doth punish some for the glory of his justice but not through any hatred of their sin This last reason affirmed by Mr. Banes is now revoaked Thus we see by what spirit these men are led being ashamed of his error And now I have set before you the Christ of the Legalists as they scornfully call us and the Christ of the Antinomians Now if it seem evil to you to serve the Lords Christ chuse you this day whom you will serve whether the Antinomians fained Christ or the true Christ of God But as for me and my house we wil serve the Lord Josh 24.15 Halt no longer between two opinions But if Baal be God follow him but if the Lord be God follow him And like Iehn destroy the name of Baal out of Israel 2 Kings 10.28 Hos 2.17 Let us not put the Lord to decide the controversie by fire from heaven having his word the true Judge of all controversies Therefore whosoever shall despise the Word shal be destroyed and he that feareth the Commandement shall be rewarded prov 13.13 Then be not led away with a fained Christ but cleave to the Lords Christ who is able to keep that which thou committest to his trust and to present thee faultlesse and unreprovable in his sight Coloss 1.22 Now the Lord open thine eyes to see clearly into all these things that differ and give thee grace to hold fast that which is good that thou maist be setled upon the true foundation and there stand like mount Zion unmoveable for ever Psalm 125.1 The grounds of true Christian Religion very necessary to build us on the true Rocke Iesus Christ WHat is the true Christian Religion Answ It is the way to worship God through Jesus Christ according to his own appoyntment First it is called the way of holinesse Isa 35.8 The new and living way Heb. 10 20. The narrow way Mat. 7. the way everlasting Ps 139.14 And it must be in Christ For God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe 2 Cor 5.19 And according to his own appointment For all those Ceremonies Types of Christ were done as the Lord commanded Moses Exo. 40. Therefore Christ as a son over his owne house Heb. 3.6 Spake as having authority not as the Scribes Mat. 7.29 He saith all power in heaven earth is givento him ver 28.18 Therefore he in his own name saith Thus you have heard but I say thus unto you Math. 5.28 What are the parts of Religion to be known Answ They are two First is concerning truths to be known that you may prove what is that good acceptable perfect will of God Thou art a Iew knowst his wil Rom. 12.2 3.18 The 2 concerning truths to be practised Thy people shal be willing in the day of thy power Ps 110.3 If ye be willing obedient ye shal eat the good of the land Isa 3.19 Not he that saith Lord Lord but he that doth the will of my Father shal be saved Math. 7.21 The doer of the work shal be blessed in the deed Iam 1.25 Let us hold fast our profession Heb. 4.14.10.23 He that holdeth out to the end shall be saved Mark 13.13 What are the grounds of Religion Answ They are two First it is a right knowledge of God as hee hath revealed himselfe unto us in his word concerning his unity of essence in the Trinity of persons his names and attributes and works of Creation and providence The second maine ground of Religion is a right knowledg of our selves as we were first created righteous holy after Gods own Image Gen. 1.26 Since the fal none is righteous Rom. 3.10 Thirdly as we are in the state of â—race righteous in part Phil. 3 12.15.16 Fourthly in the state of glory perfect in degrees as creatures Heb. 12 23. How do you know there is a God Answ I know there is a God by the testimony of conscience accusing for sin committed and is â—â— were Gods deputy to arraign and condemn us for it which could not be but from a displeased God 1 Kings 17.8 John 8.9 Secondly from the comfortable refreshing wee finde in our soules when we are faithful and conscionable in our obedience to the Lord 2 Cor. 1.12 Rom. 9.1 Acts 22.1 Thirdly I know there is a God by the frame of the world By these vâ—â—ble things are clearly sâ—en his eternal power aâ—d God-head Rom. 1.20 The heavens could not make themselves because they cannot keep themselves from perishing Psal 102.25.26 Heb. 1.10.11 Neither could the earth make it self nor the silly creatures that are in it could not make it nor themselves they being all mortall and vanity which plainly shews that their first beginning was by a divine power Fourthly all nations do acknowledg that there is a God and that he ought to be worshipped although they cannot find out the true God nor truely how to worship him Fifthly I know there is a God that provideth food for all creatures and not onely so but in making their food nourishing being of it selfe without life yet without which they could not live although our cloaths being void of heate yet keepeth our bodies warm which could not be without a God also that all the creatures being at variance feed one upon another yet every kind preserved which could not be without a God How many Gods be there Ans There be many idol-gods which are nothing in the world and many that are called gods Lords But to us there is but one God There is none other Gods but one Cor. 8.4 5 6 In this God there are 3. real distinct Persons having subsistance in the same Essence The Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one â— John 5.7 How do you know the true God from all false gods Answ First the true God is known