Your not being able to distinguish between the Duty and the Grace by which Men are enabled to perform the Duty causeth your Mistakes and to take an Offence where none is given Is it not by Grace that we Choose Christ and is it not as true He Chooses those that Choose Him Prov. 8. 17. I Love them that Love me So James 4. 8. Draw nigh unto God and he will Draw nigh unto you So Zachary 1. 3. Turn you unto me and I will Turn to you Is it not by Grace that we love Christ and is it not as true that he Loves them that Love him Is it not by Grace if any Draws nigh to God and is it not 〈◊〉 true That God Draws nigh to such Is it not by Grace that any Turn to God and is it not as true That God will Turn to such that Turn to him That Crime in these words you Charge me with You 〈…〉 y as well charge upon those Holy Texts I have Cited as to be Offended at the Words you say I Spoke But as the Arminians by the Duty destroy the Grace so you by a Pretence to the Grace destroy the Duty Such is your Ignorance and Folly 3. You say I said from 2. Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a New Creature That it was not Election nor the Purpose of God which caused us to be in Christ but being Formed of God Regenerated and Born again Ans In this you wrong me for I never thought that Election or the Purpose of God was no cause at all of our being in Christ but I have often Affirmed That our Election and the Purpose of God is the Efficient and Antecedent cause of our being in Christ For we were Elected from Eternity but our Ingrafting into Christ is in Time or else How could we be said to be out of Christ before calling Also How could Junia and Andronicus be in Christ before Paul Rom. 16. 7. And the Ephesians be said to be sometimes without Christ Ephes 2. 12. That at that time you were without Christ yet Paul's and the Ephesians Election took place as soon as June's and Andronicus 2. If we were in Christ as soon as we were Elected then we could not be Guilty of Original Sin when we came into the World for there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8. 1. But it is Evident that by Adam's Sin Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation Rom 5. 18. And all the World as they stand in the first Adam all are Guilty before God Rom 3. 19. So that it is for want of Distinguishing between Election as the fore-runner of our being in Christ and our Actual being in him that causeth your Mistakes As for the Purpose of God it will be more cleared up by what I shall say upon this Point Gods Purpose in it's own Nature cannot be the immediate Actual doing of the thing Purposed but the Purpose of Necessity must be Antecedent to the thing Purposed or else the Purpose is Destroyed And so God Purposed to make the World from Eternity but the World was not made from Eternity but in time So God Purposed to call a certain Number into the Fellowship of his Son 1 Cor. 1. 9. And hence Believers are said to be called According to his Purpose Rom. 8. 28. Rom. 9. 11. So that it is evident That God's Purpose was Antecedent to our Calling or else it could not be said We were called according to his Purpose So that from hence I conclude That a Man may be in the Election and Purpose of God and yet at present be no New Creature and so not in Christ For if any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature And to say that any Man is in Christ before he is a New Creature is to give the Text the Lye and to destroy the Doctrine of Christ about Regeneration and to suppose a Person may be in Christ and not Regenerate this must of Necessity run you into a desparate Absurdity on the Right-Hand or the Left For if you say a Person may be in Christ and not Regenerated then a Person may be Saved and not Regenerated This is to give Christ the Lye who said Except a Man be Born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And if you say a Man may be in Christ and not Regenerated and so not Capable to Enter into the Kingdom of God then a Man may be 〈…〉 Christ and at the same time be in a Perishing state this is 〈…〉 give the Apostles the Lye Rom 8. 1. There is therefore no Con 〈…〉 ation to them which are in Christ Jesus Thus those that are 〈…〉 t wilfully Blind amongst you may see your Absurdities and Mis 〈…〉 es 4. Upon Jeremiah 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thy Heart from Wickedness that thou mayest be saved You say my whole Discourse 〈…〉 ded to put the Creature upon doing for Life and not from life and a Principle of Love and I Cited those Verses Isaiah ◠15 16. Ans I say This is absolutely False for it hath all wayes been 〈…〉 trary to my Principles to Preach Duties from any such foundations neither am I so weak to think that a Dead thing 〈…〉 n work for Life before there can be either Motion or Action Neither did any of you hear me say as you Affirm but in our Judgments you thought my Discourse tended to what 〈…〉 u say and all the Reason you seem to give is because 〈…〉 cited Isaiah 1. 