Commandements and Traditions of men and of the Pope himself in many things still and yet because they did not so much as he appointed them in matters of more moment but were unclean and wicked refusing to walk in the good old way of the Light which was the way before Moses and the letter was turning away their eare from hearing the Law in the heart which is the light were not only vain but abominable in the very best of their Oblations In Preaching therefore in order to Gods acceptance of us and our good works which are not outward worships where the heart and life are yet defiled but where a new Creature created after his own Image of God in Christ Iesus to good works in his nature and by his Power though in it's own person doth perform them is as an utter exclusion of all your own so no fair In-let to any of the Popish Rubbish will worship meer self service and unprofitable devotion for these being only done by man are neither good nor accepted of God But to Teach and maintain and plead for evil works as necessary to be done while we are in this life and Teach down the doctrine of perfecting holinesse and perfect purging our selves from all uncleannesse of flesh and Spirit while we are here in the body which Paul taught up as a doctrine of devils and to deny the possibility of performing this duty of not sinning and make such a grosse state of sin as that was which David stood in when he was guilty of adultery and murder consistent with Gods acceptance of men and their justification before him and that the Saints as some call them in such a pickle while they are in sin up to the ears even in such a case are not in a condemned but in a justified estate and that if the Saints own heart condemn him and his own conscience tell him that God doth not accept him and that his estate is bad in such a bad sinful case and not good it 's defiled and lyes and testifies falsehood to him and leads him into a wrong opinion of himself and that the Saints may be blessed men as David was having no guile in his spirit but sincere upright after Gods own heart though under the guilt of so grosse and great sins when the Scripture saith the contrary viz that David was upright before God saving in that matter of Vriah wherein indeed his very heart was false and rotten and to affirm to the encouragement of men in their imperfections and infirmityes by which name they stile the Saints grossest iniquities as T.D. does contradictorily to himself in other places that the gospel gives life upon imperfect obedience all which and more ejusdem Farraginis is done and utter'd by T.D. and such as own him therein in the 11.19.45.47 pages of his 1. Pamphlet as they were by word of mouth at the disputes This is to strengthen the hands of the wicked that they cannot return from their wickednesse for how is it possible they should do it when 't is preacht and believed as impossible to be done this is to sow soft pillows under their elbowes that they may sleep on securely in sin and take their rest for its all but infirmity and no inpreachment to his justification nor to his standing accepted and in covenant with God that a Saint does and their 's no condemnation to them that are Saints and in Christ no though they be in transgression in which who is say I is out of Christ and not a Saint and though they walk not after the Spirit as all that are Saints and in Christ Jesus do but after the flesh and in a word a very fair In-let to a very worse matter then that whole mare mortuum of the Popes Beggerly observations even no better a matter then the very whole bundle of the Devils own Bag and Beastly Baggage So then I see not hitherto and am perswaded never shall till I come to see as T.D. does in his floting fancy many things with his eyes shut how any Doctrines of the Qua. even such as they and I hold with any more then what we hold flatly against the Popish Priesthood do either conclude my complyance with them or make any way for the incoming and abiding without its own speedier Ruine of their Romish Baggage or how our parochiall Priesthoods preaching and practice too doth any other then uphold the Butt end thereof and preach their own câ—mplyance with those their Brother Ravens in many matters But T. D's Biggest Bolt and weightest Bullet as he counts at least lyes yet behind and that is our doctrine of good works as needful to that use of our justification before God here he iudges that Omne tulit punctum he hath fully hit the white and that this will do if all the rest die and fallen the fault of favouring and fathering the Popish cause upon me as some Iâ—suit if all the other fail Good works for necessary uses viz to manifest faith to be true to sanctify to make meet for the possession c. T.D. and his Associates in words and doctrinally more then practically maintain as much as any but to maintaine good works not only to the use of our sanctification but our justification and to justify not only deâ—laratively in the sight of men but also formally in the sight of God not only to approve a beleiver but absolve a sinner p. 8. not only to fit for but to give right to the inheritance p. 22. not as concurrent and concomitant only but as cooperative and constitutive together with faith and coincident as a cause in the case of our iustification to let good works be accounted not only Via ad Regnum but also carsa Regnandi as your Scools distinguish yea and further yet to dispute it not in these Terms barely of good works but in these Terms of OUR good works and lastly higher yet to rank them so high in order of causes as not only Instrumental with faith but a deserving or meritorious cause of justification This is notorious yea so grosse and Popish that we may well Rank you thinks he among the Papists p. 58. as at least a bringer in of their Baggage yea now quoth T.D. of me p. 14. you shew your self a rank Papist indeed Rep. Ipse dixit T.D. hath said it who of all those Seers with his eyes in Sandwich or else where who giving heed to him from the least to the greatest saying of him This man is the great Power of God have hiâ— hitherto bewitched with his Simonical Sorceries can do any other then believe it to a Tittle This stroke enters with so deep a dint into the thoughts fancies and faith of many that 't is supposed by some we Qua. shall never be able to lick our selves whole of the deadly wound it brings with it both to the doctrines that we maintain as Truth and to our selves also whom we maintain to be no
goes before â—ustification as that by which we are and without and before which we cannot be accounted â—ust in the sight of God yet by and by again they tell us that justification which is by faith and so not before but after it goes before Sanctification whereof faith they say is a part and that the leadings of the Spirit and its fruits among which justifying faith is reckoned up as one 5. Gal. Aâ—ea fâ—uit and effect of our bâ—ing not under the Lawes penalty that is of our justification from the guilt of sin so T.D. p. 16. Sometimes to escape and slip away from the shame of this absurdiâ—â— and contraction they tell us or at least some of them that Iustification of Saints or sinners for I am to seek still what to call the Creatures they call Saints for if I call them Saints it loaths me to call such sinners Saints as they Term so yea If they be Saints which some so call Then guilty sinners are Saints al And if I call them that commit sin the Servants of sin as Christ did Iohn 8. and not Saints and Children of God they will be ready to loath me I say then they tell us that Iustification of sinning-Saints painted and Saint-like sinners in the sight of God is without and before Faith or any thing else even before sin was or men either from all Eternity and from all sins pastnor present I can't say here because the sinning Subjects of this Iustification are not yet extant in the world but from all that ever is to come and Faith by which the Iustification comes is but an Instrument whereby the Evidence of this long-since Iustification in Gods eye comes in to men and manifests it to their eye whereby the sinners themselves know it and as for other fruits of the Spirit which are all the fruits of Faith too which I confess to be the first in being of all work truly good so that without it 't is impossible to please God and whatsoever is not of it and in it but out of it and out of the Light in which it is if true is but sin these are onely as Evidences to us and to others that the Faith we have is justifying and true c. and not dead and fained and fit for nothing So say they In Gods sight we are justified freely from of Old without Faith or good works that follow and flow from it either this we know and are assured of that Faith is oppâ—sed to it self as a work in the business of Iustification and that Faith is imputed to us as being in stead of a perfect personal righteousnese or that 't is the meritorious cause of our Iustification I utterly deny quoth T. D. p. 24 25. but Faith without works is that by which we are formally justified but the other that is good works that by which we are declaratively justified in Pauls sense who Rom. 3.28 sayes We are justified by Faith onely without the works of the Law a sinner is absolved I wot he means in his own Conscience for I know not when T.D. reckons or whether at all God holds an Elected Saint guilty if not David while he was guilty of Adultery and Murder In Iames's sense Iam. 2.14 who sayes By works a man is justified and not by Faith onely a Bâ—liever is approved ' quoth T.D. p. 8. out of Diodat whose words he useth which approbation of a Believer in his Faith as true is both in himself and before men so as they usually say by good works a mans Faith is evidenced to himself within and others without to be a true living Faith and so consequently his Iustification with God to be surely known which was but could not be seen or known to be before Rep. Now therefore a word or two to the grant of our Antagonists that Iustification is before in Gods sight but it can't be known to be by us or others nor evidenced to us so that we can stand as justified ones or approved in our own sight and other mens till we be sanctified and have both Faith which is a fruit of the Spirit and other fruits of the Spirit which if true that Faith works by as love a pure heart victory over the world temperance peaceableness gentleness and such like Is it so Friends that no man can appear to himself to be approved and justified in Gods sight nor to himself or others be known that he is so till he comes to believe and do other good works of Righteousness which first declare the thing so to be I wonder then how ye dare talk and affirm that to be before good works which before good works ye confess cannot be known so to be will ye ever be in your wills thoughts inventions and traditions intruding your selves into that ye have not seen and confess cannot be seen to be as you say it is vainly puft up in your fleshly minds and entring into and venturing to reveal and vent out Gods secrets which ye say are secret and hidden to man saying they are so and so before the time you say they are first revealed to you in And telling men they are justified before God and loved before they do any good and bidding them believe this for true Doctrine from you that 't is so till they come to do good works and that that 's the onely Evidence whereby you can discern that thing so to be which yet you say is so before either by you or them it is discerned In his own secret thoughts say you and bosome Councels the thing stands so that we are justified but it s not revealed to us to be so neither can we know it to be so that we are justified but from the time of our bringing forth fruits of Righteousness Do not secret things belong to God onely and things that he reveals when he reveals them and not before to you and your children to talk of Are ye not like natural bruit beasts in this that you oft speak evil of that truth ye know not and oft tell that for truth which is not so when ye know it not and even confess it cannot be known to be till evidenced by good works and yet you will say 't is of a truth before any of those good works by which onely the Evidence of it comes to you be brought forth in you 'T is true there be many things in esse Reaâ—â— before they be in esse cognâ—scibili Real before they be visible though this Iustification of yours before Sanctification in Gods sight which ye yield is before Sanctification but Sanctification before it in your own sight and in the sight of all men is not one of those invisible Realities but if may so say an apparent Real visible non entity rather and fancy of your own brain but what things soever are in truth to us they are not so as that we in truth and of a truth can say so or so they are