from all false gods by the simple purity of his divine nature being void of all composition the creatures are made up of the 4 Elements but God is not so and his essence is free from all division or parts We may not say this is one part of God and that is another as we say of the creature Again what is in God cannot be multiplyed or encreased as to have more wisedome or more strength Neither can there be any decrease of any thing that is in God Againe no accidents can cleave to him or adde any thing to his perfection but what ever he is he is the same essentially But are not the three Persons so many parts of his God-head Answ No the Father is God the Son is God the holy Ghost is God and yet not three Gods but one God This Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity is a holy mistery and is rather to be religiously adored by faith then curiously searched by reason further then God hath revealed in his word The mean time let us neither confound the Persons nor divide the substance of his perfect Essence
command 〈◊〉 Mat. 28.19 In the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost that being in the covenant and ingrafted into christ they may have perpetuall fellowship with him he that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved Marke 16.16 Acts 2.38 May we baptize in no other name nor leave out any of the three persons in Trinity A. No christ is not divided nor Paul crucified for you neither were you baptized in the name of Paul I thanke God I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius least any should say that I did baptize in my own name 1 cor 13.14 15. Who are those within the covenant that are to be baptized A. They are of two forts first such as are growne in yeers and joyne themselves to the visible church testifying their faith and repentance and hold the foundation of Religion taught in the same church they are to be baptized in the Eunuch sayd to Phillip I beleeve that Christ is the sonne of God and so they went both into the water and he baptized him Acts 8.38 they were baptized of Iohn in Iordan confessing their sinnes Mat. 3.6 repent and be baptized everyone of you acts 2.38 if a stranger dwell with thee and will observe the Passover of the Lord let him circumcise all his males and then let him come and observe it and he shall be as one borne in the land for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof Exod. 12.48 Who else are in in the covenant and ought to be baptized A. Infants born of christian parents the unbeleeving husband is sanctefied by the wife and the unbeleeving wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children uncleanâ— but now they are holy 1 cor 7.14 if the first fruits be holy so is the whole lumpe if the root be holy so are the branches rom 11.16 I will establish my covenant with thee and with thy seed after thee for an everlasting covenant to be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee Gen. 17.7 How are children of christian parents in the covenant A. Not as they are the sinfull off-spring of the first Adam for so they beget them in their owne likenesse nor secondly as they are by grace the sonnes of God for they are not made the sonnes of God by naturall generation but by adoption yet they may beleeve for themselves and others according to the covenant of grace Gen. 17.7 as Adam did sinne both for himselfe and others and as parents in bargaines doe covenant both for themselves and their heires after them thus the parents being the first fruits sanctifies the whole lump of their posterity rom 11.16 What is it to be baptized In the name of the father sonne and holy Ghost A. It is to be made one of Gods family which is his church and to be made partaker of the priviledges thereof as Jacob sayd the Angel which hath delivered me from all evil blesse the lads and let my name be named upon them and the name of my fathers Gen. 48.16 in that day shall seven women take hold of one man saying we will eat our owne bread and weare our owne garments onely let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach Isa 4.1 What doe we learne from hence A. We learne that in this washing of baptisme is sealed a solemne contract and covenant between God and the baptized first of God the father who vouchsafeth to receive him into favour and of God the sonne to redeem him and of God the holy Ghost to purifie and regenerate him What doth the baptized bind themselves unto A. He promiseth to acknowledge invocate and worship none other God but the true Iehovah which is the father sonne and holy Ghost VVhat is the visible or externall matter of baptisme A. It is water for the Minister may not baptize with any other liquor but only with naturall water according to those examples we have in Scripture of the primitive church What is the externall forme of baptisme A. It is the ministers washing the baptized according to the prescrpt of God Suppose it was the ancient custome to dip or dive all the body of the baptized in the water must their example of necessity be followed A. No for the word baptize signifies sprinkling as well as dipping or diving and sayth the Lord I will sprinkle cleane water upon you Ezek. 36.25 againe by reason of some cold countries and the weaknesse of young Infants necessity and charity may dispence with ceremonies and mittigate the sharpnesse of them What resemblance is there between