2.9 you have beene partiall in the Law (c) mat 23.23 Ye pay tithe of Mint Annis and Cumming and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law Judgement Mercy and Faith Ph It is true we may come short in some things but he that keepeth the Law happy is he J. Thou that (d) Ro. 2.17 vers 23. restest in the Law and makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law thou doest dishonour God and causest many to (f) Mal. 2.8 stumble at the Law verily I say unto thee thou (g) Ro. 2.12 shalt be judged by the Law Ph No I hope rather to be justified then to bee judged by the Law J. Verily verily I say unto thee by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in Gods sight Rom. 3.20 Gal 3.11 Ph How then shall I bee justified J. The righteousnesse of God without the Law is manifest being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Rom. 3.21 Ph What Righteousnesse is that J Not a mans (h) Phil. 3.9 own righteousnesse which is called the (i) Ro. 2.26 Righteousnesse of the Law but the (k) Ro 4.13 righteousnesse which is of God by faith Ph What difference is there betweene the righteousnesse of the Law and the righteousnesse of faith J Moses describeth the righteousnesse of the Law thus that the man which doth those things which the Law requireth shall live by them but the righteousnesse of faith saith whosoever beleeveth on me shall be saved Ro 10.5.6.11 Ph How can men bee saved by beleeving in thee for thou art but one J. As by one (l) Rom. 5.7 mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse shall reigne in life by mee who am the (m) Mal. 4.2 sonne of righteousnesse (n) Cor. 1.30 and made by God my Father to bee righteousnesse unto men Ph Thou bearest record of thy selfe Joh. 8.13 J (o) Joh. 8 14. Though I bear record of my selfe yet my record is true (p) Joh. 5.11 My Father also beareth witnesse of mee and this is his witnesse that he hath given life and this life is in me his son Ph But what sayest thou how was our father Abraham and his seed who lived before thee justified and saved J. (q) Joh. 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and be saw it and was glad for (r) Ro. 4.3.11 13 16. Gal. 3.14.18.20 I was before Abraham and be and his spirituall seed were justified and saved by faith in me Ph But was not Abraham justified by workes J. If Abraham were justified by workes he hath whereof to glory It is true Abrahams faith was accompanied with workes but net before God for what saith the Seripture Abraham beleeved God and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse Ro. 4.2.3 Ph If I bee not justified by my good works to what end should I performe them J Though thy good workes cannot justifie thee before God yet they may glorifie God and be profitable unto men Mat. 5.16 Tit. 3.8 Ph Well then I am glad my good workes bee good for something J Yes thy good workes would bee good for something if thy faith like Abrahams did work with thy works but thou doest not beleeve and all thy good works thou doest to be seen of men Iam. 2.22 Mat 23.5 Ph No I doe not do my good workes to bee seene of men but to please God J I tell thee that without faith it is impossible to please God Heb 11.6 Ph But God hath said if a man doe well hee shall be accepted J. It is not for their well-doing that men are accepted with my father but they are made acceptable in mee and their works are accepted for my sake Eph. 1.6 1 Pet 2.6 Ph But am I no nearer Heaven that performe good workes than this sinfull and ungodly Publican J. Thou Hypocrite that justifiest thy selfe and judgest another I tell thee that Publicans and Harlots shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before such as thou art Mat 7.5 and 21 31. Ph Oh untrue and false-doctrine to say that those cursed men who know not the Law should bee saved before us who are the children of Abraham Ioh. 7.49 8.33 J Thou blinde and selfe-conceited Pharisee understandest thou not the Scripture I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance And I say unto thee unlesse thou doest beleeve in mee thou art not the child of Abraham Mat. 9.13 Gal. 3.26 Ph I beleeve in the God of Abraham the God of