but to speak to this more anon Perhaps you will say I deal not fairly with you because you treat as of moral so of Gospel or New Testament Laws But to that I will answer at present that in this description of your Holy Principle which is the Foundation of your Book whether the Laws be Natural or Spiritual moral or of Grace the Principle by which you do them is no other then the Principle of Nature the dictates of the humane Nature and so such as can by no means reach the Doctrines of the Gospel any farther then to make a Judgment of them by that wisdom which is enmity with God as will farther be seen in my progress through your Book Indeed you make mention of Divine Laws and that under two Heads 1. Such as are of an indispensible and Eternal Obligation as those purely moral 2. Such which you call positive precepts in themselves of an indifferent Nature and absolutely considered are neither good nor evil Of those of this kind that we have under the Gospel you say you know but three viz That of coming to God by Christ and the Institutions of Baptism and the Lords Supper Page 7 and Page 9. So then although you talk of Gospel positive Laws and particularly that of coming to God by Christ yet those which you call first Principles of Morals are of higher concern with you and more indispensible by far then this this being a thing of an indifferent Nature and in it self absolutely considered is neither good nor evil but the other is the life of the matter But a little to gather you up The Morals say you are indispensible and good in themselves but that of coming to God by Christ a thing indifferent and in it self neither good nor evil Wherefore though in this your description you talk of confirming to all those good and practical Principles that are made known either by Revelation Nature or the use of Reason yet in this your obedience you reckon coming to God by Christ but an act of a very indifferent Nature a thing if done not good in it self neither evil in it self should a man leave it undone and so consequently a man may have in him the ground and essentials of Christianity without it may be saved and go to Heaven without it for this I say whatsoever is of an indifferent Nature in it self is not essential to the Christian Religion but may or may not be done without the hazard of Eternal Salvation but say you this of coming to God by Christ is one of the positive precepts Page 9. which are in themselves things indifferent and neither good nor evil therefore not of the substance of Christianity But Sir where learned you this new Doctrine as to reckon coming to God by Christ a thing of so indifferent a Nature a thing not good in it self but with respect to certain Circumstances Page 7. Had you said this of Baptism and the Supper of the Lord I could with some allowance have born your words but to count coming to God by Christ a thing iudifferent in it self is a blasphemy that may not be born by Christians it being too high a contempt of the Blood and too great a disgrace to the Person of the Lord the King of Glory of which more hereafter but to return The intent of this your description is to set before us these two things 1. What are the essentials of the Rule of that Holiness which by the Gospel we are immediately obliged to if we would be justified in the sight of God 2. What are the principles by which we act when we do these works aright For the first you tell us they are the first Principles of Morals such as are self evident and therefore not capable of being properly demonstrated as being no less knowable and easily assented to then any proposition that may be brought for the proof of them Page 8. Such as are self-evident or evident of themselves to what To us as men that know the Principles of Reason and that are as easily assented to as any proposition such as may be as easily known as we know there is a day or night Winter and Summer or any other thing that may be brought for the proof of them This Law therefore is none other then that mentioned in Rom. 2. 14 15. which is the Law of our Nature or that which was implanted in us in the day of our Creation and therefore is said to be our selves even Nature it self 1 Cor. 11. 14. Secondly the Principle say you by which we act and in the strength of which we do this Law it is the Principle of Reason or a reasonable compliance with this Law written in our Hearts and originally dictates of humane Nature c. which certain Principle say you is this To count it most highly becoming all reasonable Creatures to obey God in every thing and as much disbecoming them in any thing to disobey him Page 8. The sum is this your Holiness both in root and act is no other then what is common to all the men on Earth I mean so common as that for the first is in their Nature as the second is also part of themselves they being Creatures whose prime or principal distinction from other consisteth in that they are reasonable and such as have reason as a thing essential to them wherefore the excellency that you have discoursed of is none other then the excellency and goodness that is of this World such as in the first Principles of it is common to Heathens Pagans Turks Infidels and that as evidently dictates to those that have not heard the Gospel I mean as to the Nature the good and evil as it doth in them that sit under the sound thereof and is the self same which our late ungodly Heriticks the Quakers have made such a stir to promote and exalâ— only in the description thereof you seem more ingenious then they for whereas they erroniously call it Christ the light of Christ Faith Grace Hope the Spirit the Word that is nigh c. you give it the names due thereto viz. A complexion or complication and combination of all the virtue of the Soul the humane Nature the dictates of it the Principles of reason such as are self-evident than which there is nothing Mankind doth naturally assent to Page 6 7 8 9 10 11. only here as I have said you glorifie your errors also with Names any Titles that are not to be found but in your own deluded Brains As that the virtues of the Souls can keep themselves incommixed that there is yet in us the purity of the humane Nature of such a disposition that can both by light and power give a man to see and powerfully incline him to and bring him under the government of all those good and practical principles that are made known either by Revelation Nature or the use of Reason But I say these principles thus
Delights of their Morral Principles with the Dictates of their Humane Nature and their gallant Generous Minds Thus making a very Stalking-horse of the Lord Jesus Christ and of the Words of Truth and Holiness thereby to slay the silly one making the Lord of Life and Glory instead of a Saviour by his Blood the Instructer and School-Master onely of Humane Nature a Chaser away of evil Affections and an Extinguisher of Burning Lusts and that not so neither but by giving perfect Explications of Morral Precepts Pag. 17. and setting himself an Example before them to follow him Pag. 297. Your Sixteenth Chapter Containeth an answer to those that Object against the Power of the Christian Religion to make Men Holy Answ. And to speak truth what you at first render as the cause of the Unholiness of the Professors thereof Pag. 171 is to the Purpose had it been Christianly Managed by you as namely Mens Gross Unbelief of the truth of it for it Effectuallyâ—Worketh in them that Believe 1 Thes. 2. 13. but that you onely touch and away neither shewing what is the Object of Faith nor the cause of it's being so Effectual to that Purpose neither to you at all treat of the Power of Unbelief and how all Men by Nature are shut up therein Rom. 11. 32. But presently according to your Old and Natural Course you fall First upon a supposed Power in Men to imbrace the Gospel both by closing with the Promise and shuning the threatning Pag. 172. farther adding That mankind is Indued with a Principle of Freedom and that this Principle is as Essential as any other to the Humane Nature Pag. 173. By all which it is Manifest that however you make mention of Unbelief because the Gospel hath laid the same in your way yet our Old Doctrine of the Purity of the Humane Nature now broken out into a freedom of Will and that as an Essential of the Humane Nature is your great Principle of Faith and your following of that as it Dictateth to you Obedience to the first Principles of Morrals the Practice of Faith by which you think to be saved That this is so must unavoidably be gathered from the good opinion you have your self of coming to God by Christ viz. That in the Command thereof it is one of these Positive Precepts and a thing in it self absolutely considered indifferent and neither Good nor Evil. Now he that looketh upon coming to God by Christ with such an Eye as this cannot lay the stress of his Salvation upon the Faith or Belief thereof Indifferent Faith will serve for Indifferent things Yea a Man must look beyond that which he Believeth is but one with the Ceremonial Laws but not the same with Baptism or the Lord's Supper for with those you compare that of coming to God by Christ. Wherefore Faith with you must be turned into a Chearful and Generous Complying with the Dictate of the Humane Nature and Unbelief into that which Opposeth this or that makes the Heart backward and sluggish therein This is also gathered from what you aver of the Divine Morral Laws that they be of an Indispensible and Eternal Obligation Pag. 8 things that are good in themselves Pag. 9. Considered in an Abstracted Notion Pag. 10. Wherefore things that are good in themselves must needs be better then those that are in themselves but Indifferent neither can a Possitive Precept make that which of it self is neither Good nor Evil better then that which in it's own Nature remaineth the Essentials of Goodness I Conclude then by Comparing you with your self by bringing your Book to your Book that you understand neither Faith nor unbelief any farther then by obeying or disobeying the Humane Nature and it 's Dictates in Chief and that of coming to God by Christ as one of the things that is indifferent in it self But a little to touch upon your Principle of Freedom which in Pag. 9. you call an understanding and liberty of Will Answ. First That there is no such thing in Man by Nature as Liberty of Will or a Principle of Freedom in the saving things of the Kingdom of Christ is Apparent by several Scriptures Indeed there is in Men as Men a willingness to be saved their own way even by following as you their own Natural Principles as is seen by the Quakers as well as your self but that there is a freedom of will in Men as Men to be saved by the way wich God hath Prescribed is neither asserted in the Scriptures of God neither standeth with the Nature of the Principles of the Gospel The Apostle saith The Natural Man receiveth not the things that be of the Spirit of God And the Reason is not because not Principally because he layeth aside a Liberty of Will but because they are foolishness to him 1 Cor. 2. Because in his Judgement they are things of no Moment but things as you have imagined of them that in themselves are but indifferent And that this Judgement that is passed by the Natural Man concerning the things of the Spirit of God of which that of coming to God by Christ is the chief is that which he cannot but do as a Man is Evident from that which followeth neither CAN he know them because they are Spiritually Discerned Neither CAN he know them as a Man because they are Spiritually Discerned Now if he cannot know them from what Principle should he will them For Judgement or Knowledge must be before the Will can act I say again a Man must know them to be things in chief that are Absolutely and Indispensibly Necessary and those in which resteth the greatest Glory or else his Will will not Comply with them nor Center and Terminate in them as such but still count themselves as you though somewhat Convinced that he ought to adhere unto them things that in themselves are onely indifferent and absolutely Considered neither Good nor Evil. A farther inlargement upon this Subject will be time enough if you shall Contradict Another Reason or cause which you call an immediate one of the unsuccessfulness of the Gospel is Mens unaccountable mistaking the Design of it not to say worse as to conceive no better of it then as a Science and a matter of Speculation c. Pag. 173. Answ. If this be true you have shewed us the Reason why your self have so base and unworthy thoughts thereof For although coming to God by Christ be the very chief first the substance and most Essential part of obedience thereto yet you have reckoned this but like one of the Ceremonies of the Law or as Baptism with Water and the Lord's Supper Pag. 7 8 9. Falling more Directly upon the Body of the Morral Law as written in the Heart of Men and inclining more to the teaching or Dictates of Humane Nature which were neither of them both ever any Essential part of the Gospel then upon that which indeed is the Gospel of Christ. And here I may
other then Barbarous Quakerisme the stress of their Writing also tending to no other purpose But you tell us That you scarcely admired at any thing more in all your Life then that any worthy Men especially should be so difficulty perswaded to receive or imbrace this account of Justifying Faith and should perplex and make intricate so plain a Doctrine Answ. And doubtless they far more groundedly stand amazed at such as you who while you pretend to shew the design of the Gospel make the very Essential of it a thing in it self indifferent and absolutely considered neither good nor evil that makes obedience to the Morral Laws more Essential to salvation then that of going to God by Christ that maketh it the great Design of Christ to put us into a Possession of that promiseless natural old Covenant holiness which we had lost long since in Adam that maketh as if Christ rejecting all other Righteousness or Holiness hath Established onely this Yea that maketh the very Principle of this Holiness to consist in a sound Complexion of Soul the Purity of Humane Nature in us a habit of Soul truly Generous Motives and Principles Divine Morral Laws which were first written in Mens Hearts and Originally Dictates of Humane Nature All this Villany against the Son of God with much more as bad is Comprised within less then the first sixteen â—ages of your Book But say you what pretence can there be for thinking that Faith is the Condition or Instrument of Justification as it complyeth with onely the Precept of relying upon Christ's Merits for the obtaining of it especially when it is no less manifest then the Sun at Noon-day that obedience to the other Precepts must go before obedience to this And that a Man may not rely upon the merits of Christ for the forgiveness of his Sins and he must be presumptuous in so doing and puts an affront upon his Saviour too till he be sincerely willing to be reformed from them Pag. 223. Answ. That the Merits of Christ for Justification are made over to that Faith that receiveth them while the Person that believeth it stands in his own account by the Law a Sinner hath already been shewed And that they are not by God appointed for another purpose is manifest through all the Bible 1. In the Type when the bloody Sacrifices were to be offered and an Atonement made for the Soul the People were onely to confess their Sins over the head of the Bullock or Goat or Lamb by laying their Hands thereon and so the Sacrifice was to be slain They were onely to acknowledge their Sins And observe it in the day that these offerings were made they were not to Work all For he that did any Work therein was to be cut off from his People Lev. 4. ch 16. ch 23. 2. In the Antitype thus it runs Christ dyed for our Sins Christ gave himself for our Sins He was made to be Sin for us Christ was made a Curse for us Yea but say you What pretence can there be that Faith is the Condition or Instrument of Justification as it Complyeth with onely the Precepts of relying upon Christ's Merits that is first or before the Soul doth other things Answ. I say avoiding your own Ambiguous terms that it is the Duty the indispensible Duty of all that would be saved First Immediately now to close in by Faith with that work of Redemption which Christ by his blood hath purchased for them as they are Sinners 1. Because God doth hold it forth yea hath set it forth to be received by us as such Rom. 3. 23. to 27. 2. Because God hath Commanded us by Faith to receive it as such Act. 16. And I add If the Jaylor was altogether ignorant of what he must do to be saved and Paul yet bids him then before he knew any thing else Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and he should be saved that then Believing even Believing on Christ for a Righteousness to justifie and save him must go first and may nay ought to be pressed even then when the Soul stands ignorant of what else he ought to do Act. 16. 30 31 32. But you say It is evident as the Sun at Noon-day that obedience to the other Precepts must go before obedience to THIS that is before Faith in Christ. Answ. This you say But Paul said to the ignorant Jaylor that knew nothing of the mind of God in the Doctrine of Justification that he should first believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and so should be saved Again when Paul Preached to the Corinthians The first Doctrine that he delivered unto them was That Christ dyed for their Sins according to the Scriptures c. 1 Cor. 15. 1 2 3 4. But what be these other Precepts Not Baptism nor the Supper of the Lord for these you say are as poor and inconsiderable as that of coming to God by Christ even all three things in themselves neither good nor evil but of an indifferent Nature they must be therefore some more weighty things of the Gospel then these possitive Precepts But what things are they It is good that you tell us seeing you Tacitely forbid all men upon pain of Presumption and of doing affront to Jesus Christ that they rely not on the merits of Christ for forgiveness till they be sincerely willing to perform them first yet I find not here one particular Precept instanced by you But perhaps we shall hear of them hereafter therefore now I shall let them pass You tell us farther that such a relyance as that of acting Faith First on the Merits of Christ for Justification is ordinarily to be found amongst Vnregenerate and even the worst of Men. Answ. This is but a falshood and a slander for the Unregenerate know him not how then can they believe on him Besides the worst of men so far as they pretend Religion set up your Idol in their hearts viz. their own good meanings their own good Nature the Notions and Dictates of their Nature living that little which they do live upon the Snuff of their own Light the Sparks of their own fire and therefore woe unto them But you add How can it be otherwise then that that act of Faith must needs have a Hand in Justifying and the special Hand too which distinguisheth it from that which is found in such Persons Answ. 1. There is no Act of Faith doth more distinguish true Faith from false and the Christian from the painted Hypocrite then that which first lays hold on Christ while the Person that hath it stands in his own esteem ungodly all other like your self being fearful and unbelieving Rev. 20. 8. despise it and wonder and perish Act. 13. 40 41. 2. And this Faith by thus acting doth more subdue Sin though it doth not Justifie as subduing but as applying Christ's Righteousness then all the Wisdom and Purity of Humane Nature or the Dictates of that Nature
