ 636. E. Ear There is a Spiritual and bodily Ear 271 278. whether the outward Hearing is necessary to make a Man a Member of the Visible Church 806. Easter is Celebrated other ways in the Latine Church than in the Eastern 289. the Celebration of it is grounded upon Tradition 289. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the Name J. B's false Gloss upon it 859 487. see Baptism Ejaculations proved from Scripture 852. Elders 277 430. How Christ in Revealing his Will ordinarily makes use of the Elders and Officers in his Church 229. in Cases of Differences and Controversies 236. Election and Reprobation of Infants 766 767. J.B. makes the Word All express of two Numbers the least to be Elected 784 804. by the whole World he falsly understands the Elect only ibid. Elector of Saxony the Scandal given by him 471. Eminency Your Eminency see Titles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is oftner translated in than among as in 1 Cor 2.2 p. 66. Endowments the Author glories not in natural Endowments Enjoyments inward former Feelings and Enjoyment are far exceeded by the Feelings and Enjoyments of this day 28 29. Enoch walked with God 394. Enthusiasm its proper signification 658. Epistle see James John Peter Esau and Jacob did strive in the Womb 447. Ethicks or Books of Moral Philosophy are not needful to Christians 424. Evangelist who he is and whether any now a days may be so called 429 430. Evidence the best and most principal is the Immediate Evidence of the Spirit and the greatest outward Evidence that can be given is the Scripture 593 594. the Spirit 's Evidence is that it teacheth to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts c. 575 576. an Evidence that no Hypocrite can have 657. See Ministry Spirit Revelation Exaltation self-Exaltation leads to Separation and Division 192 193. Excellency Tour Excellency see Titles Excommunication the evil thereof 690 691 Exorcism or Adjuration in the use of Water-baptism denied 492 Eye The Spiritual Eye sees and discerns the true Confessor from the false 657 837. F. Faith its Definition and what its Object is 277 278. how far and how Appearances outward Voices and Dreams were the Object of the Saints Faith 278. that Faith is one and that the Object of Faith is one 279. It s foundation 293 294. see Revelation Scripture Little Faith is perfect in the measure of it 23 80. what it is its absolute necessity 129. Accidental Objects of Faith 602. wherein the nature and Essence of Faith consists 603. J. B's halting Examples to prove true Faith 759. Sadeel's Testimony concerning Succession of Faith 648. the material and formal Object of Faith distinguished 742 744. whether Faith comes by the outward Hearing 904. falling away and departing from Faith 42 43. who they were that fell from Faith 96. not holding it in a good Conscience 137. thou that standest by Faith c. ibid. see Grace Fall of Man see Man Farellus 506 Father see Knowledge Revelation Fathers so called they did not Agree about some Books of the Scripture 296 303. they affirm that there are whole Verses taken out of Mark and Luke 288. concerning the Septuagint-Interpretation and the Hebrew Copy 303. they preached Universal Redemption for the first four Centuries 326. they frequently used the Word Merit in their Doctrine 387. concerning the possibility of not Sinning 397 398. the possibility of falling from Grace 400. many of them did not only contradict one another but themselves also 423 424. concerning Baptism and the Sign of the Cross 492. concerning an Oath 550. Feet Concerning the Washing of one anothers Feet 447 498 499. Christ washed the Disciples Feet 169 170. the Washing of Feet c. 651. a spiritual Washing of Feet pointed at by Christ 652. Washing of Feet observed by Christians in the Primitive Times ibid. which though Commanded with so great solemnity yet Ceased 863. Forbearance of God see God Franequer all things are set to sale at Rome to Franequer apply'd 433. Freedom from sin see Perfection Freely the Gospel ought to be preached freely 403 432 434. Nic. Arnoldus his Answer to Freely ye have received c. 433. G Games see Plays Gentiles by what Nature the Gentiles did the things contained in the Law 313 763. The Gentiles justified in doing the Law 360 362. Jew and Gentile Scythian and Barbarian partakers of the Salvation of Christ 363. see Heathens Gifted Brethren 416. Gifts 204. diversities of Gifts Administrations and Operations from the same Spirit makes no division 220. Gifts differing according
IV. King of France 524 Heresies whence they proceeded 449 450. who cannot certainly judge of Heresy ought not to punish for Heresy 663. Christ's Servants must not pull the Tares but leave them with the Wheat 519. Heresy may be mistaken for Truth ibid. 521. the Name of Heresy may be more or less restricted 527. Heretick 519. An Heretick hath no just ground from the Quakers Principle to abstain from Prayer 645. Hereticks pretences to the Spirit 607 610 612 614. Hicks the Grosness of T. Hicks his dealing with the people called Quakers discovered and abhorred in print by others 879. High-Priest see Priest History of Christ see Quakers Redemption â— Knowledge Holy of Holies the High-priest entred into it once a Year 277 278. but now all of us at all times have access unto God 287. Holiness Your Holiness see Titles Honor see Titles Concerning Civil-Honour 873 880. House of God The House of God is no polluted Nest 412 Hypocrisy the worst of Evils in Religious Matters 521 522 Hypocrites 519 522. Under what Profession Hypocrites love to live and what Principles they most affect 47 48. the Hypocrites works have no Savour of Life 656. we cannot join with them in Prayer 470. he that has a Spiritual Discerning can discern them 519. Hypocrites want Titles 536. their Hope shall perish 387. their Danger 522. I. Jacob 447. Jacob and the Jews their Practice of bowing as also Abraham's was by Permission and not to be our Rule 876. Abraham's and Jacob's practice will not warrant our Imitation of it 873. Worm Jacob is a Threshing Instrument 883. James the Apostle There were of old diverse Opinions concerning his Epistle 297. whether his Epistle be Authentick and how to know it 309. Japonians The Japans knew by the teaching of Nature that it is unlawful to kill steal forswear c. as is evident by the Pricks of their Consciences Fra Xaviers 701. Idea There are supernatural Idea's of things supernatural in the Souls of Men 899. Men can have no true Idea of things Supernatural but what is Supernatural ibid. There is a Natural Idea of God in Men common to the Wicked with the Godly 900. the Idea's of all things are divinely planted in the Souls of Men ibid. All Idea's are of a Spiritual Nature 901. the Supernatural Idea's in Men infer Supernatural Senses or perceptive Faculties 902. those Faculties in Wicked Men do as it were sleep ibid. Idolatry 440 450. whence it proceeded 475. how with Idolatry we cannot join in Prayer 469. from whence Idolatries did spring 475 Jerusalem Christ's Lamentation over Jerusalem 344 Jesting see Plays Games Jesuits see Sect Ignatian Jesus see Christ what it is to be saved and Assembled in his Name 358 359 367 455. See Name Jews Among them there may be Members of the Church 402 403. their Error c. 410. their Worship is outward 484. Particular Commands given to the Jews whether now obligatory upon us 663. they are no Rule for Christians being Repealed by Christ who gave a new Command 520. Jewish Doctors and Pharisees resisted Christ disdaining to be Esteemed Ignorant c. 268 Jezebel the not suffering the Woman Jezebel in what manner it was to be 521 Ignorance 514 Priests Darkness and Ignorance 215 Illiterate see Mechanicks Image of God whether any Relicts of it remained in Adam 337. see Adam Imposition The Authority of the Church is no Imposition 199. Imposition is what is contrary to true Liberty of Conscience 236. a Testimony against Imposition and Dominion 238 Independency An Independent Preacher embracing Truth and upon what Occasion 879. the Constitution of the Independent Church 416 Indians The Defect of the Scriptures and outward Knowledge of Christ in the Indians is providential 692 see Americans 63. Pagans Indulgences 365 Infants see Sin Infants that die in their Infancy in the Judgment of Charity may be supposed to be saved 42. Infants and Deaf Persons are excepted from the Necessity of outwardly hearing the Gospel 805. some Infants and deaf Persons saved without external Knowledge 10. Infants are not guilty of Adam's Sin 40 41 94. not Guilty before the Act of Sin ibid. Infants are under no Law 868. Whether Childrens Death argues guilt 770. Infants saved without Christ J. B's horrible Lie 771. Infants saved by Christ ibid. Sodom's Children c. Infants perishing in the Flood 772. Circumcision argues not Infants guilty 773. Regeneration of Infants ibid. Infallibility To say that there is no Infallible Judgment now to be expected from the Spirit of God in the Church is to turn Christianity into Scepticism 235. the only proper Judge of Controversies in the Church is the Spirit of God and the Power of deciding solely lies in it as having the only unerring Infallible and certain Judgment belonging to it 225. where there is any gathering or Assembly which truly and properly may be called the Church of Christ the Infallible Judgment will never be wanting in matters of Controversy 227. Influences there are General and Special Influences 582. none can pray truly in Words but by a particular Influence 583 Unfaithfulness wants Influences to Duties 641 Iniquities Spiritual Iniquities or Wickedness 450. Innovators Pretenders and Innovators to be Judged by the Power of God 217. as coming from that which being puft up affects singularity and exaltedness 218. Inquisition 523. Inquisition lays not hold on Folly and Vanity neither at Rome nor in Spain 545 Inspiration where that doth not Teach Words without do make a Noise to no purpose 271 272. some Christians and Gentiles have acknowledged the Evidence and certainty of Divine Inspiration in all Men as the surest Ground of Knowledge 605. Permissive Inspirations disowned and owned again by the Quakers Adversaries 673. Inspirations are necessary to Inward Duties 582. Christ's Illumination is his Inspiration 594. which is a greater Evidence than the Scripture 595. even Heathens have a Knowledge of the self-evidence of Divine Inspiration 605. Inspirations mandatory and permissory 637 639. Inspirations of things either to be done or simply to be believed 640. Inspirations general or particular ibid. the same which was given to the Holy Men of Old 658. Instruction see Teaching Intellect the supream Intellect enjoyed in the Mind of Man 363 Interpreters 784 60 633 794 803 805. John the Apostle Concerning his Second and Third Epistles and the Revelation there were sometime divers Opinions 297. John the Baptist did not Miracles 416 37. John Huss is said to have prophesied 309. John Knox in what respect he was called the Apostle of Scotland 430. Israelites going to War enquired first the Oracle of God 560. Judas fell from his Apostleship 411. who was his Vicar 420 his Ministry was not purely Evangelical 421. he was called Immediately by Christ and who are inferior to him and plead for him as Patron of their Ministry 420 421. Judgment see Church Concerning the Power of Decision 224 230 see Infallibility any Members in Obedience to the Lord giving forth a positive Judgment in
