it by Faith as kindleth love to God and Christ above their lives and engageth their hearts in all obedience It is true such have many faylings but far from open petulant derision and contempt of God their unavoidable infirmities are their burthen in these they can read their own deserts even to have them as dung cast back into their faces and to be rejected for them but their sin is their misery they loath themselves and cease not to make their spotless Saviour who bled for them their refuge and thus in him they have peace comfort safety Salvation The Lord convince and humble slanderers and establish his own people in his Truth Concerning Election and Reprobation I Should not have medled with this deep mysterious point but that by his additional depravation of Gods truth he hath engaged me thereunto I shall therefore God assisting briefly lay down manifest and vindicate the truth so far as I see it opposed And here this Proposition That God did most freely unchangeably and from all eternity choose some particular persons to partake of saving grace and salvation by Jesus Christ for the praise of the glory of his grace From whence it will necessarily follow that he hath reprobated or passed by others I must manifest this by parts 1. Gods Act which essentially takes in the object thereof he hath chosen some particular persons 2 Thes 2.13 God hath chosen you Jo. 15.19 I have chosen you Eph. 14. He hath choseu us This being directly denyed I shall adde Arguments Arg. 1. Particular persons in time receive mercy are converted made to persevere are saved therefore did God decree this before hand For God worketh according to the Counsel of his own will Eph. 1.11 Arg. 2. God hath made absolute promises of the first saving grace Ezek. 36.25 26. I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean A new heart will I give you Chap. 11.19 20. I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh that they may walk in my Statutes Jer. 31.33 This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel in those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws in their inward parts Isa 54.13 All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord. These promises are but a declaration of his purpose or Decree and they are not made concerning all but particular persons whom God hath in his eye to save otherwise every one would be made clean would have a new heart a heart of flesh Gods Law written in his heart would be taught of God and so come to Christ but experience shews the contrary Arg. 3. Persons by name are particular persons but God hath chosen persons by name Rev. 13.8 All that dwel on the earth shall worship the beast whose names are not written in the slain Lambs book of Life from the foundation of the world So may the words be read Arg. 4. All that are chosen do infallibly believe in time and partake of Christs Righteousness Act. 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed Rom. 11.7 The Elect have obtained it Therefore some particular persons were Elected for if all were Elected all would infallibly believe and so partake of Christs Righteousness Arg. 5. Jacob was a particular Person and loved before he had done any good according to Gods purpose of Election Rom. 9.11 Arg. 6. God knows his Elect from others and this not only after but also before they are called 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God stands sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his Jo. 13.18 I know whom I have chosen Jo. 10.14 I am that good shepheard and know my sheep ver 16. Other sheep I have which are not of this Fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voyce Therefore are they particular Persons These and not others that the Lord hath chosen Jo. 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me Arg. 7. This appears from the very Nature of Election for where all are taken or all are left there can be no Election 2. The end and intendment of this Act. This with respect to Man is that he might partake of saving grace Eph. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us that we should be holy That we might also partake of Salvation by Jesus Christ. 2 Thes 2.13 God hath chosen you to Salvation 1 Thes 5.9 God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain Salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord with respect to God that the glory of his grace might be praised as we have it exprest Eph. 1.6 verse 11 12. Predestinated that we should be to the praise of his glory 3. The Properties of his Act. 1. Most freely did God Elect those that are Elected Rom. 9.11 The Children not being yet born neither having done good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth it was said the elder should serve the younger as it is written Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated Though these last words were spoken when Esaus posterity was the border of wickedness Mal. 1. Yet whatever G. W. saith p. 45. were they spoken to signifie the free choice that God long before bad made of Jacob and his seed which free choice was manifested in those words of Love concerning Jacob the elder shall serve the younger for they were spoken before the Children had done good or evil nothing had Jacob done to move God thus to preserve him before his brother And further the Apostle tells us this was done that the purpose of Gods Election might stand or take place So that God did but Act then as he had decreed of old to do And further yet the Apostle tells us this Election is not of works but of him that calleth No mans good works foreseen are the things that move God to choose but it is the meer good pleasure of God who effectually calls and prevails on whom he will This is further manifest from Ver. 16. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy The Truth is we have naturally no will to that which is spiritually good how should we when we cannot know the things of God when holiness and faith in Christ are foolishness to us so Ver 18. He hath mercy on whom he will The Apostle goes on Ver 21. Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same Lump to make one Vessel to honour another to dishonour The Lump is Men and Women to be created the making of Vessels is Gods creating mankind with a decree of permitting their fall the making of this Vessel to honour that to dishonour is Gods creating such a person with a Resolution to recover him out of his fallen state by saving grace this resolution is