15 16. So that you seem to cast the same Re 〈…〉 lections upon the Prophet and the Holy Ghost speaking by him that you cast upon me and doth not the Apostle James speak the same thing with the Prophet James 4. 8. Cleanse your Hands 〈…〉 Sinners and Purifie your Hearts ye Double-minded Men. 5. You said that I said The Law ought to be Preached before the Gospel to convince sinners of their sins which is contrary to that is said The Spirit shall Convince the World of sin Answer That the Law doth convince of sin is evident Romans 7. 7. and Romans 1. 3. 19. That Sin is the Transgression of the Law is as plain 1 John 3. 4. Thus by the Scripture it is Undeniable that the Law convinces Sinners of Sin and that it might to be Preached I Prove 1. From the Doctrin of Repentance and 2. From the Prophets and Apostles Practice 1. From the Doctrin of Repentance I Argue thus That if the Doctrin of Repentance ought to be Preached every were then they that Preach the Doctrin of Repentance to the People must first tell them what they must Repent off But the Doctrin of Repentance ought to be every were Preached Luke 24. 47. Therefore those that Preach to the People must first acquaint the People with what they ought to Repent off if there is no Law to be Preached then there is no sin Rom. 4. 15. And if there is no
Law to be Preached then there are no Sinners and then also there is no need of Repentance nor no need of a Mediator Therefore the Law must first be Preached to Sinners to make them sensible of Sin and of their Undone Estate by reason of Sin that they may Know the Want Worth and Necessity of a Saviour for the Law all Grant is not to be Preached to Believers for any such End because they are not under the Law but under Grace Rom 6. 14. Therefore I Conclude That the Law ought to be Preached first to sinners for the Conviction of Sin and 2. I prove that the Law ought to be Preached first to Sinners for the Conviction of Sin from the Practice of the Prophets and Apostles and for this I shall give some Instances see the 2 Sam. 12. Nathan Convinceth David of his Sin in the matter of Vriah by a Parable of one that had broken the Law by Covetting and taking of another's Ewe-Lamb and when David was Convinced he said I have Sinned ver 13. Then the Prophet Preached the Gospel to him saying The Lord hath put away thy Sin thou shalt not Dye The Law admits of no Remission but That Soul that Sins shall Die So in Joel 2. The Prophet Preached Law and Wrath to the People in the former part of the Chapter and then afterwards Preacheth the Gospel Ver. 12 13 14. So in Jeremiah 41. 18. When they were under Conviction of Sin by the Law then the Gospel was Preached to them v. 20. Moreover the Apostle Peter Preached first the Law to the Jews Acts 2. 23. Compared with Verse 36. And when they were Convinced of their Murder which was the Breach of the Law then he Preached the Gospel to them Verse 38 39. I might give you many more Instances also I might ask you To whom do you Preach the Gospel if not to Sinners and if the Gospel is Preached to Sinners it Implyes the Law for how can they be Sinners if the Law be Destroyed Where there is no Law there is no Transgression Destroy the Law and Christ is dead in Vain For Christ came to Redeem those that were under the Law Gal. 4. 4 5. And the Apostle saith That 〈…〉 y were so far from Destroying the Law that they Established it 〈…〉 3. 31. And whereas you say To Preach the Law first is contrary 〈…〉 that in the 16th of John The Spirit convinceth of Sin I would have 〈…〉 know That the Law of it self is a dead Letter but it is the Spirit 〈…〉 t sets in with the Law by which means the Law is set home with 〈…〉 wer on the Hearts and Consciences of Sinners and makes them Cry 〈…〉 t Men and Brethren what shall we do when prickt to the Heart 〈…〉 is the Law that Wounds the Gospel Heals But it appears You 〈…〉 re not able to Distinguish between Law Conviction and Gospel Conviction which is the Ground of your Mistake That Text John 16. 〈…〉 9. Hath this Text no relation to Law Conviction but a Gospel-Conviction He shall Reprove the World of Sin True the next part 〈…〉 ly refers to the Gospel viz. of Sin because they Believe not 〈…〉 me The Law saith nothing of Faith neither is it of Faith Galat. 