Isaack and the God of Jacob whose child and servant I am J If thou didst beleeve in God thou wouldest also beleeve in mee but thou art the child of the devill and in bondage to this day Ioh 8.44 Gal. 4.25 Ph How am I in bondage J Thou art under the curse of the Law and under the power of sinne and Sathan and canst never be made free unlesse I make thee free Ioh 8.34 35 36. Ph How doest thou free men J By my (a) Gal. 3.13 death and sufferings I satisfie the Law by the (b) 1 Cor. 15.55 57. power of my resurrection I overcome death and by my Spirit I (m) Mat. 12.28 cast out Sathan and (n) Rom. 8.2 subdue sinne Ph. Sir I hope to be freed another way to wit by my sacrifices prayers and good works J. Thy sacrifices and thy prayers are an abomination unto me and thy workes are not found perfect before God Esa 66.3 Prov. 15.8 and 28.9 Rev. 3.2 Ph. What dost thou thinke to beat me off from my long prayers and good workes I hope by these together with my fasting and mourning to lay a sure and happy foundation for my soule for ever J. Thou worker of iniquity that dost (a) Esa 32.6 practice hypocrisie I tell thee thy prayers are (b) Ps 109.7 sinne thy workes are done to be seen of men thou also fastest for (c) Es 58.4.5 strife and thy mourning is but hypocriticall therefore instead of laying a sure and happy foundation thou (d) Iob 36.13 heapest up wrath to thy selfe against the day of wrath Ph. Sir I am not a hypocrite but a true childe of God and I hope I shall be saved for I know most good men take me for a godly and righteous man J. Though thou dost outwardly (e) Mat. 23.28 appeare righteous unto men yet within thou art full of hypocrisie and iniquity thou seed of the Serpent thy (f) Job 8.13 hope will perish for thou canst not (g) Mat. 23.33 escape the damnation of hell Ph. I doe not feare what thou saiest for I am better perswaded of my selfe J. Though thy seared conscience and hardned heart hinders thee yet from fearing yet feare terrour ' and trembling shall (h) Es 33.14 Deu. 32.22 surprise and fill thy spirit that thou shalt
Lord what if I be a Bastard and the childe of whoredome J. That doth not hinder thee neither to be saved for my servant (c) Jud. 11.1 with Heb. 11.32 Jepthah was a Bastard so was my servant Phares who is reckoned in my owne Genealogie Compare Gen. 38.18 29 Ruth 4.12 with Mat. 1.3 P. But Lord is there not such a Scripture that a Bastard shall not enter into thy Congregation untill the tenth Generation J. Yes there is such a (d) Deu. 23.2 Scripture and that should make people shun the sin of whoredome but that doth not exclude men that are borne Bastards after the flesh if they be borne againe of the Spirit either out of my Church on Earth now in the dayes of the Gospell or yet out of Heaven P. But what Lord if my father was a Bastard J. Neither doth that binder for Zarah the brother of Phares who was a Bastard begot my two wise and godly servants Ethan and Heman compare Gen. 38.30 1 Chron. 26. with Psal 88. and Psal 89. the titles of both being of Heman and Ethan P. Oh Lord I am a very old sinner and have one foot already in the grave and I feare it is too late for me now to be called J. No it is not too late for I call some at the ninth hour yea some at the (e) Which is but one houre before night or a little before Death eleventh houre And I will poure out of my Spirit upon old men in these Gospel daies Mat. 20.6.9 Joel 2.28 with Act. 2.17 P. But Lord I have committed such great and hainous sins both by speaking and doing that I am afraid it is in vaine for me to seek mercy J. Though thou hast spoken and done evill things as much as thou couldest yet returne unto me and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon thee for I am mercifull Jer. 3.5 P. How shall I looke upon thee Gracious Lord for I have multiplied sins against thee J. As thou hast multiplied sins so will I (f) Or will abundantly pardon multiply pardons if thou wilt returne unto me the Lord Esa 55.7 P. Oh but Lord I scarce think that any so wicked as my selfe were saved for I was an Idolater an Adulterer a Thiefe a Drunkard and what not that was wicked J. Such were many of my servants that