and purchas'd all And of whom did God purchase Salvation according to thy strange manner of Expreâ—sion Whereas thou go'st so often over with these words Jesus Christ the Son of Mary whom thou call'st God-Man I ask thee If this be not of kin to the Papists calling Mary the Mother of God and where did the Apostles so often or ever use those Expressions Jesus Christ God-man the Son of the Virgin Mary And who were they that said Is not this the Carpenter the Son of Mary To whom Jesus said A Prophet is not without Honour but in his own Country c. Mark 6.3 4. Now what think'st thou Did they Honour him in those Expressions And which hast thou more Honour'd Him or Mary But Peter gave a higher Testimony of him when he said Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God To whom Jesus answer'd Blessed art thou Simon Barjona for Flesh and Blood hath not reveal'd it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven Mat. 16.16 17. But do not the Papists honour him as much as thou in their frequâ—nt calling him the Son of Mary as thou hast done Who also hast grosly wrong'd my words where I said Nor was the Son of God nor his Light under such a Limitation either as to Time or Place aâ— a finite Creature but his Out-goings were of Old from Everlasting c. from which thou infer'st If that Holy Thing conceiv'd â—f the Holy Ghost and born of Mary was not therefore the Son of God Then the Man Jesus Christ of Nazareth who wâ—s the Soâ— of the Virgin Mary was not the Son of God thou say'st Whereby â—hou falsly add'st That I have given the Angel Gabriel the Lye and am in union with those Jews who reckon'd him but a meer Man the Carpenter 's Son c. John 10.33 To be sure thou art in union with a Lying spirit and art a gross Perverter for though I do not own that the Son of God and his Light is under such a Limitation the Holy One and his Light being unlimited I did neither thereby intend nor do my words bear any such Construction as that The Holy Thing conceiv'd by the Holy Ghost was not the Son of God Besides thou having confest that his Out-goings were from Everlasting hast thereby granted to what I said That the Son of God and his Light are not under a Limitation as to Time and Place especially if thou wilt own his Divinity or that he ever was the Son of God before he took a Body in the Womb of the Virgin but if thou dost not own that the Son of God was before then then thou dost not own his Divinity nor him no more then a finite Creature And herein the Heathen may judge thee as Nebuchadnezar when he said Lo I see four men loose walking in the mid'st of the Fire and they had no hurt and the form of the forth is like the Son of God Dan. 3.24 25. How came he to speak of the Son of God then And by what Scripture and how much hast thou exceeded those Jews that call'd Christ the Carpenters Son or those that call'd him the Carpenter the Son of Mary Mark 6.34 who therein did not truly honour him as a Prophet much less as the Son of God no more then thou hast in thy frequent calling him the Son of Mary the Son of Mary the Son of Mary c. as the POPE and PAPISTS do But when one said unto Christ Behold thy Mother and thy Brethren stand without c. He answer'd who is my Mother and who are my Brethren Behold whosoever shall do the Will of my Father which is in Heaven the same is my Brother my Sister and Mother Mat. 12.47 to the end Mark 3.33 34 35. Luke 8.21 and 11.29 30. And now to what thou say'st pag. 41. Of Sinners Vngodly Vnjust Enemies even while Enemies and no Good wrought in them by any light or spirit whatsoever that for these Christ made an end of Sin abolish'd Condemnation Curse and Death c. And this is thy Explanation Of God-Man having at once without us wrought compleated and purchas'd all with God as thou nonsensically word'st it For which I query If all this be done for the whole World when no Good is wrought in them by the Light or Spirit of God then why are any condemn'd Can it be just with God to condemn any or with-hâ—ld Salvation from any if it be so purchased paid for or he satisfied for and with men in their sins when no Good is wrought in them But what absurdity is it to say That Transgression is finish'd and Sin made an end of and Condemnation Curse and Death abolish'd where yet in thee and other such empty and dead Professors both Transgression and Sin actually remains and Death raigns for which you are liable to Condemnation the Wrath of God being reveal'd from Heaven against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of men who hold Truth in Vnrighteousness and his Wrath abiding on him that believes not in the Son But if thou reckon'st that men's Transgression is finish'd and their Sin made an end of and that they are reckon'd Righteous when no Good is wrought in them then it must thus be taken That they are imputatively Righteous while actually Sinful and though Sin be in them God sees it not or takes no notice of it as to condemn them or reprove them for it which is still corrupt Antinomianism and contrary to reason or Truth Though heâ—eby I do not oppose but really confess Christ to have given himself for us an Offering and Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling Savour Eph. 5.2 Yea and that God hath set him forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of Sins that are past through the Forbearance of God Now though there be an Appeasment of Wrath and Remission held forth in this Propitiation for sins that are past yet this Righteousness of God declar'd thereby doth not admit of sin to be continu'd or of sins past present and to come as thy words are This Righteousness will not indulge thee nor otherâ— in Unrighteousness all your dayes neither is it the Nature of this Blood of his Sacrifice nor of Faith in it to cover or excuse thee in thy sins for Faith purifies the Heart and the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin where it is receiv'd in the Living Faith Neither will thy Profession of sin being ended without thee and Righteousness brought in in Christ's Person without thee be any Cloak for thee in thy sin and enmity nor yet will thy confus'd Talk of God-Man having Purchas'd all with God for thee stand thee in any stead in God's dreadful Day Although thou professest Victory and Perfection in Christ while in Sin and Imperfection in thy self as thou represents the Believer's state p. 43. which shews thy Ignorance both of Perfection Victory and being in Christ for
1st God had never any such Wrath nor Revenge against his Innocent Son to execute upon him nor will he so clear the Guilty in their Sins 2d It pleasing the Lord to bruise him was neither in Wrath nor to take Vengeance on him nor yet actually or immediately by himself to bruise him but permissively for though he was deliver'd by the determinate Council of God yet he suffer'd wicked hands to afflict and put Christ to death who did bear and suffer under the Load and Oppression of the Sins and Iniquities of the World yea he hath born our Griefs and Sorrows the Iniquity of all being so made to meet upon him But a gross sense hast thou given to the Prophet's words for neither were these Sufferings of Christ that the Guilty might go free for that divine Justice admits not of as to condemn the Righteous and justifie the Wicked that 's an abomination neither are God's Chastizements by way of Revenge nor a taking Vengeance on his Innocent Son who is the Delight of his Soul the Son of his Love Chastizement and Revenge are two differing things and so are Forgiveness and the Rigour of the Law R. G. Jesus Christ is a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World may I not thence in truth assert him to have been a Propitiation for all Sins past present and to come pag. 15. Answ. That Christ is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World I own and that his Blood that cleanseth from all Sin bears record in the Earth but thy words for all Sin past present and to come are added to the Scripture by thy Teachers the Presbyterians and Independants and have given much liberty to sin contrary to the Apostles words who saith of Christ Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness foâ— the Remission of Sins that are past through the Forbearance of God Rom. 3. He does not say for the remission of sins past present and to come nor that men are perfectly justified and redeem'd by the Sacrifice of Christ who commit sin all their dayes which is imply'd in thesâ— words for all sins past presâ—nt and to come whereas his bâ—ing a Sacrifice for the sins of the whole World is intended for the sins past of every man committed before Believing or Conversion or otherwise through Weakness after Conviction not for wilful sins against Knowledge if we sin wilfully after that we have receiv'd the Knowledge of the Truth there remains no more a Sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries Heb. 10.26 27. R. G. But that these Works of the Spirit wrought in us are the Attonement the Propitiatory Sacrifice or any part of it or the Ground and Cause of our being Redeem'd that I deny pag. 17. Answ. What 's Attoneing but making Peace and Quietness and Redeeming but a delivering from Sin and Bondage or rescuing from the Enemâ— And must the Spirit of God have no Hand or part in this Or he in his working within be no cause hereof strange doctrine Mayst thou not herein as well exclude Christ as his Spirit who are One Whereas the work of Righteousness shall be Peace and the effect of Righteousness Quietness and Assurance forever Isa. 32.17 And the Fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace c. Gal. 5.22 It is the Spirit that both quickens sanctifies and justifies and leads the true Believer into all Truth And what 's this short of Redemption I pray you if it be a freeing from Iniquity But these inward works of the Spirit we dare not call the Propitiatory Sacrifice as falsly thou imply'st but he Christ the Worker who is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption and is not this spiritually oâ— by his Spirit And are not his Works in his People as acceptable to God as ever being true in him and in us from the dignity of him that worketh them R. G. God hath purchas'd his Church by his own Blood G. W. his confus'd doctrine renders this Purchase as a work daily doing in every