vertues of Soul as maintains in life and vigour whatsoever is essential to it and suffereth not any thing unnatural to mix with that which is so Answer If as was said before there is no soundness of Soul in man as man and no such thing as a purity of our Nature abstract from that which is sin then where shall we find so healthful a complexion or temperature of Soul as to maintain in life and vigour whatsoever is essential to it and that suffereth not any thing unnatural to mix with that which is so But let us take Pauls definition of a man There is none righteous no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God they are all gone out of the way they areâ— together become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Their threat is an open Sepulchâ—e with their Tongues they have used deceit the poison of Asps is under their lips whose Mouth is full of Cursing and Bitterness their feet are swift to shed Blood destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of Peace they have not known there is no fear of God before their Eyes I the rather give you this of Paul then any of my own because it is the soundest complexion of Soul that the Holy Ghost himself could draw Here is now no purity of the humane Nature nor such sound complexion of Soul as can keep it self from mixing with that which is contrary to itself And note that this is the state of all men and that as they stand on themselves before God Wherefore together even altogether all the men in the World take them in their most pure naturals or with all the purity of humanity which they can make and together they still will be unprofitable and so must come short of doing good that every mouth might be stopped and all the World become guilty before God ver 19. 3. But proceeding you say that this complexion is so forcible as to keep his supreme faculty I suppose you mean the Conscience in its Throne and that brings into due subjection all his inferiour ones as namely his sensual imagination bruitish passions and affections Answ. These words suppose that it is within the power of a mans own Soul always to keep sin out of it self and so guilt out of the Conscience albeit the Scripture saith that both the mind and it are defiled with the filth of sin in all whoever do not believe the Gospel with which belief this description meâ—leth not 2. They suppose that this Conscience is perfectly clear and light when the Scriptures say they have the understanding darkened yea and farther in despite of these your sayings of the sound complexion of Soul of the purity of humane Nature and of this supreme faculty the Scriptures teach that man in his best estate is altogether vanity that they are darkness and night c. Yea say you this sound complexion brings into due subjection all his inferiour ones Answ. Here seems to be a contradiction to the former part of this description yea to the Nature of the Soul it self for you say before it suffereth not any thing unnatural to mix it self therewith when yet here you seem to suggest that part I say even part of it self is disobedient and rebellious It brings into subjection all his inferiour ones It brings into due subjection Answ. Due subjection is such as is everlasting universal perfect in Nature kind and manner such as the most righteous perfect comprehensive Law or Commandment cannot object against or find fault therewith Here 's a Soul here 's a pure humane Nature here are pure dictates of a brutish beastly man that neither knows himself nor one title of the Word of God But there is a Generation that are pure in their own Eyes yet are not washed from their filâ—hiness It is the purity of the humane Nature ingaging those in whom it resides c. Answ. That is verily in none at all for there is no such thing in any man in this world as a purity of humane Nature we are all an unclean thing and who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Again what is man that he should be clean or he that is born of a Woman that he should be holy These are therefore expressions without the Testimony of the Word arising from your own phantasie It is a Divine or Godlike Nature Answ. Thus you seem allso to fetch from the similitude or likeness of God that was in us at out first Creation before we sinned but that similitude being at best but Created and since most unspeakably defiled defaced and polluted with sin there is now no not in the best of men as men any smiles likeness and similitude of God to be found no such petty Divine or Godlike Nature to be found as you magine But having thus stated your holiness in its Nature and essence you come in the next place to tell us under what considerations it moveth a person to act also by what Rules and Laws it squareth its acts and doings First by or under what considerations it acts and these you scatter here and there in this your description of holiness under these heads First To act as becomes a Creature indued with a principle of reason eyeing the state or place in which God hath set him approving of affecting and complying with the Eternal Laws of righteousness Pag. 6. which eternal Laws in Page 8. you call the Divine moral Laws those that were first written in the hearts of men and originally the dictates of humane Nature c. Secondly To do these from truly generous Motives and Principles Page 7. such as these 1. Because it is most highly becoming all reasonable Creatures you might also have added and those unreasonable to obey God in every thing within their Spheres and as much unbecoming them to disobey him Page 8. 2. Because it is a base thing to do unjustly Page 11. Now a little to touch upon all these and then to proceed to what is behind First To act and do the things of the moral Law but as Creatures indued with a Principle of Reason is but to do things in our Sphere as Men as the Beast the Hog or Horse doth things in his as a Beast which is at best if it could be attained to act but as pure naturals which state of man is of at infinite distance from that in which it is by God expected the man must act that doth ought that is pleasing in his fight For First The qualification and consideration by you propounded is that which is in all men in men simply as men they being reasonable Creatures and somewhat though qut somewhat capable of acting as such Secondly This qualification is not only in but of men reason is of the Man himself even that which is as essential to him as is that of his being
Created or made Thirdly The Law also which you call Divine Moral and Eternal is that which is naturally seated in the Heart and as you your self express it is originally the Dictates of humane Nature or that which Mankind doth naturally assent to Page 11. Now I say that a man cannot by these Principles and these qualifications please the God of Heaven is apparent 1. Because none of these are Faith but without Faith it is impossible to please him Heb. 11. 6. 2. Because none of these is the Holy Ghost but there is nothing accepted of God under a New Testament consideration but those which are the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. 3. The Man and Principles you have stated may be such as are utterly Ignorant of Jesus Christ and of all his New Testament things as such But the Natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God the things of his New Testament for they are foolishness to him neither can he know them because they are Spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 24. 4. Your qualifications and considerations know nothing at all of the adoption of Sons and of our acting and doing our Duty as such You only content your self to rest within the confines of the humane Nature acts of reason as men or Creatures only or in their supposed pure natural Principles And Sir a little by way of digression I will tell you also of our truly Christian righteousness both as to its original or first Principle and also how or under what capacity it puts the Person that is acted by it First The Principle which is laid within us it is not the purity of the humane Nature but of the Holy Ghost it self which we have of God received by believing in the Son of God a principle as far above yours of Humanity as is the Heavens above the Earth yours being but like those of the first Adam but ours truly those of the second As is the Earthly such are those that are Earthly and as is the Heavenly such are those that are Heavenly Now whosoever hath not this Principle although he be a Creature and also have the Dictates of the humane Nature yea and also follows them yet he is not Christs If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Thus therefore is the Christian Principle another from and far above your Heathenish Pagan one By 〈◊〉 is Spirit is the Christian qualified with Principles not Nâ—â—ural but Spiritual such as Faith Hope Joy Peace c. all which are the fruits of the Revelation of the forgiveness of sins freely by Grace though the Redemption that it in Jesus Christ In this Spirit and Faith we walk by this Spirit we are led even into the Joy and Peace of the New Testament of our Lord wherefore our Holy Actions are the fruits of Righteousness that is by Jesus Christ not by our humane Nature or the purity of it in us yea they are the fruits of the Spirit of God the qualifications that attend the new Covenant and those that by the work of regeneration are brought within the bounds and Priviledges thereof Wherefore Secondly The capacity that we are in who act and do from the Heavenly Principle it is that of Sons the Sons of God by adoption as the Apostle said Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father And again As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God This is a far other then is your humane description of acting as a Creature indued with a Principle of Reason for here is a man acts as a Son indued with the Holy Spirit of God who hath before the World was predestinated him to this Estate by Jesus Christ to himself As a Son therefore the Christian acts and does because he is indued with that high and heavenly Principle mentioned before by which Principle this man hath received a new Heart a new Spirit a new understanding a good Conscience so made by Faith in the blood of the Lord Jesus Thus being made again anew and another man he acts from a new and another Principle then yours a Principle as far beyond and above you as is a Man above a Bruit and as is Grace above Nature Thirdly As the Christian acts does from a better Principle and under a better capacity or consideration then that you have described so to allude to your own notion the first Principles by which they receive this Spirit and Adoption are not those Principles of Morals or those originally dictates of humane Nature but it is through the hearing of Faith Gal. 3. 1 2 3. by which we understand that the Son of God became a Man dyed for our sins hath saved us from the curse of God and accounted us to be the righteousness of God in him this being heard with the Gospel and a new-Testament hearing the Holy Ghost forthwith possesseth us by the glorious working whereof we are helped through the Son to call the God of Heaven our Father Now thus being made free from sin by the only Faith of Jesus Christ we have our fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life And here come in those reasonable conclusions which you would make the very radicals of Christianity they being only remote and after conclusions drawn from the forementioned Mercy of God viz. from predestination Calling Adoption and Justification by Christs Blood sinners I say these are the things which Paul endeavored to provoke the Romans Philippians and Colossians to an Holy Conversation by 1. To the Romans I beseech you therefore saith he by the Mercies of God What Mercies Why those of Election Redemption Calling Justification and Adoption mentioned in the foregoing Chapters that you present your Bodies a living Sacrifice Holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service Rev. 12. 1. 2. To the Philippians If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any Comfort of Love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded Phil. 2. 1. 3. To the Colossians If you be risen with Christ seek those things that are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God set your affections on things above not on things of the Earth for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in Glory Now mark mortifie therefore therefore wherefore why because they were risen with Christ because they should appear at the end of this World with Christ himself in Glory therefore mortifie the deeds of the Body or our Members that are upon the Earth Col. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. These Sir are the Motives by which we Christians act because we are forgiven because we are Sons and if Sons then Heirs and so we act
stated by you being the principles and the goodness of this World and such as have not faith but the law not the holy Ghost but humane nature in them they cannot be those which you affirm was or is the design the great the only and ultimate design of Christ or his Gospel to promote and propagate in the World neither with respect to our justification before God from the curse neither with respect to the workings of his Spirit and the faith of Jesus in our hearts the true Gospel or evangelical Holiness First It is not the righteousness that justifieth us before God from the curse because it is that which is properly our own and acted and managed by principles of our own arising originally in the roots of it from our own There is the righteousness of Men and the righteousness of God that which is the righteousness of Men is that which we do work from matter and principles of our own but that which is the righteousness of God is that which is wrought from matter and principles purely Divine and of the Nature of God Again that which is our own righteousness is that which is wrought in and by our own persons as Men but that which is the righteousness of God is that which is wrought in and by the second person in the Trinity as God and Man in one person and that resideth onely in that person of the Son I speak now of the righteousness by which we stand just before God from the curse of the Law Now this righteousness of ours our own righteousness the Apostle always opposeth to the righteousness of God saying They going about to establish their OWN righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God Farther This righteousness of our own Paul counts loss and dogs-meat in comparison of that other far more glorious righteousness which he calleth as it is in truth the righteousness of God which as I said but now resideth in the person of the Son Therefore saith Paul I cast away my own righteousness and do count it loss and but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith The righteousness therefore that is our own that ariseth from matter and principles of our own such as that which you have described justifieth us not before God from the curse Secondly The righteousness that you have described justifieth us not as before because it is the righteousness which is of the moral law that is it is wrought by us as walking in the law Now it mattereth not whether you respect the law in its first principles or as it is revealed in the table of the ten Commandments they are in nature but one and the same and their substance and matter is written in our Hearts as we are Men. Now this righteousness the Apostle casteth away as was shewed before not having mine own righteousness saith he which is of the law why Because the righteousness that â—aveth us from the wrath of God is the righteousness of God and so a righteousness that is without the law But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifest being witnessed by the law and the prophets even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe Rom. 3. The righteousness