are now in heaven but I according to my owne kindnesse and pitty to them saved them by washing sanctifying and justifying them by my owne (g) Or power Name Blood and Spirit 1 Cor. 9.6 9 10 11. Tit. 3.3 4 5 6 7. P. Oh but mercifull Saviour I was a Ring-leader of others into sinne and I enticed and drew many into wickednesse and therefore my case is far worse then others J. As thou wast a Ring-leader and Enticer of others into sin so I can make thee a guide and leader of others into and in the way of righteousnesse as I made thy Country-man Levi and others P. But that which makes me fear most is because I was a Blasphemer Reviler and Persecutor of thy people yea many of thy Saints did I shut up in Prison J. Yet thou shalt have mercy because thou didst it ignorantly through unbeliefe 1 Tim. 1.13 P. Oh but Lord I finde my heart is hardened through the deceitfulnesse and custome of sinne that I cannot hope it will ever be otherwise J. I can and will take the stony heart out of thy flesh and I will give thee a heart of flesh Eze. 36.26 P. Lord wilt thou doe all for mee J. I must do all for thee for without mee thou canst doe nothing Phil. 2.13 Joh. 15.5 P. Lord what then shall I do J. Before I teach thee what thou must doe I will first shew thee what I have done and suffered for thee P. Good Master I desire to know that J 1. I left my own glory and came into the world to save thee and such sinners as thou art John 17.5 1 Tim 1.15 2. Though I was the onely Son of my Father and in his own forme and equall to him yet I tooke upon mee the forme of a servant for thee and thy brethrens sake Joh. 1.14 Phil. 2.6 7 8. 3. Though I was Heire of all things and Possessour of heaven and earth yet I became poore and hungry that thou mightest be made rich Heb. 1.2 Gen. 14.19 and 2 Cor. 8.9 4. Though I deserved honour and glory yet I was reviled threamed and persecuted by my owne creatures and all for my good will to thee Heb. 2.9 1 Pet. 2.23 5. Though I had no sinne yet I was made sin that thou poore sinner mightest escape sin 1 Pet. 1.19 and 2.22 2 Cor. 1.21 6. Though I was a Law-giver and Law-maker yet I became under the curse of my own Law that I might redeem thee from that curse Esa 33.22 Gal. 3.13 7. When I had power over mine own life and no man could take it from mee yet I laid it downe for thee that thou mightest have life Joh. 10.18 Rom. 5.6.9 1 Ioh. 3.16 8. Though I was my fathers delight and an object of his love from everlasting yet I became an object of his wrath for my love to thee Prov. 8.30 Psa 88.16 102.10 9. When thou wast an enemy and stranger to God my father I made peace betweene him and thee and reconciled thee to him by my death and jufferings Rom. 5.10 Col. 1.20 21. Eph. 2.12 13. 10. When thou wert a slave to the Devil and a fire-brand of hel I did rescue thee from the power of the one and redeem thee from the plague and punishment of the other 2 Tim. 2.25 Amos 4.11 Heb. 2.14 1 Thes 1.10 P. Oh Lord I did not deserve any of this from thee J. True thou didst not deserve it but yet I did it freely and out of my love to thee Rom. 3.24 Eph. 5.2 P. Are all my sins Lord satisfied for and done away by thy death J. Yes they are perfectly satisfied for and absolutely don away out of my fathers sight never to be imputed again to thee 2 Cor. 5.19 P. And is there nothing now in the way that hinders me to bee saved J. No there is nothing for I have taken all things out of the way that hindred thee to be saved Col. 2.14 P. And am I to do nothing to be saved J. No nothing at all towards thy owne salvation for I have bought thee from death and purchased thee life and salvation 1 Cor. 6.20 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Eph. 1.14 P. Shall I then be saved Lord J. Yes if thou wilt beleeve and trust wholly and onely upon me and upon my righteousnesse and merits thou shalt bee saved Joh. 3.36 Rom. 9.33 and Ro. 10.9.11 P. Lord I would beleeve but I partly am afraid to beleeve and partly I am so weak I cannot beleeve J. Thou poor fearefull heart feare not but be strong Esa 35.4 But tell me why thou art afraid P. Least I should
