their Doings in this Life Ibid. l. 1. c. 4. § 5. and l. 4. c. 3. § 6. We groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body Rom. 8. 23. whereby is plainly meant the Change of these frail mortal Bodies into the spiritual immortal Bodies at the Resurrection when this Mortal shall have put on Immortality 1 Cor. 15. 54. Reasonab of Christian. p. 206. This being the Case that whoever is guilty of any Sin should certainly die and cease to be the Benefit of Life restor'd by Christ at the Resurrection would have been no great Advantage for as much as here again Death must have seiz'd upon all Mankind because all had sinned for the Wages of Sin is every where Death as well after as before the Resurrection if God had not found out a way to justifie some Ibid. p. 15. The Scripture is express that the same Persons shall be rais'd and appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ that every one may receive according to what he has done in his Body The Third Letter p. 196. In the New Testament I find our Saviour and the Apostles to preach the Resurrection of the Dead and the Resurrection from the Dead in many Places and the Resurrection of the Dead I acknowledge to be an Article of the Christian Faith But I do not remember any Place where the Resurrection of the same Body is so much as mention'd Nay I do not remember in any Place of the New Testament where the general Resurrection of the last Day is spoken of any such Expression as the Resurrection of the Body much less of the same Body Ibid. p. 166. When I writ my Essay I took it for granted as I doubt not but many others have done that the Scripture had mention'd in express Terms the Resurrection of the Body but looking more narrowly into what Revelation has declar'd concerning the Resurrection I find no such express Words in the Scripture as that the Body shall rise or be raised or the Resurrection of the Body I shall therefore in the next Edition of it change these Words of my Essay l. 4. c. 18. § 7. The dead Bodies of Men shall rise into these of the Scripture The Dead shall rise Not that I question that the Dead shall be rais'd with Bodies Ibid. p. 210. Tho' I do by no means deny that the same Bodies shall be rais'd at the last Day yet I see nothing said to prove it to be an Article of Faith Ibid. p. 195. The Apostle tells us at the great Day when every one shall receive according to his Doings the Secrets of all Hearts shall be laid open The Sentence shall be justified by the Consciousness all Persons shall have that they themselves are the same that committed those Actions and deserve that Punishment for them Essay l. 2. c. 27. § 26. Christ himself who knew for what he should condemn Men at the last Day assures us in the two Places where he describes his Proceeding at the great Judgment that the Sentence of Condemnation passes only on the Workers of Iniquity such as neglected to fulfil the Law in Acts of Charity Matth. 7. 23. Luke 13. 27. Matth. 25. 42. That Men may not be deceived by mistaking the Doctrine of Faith Grace Free Grace and the Pardon and Forgiveness of Sin and Salvation by Christ which was the great End of his Coming he more than once declares to them for what Omissions and Miscarriages he shall judge and condemn to death even those who have own'd him and done Miracles in his Name when he comes at last to render to every one according to what he hath done in the Flesh sitting upon his great and glorious Tribunal at the end of the World see John 5. 28 29. Matth. 13. 14. 16. 24 c. Reasonab of Christian. p. 9. 241 242 243 244 245. I am going to a Tribunal that hath a Right to judge of Thoughts The Third Letter p. 98. The eternal Condition of a future State infinitely outweighs the Expectation of Riches or Honour or any other Worldly Pleasure we can propose to our selves The Happiness of another Life shall certainly be agreeable to every one's Wish or Desire The Rewards and Punishments of another Life which the Almighty has establish'd as the Enforcements of his Law are of Weight enough to determine the Choice against whatever Pleasure or Pain this Life can shew when the eternal State is consider'd in its bare Possibility which no body can make any doubt of He that will allow exquisite and endless Happiness to be but the possible Consequence of a good Life here or the contrary State the possible Reward of a bad one must own himself to judge very much amiss if he does not conclude that a Vertuous Life with the certain Expectation of everlasting Bliss which may come is to be preferr'd to a vicious one with the Fear of that dreadful State of Misery which 't is very possible may overtake the Guilty or at best the terrible uncertain Hope of Annibilation This is evidently so tho' the vertuous Life here had nothing but Pain and the vicious continual Pleasure which yet is for the most part quite otherwise and wicked Men have not much the odds to brag of even in their present Possession nay all things considered rightly have I think the worst part here But when infinite Happiness is put in one Scale against infinite Misery in the other if the worst that comes to the pious Man if he mistake be the best that the wicked Man can attain to if he be in the right who can without madness run the Venture Who in his Wits would chuse to come within a Possibility of infinite Misery which if he miss there is yet nothing to be got by that Hazard Whereas on the other hand the sober Man ventures nothing against Happiness to be got if his Expectation comes to pass If the good Man be in the right he is eternally happy is he mistake he is not miserable he feels nothing On the other side if the wicked be in the right he is not happy if he mistake he is infinitely miserable Must it not be a most manifest wrong Judgment that does not presently see to which side in this Case the Preference is to be given I have forborn to mention any thing of the Certainty or Probability of a future State designing here to shew the wrong Judgment that any one must allow he makes upon his own Principles laid how he pleases who prefers the short Pleasures of a vicious Life upon any Consideration whilst he knows and cannot but be certain that a future Life is at least possible Essay l. 2. c. 21. § 38 65 70. Nothing of Pleasure or Pain in this Life can bear any Proportion to endless Happiness or exquisite Misery of an immortal Soul hereafter Let a Man see that Vertue and Religion are necessary to his Happiness let him look into the