parties and though it do not actually convince the stubborn yet there is enough in it to satisfy any Inquisitive Adversary Answ. And is not that Spirit sufficient to satisfie any Inquisitive Adversary that 's willing to be undeceived which searcheth all things even the deep things of God There is no inconvenience can be pressed from making the Spirit a Rule or Guide but the same recurs by making the Scripture one Men of different Judgments claiming the Scriptures without the Spirit falsly For is it not laid claim unto by Persons quite different in Judgment yea both some times to one verse and will have it speak opposite to the other If it be said That Scripture being compared explains it self Has not such as have so compared been found incessantly to jangle even in their comparing of it And this W. M. cannot deny but this hath been because one or both Parties have been estranged from the true Testimony of the Spirit What is then the Vltimate Recourse that can only resolve all Doubts even concerning the meaning of the Scripture but the certain Testimony of the Spirit For if the Scriptures be only certain because they came from the Spirit of God then the Testimony of the Spirit must be more certain than they The certainty of the Testimony of the Spirit according to the received Maxim of the Schools Propter quod unumquodque est tale id ipsum magis est tale That which makes a thing certain must be more certain than it And this arguing against the Certainty of the Spirit checks not only at the certainty of the Saints Faith now from the Light within and the assurance of Knowledge but at the Faith and Knowledge which all the Saints and holy Prophets had not only before the Scripture was writ but even in their writing of them We are in no greater hazzard to be deceived now than they were then therefore the Apostle notably reproves such Pratlers against this Certainty 1 Joh. 4.6 We are of God he that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error Page 48. He asks Why I complain for his improving Isai. 59.21 but mentions not one word of that part of page 32. of mine wherein I shew him how this Scripture made against him as holding forth God's putting words in mens mouths which they deny as a thing ceased This the Reader by looking to the place may observe that the Lord there Promises his Spirit and Word shall continue to direct his People is not denied In his Dialogue page 16. he says That the Scriptures cannot be said to be a dead Letter because they are called killing and whereas I told him page 31. of my Answer That as dead things do kill if fed upon so if men feed upon the Letter of the Scripture without the Spirit which is the Life How the Letter killeth they will kill He shifts a Reply to this telling me The Scripture is called killing as being the Ministration of the Law which threatens Death against the sinner What then doth it therefore follow that they are not dead and deadly to such as feed upon them without the Spirit which giveth Life It is an apparent Malitious Passion to add That the drinking in of the Lifeless Poisonous Opinions of the Quakers will prove hurtful to the Soul seeing he bringeth not the least shadow of proof for it I observe that he â—ntitleth this Section The Quakers way Ineffectual to Convince an Opposer And yet how is it that he and his Brethren are so afraid that it spread and are daily so much crying out and clamouring against it as dangerous Priests call for the Magistrates Sword to defend their Doctrine against the Quakers intreating and beseeching People to beware of us and comparing our Words and Writings to Poison as that which is so ready to gain ground I say how comes it that they are so pressing in their importunate and often reiterate Pulpit-Exhortations to the Magistrates to Suppress Imprison us and break up our Meetings as such against whom their Labours will prove altogether fruitless and ineffectual if not assisted by the external Sword Sect. 5. Page 49. He undertakes to compare us with Papists as having learned our Language about Scripture from them But herein he hath notably manifested both his Self-contradiction and Ignorance He alledgeth We agree with Papists in that we say If the delusion be strong in the Heart it will twine the Scriptures to make them seem for it and in that we say They are dead and occasion Sects and Janglings whereunto we always add because the Spirit is wanting And yet in this sense he fully grants it himself page 43. saying It is granted that deluded Souls do wrest the Scriptures c. He concludes us one with Papists for saying There was a Rule before the Scriptures And yet grants it himself page 46. in confessing The Scripture was not a Rule to such Saints as lived The Saints had a Rule before the Scriptures was writ before it was writ Such then had some Rule before the Scriptures Thus far as to his Self-contradictions As to his Ignorance Can there be any thing more sottish to compare us with Papists for our preferring and calling the Light within as that which only makes the outward dispensation of the Gospel profitable and for our saying that the Spirit is both our Teacher and our Copy according to which if we walk we may profit without going forth for a Copy seeing it is known none to be more Enemies to these Doctrines than Papists And if we deny the Scripture to be the principal and compleat Rule of Faith that proves us no ways to agree with Papists except we all agreed with them concerning what is the Rule of Faith wherein we differ wider from Papists than our Opposers Therefore that sentence of Tertullian viz. That Christ is always Crucified betwixt two Thieves is impertinently objected by W M. against us and if the Lord will it may in due time be made appear to publick view that it far better suits our Adversaries He looks upon it as a great Absurdity page 51. To deny the more sure Word of Prophecy The more sure Word of Prophecy is not the Scripture but the Spirit mentioned 2 Pet. 1.19 to be the Scripture alledging I should have confuted the Apostle who expounds it so vers 20. But before he had been so peremptory in his Conclusion he should have first proved that the Apostle mentions these words by way of Exposition to the former Seeing he thinks himself so secure here why did he omit to answer that part of page 31. of mine where I told him That seeing the Scriptures have all their Sureness from the Spirit they cannot be more sure than it For to say that Scripture is more sure as to us being a standing Record than a Transient Voice from Heaven which
wholly bound up to these things already delivered in the Scriptures as if God had spoke his last words there to his People * So saith James Durham a noted Man among the Presbyterians in his Exposition upon the Revelations we are put with our own natural Understandings to Debate about the Meanings of it and forced to Interpret them not as they plainly speak but according to the Analogy of a certain Faith made by Men not so much contrived to answer the Scriptures as the Scriptures are strained to vindicate it which to doubt of is also counted Heresy deserving no less than Ejection out of our Native Country and to be Robbed of the Common Aid our Nativity entitles us to And on this hand we may boldly say both Papists and Protestants have greatly gone aside On the other hand some are so great Pretenders to inward Motions and Revelations of the Spirit that there are no Extravagancies so wild which they will not cloak with it and so much are they for every ones following their own Mind as can admit of no Christian Fellowship and Community nor of that good Order and Discipline which the Church of Christ never was nor can be without This gives an open Door to all Libertinism and brings great Reproach to the Christian Faith And on this hand have foully fall'n the German Anabaptists so call'd John of Leyden Knipperdolling c. in case these monstrous things committed by them be such as they are related and some more moderate of that kind have been found among the People in England called Ranters as it is true the People called Quakers have been branded with both of these Extreams it is as true it hath been and is their Work to Avoid them and to be found in that even and good Path of the Primitive Church where all were no doubt led and acted by the Holy Spirit and might all have prophesied one by one and yet there was a Subjection of the Prophets to the Spirits of the Prophets There was an Authority some had in the Church yet it was for Edification and not for Destruction there was an Obedience in the Lord to such as were set over and a being taught by such and yet a knowing of the Inward Anointing by which each Individual was to be led into all Truth The Work and Testimony the Lord hath given us is to Restore this again and to set both these in their right place without causing them to destroy one another To manifest how this is Accomplished and Accomplishing among us is the Business of this Treatise which I hope will give some Satisfaction to Men of sober Judgments and impartial and unprejudicate Spirits and may be made useful in the good Hand of the Lord to Confirm and Establish Friends against their present Opposers Which is mainly intended and earnestly prayed for By The 17th of the 8th Month 1674. Robert Barclay THE CONTENTS Section I. THe Introduction and Method of this Treatise Section II. Concerning the Ground and Cause of this Controversie Section III. Whether there be any Order or Government in the Church of Christ. Section IV. Of the Order and Government we plead for Section V. In what Cases and how far this Government extends Section VI. How far this Government extends in Matters Spiritual and purely Conscientious Section VII Concerning the Power of Decision Section VIII How this Government altogether differeth from the Oppressing and Persecuting Principality of the Church of Rome and other Antichristian Assemblies The Conclusion THE Anarchy of the Ranters c. year 1674 SECTION I. The Introduction and Method of this Treatise AFter that the Lord God in his own appointed time had seen meet to put an End to the Dispensation of the Law The End of the Law and Beginning of the Gospel-Dispensation recited which was delivered to the Children of Israel by the Ministry of Moses through and by whom he did Communicate unto them in the Wilderness from Mount Sinai divers Commandments Ordinances Appointments and Observations according as they are testified in the Writings of the Law it pleased him to send his own Son the Lord Jesus Christ in the fulness of Time who having perfectly fulfilled the Law and the Righteousness thereof gave Witness to the Dispensation of the Gospel And having