of God without the law the righteousness of Christ who is naturally God wherefore such a righteousness as was accomplished by him that was Lord and the very God of the law whose nature was infinite and not that which the law could command or condemn neither was the command of the law the great and principal argument with him no not in its first and highest principles to do or continue to do it but even that which the law commanded of us that he did not by the law but by that spirit of life that eternal Spirit and God-head which was essential to his very being He did naturally and infinitely that which the law required of us from higher and more mighty principles then the law could require of him for I should reckon it a piece of prodigious blasphemy to say that the Law could command his God the Creature his Lord and Creator but this Lord God Jesus Christ even he hath accomplished righteousness even righteousness that is without that is above higher and better then that of the Law and that is the righteousness that is given to and put upon all them that believe Wherefore the Lord Jesus Christ in his most blessed life was neither prompted to actions of holiness nor managed in them by the purity of humane nature or those you call first principles of morals or as he was simply a reasonable Creature but being the natural Son of God truly and essentially eternal as the Father by the eternal Spirit his God-head was his man-hood governed and acted and spirited to do and suffer He through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God which offering respects not onely his act of dying but also that by which he was capacitated to dye without spot in his sight which was the infinite Dignity and Sinlessness of his person and the perfect justice of his Actions Now this person thus acting is approved of or justified by the Law to be good for if the righteousness of the Law be good which Law is but a creature the righteousness of the Lord the God of this Law must needs be much more good wherefore here is the Law and its perfection swallowed up even as the light of a Candle or Star is swallowed up by the light of the Sun Thus then is the believer made not the righteousness of the Law but the righteousness of God in Christ because Christ Jesus who is the righteousness of the Christian did walk in this world in and under the Law not by legal and humane principles which are the excellencies of men but in and by those that are divine even such as were and are of his own nature and the essence of his eternal God-head This is the righteousness without the Law accomplished by a person and principles far otherwise then is he or those you make description of and therefore yours cannot be that by which we stand just before the justice of God without the Law Now if it be a righteousness without the Law then it is a righteousness without Men a righteousness that cannot be found in the World For take away the Law the rule and you take away not onely the righteousness but that by which men as men work righteousness in the World Mine own righteousness which is of the Law The righteousness then by which a man must stand just in the sight of God from the curse is not to be found in men nor in the Law but in him and him onely
Of his fulness have we all Saints received and grace for grace Wherefore the holiness that hath its original from us from the purity of the humane nature which is the thing you aim at and that originally as you term it is the dictates thereof is the Religion of the Socinians Quakers c. and not the Religion of Jesus Christ. And now I will come to your indifferent things viz. those which you call positive Precepts things say you of an indifferent nature and absolutely considered are neither good nor evil but are capable of becoming so onely by reason of certain Circumstances Of these positive indifferent Precepts you say you know but three in the Gospel but three that are purely so viz. That of coming to God by Christ the Institutions of Baptisme and the Lords Supper This we have in Page 7. and 9. 1. These words as I hinted before are highly derogatory to the Lord the King of Glory and trample as much upon the Blood of the Son of God as words can likely do For first If coming to God by Christ be in it self but an Indifferent thing then as I also hinted before it is not of the substance of Christianity but a man may be truely a Christian without it may be saved and go to heaven without it This is in truth the Consequence of your words for things purely of an indifferent nature do not in themselves either make or marre the Righteousness that justifieth us from the Curse before God Wherefore by your Argument if a man remain ignorant of that positive Precept of coming to God by Christ he remaineth ignorant but of an Indifferent thing a thing that in its self is neither good nor evil and therefore not essentially material to his Faith or justifying Righteousness 2. An indifferent thing in it self is next to nothing neither good nor evil then but a thing betwixt them both Then is the Blood of the Lord Jesus in it self of no value at all nor Faith in him of it self any more then a thingâ— of â—ought their virtue and goodness onely dependeth uponâ— certain Circumstances that make them soo For the indifferency of the thing lyeth not simply in coming to God but in coming to him by Christ Coming otherwise to God even in this mans eyes being the All in All but in this coming in coming to him by Christ there lyeth the indifferency I marvel what injury the Lord Jesus hath done this man that he should have such indifferent thought of coming to God by him But hath he no better thoughts of his own good deeds which are by the Law Yes doubtless for those saith he are of an indispensible and eternal obligation which were first written in mens hearts and originally dictates of humane nature pag 8. Mark Not a dictate of humane nature or necessary conclusion on deduction from it is of an indifferent but of an indispensible not of a transient but of an eternal obligation It is onely going to God by Christ and two other things that he findeth in the Gospel that of themselves are of an indifferent nature But how indifferent Even as indifferent in it self as the blood of a silly Sheep or the ashes of an Heifer for these are his very words SVCH that is such ordinances as in themselves are of an indifferent nature were all the Injunctions and Prohibitions of the Ceremonial Law and some few SUCH we have under the Gospel page 7. Then in page 9. â—he tells you what these positive Precepts under the Gospel or things indifferent are THAT of going to God by Christ is one and the other two are Institutions of Baptisme and the Lords Supper SVCH therefore as were the Ceremonies of the Law such even SVCH saith he is that of going to God by Christ c. Wherefore he that shall lay no more stress upon the Lord Jesus to come to God by then this man doth would lay as much were the old Ceremonies in force upon a silly Sheep as upon the Christ of God For these are all alike positive Precepts such as were the Ceremonies of the Law things in themselves neither good nor evil but absolutely considered of an indifferent nature So that to come to God by Christ is reckoned of it self by him a thing of a very indifferent nature and therefore this man cannot do it but with a very indifferent heart his great and most substantial coming to God must needs be by some other way But why should this THIEF love thus to Clamber and seek to go to God by other Means such which he reckoneth of a more dispensible nature and eternal seeing Christ onely as indifferent as he is is the onely way to the Father I am the Way saith he the Truth and the Life No man cometh to the Father but by me If he be the onâ—ly Way then there is none other if he be thus the Truth then is all other the Lye and if he be here the Life then is all other the Death let him call them indispensible and eternal never so often So then how far off this mans Doctrine is of sinning against the Holy Ghost let him that is wise consider it For if coming to God by Christ be in it self but a thing indifferent and onely made a Duty upon the account of certain Circumstances then to come to God by Christ is a duty incumbent upon us onely by reason of certain Circumstances not that the thing in it self is good or that the nature of sin and the Justice of God layeth a necessâ—y on us so to But what be these certain Circumstances For it is because of these if you will believe him that God the Father yea the whole Trinity did consult in Eternity and consent that Christ should be the Way to Life Now I say it is partly because by Him was the greatest safety he being naturally the Justice Wisdome and Power of God and partly because it would we having sinned be utterly impossible we should come to God by other means and live He that will call these Circumstances that is things over and above besides the Substantials of the Gospel will but discover his unbelief and ignorance c. As for your saying That Calvin Peter Martyr Musculus Zanchy and others did not question but that God could have Pardoned sin without any other Satisfaction then the Repentance of the Sinner pagâ— 84 It matters nothing to me I have neither made my Creed out of them nor other then the Holy Scriptures of God But if Christ was from before all World 's ordained to be the Saviour then was he from all Eternity so appointed and prepared to be And if God be as you say infinitely page 136. and I will add Eternally just how can he Pardon without he be presented with that Satisfaction for Sin that to all points of the highest perfection doth answer the Demands of this Infinite and Eternal Justice unless you will say that the
the Knowledge or Faith or Spirit of the Lord Jesus as it's Foundation or Principle Yea Nature was his Foundation even his own Nature was the Original from whence his Righteousness and good Works arose The next Scriptures also viz. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Rom. 12. 1. overthrow you for they urge the Promises as Motives to stir us up to Holiness But Adam had neither the Spirit of Jesus or Faith in him as a Principle nor any Promises to him as Motives Wherefore this was not that to which or which we Christians are Exhorted to seek the Possession of but that which is Operated by that Spirit which we receive by the Faith of Jesus and that which is encouraged by those Promises that God hath since given to them that have closed by Faith with Jesus The rest also in Pag. 29. not one of them doth promise us the Possession of the Holiness we have lost or any mercy to them that have it You add And whereas the Promises of Pardon and of Eternal Life are Frequently made to believing there is nothing more Evidently declared then that this Faith is such as Purifieth the Heart and is Productive of good Works Pag. 30. Answ. If the Promise be made at all to believing it is not made to us upon the account of the Holiness we had lost for I tell you yet again that Holiness is not of Faith neither was Faith the Effect thereof But 2. The Promises of Pardon though they be made to such a Faith as is Fruitful in good Works Yet not to it as it is Fruitful in doing but in receiving Good Sir the quality of Justifying Faith is this Not to Work but to Believe as to the Business of pardon of Sin and that not onely because of the Sufficiency that this Faith sees in Christ to Justifie but also for that it knows those whom God thus Pardoneth he Justifieth as ungodly Now to him that Worketh not but believeth Mark here Faith and Works are Opposed Now to him that Worketh not but Believeth in him that Justifieth the Vngodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness Rom. 4. You add farther That the Promises may be Reduced to these three Heads that of the Holy Spirit of Remission of Sins and Eternal Happiness in the Injoyment of God Answ. If you can prove that any of these Promises were made to the Holiness that we had lost or that by these Promises we are to be Possessed with that Holiness again I will even now lay down the Bucklers For albeit The time will come when the Saints shall be absolutely and perfectly Sin-less yet then shall they be also Spiritual Immortal and Incorruptible which you cannot prove Adam was in the best of his Holiness even that which we lost in him The Threatnings you speak of Pag. 35. are every one made against Sin but not one of them to drive us into a Possession of that Holiness that we had lost Nay contrariwise he that looks to or seeks after that is as sure to be Damned and go to Hell as he that Transgresseth the Law because that is not the Righteousness of God the Righteousness of Christ the Righteousness of Faith nor that to which the Promise is made And this was manifested to the World betimes even in that day when God drove the Man and his Wife out of Eden and placed Cherubines and a Flaming Sword in the way by which they came out to the end that by going back by that way they might rather be Killed and Dye then lay hold of the Tree of Life Gen. 3. Which the Apostle also Respects when he calleth the way of the Gospel the New and Living Way even that which is made by the Blood of Christ Concluding by this Discription of the Way that is by Blood that the other is Old and the Way of Death even that which is by the Morral Law or the Dictates of our Nature or by that fond Conceit of the Goodly Holiness of Adam Heb. 10. Your Fifth Chapter tells us that the Promoting of Holiness was the design of our Saviours whole Life and Conversation among Men Pag. 36. Answ. 1. Were this granted it reacheth nothing at all the Design for which you in your way Present us with it For 2. That which you have Asserted is That the Errand about which Christ came was as the Effecting our Deliverance out of that Sinful State we had brought our selves into so to put us again in Possession of that Holiness which we had LOST For that you say is the Business of your Book Pag. 12. Wherefore you should have told us in the Head of this Chapter not so much that our Saviour Designed the Promoting of Holiness in General by his life but that the whole Design of our Saviours Life and Conversation was to put us again into Possession of THAT Holiness which we had lost into a Possession of that Natural Old Covenant Figurative Ignorant Holiness But it seems you count that there is no other then that now lost but never again to be obtained Holiness that was in Adam 3. Farther You also Faulter here as to the Stating of the Proposition for in the Beginning of your Book you State it thus That the Enduing Men with inward Real Righteousness or True Holiness was the Vltimate end of our Saviours coming into the World still meaning the Holiness we lost in Adam You should therefore in this place also have minded your Reader of this your Proposition and made it manifest if you could that the Vltimate End of our Saviours whole Life and Conversation was the Induing Men with this Adamitish Holiness But HOLINESS and THAT Holiness is alone with you and to make it his End and whole End his Business and the whole Business of his Life is but the same with you But you must know that the whole Life and Conversation of our Saviour was intended for another Purpose then to drive us back to or to Indue us with such an Holiness and Righteousness as I have Proved this to be You have therefore in this your Discourse put an unsufferable Affront upon the Son of God in making all his Life and Conversation to Center and Terminate in the Holiness we had lost As if the Lord Jesus was sent down from Heaven and the Word of God made Flesh that by a Perfect Life and Conversation he might shew us how Holy Adam was before he fell or what an Holiness that our Holiness was which we had before we were Converted Your Discourse therefore of the Life and Conversation of the Lord Jesus is none other then Heathenish For you neither Treat of the Principle his Godhead by which he did his Works neither do you in the least in one Sillable Aver the First the main and Prime Reason of this his Conversation only you Treat of it so far as a mean Man might have considered it And indeed it stood not with your Design to Treat a right with these things For had