and propose to them what yet remain'd to make them Christians but they were by the instigation of the Jews fallen upon and Paul stoned before he could come to open to them this other fundamental Article of the Gospel Thus Mr. Lock Second Vindication p. 384 who certainly rely'd very much upon his Reader 's Credulity when he writ this presuming that he would never consult the History of the Acts. For this that the Apostles had not time to proceed to the Article of the Messiah is his mere Fiction there is no ground for it nor the least footstep thereof in that History tho' he hath the Confidence to say that it is apparent yea the quite contrary appears that they had time to finish their Discourse and did finish it For S. Luke Act. 14. having set down their words or the sum of them v. 15 16 17 says v. 18. And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people that they had not done sacrifice to them This shews that they had finished their Discourse as it also shews what effect it had it did restrain the Multitude from sacrificing to them but with difficulty The People were at that time so far from stoning them or giving them any disturbance or interruption that they looked upon them as Gods come down to them in the likeness of Men and would have honour'd them as such Tho' after this and how long after Mr. Lock with all his Skill in Chronology cannot tell us Jews came from Antioch and Iconium who persuaded the People and they stoned Paul See Act. 14. 19. Lastly Is it not strange that he should say that this that Jesus is the Messiah was the only Gospel-Article preached by our Saviour and his Apostles and yet maintain that the Apostles did not in plain and direct words preach this Doctrine of his being the Messiah till after his Resurrection and that our Saviour did not in plain and direct words declare himself to the Jews to be the Messiah till near the time of his Death Thus in his Reasonableness of Christianity p. 55 c. having observed that there is a threefold declaration of the Messiah 1. by Miracles 2. by Phrases and Circumlocutions that did signify and intimate his coming tho' not in direct words pointing out his Person he comes p. 59. to the third or last which is by plain and direct words declaring the Doctrine of the Messiah speaking out that Jesus was he as we see the Apostles did when they went about preaching the Gospel after our Saviour's Resurrection This was the open clear way and that which one would think the Messiah himself when he came should have taken especially if it be of that moment that upon Mens believing him to be the Messiah depended the Forgiveness of their Sins And yet we see that our Saviour did not but on the contrary for the most part made no other discovery of himself at least in Judea and at the beginning of his Ministery but in the two former ways which were more obscure Thus Mr. Lock So that according to him as our Saviour did not take the open clear way of discovering himself to be the Messiah so his Disciples did not speak out that he was so till after his Resurrection Yea he insists largely upon our Saviour's concealment of his being the Christ. Now I say Is it not strange that he should dwell so long upon his concealing his being so and yet maintain at the same time that his being the Messiah was the only Gospel-Article preach'd by him Since Mr. Lock appeals so confidently to the History of the Evangelists and of the Acts and abounds so much in Citations out of them to make good his Pretentions insomuch that some have computed that this takes up about three quarters of his Reasonableness of Christianity it might have been expected that I should have examined the Texts by him alledg'd but that would have swell'd this Tract too much withal I may have an opportunity hereafter of doing this tho' that which hath been said might save that labor for it will be easie to shew that many of the places he produceth make indeed against and not for him As to the Commission given to the Apostles how comes it that he takes notice of that which they had when Christ sent them to preach to the Jews and makes no mention of that which he gave them when taking his solemn Farewel of them he sent them to preach to all Nations He ought certainly to have taken notice of the one as well as the other This Commission we have S. Mat. 28. 19 20. Go teach all Nations baptizing them in the name or into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things what soever I have commanded you The Apostles were to teach adult Persons before they baptiz'd them and what were they to teach them surely the necessary Doctrine concerning those in or into whose Name they were to be baptiz'd and so concerning the Holy Ghost as well as touching the Father and the Son If Mr. Lock will translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make Disciples it comes to to the same for they could not be made Disciples without being taught We see then what their Commission was viz. to teach the Doctrine of the Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity the Father Son and Holy Ghost and so to admit Men into the Church by Baptism And we are sure that they faithfully executed their Commission and did that which their Lord and Master gave them in charge Whence it is clearly manifest what the Apostles were to teach all Nations and consequently what they did teach them CHAP. XV. Of the Fall of Adam WHat Adam fell from was the state of perfect Obedience By this Fall he lost Paradise wherein was Tranquility and the Tree of Life i. e. he lost Bliss and Immortality The Penalty annex'd to the Breach of the Law stands thus Gen. 2. 17. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die How was this executed In the day he did eat he did not actually die but his Life began from thence to shorten and waste and to have an end Death i. e. a state of Death and Mortality enter'd by Sin Mr. Lock Reason of Christ. p. 3 4. By Death here I can understand nothing but a ceasing to be the losing of all Actions of Life and Sense Such a Death came on Adam and all his Posterity by his first Disobedience in Paradise under which Death they should have lain for ever had it not been for the Redemption by Jesus Christ Ibid. p. 6. As Adam was turned out of Paradise so all his Posterity was born out of it out of the reach of the Tree of Life all like their Father Adam in a state of Mortality void of the Tranquility and Bliss of Paradise Ibid. p. 7. Though all die in Adam yet none are truly punished but for their own Deeds Ibid.