from sin for when Paul in this sense did no iniquity sin dwelled in him Nor will G. W. say I suppose no man is regenerate but who is perfectly free from sin Otherwise though he boasts of being in the Light he must be unregenerate for he confessed he had not yet reached perfection Ob. 7. But guilt cannot be taken away whilst the being of sin remains It was answered it can Ro. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit This intimates there is flesh in such though guilt is removed The Apostle speaks of himself who was then regenerate and in Christ and so had guilt gone yet acknowledged a Law of sin in his members In the Second Dispute this being asserted Eccles 7.20 was urged There is not a just man on earth that doth good and sinneth not The Just person is one that is justified his guilt gone yet he sinneth To this there was no answer given It was said in the first dispute Job 9.19 If I sin thou will not acquit me Answ If I sin as do the wicked with allowance Thus he that is born of God doth not commit sin and God will by no means clear such as are thus guilty Ob. 8. Heb. 12.22.23 You are to come to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect Answ This speaks of spiritual comeing by faith whereby the Saints on earth enjoy communion with God and the Saints in heaven not at their having attained unto the perfection of the Saints in heaven Will he say they have attained to the perfection of God himself For 't is said ye are come to God Will he say every of the Hebrews had attained to be perfectly free from all sin so as to have no evil thought in them any more for ever as it is with the Saints in heaven p. 20. The Scriptures saith he speaks not of any perfection of the body Yet he goes on and would fain prove such a perfection from hence that it ought to be It seems then he asserts a perfection that he grants the Scripture speaks not of But his Argument is weakness it self Duty is one thing Power or Possession another These Eight Objections were all answered in the first Dispute so that he had nothing more to say in vindication of either of them He was not so ingenuous as to write my Answers lest he should discover the sandiness of the foundation he builds his doctrine on I find other objections in his Divin of Christ 1. In the Epistle He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Answ Meritoriously The sanctified need no other sacrifice to fly to all their dayes Will he say none are sanctified that have any sin in them 2. Christ cleanseth from all sin He hath washed us from our sins in his own blood Answ What sin is cleansed is cleansed by Christs blood Christ blood from time to time cleanseth away all guilt from Believers It cleanseth away the reigning power of sin in this Life the being in the next not in this for John washed and cleansed confesseth 1 John 1.8 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves 3. He will througly purge his Flooer Answ Separate the ungodly from the Righteous 4. Can the work of faith and grace be sinful Answ Faith it self can be imperfect therefore the work of faith Lord I believe help my unbelief Imperfection is sin for perfection is duty 5. Page 20. He that is born of God overcomes the World God hath made my way perfect 2 Sam. 22.23 Answ Though he hath his failings his course of Life is holy notwithstanding all opposition from the world or other enemies Will they say none is born of God but who is free from the being of sin then no Quaker is born of God for the man cannot be brought that is perfectly free from all sin Nor can it be proved that by perfect is meant free from all sin David had failings in the end of his dayes and he acknowledged his house was not so with God but David asserts the Perfection of his warlike attempts not of his graces as the context sheweth 6. Such as are in Christ have cast off the old man Answ The Reigning power of sin Have crucified the flesh Answ It is dying a lingring death Faith Purifies the Heart Answ Casts out the reigning power of sin from time to time delivers from an evil frame purgeth out evil thoughts and motions though still others succeed It is said Rom. 6.6 That the body of sin might be destroyed Answ In the other Life it shall in this our work is vers 12. Not to let sin reign not to obey it in the lusts thereof 7. In whose spirit is no guile Answ Who having sin doth not cloak it but confesseth it plainly and is sincere desiring mercy as appears in the next verse Psal 32.2 3. When I kept silence my bones waxed old 8. Are not all the Works of the Spirit of God perfect They glory much in this Objection but there is nothing in it For Answ 1. The Operation or working of the spirit is alwayes perfect he works in infinite wisdom by infinite power 2. The Work or thing wrought is alwayes perfect for its part nature or kind a bud is a perfect bud An Embrio is a perfect Embrio The least Drachm of grace true and not counterfeit 3. Every saving grace though but like a grain of Mustard-seed shall be perfect in degree also in Gods time As was the work of Creation 4. But every saving work of the spirit is not presently perfect in all those degrees of perfection it is to attain unto 1 Thes 3.10 Praying that he might see your face and perfect that which is lacking in the Faith 5. Nor doth every saving grace wrought by the spirit of God forthwith exclude the being of all sin Which is the perfection enquired after To affirm this is to say in whomsoever is any sin in him Gods spirit never wrought any grace that since Moses chode at the waters of Meribah God never wrought meekness in him 9. That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Answ 1. Sometimes the word fulfil signifies no more then sincerely to obey the Law whether in part or in whole In part Ja. 2 8. If ye fulfll the Royal Law according to the Scripture thou shalt love thy Neighbour This is but part for there is another part of the Law requiring Love to God So Gal. 6.2 Bear ye one anothers burthens and so fulfil the Law of Christ That is that part of the Law which requires this duty In whole 1 Chro. 22.13 If thou takest heed to fulfil the Statutes and Judgments which the Lord charged Moses then thou shalt prosper Be strong And in this Life we receive grace thus to fulfil the Righteousness of the Law that is sincerely to obey every precept so far as we attain to