3. 〈…〉 The Law convinceth of Sins relating to it self and its Precepts 〈…〉 is the Spirit in the Gospel that Condemns the Sinner for the Sin of Unbelief John 3. 18 36. Mark 16. 16. So that I have prov'd that 〈…〉 take Offence at Truth in this Point 6. You say that I affirmed That there is no Vnion before Faith I have Answered this Point in a Letter to Mrs. Farmer and therefore if you had not been Prejudiced you would have put this out of your Paper except I had received an Answer from her who was Silent about it and since she hath set her Hand to Mr. Knollys's Words 〈…〉 o Positively saith That by Faith the Soul in it's Conversion 〈…〉 is United to Christ So I hope she will be so Faithful as to Vindicate this Truth against you For if Actual Union be by â—aith it cannot be without Faith nor before it But if she neglect or refuseth to Vindicate what she hath set her Hand to let the Blame for ever be upon her own Head One should have thought Mr. Rich. Adams ' s letter might have Satisfied you which answered the Charge of False Doctrin you laid to my Charge on this Point we told you that it was the Opinion of Dr. Owen c. and also of all the Baptised Churches of our Way That Actual Union in order of Nature is not before Faith unless any of late are Deluded into Antenomian Notions 〈…〉 t because this our Answer is now made Publick I shall give you the same Answer I gave to Mrs. Farmer and by that show your Weakness or Mistakes and that is by Enquiring into two Things 1. By Enquiring into what we were while in Unbelief And 2. By Enquiring into the Nature of Union it self 1. We and all Men while in Uubelief are in the Flesh and cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. Heb. 11. 6. What in Union with Christ and yet at the same time cannot please God Whilst we are in Unbelief we are all Children of Wrath our Natures being Corrupted by the Sin of our first Parents Ephes 2. 3. Condemed John 3. 18. And the Wrath of God abiding on all John 3. 36. And yet for all this United to Christ 3. Whilst in Unbelief we are in a state of Enmity being in the Carnal Mind Rom. 8. 7. Aliens Enemies in our Minds by wicked Works Colloss 1. 21. Haters of God Rom. 1. 30. What cannot we please God What under a state of Wrath Aliens and Enemies against God and yet in Union with and United to Christ at the same time What Strange Doctrin is this and how contrary to the Scriptures Thus I come to make enquiry into the Nature of Union 1. A Conjugal Union is an Agreement of two Persons together by which they Twain become One Flesh and as Conjugal Union must arise first from one Party which commonly is the Man his Affections goes out after the Woman he seeks to make his Wife he Sues for her Love by Arguments and Gifts yet here is no Union till she Consents and is Actually United to him in her Affection and is Joined to him and he to her by God's Appointment and Ordinance This is the true state of Union The Application is easie God and Christ have a Love of good Will and Affection for the Elect whilst they are Enemies and from that Love they Invite Woo and Beseech poor Sinners to be Reconciled and United 2. Cor. 5. 20. by their Ministers verse 18. And this is looked upon as done by the Father and the Son Luke 10. 16. And to the end they may be Reconciled he gives to them the Gift of Repentance Acts 5. 31. and the 11. 18. And the Gift of Faith Ephes 2.
Actual Justification RIGHTLY STATED CONTAINING A True NARRATIVE OF A SAD SCHISM Made in a Church of CHRIST at KILBY in LEICESTER-SHIRE PROVING none of the ELECT are Actually Justified before FAITH GAL. II. XVI We have Believed in Jesus Christ that we might be Justisied by the Faith of Christ c. LONDON Printed by B. Harris in Maiden-Head-Court in Great East Ch 〈…〉 and Sold by J. Marshal at the Bible in Grace-church street 1696. THE INTRODUCTION Proving There is no Actual Justification or Actual Vnion with CHRIST before FAITH THose many Errors that abound among us is one of the sad Evils of these Times which tend to make our Dayes Perillous tho' I must Confess some of them are more Dangerous and Pernicious than others as the Socinian Erors that ut 〈…〉 ly Destroy the Foundation of Christianity And evident it is That between the Socinian Arminian and Baxterian Errors on the â—ne hand and those called Antinomian Errors tho' I do not call them Antinomians on the other hand Christ seems to be again Crucified in his Holy Doctrin as in his Sacred Body he was Cruâ—ified between two Thieves The Error that is here Confuted appertains to