Approved himself and the Excellency of his Doctrine by many Great and Wonderful Signs and Miracles he sealed it with his Blood and Triumphing over Death of which it was impossible for him to be held he cherished and encouraged his despised Witnesses who had believed in him in that he Appeared to them after he was raised from the Dead comforting them with the Hope and Assurance of the pouring forth of his Spirit by which they were to be led and ordered in all things in and by which he was to be with them to the End of the World not suffering the Gates of Hell to prevail against them By which Spirit come upon them they being filled were emboldned to preach the Gospel without Fear and in a short time Thousands were added to the Church and the Multitude of them that believed were of One Heart and of One Soul and great Love and Zeal prevailed and there was nothing lacking for a season But all that was Caught in the Net did not prove Good and Wholsom Fish some were again to be Cast in that Ocean from whence they were Drawn of those many that were Called The Divers Sorts of them that were called in the Apostles days all proved not Chosen Vessels fit for the Master's Use and of all that were brought into the great Supper and Marriage of the King's Son there were that were found without the Wedding-Garment Some made a Shew for a Season and afterwards fell away there were that drew back there were that made Shipwrack of Faith and of a Good Conscience there were not only such as did backslide themselves but sought to draw others into the same Perdition with themselves seeking to overturn their Faith also yea there were that brought in Damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them And also of those Members that became not wholly Corrupt for some were never again Restored by Repentance there were that were weak and sickly and young some were to be fed with Milk and not with strong Meat some were to be purged when the Old Leaven received any place and some to be Cut off for a season to be shut out as it were of the Camp for a time until their Leprosy were healed and then to be received in again Moreover as to Outwards there was the Care of the Poor of the Widow The Order in the Church of God in the Outward of the Fatherless of the Strangers c. Therefore the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Head of the Body the Church for the Church is the Body of Christ and the Saints are the several Members of that Body knowing in his infinite Wisdom what was
and times and that in the beginning of Chap. 5. he sheweth them their Folly and the Evil Consequence of adhering to the Ceremonies of Circumcision then he adds v. 6. For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision nor Vncircumcision availeth but Faith which worketh by love and thus he concludes again ch 6. v. 15. For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth nor Vncircumcision but a New Creature From which places appeareth that distinction of Works afore-mentioned whereof the one is excluded the other necessary to Justification For the Apostle sheweth here that Circumcision which word is often used to comprehend the whole Ceremonies and legal Performances of the Jews is not Necessary nor doth avail Here are then the Works which are excluded by which no man is Justified but Faith which worketh by love but the New Creature this is that which availeth which is Absolutely necessary for Faith that worketh by love cannot be without Works for as is said in the same 5 Chap. v. 22. Love is a Work of the Spirit Also the New Creature if it avail and be necessary cannot be without Works seeing it is natural for it to bring forth Works of Righteousness Again that the Apostle no ways intends to exclude such good Works appears in that in the same Epistle he Exhorts the Galatians to them The Usefulness and Necessity of good Works and holds forth the Vsefulness and Necessity of them and that very plainly c. 6. v. 7 8 9. Be not deceived saith he God is not mocked for whatsoever man soweth that shall he also reap for he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth in the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting And let us not be weary of well-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not Doth it not hereby appear how necessary the Apostle would have the Galatians know that he esteemed good Works to be to wit not the outward Ceremonies and Traditions of the Law but the fruits of the Spirit mentioned a little before by which Spirit he would have them to be led and walk in those good Works As also how much he ascribeth to these good Works by which he affirms Life Everlasting is Reaped Now that cannot be useless to man's Justification which Capacitates him to Reap so rich a Harvest But lastly for a full Answer to this Objection and for the Establishing of Answ. 2 this Doctrine of good Works I shall instance another saying of the same Apostle Paul which our Adversaries also in the blindness of their Minds make use of against us to wit Tit. 3.5 Not by Works of Righteousness Justified not by our legal performances but the fruits of the Spirit which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost It is generally granted by all that Saved is here all one as if it had been said Justified Now there are two kinds of Works here mentioned one by which we are not saved that is not Justified and another by which we are saved or justified The first the Works of Righteousness which we have wrought that is which we in our first fall'n Nature by our own strength have wrought our own legal performances and therefore may be truly and properly called ours whatever specious Appearances they may seem to have And that it must needs and ought so to be understood doth appear from the other part But by the washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost seeing Regeneration is a Work comprehensive of many good Works even of all those which are called the Fruits of the Spirit Object Now in case it should be objected That these may also be called Ours because wrought in us and also by us many times as Instruments Answ. I Answer It is far otherwise than the former For in the first we are yet alive in our own natural State unrenewed working of our selves seeking to save our selves by imitating and endeavouring a Conformity to the outward Letter of the Law and so wrestling and striving in the Carnal Mind that is Enmity to God and in the Cursed Will not yet subdued But in this second we are Crucified with Christ we are become dead with him have partaken of the fellowship of his sufferings are made Conformable to his death and our first man our old man with all his deeds as well the openly wicked as the seeming righteous our Legal Endeavours and foolish Wrestlings are all buried and nailed to the Cross of Christ and so it is no more We Not We but Christ in us is the worker of Righteousness but Christ alive in us the Worker in us So that though it be We in a sense yet it is according to that of the Apostle to the same Gal. c. 2. v. 2O I am crucified yet nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me not I but the Grace of Christ in me These Works are especially to be ascribed to the Spirit of Christ and Grace of God in us as being immediately thereby acted and led in them and enabled to perform them And this manner of Speech is not strained but familiar to the Apostles as appears Gal. 2.8 For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the Apostleship of the Circumcision the same was mighty in me c. Phil. 2.13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do c. So that it appears by this place that since the Washing of Regeneration is necessary to Justification and that Regeneration comprehends Works Works are necessary and that these Works of the Law that are excluded are different from these that are necessary and admitted § XI Thirdly they Object That no Works yea not the Works of Christ in us can have place in Justification Object 3 because nothing that is impure can be useful in it and all the Works wrought in us are Impure For this they alledge that saying of the Prophet Isaiah c. 64. v. 6. All our righteousness are as filthy Rags adding this reason That seeing we are Impure so must our Works be which though good in themselves yet as performed by us they receive a tincture of Impurity even as a clean Water passing through an unclean Pipe is defiled Answ. 1 That no Impure Works are useful to Justification is Confessed but that all the Works wrought in the Saints are such is Denied And for answer to this the former Distinction will serve We Confess that the first sort of Works above-mentioned are Impure but not the second because the first are wrought in the unrenewed State but not the other And as for that of Isaiah it must relate to the first kind for though he saith What sort of Righteousness is as filthy Rags All our Righteousness are as filthy Rags yet that will not Comprehend the Righteousness of Christ in us but only that which we work of and
Proof II for that Effect and it 's expresly promised to us as we are under Grace as appears by these Scriptures Rom. 6.14 The possibility of it Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace And Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son c. That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us c. For if this were not a Condition both requisite necessary and attainable under the Gospel there were no difference betwixt the Bringing-in of a better Hope and the Law which made nothing perfect The Difference of the Law and Gospel neither betwixt those which are under the Gospel or who under the Law enjoyed and walked in the Life of the Gospel and meer Legalists Whereas the Apostle throughout that whole sixth to the Romans argues not only the Possibility but Necessity of being Free from sin from their being under the Gospel and under Grace and not under the Law and therefore states himself and those to whom he wrote in that Condition in these verses 2 7. and therefore in the 11 12 13 16 17 18 verses he argues both the Possibility and Necessity of this Freedom from sin almost in the same manner we did a little before and in the 22th he declares them in measure to have Attained this Condition in these words But now being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto Holiness and the end Everlasting Life Perfection and Freedom from sin Attained and made possible by the Gospel And as this Perfection or Freedom from Sin is Attained and made Possible where the Gospel and inward Law of the Spirit is received and known so the Ignorance hereof has been and is an occasion of Opposing this Truth For man not minding the Light and Law within his heart which not only discovers sin but leads out of it and so being a stranger to the new Life and Birth that is born of God which naturally doth his Will and cannot of its own Nature Transgress the Commandments of God doth I say in his Natural State look at the Commandments as they are without him in the Letter The Letter kills and maketh not