Generation in many Bodies as every man comes to be renew'd by the Spirit a fine dress of new coyn'd words pag. 17. Answ. Whoever comes to be a Member of the true Church as he doth experience the Work of God and his Will fulfilling in him must feel and witness even in the Body a saving purchasing redeeming and cleansing c. from Iniquity and Bondage by the Blood of God And as it s written After that the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour toward man appear'd not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he sav'd us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.4 5. See now how contrary to plain Scripture and Saints Experience this R. G. hath argu'd and how the work of the Spirit or inward Renewing and Washing by it which saveth is slighted by him and such as he who never knew what it is to be purchas'd unto God nor to be of his purchas'd Church And they who are not yet come to be Mâ—mbers of that Church to know his Blood or Life both to sprinkle sanctifie and redeem them from sin and iniquity in their Bodies which have been defiled or else they are never like to be a true Church nor to inherit God's Kingdom And herein I do not bring a Sacrifice without Blood nor without Spirit nor like that of Rome as blasphemously R. G. reproach'd me for the Spirit and the Water and the Blood do bear record in the Earth and except ye eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of Christ ye have no Life in you and Jesus Christ the Righteous is the Propitiation c. Mark is in the time present he â—eâ—ains a Sacrifice his Soul being made an Offering for all that have not wilfully sinned against Knowledge or that have not rejected Christ and sinned out their day R. G. Christ as form'd within thâ— Hope of Glory dwelling in us by Faith is manifest within us this Manifestation of him as in us thou calls the true Christ our only Saviour which the Apostles never did pag. 19. Answ. Strange Dâ—ctrine Did the Apostles preach a false Christ or another then the true Was not Christ within the Mystery And was not the ingrafted Word that which sav'd the Soul And he that hath not the Son hath not Life How amply hath both Christ and his Apostles testified of his being in his chosen Ones And hast thou not in pag. 22. granted to his appearance in Believers through Faith by his Spirit for Salvation Will this man never leave his Confuâ—ion and self-Contradiction R. G. From Acts 2.36 God hath made that same Jesus adding not him that was manifest in that Body of Flesh but the same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ pa. 19. Answ. What a
denied them and not to impose thy impertinent Tautollogies upon us which thy Book is fill'd with if we were either Jews Turks Jesuits or Papists which in any thing deny'd plain Scripture thou takest but a mean course to convince us by thy imposing and begging the Question But hadst thou dealt plainly and only brought us plain Scripture without thy Confusion Corrupt Glosses and Sin-pleasing Fancies we should not have had these Controversies nor such mudled stuff and ramblement to deal withal as thou hast divulg'd And as to thy speaking of two Gospel Mysteries viz. What was wrought in Christ and finished and perfected as once by that Sacrifice of his crucified Body and the second of what is to be wrought by Christ in us c. Answ. Truly to know Christ crucified and the Fellowship of his Sufferings and Conformity to his Death as also his Vertue as a Sacrifice by eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood is a Mystery which none but the Children of the Light know and receive who only receive Life thereby and such are they that see and walk in the New and Living Way which he consecrated through the Vaâ—l that is to say his Flesh and so witness the New Covenant or Testament which he the Testator confirm'd through his Death who in the Body offer'd up himself once for all to end the many Offerings and often sacrificing under the Law that Once is oppos'd to the many He offer'd up â—imself by the eternal Spirit to break down the Partition-Wall between Jew and Gentile and to abolish that Enmity that wâ—s between them in putting an end to that figurative Dispensation wherein the Jews gloried against the Gentiles that they might be reconcil'd in one Body and by the Spirit come to have the Mystery of Christ within and Fellowship of the Gospel reveal'd Now this was not to indulge any in sin or enmity thereof in themselves nor yet for any to plead that they are redeem'd and perfectly justified at once without them while in their sins and no good wrought within them for in that state they are so far from receiving the Attonement that they are Enemies to Christ and to his Cross and guilty of his Body and Blood not discerning either And this is thy state who thinkest thy self justify'd before thou wast born above sixteen hundred Years since and yet art in thy sins pretending to the Work of Christ in thee when otherwhiles thou reckonest all done without thee but now sayst It is daily doing in many Bodies till Mortality be swallowed up of Life And when dost thou think that will be Will it be on this side the Grave