should lose his Life but that he should be kept alive in perpetual exquisite Torments But the cases are not parallel for they that expound the Words Thou shalt surely die of a double Death say that he should both lose or depart out of this present Life and also after his Departure suffer those perpetual exquisite Torments Besides an earthly Lawgiver who can only kill the body when he says Thou shalt die cannot be supposed to mean that the Person should suffer such Torments but it cannot be inferr'd hence that when the heavenly Lawgiver who after he hath kill'd is able to destroy both Soul and Body in Hell says Thou shall die he may not fitly be suppos'd to threaten Eternal Death as well as Temporal But that which gives greatest Offence is still behind and that is that he describes that which we call a natural or temporal Death not only by losing all actions of Lise and Sense but also by ceasing to be His words are these By Death here I can understand nothing but ceasing to be the losing of all actions of Life and Sense see Reasonab of Christian. p. 6. And so again p. 15. This being the case that whoever is guilty of any Sin should certainly die and cease to be That when Men die their Bodies lose all actions of Life and Sense we need not be told but ceasing to be is a quite different thing and according to the known sense of the words can signify nothing but the being annihilated It will therefore concern Mr. Lock to find out some other Sense of the Words which we know not of for it seems very strange that he should make Death an Annihilation When Mr. Lock says that none are truly punished but for their own deeds Reasonab of Christian. p. 9. we may gather from that which immediately follows that his Meaning is that there will be no Condemnation to any one at the great Judgment but for his own Deeds but that Persons have suffer'd otherwise for the Sins of others there are sundry Instances in Holy Writ and Mr. Lock here alledges the Words of the Apostle affirming that in Adam all die CHAP. XVI Of the Law of Nature and of Moses's Law THe Law of Nature is a Law knowable by the Light of Nature i. e. without the help of positive Revelation It is something that we may attain to the knowledge of by our natural Faculties from natural Principles Mr. Lock Essay l. 1. c. 3. § 13. The existence of God is so many ways manifest and the Obedience we owe him so congruous to the Light of Reason that a great part of Mankind give Testimony to the Law of Nature Ibid. § 6. Every Christian both as a Deist and as a Christian is obliged to study both the Law of Nature and the revealed Law that in them he may know the Will of God and of Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Second Vindication p. 77. The Civil and Ritual part of the Law delivered by Moses obliges not Christians tho' to the Jews it were a part of the Law of Works it being a part of the Law of Nature that Man ought to obey every positive Law of God whenever he shall please to make any such Addition to the Law of his Nature But the moral part of Moses's Law or the moral Law which is every where the same the eternal Rule of Right obliges Christians and all Men every where and is to all Men the standing Law of Works Reasonab of Christian. p. 21 22. No one Precept or Rule of the eternal Law of Right which is holy just and good is abrogated or repeal'd nor indeed can be whilst God is an holy just and righteous God and Man a rational Creature The duties of that Law arising from the Constitution of his very Nature are of eternal obligation and it cannot be taken away or dispens'd with without changing the nature of things and overturning the Measures of Right and Wrong Ibid. p. 214. Thus Mr. Lock OBSERVATIONS It is known to be Mr. Lock 's darling Notion That there are no innate Ideas and no innate Law and consequently according to him the Law of Nature is not innate but he tells us that the knowledge of it is attain'd by the light of Nature or by our natural Faculties from natural Principles But I would ask him Whence we have these natural Principles from which by our natural Faculties we attain to the Knowledge of the Law of Nature for he denies all innate Principles Will he say then that we owe them to the Superstition of a Nurse or the Authority of an Old Woman or our Educations for these he mentions Essay l. 1. c. 3. § 22. and 26. where he is giving an account how Men commonly come by their Principles If he say this I would know why he calls those which are taught us by Old Women or our Nurses Parents and School-Masters natural Principles If Mr. Lock please to satisfie us as to these Queries I may possibly farther consider his Description of the Law of Nature Farther I believe that there have been many that have not made use of the Light of Reason and the natural Faculties which God hath given them as they should have done and withal have not had the advantage of any Revelation or of being taught who yet have had some Knowledge of the Duties and Dictates of the Law of Nature and have assented to them as just and good as soon as they were proposed to them CHAP. XVII Of Natural and Revealed Religion or of the Light of Reason and that of Revelation IT is not to be wonder'd that the Will of God when cloath'd in words should be liable to that Doubt and Uncertainty which unavoidably attends that sort of Conveyance And we ought to magnifie his Goodness that he hath spread before all the World such legible Characters of his Works and Providence and given all Mankind so sufficient a light of Reason that they to whom this written Word never came could not whenever they set themselves to search either doubt of the being of a God or of the Obedience due to him Since then the Precepts of Natural Religion are plain and very intelligible to all Mankind and seldom come to be controverted and other reveal'd Truths which are convey'd to us by Books and Languages are liable to the common and natural Obscurities incident to Words methinks it would become us to be more careful and diligent in observing the former and less magisterial positive and imperious in imposing our own Sense and Interpretations of the latter Mr. Lock Essay l. 3. c. 9. § 23. Whatsoever Truth we come to the discovery of from the Knowledge and Contemplation of our own clear Ideas will always be certainer to us than those which are convey'd to us by Traditional Revelation for the Knowledge we have that this Revelation came from God can never be so sure as the Knowledge that we have from our own clear and