already justified and give no right to the kingdom but only a fitness for entrance into it to such as have actuall right before ever they do any good by the power of Christ and T.D. by implicit faith treads in the same common beat'n track telling us p. 16. that surely the leading of the spirit or sanctification is a fruit and effect and not a meritorious cause of not being obliged to the penalty of the Law yet all this is but tittle â—attle of those whom Christ and righteousnesse serves to talk and make a trade on Tell not me T.D. of Thomas of Io. Duns the Scot and other Scepticks Schoolmen and Casuists that make Religion a matter of dispute more then practice for I say and yet no more then what the Scripture proves to any but such as take more care by their innumerable distinctions senses and meanings upon it to defend themselves in their sins then to live the life of it that the good works that are the gift of Christ and the fruits of the spirit of Christ in us and that righteousnesse which is of his working in us who worketh in us both to will and do what are we do that is of worth before God are those by which our Salvation is wrought out 2 Phil. 13. and are not the fruit and effect of but go before Iustification from guilt and acquiting from the penalty and condemning power of the Law which is the fruit and effect of the other and the same that gives the aptitude and meetness for the Kingdom the self same Righteousness of Christ within us wrought and imparted to us gives to us the Ius or Right to inherit it and not another without us onely imputed for as is commonly said quae supra nos and so may it be truly said in this matter quae extra nos nihil ad nos c. what good works and Rigteousness of Christ are done by him without us what ever they are intentionally and conditionally yet are actually and absolutely nothing to us but as we come to see and feel the same by that same power that wrought in him working mightily in us performed within our selves Neither are the good works and Righteousness of Christ which are the fruits of his Spirits leading us thereto subsequent as effects of his not being under the Lawes curse in a person before justified as T.D. and the Scholastick Doctors of whom he learns it indoctrinates but are praecedent as causes of it in persons in order to their peace with God and Iustification in both Gods sight and in mens and in their own for as 't is said Isa. 31.15 16 17 18 19. of the inhaerent Righteousness that resides and remains in the hearts of Saints which is the fruit and effect of the Spirit of God making them of a Wilderness a fruitful Field by the pourings out of the Spirit upon them from on high so it is in truth that the work of that Righteousness is the peace and the effect or fruit of that Righteousnes is quietness and assurance for ever yea that people who of a barren Forrest become a fruitful Field to the Lord bring forth fruits of Righteousness by Christ in them to the praise of God are they onely that when the Nail of Gods wrath indignation and torment comes down by Right on the fruitless Forrest have even eaten us or thereupon a due Right and Title to the dwelling in the peaceable habitation and sure dwelling and quiet Resting-places of the Fathers Love and Abrahams Bosomâ— as well as a fitness for it which fitness and meetness is first and ever goes before the Actual Aâ—solute and Immediate Right there to come for whatever Remote and Conditional Right all men have to the Iustification Life and Peace of God in Christ Mediante fide Iustitia Pieâ—ate Sanctitare c. On Terms of that precedent Faith Righteousness Godliness and Holiness wrought in them by Christ which makes them meeâ— for it yet a Positive and Immediate Right thereto can no man have till he be thus made meeâ— to enter it any more then he that was unmeet for the Marriage Supper for want of his Wedding Garment who had as true a Remâ—â—â— Right as any that were there conditionally he had fitted i.e. clothed himself accordingly had in his old Suit the Rotten Rags of his own Righteousness and not Christs a Real and Immediate Right to intrude himself into so Holy a presence who was with shame thrust forth forth for his labour And whereas our unjust Iusticiaries strike hard against us as they think with that True Story Rom. 9. of Iacob and Esau's being the one loved thâ— other 〈…〉 yet being 〈◊〉 â—me neither good nor evil Rep. 1. I say and so would they too if they could once sea that 〈◊〉 one thing to be denominated aforehand by God who fore-seeing how it will be oft calls those things that yet are not as if they were loved and â—ated Respectively before or good or evil be actually done or the doors born with Reference to the good and evil he fore-saw would be done in time and another to be absâ—lutely and actually lâ—ved and hated not onely without any reference or respect to good and evil fore-seen that it would be done but also before the Subject and doers thereof are in rerum natura as yet in so much as any actual being 2. That those two Persons were Types of the two Seeds that and not Persons but so as they are the Children of one or t'other are the only absolute unchangeable Everlasting Subjects of Gods peremptory in alterable and Eternal decrees of Election and Reprobation viz. the Seed of the Woman and that of the Serpent which the Seed of the Righteous who are ever blessed and the seed of evil-doers who are never to be Renowned are respectively born of and adhaering to 3. That though they will needs mis-understand it as spoken of those Persâ—ns only yet it is not poken of two Persons only but it is spoken of the 2 Nations that strove in the womb of Rebecca and the two manner of people that were to go forth of her bowels viz. Israel and Edom which two Nations also but that what is most Right is mostly a Riddle to them they might Read as born after the flesh were Types yet of a more Mystical and spiritual Israel and Edom then they are yet well acquainted with as neer of kin to Esau that is Edom as they are in Gâ—ds Account both in name and nature 4. That Gods loving one and hating t'other of these was as is most evident in the Letter Mal. 1.2 4. not without but with respect to evil and not evil fore-seen to be done in time for on the Account of Edoms Mountains being the border of wickednâ—ss as Iacobs were not they became the objects of Gods hatred and a people against whâ—m the Lord hath indignation for ever 5. That there was no such thing as Iacob have I loved
it he is worthy as the right heir one that hath due Title to it accordingly to enjoy and inherit And indeed the very word inherit which is so often-used both in the negative where the wicked are excluded as no unrighteous one shall ever inherit and on the positive and promissive hand where the righteous are included as he that overcometh shall inherit all things doth if men were not praepossest with prejudice against the truth and with blind principles which as its harder to knock an old peg out of its hole then to knock a new one in when that 's out there 's more ado to drive out of them dispossesse them of and draw them from then would be to draw them to own the plain truth if the darkness were once dispeld import no lesse then an entailing the Title of the Kingdome to the good works and fruits of the Spirit in us which are the Termes on which it is promised on any name or thing abstract from these which yet T. D. is so absurd as his fellow A B C Daâ—ians in the School of Christ are as to make in no wise a cause but onely an effect of our justification and of our standing entitled to it on things without us that are nothing to us abstract from these Whereas if that be true as it is in their own Schools that quo pâ—sito panitur quo sublato tâ—llitur effectus c. That upon the being of which the effect ever is upon the not being of which the effect can never bâ— must needs be the cause of that effect it s most uncontrâ—lably true that the good works and fruits of the Spirit in us are not the fâ—uits and effects but the causes of some kind or other of our justâ—fication and as the cause of every sort if it be but causa sine qua non as they speak the cause that gives no influence but only is a meer hangby yet necessarily too as a Cipher is in order of nature evermore before the effect so is our Sanctification so antecedent to our justification even in the sight of Gâ—d that contrary to our Schâ—â—lmens Figments who say justification is 1 st of the two so that God lookes on us as just while unjust before he makes us just I say till our Sanctification is our being counted holy in Gods sight can never possibly be Ob. And though it s said he justifieth the ungodly Rep. I say yea justification is ever of ungodly ones yet never in but from their ungodlinesse as Sanctification and Salvaâ—ion is of sinners but not in but ever from their iniquityes he cleaâ—s the guilty but by no meanes no not Christs blood so Exod. 34.7 as to cleare the guilty while in their sins or hold them guiltlesse as T. D. dreames he did David while they are guilty of Adultery and murder and while they are taking his name in vain crying Lord Lord but not doing what he sayes naming his name but not dâ—parting from eniquity he makes Christ to such as believe in his Light Wisdom Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption but what ere some count he in no wise counts him so to any any further then he doth so make him he sees no sin in Iacob nor traâ—sgression in Israel but it is because there it s done away and remitted not by pardon without purging but so as not to be committed any more or if it be there 's new guilt contracted and the sin imputed till again remitted on returning but this Israel to whom he is so truly good are them that