those last Menti 〈…〉 ed in which you will find what hard Measure the Author hath met with from some of his Flock who charged him with False Do ‑ 〈…〉 rin but how Unjustly will appear in this Narrative The Point that he strives to Oppose is this Viz. That an Elect Person is not in actual Vnion with Christ nor actually Justified in God's Sight before Faith Or doth actually apprehend and apply the Righteousness and Merits of Christ by Faith to his own Soul 1. He doth not say Faith Justifies as 't is a Sacred Habit or Act 〈…〉 ch less in respectâ— of the Fruits and Effects of it 2. Nor that 't is the matter of our Justification but 't is said to Juâ—tify only in Respect of the Object Christ Jesus whom the Soul ap 〈…〉 ehends or receives by Faith Christ's Righteousness only being the Material Cause of our Justification and the Imputation of it the Formal Cause thereof Which our Reverend Brother asserts is not Imputed unto any Adult Person tho' Elected to his actual Justification before he is Actually or Personally United to Jesus Christ aud therefore not in Actual Union with Christ and Justified from Eternity as some say nor from the Death of Christ as others say 3. He stedfastly Believes God's Election of particular Persons from Everlasting for whom he gave his own Son to Die And that the Election of the Father the Redemption of the Son and the Application and Sanctification of the Holy Ghost are of Equal extent 4. That Christ Dyed as the great Representive common Head Root and Surety of all the Elect doing and Suffering in their Room and Stead whatsoever he did and Suffered 〈◊〉 as their Head and Representative and that he hath made full Satisfaction to the Justice of God and answered all the demands of the Law for them So that all they for whom Christ dyed shall certainly be Saved as an act of Justice and Righteouiness as well as an Act of Sovereign Grace and Goodness 5. That Faith by which the Soul apprehends Christ is a Grace of the Spirit purchased by Christ and freely given to us as a sign of God's Eternal Love Moreover he and we with him distinguish or explain Union with Christ and Justification thus 1. That all the Chosen of God are Decretively Justified c. from Eternity 2. Vertually at the Death or rather at the Resurrection of our blessed Saviour 3. Yet that no Adult Elect Person is really and Actually in Vnion with Christ and Actually Justified before he doth Believe in him And so is transplanted out of the first Adam as a common Head and implanted into the second Adam It being impossible any should stand in or grow out of two cwo common Roots at one and the same time since all as considered Actually in the first are Dead and under Condemnation and all that are Actually in the Second are made Alive and brought into Justification and declared free for ever from Condemnation Rom 8. 1. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his That is Actually his tho' many of them may be in the Election of Grace As touching the Sins of the Elect before Faith we say they are charged upon them by the Law under which they remain till they Believe or are United by the Spirit unto their blessed Covenanting Head and are by the same Law with other Unbelievers under the Sentence of Condemnation tho' their Justification Pardon and Salvation is secured for them by God's eternal Election and in Christ by Vertue of his Covenant Transactions with the Father and as 〈…〉 ed by his Blood and Merits As to the Sins of the Elect after Grace or Actual Union tho' 〈…〉 ey are Required to Repent of them and may not have the Sense 〈…〉 Pardon of them in in their own Consciences till then yet the 〈…〉 lt of them is never Charged upon them Christ having born all 〈…〉 Vindictive Wrath due to all their Sins as well those committed 〈…〉 Faith as before they Believed otherwise it could not be said 〈…〉 is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 〈…〉 Therefore whatsoever Mr. Coleman says about the Sins of Believers 〈…〉 Repentance and Pardon he doth not Believe they are ever 〈…〉 in a state of Condemnation Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of 〈…〉 's Elect that is such Elect ones that are united to Christ 〈…〉 Justification is but one Act 't is never more nor less after we are 〈…〉 d to Christ or are in a state of Grace Tho' Sanctification as 〈…〉 s is a progressive Work yet so is not our Justification there can 〈…〉 no breach made on that any more than in our Adoption once a Child 〈…〉 ever a Child Now the Notions we oppose are these following 〈…〉 1. We say The Sins of all the Elect while they remain in Vnbe 〈…〉 are charged upon them by the Law and that the Righteousness of 〈…〉 rist is not actually imputed to them until they do believe in Jesus 〈…〉 i st 'T is one thing for God to Purpose or Decree to discharge an 〈…〉 t Sinner through Christ's perfect Righteousness and Satisfaction 〈…〉 another thing for him actually to acquit discharge and pronounce 〈…〉 Justified by the Application of Christ's Merits Now the asserters 〈…〉 the contrary Notion do seem to say that neither God's Justice nor his 〈…〉 y Law doth charge Sin on any Elect Person tho' under the power of Vnbelief and vile and profane Persons see Mr. Ayre Vindi 〈…〉 Justificationes Gratuitae last Impression p. 94. 