us on Earth another because he now appears for us in Heaven there sprinkling for us the Mercy-Seat with his Blood there ever-living to make Intercession for them that come unto God by him If any man Sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the Propitiation for our Sins Yet this Worketh in us no looseness nor farvour to Sin but so much the more an abhorrence of it She loveth much for much was forgiven her Yea she weeps she washeth his Feet and wipeth them with the hairs of her Head to the confounding of Simon the Pharisee and all such ignorant Hypocrites But I pass this and come to the Twentieth Chapter which is to learn us by what Measure and Standard we are to Judge of Doctrines and that is by the Design of Christianity as stated you must know by Mr. Fowler Wherefore it will be requisite here again that a Collection of Principles and Doctrines be gathered out of this Book that the Man that hath a short Memory may be helped the better to bear them in mind and to make them if he shall be so bewitched by them instead of the Bible a Standard for Truth and a Rule for him to obtain Salvation by First Then he must know that the Principle by which he must walk must be the Purity of the Humane Nature a Divine or God-like Nature which yet is but an Habit of Soul or more plainly the Morral Law as Written in the Heart and Originally the Dictates of Humane Nature a Generous Principle such an one as although it respects Law yet acts in a Sphere above it above it as a Written Law that acts even in the first Principles of it Pag. 7 8 9 10. Secondly He must know that the Holiness Christ designed to Possess his People with is that which we had lost in Adam that which he had before he fell that Natural Old Covenant Christ-less Holiness Pag. 12. Thirdly He must put a difference between those Laws of the Gospel that are Essential to Holiness and those Positive Precepts that in themselves are indifferent absolutely considered neither good nor evil but must know also that of these Possitive Precepts he alloweth but three in the Gospel but three that are purely such to wit that of coming to God by Christ the Institutions of Baptism and the Lord's Supper Pag. 7 and 9. Fourthly He must hold for certain that the Faith which Intituleth a Sinner to so high a Priviledge as that of Justification must needs be such as Complieth with all the purposes of Christ's coming into the world whiter at present it understands them or not it is no less necessary it should Justifie as it doth so P. 222. Fifthly He must know that a Man may not rely upon the Merits of Christ for the forgiveness of his Sins before he have done other good Works first Pag. 223. Sixthly And that the right explication of the imputation of Christ's Righteousness is this that it Consisteth in having to do with persons that are sincerely Righteous Pag. 225. For it is not possible for Christ's Righteousness to be imputed to an unrighteous Man Pag. 120. These things with many like to them being the main points by this Man handled and by him asserted to be the design of Christianity by these we must as by a Rule and Standard understand how to Judge of the truth of Doctrines And saith he Seeing the Design of Christianity is to make Men Holy still meaning from Principles of Humanity and by Possessing us again with the often repeated Holiness which we had lost whatsoever opinions do either directly or in their evident Consequences obstruct the promoting of it are perfectly false Pag. 227 228. Answ. Thus with one Word as if he were Lord and Judge himself he sendeth to the Pit of Hell all things that Sanctifie or make Holy the hearts of Men if they oppose the Design of his Christianity But what if the Holy Ghost will become a Principle in the hearts of the Converted and will not now suffer them to act simply and alone upon the Principles of pure Humanity or what now if Faith will become a Principle to act by instead of these that are Originally Dictates of Humane Nature Or what if a Man should act now as a Son rather then simply as a Creature indued with a Principle of Reason I question here whether these things thus doing do not obstruct put by yea and take the way of his Pure Humanity Dictates of Humane Nature and instead thereof Act and Govern the Soul by and with their own Principles For albeit there be the Dictates of Humane Nature in the Sons of Men yet neither is this Nature nor yet the Dictates of it laid by Jesus Christ as the truly Christian Principles in his But you add Those Doctrines which in their own Nature do evidently tend to the serving of THIS design of Christianity we may conclude are most True and Genuine Pag. 229. Answ. The Holiness which you so often call the Design of Christianity being by your self said to be that which we had lost for this one Sentence is it on which your whole Book is built P. 12. whatsoever Doctrine or Doctor it be that asserts it both that Doctrine is of the Devil and that Doctor an Angel of darkness or rather a Minister of Satan become as a Minister of Rigteousness For where is it said in all the whole Book of God that ever the Lord Christ Designed yea made it his Errand from Heaven to put us again in Possession of the Holiness which we had lost Yet this you affirm and tell us the business of your Book is to prove it But blessed be God your shifts are discovered and your Fig-leaves rent from off you and the Righteousness or Holiness so much cryed up by you proved to be none of the Holiness of the Gospel but that which stood with perfect ignorance thereof I might speak to what yet remains of falshood in the other part of this Chapter but having overthrown the Foundation and broken the Head of your Leviathan what remains falleth of it self and dyeth of it's own accord What you say of Modes or Forms and Sticklers for little Trifles such as place their Religion in meer Externals you may fasten them where of due they belong Yet I tell you the least of the Commandments of Christ is better then your Adamitish Holiness Your Twenty first Chapter tells us if we will believe you how we shall Judge of the necessity of Doctrine to be imbraced or rejected also you say it giveth us a brief discourse of the Nature of Fundamentals But because your discourse of them is general and not any one Particularized I might leave you in your generals till you dealt more Candidly both with the Word of God and your abused Reader Indeed you tell us of Primary Fundamentals such as without the Knowledge and belief of which it is impossible
Doctrine being in it self of quite another Nature then the Doctrine of Faith and also as such a Covenant by it self it requireth the mind by vertue of it's Commands to stand to THAT and to rest in THAT For of necessity the heart and mind of a Man can go no farther then it seeth and hath learnt but by this Morral Doctrine the heart and mind is bound and limited to it self by the power of the Dictate to obedience and the promise of obtaining the Blessing when the preceptive part of it is fulfilled Hence Paul tells us that though that Ministration that was Written and Ingraven in Stones which in Nature is the same with this is glorious yet these imperfections attended the Man that was in it 1. He was but within the bounds of the Ministration of Death 2. In this estate he was blind and could not see how to be delivered therefrom The vail is over their hâ—art so that they could not heretofore neither can they now see to the end of that which was commanded neither to the perfection of the command nor their own insufficiency to do it nor to thâ— Death and Curse of God that attended him that in every thing continued not in that was Written in the Book of the Law to do them 3. Every Lecture or Reading of this Old Law is as a fresh Hood-winking of it's Disciples and a doubling of the hindrance of their coming to Christ for life But their minds were blinded for until this day the same Vail remaineth untaken away in reading of the Old Testament which Vail is done away in Christ But even unto this day when Moses is read the Vail is over their Hearts 2 Cor. 3. 6 to 15. And let the Reader note that all these things attend the Doctrine of Morrals the Ceremonies being in themselves more apt to instruct Men in the Knowledge of Christ they being by God's Ordaination Figures Shadows Representations and Emblems of him but the Morrals are not so neither as Written in our Natures nor as Written and Engraven in Stones Wherefore your so highly commended obedient temper of mind you intending thereby an hearty complyance before Faith with Morrals for Righteousness is so far off from being an excellent temper and a necessary qualification to help a Man to a firm belief and right understanding of the Gospel that it is the most ready way of all ways in the World to keep a man perpetually blind and ignorant thereof Wherefore the Apostle saith that the Vail the Ignorance cannot be taken away but when the Heart shall turn to the Lord that is from the Doctrine of Morrals as a Law and Covenant in our Natures or as it was Written and Ingraven in Stones to Christ for mercy to pardon our transgressions against it and for imputative Righteousness to Justifie us from it While Moses is Read the Vail is over the Heart that is while Men with their minds stand bending also to do it But mark when it the Heart shall turn to the Lord or to the Word of the Gospel which is the Revelation of him then the Vail shall be taken away And hence it will not be amiss if again we consider how the Holy Ghost compareth or setteth one against another these two Administrations The Law he calls the Letter even the Law of Morrals that Law that was Written and Engraven in Stones The other Ministration he calls the Ministration of the Spirit even that which Christ offered to the World upon believing Again he denyeth himself to be a Minister of the Law of Morrals He hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament noâ— of the Letter or Law but of the Spirit or Gospel The reason is for the Letter or Law can do nothing but kill Curse or Condemn but the Spirt or the Gospel giveth life Farther in comparing he calls the Law the Ministration of Death or that which layeth Death at the Doors of all Flesh but the Gospel the Ministration of Righteousness because by this Ministry there is a Revelation of that Righteousness that is fulfilled by the Person of Christ and to be imputed for Righteousness to them that believe that they might be delivered from the Ministration of death How then hath the Ministration of God no Glory Yes forasmuch as it is a Revelation of the Justice of God against Sin But yet again it 's Glory is turned into no Glory when it is compared with that which excelleth For if the Ministration of Death Written and Graven in the Stones was glorious so that the Children of Israel coulâ— not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the Glory of his countenancâ— which Glory was to be done away how shall not the Ministratioâ— of the Spirit be rather Glorious For if the Ministration of Condemnation be Glory much more doth the Ministration of Righteousness exceed in Glory For even that which was made Glorious hath no Glory in this respect by reason of the Glory that excelleth 2 Cor. 3. 9 10. So then your obedient temper of mind forasmuch as it respecteth the Law of Morrals and that too before Faith or a right understanding of the Gospel is nothing else but an obedience to the Law a living to Death and the Ministration of Condemnation and is a perswading the World that to be obedient to that Ministration that is not the Ministration of the Gospel but holdeth it's Disciples in blindness and ignorance in which it is impossible Christ should be revealed is an excellent yea a necessary qualification to prepare Men for a firm belief and a right understanding of the Gospel of Christ which yet even blindeth and holdeth all blind that are the followers of that Ministration I come now to your Proof which indeed is no Proof of this Antigospel Assertion but Texts abused and wrestled out of their place to serve to underprop your erronious Doctrine The First is If any Man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self John 7. 17. P. 268. Answ. This Scripture respecteth not at all the Morral Law or obedience to the Dictates of Humane Nature as an acceptable qualification precedent to Faith or that for the sake of which God will give Men Faith in and a right understanding of the Gospel but is it self an immediate exhortation to believing with a promise of what shall follow as who shall say The Father hath sent me into the World to be Salvation to it through Faith in my Blood My Fathers will therefore is that Men believe in me and if any will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine he shall feel the power thereof by the peace and comfort that will presently possess the Soul and by the holy effects that follow That this is the true exposition of this place will be verified if you consider that to do the will of God in a New Testament sence is to be taken under a double
A DEFENCE OF THE Doctrine of Iustification BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST SHEWING True Gospel-Holiness flows from Thence OR Mr. FOWLER' 's Pretended Design of CHRISTIANITY Proved to be nothing more then to trample under Foot the Blood of the Son of God and the Idolizing of Man's own Righteousness AS ALSO How while he pretends to be a Minister of the Church of England he overthroweth the wholesom Doctrine contained in the 10 th 11 th and 13 th of the Thirty Nine Articles of the same and that he falleth in with the Quaker and Romanist against them By JOHN BVNYAN Disalowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious 1 Pet. 2. 4. Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle without Temple-Bar 1673. A Premonition to the Reader Gentle Reader THat thou mayest not be tired with longing to know what Errors and Doctrines Destructive to Christianity Mr. Fowâ—er in his Feigned design of Christianity hath presented the World withal and that thou mayest even in the Entry see that which more fully is shewn in the House Namely of the Contradiction that is in his Book to the wholesome Doctrine of the Church of England while he stands a Minister of the same I have thought convenient instead of an Epistle to present thee with those Doctrines contained in his and that are refuted by the Book that thou hast in thy hand The which also I hope will be a sufficient Apologie for this my undertaking His Doctrines are these 1. That the First Principles of Morrals those First Written in Mens hearts are the Essentials the Indispensible and Fundamental Points â—r Doctrines of the Gospel Pag. 8 281 282. 2. That these First Principles are to be followed Principally as they are made known to us by the Dictates of Humane Nature and that this obedience is the first and best sort of obedience we Christians can perform Pag. 8 9 10. 3. That there is such a thing as a foundness of Soul and the purity of Humane Nature in the World Pag. 6. 4. That the Law in the first Principles of it is far beyond and more obliging on the hearts of Christians then is That of coming to God by Christ Pag. 7 8 9 10. 5. That the Precept of coming to God by Christ c. is in its own Nature a thing indifferent and absolutely considered neither good nor evil Pag. 7 8 9. 6. That Christ's great Errand in coming into the World was to put us again in Possession of the Holiness we had lost P. 12. 7. That John the Baptist the Angel that was sent to Zecharias and Mary Preached this Doctrine and so also did Malachy the Prophet Pag. 13. 8. That Christ by saving us from Sin is meant not first his saving us from the punishment but from the Filth and from the punishment as a Consequence of that Pag. 14 15. 9. That Christ's Work when he was come was to establish ONLY an inward Real Righteousness Pag. 16. 10. That Christ's fulfilling the Law FOR VS was by giving more perfect and lighter instances of Morral Duties then were before expressly given Pag. 17. 11. That Christ's Doctrine Life Actions Miracles Death Resurrection Ascention and coming again to Judgement is all Preached to establish us in this Righteousness Chap. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. 12. That it is not possible a Wicked man should have God's Pardon Pag. 119. 13. That it is impossible Christ's Righteousness should be imputed to an Vnrighteous Man Pag. 120. 14. And that if it were he boldly affirms it would signifie as little to his happiness while he continueth so as would a Gorgious and Splendid Garment to one that is almost starved Pag. 120. 15. For God to Justifie a Wicked man c. would far more disparage his Justice and Holiness then advance his Grace and Kindness Pag. 130. 16. He saith Men are not Capable of God's pardoning Grace till they have truly repented them of all their Sins Pag 130. 17. The Devils saith he have a large measure of these Attributes of God as his Power Knowledge c. Pag. 124. 18 That Christ did himself perform as our example what ever he required of us to do Yea That he trod himself EVERY step of our Way to Heaven Pag. 148. 19. The Salvation of Christ First Consists in curing our Wounds our Filth And Secondarily In freeing us from the Smart Pag. 216. 20. That pardon doth not so much Consist in Remission as in healing to wit our filth Pag. 216. 21. Faith Justifieth AS it includeth true Holiness in the Nature of it it Justifieth AS it doth SO Pag. 221. 22. That Faith which Intitles a Sinner to so high a Priviledge as that of Justification must needs be such as complyeth with ALL the purposes of Christ's coming into the World c. And it is no less necessary that it should Justifie AS it doth THIS Pag. 222. 23. He wonders that any Wordly man should be so difficultly perswaded to imbrace THIS account of Justifying Faith Pag. 222. 24. There can be no pretence for a man to think that Faith should be the condition or instrument of Justification as it complyeth with only the Precept of relying on Christ's Merits for the obtaining of it Pag. 223. 25. It is saith he As clear as the Sun at Noon-day that obedience to the other Precepts must go before obedience to this Pag. 223. 26. He shall be his Apollo that can give him a sufficient reason why Justifying Faith should consist in Recombancy and Relyance on Christ's merits for the pardon of Sin Pag. 224. 27. He will take the boldness to tell those who are dispeased with this account of Justifying Faith that in his opinion it is impossible they should ONCE think of another Pag. 225. 28. The Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Consisteth in dealing with sincerely Righteous Persons as if they were perfectly so c. Pag. 225. 29. The rand intent of the Gospel is to make us pertakers of inward real Righteousness and it is but Secondary that we should be accepted as before Pag. 226. 30. It is not possible he saith that any other notion of this Doctrine should have truth in it Pag. 226. 31. Whatsoever is commanded by the customes of the place we live in or commanded by Superiours or made by ANY circumstance convenient to be done our Christian liberty consisteth in that we have leave to do them Pag. 242. 32. For our resuffering to comply with these can hardly proceed from any thing then a proud affection of singularity or at best from Supersticious Scrupulosity Pag. 242. 33. Those Ministers hinder the design of Christianity that Preach up free Grace and Christian Priviledges OTHER WAYS then as Motives to obedience and that scarce ever insist upon any other Duties then those of believing laying hold of Christ's Righteousness applying the Promises c. Pag. 262. 34. But to make the Christian Duties to consist either wholly or MOSTLY in THESE c. is the way effectually