presume or least I should beleeve and have no ground for my faith J. It is not presumption for thee to do what I command thee but it is obedience and is not my word of promise a sufficient ground for thy faith 1 Ioh. 3.23 Joh. 5.24 P. Doest thou then Lord command me to beleeve J. Yes feare not beleeve on me and thou shalt be saved Lu. 8.50 with Act. 16.31 P. But Lord though thou commandest me yet I have no power to beleeve J. I will write my law in thy heart and will inable and give thee power to beleeve Heb. 8.10 Mat. 12.21 P. Lord if thou wilt also give me power to beleeve I will acknowledge I am nothing but what I am in thee and that I have nothing but what I have received from thee J. Doest thou not beleeve P. Oh yes now Lord I do beleeve Ioh. 9.38 J. This is the worke and gift of God that thou dost beleeve for flesh and blood hath not wrought this in thee Ioh. 6.29 Eph. 2.8 P. Oh Lord I do acknowledge it to be thy worke but I am afraid I shall loose this faith againe J. I that am the Authour of thy faith will also finish it be therefore of good cheare for thou art one of my Fathers children and of my Saints and my spirit shall abide in thee for ever Heb. 12.2 Iohn 1.12 Iohn 4.14 Iohn 7.38 39. P. Lord I have sinned against thy father and against thee and I am unworthy to bee called either his Son or thy Servant Luk. 15.21 J. Sonne thy sins are forgiven thee sinne no more Luke 5.23 Iohn 8 11. P. Lord I am afraid I shall sinne againe though I desire and resolve never to do it But what Lord if I should sinne against my will J. Thou canst not sinne willingly and wilfully for my seede of grace will remain in thee and if thou sinnest through weaknesse and frailty I will be an Advocate and propitiation for thy sinnes 1 Ioh. 3.9 1 Ioh. 2.12 P. Is it then thy will Lord that I should have forgivenesse of my sins and doubt no more J. Yes sure for these things have I spoken that thou shouldest have a full assurance and doubt no more P. But what if Sathan when he sees me sinne will tempt me to doubt again J. Say unto him that I am faithfull and just to forgive thee thy sinnes and that my blood cleanseth thee from all sin 1 Ioh. 17. P. But Lord wilt not thou have me to confesse my sinnes J. Yes I will have thee confesse them be sorry for them and forsake them 1 Ioh. 1.9 Prov. 28.13 P. But Lord is it thy minde that I should alwayes be sorrowfull J. No but it is my mind rather that thou shouldest always rejoyce and have strong consolation Phil. 4.4 Heb. 6.18 P. Oh Lord I cannot chuse but cry and mourn and be ashamed and hate my selfe for all my former wickednesse and ungodlinesse Ezek. 16.61 J. Thou maiest do that and yet hold fast thy confidence for the spirit of mourning and the spirit of grace and adoption may be in thy heart at once and the one not destroy the other Zac. 12.10 P. Lord how is that J. Thou maist mourne at the sight of thy sins as they were comitted against me and for thy denying selling and crucifying me and yet thou maiest beleeve because I have said so that they are all pardoned As Josephs brethren cryed and complained for their guiltinesse in selling him yet they were glad that he was alive and could helpe them in their distresse Gen. 42.21 22. P. Now Lord thou hast taught me what I should do in respect of my selfe but now Lord I would do something for thee J. Come then and follow me Mat. 9.9 And he arose and followed him The second Conference between Christ and a Pharisee Pharisee THen one of the Pharisees came to him and asked him what shal I do to work the work of God Joh. 6.28 Jesus This is the worke of God that thou beleeve in him viz. me whom he hath sent Joh. 6.29 Ph But Master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternall life Mat. 19.16 J. If thou wilt be saved by doing then keep the Commandements Ph I have kept them all from my youth Mat. 19.20 J. Then thou art no sinner Ph Yes we are all sinners but I thanke God I am not as other men are Extortioners Unjust Adulterers or even as this Publican Luke 18.11 J. Why what doest thou more than this Publican Ph I fast twice in the weeke and give tithes of all that I possesse and concerning the Law I live blamelesse Luk. 18.12 Phil 3.6 J. Hast thou never read