95. He asserts 〈…〉 all the Elect before Conversion and Faith stand actually recon 〈…〉 to God and Justified before him Page 45. Nay from â—ternity 〈…〉 31. Ans May we not find a
follow from their Notion that the Elect are twice Justified and so there must be in their Sense a Posterie or Colatural act in God to their Justification 5. These Men say that Faith only Justifies us Declaratively or aâ— it gives the Revelation or Evidence of it to our own Consciences Which if so then the state of ungodly Persons if Elected tho' Swears Drunkards Whoremongers Murtherers c. is good and Justification changes not the state of the Sinner he being in a safe and sav 〈…〉 State before tho' he did not know it being not Condemned unless in his own Conscience God never charged him with Sin saw no Sin in him but imputed Christ's Righteousness to him from Eternity and not more Justified after he believes then he was before 6. Then also it will follow No man hath that Justification which is said to be by Faith or through Faith but he that feels the Comfort of it in his own Conscience or hath it Revealed and Evidenced to him by the Spirit being fully perswaded and assured he is Justified which we say many true Believers do not arrive unto assurance not appertaining to the Being or Essence of Faith but is the highest Degree thereof see 1 John 5. 13. Some who do truly Believe do not feel and know in their own Consciences that they do Believe but have Doubts about it 7. 'T is directly contrary to the express Word of God John 3. 18. He that believeth on him is not Condemned but he that Believeth not is Condemned already because he hath not Believed on the Name of the only Begotten Son of God That Unbelievers are Condemned is the express Words of the Text Now who can Condemn them but either God's Law his â—ustice or their own Conscience They say neither Law nor Justice do or can Condemn them And it is clear say we that their Conscience cannot 1. Because it is asleep and as the Apoâ—â—le says Defiled See Tit. 1. 15. 2. Another Reason is clear in the Text from the cause of Condemnation viz. Because they Believe not Now who will say that Natural Conscience doth Condemn for Unbelief for if so the Spirit in the ex 〈…〉 tion of his Office and for which he is sent is thrown away Joh. 16. 8 〈◊〉 are Condemned by the Law and till they Believe thâ—y remain under 〈◊〉 Condemnation Unbelief Condemns as it is a rejecting or refu 〈…〉 to apply the Remedy Not otherwise And let them be whosoever they 〈◊〉 tho' one of God's Elect or comprehended in his eternal Decree of E 〈…〉 on and Love of Intention Pity Purpose and Benevolence yet he remains â—â—â—demned till he Believes or hath actual Union with Christ For he that 〈◊〉 the Son hath Life but he that hath not the Son hath not Life 1 John 〈…〉 12 If we have the Spirit and do Believe we have Union with Christ 〈◊〉 have the Son but if we have not the Spirit if we have not Faith we 〈◊〉 no actual Union with Christ or have not the Son If any man have not 〈◊〉 Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8. 8. Moreover how can he that is 〈◊〉 to the Lord be said to be one Spirit with him if this Vnion be before Faith 〈…〉 8 Actual Justification before Faith or Actual Union with Christ is attend 〈…〉 with this Absurdity Viz. A Man may be said to be actually Dead and A 〈…〉 e Condemned and Justified at one and the same time Nay be a Child 〈…〉 Wrath and yet a Son of God have actual Union with and united to 〈◊〉 first Adam and yet be in actual Union with and united to the second Adam at one and the same time 9. It Presupposeth That a Man may be actually in Christ and be actu 〈…〉 y Justified and yet no change of Heart as well as no change of State 〈◊〉 that all before Regeneration are Children of Wrath is evident and is it 〈◊〉 Positively said If any Man is in Christ he is a New Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. 