alive and finding himself Reproved and Convicted is by the Letter killed but not made alive So man finding himself wounded and not applying himself Inwardly to that which can heal labours in his own Will after a Conformity to the Law as it is without him which he can never obtain but finds the more he wrestles the more he falleth short So this is the Jew still in Effect with his Carnal Commandment with the Law without in the first Covenant-state which makes not the Comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the Conscience Hebr. 9.9 though they may have here a Notion of Christianity and an External Faith in Christ. This hath made them strain and wrest the Scriptures for an Imputative Righteousness wholly without them to cover their Impurities and this hath made them imagine an Acceptance with God possible though they suppose it Impossible ever to Obey Christ's Commands But alas O deceived Souls That will not avail in the Day wherein God will judge every man according to his Works whether good or bad It will not save thee to say It was necessary for thee to sin daily in thought word and deed for such as do so have certainly obeyed unrighteousness And what is provided for such but Tribulation and Anguish Indignation and Wrath even as glory honour and peace Immmortality and Eternal life to such as have done good and patiently continued in well-doing So then if thou desirest to know this Perfection and Freedom from sin possible for thee Turn thy mind to the Light and Spiritual Law of Christ in the heart and suffer the Reproofs thereof bear the Judgment and Indignation of God upon the unrighteous part in thee as therein it is Revealed which Christ hath made Tolerable for thee and so suffer Judgment in thee to be brought forth into Victory How we partake of Christ's Sufferings and are made Conformable unto his Death and thus come to partake of the Fellowship of Christ's Sufferings and be made Conformable unto his Death that thou may'st feel thy self Crucified with him to the World by the Power of his Cross in thee so that that life that sometimes was alive in thee to this World and the love and lusts thereof may die and a New Life be raised by which thou may'st live hence-forward to God and not to or for thy self and with the Apostle thou may'st say Gal. 2.20 It is no more I but Christ alive in me and then thou wilt be a Christian indeed and not in name only as too many are Then thou wilt know what it is to have put off the old man with his deeds who indeed sins daily in thought word and deed and to have put on the New Man that is renewed in holiness after the Image of him that hath Created him Eph. 4.24 and thou wilt witness thy self to be God's Workmanship Created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Matth. 11.30 1 John 5.3 and so not to sin always And to this New Man Christ's yoke is Easie and his burthen is light though it be heavy to the Old Adam yea the Commandments of God are not unto this grievous for it is his meat and drink to be found fulfilling the Will of God Proof III Lastly This Perfection or Freedom from sin is possible because many have attained it according to the express Testimony of the Scripture Some before the Law Many have Attained Perfection and some under the Law through witnessing and partaking of the benefit and effect of the Gospel and much more many under the Gospel As first It is written of Enoch Gen. 5.22 24. that he walked with God Enoch walked with God and was Perfect which no man while sinning can nor doth the Scripture record any feeling of his It is said of Noah Gen. 6.9 and of Job 1.8 and of Zacharias and Elizabeth Luke 1.6 That they were perfect But under the Gospel besides that of the Romans above-mentioned see what the Apostle saith of many Saints in general Eph. 2.4 5 6. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he hath loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ by Grace ye are saved and hath raised us up together and made us fit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus c. I judge while they were sitting in these heavenly places they could not be daily sinning in thought word and deed neither were all their Works which they did there as filthy Rags or as a menstruous Garment See what is further said to the Hebrews 12.22 23. Spirits of just men made perfect And to Conclude let that of the Revelations c. 14.1 2
sometimes fled but to persecute is the Invention and Argument of the Devil which he seeks against all And after he saith In so far as the Arrians banish those that will not subscribe their Decrees they shew that they are contrary to Christians and Friends of the Devil But now O lamentable Hil. contra Aux saith Hilarius it is the Suffrages of the Earth that recommend the Religion of God and Christ is found naked of his Vertue while Ambition must give credit to his Name The Church reproves and fights by Banishments and Prisons and forceth her self to be believed which once was believed because of the Imprisonments and Banishments her self suffered She that once was consecrated by the Terror of her Persecutors depends now upon the Dignity of those that are in her Communion She that once was propagated by her banished Priests now banisheth the Priests And she boasts now that she is loved of the World who could not have been Christ's if she had not been hated of the World The Church saith Hierom was founded by shedding of Blood Hieron Ep. 62. ad The. and by Suffering and not in doing of Hurt The Church increased by Persecutions and was crowned by Martyrdoms Ambrose speaking of Auxentius saith thus Ambr. Ep. 32. tom 3. Whom he viz. Auxentius could not deceive by Discourse he thinks ought to be killed by the Sword making bloody Laws with his Mouth writing them with his Hands and imagining that an Edict can command Faith And the same Ambrose saith That going into France Ambr. epist. 27. he would not communicate with those Bishops that required That Hereticks should be put to Death The Emperour Marcio who assembled the Council of Chalcedon Marc. Ep. ad Archimand c. Mon. Eg. in acta concil Chalced. tom 2. conc gen protests That he would not force nor constrain any one to subscribe the Council of Chalcedon against his Will (a) Hosi epist. ad Constit. apud Ath. in epist. ad solit vit tom 1. Hosius Bishop of Corduba testifies That the Emperour Constans would not constrain any to be Orthodox (b) Hil. l. 1. ad Const. Hilarius saith further That God teacheth rather than exacteth the Knowledge of himself and authorizing his Commandments by the Miracles of his Heavenly Works he wills not that any should confess him with a forced Will c. He is the God of the whole Vniverse he needs not a forced Obedience nor requires a constrained Confession (c) Ambr. comm in Luc. l. 7. Christ saith Ambrose sent his Apostles to sow Faith not to constrain but to teach not to exercise coercive Power but to extoll the Doctrine of Humility (d) Cypr. epist. 62. Hence Cyprian comparing the Old Covenant with the New saith Then were they put to Death with the outward Sword but now the Proud and Contumacious are cut off with the Spiritual Sword by being cast out of the Church And this answers very well that Objection before observed taken from the Practice of the Jews under the Law See saith Tertullian to the Heathens if it be not to contribute to the renown of Irreligion to seek to take away the Liberty of Religion Tertull. Apol. c. 24. and to hinder Men their Choice of God that I may not be admitted to adore whom I will but must be constrained to serve him whom I will not There is none nay not a Man that desires to be adored by any against their Will Id. Apol. cap. 28. And again It 's a thing that easily appears to be unjust to constrain and force Men to sacrifice against their Wills seeing to do the Service of God there is required a willing Heart And again It is an Human Right and Natural Power that every one worship what he esteems Idem ad Scapul c. 2. and one Man's Religion doth not profit nor hurt another Neither is it any piece of Religion to enforce Religion which must be undertaken by Consent and not by Violence seeing that the Sacrifices themselves are not required but from a willing Mind Now how either Papists or Protestants that boast of Antiquity can get by these plain Testimonies let any rational Man judge And indeed I much question if in any one Point owned by them and denied by us they can find all the old Fathers and Writers so exactly unanimous Which shews how contrary all of them judged this to be to the Nature of Christianity and that in the Point of Persecution lay no small part of the Apostacy which from little to more came to that that the Pope upon every small Discontent would Excommunicate Princes absolve their Subjects from obeying them and turn them in and out at his Pleasure Now if Protestants do justly abhor these things among Papists is it not sad that they should do the like themselves A thing that at their first Appearance Luth. lib. de Captivitate Babylon when they were in their Primitive Innocency they did not think on as appears by that Saying of Luther Neither Pope nor Bishop nor any other Man hath Power to oblige a Christian to one Syllable except it be by his own Consent And again I call boldly to Christians that neither Man nor Angel can impose any Law upon them but so far as they will for we are free of all And when he appeared at the Diet of Spiers before the Emperour in a particular Conference he had before the Archbishop of Triers and Joachim Elector of Brandenburgh History of the Council of Trent when there seemed no possibility of agreeing him with his Opposers they asking him What Remedy seemed to him most fit He answered The Counsel that Gamaliel proposed to the Jews to wit That if this Design was of God it would stand if not it would evanish which he said ought to content the Pope He did not say because he was in the Right he ought to be spared For this Counsel supposeth That those that are tolerated may be wrong and yet how soon did the same Luther ere he was well secure himself press the Elector of Saxony to banish poor Carolostadius because he could not in all things submit to his Judgment And certainly it is not without ground reported That it smote Luther to the Heart so that he needed to be comforted when he was informed That Carolostadius in his Letter to his Congregation styled himself A Man banished for Conscience by the Procurement of Martin Luther And since both the Lutherans and Calvinists not admitting one another to Worship in those respective Dominions sheweth how little better they are than either Papists or Arrians in this particular And yet Calvin saith That the Conscience is free from the Power of all Men. If so why then did he cause Castellio to be banish'd because he could not for Conscience-sake believe as he did Calvin Inst. c. 19. sect 14. That God had ordained Men to be damned And Servetus to be