yea or nay Dost thou not expect a perfest Sanctification and Deliverance from Sin till after thou art deceas'd If thou dost not how art thou in the Method of the Gospel and how art thou perfectly justify'd It s they that are wash'd and sanctify'd that are justify'd As to the Sufferings of Christ without though the Scripture-Relation of them be true yet thou hast but a Traditional and Historical Faith thereof with some particular Conceits and wrong Constructions whilst thou coverst thy self in thy sins with a Profession thereof And so art upon a false Bottom not sanctified nor justified by the Spirit of God which is the immediate Cause of both unto them that believe in the Name of his Son Christ Jesus whose sufferings for Sinners was two-fold both inward and outward he bore the Burthen and Weight of the sins of the World And whereas thou wouldst have G. K. to prove That Christ doth bear Sins but as he did bear them in his Crucified Body p. 5. To which I say He was a Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World the Righteous Seed hath suffer'd through all Ages by the seed of Rebellion there is a spiritual suffering as well as there was a bodily suffering his Soul was made an Offering for sin he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the Transgressors Isa. 53. And said the Apostle The Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered Rom. 8.26 And do not these Groanings imply an inward and spiritual suffering And was not Christ spiritually crucified in Sodom and Aegypt And that he doth suffer besides that in his crucified Body at Jerusalem is evident to them that know the Fellowship of his Sufferings though not to thee as the Apostle Paul witnessed when he said Who now rejoyce in my Sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ in my Flesh for his Body's sake which is the Church Col. 1.24 And whereas thou accusest the Author of the Book intituled The great Mystery of the Great Whore with saying That the Soul is infinite in it self without beginning more then all the World a part of God of his Beeing coming from God and returning to God again the Power of God c. And addest Doth a Part of God infinite need to be saved c And in p. 27. on the same occasion sayst This is the very Root of Rantism c. Reply We have alwayes distinquish'd between the Soul of Man and that which saves it and between the soul as in death under transgression and as quickened and united unto God by his Son as is plain to be seen in that Book accus'd by thee where mention is Of the Soul being in Death in Transgression and man's spirit not sanctified p. 91. And of the Soul being immortal and living in the Covenant of God where Christ is the Bishop of it it being in the hand that saves from Transgression And that Christ brings up the soul to God whereby they come to be one Soul page 129. In which state the soul is in Union with God as he that is joyn'd to the Lord is one Spirit And they that are Baptiz'd into Christ have put on Christ through whom they come to obtain the answer and end of his Prayer viz. That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us c. And the Glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one as we are one John 17.21 22 23. And it s said That Man is the Image and Glory of God 1 Cor 11.7 Now how absurd would it be to question Doth the Image and Glory of God need to be saved For man is called so he partaking of that Image and Glory and so it is no otherwise intended of the soul as to Divine Immortal and Infinite then as by participation of that Life and Light which is divine and infinite wherewith the soul is cloth'd and adorn'd in the renewed state But as to its being the Power of God a Part of God I find not these words so asserted by the Author of the said Book nor any thing like them with that general intent and consequence as strained by this Accuser for the Power of God is that
art yet a Stranger to R. G. Vnwilling to be manifested in the Light not telling us what that further influence and service was more then being a bare Example pag. 11. Answ. Jesus Christ in the dayes of his Suffering was not alone in his Testimony but as he said I and my Father c. and I can of mine own self do nothing He was endu'd with Power from on High whereby hâ—s Coming Offering and Testimony had a divine Influence upon the hearts of them that knew and receiv'd him and still hath And they who attain to the Blood of Sprinkling to have their Consciences thereby sprinkled and purged from dead works and to eat of the Flesh and drink of the Blood of the Son of Man do truly experience the End of his coming who hath given his â—lesh for the Life of the World and Himself a Ransom for all for a Testimony in due time which things are Mysteries hid from all Hypocrites and such who are dead in their sins R. G. Which of all the Prophets or Apostles ever so wrote of a Ransom an Attonement a Propitiation a Price of our Redemption as of a Work to be done in us as it was in Christ or that in these Christ was an Example to us that they might be over again effected in us And which of all those Holy Men ever so wrote of a Believer's being brought through