was there any guile in his mouth a spotless Lamb. We have that on which is a through conformity to the Law from the beginning of Life to the end of Life But this Righteousness not put on by Faith we are not invested with any thing for which God should declare and pronounce us righteous in the sense of the Law for every mouth must be stopped all the world is become guilty before God Arg. 2. If we are justified or pardoned upon the imputation of Righteousness without works then by the Imputation of Christs Righteousness But so we are Rom. 4.6 7. David describes the blessedness of the Man to whom God imputes Righteousness without works saying Blessed is he whose iniquity is forgiven The former Proposition appears hence because there are but two ways whereby a Creature who hath a Law given him Do this and live failand dye may be justified either by pleading he hath done this and not failed from the beginning of life to the end and so he is to be justified by his works as Angels are justifiable Or if he hath not such works by pleading the Righteousness of a Surety It follows therefore since we have no such works and yet Righteousness is imputed it must be our Saviours for he is our Surety Obj. G. W. Divin of Christ p. 64. saith This Righteousness is not without the works of true living Faith but without the works of the Law of works which in the following Page he explains to be the Ceremonial Law requiring Circumcision For saith he if it should be without the works of Faith Paul and James would clash Answ 1. He knows we hold that he who hath Christs Righteousness imputed hath works of sincere Obedience also that Faith which gives interest therein is a working Faith This James contends for and that works manifest our Justification because they manifest the soundness of our Faith A person is arrested for a Debt of one hundred pounds which he hath borrowed and paid and received an Acquittance for the Judge clears him It might be said he was cleared by his Acquittance as evidencing Payment for which the Judge cleared him Thus according to James Abraham was justified by Works as evidencing his Interest in Christs Righteousness for which God justified him 2. He acknowledgeth that Righteousness is imputed without works of the Law of works This is all I contend for For hence I conclude that Righteousness which is imputed must needs be Christs sinless Obedience from the beginning of Life to the end because God being true who hath said Do this and live fail and die and we having all failed there is no way for us to be justified without the Imputation of Christs never-failing righteousness 3. He errs calling the Ceremonial Law a Law of Works in giving this the Lord gave a Law of Grace to his people that which supposed them fallen and so unable ever by their works to attain to Righteousness and pointed at Christ their Remedy 4. I suppose he looks on the works of Faith as constituting that Righteousness which God is said to impute But then 1. He would make the Scripture speak thus that God imputes works wrought by us without works wrought by us 2. And if the works of Faith be our justifying Righteousness then either the works of Faith before we are perfect or after only If before it follows imperfect works are justifying Righteousness and that God will declare them righteous or conform to his Law who are not so for imperfection is not conformity to Gods Law and that God will acquit them as innocent who are breakers of his Law for imperfection is a breach of Gods Law How can this consist with Gods truth who hath said Cursed is he that continueth not in all Imperfection is no such continuance If works of Faith only after we are perfect be our justifying Righteousness according to this Doctrine all the people called Quakers must look on themselves as in a state of Condemnation for none of them are yet perfect end not having reached perfection they have not a justifying Righteousness so are not yet justifiable and dying in their present state they must all look for damnation and to perish for ever a most sad and uncomfortable Doctrine 3. But were the works of Faith perfect yet could they not be a justifying Righteousness because not a perfect obedience to the Law from the beginning of life to the end thereof Who dares say Gods Law doth not require this And if this be the thing Gods Law requires and God saith Cursed be he that confirme th not all the words of this Law to do them Deut. 27.26 Shew how it consists with the vearcity of God to justifie him that hath not in the beginning of Life as well as in the end done all the works of the Law nor is yet invested with the sinless everlasting Righteousness of Jesus Christ 4. He himself excludes the works of Faith from constituting out justifying Righteousness For he excludes the works of the Ceremonial Law And will he say that Abraham did not in Faith circumcise his Son 5. Since it is not said he imputes any thing we have performed for Righteousness but he imputes Righteousness and since Righteousness in point of Justification is exact conformity to the Law of God from the beginning of life to the end it necessarily follows that the Righteousness imputed is something granted distinct from whatever hath been performed by us and that Christs Obedience to the Law whilst on earth is the thing granted for this only can be called Righteousness in point of Justification Arg. 3. As we are made sinners and condemnable by the