future State of Bliss or Misery and see there God the righteous Judge ready to render to every one according to his Deeds to them that by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality eternal Life but to every Soul that doth evil Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish To him I say who hath a Prospect of the different State of perfect Happiness or Misery that attends all Men after this Life depending on their Behaviour here the measures of Good and Evil that govern his Choice are mightily changed Ibid. § 60. Our Saviour requires the Obedience of his Disciples to several of the Commands of the Moral Law he afresh lays upon them with the Enforcement of unspeakable Rewards and Punishments in another World according to their Obedience or Disobedience Reasonab of Christian. p. 234. The Son of God would in vain have come into the World to lay the Foundation of a Kingdom and gather together a select People out of the World if they being found guilty at their Appearance before the Judgment-Seat of the righteous Judge of all Men at the last Day instead of Entrance into eternal Life in the Kingdom he had prepared for them they should receive Death the just Reward of Sin which every one of them was guilty of This second Death would have left him no Subjects Ibid. p. 211. Open Mens Eyes upon the endless unspeakable Joys of another Life and their Hearts will find something solid and powerful to move them to live well here The View of Heaven and Hell will cast a Slight upon the short Pleasures and Pains of this present State and give Attractions and Encouragements to Vertue which Reason and Interest and the Care of our selves cannot but allow Ibid. p. 291 292. Thus Mr. Lock OBSERVATIONS As to the Article of the Resurrection the first Enquiry must be Whether there are to be found any such express Words in the Scripture as that the Body shall rise or be raised or the Resurrection of the Body where the general Resurrection is spoken of If when Mr. Lock denies that such express Words are found in the Scripture see his Third Letter p. 210. his Meaning be that those very express Words are not found I grant that they are not but if he mean farther that express Words which signifie the very same thing are not to be found the contrary will easily appear In Rom. 8. 23. there are these express Words the Redemption of our Body and Mr. Lock in Reasonab of Christian. p. 206. tells us that thereby is plainly meant the Change of these frail mortal Bodies into the spiritual immortal Bodies at the Resurrection when this Mortal shall have put on Immortality In the same Chapter v. 11. we find these express Words Quicken your mortal Bodies He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall make them to live restore them to Life after Death as he restor'd the crucified Body of Christ to Life so that to quicken our mortal Bodies is the same with raising them And Mr. Lock in his Third Letter p. 199. saying that in the New Testament it is said Raise the Dead Quicken or make alive the Dead the Resurrection of the Dead clearly makes to Quicken and to Raise to signifie the same And St. Chrysostom not to mention Occumenius and Theophylact who follow him gives a Reason why St. Paul says Quicken or give Life to our mortal Bodies rather than raise them viz. Because he here speaks only of those who should be raised to Life i. e. a blissful or happy Life viz. the Faithful who have the Spirit of God dwelling in them not of the Wicked who shall also be rais'd but says he unto Punishment not unto Life There is a third Text which hath so near a Resemblance to these that it may well be join'd with them viz. Phil. 3. 21. Who shall change our vile Body that it may be conformed to his glorious Body When shall the Saviour the Lord Christ effect this wonderful Change that our vile Body shall be made conformable to his glorious Body Surely then when he shall quicken or raise it and that will be when he comes from Heaven to judge the World see v. 20. Here is not indeed the Word Raise but it is plainly imply'd The Blessed Jesus when he comes from Heaven will raise our vile Body and make it conform'd to his own glorious Body Will Mr. Lock say that the general Resurrection is not spoken of in these Places He cannot say it of the first viz. Rom. 8. 23. without retracting his own express Words in Reasonab of Christian. p. 206. He cannot say it of the third viz. Philip. 3. 21. because the immediately foregoing Verse points us to the Time of Christ's coming from Heaven to judge the World He may perhaps say it of the second viz. Rom. 8. 11. because some before him have said that the general Resurrection is not spoken of in that Text particularly Calvin and Piscator Calvin in loc hath these Words Mortalia corpora vocat quicquid adhuc restat in nob is morti obnoxium ut mos illi usit at us est crassioram nostri partem hoc nomine appellare Unde colligimus non de ultima resurrectione quae momento fiet haberi sermonem sed de continua Spiritus operatione quae reliquias carnis paulatim mortificans caelestem vitam in nobis instaurat He tells us that by mortal Bodies is understood whatsoever remains still in us obnoxious to Death which we may grant him for our Souls are not obnoxious to Death and therefore our mortal Bodies contain all that remains in us liable to Death He tells us also that it is the Apostle's usual manner to call the grosser part of us by that Name i. e. by the Name of Body and we may likewise grant him this for every one grants that the Body is the grosser part of us But now what would he gather from this Whence says he we collect that the last Resurrection is not spoken of His Argument put into Form is this The Apostle by mortal Bodies understands whatsoever remains still in us obnoxious to Death therefore the last Resurrection is not spoken of Mr. Lock may try if he pleases whether he can find out any thing to tie this Antecedent and Consequent together but I can pronounce that it will not be very easie for him to do it Piscater's Words are these Quum certum sit Apostolum hic non lequi de resurrectione corporum sed animarum Tho' our own Eyes tell us that the Apostle uses the word Bodies not Souls yet if we will believe Piscator it is certain that here he speaks not of the Resurrection of Bodies but of Souls And how is it certain Mr. Calvin hath said it that is all the Assurance that I know of He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies these
are the Apostle's Words If when he says he raised up Christ from the dead he speaks of the Resurrection of his Body not of his Soul how can we be certain that when he says Shall quicken your mortal Bodies he speaks of the Resurrection not of their Bodies but of their Souls We see then that if Mr. Lock fly to this to say that the general Resurrection is not spoken of Rom. 8. 11. he will not be much help'd either by Calvin or Piscator I confess that there is one who makes the Words to be capable of a two-fold Sense and that is Crellius According to him they may be interpreted either of the future raising or quickening our mortal Bodies or of the spiritual quickening them which consists in this that they live unto Righteousness and unto God But he makes the former the principal Sense the latter only secundary As Mr. Lock says of the Resurrection of the Body so he says of the Resurrection of the same Body viz. That he does not remember any Place in the New Testament where it is so much as mention'd see his Third Letter p. 166. And my Answer will be the same viz. That these very express Words The Resurrection of the same Body are not to be found but there are Words that signifie so much or from which it may be clearly and necessarily inferr'd I may instance in the three Places above-cited Rom. 8. 11 23. Phil. 3. 21. where St. Paul by our Body our vile Body and our mortal Bodies certainly understood the Bodies which he and the Romans and the Philippians then had and says of these that they should be redeemed quickned changed Who shall change our vile Body that it i. e. that vile Body may be conformed to his glorious Body Philip. 3. And as I have observ'd before Mr. Lock Reasonab of Christian. p. 206. says That by the Redemption of our Body Rom. 8. 23. is plainly meant the Change of these frail mortal Bodies into spiritual immortal Bodies at the Resurrection when this mortal shall have put on immortality 1 Cor. 15. 54. Thus he It is observable also that in his Third Letter p. 197. when the Words of that Text 1 Cor. 15. 