is no sufficient Warrant to us to do any thing The Positive Permission is when God by some Inward Evidence or Signification of his Spirit by Words or otherwise maketh us know That he Alloweth us to do such a thing although he Command it not As for Example if a Scholar should go forth out of the School without getting of his Master's Leave this is a Negative Permission and is not a sufficient Ground for the Scholar to go forth But when the Scholar cometh and saith Let me go forth and the Master answereth Thou mayest go this is a Positive Permission and not a Command Praeses And. Th. Examples are not Demonstrations G. K. But they may be used to Illustrate Praeses A. Th. But the Master saith to the Scholar Exi go forth which is in the Imperative and that signifieth to Command G. K. That is but a Grammaticism for the Imperative Mood doth not always signifie to Command but sometimes to Command and sometimes to Permit which I refer to the Judgment of School-Masters who teach the Grammar A.T. Praeses As in the third Person in the Imperative Exeat Let him go is Permissive This is rather like a Debate about Grammatications of Imperative Moods than about the Matter intended therefore come to the Purpose A. Shir. In the Prosecution of this Argument against this Thesis alledged on G. K. He will not pay his Debt because he may pretend he wants an Inspiration to do it G. K. I hope none can blame me for refusing to Pay my Debt and I pay my Debt as well as any of you nor can any be supposed that Men can want an Inspiration to do any such thing And we refer our selves to the Judgment of Discretion in all sober Persons here present Paul Gelly I have an Argument to propose for Water-baptism R. B. Then let me read the Thesis which was read and is as followeth As there is one Lord and one Faith so there is one Baptism Ephes. 4.5 which is not the putting away of the Filth of the Flesh but the Answer of a Good Conscience before God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 and this Baptism is a Holy and Spiritual Thing to wit the Baptism of the Spirit and Fire by which we are buried with him Col. 2.12 that being washed and purged from our Sins we may walk in newness of Life Rom. 6.4 of which the Baptism of John was a Figure which was commanded for a Time and not to continue for ever As to the Baptism of Infants it is a meer Human Tradition for which neither Precept nor Practice is to be found in all the Scripture R. B. What hast thou against this Thesis is it not the express Words of Scripture P. G. It is true and therein we agree but I oppose your Meaning of it R. B. We make no Meaning in the Case Note That while this Young-Man was prosecuting his Argument J. L. did insolently intrude himself and interrupted him and they spoke of them three at some times for the Scripture declareth our Meaning G. K. Ye have a large Field to dispute in in the last part of the Thesis if you please where he positively affirms That Sprinkling of Infants is a meer Human Tradition Students We will not meddle with that at this Time P. G. Either you mean by this Thesis That Water-Baptism is ceased or not ceased R. B. Come on we mean It is ceased P. G. I prove it is not Ceased thus If the Presence of Christ is to continue with his Church for ever then Water-Baptism is to continue for ever But the first is true Therefore the second G. K. People take Notice he saith Water-Baptism is to continue for ever if so then we must be baptized in Heaven after this Life with Water-Baptism Stud. He means by for ever to the end of the World R. B. Having repeated the Argument I deny the sequel of the first Proposition P. G. I prove it from Matth. 28. Go Teach and Baptize all Nations c. Here Christ commanding them to Baptize sheweth he will be with them to the end of the World therefore as long as he was to be with them that Baptism was to Continue R. B. I grant the whole But the Question is If that Baptism be by Water which I deny P. G. I prove it was by Water If the Apostles baptized with Water then they were commanded to baptize with Water But the Apostles baptized with Water Therefore they were commanded to Baptize with Water R. B. Having repeated the Argument I deny the Consequence of the Proposition P. G. I prove it thus Either the Apostles did Baptize with Water by theCommand of Christ Matth. 28. Or they were ignorant of the Meaning of that Command Chuse you whether G. K. It is not a Sufficient Enumeration for they might have known the Meaning of the Command and yet Baptized with Water not for that Command but in Condescension to the Weaknesses of the Jews P.G. If they Condescended to Baptize with Water for the Weakness of the Jews though without a Command then ye ought to Baptize now with Water to Condescend to Peoples Weakness now seeing ye confess that there are who are weak both among us and your selves G. K. That will not follow more than in the Case of Circumcision for the Apostle Paul did Circumcise without a Command in Condescension to the Jews yet it followeth not that any now should Circumcise to Condescend to the people who should require it Stud. The parity is not alike because Baptism with water was Commanded to the Apostles so not Circumcision for John Baptist was sent to Baptize with Water R. B. John Baptist was not an Apostle and so not concerned in that Commission Matth. 28. And his Baptism was to decrease that the Baptism of Christ by the Holy Ghost might encrease Al. Shir. It must be Water-Baptism because the Baptizing of the Holy Ghost is ceased now G. K. People take notice he saith The Baptism of the Holy Ghost is ceased now A. Shir. It is ceased to be given by Men for do ye give the Holy Ghost by the laying on of Hands G. K. The Holy Ghost may be given without the laying on of Hands and Holy Men now are Instruments in conveying the Gifts of the Holy Ghost to others R. B. Did not Paul say Rom. 1.11 That he longed to see them to communicate some Spiritual Gift And besides as to the Matter of Condescendence Abstaining from Blood and things strangled though particularly Commanded by the Apostles yet is not now to be practised by any Condescension as your selves confess G. K. Hear what Augustine saith in the Case of Circumcision observing of Meals Drinks Washing Sacrifices c. They are to be considered in a threefold respect viz. First as Living under the Law Secondly as dead after the Death of Christ Thirdly as deadly as being once buried and being once buried they are not to be again raised
clearly Repealed because Murtherers Witches Traitors are Tares as well as Hereticks and if the one were to be eximed * Exempt or Excepted so would the other Is not this the way to Argue against Christ and to charge Contradictions upon him not upon us Wherein they fasten an Absurdity upon him who gave this Command or else they must acknowledge that by these Tares are to be understood some sort of Evil-doers with whom the Magistrates are not to meddle But since the Students say This is Repealed they must Confess it sometimes stood in Vigour it being once Commanded we would willingly be informed then of them and they may remember it when they write next How long this Command stood and to whom it belonged since it had its Rise from Christ and was none of the Old Covenant-Precepts Or if it be one of those useless Gospel-Commands they dream of which it is unlawful for us to Obey But to go on they say That by the Tares is to be understood bemasked Hypocrites who being scarce discernable from the Wheat are therefore not to be meddled with No Discerning no Judging Very well then where the Magistrate cannot discern Heresies according to themselves he is not to punish And then what comes of that Authority was acknowledged Nero had from Rom. 13. who was as uncapable to Discern Hereticks as Hypocrites And then seeing as before is said They are not to Iudge of hidden things Experience hath abundantly shewn how much the True Discerning of Heresy is both Vncertain and Difficult even to Protestant Magistrates who have called that Wheat to day which they have called Tares to morrow And therefore ought according to this Rule to forbear meddling in such Matters Sundry Religions may live in Peace together Their Second Argument pag. 123. drawn from Rom. 13. and 1 Pet. 2.14 which is parallel with it is before Answered Afterwards they go about to play the Politicians shewing both here and in the following page How the Publick Peace is disturbed by suffering of sundry Religions And this they reckon so Certain that they conclude It is known by all that are but indifferently versed in Histories c. Now if this Conclusion hold True it is Impossible either for France Germany Holland or Zwitserland to be in Peace without either the Papists rise up and Cut the Protestants Throats or the Protestants theirs And who but such as the Students can be Ignorant that after much Blood-shed and Contention who should Oppress and Destroy each other they have learned by sad Experience That it is safest and most conducible to the Peace and contributes most to the Publick Benefit Not to meddle with each others Consciences Notwithstanding that these pitiful States-men can prattle to the Contrary Who have shewn themselves in this to be very indifferently versed in History Civil Offences require a Civil Censure and Religious Offences an Ecclesiastick Censure But they proceed Affirming That since the Magistrate is Keeper of both Tables to whom is entrusted not only the Care of Mens Bodies but Souls he ought to punish not only for Evil but also for Religious Offences If all this were confessed would it follow that he were to punish Religious as Civil Offences by a Civil Censure Surely nay no more than he must punish Civil Offences by an Ecclesiastick Censure Now it remains for them to prove That Offences in things purely Conscientious should among Christians be punished by the External Sword Which they have not as yet done And let it be here Observed that notwithstanding all their Clamours for the Magistrates Priviledge and that the Quakers detract from him All the Power Dignity and Honour they put upon him is To be the Clergy's Burrow For as they allow him not Authority to judge who are Hereticks and who not So he must only serve to be their Executioner and persecute such as they find prejudicial to their Interest For though they will have it to be lawful for Preachers such as their Bishops to be Magistrates as Chancellor Councellor Judge c. yet no Magistrate nay the King himself must take upon him to be a Preacher though we could never see any thing in all the New Testament making this Vnlawful yea and David and Solomon in the Old who were not of the Tribe of Levi were both Prophets and Preachers and Pen-men of the Scripture This Trick even the Protestant Clergy have learned from their Father the Pope Priests shut out the Magistrate from medling with their Function who shewed the Clergy long ago the way to make themselves Princes and Judges but to be sure to shut out the Magistrate from medling with their Function So it may be easily seen here whether the Quakers or the Students be the greatest Friends to the Magistrate Lastly They Conclude that since those that broach Heresy do Evil and