Disobedience of Adam so are we made righteous and justifiable by the Obedience of Christ Rom. 5.19 As by one mans Disobedience many were made sinners so by the Obedience of one shall many be made righteous But the former is by Imputation therefore so is the latter G. W. in answer to Mr. Danson's Synopsis p. 20. tells us We are made Sinners not by any imputation but by a real participation of Adams Sin Answ As if these were inconsistent whereas We could not be partakers of Adams sin were there no Imputation Adams sin was his eating the forbidden fruit we are not partakers of this by our actual commission of it it must be therefore by Gods imputation It cannot be said we are partakers of Adams sin in that we are personal Offenders Let the words be weighed By one mans Disobedience many were made sinners It is not here said By many personal Disobediences we are made sinners though this be true Adams sin of eating the forbidden fruit is really ours by it are we made sinners and this must needs be through imputation The 12th verse clears it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In whom we all have sinned Children are not excepted and yet many of them never committed actual Transgression If it be said through Adams sin we are deprived of Gods Image our Natures are corrupt It is true this confirms our Doctrine for this is the punishmem of the first Transgression but how can it be that we should be conceived in sin brought
forth unclean and deprived of Gods Image and thus bear the punishment of Adams first sin before we were ever capable of actual Transgression but that we sinned in Adam God reckoned that first sin to us as ours God doth not punish that person in whom he doth not first see a transgression We conclude therefore we are made sinners not only by personal evil but by imputation of Adams sin also And because we are made righteous by Christs Obedience as we are made sinners by Adams Disobedience it follows this is by imputation also and not by conversion only as G. W. p. 21. would have it This Text saith not We are made righteous by the Obedience of many that it should be understood of every mans own Conversion but of one As the Disobedience Adam wrought in his own person on earth makes us sinners so the Obedience Christ wrought in his own person on the earth makes us righteous which must needs be by Gods imputing reckoning and making over to us when Believers Arg. 4. For what God frees us from the Curse of the Law for that doth God justifie us But for Christs Sufferings imputed doth God free us from the Curse of the Law Therefore for Christs sufferings imputed doth he justifie us The Major is evident for to be justified implies an acquittance or freedom from the Curse of the Law The Minor also Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us It is for the sake of Christ sufferings we are freed And if it be not imputed and so made ours and reekoned to us as under gone for us how should any of us reap the benefit of it or one more then another And if we were not discharged from the Curse for the sake of Christs sufferings imputed but for faith and the works that follow without the imputation of Christs sufferings then Christ bore the Curse of the Law for us in vain Arg. 5. What was Typified in the Ceremonial Law is certainly accomplished But the imputation of Christs sufferings was Typified in the Ceremonial Law Exod. 24.8 Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said behold the blood of the Covenam Heb. 9. The Holy Ghost tells us this was in order to remission What did this sprinkling Typisie but the imputation or application of Christ sufferings to us There is no pardon no justification without it 1 John 1.7 Christs blood cleanseth from all sin Yet if it be not applyed how can it cleanse Gods promise therefore is Isa 52.17 He shall sprirkle many Nations And Heb. 12.24 Christs blood is called the blood of sprinkling Ye are come to the blood of sprinkling because it cleanseth only as it is applyed unto us Arg. 6. For what we are freed from condemnation for that we are justified But for the death of Christ imputed or reckoned to us are we freed from Condemnation Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died Therefore for Christ death imputed are we justified Arg. 7. From the express testimony of the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.9 Much more then being now justified by his blood shall we be saved from wrath through him Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Arg. 8. For what God doth pardon and accept us for the same doth he justifie us For to be justified is to be pardoned and the ground of justification is the ground of acceptation But we are pardoned for the sake of Christs death imputed Col. 1.14 We have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of our sins Eph. 1.6 We have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sin Matth. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins We are accepted for the sake of Christ our surety whose sufferings and righteousness are imputed and so made ours Eph. 1.6 We are accepted in the Beloved 2 Cor. 5.19 21. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we may be made the righteousness of God in him It is evident that for the sake of what Christ hath done and suffered we are pardoned and accepted And indeed there is no other way to obtain pardon Heb. 9.22 Without sheding of blood there is no remission Nor to be accepted Exod. 17.3 What man soever there be of the house of Israel that killeth an Ox or a Lamb or a Goat ver 4. and bringeth it not to the door of the Tabernacle blood shall be imputed to that man he hath shed blood and that man shall be cut off from his people v. 5. to the end the Children of Israel may bring their sacrifices to the Priest This Typifies that if we think to have the best services that we are enabled to perform accepted immediately as from us and not for the sake of Christ our Priest presenting them to the Father for us in the merit of that sacrifice he offered once for all they are so far from acceptation that for this God will cut us off from his people He will as soon accept of Murther from us as such a service It remains therefore that Christs obedience to the death of the Cross is the only righteousness for which made ours God doth justifie us Arg. 9. I did argue by a similitude in the second dispute for explication sake because they do so much detest to hear of a righteousness wrought without us and will be justified by no righteousness but what is wrought within them Thus I form my Argument If the Righteousness we are justified by is a garment a Robe even the best Robe then we are justified by a Righteousness wrought without us For our Garments are not wrought within us but without us and we may well conceive that the Holy Ghost makes use of this similitude as for other ends so for this in point of justification to illustrate how that Righteousness for which we are justified is wrought without us even by our Saviour Christ when he was upon the earth here obeying his Father to the death But the Righteousness we are justified by is a Garment c. In this Dispute I found nothing at all of solidity in my Adversary so much as in his Answer to this The upright put on Zeal for a Cloak and Rightcousness for a Garment which is true of the Righteousness of Sanctification and is this Righteousness wrought without them Answ Hence it follows the Holy Ghost doth not alwaies using this similitude intimate to us that that Righteousness which is put on is wrought without us However he may sometimes And that he doth Luke 15.22 Bring forth the best
contrary to Scripture for what is contrary to Truth is Errour Yea we may safely reject as to Faith and Conversation what is beside the Scripture for what is more than our full Rule is more than what is needful is vain Mark 7.7 In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrine the Traditions of men Col. 2.18 Beware lest any spoil you through Philosophy or vain deceit after the traditions of men after the Rudiments of the world and not after Christ Therefore the Scriptures are a safe trying Rule Can so much be said for the Light in every man that we may safely try by this in all cases 1. Can that which is scanty discovering but a small part of Gods Will suffice to try in all Cases 2. Can that which Christ calls Darkness that which is fallible it self keep us from being deceived 3. Can that readily give us satisfaction in all doubtful cases which it self is oft to seek Looking within all that we can see when we are in doubt of a thing is a Dictate Inclination or Consideration for it and another against it Now we are to see and need another Rule to try which of these comes from our Light which from our Darkness Whereas every direction of Scripture is sure and needs not be tried Having our Rule to seek we are like to have our satisfaction to seek also 4. If this be a trying Rule then a man may do whatsoever is right in his own eyes Then publishing Heresie to infect others is no sin nor to be punished by God or man as long as the person doth it according to his Light within No nor Drunkenness nor Whoredom nor Theft nor Self-Murder by fasting supposing the Light within puts any upon it And it hath been proved the Light within may approve of sin as it did of Persecution in Saul 5. If this be the trying Rule then it follows contradictory Opinions may possibly be on both sides true G. W. saith his Light tells him that the Light in every man is a sufficient and safe Rule to guide to heaven I am assured in my very Conscience and from the Scripture it is not He saith Baptism with water and the Lords Supper are no Ordinances of Christ now binding the Church I am assured from all the Light within me and from the Scriptures that they are If what he speaks be according to his Light indeed as what I speak is according to mine then it follows we do both hold Truth whilst we contradict one another for whatsoever agrees with the trying Rule is Truth Obj. p. 18. He that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Ans If he had proved that the Scripture speaks here of the Light in every man he had done something vers 19. This is the condemnation saith Christ that Light is come into the world and men love Darkness Christ speaks of a more full Gospel-light which was then come into the world and not before whereas the Light in every man was in the world ever since men were in the world And we know what Christ calls darkness The sense then is this Gospel-light shines now more than before and at this day in the Holy Scriptures but men follow the dictates of their dark Understandin their Light within even their own apprehensions rejecting Gospel-light This is the Condemnation 5. I assert the Scriptures are a Binding Rule and that in those things which the light in every man doth not