to harden Hypocrites Pag. 262. 35. Those Ministers do nothing less then Promote the design of Christianity that are never in their Element but when they are talking of the irrespectiveness of God's Decrees the absolute promises the utter Disability and perfect Impotency of Natural men to do any thing towards their own Conversion Pag. 262. 36. He is the only Child of Abraham who in the purity of his heart obeyeth those substantial Laws that are by God imposed upon him Pag. 283. 37. There is NO Duty more affectionately commanded in the Gospel then that of Alms-giving Pag. 284. 38. It is impossible we should not have the design of Christianity accomplished in us c. if we make our Saviours most excellent life the Pattern of our lives Pag. 296. 39. To do well is better then believing Pag. 299. 40. To be imitators of Christ's Righteousness even of the Righteousness we should rely on is counted by Mr. Fowler more noble then to rely thereon or trust thereto Pag. 300. Reader I Have given thee here but a taste of these things and by my Book but a brief reply to the Errors that he by his hath devulged to the World Al though many more are by me reflected then the 40 thou art here presented with God give thee eyes to see and an heart to shun and escape all these things that may yet come to pass for hurt and to stand before the Son of Man Thus hoping that this short taste may make Mr. Fowler ashamed and thee receive satisfaction touching the truth and state of this Man's Spirit and Principles I rest From Prison the 27. of the 12 Month 1671. Thine to serve thee in the Gospel of Christ. J. Banyan A DEFENCE Of the Doctrine of JUSTIFICATION By Faith in Jesus Christ Proving That Gospel-Holiness flows from thence c. SIR HAving heard of your Book Entituled The Design of Christianity and in that was contained such Principles as gave just ofence to Christian ears I was desirous of a view thereof that from my sight of things I might be the better able to judge But I could not obtain it till the 13 th of this 11 th Month which was too soon for you Sir a pretended Minister of the Word so vilely to expose to publick view the rottenness of your heart in Principles Diametrically opposite to the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ. And had it not been for this consideration that it is not too late to oppose open Blasphemy such as endangereth the Souls of thousands I had cast by this answer as a thing out of season Two things are the Design of your Book 1. To assert and justify a thing which you call inward reall righteousness and Holiness 2 To prove That the whole the grand the only and ultimate design of the Gospel of Christ is to begin and perfect this righteousness Into the truth or untruth of both these as briefly as I may I shall at this time inquire First Therefore a little to examine the nature of your Holiness and Righteousnessâ— as your self hath described the same 〈◊〉 It 〈◊〉 say you so sound a complexion of Soul at maâ—â—tains in life vigour whatsoever is essential to it suffereth not any thing unnatural to mix with that which is 〈◊〉 By the force and power whereof a man is enabled to behave himself as a Creature indued with a principle of reason keeps his supreme faculty in its throne brings into due subjection 〈◊〉 his inferiour ones his sensual imagination his passions and 〈…〉 You adde farther It is the purity of the humane nature ingaging those in whom it resides to demean themselves suitably in that state in which God hath placed them and not to act disbecomingly in any coâ—â—â—ion circumstance or relation You say moreover It is a Divine or God-like nature causing aâ— hearts 〈…〉 of of and an affectionate complyance with the eternal laws of rigâ—teousness and a behaviour agreeable to the essential and 〈…〉 differâ—nces of good and evil page 6. Farther You call it a principle or habit of Soul originally dictates of humane nature page 8. A disposition and temper of the inward man as powerfully inclinâ— it to regard and attend to affâ—ctionately to imbrace and adhere too to be actuated by and under the government of all those practical principles that are made known â—ither by revelation nature or the use of reason page 11. Which in conclusion you call that holiness which already we have lost page 12. Thus Sir is your holiness by you described which holiness you aver is that which is the great and onely design of Christ to promote both by his life and glorious Gospel To take therefore your description in pieces if happily there may be found ought but naught therein It is say you an healthful complexion of Soul the purity of the humane Nature c. Answ. These are but words there is no such thing as the purity of our Nature abstract and distinct from the sinful pollution that dwelleth in us 'T is true a man may talk of and by Argument distinguish between Nature and sin but that there is such a Principle in man since Adams fall a Principle by which he may act or that Christs whole Gospel-design is the helping forward such a Principle is altogether without Scripture or reason There is no man by Nature that that hath any soundness in him â—o neither in Soul or Body his understanding is darkened his Mind and Conscience is defiled his Wills perverted and obstinate There is no judgment in his goings Where now is the sound and healthful complexion of Soul Let the best come to the best when we have mustered up all the excellencies of the Soul of man as man shall nought we find there but the lame the blind the defiled the obstinate and missed faculties thereof And never think to evade me by saying the Graces of the Spirit of God are pure for with them you have nothing to do your Doctrine is of the sound Complexion of Soul the purity of the humane Nature a habiâ— of Soul and the holiness we lost in Adam things a great way off from the Spirit of Grace or the gracious workings of the Spirit You talk indeed of a Divine or Godlike Nature but this is still the same with your pure humane Nature or with your sound Complexion or habit of Soul and so must either respect man as he was Created in the Image or likeness of God or else you have palpable contradiction in this your description But it must be concluded that the Divine Nature you talk of is that and no other then the dictates of the humane Nature or your feigned purity thereof because you make it by your words the self same it is the purity of the humane Nature it is a Divine or Godlike Nature 2. But you proceed to tell us of a Degree it is so found and healthful a complexion or temperature of the faculties qualities or
who is greater and also without the Law For albeit for our sakes he became under the Law even to the curse and displeasure of God yet the principles by which he walked in the World to God-ward they were neither humane nor legal but heavenly and done in the Spirit of the Son Wherefore it is not the righteousness you have described by which we stand just before God Thirdly The righteousness you have described cannot be that which justifieth us before God because of its imperfections and that both with respect to the principle and the power with which it is managed For though you have talked of a sound complexion of Soul the purity of the humane nature and that with this addition of power as to be able to keep it self incommixt with that which is not of it self yet we Christians know and that by the words of God that there is in man as man now no soundness at all but from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot Botches and Boyls Putrifactions and Sores We are ALL an unclean thing and our righteousness as filthy vlcerous raggs If there had been a Law given that could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the Law Could a man perform the Law to the liking of the justice of the eternal majesty then would the Law give life to that man but because of the perfection of an infinite justice and the weakness and unprofitableness of the Law through our flesh therefore though you speak yet farther of the excellency of your sound complexion and of the purity of the humane nature you must flie from your self to another righteousness for life or at the last stick in the jaws of Death and everlasting Desperation For by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Gal. 2. 16. It is therefore no better then error thus to ascribe to poor man that hath drunk iniquity like water a soundness of soul a purity of humane nature Wherefore Jude saith of you and of all such naturalists That even in the things that you know naturally as the bruit in them you corrupt your selves Jude 10. even in the very principles the first or original dictates of your nature or humanity There is none that understandeth or is good therefore there is none that doth good no not one that is none as continuing in a natural state none by the power or principles of nature for he meaneth here in your own sense as men by natural principles have to do with the justice of the Law Fourthly The righteousness which you have described cannot be that which justifieth us before God because it is that which is not of faith The Law is not of faith but the man that doth them shall live in them Gal. 3. The Apostle also in the 10 th Chapter of the Romans tells us that the righteousness that is compleated by doing the Law is one and another besides the righteousness of faith For faith in the justification of a sinner from the curse and wrath of God respecteth onely the mercy of God and forgiveness of sins for the sake of Christ. God for Christs sake hath forgiven him that is enabled to believe that is trust to and venture the eternal concern of his soul upon the righteousness that is no where to be found but in the person of the Son of God For there is justice more then answerable to all the demands of the Law and the requirements of the eternal justice of God and he is our justice He is made unto us of God righteousness or justice that is the righteousness or justice that is in him is by God accounted the mans that shall accept thereof by faith that he might be made the justice or righteousness of God in him For the righteousness that saveth a sinner from damnation must be equal to that in the eternal Deity but where can that be found but in him that is naturally God as is indeed the Son of the Father in him therefore and not in the Law there is a righteousness fit for faith to apply to Besides the Law is not neither can be the object of faith to men for that which is the object of faith I speak now as to justifying righteousness it must be a righteousness already compleated and as I said a righteousness to be received and accepted being now perfected and offered and given to us by the kindness and mercy of God but a man may believe long enough in the Law before that performs for him a perfect righteousness The Law can work nothing unless it be wrath Rom. 4. No thou must work BY and not believe IN the Law Besides all that cometh out of the mouth of the Law is Cursed is every one that continueth not in every thing which is written in the book of the Law to do them which no man is capable of doing so as to escape the curse by doing that hath once or first transgressed the same Wherefore it is a vain thing yea an horrible wickedness in you thus to abuse the Law and the weakneâ—s of man by suggesting that the onely the ultimate or grand design of Christ Jesus was or is the promoting of a righteousness by the Law that is performed by humane principles in us I could double yea ten times double the number of these arguments against you but I will pass from this to the second thing The righteousness you have described is not the true Gospel inward holiness I told you before that the principles which you have described are not evangelical principles and now I will adde that as they are not such in themselves so neither do they fetch in or obtain by our adhering to them those things which alone can make or work in the Soul those truly Gospel inward acts of holiness There are three things which are essential to the inward Gospel holiness of which as your description is utterly destitute so neither can they by that be obtained or come into the heart 1. The holy Ghost 2. Faith in Christ. 3. A new Heart and a new Spirit Without these three there is no such things as Gospel holiness in Man as before I have also hinted at But now as there is none of these three found in your discription of inward Holiness so neither can you or other by all your inclinations either to those you call first principles of natural reason or the dictates of humane nature obtain or fetch into the Soul the least dram of that which is essential to that which is indeed according to the Gospel description of inward Gospel holiness as will further be manifest in this that followeth 1. The holy Ghost is not obtained by your description that consisting only in principles of Nature and in putting forth it self in acts of Civility and Morality When the Apostle would convince the bewitched Galathians that your Doctrine which was also the Doctrine of the false
Apostles was that which instead of helping forward did hinder and pervert the Gospel of Christ he applieth himself to them in this manner This onely would I learn of you Received you the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith By the works of the Law that is by putting of your principles into practice Nay may I not adde by putting of your principles into practice by a more bright and clear rule then in the beginning of your description is inserted by you for the Law as written and engraven in stones with the addition of all the Mosaical precepts was a more ample and full discovery of the mind of God then can be obtained by your virtues of Soul your purity of humane nature or the first principles of morals as they are written in the heart of man and originally dictates of humane nature Yet by these by following these by labouring to live up to the light of these their own experience told them that they neither could nor did obtain the enjoyment of the holy Ghost but that rather their now declining the word of Faith by which indeed they receive it at first whatever pretences of holiness and godliness were the arguments to prevail with them so to do was in truth none other but the very witch-craft and inchantments of the Devil Farther The Apostle sets this your Spirit and Principles and that which indeed is the Spirit of God in aline Diametrically opposite one against another yea the receiving of the one opposeth the receiving of the other Now we have received saith he NOT the Spirit of the World that is your Spirit and principles of humanity to walk by it or live in it but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. But what is the Spirit of the World He tells us in the verse before it is the Spirit of a man which Solomon calls the Candle of the Lord that which searcheth all the inward parts of the Belly Prov. 20. 27. by humane principles good motions to moral duties workings of reason dictates of nature to obey God as Creator These things flow from the Spirit of a man which is the Spirit of all the World They that preach or speak by this Spirit they preach or speak of the World of the virtues of the World and the World the whole World heareth them or know in themselves what they say Now when this Spirit is received imbraced and followed as the Spirit that is of God then it must be branded with the mark of the Spirit of error and of Antichrist because the act in so doing is most wicked yea and Christ himself is made head against by it But I say the holy Ghost is not obtained by these principles nor by the pursuit of them 2. Faith is not obtained by the pursuit of your principle but by hearing of another doctrine He that presseth men to look to and live by the purity of humane nature principles of natural reason or by the Law as written in the heart or Bible he sets the word of Faith out of the World for these doctrines are as opposite as the Spirits I spake of before For Moses describeth the righteousness that is of the Law that the man that doth these things shall live by them Now he that receiveth this Law to do and live by he hath set up and is in pursuit of a doctrine of another nature then that which is called the righteousness of faith that being such as for justification aâ—d deliverance from the curse maketh no mention at all of hearing the Law or of doing good works but of hearing of the mercy of God as extended to sinners and of its coming to us through the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus The righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise say not in thine heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead but what saith it The word is nigâ—h thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach That if thou shalt confess with thy mâ—uth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10. 5 9. This then is the doctrine of faith or the righteousness with which faith hath to do Now as old covenantâ— works are begotten in men by the doctrine of works so faith is begotten by the doctrine of faith Therefore after he had said faith cometh by hearing â—e insinuates it to be the hearing the preaching of the Gospel of peace peace by the blood of the cross and the glad tidings of good things ver 14 15 16 17. of good things promised for the sake of the Lord Jesus not for the sake of good deeds done of us by humane principles or the dictates of our nature Faith Then the second essential comes into the heart not by the preaching or the practice of your principles but by another a higher and far more heavenly doctrine And hence the Apostle compleatly puts the difference betwixt the worker of good works in the Spirit of the Law and the believer that taketh hold of grace by Christ that he may be saved thereby The one he calls Them that are of the works of the Law the other They which are of Faith This being done he tells us that as they differ in the principles to wit of Faith and Works so they shall differ in conclusion For the Law is not of faith the promise is onely made to faith therefore they onely that are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham 3. The third essential is a new Heart and a new Spirit or mind and this also comes not by your principle that being but the old covenant that gendreth to bondage and that holds its Ismaels under the curse for ever there comes no new heart by the Law nor new Spirit It is by the new Covenant even the Gospel that all things are made now Jer. 31. 33. Ezek. 36. Heb. 8. 2. 2 Cor. 5. 17 18 19. The Apostle after a large discourse of the two ministrations and their excellencies 2 Cor. 3. tell us that the heart is nothing changed so long as it abideth in the works of the Law but remaineth blind and ignorant Nevertheless saith he when it shall turn from the Law to the Lord the vail shall be taken away But what is it to turn from the Law to the Lord Why even to leave and forsake your Spirit and principles and works from those principles and flie to the grace and merits the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now when the heart is turned to Christ then the vail of Moses is taken off wherefore then the soul with OPEN face beholding as in a glass the glory of