that they which followed after the Law of Righteousnesse have not attained to the Law of Righteousnesse Rom. 9.31 Ph No I never observed that but I remember another text where God saith I gave them my Statutes and shewed them my Judgements which if a man do he shall live in them Ezek. 20.11 J. Doest thou then think to go to heaven by doing Ph Not by doing onely but by doing good and departing from evill J. But doth not the Law say cursed is he that observeth not all things that are written in the words of the Law to do them Deut 27.26 Ph Yes that is whosoever breaks the Law is accursed unlesse hee repents for it J. The Law doth not say unlesse men repent for breaking it they are accursed but it says absolutely they are cursed and I say whosoever keepeth the whole law and yet offendeth in one point he is guilty of all Gal. 3.10 Jam 2.10 Mat 5.19 Ph I say so too that except men keep the law of Moses they (a) Acts 15.1.24 cannot be saved and whosoever (b) Joh. 7 49 know not and keepe not the Law they are accursed J. Doest thou know the Law Ph Yes I know the Law for I am instructed daily out of the Law by our (c) Zeph. 3.4 Doctors of the Law and holy Priests J The Priests have done violence to the Law and they that (d) Jer. 2.8 handle the Law know not the Lord. Ph Jehovah hath said that the Law shal not perish from the Priests for the Priests lips is to keep knowledge and we are to seek the Law at his mouth Jer 18.18 Mal 2.7 J. God hath said also that the Law shall (e) Ez. 7.16 perish from the Priests and that they (f) Jer. 31.4 shall not every man teach his neighbour any more for all shall know the Lord from the least to the greatest Ph I perceive thou goest about to destroy the Law J Thinke not so for I am not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill it Mat 5.17 Luke 16.17 Ph I Sir I like that that wee should fulfill the Law for Moses gave us the Law that wee should performe it J Yes Moses gave you the Law but (a) Joh. 7.19 none of you keepeth it but (b) Mal.
many thousand times more uxworthy am I a wretched and wicked sinner Ch It is true neither they nor thou As the Prodigalls Father did his son Lu. 15.21 22. could be worthy of your selves but yet I am willing to account you worthy Luk. 20.35 and 21.36 Rev. 3.4 Bel. But Lord if there were any thing that were good in me it might a little incourage me to come unto thee but I find nothing but evill in me Ch Dost thou not know that without me thou canst (e) Ioh 15.5 doe nothing and that a man can (f) Joh 3.27 receive nothing except it bee given him from heaven Why then dost thou stay away from me who must (g) Esa 26.12.2 12. worke all thy workes in thee And 2. Because thou seest nothing but evill in thee thou shouldst the rather come unto me who am the (h) Zac. 13.1 Fountaine wherein thy unclean soule must be washed and unlesse I (i) Eze. 36.25 1.9 wash thee thou canst not bee cleane nor have any (k) Joh. 13.8 part in me Bel True Lord thou art the Fountaine and wel-spring of life and it is thy blood and nothing else that can wash away my sins but how can I come near to thee who am so wicked that for ought I know have counted thy blood an (l) Heb. 10.29 unholy thing Ch Thou poor Ac. 2.36.41 dear and doubting soule what if thou hadst had a hand in crucifying mee as the Jewes had yet cannot I forgive thee as I did many of them But thou hast not accounted my blood an unholy thing for thou still desirest to have thy sins washed away by it Bel What the Iewes did they did ignorantly but I have sinned against knowledge which makes my sins worse then theirs Ch If thou hast finned against knowledge yet thou hast not sinned so but that thou maist be forgiven For my deare Disciple Peter sinned against knowledge when hee denied with an oath that hee knew me not Mat. 26.72 Bel. Oh but yet my sinnes are worse then his for his sin was but one sin and that a suddaine and short sin but I have sinned many sinnes and continued long in them Ch So did my beloved servant David who was a man according to my owne heart commit severall sinnes together as Murther Whoredome c. and continued a while too in his sinnes Bel. Oh but Lord those servants of