that the Magistrate is the Executor of God's Wrath upon him that doth or acteth outwardly Evil without any Restriction c. it is not lawful for us to add a Restriction where the Spirit of God hath put none Who can but Admire the Impudency of these Students which do that which in the following line they Affirm is unlawful by adding Outwardly which is a Restriction For the words in the Text are not Outwardly Evil but Evil which being taken without any Restriction Comprehends Inward as well as Outward Acts of Evil. Seeing then they put a Restriction though to their own Self-Condemnation they Confess it to be Vnlawful which they are forced to do else Hypocrites would be Comprehended whom they Confess to be Tares that are not to be medled with Tares We that judge it no wise Vnlawful because without other clear Texts be Contradicted there must be here a Restriction may Restrict it to things Civil and Moral excluding matters of Worship and Difference in Opinion for the Reasons often before-mentioned Their third Argument wholly misses the matter which is The Practice of many Princes even approved of God in Coercing Idolatries c. For since all the Examples they give are of the Kings of Judah and Israel under the Law it no wise meets the present Controversy which is concerning the power of Christian Magistrates under the Gospel Lastly they Argue That the Prophets of the Old Testament have prophesied The Death of false Prophets that it should be the Office of Christian Magistrates to Coerce false Prophets for which they alledge Deut. 18.20 He that shall speak in the name of other Gods shall die Very well he saith not shall be put to death in a Judicial Way It is said The Soul that sinneth shall die it will not therefore follow that Every Soul that sinneth shall be killed by the Magistrate But though it be understood of putting to death it reacheth not the Case we being under the Gospel not under the Law where also it was not lawful so to do for different Opinions and Interpretations of the Law but
have quick Eyes indeed that see it from thence to be Inferred that they were such ere they Committed any Actual Sin since the Apostle expresly mentions his and their having had their Conversation among the World as a Reason of their having been in the same Condition He saith further 1 Confess 1 Cor. 2. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be understood of the Rational Soul And what then Therefore so soon as they partake of the Rational Soul they become Children of Wrath This is indeed a rare Consequence But he must Excuse me for not Admitting it till better proved It would seem much more Rational to say That so soon as they come to the Exercise of their Rational Soul and then do Evil they become guilty for he cannot deny That the Gospel nor Condemneth nor Threatneth any Man but him that has Actually Sinned And whether this destroys not his Cause the Reader may judge That Except a Man be born again he cannot enter the Kingdom I never denied Albeit Children be capable of Death yet it will not follow that they are Guilty of Sin since Death is no Punishment but rather an Advantage to such to whom it 's a Transition to a better Life He thinks p. 117. that my saying Such as homologate their Fathers Sins God will visit the Iniquities of their Fathers upon them is no worth Noticing but whether his Answer be worth Noticing the Reader may judge which is That Adam 's sin was not a personal Sin as other Mens are and his own After-sins but the Man forgot to prove this and therefore may do it next But he thinks the Children of Core The Children of Core c. Instanced Dathan and Abiram of Achan and the Sodomites were judged guilty of their Fathers Sins for unless he proves that he saith nothing But for what Reason I know not unless that they were outwardly destroyed But until he prove that infers Guilt he must forbear making his Conclusion He is highly offended should say Their Opinion is contrary to the Justice and Mercy of God alledging It is without proof But if to account one guilty for a Sin committed by another Thousands of years ere they had a Being and to punish for it be not against Justice and inconsistent with Mercy I desire to know of him what is more Vnjust and Vnmerciful To say that this is an Accusing of God is but a silly begging of the Question until he has first proved his Opinion to be true It 's no Accusing of God to Condemn Mens Opinions when contrary to his Nature He will have it to be a Rapsody of Non-sense when I say This proceeds from Self-love founded on their Opinion of Absolute Reprobation but whether it be or not the Reader may judge Sure his saying it makes it not so That this of Infants being guilty of Adam 's Sin and therefore many of them being damned depends upon their Doctrine of Reprobation no Man of Sense that knows their Doctrine will deny since they say some Infants are saved because Elected Are not the rest then according to them Damned because Reprobated He gives me nothing here in answer but Railing and so concludes this Paragraph with this notable Saying Wo Isay that is Some Infants Elected some Reprobated J. B.'s Opinion J. Brown forsooth and thrice Wo to such as drink-in this Man's Doctrine and live and die accordingly p. 118. n. 14. He thinks my saying Papists are more Charitable in allowing a Limbus to Children shews my Affection to them but he has not heard me allow of their Notion of a Limbus as he does in the Chapter of Justification p. 310. of the Opinion of a certain Popish Cardinal preferring it not only to what is said by William Forbes a Protestant Bishop but even as it would appear to Richard Baxter his ancient Presbyterian Brother And in pursuance of this he asks How they come to Heaven meaning Children who have nothing to do with Christ But then what will he say of those he accounts Elect Children go they to Heaven without Christ If not the difficulty is the same way resolved To prove Children are under a Law and subject to Transgression he gives the Common Practices among Men who forfeit Children yea such as are unborn with their Fathers for great Crimes But in what Country do they use to kill all the Children when the Father is put to Death for a Crime and unless this were done his Comparison infers not the Point His plain answer he saith is Adam his being a Publick Person of which hereafter To my Citation Ezech. 18.20 The Son shall not bear the Father's Iniquity how Explained by J. B The Son shall not bear the Father's Iniquity he preaches at large upon the Words alledging his Meaning is that those Persons he wrote to had so much Sin of their own that God might justly judge them albeit he did not visit them for their Fathers Iniquities And this is the quick Dispatch he saith this Place receives It is a quick Way to Dispatch indeed if it were Valid to make the Meaning destroy the Text But Men of Sense use not to be sudden in receiving such Dispatches The Words are plain and positive The Son shall not bear the Father's Iniquity therefore until he give Ground from plain Scripture to take it away it must stand to the overthrow of his Doctrine for the greater Sinners those Men were the more justly and deservedly might their Father's Iniquity be laid upon them ¶ 6. Pag. 120. n. 17. He cometh from my Confession J. B. Infers Original Sin from Adam's being a publick Person That Adam was a publick Person to infer That the guilt passeth from him to all And first in this page he affirmeth That this Sin of Adam 's from whence Original Sin proceeds is the Sin of the whole Nature of Mankind and not like Adam 's After-sins and the Sins of other Men which he confesses are not the Sins of the whole Nature And because upon this dependeth much of what he infers he had done well to have proved this in the first Place by some Scripture Till which Time his Inference is not to be Received For did Adam Cease to be a publick Person after he had Committed that Sin If he say Yea let him prove it by plain Scripture for I deny it If not then his other Sins must be Imputed to all Men which he denies or else nothing can be urged from his being a publick Person And while to urge it he asketh Did ever any hear one stated as a Publick Person whose Failings could have no Effect until the Persons represented did testify their Approbation of it For here speaking of Failings he must either Conclude in Contradiction to himself That Adam's Sins are laid to the Charge of his Posterity or his Instance is wholly Impertinent And yet to go round again he takes notice p. 125. That the Apostle names One Offence in the
I say That as to us they cannot be separated Then all must be Redeemed the one way who are Redeemed the other and that then every Man must be Redeemed from the power of Corruption and saved But here according to his Custom he cites not my words justly which are That they are both perfect in their own Nature albeit in their Application to us-ward they cannot be separated that is he that comes Effectually to Enjoy the Benefit of the one must Enjoy the other he that Receives the second partakes of the first also he that really receives the first receives the second also but that hinders not but many may be offered the Benefit of the first and by rejecting and resisting it lose the Benefit both of first and second and he that rejecteth it at any time albeit he receive it for a season as by his falling he loses what of the second is wrought in him to wit of Purification so he doth also lose the first which was Remission of Sin His last Cavil at this is very Impertinent which is by way of Question That if this second Redemption be necessary to Salvation as indeed it is what shall become of the Child of God that hath no Light What shall become of them J. B's Absurdities that Saints may be Vnited to Christ and not see it that have true Grace uniting them to Christ c. and yet through darkness can see and acknowledge no such thing For to pass-by the Absurdities here supposed that Saints can be said to have no Light or have Grace and be Vnited to Christ yet neither be able to see it nor acknowledge it and that not during their life-time here for unless this be also supposed he cannot Conclude what he will for that a Saint may be clouded at a time is not denied yet this maketh nothing for his purpose Will it follow because they see it not that it therefore is not needful to their Salvation His own words Imply a Contradiction to this And thus the Man Confutes that by which he would urge another in the very words by which he expresses it For is not Grace to unite the heart to Christ necessary to Salvation He will surely say Yes If then the acknowledgment of that and seeing of it which is needful to Salvation be not needful then the not-seeing or not acknowledging of a thing makes it not a thing unnecessary to Salvation which is the Absurdity he would Insinuate ¶ 3. Thus having removed out of the way his most obvious Perversions and Abuses I come to Treat of the main matter which all depends upon this one Question What is that whereby a Man is Justified so as to appear truly Just in the sight of God This he supposes to be done by the Righteousness and Death of Christ without even before any work of Righteousness be wrought in Man even as a Cautioner to whom he Compares Christ in this case frees him whose Debt he pays I on the contrary affirm By the Death of Christ no Man can be said to be Justified until Christ received in the heart there Renew and make him Just. That albeit Reconciliation and Remission of Sins be by the Death of Christ without and the door opened so that all may be at Peace by the Offer of Grace made in Christ if they reject it not yet hereby no Man can be said to be Justified or appear Just properly until Christ be received in his heart there to renew and purify him and make him Just so that however Justification may be distinguished from Sanctification yet not divided nor yet so distinguished that a Man can be truly said to be Justified who is Vnholy and Vnsanctified And therefore upon the Examining of what he urges against this and for his Position as also what he answers to my Probations for it depends the whole matter But before I enter particularly upon this and that there may no Interruption meet me when entred in it I will first take notice and remove his Mistakes and Misapplied Proofs thereupon both in what he Opposes me and Affirms for himself as also here take notice of his meer Assertions And first then pag. 299. he supposes There can be no Reconciliation by the Blood of Christ's Cross c. unless for such in whose Room Christ died as a Cautioner and Surety and so made Satisfaction that they should be Redeemed and Delivered But albeit upon this Notion and Affirmation all depends yet I miss the Proof of it if his After-Proofs say any thing to it I shall Examin them That which he mentions here written Rom. 8.3 4. is so far from doing it that it proves the Contrary For albeit the Death of Christ was that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us yet it follows not that the Righteousness of the Law must be fulfilled in all for whom he died yea the following words who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit shew The Benefit of Christ's Death is to them that Walk after the Spirit this to be the Condition Requisite on our part that we may partake of the Benefit of his Death If to prove that Man should be Reconciled Redeemed and Delivered by the Death of Christ he bring the Instances of the Righteousness of the Law to be fulfilled in us then Men cannot be said to be Reconciled Redeemed and Delivered until this Righteousness of the Law be fulfilled in them What he addeth to this That we cannot be said to be accounted Righteous and absolved from Accusation upon the account of our works of Righteousness I say no such thing freely confessing that not only pardoning of Sin but removing of the Filth as well as of the Guilt is the Act of God's Mercy and Grace as saith the Apostle Tit. 3.5 6. And yet we are saved The removing both Filth and Guilt of Sin is the Act of God's Grace and Mercy and consequently Justified according to his Mercy by the washing of Regeneration since this is the Fruit of the Grace and Spirit of God freely given us And therefore it is not enough for him pag. 203. to affirm That I pervert the Apostle's words 2 Cor. 5.19 20. God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself upon this bare supposition That this World is only understood of the Elect for if this Reconciliation had been Absolute and not in part only that is a Readiness on God's part to be Reconciled with them if they Repent which I affirm to what purpose should the Apostle as an Embassador Intreat them to be Reconciled there needed no Intreaty to that which was already done neither are his meer Assertions to this p. 303. any Answer It is strange that to prove That all for whom Christ died are certainly made alive one time or other he brings these words And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them
Tribunal I desire daily to stand that he may more narrowly search me by his Light and both discover and destroy what he finds contrary to his Pure Nature and Holy Will whether mediately or immediately Revealed and before whose Tribunal thou and I will ere long more solemnly appear to give an Account of things we have done in the body Which that thou mayst do with Joy and not with Grief hereafter when thou commend'st thy Advice to the Readers of thy Epistles have so much Mercy upon thy own and the Souls of those thou writ'st to as to desire them to ponder their path and be establisbed and be sure they be come to the holy Faith and not to an Implicite believing the Tradition of men for by so doing indeed thou and as many as thou canst influence may come to fare well according to Prov. 4 26. Ponder thy path and be established and turn not to the right hand nor the left I am one Newtyle the 8th of the Fourth Month 1678. Who in my measure Travel for the Redemption of the Seed of God in all Souls and in thine LILLIAS SKEIN A Catalogue of some of the many downright Lies and Calumnies which he asserts in the Index before his Book to be the Assertions of the Quakers All these things he Asserts falsly of us 1. THat we arrogantly Stile our selves the Servants of God 2. That we glory of the Title Quakers 3. That we account our selves the only Teachers of Truth Equalizing our selves to the Apostles 4. That we say we are perfect without Sin 5. That we only tast see and smell the Inward Light 6. That we Assert our Experiences in matters that cannot be experienced 7. That we assert our selves to be Equal with God 8. That we say all is done without the Spirit that is not done in our Way 9. That we remain Covered when they Pray or Praise really to Mock 10. That we ascribe as much to our own Writings as to the Scriptures 11. That we speak basely of Learned Men. 12. That we Condemn the Study of Original Languages 13. That we speak most basely of the Scriptures 14. That we say they are no Rule to us 15. That we call them Imperfect 16. That we disswade from Reading and Studying them 17. That we say God only worketh a possibility of Salvation 18. That we say God ordaineth nothing from Eternity 19. That we deny Christ's second Coming 20. That we are not Clear concerning Jesus of Nazareth his being the Son of God 21. That we acknowledge no Christ but a Christ within us 22. That we make him nothing but a meer holy Man 23. That a Christ without us is but a Carnal Christ with us 24. That we are unclear touching the Sin of Adam and the Fall 25. That we make Original Sin to be a Substance 26. That we deny that Heathens have any thing of the Law written in their Hearts 27. That we say a Pagan can perform all inward Worship easily 28. That we confound Revelations with the gratious Operations of the Spirit 29. That we succeed to the Old Enthusiasts 30. That we turn the History of Christ's Death into Allegories 31. That we Wildly describe it 32. That we say there is no more Advantage to be had by the History of Christ's Death than by the History of other Saints 33. That we miserably mistake the Judgment of the Orthodox about Reprobation 34. That in exaggerating the matter of Reprobation we miserably belch out against God 35. That we deny Faith and Repentance to be the Gifts of God 36. That we vilify the Vertue and Efficacy of Christ's Satisfaction 37. That we deny all Imputation of Righteousness 38. That we say the Patriarchs had no Faith of the Messiah to come 39. That with us all Members of the Church are Officers 40. That we say all Worship must be done by inward Inspirations as to Time Place and Duration 41. That we make no Vse of the Scriptures in our Worship 42. That in our Worship we Vnchristian and Vnman our selves 43. That we deny Magistrates to be lawful that are not of our Way 44. That we are against giving of all Honour and Respect to Superiors or Equals 45. That we assert no Heaven nor Hell but what is within us I could have noted several others which are direct enough Lies set down in the Index besides not a few he has in the Book which are not in his Index and which the Reader will in this Vindication observe There are also several in the Index which are false and not owned by us in the Terms he writeth them of which I shall give the Reader a few Examples that he may judge thereby of his Fallacy in most of the rest As where he saith 1. That we say The Knowledge of the Fall is not necessary Now this is false for we hold it necessary for all to be sensible of their Loss and Want only we say a distinct Knowledge of the History of Adam's Fall is not of Absolute Necessity to such as God never afforded the means of knowing it 2. That we deny bodily Death to be a Punishment for Sin This is also false only we say that it is not a Punishment for Sin unto all but rather a Pleasure and Satisfaction according to the Apostle's Words To me to die is gain 3. That with us the Preaching of the Gospel is not Necessary This is a meer Fallacy for we say the Preaching of the Gospel is absolutely Necessary only we do not think the External Knowledge of Christ to be only the Preaching of the Gospel and that the Preaching of the Gospel has been or may be where this is wanting If I should go through the rest of the Index thus I should find very few particulars in which there is not some such Perversion or Fallacy so that very few are set down as they are truly owned by us Some indeed are such as 1. That we deny Men to be Christians by Birth for we believe That Men by nature are born Children of Wrath and yet this may have Exceptions as in the case of Jeremiah and John the Baptist who are said to be sanctified from their Mothers Womb. 2. That we would have Ministers learning Trades whereby to live We truly think it were no Disparagement for Ministers to work with their Hands as the honest Apostle Paul did who commended the same to the Elders of Ephesus Act. 20.34 And yet we think a Man may be a good Minister though he have not a Trade and Work none but yet never the Worse if he have one 3. That in Worship we think Men should be silent in the first place Yes for Silence goes before all solemn Actions of Speaking 4. That we think to Command Men to pray without the Spirit is to Command Men to see without Eyes Yes because we know not what to pray for as we ought without it Rom. 8.26 and no Man should be Commanded to Pray as
