Christ only meritorious of these Wherein now do I contradict these Holy Martyrs in this And whereas he saith that these Men sealed the Doctrine contrary to Winchester's and so to mine which he would make to be of the same piece with his with their dearest Blood he insinuates the cause of their Death to have been known unto them when yet they themselves enquired after the cause and could have no account as to any particular in this matter of which this Man speaks But he hath not done yet I must have another cast of his Office before he leave this his Question and that is that really and in truth he doubts whether I hold any Imputation of Christ's Righteousness at all in a Protestant sense So that in his account he must be no Protestant that holds that God reckons the satisfactory and meritorious Righteousness of Christ to have been for our Redemption and Salvation or to have been the merit of the Covenant of Grace and the promised benefits thereof to â—â—evers or to have been the merit of the acceptation â—â—eir grace and duty c. And if he be no Protestant that holds these things then those that hold things concontradictory unto them must be the only Protestants for aut hoc aut ejus contradictorium and who can these be but the Socinians So that plain it is none are Protestants with this Man but such as to this point Thus I have done with his Interrogatories The next province he hath entered upon hath been to transcribe Mr. Troughton's Theses and Antitheses to which there is enough said already in answer so that to speak to these particularly will be but actum agere to do that which is already done But for all that Mr. Troughton hath said in his Book to render the Doctrine I have been insisting upon and according to my weak ability vindicating odious Yet if I mistake not Page 121 saith he Faith is the means whereby the obedience and death of Christ is applied to us not saith he by a physical but a moral application giving us a right to all the benefits of them Benefits of what why of Christ's obedience and death So that plain it is Christ's Righteousness which he makes consist in his active and passive obedience is not made over to us quoth he by physical application i. e. not in it self or in its own nature but by a moral Faith as a moral means giving us a right to all the benefits of them i. e. of his obedience and death And what can be more fully said to our purpose or on our part than this And he adds God having promised Salvation upon the account of his Son's satisfaction to all that come to him and believe in him Page 122 he saith there being but these two ways by which Man can be saved either by fulfilling the Law of God or in case of Sin by fleeing unto and trusting in the mercy of God if so then Faith must give the interest Pag. 23. Faith is not a proper condition but a qualification capacitating the Soul to receive benefit of Christ appointed by God for that use and having the promise of success Man being a rational Creature cannot be taken into God's favour without his own consent nor can he be made partaker of any promise without accepting of it and 〈◊〉 ing in it An heir saith he further if he live not 〈◊〉 lack understanding cannot inherit the estate though never so absolutely purchased and yet life and discretion are not conditions of the purchase mark here he only denies Faith to be a meriting or purchasing condition and he doth well but qualifications of the subject necessary to enjoy it it is well if he and some do not part for this but he goes on these qualifications are not in Men's power as Faith is in Christ's power to give it very good still true he having purchased faith and perseverance for all those he died for which binders not his purchase from being full and absolute whereas to suspend it upon any condition doth not make it not full We will not differ about a term seeing he fairly grants the thing i. e. that faith is a qualification capacitating the Soul to receive benefit by Christ and is a moral means giving right to the benefits of Christ's obedience and death which is only made ours in its benefits hereby by which he must grant an Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us only in its fruits and effects Towards the Conclusion saith he I mean the Man I have had to deal with you may as well seek to rend the skin from my flesh as cause me to let go Christs imputed Righteousness I may not I dare not c. If he mean in it self he will find it neither is nor can be his so neither doth God account it to us after a Physical sort and therefore he need not fear that any should robb him of this for no Man can take away that from another that he neither hath nor is ever like to have Christ's Righteousness is his own proper to him and it is for this we have the application of saving good upon repentance and faith but it is not for us to be made righteous with in our own persons If it be in it self for impetration it is not in it self or in its own nature for application i. e. to be applied unto us but only in its benefits