53 54. were urged to prove the Resurrection of the same Body he returns no Answer to them and did very prudently in returning none For doth not St. Paul expresly affirm that this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality i. e. this corruptible this mortal must be rais'd to a Life of Incorruption and Immortality And doth he not also repeat it When this corruptible c. What can be more plain This corruptible this mortal which are the Apostle's repeated Expressions these frail mortal Bodies which is Mr. Lock 's own Expression shall be rais'd the Light of the brightest Day cannot be more clear Some perhaps will say that Mr. Lock does by no means deny that the same Bodies shall be raised at the last Day they are his own Words in his Third Letter p. 195. To which I answer 1. If he do not deny it why doth he dispute so earnestly against it Why doth he endeavour to the utmost of his Power to baffle the Arguments that are urged for the Proof of it A great many Pages of his Third Letter being taken up in the discussing this one Point 2. He says he does by no means deny it but does he believe it If he do believe it it is not upon the Account of any Argument drawn from Reason for he tells us more than once in his Essay that the Resurrection of the Body is above Reason Reason has directly nothing to do with it but it is purely Matter of Faith see his Essay l. 4. c. 17. § 23. and c. 18. § 7. He must then believe it upon the Account of some Arguments drawn from Scripture or being convinced by some Texts of Scripture which teach this Truth If so he deserves to be sharply reprehended for that he would not acquaint us what Texts of Scripture they are that teach it so clearly Especially having taken so much Pains to shew that the Places of Scripture alledged by others did not prove it he ought to have directed us to those Scriptures which did and by the Cogency of which he was brought to believe it But the Truth is he says plainly that there are no Scriptures that do prove it affirming that the Scriptures propose to us that at the last Day the Dead shall be raised without determining whether it shall be with the very same Bodies or no see his Third Letter p. 168. Tho' therefore he does say that he by no means denies that the same Bodies shall be rais'd at the last Day yet it clearly appears that he does not believe that they shall for according to him there are no Arguments either from Scripture or Reason to induce him to believe it Mr. Lock 's Doctrine concerning Adam's Fall and our Redemption by Christ is this God told Adam that in the Day that he did eat of such a Tree he should surely die where by Death Mr. Lock can understand nothing but a ceasing to be the losing all Actions of Life and Sense Such a Death came on Adam and all his Posterity by his first Disobedience under which Death they should have lain for ever had it not been for the Redemption by Jesus Christ who will bring them all to Life again at the last Day see for this Reasonab of Christian. p. 3 6 11. But then he tells us p. 15. that this being the case that whoever is guilty of any Sin should certainly die and cease to be the Benefit of Life restor'd by Christ at the Resurrection would have been no great Advantage if God had not found out a way to justifie some The Reason of which he gives in a Parenthesis For as much says he as here again i. e. after the Resurrection Death must have seiz'd upon all Mankind all Mankind must have died and ceas'd to be the second time because all had sinned for the Wages of Sin is every where Death which Death is a ceasing to be as well after as before the Resurrection This Death after the Resurrection is that which p. 211. he calls the second Death which says he would have left Christ no Subjects if God had not found out a way to justifie some As to those who at the Resurrection shall be found unjustified that second Death shall seize upon them and sweep them away so that according to Mr. Lock they shall cease to be i. e. be annihilated for I can find out no other Sense that these Words Cease to be are capable of Tho' I confess I do not see that this Sense can be consistent with several other Expressions which he uses viz. that dreadful Estate of Misery the infinite Misery the exquisite Misery of an immortal Soul the perfect Misery the Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish which shall be
Divinitatis alicujus opinionem quam sententiam nos falsam esse arbitramur And one Reason why he thought thus was because not only some single Persons but also whole Nations are found which have no sense or suspicion of a Deity He instances in the Province of Brasil or Bresil as he calls it and appeals to Historians for the Truth of it How near Mr. Lock comes to this the Reader may judge who in his Essay l. 4. c. 10. § 1. says expresly that God hath stamp'd no original Characters on our Minds wherein we may read his Being and his first and principal Reason for this l. 1. c. 4. § 8. is because besides the Atheists taken notice of among the Ancients there have been whole Nations amongst whom hath been found no Notion of a God He instances as in other places so in Brasil and appeals to Navigators and Historians for the Truth of it The Socinians say that the Soul separated from the Body hath no Sense cannot perform any Action or enjoy any Pleasure till the Resurrection Smalcius frequently inculcates this Spiritus a corpore separatus nullo sensu praeditus est nulla voluptate fruitur ante adventum Christi And again Spiritus sine corpore nullas actiones exercere potest So Smalcius de extremo judicio § 3. and in Examine Errorum Error 88. Non credimus Spiritum qui ad Deum redit aliquid sentire aut beatitate aliqua frui ante Christi adventum In like manner Socinus himself in his 5th Epistle to Volkelius declares it to be his firm Opinion Post hanc vitam animam hominis non it a per se subsistere ut praemia ulla poenasve sentiat vel ista sentiendi sit capax See also to this purpose Crellius in Heb. 11. 40. And Slichtingius in 1 Cor. 15. 32. As to Mr. Lock they that have leisure may enquire whether his words in his Reasonab of Christian. p. 6. do not look toward this when he says that Death is the losing of all Actions of Life and Sense For it is not easie to conceive how this can be true unless when Men die the Soul lose all Actions of Life and Sense as well as the Body doth Socinus and his Followers deny Original Sin and the Corruption of our Nature because of Adam's Transgression Concludimus nullum peccatum originale esse i. e. ex peccato illo primi parentis nullam labem aut pravitatem universo humano generi necessario ingenitam esse sive inflictam quodammodo fuisse So Socinus in his Praelectiones Theolog. cap. 4. He is follow'd by the Racovian Catechism Cap. 10. Quaest. 2. Peccatum originis nullum prorsus est nec e Scriptura id peccatum originis doceri potest Et lapsus Adae cum unus actus fuerit vim eam quae depravare ipsam naturam Adami multominus vero posteriorum ipsius posset habere non potuit To the same purpose are the Words of Volkelius De vera Religione l. 5. c. 18. Mr. Lock is not so positive as they are but he says that the New Testament doth not any where take notice of the Corruption of Humane Nature in Adam's Posterity nor tells us that Corruption seiz'd on all because of Adam's Transgression as well as it tells us so of Death The Socinians say that the same Bodies shall not arise at the general Resurrection Corpora haec quae nunc circumferimus resurrectura non credimus sed alia nobis danda esse ab Apostolo edocti statuimus So Smalcius in Examin Errorum Err. 89. Corpora in quibus reviviscent venient mortui non ea sunt corpora in quibus mortales vixerunt quorum corruptione mortui sunt sed illa sunt longe istis praestantiora Slichtingius Comment in 1 Cor. 15. 