of it self teach Arg. 1. The Scriptures did bind in Moses time and after to Christs and in the Apostles time even speaking of things which this Light without extraordinary Revelation cannot discover And if so still To deny that the Scripture did in these things then bind is to say it had been no sin for the Jews before Christ death To reject the whole Ceremonial Law or for the Corinthians to reject the Apostles directions touching the Lords Supper Arg. 2. If the Scripture doth not bind us in such things it will follow we are not bound to believe that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are all three one and the same God or that there shall be a Resurrection of the body that we are not bound to keep the first day of the week a Sabbath to the Lord nor to seek for Regeneration nor to repent of our Fall in Adam nor mourn for our corruption of Nature or for any first motions to sin that we are not to be Baptized or Receive the Lords Supper no nor believe in Christ at all for justification nor to embrace the Gospel consequently that the contrary is no sin for this Light of it self without supernatural Revelation teacheth us none of these things Arg. 3. Gods commands cannot want Authority must therefore needs bind us even in those things this light cannot teach But the Scriptures contein such commands Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy This is his command that we believe in his Son do this in remembrance of me Go teach all Nations Baptizing them This argument was urged in the second dispute not answered there nor since in their book Arg. 4. If we are to be saved in obeying Christ fully that is in things this light speaks nothing of as well as in other things to be damned not obeying Christ in those things this light doth not of it self require then in these things the Scriptures do certainly bind us But the former is true Ezek. 18.21 If the wicked will turn and keep all my statutes he shall surely live not only do what the Light in every man teacheth but all my Statutes Heb. 5.9 Christ is the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey him and we know he hath commanded us in those things this light cannot of it self teach Jo. 12.48 He that receiveth not my word is not Do this Go baptize his word The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him at the last day Ro. 2.16 God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel The Gospel contains commands and mysteries this Light of it self cannot find out Luke 16.29 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them The Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets taught things above the reach of this Light if men therefore will escape that place of torments they must obey the Scripture in such things as well as other 2. Thes 1.7 8. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ The Gospel still prescribes things above what this light can of it self reaveal or reach The Lord God awaken these men How fearful is it to reject the Scriptures as not binding in those things this Light cannot teach us Obj. But we must not do any thing because we see it written in the Scripture but must obey the spirit of God moving
help no such Conclusion could appear hence deducible By the use of Reason the Spirit teaceth the Heathen Moral Duties The immediate teaching of Gods Spirit must be that which is done without means Thus God neither by Adams Reason nor any Scripture nor by the works of Creation but immediately by himself taught him that he must abstain from the Tree of Knowledge And after his Fall that the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head And afterwards enjoyned Circumcision to Abraham the Ceremonial Law to Moses speaking to him face to face Immediately by himself did he inspire into the Penmen of the Scripture what they were to write thereby to discover to his people what he would have them to do When he put Prophesies into the mouths of his Prophets sending them with Denunciations against any as the young Prophet against Jeroboam Jonah against Nineveh when he taught Paul the Gospel by Revelation all was by his immediate teaching The Terms opened I shall now lay down what I judge the Truth touching this Point in twelve Answers Answ He who is immediately taught of God his whole Duty hath higher honour than he that is taught it by the Scriptures Answ 2. He that walks by the immediate teachings of the Spirit cannot possibly err in so doing Gods Spirit is a Spirit of Truth But Answ 3. I know but one man of all who ever were in the world unto whom Gods immediate teachings were the highest and safest Rule to Heaven This was Moses Before the Scripture was written God did immediately reveal to him the Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Law The Ceremonial Law was their Gospel Here Moses had the full the then only the infallible the trying the binding Rule by immediate Revelation delivered to him Therefore I conclude Gods immediate teachings were to Moses the highest and the safest Rule to Heaven But can any man shew a second Adam had in innocency immediate revelation it was but part of his Rule and so no Rule of it self to heaven Had Adam obeyed Gods immediate prohibition and violated the Law of Nature written in his heart he had not retained his Innocency bare forbearing that fruit would not have brought him to heaven When afterwards Christ was immediately revealed suppose he had believed in Christ but wholly neglected that remnant of the Moral Law that still was in his heart would that Faith have saved him Single out any of the Prophets who had immediate revelation as to particular things did not the Book of the Law written by Moses bind them even those Commands which could not all certainly have any necessary and apparent connexion with what Truths God immediately inspired into them that they viewing only what was immediately taught them might herein see and hence conclude all their duty as to have no need of any recourse at all to any thing Moses wrote to help them to know and perform any part thereof David was so read though a Prophet in the Scripture and thence learned to fear God Deut. 17.19 Ans 4. It makes for our safety to look up earnestly to pray and use all means for the Illumination of Gods Spirit that the eyes of our understanding being enlightned we may know what is the hope of the Fathers Calling and what the riches of the glory of his Inheritance in the Saints Unto Believers God doth thus reveal that which Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor can enter into the heart of man to conceive Hereby 't is they see Eye to Eye that is brightly Faith being the Evidence of things not seen They see the King in his Glory And this he doth accompanying the Ministration of the everlasting Gospel Luke 4.18 He hath sent me saith Christ to preach recovering of sight to the blind The Gospel therefore is called the Ministration of the Spirit This we must attend upon as Lydia did that we might have our hearts opened and may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge This we may hopefully watch for God hath covenanted I will put my Laws into their minds and purposed to destroy the face of covering cast over all people A. 5. And for our furtherance in holiness let me step a little out we are to look up for Gods gracious Spirit to sanctifie assist and comfort us He is the Spirit of Faith and Love as well as of a sound mind The Spirit of Holiness And Gods Covenant is to put his Laws into our hearts as well as into our minds This obtained we shall be Vessels meet for our Masters use God hath likewise covenaned to put his Spirit into the hearts of his people to enable them to walk in his Statutes Without him we can do nothing But strengthened with all might according to his glorious power nothing shall be too hard for us If God be for us who can be against us We shall be able to do all things through Christ strengthening us And hath not the Son of God promised to send the Spirit as a Comforter Gods Spirit doth shed abroad Gods Love in the hearts of Believers doth make known to them the things freely given them of God doth witness with their Spirits that they are the Children of God doth seal them If we obtain the Spirit in this operation of his though we had even never so much desponding shut up against all comfort and hope we should presently find strong Consolation for when he giveth quietness who then can make trouble As we stand in need of so we may with good hope look up for Gods Spirit to sanctifie assist comfort us A. 6. To return again When we are at a loss at any time for Gods will and the way we should walk in we may very safely look up for the Mediate Objective Teachings of Gods Spirit to be directed As heretofore when Gods people wanted direction in a particular case they enquired of God as in the case of going to War or the like God did immediately shew them his will so now have Gods people good grounds to believe that God will mediately teach them and resolve all their doubts in necessary things if they heartily seek it of him Christ hath said The Spirit shall bring to your remembrance Acts 15. Gods Church was troubled with a doubt necessary to be determined Whether the Gentiles must be circumcised Peter brings an Argument from experience to prove they need not James minds his Argument v. 14. Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his Name And to this saith he agree the words of the Prophet Who brought this to his mind Here we see it fulfilled that the Spirit brings sutable Scriptures to remembrance to teach Gods people in doubtful cases This is the mediate objective Teaching of the Spirit A. 7. But what warrant have all men nay Gods people
if Sanctification and Holiness without Christs dying for thee could suffice to redeem thy lost soul Christ gave his Life a ransom in vain 2. Christs sufferings are of that worth that they are abundantly sufficient to redeeâ— our lost souls If not I am willing mine should perish everlastingly But he is God blessed for ever who purchased the Church with his blood Act. 20.28 In his sufferings then there is worth enough worth abundantly enough to redeem our souls for ever Heb. 9.12 He hath obtained eternal Redemption for us We may be as confident of it as we are that we live Our soul is pretious and Christs blood is as pretious and far more pretious 1 Pet. 1.17 18. We are not redeemed with corruptible things but with the pretious blood of Christ Let us then with Paul abhor all sanctification in us all Holiness all works of Faith whatever is wrought by us in comparison of what we spie by faith in Christ And let us put our whole trust in Christs sufferings for the redemption and acquittance or discharge of our lost souls from whatever damnation they are by sin exposed unto that is for justification Arg. 12. For that only doth God justifie us which doth