upon Faith Here he brings in one that respect and reverence forbids me to name saying Christ's Righteousness imputed is the sweetest word in all the Scriptures yea and saith this Man again we find the Apostle expressing the same ten times in the 4th Chapter of the Romans when yet there is no such expression in all the Bible it is a wonder how Men dare say that God in his word saith such a thing expresly when yet no such expression is there to be found I have made it evident that I deny not the thing in a sound sense but so as some Men will have it this I must deny for reasons already given Thus I am brought nigh to the Conclusion of this work which I have endeavoured to perform according to the rule and line of the Holy Scripture I impose nothing herein upon any 〈◊〉 desire the Readers to lay aside prejudice and judge acâ—â—â—â—ing as matters herein contained will bear weight in 〈◊〉 ballance of the Sanctuary imploring the conduct of the Holy Spirit which leads into all that is truth And if any shall account it their concern to oppose judging me to be Heterodox I desire they will produce argument and this particular and distinct and such as may be concordant to the Sacred Text and carry in it convincing evidence that hereby I having a discovery of my mistake for I have not attained to a state of sinless unerring perfection though at the present I am satisfied touching the substance of what is mine that it is truth may learn more for
union of the Soul with Christ by Faith and so its actual right hereupon through Christ to Pardon and Life and this â—aith as it is the matter of right is the Souls personal justifying Righteousness and the Gospels afferting such a Soul i. e. a Believer to have this right is God's mediate justifying act Consider still John 3. 16. For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life See then upon the matter if it be not of Faith that it might be by Grace and pretend not to exclude Faith for fear you should exclude Grace but fear to exclude Faith seeing that if you do you most certainly exclude Grace for the more of the Obedience of Faith and the more is the creature depressed and God in Christ exalted Rom. 4. 20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God 7. A Seventh Text they would have speak for them is Rom. 5. 19. For as by one Man's disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous If they mean by what this Scripture saith that God did account Adam's act of his disobedience in violating the Laws to be ours so he accounts Christ's obedience in fulfilling the Law to be ours in it self and that we fullfiled the Law in him I Answer God did not account Adam's act in eating the forbidden Fruit so to be ours as though we had eaten our selves for God knows we neither took received nor did eat of the Fruit in our own Persons our Persons then having no Existence or actual Being And God is true and will not account that to be done by us which he knows we did not Indeed we partake of the sad Fruits of that disobedience having derived from Adam originally by natural Generation a nature sadly corrupted and violated and so are guilty before God and are accounted both by him and his Law really to be so And so God doth not account the Obedience of Christ in his fulfâ—ing the Law to be ours as though we had performed it in our own Persons for he knows and we may know our selves we did not But this God doth for and upon the account of Christ's sinless perfect meritorious righteousness constitute us righteous by his Gospel Law upon true Faith and accounts us as we are Believers for Christ to have an actual right to Pardon and Life 8. Another Text is Rom. 8. 4. That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit I take the meaning of this Text to be this i. e. Christ Jesus having answered the ends of the violated Law by his perfect Obedience and Suffering hath obtained hereby that a Christian's sincere Obedience which consists in conformity to the Law of Grace shall be accepted for Christ's sake as really by God as though he had fulfilled or perfectly obeyed the Law of Innocency in his own Person which now as a fallen Creature he is incapable of doing The ground of this my apprehension are the words that follow who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Now though every true Christian as to the bent of his Heart and Life doth walk after the Spirit and not according to the Flesh or corrupt Nature yet it cannot be that by this the Law of Innocency is fulfilled in him seeing that it must be a sinless conformity that must be a fulfilling of that Law now mark the Text speaks of a personal fulfilling and this by a walking according to the Spirit therefore this Law which is fulfilled in them or by them must be the Law of Grace and not the Law of Innocency And let not Man say still that God accounts that a true Believer doth fulfil the Law of Innocency in Christ for if so that Law must justifie and the Covenant of Grace be made void Christ fulfilled that Law for us but we did not fulfill it in our own Persons in his fulfilling of it 9. The Ninth Text is in Psalm 71. 