are of a clean heart Psal. 73. He will speak peace unto his people and his Saints while they walk in wisdome but let them not return any more to folly for if they do they do they must again hear more rough reproâ—f from him then ever and find him speaking in wrath and vâ—xing in his sore displeasure there is a blessed man to whomâ—he will not impute sin whose iniquityes and transgressions are covered but t is he in whose Spirit there 's no guile Psal. 32.1 So that I marvail what our Priests mean by Salvation Iustification Redemption and such like when they say a Saint or a Sinner what should I call their mongrell seed may be in a State of Salvation while they are in the guilt and filth of their sins for I know but two things Christ saves his people from viz. from their sins and from the wrath which is to come and I know no Salvation at all from the wrath which is the effect till there be a Salvation from the sin which is the cause of it for posita caus a pâ—nitur effectus as well as sublata tollitur and I am sure none is there as yet from the sin where men are not onely in it and it in them but singing loath to depart and pleading for a necessary abode of bâ—th these themselves and sin together while themselves are abiding in the body Yet T.D. so thinks that to stand in sin which is in the Reprobation and yet to stand within the lists of Gods love and Election will stand so well both together that David stood justified in Gods sight in that which if men had seen him in he would not have been justified in their sight who love sin more and hate it lesse then God does and yet all this altogether But T.D. thou hast heard of God onely by the hearing of the ear as yet by hearsay from thy self and sâ—lf blinding Brethren but when thine eye comes to see him and he comes neer thee to judgment whâ—se comming who in sin can abide and who in iniquity can stand before him who is as Refiners fire to the drosse and Fullers Sope to the filâ—h thou shalt for all thy seeming Saint-ship Abhor thy selfe before him and repent thy sâ—lf that ever thou talkedst of mens being in a state of justification before him while under the guilt of sin as purer Saints then thy selfe have done that have thought the same as thou dost in very dust and ashes and that walking in the fruits of the Spirit and holinesse of truth must go before the sight of Gods face in peace and that the sinner shall not see his face and live thy selfe shalt see whether eâ—er thou come to walk holily yea or nay But alas to what purpose is it to tell our Pâ—iests this when they tell in effect the same one to another yet believe not what they say themselves but contradict it out of their own mouths as soon as tâ—eâ— have done like Lâ—â—ards making good plain Prints with their feet in the Sandy ways they run in yet dashing them all out as the go with their long bushy tailâ—s they say no lesse then that Sanctification goes before justification in the sight of God though they see it not while they say faiâ—h which they confesse is a fruit of the Spirit the gift of God a part of our Sanctification is that that as an instrumentall cause of it
till the time that we come to see them and that come forth which is the onely Evidence which we come to see them by and he that pâ—ates of that thing as being so or so which to him is not yet known so to be is a buisie body whose tongue runs afore his wit his lips before the light that would lead him out of darkness his thoughts not a little out-run and out-reach his Reason Tum demum apud nos res dicuntur fieri cum incip unt patefieri to us things are onely as they appear so that whoever perks up and prates of what he knows not and of matters that yet to him are not which work which is that of the Priests in many things he that shall count him that 's in it a wise man shall by my consent be canonized a fool for his labour Iustification in Gods sight of a sinner is say the Priests before any Sanctification is at all in him but neither the sinner can know that there is any such matter as pardon of his sin or that he stands just in Gods sight appears not at all to himself not yet is it evident to us who tell him 't is so neither can we know it any more then he till Sanctification appear in him from which as that which goes before it ever in our eyes we come to the sight â—f it yet if he will believe us who speak of a thing we know not and talk we know not what and if he will take our words for it that his Iustification is before he be Sanctified who have no other Evidence of it our selves or whereby to make it Evident to him but this of his Sanctification which is evermore that which goes before the other for ought we see or can discern and if he will trust us implicitly at a venture he may but if he will not say I he may safely chuâ—e And as to that speech of thine out of Diodaâ—us I dare say it was not a Deo datus concerning good works justifying a man declaratively and serving in Iames's sence to approve a Believe in the sight of men for there 's not Truth in 't if meant so onely and exclusively of their use to Iustifie formally and absolve a sinner in the sight of God as it must be if it serve that turn at all to which thou usest it yea I contrarily affirm yet not denying but that they do declaâ—e before men the Faith of him that professes to believe in Christ to be true and not hypocritical that they also tend as well as that tâ—ue Faith they flow from to justifie formally and absolve sinners in the sight of God And though Paul Rom. 3.27 concludes that a man is justified by Faith before God without the deeds of the Law yet he never concluded as you cloudy Expositors of him conclude of his words which ye wrest beside his Right to your wrong meanings any such maâ—â—er as that a man is justified before God without the good works of the Gospel between which of Christs in his Saints and those of the Law which are mens own done without Christ of themselves ye never distinguishing run so far into confusion as ye do which deeds of the Law done in mans own thoughts willings and runâ—ings and not in the Light and Spirit of Christ the Power of God never reach the thing that is run after that is the fulfillâ—ng of it without which there is no life for the Law requires brick but affords â—o 〈◊〉 good works but it gives no strength to weak man in the flesh and faâ— wherewith to perform â—o the Letter onely kills and onely the Spirit givâ—s the Life So both Paul and Iames and we as much as Diodate and T. D. do for ever shut out them yea and so much more then any of you do we deny the deeds of the Law so done as to the doing us any good toward our absolution before God by how much we do both in our Life and Doctrine establish onely the deeds of the Gospel while you who doctrinally exclude the Laws deeds do yet practically establish them to your Iustification for howbeit in words ye establish Faith as that by which ye stand justified formally before God yet that faith ye act who believe God accepts your persons and perfâ—â—mances without his Righteousness inherent in your selves and while ye are yet impurged and not so much as believing you can or must be here purged from your sins is far from the true Faith of the Gospel being no other then the false faith or true fancy of those who were of Moses and the Law that trusted in lying words that could not profit them Jer. 7. Isa. 1. Isa. 58.3 who thought God did them wrong if he justified and accepted them not in their fastings and services though they never fasted from their iniquities nor loosed the bands of wicdedness as if when they had been at their formal humiliations for a day they had procured some dispensation to let Hell loose again and were then delivered to do abomination this kind of barren leafy lean-faith of yours who look for life in it is one of those deeds of theirs who were of the Letter and Law and not that of them who are of the Gospel Faith which formally justifies before God which who are of are blessed with faithful Abraham But now as to the Faith and other good works of the Gospel which all are the works of God himself and Christ Iesus working them in his Saints among which Faith in the Light is the first from whence others come without which they cannot be any more then it can be true without them and by the Name of which Faith for as much as all follow it all the rest are denominated in grâ—ss John 6. This is The work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent these are the Righteousness of Christ and of his Saints which is One the being of which in them and in him and not their being in him and not in them is counted by God to them as their Righteousness nor doth the Faith without them any more then they without it both which concur as one cauâ—e thereunto obtain formal Iustification in the sight of God So that there is a doing some and sometimes the same material good which deserves no good nor acceptation but rather evil and reprobation from God being not good formally but evil before him while the same that does material evil also does that good and such was Cains sacrifice which was else as good as Abels yet had noacceptance by Right as the other had because sin lay still at the door and 't was not the Righteous one but the evil-doer that did the good and the sinner whom we know God heareth not who had he done as bene as it was bâ—num that he did and offered it as well as the thing ofâ—ered was good had been justified as well as his Brother If
Ye King a Requiem to your Souls saying with him Luke 12. Soul thou hast been disquâ—eted perplexed and intangled about these considerations as all men are more or less without exception how thou mayest be Reconciled and at Peace with God or have an attonment for that guilt which Super naturally thou art sensible of and how thou maist attain to true blessedness and come to the enjoyment of God and thou hast miserably groped up and down in the dark not able to â—â—me to any satisfaction what will become of thee in time to come and no way able to stand against the uncontroleable convictions of thy own self-condemning Conscience yet now Soul take thine ease eat drink and be merry there 's merit enough in store laid up in the Righteousness that Christ wrought in that single body of his that long since liv'd and died at Jerusalem for the sins of many years past present and to come so that there 's no need of any Righteousnesse to be wrought as in order to thy Justification and Peace with God in that sinful body of thine own it must may safely fith the Righteousness by which thou standst justified in thy sins as T.D. sayes David did in his murder and adultery resides without thee in another person â—â—n as long as it lives let the Popâ—sh Merit-mongers run when they have no good works of their own to their Treasury of the Saints meritoriâ—us gâ—â—d works the merit of which they buy of the Pope for money and by which they have indulgence and pardon for all sin for many years to come and let the Qua. run to that Righteousness they talk of which is to be wrought by Christ in the persons of men before ere they can be justified with God here 's that which shall administer to all and every one of us satisfaction as to all these things as Plenipotentiary to the quieting and calming of our spirits and cut