pretend to be well grown in Grace that will not look on himself as imperfect These holy men knew God saw something in them which ought not to be there and if our hearts condemn us God is greater Therefore cried holy David Psal 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified And God himself testifies Gen. 8.21 The imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth But p. 21. God called Job perfect Answ And Job afterwards denied himself to be perfect Therefore God speaking true he was perfect that is upright sincere well grown in Grace Job speaking true he was not perfect that is not free from all sin Self-justification p. 22. we do not own Answ Yet you must own speaking true Either Job denying himself to be perfect spake truth or falshood if truth Job was not perfect if falshood he was perfect But he did attain Perfection afterwards Job 23.10 11. I shall come forth as Gold my foot hath held his steps Answ Though to that time he had been upright and stedfast with God and was confident should so persevere yet was he not free from sin for after this Chap. 40.4 I am vile saith he And that enlightned person that observes the workings of his own heart must and cannot but say so too But p. 21. Victory over vain Thoughts is attainable Answ Thoughts prevailed against and cast out return again and their being in us is Sin Acts 8 20. Thou bast thought that the gift of God might be purebased with Money Since then he attempts only to prove Victory not Freedom from evil thoughts he speaks not to the point deserves no Answer Yet to that Scripture Prov. 12.5 The thoughts of the Righteous are right I answer that deliberate thoughts the determinations purposes of a righteous man which carry the bent of his heart with them are for the main right in opposition to the Counsels of the wicked Will he say there is no man righteous that hath any evil thought in him Arg. 2. To dive a little deeper We should not have one evil principle in us inclining us to offend God This is called Sin Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign Rom. 7.17 Sin dwelling in me ch 7.8 Sin taking occasion by the Law wrought in me all manner of Concupiscence It is called the Body of Sin c. 6.6 The Law of Sin c. 7.23 25. I asked Was such a state attained in this life as to be wholly free from all evil principles He stuck not to say it was attainable To prove the contrary I urged John 15.2 Every Branch in me that beareth fruit he purgeth it If the Father purgeth there must be something to be purged out He acknowledged it This must be an evil principle inclining to offend God He denied it not But his Answer then was agreeable to p. 22. After a while all evil Principles are purged out and then the Father ceaseth from purging But to this effect was the Reply this man whom you suppose to have all evil principles purged out of him either is in Christ bearing fruit or not It was answered He is If he be in Christ bearing fruit then said I the Father purgeth him for every Branch in him that beareth fruit the Father purgeth If the Father purgeth him he hath evil principles to be purged out whatever you suppose to the contrary G. W. must not contradict our Saviour and say I know a Branch in thee bearing fruit that the Father doth not purge He ceaseth to answer and falls to oppose p. 22. He washeth us from our sins in his blood It is answered already being the second Objection out of Divin of Christ He opposeth further Because it is the Fathers purging sin must needs be perfectly purged out Answ Then every fruitful Christian is instantly freed from all sin Indeed he shall in Gods time But hence it follows not but that the Father purgeth and purgeth as long as this Life lasts to perfect the work It was asked whether the branch be not of the nature of the Vine Answ We are partakers of the Divine Nature and from Christ receive Grace for Grace What then Will he dare to say that assoon as a person is a partaker of renewing Grace and the Spirit of God that he is incontinently free from all sin or doth it follow he shall before death Let him prove the Consequence or shew us the man that is freed The Spirit of God who knows all men tells us there is none free Prov. 20 29. Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin Arg. 3. Where there is not perfect knowledge there cannot be perfect practice For a mans acceptable practice cannot exceed his knowledge Whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin But there is no man hath perfect knowledge Psal 19.12 Who knows his Errors cleanse me from secret faults There is no man that doth not offend more than he takes notice of And this Ignorance remaineth during life as hath been proved from 1 Cor. 13.9 11. Now we know in part Arg 4. If all persons whatsoever do sin whilst on Earth then there is none in this life perfectly free from sin But on earth all persons whatsoever do sin 1 Kings 8.46 There is no man that sinneth not Gen. 8.21 The imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth His Imagination or Phantasie should be alwayes profitably employed either propounding to the apprehension and judgment spiritual Objects or carnal in a spiritual manner to preserve the Soul always in a holy frame but from our Youth nay our Childhood the word will bear it it is otherwise And this is not spoken of the old wicked world they were gone but of Noah and his Family Eccles 7.20 There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not I ask whether the supposed perfect man be upon earth If on earth he sinneth Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all Where is the man then that is perfectly free from all sin It hath been objected to me James speaks not of himself or any in a gracious state v. 9. Therewith curse we men James was no Curser he speaks of the unregenerate only Answ It is not said therewith we all curse men for then James had necessarily included himself But though the matter spoken of doth necessarily exclude James in v. 13. yet the manner of speaking doth necessarily include him in v. 2. It is not In many things we offend but in many things we offend all So it is most evident and clear that there is no person no not one in this life perfectly free from sin And since we may have redemption even the forgiveness of our sin through faith in Christs Blood and the acceptation of our persons also why should we be backward to entertain this Doctrine Touching Baptism with water whether it be an Ordinance of Christ binding us OBserve the Question between us and them