the element of water and the thing signified thereby A. As water washeth away the filth of the body so the blood of Christ Iesus cleanseth us from all sinne 1 John 1.7 What doth the acâ—â—â— of the Minister waâ—â—ing the body of the baptized signifie A. This sealeâ— and I confirmeth a double action of God first the ingrafting or incorporating the baptized into Christ as many as are baptized into Christ 〈…〉 Christ Gal. 3.27 by one spirit we are all baptized into one body 〈…〉 secondly it sealeth to us our regeneration not he the worker 〈…〉 which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the 〈◊〉 king of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost â—â—tus 3.5 What doth 〈…〉 water or sprinkling it upon the baptized signifie A. It doth raâ—â—â— the shedding of the blood of Christ for the remission of all our sinne and the imputation of his righteousnesse arise and be baptiâ—â—d and waâ—â— away thy sinnes calling upon the name of the Lord Acts 22.16 and it signifies mortification of sinne by the power and death of Christ know ye not that all they which have been 〈◊〉 into Christ have been baptized into his death the 〈…〉 crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed rom 〈…〉 What doth the 〈◊〉 â—ancâ— in or under the water signifie unto us A. It signifies the buriall of sinne or a continuall encreaâ—â— of mortification both by the power of Christ's death and buriall we are buried with him by baptisme in oâ—â—is death rom â— 4 What doth the comming out of the water signifie unto us A. It concernes our spirituall vivification to newnesse of life in all holinesse and righteousnesse by the power of Christs resurrection for like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father so we all should walke in newnesse of life for if we be grafted together in the likenesse of his death we shall be also in the 〈…〉 of his resurrection rom 6.4 5. What doth the action of the party baptized signifie when he offers himselfe before the Mâ—â—â—ter and the congregation to be baptized A. It signifies that he doth consecrate himselfe the Lord and that he utterly renounceth the flesh the world and the devill the like figure which now saveth us even baptisme not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God 1
will not do the will of his Father Mâ—l 7.21 22. and casts him into utter darknesse that comes without his wedding garment Mat. 22.12.13 he is the author of eternall salvation but to whom answ to them that obey him Heb. 5.9 then did Christ redeem every particular man in the world if this be so then the Evangelist was much to blame to say he gave his life a ransome for many if he redeemed all Mat. 20.18 and if this were so why did not Christ say that he laid downe his life as well for Goats as for his Sheep John 10.11 and Christ saith I pray not for the world but for those that thou hast given me then would not Christ vouchsafe to pray for all and would he spill his blood for all John 17.9 so then I conclude that Christ was fore-ordained for you who doe beleeve in God that raised him from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God 1 Pet. 1.20 21. Let this suffice because Master Lancaster was so shamed when he was very briefs to soeaâ—e against the Arminians and I demanded whether it was not Arminianisme to say that Christ redeemed every particular man in the world he answered yes then I shewed him this of the Doctor at which he was so blank that he had not one word to say but that the Printer had mistooke it so much for the first head of errouts The second head of errours is about possession the Doctor saith that Christ is actually delivered unto a man before ever his blind eyes be opened or they come out of prison or before they have any gracious qualifications whatsoever pag. 154. I demanded of Master Lancaster how this could be for he that is in Christ is a new creature 2 Cor 5.17 and further I said that the humanity of Christ is in heaven and the essence of Christ fils all places and is in all creatures as well as in men for in him they live move and have their being Acts 17.28 then said I this cannot be understood that Christ should enter personally and take possession but graciously when he worketh grace in the soule and stampeth his owne Image upon it to this he replied that it was a gracicus possession and yet before any qualification I replied againe that it was nonsense to say that Christ enters into the soule and before that he worketh grace when as the infusion of grace is the entance of Christ into the soul he said this grace was the love and favour of God to this I said the words are he hath a possession of Christ which cannot be without faith this he granted but saith he Christ may enter into us and have a possession before any gracious qualification I having drawne out his full meaning answered that it was horrible blasphemy to say that Christ lives graciously in that soule where the devill reignes as lord and king or to say that Christ dwels in a cage of uncleane and filthy lusts or to say that he is an idle spirit doing nothing or an underling to the devill or to say that the divell is the Lord and rules any of the living members of Christ yet saith Crispe art thou rebellious an enemy ungodly a harlot nay art thou worse then enmity it selfe Christ came for thee marke while thou art thus and no better then thus before thou art any better