off any further enquiries after such a thing as Goodness Righteousness Holiness though that of Christs own working as the Qua. say in our selves in order to our peace with God here 's that that gives us wherein to acquiesce and wherein we will be satiated viz The Doctrine of the Scripture which gives as glorious incontroleable a conviction of Peace with God by Christs Righteousness without us not within us as the Qua. prate as that Light in our Consciences they tell us of gives uncontroleable convictions of our sins there it s revealed to those say I the eyes of whoâ—e understanding are blinded by the God of this world that its Christ without and not Christ in us or else the Devil and his Doctors are blind say I which is the hâ—pe of glory and upon which we are lookt on as no Reproâ—ates So that O Soul I would not have thee to cry out of wrath and wo nor sing to thy self of Iudgement but of mercy to the Lord do thou sing yea I must needs cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have found an easie broad way to Life by applying the good of another to my self as mine as truely as if it were in me inherent so that I need not turmoil myself as some do and as the Qua. who cant beleeve that what Christ has is theirs till they see it conveyed and derived from him by way of participation to themselves We can beleive that all that Christ hath is ours though all that we have is our own and need not be forsaken for his sake I have found that without me which in vain the Qua. seek elsewhere as within them waxing foolish in their Imaginations viz. the businesse of attâ—nement reconciliation and acceptance with God which they are contriving to find by Christ within them to the producing of such horrible effects and fruits as tedious doing good and induring evill for their Tenets as we are loath to expose our selves toâ—â— What have they not done What have they not suffered What miseries extitusque infelices have not the Qua. puld upon themselves ubivis gentium quo impelluntur Fanatici by their faith and doctrines of Devils so I.O. of Qua. doctrines Ex. 3. S. 35.36 and T.D. and T. Rumsey of perfect holynesse in this life let them meditate terrour and dream of dread and bring themselves into Bondage we will cast these troublesome things far away from our thoughts though we do sin and he that commits sin is the servant of sin as they tell us yet whatever bondage we are in to sin we will not be under the spirit of bondage so far as to fear wrath or dread any danger so long as with such a glorious soul appeasing light which say I is the Devill transformed into an Angel of light in you the doctrine of satisfaction and attonement by the blood of Christ the Son of God comes in upon us This is that that astonisheth us another way so that we can't be astonish't nor afraid of any amazement about the matter of our our sins this conquereth all the Quaâ—â—â—s of conscience this ravisheth and satiateth our souls that though we may yea must sin while we liâ—e yet they have been already reckond for with one that is Our Righteousnesse without us though his Image is not formd nor his righteousnesse wrought in our selves This is the designed of the Apostles discourse to the Romans to prove justification by faith without works of ours by Christs righteousnesse imputed to us as ours to justification before it be infuâ—ed to our sanctification when the Devill is blind say I Oh with what glory and beauty to them that see so much as we do in the worlds glory and the lust thereof with what full and ample satisfaction this Doctrine breaks out this is that we looked for this is that we were sick for want of the knowledge of being wounded by the light of God in our consciences for our sins and withall in such love to them as to be loath to leave them or depart from them viz. to beare of a way or Saviour whereby to be sav'd in them and that we have now found and though we once câ—yed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and were at our wits ends feeling our selves sinking to hell yet this Christ without us without whom we also are feeling neither him us nor our selves in him this and not in the imaginary Christ of the Qua. within them is the stone by which we will stay our minds in as perfect peace as we can by putting away the sense of sin and the evill day far from us Ex. 2. S. 28. Dicat quod quis que volet ex hac opinionem non dimovebimur Though I say these things are in truth the sum and substance of your sayings the very Image proportion lively pourtraiture of your dead faith which ye count living and saving and justifying and what not Yet as the Lord lives you l find it dead even thou I.O.T.D. and your fellowes as well as we have done who
same Fate in that kind hath attended this of mine which hath ever yet attended both the Scripture and His I. T 's and all other Books too of any Bulk in their passage through the Press As for the Faults that have befallen this as they are not very many considering the greatness of the Impression and the smalness of the Print so they are too many to passe altogether Unmended Unminded Unmentioned also Whereupon excepting such as being more gross are with a Pen already rectified to the Readers hand of such as are not mended I shall mention some wishing Him to mend the rest in his own mind Yet some of these hereunder noted were espied and amended before they were wrought off wholly at the Press In the 1. Exercitation page 24. line 13. read Kings p. 28. l. 18. r. stout standing p. 70. in the Margent r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 80. l. 10. r. there p. 90. l. 3. r. life p. 116. l. 31. r. if all p. 144. l. 15. 16. r. more then good ones evill once for more the good ones evil which is set twice ore In Exerc. 2. p. 12. l. 30. r. thou shootest p. 66. l. 11. 12. r. live in sin p. 137. l. 21. r. Rounds p. 164. l. 33. r. and l. 35. r. such silly In Ex. 3. p. 5. M. for emulâ—ate â—enuclâ—ate p. 35. l. 7. r. stirs strifes M. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 64. M. for ut r. at p. 37. mar r. divinus p. 312. mar r. Scripturae Author p. 132. l. 19. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 136. l. 12. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 13. r. upholder p. 141. l. 5. r. for the Scriptures l. 14. r. malicious p. 154. mar r. Synonimous p. 174. l. 8. r. more then thâ—se p. 187. l. 17. r. streining In Exerc. 4. p. 3. 1. 12. blot out we p. 9. 1. 20. blot out of p. 13. 1. 17. r. no indirect l. 39. r. but by p. 133. l. r4 r. Apage p. 16. l. 18. r. and in p. 205. l. 9. r. denomination p. 221. mar r. Israél Midian Ahaz In the Appendix p. 24. l. 13. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the two sheets at the end p. 1. l. 18. for have have r. have Sundry more Typâ—graphical Errors probâ—bly there are uncorrected then I can on a sudden cast my eyes on by some of which possibly the sense is interrupted but of all that are I may safely Say with I. O. in his Vindication of the Entireness to a Tittle of the Originall Texts bate all such as are Evident mistaâ—es consisting only in superfluity and redundancy of unnecessary â— deficiency of words necessary to the sense of the place that is to say Aâ— of what sort soever and then there will be few or none at all In a word Let Every Reader do the Printers that wonted Right of Winking at their wonted doing Wrong And as I by their Failing have fallen under the Common Fate so I ask no more but that Common Favour of Non-Imputation of their Faults to Me â— as Mine Typographi â—e Reputentur Amici S. F. THE PREFACE John Owen who hast been stiled Doctor in Divinity and Dean of Christ-Church Coll. Oxon. and Thomas Danson stiled M. A. Minister of the Gospel at Sandwich in Kent and late Fellow of Magdalen Coll. Oxon. I Have taken a view of three books of you two lately extant against the People commonly called Quakers namely of thy threefold Thing I. O. or double-tongu'd piece of Divinity doings about the Letter and the Light lyingly relating in other parts of it partly and in its Latine part principally to the Quakers Also T. D. of thy two little fardâ—es of much falshood generally superscribed with these two untrue Titles viz. 1 The Qua. folly made manifest to all men in Auswer to R. Hub. 2 The Qua. Wisdome descends not from above in Answer to G. Whit. replying to the other For the Truths sake which now lies at stake openly between you two and them I am minded as moved in way of Reply to say something to both your Books and to your selves and the world also about them I intend not a total Translation of that forraign Language wherein that foresaid Latine part of thine I. O. in which thou fight st most fiercely with thy fore-nam'd Friends was written so much of that shall serve as will serve the turn of such Truths as I hâ—ve plead against thee in the service of nor a total transcription of either of your books they are not worth it not yet an Answer to every falsity that is found therein Hoc opus luc labor est they are more then my measure of Arithmetick can easily reach to reckon up But a due Expostulation with you both on the Quakers and the Truths behalf an Animadversion of some at least of those many absolute absurdities follies confusions false doctrines flat contradictions to yourselves which are eveâ— and anon therein uttered by you a Subversion of your Topsie-Turvies who set the chief things ye have to do withall Aâ—chi-podialiter as it were with the heels upwards a Blowing away of those blasphemies lies calumnies opprobrious titles disdainful subsannations unjust accusations spiteful aspersions abominable abuses breatâ—d out by you against the people abovesaid whom all that curse shall once see and say are a Seed whom God hath blessed and to be short an Examination of many such matters in every part of both your Books how scamblingly soever they lye here some and there some in them as I find bear any reference to the Qua. or to those Doctrines viz. 1 Of Iustification by the Righteousness of Christ in us 2 Of the Letters not being the only Foundation and Rule of Faith and holy life 3 Of the Infallible Spirits Inspiration and Infallible direction of his Ministry at this day 4 Of the Vniversal love and grace of God to all men 5 Of the True saving Light of Christ enlightning every man in the world 6 Of the Attainableness of perfect purity or freedome from sin in this life in each of which ye differ from them and which against you both and your Adherents are held forth by them Sundry false and grosly absurd businesses against the Light and its Children may not improbably be briefly noted as they lye most notably obvious to every common capacity in the nine Sermons of Iohn Tombs B.D. which came piping hot from the Press while this of mine to you two is coming to it put out by R. Baxter which pair of blind Brethren as much enmity threatning and Thunder without Lightning as hath been between them hitherto against each other are it seems like Herod and Pilate now made friends together against Christs Light so as to make one Head though two Horns wherewith to thrust it down if they could for which a Rod a Rod in the Lords hand is already ready for the back of Baxter who and his once Heretical and Heterodox but now Reverend and