16. I will make mention of thy righteousness even of thine only What is there in this Text to prove that God accounts the righteousness of Christ to be the formal personal righteousness of every Believer Plain it is the Text speaks of God's righteousness in keeping and fulfilling his gracious Promises which righteousness is no other but his truth and faithfulness But suppose we this Scripture to speak of the righteousness of Christ as Men would have it what will it still be to their purpose all that they can gather from it upon any likely ground upon this supposition is only that David would make mention of Christ's righteousness as the merit of all the good which he both had and did expect and the ground of his acceptance which is a great truth in it self but I do not say it is that which by the Holy Spirit is intended chiefly in the Text. 10. Another Text is in Ezech. 16. 14. And thy renown went forth among the Heathen for thy beauty for it was perfect through my comliness which I had put upon thee saith the Lord God This comliness say they which God put upon this People and from whence they had their beauty was the righteousness of Christ imputed in it self Now if the People would but a little consider what follows they might see this comliness God put upon them spoken of here was a civil comliness i. e. the Peace Plenty fulnses of all temporal good things the Honour Greatness Dignity c. that God had advanced them unto especially in David's and Solomon's times above their Neighbours But come on if so be they will have the righteousness of Christ meant then belike it must follow 1. Believers how mean or contemptible soever they be in this World must be renowned and very famous among the very Heathen for Christ's imputed righteousness And yet alas the poor Heathen are meer strangers to it knowing nothing of it and here is the wonder indeed 2. Believers they may trust too much to Christ's righteousness now I ever thought these Men that are for this strict Imputation had been of a mind that a Person could not trust too much to Christ's righteousness but its like Persons may if by this comliness be meant Christ's righteousness as they will see ver 15. But thou didst trust in thine own beauty and playedst the harlot because of thy renown and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by his it was 3. Persons valuing Christ's righteousness too much and trusting too much unto it may thereby be drawn to commit Spiritual Whoredom to break their Covenant with God and become Apostates from God by falling into Idolatry c. If they will have the righteousness of Christ meant by this comliness and the beauty that was upon this People then they must have these
all the bodies that now are and shall be then found sleeping in the dust in order to judgment and a final sentence Acts 1. 11. 2 Thess 1. 7. John 5. 28 29. 31. That all both good and bad that ever have been now are or shall be in this World shall be gathered before him the good shall as Sheep be set upon his right hand and the bad as Goats upon his left Matt. 25. 31 32 33. 32. That he will sentence those upon his right hand to everlasting Happiness but those upon his left to eternal Punishment Matt. 25. 34 to 41. 33. That according to the sentence given by Christ the righteous and impartial Judge so must execution be done both upon the good and bad there shall be no appealing from his sentence nor no repealing of it Matt. 25. 46. Matt. 3. 12. Let Persons consider upon the matter that there are none that assent to the truth of this aright that Christ is a Saviour but they do and must assent unto the truth of all these things which are above mentioned And seeing that Christ a Saviour will save and doâ—h save by the Spirit proceeding both from the Father and the Son it will be necessary to know what truths we must assent unto with relation to the Spirit 1. An assent That he is true God of the same Essence with the Father and the Son and that appears seeing those who are baptized are to be baptized into the Name of the Holy Ghost as well as into the Name of the Father and Son Matt. 28. 19. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost He is expresly said to be one i. e. one God with the Father and the Son 1 John 5. 7. For there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Those that lie or act hypocritically they lie or deal hypocritically to God and this God is the Holy Spirit as well as the Father and the Son Acts 5. 3 4. But Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost and to keep back part of the price of the land Whilst it remained was it not thine own And after it was sold was it not thine own power why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart thou hast not lied unto Men but unto God We find Omnisciency and Omnipotency attributed unto him Isaiah 40. 13 and so on Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord or being his counsellor hath taught him c. 1 Corinth 2. 