〈…〉 any man be said to be truly and actually Justified and not actually in Christ 〈…〉 to 10. It presupposeth That a Man may be a Justified Person that is not es 〈…〉 tually called Now all know and grant there is no effectual Vocation be 〈…〉 e nor without the Spirit of Christ and Saving Faith be wrought in the Soul 11. It also holds forth or presupposeth That a Man may be a Justified Person 〈…〉 be actually Justified and yet not be Sanctified which is contrary to these â—â—riptures Rom. 8. 7 10 30. 1 Cor. 6. 11. 12. Moreover it follows from their Notion That a Man that is in actual 〈…〉 ion with Christ and is actually Justified may be without nay utter 〈…〉 incapable of enjoying Communion with Christ Can Christ have Com 〈…〉 n with and Delight in filthy Swine Or Can Light have Fellowship with 〈…〉 iese Can a Man in a state of Enmity against God have Commu 〈…〉 n with and delight in God Therefore saith a Reverend Divine The 〈…〉 tive and Real Change are both at one time 1 Cor. 6. 7. But ye are 〈…〉 ctified ye are Justified Charnock on Regen p. 32. 13. It Presupposeth That there may be Union between two Persons 〈…〉 en but one Party only Consents which is very absurd for any to assert 〈◊〉 T is Christ that brings the Soul to Consent he gives the Soul Faith as in the succeeding Narrative is Noted which is his Love-token Grace infused in us as the Effects of Christ's Love constrains the Soul to Love him and â—o to consent to take him as it's Lord and only Object of its Affection But till this is done there is no Real Union We deny not but Christ apprehends us before we can apprehâ—nd him he first takes hold of us by his Spirit and infuses the Habit of Faith before we can act Faith there is the act of Unition before there is a compleat Union 14. It tends to put Men upon Temptation to slight the holy Law of God and renders the Doctrin of Repentance needless or a meer Legal Doctrin Hence some of them have intimated that they have nothing to do with the Law Nay and have uttered such Words and Expressions concerning the Law that are not fit to be mentioned as in particular David Culy one of Mr. Davis's Disciples and a Teacher sent forth as I am informed by him affirmed as it hath been proved against him by Credible Witnesses That the Law was of no use either to the Conviction of Sin or as a Rule of Life Moreover their Airey and uncouth Notions leads them out to assert other Strange and Rediculous nay Blasphemous Expressions For the same Culy said That a Believer in Christ was as Righteous as God himself To which Mr. Rix a Reverend Minister Reply'd That the Righteousness of Christ was imputed to Believers c. But he answered He had nothing to do with Christ's Imputed Righteousness nor the Righteousness of
and Preach the Gospel to every Creature Mark 16. 15. Fourthly When you Preached from Jer. 2. 4. 14. Jerusalem wash thy Heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved Your whole Discourse tended to put the Creature upon doing for Life and not from Life and a principle of Love you quoted those verses in the First of Isaiah Wash ye make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine Eyes you Exhorted the Creature to do his part and then no doubt but God would do his part Fifthly You said the Law ought to be Preached before the Gospel to convince Sinners of their Sins Which is contrary to that that is said The Spirit shall convince the World of Sin Sixthly You affirm their is no Union before Faith but that Vnion is the effect of Faith and not Faith the effect of Vnion Seventhly You affirmed That what Christ did upon the Cross his Death and Sufferings was not the Elects nor that they have any right to it until they Believe Eighthly You said That we were not Sinners till we had Acted Sin and if no Sinners then no Objects of Christ's Love nor Justified Persons any wayes For you said They must be Sinners before they can be Pardoned which to us was the overthrowing of Original Sin the Representive-Ship of our Lord for us as Elect. And as for Discipline there is many who walk disorderly as some for Drunkenness others neglecting the Ordinances Mr. Henry Colman's Answer to their Charge in which he hath Cleared himself of those pretended Errors Charged against him THese things following are the Just Defence of the Innocency of Henry Coleman Minister and Chosen Elder by the Church at Kilby in which it appears under their Hands and 〈…〉 Unjustly many of them have departed from him and the Said Church And the better to Colour over their Schism have Written 〈…〉 Sent forth a Paper they to whom Please and Say what they Please 〈…〉 purpose to Impair his Reputation