21. thou I fasly chargest us with the guilt of that sin of the Iewes Rom. 10.3.4 viz. making our own righteousnesse our justification 2. Thou relatest G.W. clearing us ofthat saying that we do not make our own righteousnesse our justification but the righteousness of God is that we testifie being made manifest in us according to the Scripture Phil. 3.9 Not our own righteousnesse wich is â—f the Law that is any personal conformity to the Law in that outward letter that we can make by any ability of ours without the power of Christ such was that of the Iews and Pauls establishing to himself as his gain and righteousnesse before his conversion to that of Christs for that and no other is it which Paul calls his own and the Iewes own and not that which Christ wrought in him cloth'd him with and enabled him to perform as thou blasphemously bolt'st it out but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith to which though thou seem'st to assent in these words viz. the Apostle by his own righteousnesse understands His personall conformity to the Law and by Christ righteousnesse that which is of Christ made his by faith by which Terme His if thou intendest His as abstract from Christ his weak strivings in his own strength to keep the Law and not that personall conformity to it he was at last enabled to by the Spirit and Power of Christ intimated Rom. 8.1 2 3 4. Thou fallest in with us who make that genuine distinction between all meere mans righteousnesse and all that righteousnesse that is of Christ. But now as if thine eyes were grown too dimme to discern that distinction thou blindly blendest these two together again into own putting no difference at all between O V R good works or meer mans righteousnesse which in his own will wisdom strength and vain Imagination he works beside the light and out of Christ and those Good Works or that righteousnesse which is of God alone which by the pure Power and Spirit of Christ is wrought in and by them and which they by him are enabled to perform which is specifically one and the very same with that in Christ himselfe from whom it is of God through the faith of Christ made theirs or made over to them that is not meerly and imaginarily as the Priesthood prates accounted and imputed but really and truly derived and imparted to them and revealed as it s said to be Rom. 1.17 from faith to faith in the light of the Gospel to them that beleive therein so that of the fulnesse of that righteousness of God that dwels in him they all receive grace for grace to the true washing Iustification Sanctification and Salvation of them from all that unrighteousnesse by which they became guilty before God while they stood in no other righteousnesse but their own Yea that righteousnesse of Christ in his Saints which is in kind the selfe same with that in himselfe thou both denyest to avail one iot to justification and also confoundest into one and the self same with that of meer mans own working which from God is for ever to be confounded Witnesse thy own words who saift thus T.D. I deny justification by Christ within us we deny our justification by that righteousnesse in us whereof Christ is the Author two things are indeed meant by the name of Christ his person and his operations in us and I deny the latter but assert the former for our righteousnesse to justification Rep. Oh gro's horrid hideous and fordid Are not the Righteousness and the operations of Christ in his Saints the same that were in his own flesh are they not of the same with validity and desert being his own still whether done in himselfe or in us and as truly and perfectly good being done by Christ who can work nothing but that which is truly good and perfect whether in his Saints or himselfe And suppose every Title of thy Tattle were true that thou telst us p. 15. viz. that those works that merit must not be due and his good works who owes none though who that is that owes none to God and from whom to God none are due I know not and whether it became not Christ to be holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinners whether he ought not in all things to be like his brethren I 'le not stand here to dispute but leaâ—e to Heb. 2.17.26 to determine and yet whether all that he doth in what person so ere he doth it in doth not merit I need not prove to a wiâ—e man for he will not put me to it But I say suppose it to be all true that his good works who owes none and from whom none are due and is an infinite person do as truly deserve non condemnation and his eâ—ill works from whom only good works are due as from a finite creature to an infinite Creator do truly deserve damnation the desert of the obedience of the one arising from the dignity of the Subject by which it s performed as the desert of the others disobedience from the dignity of the Object against which it it is committed yet what makes all this to the mending of thy muddy matter who wouldst make Christ himselfe and his good works and operations of righteousnesse in his Saints of no such moment as to merit or effect their justification before God is not Christ the Subject by which though the Saints who are his body flesh bones are the Subject in which those works of his are perform'd inâ— them as well as the Subject by which those were done that were done in his naturall body in the dayes of his fleshly being here on earth yea is not he the subject in which also those in his Saints are performed while what ere he doth by them he doth in them what they do by him they do in him the person Subject being the same is not the dignity of the doer as deserving when he does good or obeys the will of God in one age place person as well as when in another does what righteousness he works in and by his or destroy the merit thereof body more then that which he wrought in and by that body which was the head and and is not Christ Iesus who is known to be in all them that are not Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 and who is the same yesterday to day and forever Heb. 13.8 as infinite a Person now and as infinite in all his operations as ever and are not his operations as good and his Righteousness which thou for want of his Wisdom being ignorant that God calls it an Everlasting Righteousness i.e. that which is infinite or without end Dan 9.24 callest but finite p. 39. and yet in thy wonted way of self-contradiction infinite also saying we cannot contain an infinite Righteousness in us and the Righteousness which God works in us is but
defiled their Garment had right by promise and so ex debito if promise ought to be kept when made though gratis too because the promise was freely made to walk with Christ in white for they were worthy Rev. 3.4 I say worthy ex bene placito for as much as nothing but the free good will and pleasure of God made him oblige himselfe to give a right to such and yet to confound that nice and needlesse distinction of Criticall Scholasticks which hath confounded most Divines in Christendom into darknesse ex condigno also for as much as by Christs power and gift to will and do they both will and do what is required as the Termes and condition on which the thing is promised which consistency that I make between ex condigno ex beneplacite ex debito ex dono ex operibus ex gratia which T. D. and most Divines deeme to be 〈◊〉 or inconsistent together in the matter of mans iustification being a 〈◊〉 that few of them can get over a meer gnat at which they that in other things can swallow Camells can't but strain I am made free a little more here to uney. T. D. thinks he hath half knockt the Qua. for ever down into their dumps with his deep drawn argument from Rom. 11.6 T.D. If by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be of works then it is no more of grace otherwise work is no more work whence quoth he p. 20. if justification be of works as you assert then grace is excluded from having any hand in our justification which is contraâ—y to the Scripture which sayes we are justified by grace Our justification cannot be a debt and a free gift I mean not both in respect of us And this he calls his irrefragabaScripture urged by him that the hearers might be covninc't of the damnablenesse of our doctrine who dare to talk of good works and perfecting holynesse bere as ever we mean to see the face of God hereafter which he and Thâ— Rumsey elâ—ewhere call a Doctrine of Devils and might â—â—â—th and detest us as we deserve and indeed finding his work fail in its force the day before before the fire and the day that declared of what sort it was he prepared this against the 2d dayes dispute as his Corner-stone setting it in the front of his second fight against us and the truth and to this quoth he nothing was replyed Rep. 1. A good cause why say I for there was no room for Reply but like as Pilate when he had askt Christ this Question what is truth As soon as he had so said rose up and went his way not staying to take his answer so I well remember T.D. crouded in the next Argument which I have answered already above concerning the works the Iews went about to establish which Argument is so neer a kin to this that one answer may very well for both in both places Paul by works and own righteousnesse meaning no other then what are wrought without Christ by us and not any that are wrought by Christ in us I say T. D. crouded the one so hard on the back of the other and past so soon from one to the other that without interrupting of him which he would â—â—ve complained on as much on other hand there could be no interposing of an answer and so Pilate-like not expecting it he went his way to another matter without it 2. Yet now as to his Argument itself somewhat may be Replyed and 1st if considered as in conjunction with its fellow that followes it so close at the heeles p. 21. from Rom. 10.34 and beares such a broad shew of backing it it is not so big nor amounting to such a bulky Bulwark but that one may easily put them both in a bag if no more be said but this that in both Scriptures as also Phil. 3. where as inconsistent he opposes his own while a Pharisee to that of Christ within him when converted and a Saint and Tit. 3. where he opposes the works of righteousnesse we have wrought to our being renewed by the holy Spirit and makes grace and renewing by the Spirit all one as well he might for if we be not renewed by the Spirit and saved from the sin then I say grace is no more grace for what use is it of to us if we be left in and unpurged from the sin which Christ came to save his people from 1st so from the wrath of to come which will come unavoidably on all that are disobedient and unrighteous Paul opposes the gift of grace Gods righteousnesse to mans meer own works which are not good though so thought by himselfe and mans own literall righteousnesse of the Law wrought in mans will and Imagination onely out of Christ the light and faith in him and the leadings and movings of his Spirit and does not oppose grace to the righteousnesse of Christ in his Saints or sanctification and holinesse that is of God by faith in the light revealed in and received by every one that beleeves as inconsistent for those are not onely concomitant but consistent and concurrent together to justification as grace and Our works onely are not for these two do tollere se invicem I confesse so that if justification and life be of grace it can't be of Our workâ— et retro if of our works not of grace but grace and Gods righteousesse grace and those good works wrought in us by Christ and for the doing of which we receive the grace or gift of ability from Christ these are indeed one and the same and so Homogeneous or of one kind that they may be Synonomous also and bear both to be called mutually by the same name of either grace or good works and so are they throwout the Scripture as one thing promiseuously denominated sometimes by the Term of grace somtimes the gift of God in Christ the gift of righteousnesse holinesse c. For all this is grace and free gift and yet its inhaerent in us too as the same that was in Christ and being Christs as meritorious maâ—ing not onely meet but worthy also in such measure as it s received in as it was in a higher measure in himselfe whether it be a gift to do or a gift to beleeve or a gift to suffer as 2 Thess. 1.5 Compared with Phil. 1.27 To you given not onely to beleive but also to suffer for his sake and they to whom this grâ—â—e was given were by God counted worthy of the Kingdome for which they suffer'd and so Paul who laboured abundantly in preaching the Gospell sayes this work was the grace which was given him by Christ in him by which grace also he was what ere he was that was worth any thing having nothing but what he had received that made him differ from another by which grace or gift all boasting and glorying in selfe was