suffice to turn away his wrath from us But Christs sufferings only not any thing done or suffered by us is that for which God doth justifie us This Argument was also pressed the first dispute and enlarged And there not being one word of answer pertinent in his book I proceed and prove the former Proposition Gods wrath hath been kindled against us A Fire saith God Deut. 32.22 is kindled in mine anger and shall burn to the lowest Hell Tophet is prepared Adam unto whom God said in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death sinned and kindled Gods wrath against himself and all his posterity for we are by Nature the Children of wrath In our own persons likewise we have failed of continuing in all and hence is Gods wrath up against us for the Law worketh wrath If Gods wrath hath been stirred up against us it cannot be that we should be justified till his wrath be turned away God burning in his wrath is ready to condemn us to take vengeance on us to consume us as fire not to justifie and acquit us from our ill deserts That therefore for which we are justified must suffice to turn away Gods wrath from us The next Proposition consists of two parts 1. Nothing done or suffered by us sufficeth to turn away Gods wrath Heb. 10.5 Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not Isa 40.16 Lebanon is not sufficient to burn nor the beasts thereof sufficient for aburnt offering ver 15. The Nations are but as a drop of the Bucket How can it be that we poor nothings should be able by doing or suffering any thing turn away the wrath of this Great self-sufficient Soveraign offended with us Can fallen Angels do or suffer any thing When we are made to suffer in our own persons it is for ever for ever that we suffer because miserable worms we never can suffer enough that his wrath should be turned away from us And if burning Ten thousand Millions of years in Hell is not enough to turn his wrath away how little reason is there to imagine that a little faith and the works that follow should suffice If this were enough then in vain did Christ say Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy will O God In vain was Christ our Passover sacrificed for us for what end did he come for what end was he sacrificed for us but that he might make attonement for us that he might make Reconciliation for the sins of the People that he might turn away wrath and so the destroying Angel might pass over us 2. Christs sufferings do suffice to turn away Gods wrath from us 1 Jo. 2.1 2. We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous And he is the Propitiation for our sins Heb. 13.12 But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever sat down on the right hand of God Eph. 5.2 Christ hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and asacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Let us then place no confidence in sanctification holiness faith and the works that follow as if these saying aside Christs death on the Cross could turn away Gods wrath and render God so well pleased with us as to discharge acquit justifie us but let us by true faith repose all our trust in Jesus who offered himself a sacrifice for us for justification deliverance from wrath to come He is the only hiding place from the storm the only covert from the tempest Arg. 13. That for which God justifies us must suffice to satisfie his justice for our transgression But Christs sufferings only nothing done or suffered by us can suffice to satisfie Gods justice for our transgression Therefore Christs sufferings and not any thing done or suffered by us is that for which God doth justifie us Justice is satisfied upon transgression when it hath duely punished it This premised I prove the Major We having not continued in all God will not justifie us without satisfaction to his justice for our sin 1. We may judge of this by Gods dealing with fallen Angels there being no provision made for the satisfaction of Justice for their fall God will never justifie them but they are to be condemned and bear their deserved punishment for ever Why should we imagine that God will justifie any of us who have fallen as well as they never punishing our fall as justice doth require 2. We may conclude it from Gods Law the contents whereof are all equal holy just and good In the Law we may take notice of three things each of which are conclusive of the point in hand 1. Gods Judgement which is alwaies according to truth and he hath judged that whoever of us in the least tittle do break so equal so holy just and good a Law we do deserve his Curse If he had not thus judged he would not have added this sanction to his Law and said Cursed is he that continues not in all God judgeth this but a meet and deserved punishment And shall we imagine that God will not do what is meet to be done That God should not act according to his own Judgement Hence I think we may conclude God justifieth none of us without punishing our sins 2. Gods Truth God having said in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death and cursed is he that continues not in all doth not his truth engage him to execute his justice in punishing sin should mercy offer to pronounce any man absolved his sin unpunished Truth would stop the mouth of mercy and say hold I have said Cursed is he that continues not in all and I cannot but be true Hence I conclude no offender is justified but his sin is punished to the full 3.