10. But God hath revealed them unto us by the Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God He is both the Author of Gifts and Grace 1 Corinth 12. 11. But all these worketh that one and the self same Spirit dividing to every Man severally as he will We find the work of Creation ascribed unto him Psalm 104. 30. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are created and thou renewest the face of the earth Immensity or Infiniteness is attributed unto him he is omnipresent Psalm 139. 7. 8. Whither shall I go from the Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my Bed in Hell behold thou art there The Power of the Highest or Almighty God is ascribed unto him Luke 1. 35. And the Angel answered and said unto her The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee therefore also that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God We find the fitting and furnishing of Christ for the Office of Mediatour or Redeemer is attributed unto him Isa 61. 1 2. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all that mourn The Miraculous work of casting out Devils is ascribed unto him Matt. 12. 28. But if I cast out Devils by the Spirit of God then the kingdom of God is come unto you He may be sinned against unpardonably Matt. 12. 32. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come 2. An assent that this Spirit as to its personality proceedeth both from the Father and the Son Hence we find him sometimes called the Spirit of the Father Matt. 10. 20. For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you Sometimes the Spirit of the Son Galat. 4. 6. And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father 3. An assent that he hath his mission or is sent both from the Father and the Son John 14. 16 17. 26. John 15. 26. 4. An assent that this Spirit was sent both from the Father and the Son for these ends and purposes 1. To move and infallibly guide those who were Prophets and Apostles that they might perfectly declare the Doctrine of Christ respecting our Salvation 1 Peter 1. 10 11 12. 2. By many and plain Miracles and wonderful gifts this Holy Spirit might be the great witness of Christ and of the certainty of his blessed and holy word Heb. 2. 3 4. 3. To take up the Hearts of all true Believers for his habitation and operate powerfully and savingly in them 2 Corinth 6. 16. Philip. 2. 13. 5. An assent that this Spirit doth unite such as by the Father are drawn to Christ as their head Ephes 4. 15. 1 Corinth 6. 17. Into one Church which is the body of Christ 1 Corinth 12. 12 13. That so these being pardoned and made the Children of God they may be a peculiar People sanctified to Christ Acts 10. 43. John 1. 12. Titus 2. 14. That they may mortiâ—ie the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts obtain Conquests over the World and vanquish the Devil according to their Covenant in Baptism Galat. 5. 24. 1 John 5â— 4 5. James 4. 7. That they might serve God with an Holy Heart in Righteousness of Conversation Luke 1. 74 75. That they may live in love unto and communion with the People of God John 13. 34. Acts 2. 42. That they may live in hope of Christ's coming and eternal Life 1 Thess 1. 10. 2 Thess 3. 5. The summ of these things may be found in the Worcestershire Agreement Now I shall put the Question Whether is not the belief of all these above-mentioned Articles included in a Person 's believing in Christ a Saviour
grace in truth and the exercise of it by which the glory of Christ is exalted and he rested in as the only Saviour and Mediatour for sure I am how high soever their pretences may be without true grace and fruitfulness in it they neither do nor can do that which they themselves pretend unto What some Men have been doing and what their thoughts are as to matters of this nature I shall leave only they seem strange to me for after I have affirmed that such as have the exercise of true Faith and other graces it is not possible while it is thus for them either to rest in Grace or Duty they in opposition have asserted that such Doctrine is the high way to make formalists and hypocrites but then you must know it was without proof and it was like to be so for sure I am that such as perform duties without true Faith and the exercise of Grace they have nothing wherewith to rest upon Christ or his Mediation and so must content themselves with the work done and these are and can be no other while it is thus but formalists and hypocrites What it is to some Persons I know not but to me it is a Paradox that true grace and sincere obedience should lead off from Christ and God in him and that Men should be in danger thereby while it is prevalent to degrade Christ and set up themselves it is just as if a Man should say such a Servant as is faithful diligent in his Master's service and very obedient his Master is in danger so long as he is such to be robbed of his due honour by him while yet the Master accounts it a credit and honour unto him to have such a Servant and loves him entirely and intrusts him with those secrets that he will not intrust with the rest though know the Servant doth but what he ought to do in all this And thus the best and most faithful of God's Servants after all they have done in God's service must account themselves unprofitable to God because they make no return of any thing unto him but what they first have received from him through Christ by the Holy good Spirit though observe where there is faithfulness they shall reap the profit for God will for Christ reward his own work in them and that which is done faithfully by them He that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of such as diligently seek him Eliphaz intimates Job 22. 