thou do well laith God shalt thou not be accepted Again there is a doing good which deserves no Ill nor Condâ—mnation but onely Good and Iustification before God being both bonum and bâ—ne factum also materially good and formally well done and that de jure promissi at least entitâ—es to an entrance into the Kingdom and such are all the good works done on the Gospels account in the Faith and Power of Christ the Light and in the leading of the Holy Spirit whether Faith it self or Lovâ— or any other that follow these which are not of our selves but by way of gift and grace from God and strength from Christ received by us who are weak in our selves the fulfilling of the Righteousness of the Law which is all fulfilled in this word Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self for love worketh no ill to his Neighbour therefore is Love the fulfilling of the Law Gal. 5.14 Rom. 13.8 9 10. and this is the Royal Law that gives Liberty from the lust to envy or any other evil that keeps from stealing and killing and adulteâ—y and from falling in one point as well as in another of which Iames sayes if ye fulfil it as by the Letter none are but by the Light and Spiâ—it which lead into the Love the Saints are enabled to do ye do well Jam 8.2 and what is well done is twice done and so is every little that is done in faithfulness according to the measure of the gift received as from and unto Christ and lets in so far into the Lords acceptance Matth. 25.23 Well done good and faithful Servant was said on the improvement of two talents as well as five thou hast been faithful in a few things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord This is that love which when Cains wrath doth not worketh the Righteousness of God Jam. 1.26 in the doing of which by Christs Power in our selves and not by his doing it without us in himself who not as without us but as within us is the Iustification from the sin and so the hope of glory Col. 1.27 he is made in us the Righteousness of God and we the Righteousness of God in hâ—m And his Light within which leads all that in a cross to the lust follow him in it to this Royal Life of love is that Royal and perfect Law of Liberty every degree of obedience to which is perfect as it self is and not imperfect as all that of those is who are of the Law and not of Faith and as thou T.D. imperfectly and weakly wottest this is for though as to the Law Bonum non oritur nisi ex integris causis yet I say of true Evangelial obedience none of which is imperfect for its Christs in us Bonum oritur ex quâ—libet actu as well as Malum ex quolibet defectu and howbeit any one or more good works as thou sayest p. 14 15. is not a fulfilling of the Law done as Paul in his blind zeal did them before he knew Christ while he served in the oldness of the Letter and not in the newness of the Spirit for then all the bonum he did did but break the Law being done not bene and so what ere he did in any print he was still guilâ—y of all and in that naâ—â—re he did it in it was but Cains sacrifice which was in the Reprobation the Tree not yet being good yet he that doth and teacheth the least of Christs Commandements given out in the Light fulfils so far that he so far enters by Right into and shall be so far great in the Kingdom of Heaven in the observing and obeying of which Law onely Iustification acceptation and approvement comes as an effect of it in the sight of God as well as in the sight of men and so Iames will be found affirming though thy senseless self canst not looking in the Letter without the Light well see his sense which Law or Light who so looketh into and continueth in the doing of what is there shewen this man shall be blessed Mark in his deed even with the blessedness described by David Psal. 32.1 2. and by Paul Rom. 4.4 5 6 7 8 9. which is forgiveness of iniquity covering of sin and non-imputation of it which comes on all circumcision and uncircumcision thaâ—â—elieve without difference Rom. 3.2 as it came on faithful Abraham whose Faith with those works Iames speaks of Iam. 2.21 which were the fruits of it were not one without t'other but altogether for they were Christ the Image of God his operations in him which thou also sayest p. 23. are called Christ accounted or reckoned to him as his Righteousness as well in foro Dei as hominum for hereby saith God know I thou lovest me because thou hast not witheld thy Son and again Mark because thou hast done this surely Blessing I will bless thee c. as also it was said by Christ of Mary Her many sins are forgiven her for this cause Because she loved much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cujus gratia propter quod see Arias Mountanus so Mark 19. If thouâ— wilt enter into Life follow me and we have forsaken all and followed thee saith Peter to Christ What shall we have therefore Ye shall sit on Thrones saith Christ and everyone c. so 2 Thesâ—â— 6 7 10. that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which ye also suffer seeing it is a Righteous thing Mark with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled Rest with us because our Testimony was believed among you here Faith and sufferings are made the cause upon which by Right deservedly and in Righteousness Rest is to be expected as a debt by promise though Phil. 1.29 they are the gift of God to us and not simply our Own works to you it is given not onely to believe but also to suffer for his sake T.D. Does not the Apostle oppose Faith and Works Faith is opposed to it self as a work in the business of Iustification p. 24. 1. Pamph. Rep. Faith is neither opposed as thou frivolouily supposest good works to the Gospel nor yet to it self as a work in the business of Iustification but both it self and all the good works that are done onely in it which together with it are the gift of God to us in Christ Iesus who is ths Authour Worker and Finisher of them in us are altogether as the one good work or Righteousness of God and Christ in the Gospel by which we stand justified before them opposed to mans meer Righteousness and works of the Law by which no flesh living can be justified and though Paul when he sayes to him that worketh is the â—eward not reckoned of grace but of debt but to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted to him for Righteousness doth â—ppose Faith and our works the Gospel and the Law which
corruption And if purchase may be granted to be meritorious of what is purchased he that useth a lower ministration 1 the Office of a Deacon well purchaseth to himself saith Paul,1 Tim. 3 A good degree and great boldness in the faith in Christ Iesus and he that will entertain holynesse and Christ when he knocks to come in deserves to have the Devill and uncleannesse driven out by him whose work it is to destroy the works of the Devill and the very end of his comming into the World as till a man does he deserves the Devill should dwell in him still as he must do and not Christ because 〈◊〉 existens proh betalienum And as to the last Query about which T.D. would be instructed as I see he had need I say no corrupt nature deserves totall freedom but the holy nature which is in bondage to the corrupt nature which is the enmity and to be slain and never reconciled for it is the Devills that deserves to be freed from the other that usurps over it as Esau did over Iacob a while the heir of all and as the seed of the woman deserves to be delivered from the enslaving seed of the Serpent And as for the Spirits renewing our nature but in part at 〈◊〉 that 's true but every part of that renewed nature is perfect and perfectly renewed in a measure and not partly renewed and partly corrupted as I shewed T.D. above every part of that which in its nature is perfect being truly perfect as the whole is So having totally taken away two of T. D's miserable mistaking answers to two of the 4 above named Scriptures whence we disputed with him the justification of Saints by the gracious works of Christ and his Spirit in them and not those in Christs Person onely it matters not much now I am gone abroad from following the first I began upon fully to an end if I fall upon that in Tit. 3.7 and make as quick a Riddance of his gracelesse answer to that and thâ—n I shall have no more to do but go to an end with that in I Cor. 6.11 which I am a little digres't from proceeding in for a while and with that I shall make an end for altogether as to this time with T.D. about the way of our justification by the holynesse righteouscesse and grace of Christ as inhaerent in us Our Argument is much what the same yet somwhat stronger then T.D. relates it p. 24. viz. that the grace of eternall life being that grace which ver 5. though oppos'd to the works of righteousnesse which we work of ourselves without the Spirit yet is the same that 's otherwise call'd washing of regeneration and the renewing of the holy spirit it follows that we are justified by the washing of Regeneration and Spirit of Christ within renewing us To this T. D. saying in word I am much mistaken in deed mistakes himselfe much more in his semi-demi answering thus viz. that grace there is meant not of Sanctification but of the savour of God which is manifest in the donation of his Son to us imputation of his Righteousnesse and acceptance of us as Righteous in him Rep. What a messe of gracelesse grace is here of T. D's making here 's grace with a witnesse almost all manner of grace mentioned as materiall and of moment in the matter of justification but one which is of so much use that all the rest are in a manner uselesse till it come in and which makes all the rest grace so that to say no more then then truth they are no grace to us before it or without it and that viz. Sanctification while others are included