pag. 67. whosoever thou art in this Congregation suppose a drunkard a whoremonger a swearer a blasphemer a persecutor a mad-man in iniquity yet couldest thou but come to Iesus Christ I say onely come marke he meanâ—s a carnall comming for saith he it is no matter though there he no alteration in the world in thee I say at that mstant although tâ—ou be thus vile as can be imagined doe but come to Christ and he is untrue if he cast thee out pag. 314. and he saith such a person as this without any change or alteration in the world it his heart doe but say I would have Christ all that sinfulnesse though continued in is no barre in the world to hinder this man from claiming his portion in Christ pag. 320. here this seducer makes no exceptions of any sinne no not the blasphemy against the holy Ghost which shall never be forgiven Mat 12.31 for saith he in a carnall manner those that receive him were made the sonnes of God John 1.12 but he like the divell leaves out To them that beleeve on his name yea further he saith to take Christ upon his generall tender is as good security as any in the world yea most blasphemously he saith it is as good as any God can make him page 163. but doth not the Apostle say give all diligence to make your calling and â—â—â—â—tion sure 2 Pet. 1.10 but the Doctor saith God hath so passed himselso over to man as that he hath no more command over himself then the creature can have power over him pag. 277 now follow his reasons why christ is made over to men before they have any gracious qualifications First saith he Christ is the beginning of all things then as the builder of the house doth not come after the house is begun to be builded but is present to lay the first stone thereof I answ and grant that Christ was from all eternity but this is not our question whether Christ was before men or whether man be before his house but here is the question whether a man will possesse his house before he build it or whether Christ will dwell in the sonle before any qualification then by his owne argument as man fits his house before he possesse it so Christ firs the soule before himselfe will dwell in it his second reason Christ is the head of the body and all the senses are in the head therefore saith he men doe not see before they have a head c. I ans will it follow because Christ is the head to his Church that are members of his body therefore he is so to them before they are any part of his Church or members of his body Thirdly he saith Christ is the life and all that come to the Father come by him John 14.2.6 and Paul saith I live yet not I but christ livith in me Gal. 2.20 hence he concludes that a man cannot live before that life is breathed into him I ans if this seducer had read the whole verse he might have found faith where he found christ for mark I live by saith of the Sonne of God Gal. 2.20 Christ dwels in your heart by faith Eph. 3.17 then christ doth not come and dwell in the soule before faith We have accesse by saâ—th into this grace wherein we stand Rom. 4.2 and God haâ—h given repentance unto life Acts 11.18 Here Master Lancaster affirmed that faith and repentance were both the same thing and that he knew no graces of the spirit but testimonies of Goâ—s love and it we call these
And he takes it for blasphemy to say any such remaining so are members of his body what a member of Christ and a member of a harlot God forbid he that is joyned to the Lord to one spirit 1 Cor. 6.15.17 That is one spirit acts all the members of Christ as one spirit acts all our members Now here you will be put to your shists for either you must be forced to say all those abhominations which are done before gonver on are the actings of Gods spirit in them or else you must deny that the spirit of God acts them by his grace But if you say the spitit of God is not in them then saith the Apostle they are none of his Rom. 8.9 And so not justified But you play the sophister to prove that all our sinfull actions are moved by the spirit of God before conversion saying the act of beleeving is the fruit of the spirit Gal. 5.22 But this will not cover your naked nesse for that is the grace of faith yet all other graces are the fruits of Gods spirit because hee wrought them in us but the actings of those graces are partly from Gods spirit and partly from ours and cannot so properly be called the fruits of his spirit Againe what a damuable stuggard is the spirit of the Antinomians Christ to lye as a drone in their soules twenty or forty yeares and doe nothing well may they pull their shoulder from the law of God and from all workes of sanctification being led by such an idle spirit But the true Christ hath no idle members nor the true Vine no barren dead branches But you say if faith be a good fruit men must be good trees else we may gather grapes of thornes and sigs on thistles I answer Faith is the fruit of Gods spirit which is a good tree and cannot beare evill fruits But what a faith have these Antinomians that will not make the tree of their body good Againe you say he that hath the spirit of Christ hath Christ so I say too but you say you have the spirit before you beleeve and therefore have Christ before you beleeve but have what spirit you will you are no childe of God by adoption till you receive Christ by faith Iohn 1.12 And have what spirit you will it is not the spirit of adoption unlesse it make you cry Abba Father Galat. 