thine though they sinned against thee yet they expressed a great deale of sence of their sins and sorrow for them but I can neither be sensible of nor sorrowfull for mine Ch Oh sweet soule thou mistakest and forgettest thy selfe for thou dost often confesse thy sinnes before me with sence shame and sorrow And I hear thee daily bemoaning and complaining and saying I have (n) Iob 7.20 Psal 51.4 Lam. 5.16 sinned against the Lord woe is me for I am undone Bel Oh good Lord it is not without cause that I cry wo is me I am undone for I thinke there is no soule in such a dangerous and desperate condition as mine is in Ch Why doest thou thinke and say so Bel. Because I have sinned that unpardonable sin against thy spirit Ch Oh thou poor and precious soule thou dost but thinke so and feare so But tell mee how canst thou sin that sin against my Spirit and yet pray for more of my Spirit and so much prize my Spirit as thou dost Bel Oh Lord I have often grieved and quenched thy Spirit and is not this to commit that unpardonable sin Ch My owne deare and loving children may and doe sometimes grieve my spirit by sinning and quench the gracious motions of it and yet doe not sin that unpardonable sinne Eph. 4.30 1 Thes 5.19 Esay 63.10 Bel Oh but I can thinke no lesse but that I have committed that sin for I have had hard cruell and desperate thoughts in my heart against the Holy Spirit Ch Though my childe thou hast had such thoughts in thy heart yet thou hast not spoken evill of my Spirit as the Jewes did which is the sin of blasphemy and that unpardonable sinne Mat. 12.24 28 31. Mark 3.22 to 30. Bel Lord I am not sure but that I have spoken evill words of thy spirit for I know I have many times uttered vile bitter and cursed words Ch Notwithstanding thou didest through the violence of thy temptations and in the bitternesse of thy Soule speake such words as my servants Job Iob 3.1 to 13 10 18 23.15 16. Ps 31.22 116.11 Ier 20.14 c. Ionah 4.3 4 9. Mat. 26 72 74 David Jeremy Jonah and Peter did yet thou hast not done despight nor sinned maliciously and willfully against my Spirit of grace as Reprobates doe Heb. 10.29 Bel. Oh I have been and still am very wilfull and have often sinned wilfully and thou sayest in thy word that if any sinne wilfully after they receive the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins Heb. 10.26 Ch Thou deare soule have not I heard thee often in prayer complaining of and bewailing thy sins and beging earnestly for power against them therefore it is rather against thy will then wilfully that thou dost sinne Bel. Oh but I finde sinnes in power in my soule which if I were a Saint they would not be so Ch My servant Paul found sinne so strong in him that he confessed he was carnall and sold under sin and that he found a law in his members Sin was in power in Paul when it could carry him captive warring against the law of his minde and bringing him into captivity to the law of sinne Rom. 14.23 Bel. Oh but neither Paul nor any other Saint hath sinned presumptuously as I have done Ch. My servant David prayed that hee might bee kept from presumptuous sins for he was subject thereunto Psa 19.13 It is probable that David sined presumptuously in killing Vriah and so are the best of my Saints Bel. But Lord I have rebelled against thee Ch So did my servants of * Is 1.2 63.20 old but I have received * Ps 68.18 gifts for the Rebillious and to me belongs mercies and forgivenesse though thou hast rebelled against me Dan. 9.9 Bel Oh but my Rebellion is the worst Rebellion of all for I have rebelled against the light I have professed thee and yet I have belyed thee and made an hypocriticall profession I seemed like Judas to be thy friend whilst in my heart I did not love thee Ch The house of Israel and the house of Judah dealt treacherously against me the Lord and belied me and Ephraim my deare sonne compassed me about with lies yet was I gracious to them Jer. 5.11.12 Hos 11.12 with Jer. 23.6 and 31.20 Bel. But Lord Ephraim was never so wicked as I am and guilty of such Lukewarmnesse Hypocrisie and Backesliding as I am guilty of Ch Yea Ephraim was as a cake not turned And Ephraim fed