is onely and alone excluded Poor Sanctification it s set aside it s thrust out still from entring the lines of Communication among its fellows T. D. stands against the dore so that if he may Rule the Rost men shall be in favour with God and contrary to what Divines commonly say when they say as they do all that Sanctification manifests Iustification and the favour of God have it manifested too in the donation of his Son to them the imputation of his righteousnesse and acceptance of them as righteous in him and so consequently a Title to the inheritance the Kingdome Glory and all the good that heaven affords to all eternity but washing Regeneration Sanctification Renovation by the Spirit Sanctification and Saâ—vation from the sins which sins deserve the wrath the curse and the condemnation which Salvation from the sins alias Sanctification must be before any well grounded hope of escaping the codemnation curse and wrath to come can be had this latter sort of grace is shut out for a wrangler by the wrangling contenders against the truth who had rather obey unrighteousnesse then it and their lusts then him they call their Lord and Saviour and must be none of the ingredients among the company of causes of mens acceptance with God and being accounted Righeous by him but if they be not Righteous and Holy must be counted to be so without it and if they be so must be counted so by that which resides in another person by which till it come into themselves they are not made so and without it by the being of which as in themselves and not as in another they can onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be truly made and really become Righteous and Holy and so that grace which mainly if not onely as it is a gift gives the proper name and nature of grace to all the other grace may say of it self cum nemo extru di potest itur ad me when none ought to be excluded as not meant where every grace God is mentioned in the Gospell I onely am left out alone and they seek my life also But Go too T.D. thou must not have thy wicked will in this wise against Gods about this thy so bold a bolting out of this grace of Sanctificatin from concomitating and concurring together with faith which is but a part of it the whole Series of the particular graces of which generall grace of Sanctification are all fruits of the Spirit in the matter of our being counted just in the sight of God But as blindly buisy as thou art to tell us in a far other sense then Paul does that if it be of grace then not of works and if of works not of grace yet I must tell thee that albeit it be of grace and as Paul sayes truly Rom. 11. and in this 3. Tit. 5. not of works of Righteousnesse which we work in our own wills wisdom and strength in obedience to the Law without Christ and the Spirit who onely can conform us to it and fulfill it in us otherwise grace indeed is no more grace but it being of grace that kind of work is no more work Yet it is not so of grace as that the fruits of the Spirit Sanctification Washing Renewing and the works of Christ in us are excluded
an Anchor to the soul sâ—re and stedfast entring into that within the vail Heb 6.18 19 20. which is Christ himself in us the hope of glory Col 1.27 known by them to be in all them who are not Reprobates 2 Cor. 13 〈◊〉 and still in that transgression and in that condemnation which hath past already upon them and is not now to them that are in Christ walking no more after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 I say if I.O. judge with T.D. and others that that faith and confession ad extra only is the faith and confession of Christs Incarnation Resurrection c. which proves them to be of God who have it and them to be Antichristian spirits who have it not Let him tell me whether there be any Antichrists in Christendome yea or nay I have hitherto taken it that our Divines say the Antichrists properly are no where else and that there are many more Antichrists then true Christians naturâ non nomine in the world called Christian but seriously I know not where to finde them if I.Os. trial judgement and discerning of Spirits by the very Scriptures themselves bee not very dark and undiscerning and confused nor what Spirits or Prophets throughout all Christendome are not of God since Papists and Protestants of all sorts Prelatical Presbyterian Independent Baptists Seekers Kanters and all other that I know of as well as Qua. who only of all the rest witness that true inward saving good confession of the Lord Iesus with the mouth and beleeving in the heart that God raised him from the dead as feeling him living there within themseâ—ves to which the promise of salvation is made Rom. 10.9 and which every Spirit that witnessesh is of God 1 Joh. 4.2 do together with the Qua. who own and deny not that as there bee some that falsely lay of them all confess and really beleeve the truth of the outward History of Christs coming in the flesh of that person that was born at Bethlem that lived and dyed and rose again at Jerusalem according to the true Relation of the outward Scriptures and do also apply him and all his by that faith they have in the story of that person and in the person at a distance from them though never feeling the power of his Light Righteousness and holy life within themselves but I wot whether I.O. will own all these Spirits Prophets and Professors to be cordial beleevers or all such confessors of that outward Incarnation and Resurrection of Christ from the dead to be all of God or not and in a present state of salvation thereupon and not one of the outwardly beleeving Christ-confessing Spirits Prophets Priests and Professors abovesaid whereof the most are very prophane false deceitful Liars Swearers Couzeners Cheaters Drunkards Riotous Gluttâ—ns Belly-gods Wantâ—ns Whoremongers Idolaters Covetous Proud persecutors of Christ every way abominable and unchristian in their lives few or none of which beleeve so much as that they must necessarily or can possibly be purged perfectly from their sins till they dyâ— to be at all Antichristian If he say nay these all shall not be saved then the said outward faith in and confession of Christ as without them is not saving If hee say yea then first where is his personal election 2 What need any personal sanctification of us as to our salvation what was personally in that man only that dyed and rose at Ierusalem is enough for us so that none needs reside in us let us eat and drink when we dye we shal be saved and live for ever Moreover what hath been said above may stand as a sufficient answer over the head of I Os. fourth Agument which as most of them are one with another in many matters in proof of which he cites over and over again the same Texts so that one cannot well make a full end with one Argument without some transition into another is very much coincident with this The summe of which fourth is this viz. If it be often commanded by God that we attend diligently to the Scriptures left we be turned aside from the truth and right knowledge of himself by seducing spirits vain Revelations false teachers c. then the Scripture is the most perfect Rule c. but the first true therefore the other Ex. 3 f.31 The Texts that prove the minor of this Argument quoth he are so clear and plain that ad solem caecutiat necesse est c. he must needs be blinde toward the Sun it self who Assents not to them in some of which also quoth he the certitude of the sacred Word that is the Scripture still with I.O. is preferred before the certitude as to the Churches use even of true Revelations and miraculous Rep Yet two of them viz 2 Tim. 3.13 14 15 16. 2 Pet. 1.19 many times a peece over repeated and supposed to supply almost every turn of I.O. how they serve not his turn at all is abundantly above discovered whereupon I here quit them Another is so much misquoted viz. 2 Ioh. 11.5 6 10. that as plain and clear as the Sun as it is he must be better skill'd then I that knows where to finde it at all Two more there are that make as much to I.Os. purpose as any two well-nigh can do that speak contrary to it and those are Ioh. 5.47 2 Thess. 2.2 The words of the first which with those of 46. vers are Christs to the Scribes are these Had ye beleeved Moses yee would have beleeved me for he wrote of me but if ye beleeve not his writings how shall ye beleeve my words Christ by true Revelations of it from the Father to him truly revealed the Fathers will to the Scribes which they received not from him but hated him for Ioh. 8.40 12.49 50.14.31 saying of Christ Wee are none of his we are Moses Disciples we know God spake to Moses as for this fellow we know not whence he is Joh. 5 45 46 47. Christ tells them in effect that for all their prate and pretence to Moses as their Tutor he rather was their Accuser in whom they trusted sith they in truth beleeved not Moses for a minori ad majus did you indeed beleeve Moses ye would much more beleeve me quoth he for he wrote of me he sent directed and pointed you to me for so he did Deut. 18.15 saying of Christ A Prophet will God raise to you c. him shall ye hear in all he sayes who hears him not shall be cut off from his people Act. 3.22 23.7.47 But if you beleeve not his writings wherein ye are bid to hear me as the greater of the two as the Son in the house where he was but the servant then ye cannot beleeve my words The summe in short is this hee that heeds Moses writings must hear me for Moses bids them do so he that beleeves what I say doth what Moses sayes he that beleeves either beleeves both he
the deeds of darknesse which are sin For the light and Spirit lead none into sin But there be such as walk in the light in the day in which if a man walk saith John he stumbles not 1 Ioh. Much lesse fallsâ— There be some that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit and are led by the Spirit and those that are led by it are not under the Law the lash of which they would be under as all sinners are if they transgressed it but under grace And these are the Sons of God those that are born of God whom the world knowes not 1 Ioh. 1 2 3. for they are his hidden ones Psal. 83. against whom they take crafty councel as against an impure generation though they purify themselves even as Christ himselfe is pure whilst such as know neither the Sons of God nor whose Sons themselves are while they sin are that generation that 's pure in their own eyes though not yet washed from their filthiness nor meaning to be so here Who ever walkes after the Spirit and no more after the flesh and lusts of it at it seems by that very Text Rom. 8. some do to whom alone there 's no condemnation because no sin for they are in Christ so out of the transgression in the light out of the darknesse in but one of which a man can be at one time such sin not who ever they be unless T.D. I.O. and the whole Gang of blind guides who tell people that none but that person that Christ appeared in a Ierusalem ever were shall or can be fuâ—ly freed from sinning in this world will being â—ore shooes in that sink of sottishness run ore boots too so as to say the Light and Spirit leads such as follow and walk after it into lust and sin Therefore there are some that live without sinning And this is one infallible Argument from the very letter