37. Illi vim argumentationis Apostolicae convellunt qui in eisdem numero corporibus nos aliquando resurrecturos statuunt Crellius Comment in 1 Cor. 15. 13. They that please may also consult Volkelius De vera Religione l. 3. c. 35. As to Mr. Lock a large Account hath been given above Chap. 31. of what he saith as to this Particular viz. the same Bodies being rais'd Where we may also see that he proceeds farther than perhaps the Socinians do saying that he finds no such express words in the Scripture as that the Body shall rise or be raised See the Third Letter p. 210. To which something hath been said in the forecited Chap. 31. and now by way of farther Answer I desire that 1 Cor. 15. 42 43 44. may be consulted It is sown in Corruption it is rais'd in Incorruption it is sown in Ignominy it is rais'd in Glory it is sown in Weakness it is rais'd in Power it is sown a natural Body it is rais'd a spiritual Body Now I ask What is it that is rais'd in Incorruption in Glory in Power and a Spiritual Body Mr. Lock will surely answer that it is the Body And if the Body be so necessarily understood it is the same as if it was express'd Besides the words v. 44. may be rendred The Body is raised Spiritual and so we have the express words that the Body is raised The Wicked's suffering eternal Torments after this Life is deny'd by the Socinians Impios futuros immortales nempe in aeternum opprobrium nec usquam sacrae Literae comprobant nec quicquam ex illis afferri posse videtur unde sententia illa probari possit So Smalcius in Refut Frantzii p. 415. Ut Deus in omnibus justitiae tenax est ita hic quoque super neminem extendet paenam meritis ejus majorem Nulla autem esse possunt peccata tam gravia quae sempiternis cruciatibus possunt aequari Wolzogenius Comment in Matth. 24. 46. The like hath Ernestus Somnerus in his Demonstration intituled Demonstratio Theologica Philosophica quod aeterna impiorum supplicia non arguant Dei justitiam sed injustitiam As to Socinus himself that he was of the same Opinion appears sufficiently from his Disputation with Puccius and the Letters which past between Volkelius and him about it What Mr. Lock 's Opinion is as to this I shall not determine On the one hand his making the Death which was threatned to Adam and which he says is the Wages of Sin as well after as before the Resurrection not to be an eternal Life in Misery or the being kept alive in perpetual exquisite Torments but a Ceasing to be may incline us to think that in this great Point he holds the same that the Socinians do See his Reasonab of Christian. p. 5 6 15. On the other hand How far his mentioning infinite Misery exquisite Misery unspeakable Punishments perfect Misery Tribulation and Anguish Indignation and Wrath which shall be after this Life and his transcribing the words of our Saviour in which he speaks of everlasting Fire and everlasting Punishment may argue that he doth not hold with them I know not FINIS
v. 4. But to wave this Whereas Mr. Lock so often saith that by examining what the Apostles preach'd all through their History he had found that the Word preach'd by them was nothing but this that Jesus was the Messiah I have just now shew'd that it is easie for any one to find the contrary by examining only that part of the History of the Apostles which we have Acts 10. from v. 34. to v. 44. and Acts 13. from v. 23. to v. 42. where by Mr. Lock 's own Confession they treated of the Miracles Death Resurrection and Dominion of our Saviour and of his coming to judge the World as also of Remission of Sins by him See him in Reasonab of Christian p. 41. and Second Vindication p. 307. In his Reasonab of Christian. p. 194. Mr. Lock says Above threescore Years after our Saviour's Passion St. John knew nothing else required to be believ'd for the attaining of Life but that Jesus is the Messiah the Son of God But will he hold to this that St. John knew nothing else requir'd to be believ'd and admit of no Limitation or Exception Did he not know that it was necessary to believe One Only True God St. John 17. 3. Did he not know that it was necessary to believe that God rais'd the Lord Jesus from the dead But what shall we say to the Words of St. John 20. 31. which Mr. Lock alledges Ibid. p. 193. and from which he inferrs this These are written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Messiah the Son of God and that believing ye may have Life in his Name I answer That it may be said 1. That here it is as much required that we believe Jesus to be the Son of God as 't is to believe him to be the Messiah 2. That these that Jesus is the Messiah and that he is the Son of God are two principal Articles and therefore mention'd by St. John but he does not say These are written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and only this neither does he say And that believing this alone ye may have Life But And that believing in general i. e. believing all that the Holy Ghost makes necessary to be believ'd If thou believe in thine Heart that God rais'd the Lord Jesus from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10. 9. Because in these Words our Lord's Resurrection is solely insisted on Mr. Lock will not conclude that St. Paul knew nothing else requir'd to be believed for attaining Life but that And then why should he conclude concerning St. John that he knew nothing else requir'd to be believ'd but these two Articles that Jesus is the Messiah and that he is the Son of God because St. John 20. 31. he mentions only these I know that Mr. Lock does not allow us to call them two Articles but I am so little moved with his saying and not proving that Messiah and the Son of God are two Expressions signifying one and the same thing that I make bold to do it without his License Mr. Lock perhaps will think that I neglect him if I do not take notice of his Chronology He says That above threescore Years after our Saviour's Passion St. John knew nothing else required to be believ'd His Reason is Because St. John's Gospel was written so long after as says he both Epiphanius and St. Jerom assure us I shall grant that St. John's Gospel might perhaps be writ so long after our Lord's Crucifixion for St. Hierom in Catalogo and in Lib. 1. con Jovinian says That Ecclesiastical History makes St. John to have liv'd threescore and eight Years after the Lord's Passion But I cannot but take notice of Mr. Lock 's Caution some may call it his Prudence in not referring us to the Places where Epiphanius and St. Hierom assure us that it was writ so late As to Epiphanius it is true that in Haeres 51. he says that St. John writ his Gospel after the ninetieth Year of his Age and if he had also told us how old St. John was at the time when our Saviour was crucified we might have known whether according to Epiphanius St. John writ his Gospel above threescore Years after our Lord's Passion but I do not remember that Epiphanius hath any where told us St. John's Age at the time of our Saviour's Suffering And as to St. Hierom I have not found that he doth acquaint us either in what Year of his own Age or how long after his Lord's Passion it was that St. John writ his Gospel CHAP. XXIII Of Saving Faith and Vnbelief THey that believe Jesus to be the Messiah their King but will not obey his Laws and will not have him to rule over them they are but greater Rebels and God will not justifie them for a Faith which doth but increase their Guilt and oppose diametrically the Kingdom and Design of the Messiah who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Tit. 2. 