the Lord is changed from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Câ—r 3. 14 18. Objâ—ct But it seems a paradox to many That a man should live to the Law that is devote himself to the works of the ten Commandments the most perfect rule of life and yet not be counted one changed or new Answ. Though it seemeth an untruth yet it is most true That by the works of the Law no heart is made new no man made new A man from principle of nature and reason which principles are of himself and as old may give up himself to the goodness of the Law Yet these principles are so far off from being new that they are as old as Adam in Paradise and come into the world with all the children of men To which principles the Law or the first principles of morals so equally suit that as you have said page 8. they are self-evident then which there is nothing maâ—-kind dâ—th more naturally assent unto page 11. Now Nature is no new principle but an old even our own and of our selves The Law is no new principle but old and one with our selves as also you well have called it first written in mens hearts and originally dictates of humane nature Let a man then be as devout as is possible for the Law and the holiness of the Law Yet if the principles from which he acts be but the habit of Soul the purity as he feigns of his own nature principles of natural reason or the dictates of humane nature all this is nothing else but the old Gentleman in his Holy-day-cloaths the old Heart the old Spirit the Spirit of the man not the Spirit of Christ is here And hence the Apostle when he would shew us a man alive or made a new man indeed as he talketh of the holy Ghost and faith so he tells us suchâ— are dead to the Law to the Law as a Law of works to the Law as to principles of nature Wherefore my brethen you are also become dead to the Law the moral Law and the ceremonial Law by the body of Christ that you should be married to another another then the Law even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God Rom. 7. 4. Ye are become dead to the Law dead to the Law Why That you should be married to another Married to another Why That you should bring forth fruit unto God But doth not a man bring forth fruit unto God that walketh orderly according to the ten Commandments NO if he do it before faith in the Spirit of a man by the dictates of humane nature respecting the Law as that by the obeying of which he must obtain acceptance with God This is bringing forth fruit unto himself for all that he doth he doth it as a man as a Creature from principles natural and of himself his own and for none other then himself and therefore he serveth in an old Spirit the oldness of the letter and for himself But now that is yeâ— being dead to the Law and married to Christ that the Law being dead by which while in our selves we were held Now we are delivered from that law both as to its curse and impositions as it stands a Law of works in the heart of the world we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter v. 6. A man must first then be dead to your principles both of nature and the Law if he will serve in a new Spirit if he would bring forth fruit unto God Wherefore your description of the principle of holiness in man and also the principles by which this holiness is put forth by him into righteous acts they are such as are altogether void of the true essentials of inward Gospel-holiness and righteousness But there is one thing more in this description or rather effect thereof which I shall also inquire into And that is saying As it was the errand of Christ to effect our deliverance out of that sinful state we had brought our selves into so to put us again into possession of that holiness which we HAD LOST page 12. The proof of this position is now your next business that is if I understand your learning the remaining part of your book which consisteth of well nigh 300 pages is spent for proof thereof which I doubt not but effectually to confute with less then 300 lines Onely first by the way I would have my reader to take notice that in this last Clause to put us again into possession of that holiness which we had lost is the sum of all this large description of his holiness in the foregoing pages that is the holiness and righteousness that Mr. Fowler hath been describing and adds that Christs whole business when he came into the world was as to effect our deliverance from sin so to put us again in possession of that holiness which we had lost The holiness therefore that here he contendeth for is that and onely that which was in Adam before the fall which he lost by transgression and we by transgressing in him A little therefore to inquire into this if perhaps his reader and mine may come to a right understanding of things First then Adam before the fall even in his best and most sinless state was but a pure natural man consisting of body and soul these to use your own terms were his pure essentials In this mans heart God also did write the Law that is as you term them the first principles of morals This then was the state of Adam he was a pure natural man made by God sinless all the faculties of his Soul and members of his body were clean God made man upright But he made him not then a Spiritual man The first Adam was made a living Soul howbeit that was not first which was Spiritual but that which was natural and afterwards that which is Spiritual The first man is of the earth earthy 1 Cor. 15 A living Soul he was yet but a natural man even in his first and best estate but earthly when compared to Christ or with them that believe in Christ. So then the holiness of Adam in his last estate even that which he LOST and we in him it was none other then that which was natural even the sinless-state of a natural man This holiness then was not of the nature of that which hath for its root the holy Ghost for of that we read not at all in him he onely was indued with a living Soul his holiness then could not be Gospel nor that which is a branch of the second covenant his acts of righteousness were not by the operations of the Spirit of Grace but the dictates of the Law in his own natural heart But the Apostle when he treateth of the Christian inherent holiness first excluding that in Adam as earthly he tells us it is such
before we know it But say you the Actual removing of our Guilt is not the necessary and immediate Result of his Death Pag. 91. Answ. Yea but it is from before the Face of God and from the Judgement and Curse of the Law For before God the Guilt is taken away by the Death and Blood of his Son immediately for all them that shall be saved else how can it be said we are Justified by his Blood He hath made Peace by his Blood He loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood and that we are Reconciled to God by the Death of his Son which can by no means be If notwithstanding his Death and Blood Sin in the Guilt and Consequently the Curse that is due thereto should yet remain in the sight of God But what saith the Apostle God was in Christ Reconciling the World to himself not Imputing their Trespasses unto them Those that are but Reconciling are not yet Reconciled I mean as Paul not yet come aright over in their own Souls by Faith Yet to these he imputeth not their Trespasses Wherefore because they have none or because he forgiveth them as they Believe and Work Neither of both but because he hat First made his Son to be Sin for them and lay'd all the Guilt and Curse of their Sin upon him that they might be made the Righteousness of God in him Therefore even because by him their Sin and Curse is taken off from before the Law of God therefore God for the sake of Christ seeketh for and beseecheth the Sinner to be Reconciled That is to believe in and imbrace his Majesty No say you The Actual Removing of Guilt is not the necessary and immediate Result of his Death but Suspended vntil such time as the forementioned Conditions by the help of his Grace are performed by us Answ. 1. Then may a Man have the Grace of God within him Yea the Grace and Mercy of the New-Covenant viz. Faith and the like that yet remaineth under the Curse of the Law and so hath yet his Sins untaken away from before the Face of God For where the Curse is onely suspended it may stand there Notwithstanding in Force against the Soul Now let the Soul stand accursed and his Duties must stand accursed For First the Person and then the Offering must be accepted of God God accepted not the Works of Cain because he had not accepted his Person But having first accepted Abel's Person he therefore did accept his Offering And here it is said that Abel Offered by Faith He belived that his Person was accepted of God for the sake of the promised Messias and therefore believed also that his Offering should be accepted 2. Faith As it respecteth Justification in the sight of God must know nothing to rest upon but the Mercy of God through Christ's Blood But if the Curse be not taken away Mercy also hangeth in Suspence yea lyeth as drowned and hid in the bottom of the Sea This Doctrine then of yours overthroweth Faith and rusheth the Soul into the Works of the Law the Moral Law and so quite Involveth it in the fear of the Wrath of God maketh the Soul forget Christ taketh from it the Object of Faith and if a Miracle of Mercy prevent not the Soul must dye in everlasting Desperation But say you it is Suspended till such time as the forementioned Conditions by the help of his Grace be performed by us Pag. 92. Answ. Had you said the Manifestation of it is kept from us it might with some Allowance have been Admitted But yet the Revelation of it in the Word which in some Sence may be called a Manifestation thereof is first Discovered to us by the Word Yea is seen by us and also believed as a truth Recorded before the Injoyment thereof be with comfort in our own Souls But you Proceed and say Therefore was the Death of Christ Designed to Procure our Justification from all Sins past that we might by this means be Provoked to become New Creatures Answ. That the Death of Christ is a mighty Argument to perswade with the Believer to Devote himself to God in Christ in all things as becometh one that hath received Grace and Redemption by his Blood is True But that it is in Our Power as is here Insinuated to become New Creatures is as Vntrue The New Creâ—â—ure is of God yea Immediately of God Man being as Uncapable to make himself A-new as a Child to Beget himself Neither is our Conformity to the Revealed Will of God any thing else if it be Right then the Fruit and Effect of that All things are already or before become New in the Christian Man But to return After all the Flourish you have made about the Death of Christ even as he is an Expiatory and Propitiatory Sacrifice In Conclusion you Terminate the Business far short of which it was intended of God For you almost make the Effects thereof but a bare Suspension of present Justice and Death for Sin or that which hath delivered us at present from a Necessity of dying that we might live unto God That is according as you have Stated it That we might from Principles of Humanity and Reason act towards the First Principles of Morals c. till we put our selves into a Capacity of Personal and Actual Pardon Answ. The Sum of your Doctrine therefore is That Christ by his Death onely holds the Point of the Sword of Justice Not that he Received it into his own Soul That he Suspends the Curse from us Not that himself was made a Curse for us that the Guilt might be Remitted by our Vertues Not that Sin was made to be our Sin But Paul and the New Testament giveth us Account far otherwise viz. That Christ was made our Sin our Curse and Death that we by him not by the Principle of pure Humanity or our Obedience to your first Principles of Morals c. should be set free from the Law of Sin and Death If any Object that Christ hath designed the Purifying our Hearts and Natures I Answer But he hath not designed to Promote or to Perfect that righteousness that is Founded on and Floweth from the Purity of our Humane Nature for then he must design the setting up Mans righteousness that which is of the Law and then he must design also the setting up of that which is directly in opposition both also to the Righteousness that of God is designed to Justifie us and that by which we are inwardly made Holy As I have shewed before You have therefore Sir in all that you have yet Asserted shewed no other Wisdom then a Heathen or of one that is short even of a Novice in the Gospel In the next place I might Trace you Chapter by Chapter and at large Refute not only the whole design of your Book by a particular Replication to them but also sundry and damnable Errors
you Mentioned the First though but once your Babel had tumbled about your Ears For if in the Holy Jesus did dwell the Word One of the Three in Heaven or if the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was Truly Essentially and Naturally God then must the Principle from whence his Works did Proceed be better then the Principle from whence Proceeded the Goodness in Adam otherwise Adam must be God and Man Also you do or may know that the self same act may be done from several Principles And again that it is the Principle from whence the act is done and not the bare doing of the act that makes it better or worse Accepted or not in the Eyes either of God or Men. Now then to shew you the Main or Chief Design of the Life and Conversation of the Lord Jesus First It was not to shew us what an Excellent Holiness we once had in Adam But that thereby God the Eternal Majesty according to his Promise might be seen by and dwell with Mortal Men For the Godhead being altogether in it's own Nature Invisible and yet desirous to be seen by and dwell with the Children of Men therefore was the Son who is the self same Substance with the Father closed with or Tabernacled in our Flesh that in that Flesh the Nature and Glory of the Godhead might be seen by and dwell with us The Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory What Glory The Glory as of the onely Begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth Again The Life that is the Life of God in the Works and Conversation of Christ was Manifest and we have seen it and bear Witness and shew unto you that Eternal Life which was with the Father and was Manifested unto us And hence he is called the Image of the Invisible God or he by whom the Invisible God is most perfectly presented to the Sons of Men. Did I say before that the God of Glory is desirous to be seen of us Even so also have the Pure in Heart a desire that it should be so Lord say they shew us the Father and it suffiseth us And therefore the promise is for their comfort that they shall see God But how then must they see him Why in the Person and by the Life and Works of Jesus When Philip under a mistake thought of seeing God some other way then in and by this Lord Jesus Christ What is the Answer Have I been so long time with you saith Christ and hast thou not known me Philip He that hath seen me hath seen the Father and how sayest thou then shew us the Father Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me The Words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me he doth the Works Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me or else Believe me for the very Works sake See here that both the Words and Works of the Lord Jesus were not to shew you and so to call you back to the Holiness that we had lost but to give us Visions of the Perfections that are in the Father He hath given us the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. And hence it is that the Apostle in that brief Collection of the wonderful Mystery of Godliness placeth this in the Front thereof God was Manifested in the Flesh Was Manifested viz. In and by the Person of Christ when in the Flesh he lived among us Manifest I say for this as one Reason that the Pure in heart who long after nothing more might see him I beseech thee said Moses