4.5 6. He is called the spirit of grace and supplication Zech. 12.10 Which none can have before conversion But here I smell an empty trunck for their Christ to move in personally and he must move them as we move a stone according to their tenets But the true Christ makes us living stones to offer a living sacrifice aceptable to God 1 Pet. 2.5 But they will not come to him that they may have life Iohn 5.4 He that hath the sonke hath life and he that hath not the sonne hath not life 1 John 5.12 Then here is the cause why they still remaine dead stones and empty trunâ—ks A third stands up saying the Elect are justified therefore some that do not beleeve are justified before they beleeve your argument they that cannot be charged with any thing are justified but who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifies who shall condemne It is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen againe Rom. 8.33 But will it follow because some of the elect are justified called and glorified that therefore all the elect are so Saith the true Christ Other sheepe I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring in John 10.16 Neither let them bring in their common divellish evasion saying that is meant of their owne apprehension but is it the voyce of the sheepe or the voyce of the shepheard that spake this Christ saith that they are not of this sold but I hope Christ was not mistaken through misapprehension saith the holy Ghost He that beleeveth not the sonne shall not seelife but the wrath of God abideth on him John 3.36 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9.4 Was not this chosen vessell here taxed with sinne And such were some of you saith the Apostle being mooved by the Holy Ghost and ye were carried after dumb Idols 1 Cor. 6.11 12.2 And saith Paul he that wrongâ—t effectually in Peter the same spirit was mighty in me Now by the same spirit he withstood Peter to his face because he was to be blamed Gal. 2.8.11 see 13 14. And saith the Angell thou shalt be dumb because thou beleevest not my words Luke 1.20.22 And sinne and death is passed upon all men Rom. 5.12 Then are the elect charged with nothing He that committeth sinns the servant of sin John 8.34 Till the Sonne of God make him free and then they are free indeed vers 36. A fourth stands up saying they that have their sinnes taken a way are justified but the elect have their sins taken away before they beleeve Ergo the elect are justified before they beleeve Your first part you say is proved that sins are taken away because David saith they are covered Psal 32.1 And the minor you say is proved because Christ is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Iohn 1.29 And because the Lord laid on him the in quities of us all Isa 53.6 Himselfe bare our sinnes in his own body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 Our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed Rom 6.6 But is coveâ—ing a thing the taking away the being of it Sin is compared to things most loath some but when such a thing may be covered yet it hath a being under that covering Deut 23.13 Gen. 9.23 And is Christ come hath begun to take away our sins Yet we are not free from sinne till death Rom. 6.7 Againe our sinnes were not taken from us and lofused into Christ no more then we have stript him of his righteousnesse buâ—by imputation they are accounted to be his although they remaine in us and his righteousnesse is accounted to bee ours although it remaine in him still and for what was laid on Christ was nothing but the guilt and punish nent He was woanded for our transgressions bruised for ur in quities and the chastisement of our peace 〈◊〉 on him and by his strepesâ—ve aâ—e bâ—aled Isa 53 5. But if our 〈◊〉 had beene infused into him they had been his and not ouâ—s and if his rigâ—teâ— suesse had beene infused into us it were ouâ—s and not his for sinne and punishment they goe together so that often he one is named for the other if thou dost â—ot well sinne lyeth at the doore that is punishment lyeth at the dooâ— for sin 〈◊〉 lay then within him â—en 4.7 see 13. Nay further although the â—â—gâ—ing power of none bâ— taken away yet the being of sinne is not taken away no not in the justified Thus hee runs into one ertour 〈◊〉
shifts his hands of it with all the speed he can saying he answered it in the third already when as the meane time it gnawes upon his conscience as a gangreine that is incurable for God and fin are at a deadly enmity Psal 45.7 Iam. 4.4 The fifth deadly wound that this faithfull messenger gave to the Antinonsians Christ is his den is this We are by nature children of wrath Ephes 2.3 This he knows not well how to rid his hands of but saith if we could prove it to be so in Gods account as well as in our owne esteeme and that wee are so exempted from grace untill we beleeve it were something I answer God esteemes them as they are in themselves before conversion setting his own purpose aside to be but as Reprobates Neither was hee moved by any love to them from all eternity to have such a purpose toward them The cause of Gods decrees and purposes was love to himselfe to set forth his own glory This was the ground of all Gods purposes to us for then there was nothing else but himselfe to love Now all reprobates have their descent from the Devill as they are reprobates