14. And therefore St. Paul tells the Galatians That that which availeth is Faith but Faith working by Love and that Faith without Works i. e. the Works of sincere Obedience to the Law and Will of Christ is not sufficient for our Justification St. James shews at large Chap. 2. Only those who believe Jesus to be the Messiah and take him to be their King with a sincere Endeavour after Righteousness in obeying his Law shall have their past Sins not imputed to them and shall have that Faith taken instead of Obedience Mr. Lock 's Reasonab of Christian. p. 213 214 215. None are sentenced or punish'd for Unbelief but only for their Misdeeds They are Workers of Iniquity on whom the Sentence is pronounced Every where the Sentence follows doing or not doing without any mention of believing or not believing Not that any to whom the Gospel hath been preach'd shall be sav'd without believing Jesus to be the Messiah for all being Sinners and Transgressors of the Law and so unjust are all liable to Condemnation unless they believe and so through Grace are justified by God for this Faith which shall be accounted to them for Righteousness But the rest wanting this Cover this Allowance for their Transgressions must answer for all their Actions and being found Transgressors of the Law shall by the Letter and Sanction of the Law be condemned for not having paid a full Obedience to that Law and not for want of Faith That is not the Guilt on which the Punishment is laid tho' it be the want of Faith which lays open their Guilt uncover'd and exposes them to the Sentence of the Law against all that are unrighteous Ibid. p. 243 245 246. Thus Mr. Lock OBSERVATIONS Of the Expression Justified for Faith whereas the Scripture-Language is Justified by Faith I took notice before Chap. 19. and 21. Here I cannot but observe how apt Men are
that he did preach viz. That Men should repent and believe the good Tidings which he brought them Believing Jesus to be the Messiah and repenting were so necessary and fundamental Parts of the Covenant of Grace that one of them alone is often put for both Repentance is not only a Sorrow for Sins past but what is a natural Consequence of that Sorrow if it be real a turning from them into a new and contrary Life It is an hearty Sorrow for our past Misdeeds and a sincere Resolution and Endeavour to the utmost of our Power to conform all our Actions to the Law of God It does not consist in one single Act of Sorrow tho' that being the first and leading Act gives Denomination to the whole but in doing Works meet for Repentance in a sincere Obedience to the Law of Christ the remainder of our Lives It is in other Words well express'd by newness of Life And sometimes turning about is put alone to signifie Repentance Mr. Lock Reasonab of Christian. p. 197 198 200 201. To be baptized into his Name is to enroll our selves into the Kingdom of Jesus the Messiah and profess our selves his Subjects By Baptism we are made Denizons and solemnly incorporated into that Kingdom Ibid. p. 212 213. Baptism was made use of by our Saviour to be that solemn visible Act whereby those who believ'd him to be the Messiah receiv'd him as their King and profess'd Obedience to him were admitted as Subjects into his Kingdom So Peter began Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptiz'd these two things were required for the Remission of Sins Ibid. p. 199 200. God propos'd to the Children of Men that as many of them as would believe Jesus his Son to be the Messiah the promised Deliverer and would receive him for their King and Ruler should have all their past Sins Disobedience and Rebellion forgiven them and if for the future they liv'd in a sincere Obedience to his Law to the utmost of their Power the Sins of Humane Frailty for the time to come as well as all those of their past Lives should for his Son's sake because they gave themselves up to him to be his Subjects be forgiven them Tho' in consideration of Mens becoming Christ's Subjects by Faith in him whereby they believe and take him to be the Messiah their former Sins shall be forgiven yet he will own none to be his nor receive them as true Denizons of the New Jerusalem into the Inheritance of Eternal Life but leave them to the Condemnation of the Unrighteous who renounce not their former Miscarriages and live in a sincere Obedience to his Commands Ibid. p. 211 212 241. Thus Mr. Lock OBSERVATIONS Believing Jesus to be the Messiah and Repenting are so necessary and fundamental Parts of the Covenant of Grace that one of them alone is often put for both so Mr. Lock Reasonab of Christian. p. 198. But I would know why they are the more necessary and fundamental Parts of the Convenant of Grace on this account that one of them alone is oft put for both or how this that one of them alone is oft put for both doth prove that they are necessary and fundamental Parts of it Withal how appears it that one of them alone is oft put for both All the Proof that he tenders for it is in the Words immediately following For says he St. Mark chap. 6. 12. mentions nothing but their preaching Repentance as St. Luke in the parallel Place chap. 9. 6. mentions nothing but their evangelizing or preaching the good News of the Kingdom of the Messiah Thus Mr. Lock But how will he hence make good this Inference Therefore of these two Believing and Repenting one alone is oft put for both There is no mention of believing in either Place St. Luke says that the Apostles preach'd the Gospel St. Mark says that they preach'd that Men should repent of believing here is not a Word But from both Texts we may gather that this That Jesus is the Messiah was not the only Article which the Apostles preach'd For in St. Mark 6. 12. they preach'd that Men should repent or that they should have their Sins remitted upon their Repentance as St. Peter afterward preach'd Repent and be baptiz'd for the Remission of Sins Acts 2. 38. and as our Saviour says St. Luke 24. 47. that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be preach'd so that it is clear that the Apostles preach'd this Article of Remission of Sins upon our repenting And then in St. Luke 9. 6. they preach'd the Gospel which comprehends more than that one Article That Jesus is the Messiah as the good News that a Saviour was born into the World c. Mr. Lock in Reasonab of Christianity p. 201. having said that sometimes turning about is put alone to signifie Repentance cites St. Matth. 13. 15. and St. Luke 22. 32. where the Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and why that should be rendred to turn about rather than to convert or turn I am to be taught Ibid. p. 212. he says That to be baptiz'd into the Name of Christ is to enroll our selves in the Kingdom of Jesus the Messiah But as we are said to be baptiz'd in or into the Name of the Lord Jesus so we are also said to be baptiz'd in or into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost St. Matth. 28. 19. Now to be baptiz'd in the Name of the Holy Ghost cannot signifie the enrolling our selves in the Kingdom of the Holy Ghost for we do not read in Holy Writ of the Kingdom of the Holy Ghost as we do of the Kingdom of the dear Son of God And why then should we make In or into the Name to signifie one thing when it is spoken of the Son and another when it is spoken of the Holy Ghost or of the whole blessed and glorious Trinity As then to baptize in or into the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is to baptize 1. by Authority and Commission from them 2. into the Worship and faithful Service of them all the Days of our Life So I conceive we are to interpret the being baptiz'd in or into the Name of the Lord Jesus Ibid. p. 241. Mr. Lock says In consideration of Mens becoming Christ's Subjects by Faith in him whereby they believe and take him to be the Messiah their former Sins shall be forgiven But other where he makes Men become the Subjects of Christ by Baptism as well as by Faith and both Repentance and Baptism to be required for the Remission of Sins alledging Acts 2. 38. and not Faith only And therefore he might have express'd the Gospel-Terms or the Conditions of Forgiveness more fully by saying that if Men repent and believe the Gospel and be baptized they shall through the Merits and Death of their blessed Saviour have their former Sins forgiven CHAP. XXV Of the Immortality of the Soul and