shew me thy Glory And will God indeed dwell with Men on the Earth faith Solomon Now to fullfil the desires of them that fear him hath he shewed himself in Flesh unto them which Discovery Principally is made by the Words and Works of Christ. But Secondly Christ by his Words and Works of Righteousness in the days of his Flesh neither shewed us which was nor called us back to the Possession of the Holiness that we had lost but did Perfect in and by himself the Law for us that we had Broken Man being Involved in Sin and Misery by reason of Transgression Committed against the Law or Ministration of Death and being utterly unable to Recover himself there-from the Son of God himself Assumeth the Flesh of Man and for Sin Condemned Sin in that Flesh. And that First by walking through the Power of his Eternal Spirit in the highest Perfection to every point of the whole Law in it's most Exact and full Requirements which was to be done not onely without Commixing Sin in his doing but by one that was perfectly without the least being of it in his Nature yea by one that now was God-Man because it was God whose Law was broken and whose Justice was offended For were it now possible to give a Man Possession of that Holiness that he hath lost in Adam that Holiness could neither in the Principle nor Act deliver from the Sin by him before Committed This is Evident by many Reasons First because it is not a Righteousness able to answer the Demands of the Law for Sin that requiring not onely a perfect abiding in the thing Commanded but a satisfaction by death for the Transgression Committed against the Law The Wages of Sin is Death Wherefore he that would undertake the Salvation of the World must be one who can do both these things One that can perfectly do the Demands of the Law in Thought Word and Deed without the least Commixture of the least Sinful thought in the whole Course of his Life He must be also able to give by Death even by the Death that hath the Curse of God in it a compleat satisfaction to the Law for the breach thereof Now this could none but Christ accomplish none else having Power to do it I have Power said he to lay down my Life and I have Power to take it again And this Commandment have I Received of my Father This Work then must be done not by another Earthly Adam but by the Lord from Heaven by one that can Abollish Sin Destroy the Devil Kill Death and Rule as Lord in Heaven and Earth Now the Words and Works of the Lord Jesus declared him to be such a one He was first without Sin then he did no Sin neither could either the Devil the whole World or the Law find any Deceit in his mouth But by being under the Law and walking in the Law by that Spirit which was the Lord God of the Law he not onely did always the things that pleased the Father but by that means in mans Flesh he did perfectly accomplish and fullfil that Law which all Flesh stood Condemned by It is a Foolish and an Heathenish thing nay worse to think that the Son of God
him should not Perish but have Everlasting Life John 3. God SO Loved that he gave his Son to be SO great Salvation Now as is expressed in the Text to be the better for this Salvation is to give heed to hear it for Faith cometh by hearing He saith not give heed to doing but to the Word you have HEARD Faith I say cometh by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. But that this hearing is the hearing of Faith is farther Evident 1. Because he speaketh of a great Salvation accomplished by the Love of God in Christ accomplished by his Blood By his own Blood he entred into Heaven it self having Obtained Eternal Redemption for us Heb. 9. 2. This Salvation is set in Opposition to that which was Propounded before by the Ministration of Angels which Consisted in a Law of Works that which Moses received to give to the Children of Israel For the Law a command to Works and Duties was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ. To live by doing Works is the Doctrine of the Law and Moses but to live by Faith and Grace is the Doctrine of Christ and the Gospel Besides the threatning being pressed with an HOW shall we escape Respects still a Better a Freer a more Gracious Way of Life then either the Morral or Ceremonial Law for both these were long before but here comes in another Way not that Propounded by Moses or the Angels but since by the Lord himself How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at First began to be spoken by the Lord and was Confirmed to us by then that heard him Now Mark It is this Salvation this SO great and Eternal Salvation that was obtained by the Blood of the Lord himself It was this even to Confirm Faith in this that the God of Heaven himself came down to Confirm by Signs and Wonders God bearing them Witness both with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own Will Thus we see that to establish a Holiness that came from the First Principles of Morrals in us or that ariseth from the Dictates of our Humane Nature or to drive us back to that Figurative Holiness that we had once but lost in Adam is little thought on by Jesus Christ and as little intended by any of the Gospel Miracles A Word or two more The Tribute Money you mention Pag. 72. was not as you would clawingly Insinuate for no other Purpose then to shew Christs Loyalty to the Magistrate But First and above all to shew his Godhead to Confirm his Gospel and then to shew his Loyalty the which Sir the Persons you secretly smite at have respect for as much as you Again Also the Curse of the Barren Fig-Tree mentioned Pag. 73. was not if the Lord himself may be believed to give us an Emblem of a Person void of good Works but to shew his Disciples the Power of Faith and what a wonder-working thing that blessed Grace is Wherefore when the Disciples wondred at that sudden Blast that was upon the Tree Jesus answered not Behold and Emblem of one void of Morral Vertues but Verily I say unto you if you have Faith and doubt not ye shall not onely do this which is done to the Fig-Tree but also if you shall say unto this Mountain be thou removed and be thou cast into the Sea it shall be done and all things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer Believing ye shall Receive Again Mark saith When Peter saw the Fig-tree that the Lord had Cursed dryed up from the Roots he said to his Master Behold the Fig-tree which thou Cursed'st is withered away Christ now doth not say as you this Tree was an Emblem of a Professor void of good Works but Have Faith in or the Faith of God For verily I say unto you whosoever shall say unto this Mountain Be thou removed and be thou cast into the Sea and shall not doubt in his Heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass he shall have whatsoever he saith Therefore I say unto you what things soever you desire when you pray believe that you receive them and you shall have them Mat. 21. Mark 11. Christ Jesus therefore had a higher and a better end then that which you propound in his cursing the Barren Fig-tree even to shew as himself Expounds it the mighty power of Faith and how it lays hold of things in Heaven and tumbleth before it things on Earth Wherefore your Scriptureless Exposition doth but lay you even Solomen's Proverb The Legs of the Lawe are not equal c. I might Inlarge but enough of this Onely here I add that the Wonders and Miracles that attend the Gospel were wrought and are Recorded to perswade to Faith in Christ By Faith in Christ men are Justified from the Curse and Judgement of the Law This Faith worketh by Love by the Love of God it brings up the Heart to God and Goodness but not by your Covenant not by Principles of Humane Nature but of the Spirit of God not in a Poor Legal Old Covenant Promiseless Ignorant Shadowish Natural Holiness but by the Holy Ghost I come now to your Seventh Chapter but to that I have spoken briefly already and therefore here shall be the shorter In this Chapter you say Christ's Death Answ. But not with your Described Principles of Humanity and Dictates of Humane Nature He Designed not as I have fully proved neither by his Death nor Life to put us into a Possession of the Holiness which we had lost though the Proof of that be the business of your Book 2. To make men holy was Doubtless Designed by the Death and Blood of Christ But the way and manner of the Proceeding of the Holy Ghost therein you write not of although the First Text you mention Pag. 78. 79. doth fairly present you with it For the way to make men inwardly Holy by the Death and Blood of Christ is First to Possess them with the Knowledge of this that their Sins were Crucified with him or that he did bear them in his Body on the Tree Knowing this that our Old Man is Crucified with him that the body of Sin might be Destroyed that henceforth we should not serve Sin Rom. 6. 6. So he dyed for all that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves as you would have them nor to the Law or Dictates of their own Nature as your Doctrine would perswade them but to him that dyed for them and rose again There are two things in the right stating of the Doctrine of the Effects of the Death and Blood of Christ that do Naturally Effect in us an Holy Principle and also a life becoming such a Mercy First For that by it we are set at liberty by Faith therein from the Guilt and Curse that is due to Guilt from Death the
Entertained Accepted and Imbraced of God That is an Excellent Word He is Chosen of God and Precious Chosen of God to be the Righteousness that his Divine Majesty is pleased with and takes Complacency in God hath Chosen Exalted and set down Christ at at his own Right Hand for the sweet Savour that he smelled in his Blood when he dyed for the Sins of the World 2. By his Ascention he sheweth how he returned Conqueror and Victor over our Enemies His Ascention was his going home from whence he came to deliver us from Death Now it is said that when he returned home or Ascended he led Captivity Captive Eph. 4. that is carried them Prisoners whose Prisoners we were He rode to Heaven in Triumph having in Chains the Foes of Believers 3. In that he Ascended it was that he might perform for us the Second Part of his Priestly Office or Mediator-ship He is gone into Heaven it self there now to appear in the presence of God for us Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him as indifferent a thing as you make it to be seeing he ever-liveth viz. in Heaven whether he is Ascended to make Intercession for them 4. He Ascended that he might be Exalted not onely above but be made head over all things to the Church Wherefore now in Heaven as the Lord in whose hand is all Power he Ruleth over both Men and Devils Sin and Death Hell and all Calamities for the good and profit of his Body the Church Eph. 1. 19 20 21. 5. He Ascended to prepare a place for us who shall live and dye in the Faith of Jesus John 14. 1 2 3. 6. He Ascended because there he was to receive the Holy Ghost the great Promise of the New Testament that he might Communicate of that unto his chosen ones to give them light to see his wonderful Salvation and to be as a Principle of Holiness in their Souls For the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet Glorified But when he Ascended on High even as he led Captivity Captive so he received Gifts for Men by which Gifts he meaneth the Holy Ghost and the Blessed and saving Opperations thereof Luke 24. Acts 1. 2. Thirdly As to his coming again to Judgement that Doctrine is urged to shew the benefit that the Godly will have at that day when he shall gather together his Elect and Chosen from one end of Heaven unto the other As also to shew you what an end he will make with those who have not obeyed his Gospel Mat. 25. 2 Thes. 1. 8. 2. Pet. 3. 7 8 9 10 11. Now 't is true all these Doctrines do Forcibly Produce an Holy and Heavenly life but neither from your Principles nor to the end you Propound to wit that we should be put into Possession of our first Old Covenant Righteousness and act from Humane and Natural Principles Your Ninth Chapter is spent as you as you suppose to shew us the Nature and Evil of Sin but because you do it more like a Heathen Philosopher then a Minister of the Gospel I shall not much trouble my self therewith Your Tenth Chapter Consisteth in a Commendation of Vertue but still of that and no other though Counterfeited for another then at first you have Described Chap. 1. even such which is as much in the Heathens you make mention of as in any other man being the same both in Root and Branches which is Naturally to be found in all men even as is Sin and Wickedness it self And hence you call it here A living up to your feigned highest Principle like a Creature Possessed of a Mind and Reason Again While we do thus we act most agreeable to the right frame and temper of our Souls and Consequently most Naturally and all the actions of Nature are confessedly very sweet and Pleasant of which very thing you say the Heathens had a very great Sence Pag. 113. 114. Answ. No marvel for it was their Work not to search the deep things of God but those which be the things of a man and to Discourse of that Righteousness and Principle of Holiness which was Naturally founded and found within themselves as Men or as you say as Creatures Possessed with a mind and Reason But as I have already shewed all this may be where the Holy Ghost and Faith is absent even by the Dictates as you call them of Humane Nature a Principle and actions when trusted to that as much please the Devil as any Wickedness that is committed by the Sons of Men. I should not have thus boldly Inserted it but that your self did Pag. 101. tell me of it but I believe it was onely Extorted from you your Judgement and your Apollo suit not here though indeed the Devil is in the right for this Righteousness and Holiness which is our own and of our selves is the greatest enemy to Jesus Christ the Post against his Post and the Wall against his Wall I came not to call the Righteous puts you quite of the World but Sinners to Repentance Your Eleventh Chapter is to shew what a miserable Creature that man is that is Destitute of your Holiness Answ. And I add as miserable is he that hath or knoweth no better For such an one is under the Curse of God because he abideth in the Law of Works or in the Principles of his own Nature which neither can cover his Sins from the sight of God nor Possess him with Faith or the Holy Ghost There are two things in this Chapter that Proclaim you to be aâ—â—â—gnorant of Jesus Christ. â— First you say It is not possible a wicked Man should have Godâ—â— Pardon Pag. 119. Pag. 130. Secondly You Suppose it to be impossible for Christ's Righteousness to be Imputed to an unrighteous man Pag. 120. Answ. To both which a little briefly God doth not use to Pardon Painted Sinners but such as are Really so Christ dyed for SINNERS and God Justifieth the VNGODLY even him that worketh not nor hath no Works to make him Godly Besides Pardon supposeth Sin now he that is a Sinner is a Wicked man by Nature a Child of Wrath and as such an Object of the Curse of God because he hath broken the Law of God But such God Pardoneth not because they have made themselves Holy or have given up themselves to the Law of Nature or to the Dictates of their Humane Principles but because he will be Gracious and because he will give to his beloved Son Jesus Christ the benefit of his Blood As to the Second Head What need is there that the Righteousness of Christ should be Imputed where men are Righteous first God useth not thus to doe his Righteousness is for the stout hearted and for them that are far from Righteousness Isa. 46. 12 13. The Believing of Abraham was while yet he was Uncircumcised and Circumcision was added not to save