Ye are of your father the Devill for his workes ye doe John 8.44 And they are called the seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 Know you not that to whom ye yeeld your members servants to obey his servants ye are to whom you obey Rom. 6.16 Now before conversion the Elect are servants of sinne as well as the reprobates Ye were the servants of sinne saith the holy Ghost but now ye are become the servants of ryghteousnesse Rom. 6.17 18. A gaine the seed of the woman saith the holy Ghost is none but Christ Hee saith not to seeds as of many but as of one which is Christ Gal. 3.16 So then as all mankind lye in the fal of Adam They are the seed of the Serpent till they are begotten againe by the immortall seed to a lively hope 1 Pet. 13.23 And borne againe of the water and the spirit John 3.5 So then what is said of Reprobates is said of the Elect before conversion For they are of their father the Devill that do his workes going on in a course of sinne These are in the snare of the Devil led captive at his will and yet may be recovered out of lt 2 Tim. 2.26 Such were some of you but ye are washed ye were carried away unto these dumb Idolls 1 Cor. 6.10 11 1.2 2. Ye were without Christ being aliens and strangers from the Covenants of promise and without God in the world Ephes 2.12 And saith the holy Ghost Hee that beleeveth not the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him John 3.36 And the Lord calls them his adversaries and enemies Yet he wl purge away their drosse and take away their tinne and Zisn shal be redeemed with judgement Isa 1.24.25.27 I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy yet I will restore health unto thee and heale thy wounds saith the Lord Jer. 30.14.17 And the Lord hateth all workers of â—â—iquity and the Lord will ab hor the bloody and deceitfull man Psal 5.5 6. Here is no exception made whether they be elect or reprobate but upon the condition of faith and repentance For saith the holy Ghost There is no difference for all have sinned Rom. 3.22 23. And saith Peter He put no difference between us and them purifying our hearts by faith Acts 15.9 Here comes the difference when the Lord gives faith and by it we receive Christ and his benefits What hast thou thâ—a that thou didst not receive from God so he made thee to differ from another 1 Cor. 5.7 And the holy Ghost saith I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved Rom 9.25 Thus you see I bring Gods own testimonies because that you shal not say men speak of them from misapprehension Now let God be true and all the Antinomians lyers which would by a subtle evasion overthrow all the Scripture saying When God shall command any duty or forbid any vice or promise any mercy or threaten any judgment for sin all the Scripture must be brought to this Do they apprehend it â—â—piâ— they do not it is not so Suppose the Propher say thou wast angry with me Isa 12.1 This they put off with misapprehension And when Paul saith I was a Persecutor a Blasphemer and injurious this they say was misapprehension when any speake thus of themselves before conversion But what will they say to those words of Christ Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9.5 And when the Apostle saith We had our conversation in times past in the lusts of the flesh and we were children of wrath by nature even as others This they put off with misapprehension Ephesians 2.3 But how will they put off this You were dead in trespasses and sins and ye were Gentiles in the flesh ye were without Christ and without God in the world vers 1.11 12. Thus you see the wound is incurable it cannot be healed which the faithful messenger gave the roaring lyon in his den Now I shall proceed to see how the Antinomians Christ is able to stand in the presence of the Lords Christ First their errours were laid open to the view of the world in five generall heads And then perceiving them to fly a faithfull messenger was sent after them to their last place of refuge and so he going to their den was set upon and I have given thee a just account of their Combat and now we shall see whether they have been led all this while by the true Christ or not Now this Messenger hath brought him to his tryall Now if the Antinomians Christ be the true Christ then we will follow him But if those whom they scornfully cal Legalists serve the true Christ let all follow him we will compare them together and both with the Word of God Our Christ was promised when Adam had sinned Gen. 3.15 And in that promise by faith all the elect were saved before his comming in the flesh But our Antinomians Christ tells therâ—â— that they were saved before his comming in the flesh for their sincere obedience to the morall law of God This Simpson affirmed before the Committee of Divines in my hearing And that promised seede of the woman they say was nothing concerning redemption but only it was a word spoken to the Serpent as a part of his curse therefore they renounce it This was witnessed by foure of them viz. Mr. Wetton Mr. George Mr. Banes and one more against me and some others Our Christ is the substance of the Covenant of grace Isa 42.6 And all the Elect are saved by him But the Antinomians Christ was the substance of the first Covenant the Covenant of workes witnesse Dr. Crispe in his book page 121. Our Christ comes openly saying I speake openly to the world I