Justified by Grace is to be Justified or Saved by Regeneration which cannot exclude the Works wrought by Grace and by the Spirit How doth the Apostle add in the next verse for the maintaining this against those that Cavil about the Law A. This is a Faithful Saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly Tit. 3.8 9. that they which believe in God might be Careful to maintain good Works these things are good and profitable unto Men But avoid foolish Questions and Genealogies and Contentions and Strivings about the Law for they are unprofitable and vain Q. Doth the Apostle Paul that is so much against Justification by the Works of the Law speak any where else of being justified by the Spirit A. But ye are Washed but ye are Sanctified but ye are Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 6.11 and by the Spirit of our God Q. But since the Law gives not Power nor Ability to obey and so falls short of Justification Is there no Power under the Gospel by which the Righteousness of the Law comes to be fulfilled inwardly A. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh Rom. 8.3 4. God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh and for Sin condemned Sin in the Flesh That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Q. Seeing then there is Power in the Spirit is not Works through it a Condition upon which Life is proposed under the New Covenant Rom. 8.13 A. For if ye live after the Flesh ye shall Dye but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body ye shall Live Q. Do not the Apostles then frequently propose Life to People upon Condition of Repentance and other Works Acts 3.19 A. Repent ye therefore and be Converted that your Sins may be blotted out And if Children then Heirs of God and joint-Heirs with Christ if so be Rom. 8.17 that we may suffer with him that we also may be glorified together * 2 Tim. 2.11 12 21. It is a faithful Saying For if we be dead with him we shall also live with him If we Suffer we shall also Reign with him If a Man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a Vessel unto Honour sanctified and meet for the Master's Use and prepared unto every good Work Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen Rev. 2.5 and Repent and do the first Works or else I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou Repent Q. It appears clearly by these Passages that the Apostle excludes only our Righteousness which he elsewhere explains Reward of Works as being the Righteousness of the Law from being necessary to Justification and not such Works as the Law of the Spirit of Life leads to and are not so much ours as Christ in us are not such good Works Rewarded though they require no absolute Merit as being the Fruits of free Grace yet doth not God judge according to them and may they not be said to have a Reward A. But if a Man be just and do that which is lawful and right Ezek. 18.5 6 7 8 9. and hath not eaten upon the Mountains neither hath lift up his Eyes to the Idols of the House of Israel neither has defiled his Neighbour's Wife neither hath come near to a Menstruous Woman and hath not oppressed any but hath restored to the Debtor his Pledge hath spoiled none by Violence hath given his Bread to the Hungry and hath covered the Naked with a Garment he that hath not given forth upon Usury neither hath taken any Increase that hath withdrawn his Hand from Iniquity hath executed true Judgment between Man and Man hath walked in my Statutes and hath kept my Judgments to deal Truth he is Just he shall surely Live saith the Lord God For the Son of Man shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels Matth. 16.27 and then he shall Reward every Man according to his Works Then Peter opened his Mouth and said Of a Truth I perceive that God is no Respecter of Persons Acts 10.34 35. but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted with him The Righteous Judgment of God Rom. 2.6 7 10 who will render to every Man according to his Deeds To them who by Patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality Eternal Life But Glory Honour and Peace to every Man that worketh Good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile For we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5.10 that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Which is a manifest Token of the Righteous Judgment of God that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God 2 Thess. 1.5 for which ye also suffer But who so looketh into the Perfect Law of Liberty James 1.25 and continueth therein being not a forgetful Hearer but a Doer of the Work this Man shall be blessed in his Deed. * Hebr. 10.35 Cast not away therefore your Confidence which hath great Recompence of Reward †1 Pet. 1.17 And if ye call on the Father who without respect of Persons judgeth according to every Man's Work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear Rev. 22.12 14 And behold I come quickly and behold my Reward is with me to give every Man according as his Works shall be Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have a Right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the Gates into the City Christ saves from Sin Q. It should seem that the Purpose of God in sending his Son the Lord Jesus Christ was not simply to save Man by an Imputative Righteousness altogether without them but also by the washing of Regeneration or an inward Righteousness What saith the Scripture further of this Matth. 1.21 A. And thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his People from their Sins Tit. 2.13 14. Looking for that blessed Hope and the Glorious Appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might Redeem us from all Iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar People zealous of Good Works CHAP. VII Concerning Perfection or Freedom from SIN Question I Perceive then by all these Scriptures afore-mentioned that Christ as well as he hath purchased Pardon for our Sins hath also obtained Power by which we may even here be cleansed from the Filth of them may we expect then in this Life to be freed from the Dominion of Sin Rom. 6.14 A. For Sin shall not have Dominion over you Q. For what Reason Rom. 6.14 A. For ye are
Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the Propitiation for our Sins and not for ours only but also for the Sins of the whole World q 1 Joh 2.1 2. For by the Grace of God he hath tasted Death for every Man r Hebr 2.9 And gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due Time s 1 Tim. 2.6 Willing all Men to be saved and to come to the Knowledge of the Truth t 1 Tim. 2.4 Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance u 2 Pet. 3.9 For God sent not his Son into the World to Condemn the World but that the World through him might be saved x John 3 17. And Christ came a Light into the World that whosoever believeth in him should not abide in Darkness y John 12.46 Therefore as by the Offence of One Judgment came upon All Men to Condemnation even so by the Righteousness of One the free Gift came upon all Men to Justification of Life z Rom. 5.18 ARTICLE XI Concerning the Light that enlightneth every Man THe Gospel was preached to every Creature under Heaven a Col. 1.23 which Gospel is the Power of God unto Salvation to them that believe b Rom. 1.16 And if it be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them which believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine into them c 2 Cor. 4.3 4. And this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are Evil d John 3.19 And this was the true Light which lightneth every Man that cometh into the World e John 1.9 By which all things that are reproveable are made manifest for whatsoever maketh manifest is Light f Ephes. 5.11 Every one that doth Evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved but he that doth Truth cometh to to the Light that his Deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God g Joh. 3 20 21. And they that walk in the Light as Christ is in the Light have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth them from all Sin h 1 John 1. Therefore ought we to believe in the Light while we have the Light that we may be the Children of the Light i John 12.36 Therefore to Day if we will hear his Voice let us not harden our Hearts k Hebr. 4 7. For Christ wept over Jerusalem saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy Day the Things which belong unto thy Peace But now they are hid from thine Eyes l Luke 19.42 And he would often have gathered her Children as a Hen gathereth her Chickens but they would not m Matth. 23.37 for the stiff-necked and uncircumcised in Heart and Ears do always Resist the Holy Ghost n Acts 7.51 And are of those that Rebel against the Light o Job 24.13 Therefore God's Spirit will not always strive with Man p Gen. 7.3 For the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in Unrighteousness q Rom. 1.18 Because what is to be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them r Rom. 1.19 And a Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal s 1 Cor. 12.7 For the Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching us that denying Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World t Tit. 2.11 12. And this Word of this Grace is able to build up and give an Inheritance among all those that are Sanctified u Acts 20.32 For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit and of the Joints and Marrow and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart x Hebr. 4.12 Is that more sure Word of Prophesy whereunto we do well that we take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-Star arise in the Heart y 2 Pet. 1. â—9 And this is the Word of Faith which the Apostles Preached which is nigh in the Mouth and in the Heart z Rom. 10.8 For God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ a 2 Cor. 4.6 But we have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels that the Excellency of the Power may be of God b 2 Cor. 4.7 and not of us for the Kingdom of God cometh not by Observation but is within us ARTICLE XII Concerning Faith and Justification FAith is the Substance of things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen d Hebr. 11.1 Without which it is impossible to please God e Hebr. 11.6 Therefore we are justified by Faith which worketh by Love f Gal. 5.6 For Faith without Works being dead is by Works made perfect g Jam. 2.23 26. By the Deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be justified h Rom. 3.20 Nor yet by the Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy we are saved by the Washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost i 1 Tit. 3.5 For we are both washed sanctified and justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God k 1 Cor. 6.11 ARTICLE XIII Concerning Good Works IF we live after the Flesh we shall die but if we through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body we shall live l Rom. 8.13 For they which believe in God must be careful to maintain good Works m T it 3.8 For God will render to every Man according to his Deeds according to his Righteous Judgment to them who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality Eternal Life n Rom. 2.6 7. For such are counted worthy of the Kingdom of God o 2 Thess. 1.5 and cast not away their Confidence which hath great Recompence of Reward p Hebr. 10.35 Blessed then are they that do his Commandments that they may have Right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the Gates into the City q Rev. 22.14 ARTICLE XIV Concerning Perfection SIn shall not have Dominion over such as are not under the Law but under Grace r Rom. 6.14 For there is no Condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit for the Law of the