is neither good nor evil How then if God should cast you into Turky where Mahomet Reigns as Lord It is but reckoning that it is the Religion and Custome of the Country and that which is Authorized by the Power that is there wherefore it is but sticking to your Dictates of Humane Nature and remembring that coming to God by Christ is a thing of an indifferent Nature in it self and then for peace sake and to sleep in a whole skin you may comply and do as your Superiour commands Why Because in Turky are your first sort of Fundamentals found There are Men that have Humane Nature and the Law of Morrals written in their hearts they have also the Dictates thereof written within them which teach them those you call the Eternal Laws of Righteousness wherefore you both would agree in your Essential and immutable differences of good and evil Pag. 6. and differ onely about these possitive Laws Indifferent things Yea and Mahomet also for the time because by a custome made convenient might be now accounted worshipful and the Circumstances that attend his Worship especiall those of them that clash not with the Dictates of your Humane Nature might also be swallowed down Behold you here then good Reader a glorious Latitudinarian that can as to Religion turn and twist like an Eel on the Angle or rather like the Weather-cock that stands on the Steeple But saith he our refusing to comply with these can hardly proceed from any thing better then a proud affection of singularity or at best from Supersticious Scrupulosity Pag. 242. Do but believe him therefore in what he saith and you cannot chuse but be ready with him to comply with all Modes that may serve for advantage Besides he saith that the Word Superstition in the Greek implyeth a frightful and over-timerous apprehension of the Divine Nature and consequently abase and under-valuing conception of it So that to be tender of Conscience especially in things of Divine Worship binding up the Soul to the words of the everlasting Testament in such things especially as a Fool can call little and insignificant trivial matters rendreth a man such an one as hath a very Erronious Conscience But he would not be understood Pag. 244. as if he here intended to vilifie things that are plainly commanded or to tolerate that which is plainly forbidden onely he would have all things that may fall within the reach of these two general Heads be examined by this general Rule HIS discription of the Design of Christianity Answ. But I could tell him that whatsoever is imposed as a part of God's Worship is Judged by a better rule then his both as to it's goodness and badness neither can we account any thing indifferent that is a part thereof Besides whatsoever is reputed a part of God's Worship layeth hold on the Conscience of the Goâ—ly Although a ranting Latitudinarian may say If the Devil should Preach I would hear him before I would suffer Persecution As a brave fellow which I could name in his Zeal was pleased to declare But what trust should any man put to the rule to which you direct him for help and relief therein seeing that from the beginning to the end from the top to the bottom it is a cursed Blasphemous Book a Book that more vilifieth Jesus Christ then many of the Quakers themselves for which of them said worse of him and make coming to God by him a more insignificant thing then you by your pretended design of Christianity have done We have therefore a more sure Word of the Prophets to the which we do well to take heed by which both your Doctrine and practice is already judged to be naught as will be farther discovered time enough when you shall Justifie or Condemn Particulars Your Twenty Fourth Chapter I shall now pass by until I can better compare you and Popery against which you there so stoutly diggle together Your Twenty Fifth Chapter carrieth in it an hideous outcry against many of your Ministers and Guides complaining and confessing That nothing hath so conduced to the Prejudice of your Church of England and done the seperating parties so much service as the Scandalous lives of some that exercise your Ministerial Function P. 258. Answ. I will grant it if you respect these poor carnal People who yet have been shamed from your Assemblies by such Vicious Persons you mention But the truly Godly and Spiritually Judicious have left you from other Arguments of which I shall not here Dilate But from Page 261. to the end of the Chapter you take upon you to particularize other of your Ministers that are an offence to you and to the Design of your Christianity 1. Such as affect to make people stare at their high flown bumbast Language or to please their Phantacies with foolish Jugglings and Poedantick or Boyish wit or to be admired for their ability in dividing of an hair their Metaphysical Acuteness and Scholastick subtilety or for their Daughty Dexterity in Controversial Squabbles And I add had you joyned herewith such as vilifie and trample upon the Blood of the Lord Jesus preferring the Snivel of their own brains before him you had herein but drawn your own Picture and given your Reader an Emblem of your self 2. The Second sort you blame are such as seek to approve themselves to their Auditories to be Men of Mysteries and endeavour to make the plain and easie Doctrines of the Gospel as Intricate and obscure as ever they are Able I will add to these such as take away the Doctrine of Faith and that set themselves and their Works in the room thereof Such as have sought to overturn the Foundation Jesus Christ and have made coming to God by him in it self of a far more indifferent Nature then the Dictates of our Humanity 3. Another sort you say are such as Preach upon free Grace and Christian Priviledges otherwise then as Motives to cite to obedience and never scarce insist upon any Duties but those of believing laying hold on Christ's Righteousness applying the promises and renouncing our own Righteousness which they that have none at all to renounce have a mighty kindness for Answ. 1. Who they are that Preach free Grace in your Church to excite Men to uncleanness you may know better then I. But if these Words otherwise then to Cite men to obedience be thus thrust in of purpose thereby to speak evil of the Preachers of free Grace and the exalters of the imputed Righteousness of Christ then look to it for such venome Language as this doth but involve you within the bowels of that most dreadful Prophecy concerning the false Prophets of the last days that shall privily bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them 2. The Preaching of free Grace pressing to believing and laying hold on Christ's Righteousness is the most available means under Heaven to make Men Holy and Righteous 1. Before God 2. Then before
more involved in Error concerning it then your self being truly what you charge upon others 1. Grosely ignorant 2. Too highly Opinionate 3. Proud in affection 4. Lignorish 5. A Self-Lover 6. And for your Blasphemy under the just Judgement of God If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them that believe not least the light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. I am come now to your last Chapter Pag. 281. which tells us wherein the essence and life of Christianity Censisteth viz. In a good state and habit of mind in a holy frame and temper of Soul Answ. 1. It consisteth in a Life of Faith when I live in the belief of this that Christ loved me and gave himself for me The Life that I now live in the Flesh saith Paul it is by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me 2. And besides a good state and habit of mind or an Holy frame and temper of Soul in your notion of them which respecteth purely obedience to Morrals from Natural Impulses or Dictates of our Humanity they are rather Heathenish then Christian and being alone end in Death rather then Life As many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse he saith not they that Sin against it but they that are OF the Works of it such as do Justice Righteousness Charity Goodness Mercy Patience and all kind of Morral Duties from Principles Humane Natural or as Men they are under the Curse because they have sinned first and also are in firm and weak in their pursuit after the perfections they desire These follow after Righteousness but that flyes from them wherefore they do not obtain it because they seek it not by Faith in Christ but as it were by the Works the Righteous Good and Holy Works of the Law But you add It is such a habit of mind such a frame and temper of Soul as esteemeth God as the chiefest good and preferreth him and his Son Jesus Christ before all the World and that prizeth above all things an interest in the Divine Perfections c. Answ. 1. God must needs be esteemed the chiefest good by all that have but and are ruled by the light of Nature because they see him by his Works to be Almighty Merciful and Eternal but this may be where the Knowledge of the Man the Mediator is not therefore this in this and in your sence cannot be of the Essence of Christianity for that it is common to all the World That estimation of God which is common to Natural Men cannot be of the Essence of Christianity because they want that knowledge of him that comes by Jesus Christ and so are not capable to esteem of him under a Christian consideration But you say it is that good habit and temper of mind that preferreth God and his Son Jesus Christ before all the World Answ. He that esteemeth God above all must needs at least in his Judgement so prefer him but whereas you add and his Son Jesus Christ you put in them Words but as a Cloak For your self have not preferred his Son Jesus Christ no not before a Morral Law no not before your obedience to it although but by Humane Principles Yea you have accounted the Command of God by which we are injoyned by him to come to God a thing in it self but like Levitical Ceremonies or as Baptism and the Lord's Supper a thing in itâ—self indifferent and absolutely considered neither good nor evil Pag. 7 8 9. You add It is such a tempâ—r as prizeth above all things an interest in the Divine Perfections such as Justice and Righteousness Vniversal Charity Goodness Mercy Patience and all kind of Purity Answ. Seeing by these expressions you onely intend Morral Vertues and those that are inherent in you and originally operations of Humanity it is evident that you have but Impiously and Idolatrously Attributed to your own goodness so high and blessed a Title For whatsoever is in your Nature and Originally the Dictates thereof and whatsoever proficiency you make therein by Humane Principles and helps of Natural Indowments these things are but of your self your own Justice your own Righteousness your own Charity Goodness Mercy Patience Kindness c. Now to call these the Divine Perfections when they are onely your own Humane Vertues bespeaks you I say Fond Impious and Idolatrous and shews you in the midst of all your prentended design to Glorifie God such an one who have set up your own goodness with him yea and given it the Title of his blessed Grace and Favour That Scripture you mention Rom. 14. 17. Although by the Word Righteousness there is intended obedience to the Morral Law yet to it by persons already Justified by Christ's Righteousness hence they are said to do it in the Joy and Peacâ— of the Holy Ghost or by the Joy and Peace which they had by Faith in Christ's Righteousness as Revealed to them by the Spirit of God Hence again they are said in IT to serve Christ or to receive the Law at his hand which he giveth to them to walk after having first justified them from the Curse thereof by his Blood 2. The Law was given twice on Sinai the last time with a Proclamation of Mercy going before and he that receiveth it thus receiveth it after a Gospel manner For they as Justified persons are dead to the Law as a Covenant of Works by the Body of Christ that they might live to another even to him that is raised from the Dead But you by this Scripture intend not this Doctrine for you make Justification by Christ come after not before obedience to the Law Yea you make obedience thereto the Essential and coming to God by Christ but a thing of a more remote Nature from true and substantial Gospel-Righteousness In Page 283. you speak again of the old Principle and thus you comment A Principle of Holiness that respecteth Duty as with respect to the Nature of the Command so not with respect to the Duty as occasioned by certain External Inducements and Motives but from a good temper and disposition of Soul Answ. This I say still respecting your old Principle of Humanity and the Purity of your Nature the most amounts but to this Your Principle is confined to a liberty of Will and Affections with respect to doing of the Law of Work which many have professed to have and do before you and yet have come short of the Glory of God For as I told you before I tell you now again that the Gospel-Principles are the Holy Ghost and Faith which help that Soul in whom they dwell to count believing in Jesus Christ the great Essential part of our Christianity and our reckoning our selves pardoned for the sake of him And
also Fundamental truths of the Christian Religion as I do heartily believe let all Men know that I quarrel not with him about things wherein I discent from the Church of England but do contend for the truth continued even in these very Articles of theirs from which he hath so deeply revolted that he clasheth with every one of them as may farther be shewn when he shall take heart to reply But to wind up this unpleasant Scrible I shall have done when I have farther shewed how he joyneth with Papist and Quaker against these wholsome and Fundamental Articles Mr. Fowler 's Doctrine compared with Campian the Jesuite upon that question whether Faith onely Justifieth saith Campian 1. Campian We Papists say that as Grace is put into us in Justification so also our Righteousness is inlarged through Good Works and is inherent in us therefore it is not true that God doth Justifie by Faith ONELY Fowler Pag. 221. Justifying Faith is such a belief of the truth of the Gospel as includeth a sincere resolution of obedience unto all its Precepts and that it justifieth AS it doth SO In short is it possible that Faith in Christs Blood for the forgiveness of Sin should be the onely act which justifieth a Sinner 2. Campian So that Faith is urged but not Faith ONELY again by Faith is meant all Christianity and the whole Religion of Christians Fowler Pag. 222. For surely the Faith which intaileth the Sinner to so high a Priviledge as that of justification must needs be such as complyeth with all the purposes of Christ's coming into the World especially with his grand purpose as Lord and that it is no less necessary that it should justifie as it doth this 3. Campian Though Works void of Christ are nothing yet through Grace they serve to Justification Fowler Pag. 225. 226. Of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness this is the true Explication It consisteth in dealing with sincerely Righteous Persons as if they were perfectly so for the sake and upon the account of Christ's Righteousness The grand intent of the Gospel being to make us partakers of an inward real Righteousness and it being a Secondary one that we should be accepted and rewarded as if we were compleatly Righteous 4. Campian Speaking of Faith Hope and Charity he confesseth that Faith in Nature is before them but it doth not Justifie before they come Fowler Pag. 223. What pretence can there be for thinking that Faith is the condition or Instrument of Justification as it complyeth with onely the Precept of relying on Christ's Merits for the obtaining of it especially when it is no less manifest then the Sun at Noon Day that obedience to the other Precepts or Works of Love must go before obedience to this 5. Campian I deny that Faith ONELY doth Justifie for you have not in all the Word of God that Faith ONELY doth Justifie Fowler Pag. 225. And for my part I must confess that I would not willingly be he that should undertake to Encounter one of the Champions of that foul Cause with the Admission of this Principle That Faith Justifieth onely as it apprehendeth resteth or relyeth on Pag. 224. the Merits and Righteousness of Jesus Christ I must certainly have great luck or my Adversary but little Cunning if I were not forced to repent me of such an engagement 6. Campian Abraham being a Just Man was made more Just by a living Faith Fowler Pag. 283. He onely is a true Child of Abraham who in the Purity of the Heart obeyeth those substantial Laws that are imposed by God upon him 7. Campian I say that Charity and good Work are not excluded in the causes of ruo Justification Fowler Pag. 215. For we have shewn not onely that Reformation from the practice and purification of Heart from the liking of Sin are as plainly as can be asserted in the Gospel to be absolutely necessary to give Men a right to the Promises of it but also that its great Salvation doth even consist in it Mr. Fowler 's Doctrine compared with William Pen the Quaker 1. Pen's Sandy Foundation Pag. 19. Life and Salvation is to them that follow Christ the Light in all his Righteousness which every man comes onely to experience as he walks in a holy Subjection to that measure of Light and Grace wherewith the fulness hath inlightned him Fowler Pag. 8. That is those which are of an indispensible and Eternal Obligation which were first written in mens hearts and Originally Dictates of Humane Nature 2. Pen Pag. 32. I really confess that Jesus Christ fullfilled the Fathers Will and offered up a most satisfactory Sacrifice but not to pay God or help him to save Men. Fowler Pag. 85. Christ was set forth to be a Propitiatory Sacrifice for Sin I will not say that his Father who is perfectly sui Puris might be put by this means into a Capacity of forgiving it 3. Pen Pag. 16. God's Remission is grounded on Man's Repentance no tthat it 's impossible for God to pardon without a Plenary Satisfaction Fowler Pag. 84. There are many that do not question but that God could have pardoned Sin without any other satisfaction then the Repentance of the Sinner c. 4. Pen Pag. 27. Justification doth not go before but is subsequential to the Mortification of Lusts. Fowler Pag. 14 15. This Blessing of making Men Holy was so much the design of Christ's coming that he had his very Name from it Observe the Words He shall save his People from their Sins not from the punishment of them c. And that is the Primary sence of them which is most plainly expressed in them That he shall save his People from the punishment of Sin is a true sence too but it is Secondary and implyed onely as this latter is the never failing and necessary consequence of the former Salvation 5. Pen Pag. 25. Since therefore there can be no admittance had without performing that Righteous Will and doing those Holy and Perfect sayings Alas to what value will an imputative Righteousness amount c. Fowler Pag. 16. Christ shall bring in an inward substantial and everlasting Righteousness and by abrogating the outward Ceremonial and establishing ONELY this Righteousness he should inlarge the Jewish Church an accession of the Gentiles being by that means made unto it 6. Pen Pag. 24 25. Since God hath prescribed an inoffensive life as that which onely can give acceptance with him and on the contrary hath determined not to justifie the Wicked c. Will not the abomination appear greatest of all when God shall be found Condemning the just on purpose to justifie the wicked and that he is thereto compelled or else no Salvation which is the tendency of their Doctrine who imagine the Righteous and merciful God to condemn and punish his righteous Son that he being sanctified for our Sins we might be justified while unsatisfied by the imputation of his perfect Righteousness O why should