the Ministration of Death Condemnation and Wrath after the Example of the Man Christ c pag. 12. Answ. Thou hast perverted our words by adding as it was in Christ and hast also shew'd thy wonderful Darkness for though we do not suffer in all Points after the same manner that Christ did yet it follows not that he was not a real Example of Obedience and Humility in his Suffering But how contradictory to thy own confession hast thou reasoned which is That Reconciliation Justification and Redemption are to be made eâ—fectual by the workings of his Spirit in all who through Faith receive the Attonement And did not the Prophet say to the Lord Thou hast wrought all our Works in us Isa. 26. And because the Chastizement of our Peace was upon Christ does it therefore follow That we must never be chastiz'd This is like thy doctrine Redemption was in Christ therefore not to be done in us Christ passed through Death therefore we must not be crucified nor perfectly dead to sin in this Life Is not this the very tendency or sum of much of thy Doctrine But is it not Sin and its Enmity within which Christ came to redeem and reconcile man from Thou art yet in Death far from being redeem'd or thus reconcil'd who hast not known the Ministration of Death Condemnation and Wrath but questionest the Believers passing through it though it be a plain Truth that they did and many do so pass they passed from Death to Life and through the Law became dead unto the Law And did not the Commandment which was ordain'd to Life work Death in the Apostle Paul who also knew the Terrors of the Lord But thou hast in thy Imaginations fram'd up a more easie way to Heaven or Redemption c. then through the Ministration of Judgment through which Sion is redeem'd and her Converts with Righteousness or of Death and Condemnation which in its time is glorious which is fulfilled where the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled within even in them that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit R. G. This new-coyn'd Mâ—stery of Faith in the Light in your Conscience or within you as your Saviour â—nd Obedience thereunto to be done and perfected in your bodies c. pag. 12. Answ. It s evident that the true Light and Perfâ—ction by it and in it were ever oppos'd by Darkness and its Children which cannot comprehend the Light of Christ within And this is Darkness to be felt that scornfully calls Faith in the Light a New-coyn'd Mystery But Jesus Christ the true Light that enlightens every man gave a better Testimony of the Light when he said Believe in the Light that ye may be Children of the Light Joh. 12.35 36. And so did his Ministers in these words God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 And if we walk in the Light as he is in the â—ight we have Felâ—owship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 2.7 And the Anointing which ye have receiv'd of him abideth in you and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him verse 27. See also 2 Pet. 1.19 and Rom. 2.7 10 13 14 15 16. And hath not the Grace of God which brings Salvation appear'd unto all men Titus 2.11 See how manifestly this man hath oppos'd both Christ and his Apostles plain Testimonies which are on the behalf of his Light within and Bâ—lief in it and Obedience to it in order to Perfection Cleansing from all Sin or a perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God Are these New-coyn'd Mysteries Nay they are Gospel Truths which stand against the Devil and his Darkness R. G. We who since we believ'd receiv'd that Attonement shall after our bodily death be rais'd from the Grave and be made Partakers of that Salvation which through Faith and Hope we wait for while in the Body pag. 13. Answ. Thou puttest Salvation at a great distance shewing thy self yet in the Grave of Corruption Is this thy meaning of Salvation that thou hopest and waitest for while in the body to be rais'd from the Grave after thy bodily death What strange Nonsensical Language is this And was this the Salvation that Christ's second Appearance was lookt for to effect Heb. 9.28 If thou livest and diest in thy Sins and be'st not saved from them nor rais'd out of them here thy Resurrection will be miserable and thy State sad hereafter even that of the Unjust which is to Condemnation R. G. It pleased the Lord to bruise him he was he hath left out we did esteem him smitten of God the Chastizements of our Peace were upon him then he adds This man should thus answer the Prophet Isaiah Is that divine Justice to take Vengeance on Wound Smite bruise the Innocent and let the Guilty go free Answ. The Prophet said he was despis'd and we esteem'd him not surely he hath born our Griefs and carried our Sorrows yet we did esteem him Stricken Smitten of God and Afflicted but he was wounded for our Transgressions c. Isa. 53.3 4 5. There are still those that reject and dis-esteem Christ and that esteem him smitten or plagued of God and even to have under-gone the Wrath and Vengeance of his Father in their stead to acquit them from Punishment though they live and dye in their Sins not expecting Salvation till after their Decease Whereas