concerning them for there is no Verb for this Nominative Case Men ignorant of Words c. But I suppose that it is to be supply'd out of that which follows so that his Meaning is this When it shall be made out that Men ignorant of Words or untaught by the Laws and Customs of their Country and all Men whatsoever do actually know and allow that it is part of the Worship of God not to kill a Man not to know more Women than one not to procure Abortion not to expose their Children not to take from another what is his tho' we want it our selves but on the contrary relieve and supply his Wants and whenever we have done the contrary we ought to repent be sorry and resolve to do so no more When I say all Men shall be prov'd actually to know and allow all these and a thousand other such Rules all which come under these two general Words Vertues and Sins there will be more Reason for admitting these and the like for common Notions and practical Principles Thus Mr. Lock who seems to deal very hardly with the Lord Herbert's third and fourth Propositions in that he will not admit them to be common Notions or as much as practical Principles until it be prov'd that all Men in the World even those that are ignorant of Words and untaught by the Laws and Customs of their Country do actually know and also allow of all these and a thousand other such Rules Methinks if all Men did actually know these and but half a thousand other such Truths we might see very great Reason for admitting those two Propositions to be of great use for directing our Practice and consequently to have a good Title to be accounted practical Rules or Principles St. Paul Rom. 1. instanceth in many things which the Gentiles actually knew to be ill Actions that will draw on Punishment upon the Doers and consequently according to Mr. Lock Sins for having enumerated them from v. 24. to v. 32. he says v. 32. that they knew that those who do such things are worthy of Death Now must not every one confess that the Lord Herbert's fourth Proposition That Men must repent if they would have those Sins forgiven and escape the Punishment due for them would have been of very great use to them Yea if Men have but Means to know that many things are Vertues or Vices the two fore-mention'd Propositions must not be deny'd to be practical Principles and such as might be very useful in Humane Life because through their own Default many do not actually know that they are Vertues or Vices The Lord Herbert makes that golden Rule St. Matth. 7. 12. Whatsoever things ye would that Men should do unto you do ye so to them to be a common Notion writ in the Hearts of Men and would they but call it frequently to mind and apply it to particular Actions by the Light of this they might know whether they have the Nature of Sin or no. The Application of this Rule to particular Actions would help us to the Knowledge of a great part of our Duty toward our Neighbour and therefore our Saviour says that this is the Law and the Prophets All my Duty toward my Neighbour depends upon it the whole Law concerning that is fulfill'd in it it is the Foundation of all Justice and Charity to Men. Hence it was that the Emperour Severus Alexander having heard this Sentence from the Jews or Christians we may rather think Christians caus'd it to be proclaim'd by the Cryer and to be writ on the Palace and on Publick Works see Jul. Capitolinus in Alexandro Severo To conclude then according to the Lord Herbert as that Proposition They must repent of their Sins if they would have God aton'd to them is writ upon the Hearts of Men so also is this Sentence All things whatsoever ye would that Men should do to you do ye likewise to them By which if they be not wanting to themselves they may know in a great measure what particular Actions are Sins and what they ought to do so that if that Proposition be not useful and instructive to them it is their own Fault Mr. Lock having said that when all Men shall be prov'd actually to know and allow all these and a thousand other such Rules there will be more Reason for admitting these for common Notions lest this Concession should be too liberal adds Yet after all universal Consent were there any in Moral Principles to Truths the Knowledge whereof might be attain'd otherwise would scarce prove them to be innate which is all I contend for Thus Mr. Lock But I do not well understand the meaning of the last words which is all that I contend for Doth which relate to that which is here express'd viz. that universal Consent to Truths the Knowledge whereof might be attain'd otherwise will scarce prove them to be innate so that this is all that he contends for Or doth it refer to something not express'd Mr. Lock having a Privilege to use Words otherwise than ordinary Persons are allow'd to do To this latter I incline that it is his meaning that he contends for no more than this that the Lord Herbert's Propositions are not innate tho' this is not express'd But let the one or the other be his meaning unless we were certain that by his Notitiae communes or Catholick Truths written in the Minds of Men the Lord Herbert meant the same that Mr. Lock doth by his innate Principles we cannot say that that honourable Person is at all concern'd or that Mr. Lock 's Conclusion doth contradict any thing that he hath deliver'd Thus I have consider'd all that Mr. Lock hath said in these five Sections wherein he hath to do with the Lord Herbert And now must it not seem strange that he should take upon him to examine what is written by a Person so eminent for his Parts as well as his Quality and after all have so little to say against him He only toucheth very slightly upon three of his Propositions or Notitiae communes viz. the first second and fifth and as to the third and fourth he had done better if he had pass'd them by as slightly unless he had said something more to the purpose Yea he is so far from confuting that he comes very far up toward the confirming all that the honourable Person design'd For he says plainly § 15. that all the five Propositions are such Truths as if rightly explain'd a rational Creature can hardly avoid giving his Assent to Now of such things as so soon as they are alledged all Men acknowledge them to be true or good they require no Proof or farther Discourse to be assured of the Truth or Goodness of them we need not fear to say that they seem to have a good Title to be receiv'd for common Notions or Catholick Truths written in the Hearts of Men which is all that the Lord Herbert contends