it self if it were not become now as a Book sealed to the learned lookers into it that freedom from sin was attainable by the power of Christs light and the grace of God which alone even we say is sufficient to that end and was attained by Paul and others then and therefore may be now even in this life in that Panâ— declares concerning Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus the head from whence as the holy ointment it runs down to the Skirts of the Garment and as the unction 1 Ioh. 2. abides in his body teaching all things it had made him free from the law of sin and death of which Law of sin and death he relates in that 7. Chapter that he was once wretched by reason of its carrying him captive to it self of its motions of sin working in him and bringing forth fruit in him unto death of its warring in his members against the Light or Law of God in his mind by which he had the knowledge of sin in the very lust of it as that he should not covet nor lust to envy anger uncleanness c. Which the Scribes and Pharises Mat. 5. and Paul himself while a Pharisee looking into the lâ—tter without only as he did from a child knew not till he turn'd to the light within and came to the Law in the Spirit till he and it came to look each other in the face from which time and not from his looking into the letter he saw the Law in the spirituality holinesse righteousness and goodnesse 〈◊〉 and for all his former formality and strict pretence to unrighteousness profession of a letter ad extra his own meer naughtinesse and carnality as that of one that was still sold under sin and a committer of it in the sight of God from whose wrath that old drosty dunghilly righteousnesse of his own Phil. 3. which was not Christs as T. D. blasphemously belyes it to be p. 22. 1. Pamp. could not deliver him till he witness'd himselfe cloth'd with another even that righteousness which is of God by faith in Christ not imputed onely but imparted also to the true sanctification as well as justification of every one that believeth which passages nevertheless of that 7th chap. to the Romans and that 12. of his 2d Ep. to the Corinthians our senseless Seers have made among others one of their main common places from whence to prove the very contrary even that there is no such freedom from sin while in the body but that of necessity it must be acted by the Saints themselves while they breath upon this outward earth For say they if Paul complained of a body of sin and death while he liv'd and how he was sold under sin and carryed captive to the Law of it and of the Law of sin waâ—ring in his members against the Law in his mind so that he could not do the good he should but when he would do good evill was present with him and also of a Thorne in his flesh a Messenger of Satan to buffet him as he does 2 Cor. 1 2 3. c. and all this after his conversion to his dying day Then much lesse can any other Saints expect to be set so free from sin by what power soever in this life as to live and not sin and such like But Paul did so therefore what man can do otherwise Who can ever live and not sin Thus they argue against Qua. as a damnable sort of Hereticks that deliver a doctrine of Devils because they hold out as attainable that hellish thing as they count it call'd holiness and such freedom from sin in this life so as not to commit iniquity any more not considering all this while that Paul in those terms speakes what he once was yea even after his conversion to the light till sin was wholly subdued by the light condemning it in his flesh and bringing forth in him judgement over it into victory and not of what he was at the writing thereof in which time he sayes the Law of the Spirit had made him free from that Law of sin Not yet heeding at all that the Thorn in the flesh was not a transgression but a temptation with which God exercised him that he might shew the sufficiency of his own grace to support and keep him from transgression even from that sin of being exalted above measure and that no lesse then 14. years before he wrote this and not just then when or while he wrote it much lesse a transgression that remain'd unmortified in him till his dying day One argument more I shall urge from I O's own book thus viz If perfect Salvation from sin be the proper end of the Scripture and it be perfect to that its end and does perfect it and yet does what it does in this present world or nowhere to which it is accomodated only and ceases to do ought into the world to come then that perfect Salvation must be wrought out by it or here or no where at all But
the Term Our which quite alters the state of the Question and makes it altogether another This Truth is told us viz That the Terms of the 3. Question were Whether Good works be the meritorious cause of our Iustification which was expressely affirmed by the Qua Witnesse Hen Oxenden Iohn Boys Esquires Mr. Nath Barry Mr. Thomas Seyliard Mr. Char Nicolls Ministers a few of very many Witnesses quoth T.D. in his Epist to the Reader of the Terms of the Questions agreed to by the Qua who will free me and how well they free him let all the world judge from the suspition of a partial Relator Witnesse also T.D. himself who if it be the same T.D. as no doubt it is who wrote both that Book and the Epistle and Narrative thereto annexed in p. 58. of the self-same Book to the Contradicting and Confounding of himselfe in the former Tale together with those his own Witnesses tells all that Truth that is last related 2. They tell us one while that is when we not only assert it but evince it from the Rule of contraries that its rank Popery to say Good works deserve Iustification Otherwhiles that is when to the contradiction of themselves they assert and evince the same from the same Rule then to go round again it 's no Popery Witnesse T.D. who in p. 14. of his 1. Pamphlet sayes S.F. shews himself a rank Papist indeed in so arguing yet p. 15. in proof of himselfe to be a good Protestant no Papist allows himself so to argue viz Evill works which are the violation of the Law deserve damnation Ergo Good works which are the fulfilling of the Law deserve salvation adding That he knows no good works such but Christs To which I answer Nor do I know any good works such but Christs and I adde I own all Good works such that are Christs and there T.D. dissents in not owning all Christs own Good works such but some only namely such as he did at Ierusalem and some even of Christs own Good works as namely all such as he works in his Saints who works all their good works in them Isa 26.12 as no better then dung losse and filthy rags Witnesse his blind blending of these two distinct businesses into one and the same viz The righteousnesse wrought by men without Christ and the righteousnesse wrought in men by Christ or Our good works alias Mans own righteousnesse wrought only by men in their own wills wisdome strength according to their thoughts imaginations conceits traditions c. without Christs Light and Spirit which is that only the Spirit calls Ours that is as an unclean thing as filthy rags Isa 64.4 which God speaking to Israel that being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse went about to establish their own Rom 10.3 calls Thy righteousnesse thy works which cannot profit nor deliver Isa 57.12 13. And which Paul Phil. 3.9 stiles his own righteousnesse which was of the Law as in opposition to that of God and Christ And those good works of Christ in our persons in performing whereof the righteousnesse of the Law is said though by Christs Power only to be fulfilled in us Rom 8.4 Or that righteousnesse which is though in the Saints yet of God alone through their faith in Christ Iesus the Light Phil 3.9 For these two Righteousnesses the one whereof who is not blind may see to be only mans own which is worse then naught and avails not The other only Christs own which must be of infinite worth and desert to justifie as T.D. also to the further confounding of himselfe truly confesses p. 15.1 Pam from the dignity of the person or subject i.e. Christ in us by whom it 's performed T.D. confounds together both into one and the self same and consequently concludes himself unavoidably to be respectively both a Self Contradictor and which is worse a most abominable Blasphemer For if the Righteousnesse and Obedience that is by Christs Power performed in his Saints Persons be both Christs own and yet mans own also Then being one and the same individual righteousnesse it must have a mutual participation of the same Properties and Denominations respectively so that if Christs own righteousnesse may be said to be of worth and desert to Salvation as it truly is by T. D. himselfe then â— mans Pauls the Saints own righteousnesse which T.D. sayes was Christs received from Christ wrought by Christ must be consequently meritorius also and that 's a piece of rank Popery and wretched Foppery of T.Ds. own broaching who yet would Father it upon the Qua which the Qua who own all mans own righteousnesse to be as the Scripture sayes of it unclean dung losse and filthy rags and utterly unprofitable do as utterly abhorre and so T.D. makes himselfe a Merit Monger with a witnesse such as never yet was found among the Qua That dying-Qua at Dover himself whom T.D. belyes in that particular not excepted And again If Mans Pauls the Saints own righteousnesse may be said as it truly is Isa 57.12 13. 64.4 Phil. 3.8 to be unprofitable unclean dung losse and filthy rags then the self same which Paul and other Saints their own righteousnesse being no other then Christs then what they receive from him and he works in them as T.D. sayes for their Sanctification some of Christs own righteousnesse Yea even that too which serves for the Saints sanctification and to make the Saints meet for that possession where â—no unclean thing must enter must be unprofitable unclean dung losse and filthy rags which is no lesse then point blank blasphemy yea in expresse terms p. 23. I deny our justification by Christ in us quoth he by that righteousnesse in us whereof Christ is the Author as if that Christ in us and that righteousnesse of his in us which is the same with that without us deserved nothing 3. Moreover in saying there are two Righteousnesses of Christ when as the Righteousness of Christ whether in himself or in his Saints is but one he crouds confusion upon confusion in the eye of every clear considerer of his inconsiderable stuff which cannot but see that what God joyns together as one this he separates and puts asunder what is truly one and undivided as Christ and his Righteousnesse is this he divides and distinguishes into two righteousnesses 2 Things meant by that one name of Christ his Person and his Operations in us The latter whereof he denys for righteousness to justification But what things are truly and distinctly two and ought accordingly to be and by the Lord are divided separated and put asunder as Mans Pauls the Iewes own righteousnesse and that righteousnesse which is of God by faith in Christ received from and wrought by Christ in his Saints which the Scripture Rom 10 Phil. 3. opposes and speaks of as in contradistinction each to other These two T.D. and his Brother Builders whose work it is to build Babel or confusion as their