amongst other Christians and to 〈…〉 ke their bad Cause appear Good and Plausible And sent one of 〈…〉 ir Papers to Coventrey where by the Providence of God it came 〈…〉 the Hands of him the said Henry Coleman who never before 〈…〉 ld get a Copy though they have been required thereto 〈…〉 himself and Messengers and Letter So Unjust and Inju 〈…〉 us was they towards him Though their Paper was Written near 〈…〉 years since and was the Fruits and Effects of a Fast-Day which Circumstances aforesaid do make it appear That they Fasted for Strife and Debate to Fight with the Fists of Wickedness And by which Unjust dealing he the said Henry Coleman hath been 〈…〉 capable of either Confessing his Mistakes if there were any or of making his Just Defence but now having the Paper of their Exceptions which they call Errors Providentially come to his Hand doth make 〈…〉 Defence as followeth I. In your Preamble you Say That you Vnfeignedly gave in your Dissatisfaction against your Brother Coleman and the rest of the Members of the Church aforesaid that walk Disorderly Ans You do not tell me in your Paper In what we are Disorderly but such is your Conceited Confidence you think that all you say 〈…〉 Write must be believ'd to be True If you mean what you Write 〈…〉 your long Answers to our Queries about one Grinding on the Lord's-Day it appears more Excusable by Christ's excusing the Disciples who plucked the Ears of Corn on the Sabbath-Day than Selling Shop Goods on the Lord's-Day Saith Christ ye Hypocrites pluck first the Beam out of your own Eye and then you may see clearly to pluck the Mote out of your Brother's Eye You instanced in Drunkenness I know of none that were Charged with that Sin but William Tharp who was Suspended in Mr. Farmer 's time and by a Confession of his sin he was Charged with it prevented an Excommunication And if you know of any others the Sin lies at your Door But is it not an apparent and great Evil for some of the chief of you to set your Hands to the Church-Book for Union and then to go off from us without ever showing us a Reason for your so doing And is it not a Disorder to choose an Elder whose Habitation is about thirty miles off Thus your Complaint is justly turned upon your own Heads and the Charge not True to say no worse But to Proceed You say You sate a long time under my MINISTRY and could not be Profitted Ans No wonder when your minds were so Corrupted and your Judgments so Perverted that no Sound Doctrin could be Believed by you that Persons are not Profitted by the means of Grace when they are given up to Delusions and Errors You say you found no Reformation in my Judgment DOCTRIN Ans You think meet to enter your Dislike to the Doctrines following which you say I delivered If you had put in Deformation instead of Reformation you had spoke more Truth If you had said I Refused to be Deformed according to your Deformed Doctrin or rather Nonsensical Doctrin you had said True for I can neither Reform nor Conform to that which has neither Truth nor Sense in it But I shall come to Examin your Charging my Doctrines in which I shall do these three Things 1. Examin in what you have Wronged me in wresting my Words and setting down my Doctrnes in Words contrary to my own Judgement and Sense 2. Ingeniously Confess my mistakes if I have Committed any 3. In Justifying my Doctrines against your false Charge and these things I shall do upon every Head as I go on 1. Upon Isa 25 6 You say I strain'd the Words farther than to the ELECT And so doth the Prophet for it was a Feast of Fat Things to all People I hope the Elect are not all People except you will say the rest of the World are Beasts and not Men. I hope you will Grant That this Feast of Fat Things is meant of Christ and his Benefits He is the Bread of Life and Water of Life and He is to be 〈…〉 dered to more than the Elect For he is to be offered to every Creature Mark 16. 15. He is to be tendered to all Nay and those are Invited to partake of this Feast that make light of it and Refuse to come and partake of this Feast as well as those that come and partake of it For the Proof of which I cited Matth. 22. 1. to the 8th Lake 14. 16. 17. 18. If you call this Straining of it farther than to the Elect I will stand by it and Justify it against all your Exceptions 2 Upon Coloss 3. You say I said Be ye Christs and he will 〈…〉 yours If you make him your All and in All then he will make 〈…〉 his All and in All. These Words I do not Remember but 〈…〉 nce you bring these Words into your Charge as a Crime you should have shewed in what the Crime consisted