2. that though no Man can be profitable to God yet a wise Man one that is spiritually wise saith Mr. Caryl may be profitable to himself And he hath this Observation upon the words He that is truly Wise Godly and Holy shall find fruit and benefit by it we car saith he never want fruit our selves while we are bringing forth fruit unto God all obedience i. e. which is sincere is attended with a blessing For my part with relation to what hath been said I do not think that any thing is accounted by God morally unclean and filthy but Sin and therefore must be yet to learn that sincere obedience to the commands of the Gospel is Sin if it be said as usual it is so as it is in us I Answer as it is in us so Sin attends it I grant as we are sinful and unclean in our selves and this Sin must needs be filthy and abominable but then that obedience which is the obedience of Faith and Love considered in it self as abstracted from our Sin that this I say is filthy and abominable I dare not affirm but indeed must deny for the principle must needs be the work of the Spirit and the performance must be by the Spirit 's assistance and as such then the obedience must be accepted of God Now how that which is a work of the Spirit and performed by the assistance of the Spirit and offered up to God by Christ through his intercession can be filthy and abominable in it self I shall leave under consideration whether is it rational to think that Christ will offer up to God by his intercession that which is filthy or suppose he should whether will God accept it But it will be said as before it is only filthy in point of Justification I Answer if it be not filthy in point of acceptation through Christ and for his sake it cannot be filthy in point of Justification so far as it hath its use and office there for will God accept that for the sake of Christ which he will not so far as he accepts it justifie us upon God accepts of a Soul 's sincere obedience which is the obedience of Faith through Christ as it his Spirit 's work and a Conformity to the Gospel Law now what is Gods acceptation but his being pleased with the Soul and its service through Christ which well pleasedness implies his judging that Soul to be one that hath right as it is a sincere obedient Soul still for Christ's merits to the blessings promised unto such and what is God's judging a Soul to have right but his justifying of that Soul It is very odd to hear some Persons in their confessions casting away all that is in them and all that is done by them in the special service of God though sincere as dung and yet profess they will rest and depend upon Christ's Intercession for the acceptation of that which they called and accounted dung as though Christ would offer up to God on their account by his intercession or that God would accept that which is as dung and so filthy and abominable in a moral sense And then further these very Persons in the same duty will thank God for any ground of hope he hath given of the truth of a work of Grace in their Hearts and the exercise of Grace in the Duty and the hopes they have had of the Spirits assistance and yet all this before in their confessions they cast away as dung I do believe many have meant well in all this and were for the main good Christians but plain it is matters were not so well considered as they should have been here Think of it we have all Sin to bewail which attends us in our best services and to crave pardon for through Christ but then so far as our Hearts are sound and sincere and we find the exercise of humiliation Faith and love to God in the performance of that service we have ground to believe it shall be accepted of God in Christ and therefore may depend upon his Mediation for this very thing being incouraged by God's gracious promise and if so we neither may nor ought to look upon such a service in it self to be dung and so an abomination to God Now the reason that some give for accounting our Gospel holiness dung is this i. e. because of its infirmity and imperfection This reason implies that all that Grace and Holiness which is not
some further the word translated Sinâ— offering we find to be â—â—NRâ—â— which signifies the Sin I grant this word in Scripture is translated Sin where it can admit of no other acceptation But then when it is applied to that which was to be Sacrifice for Sin if these our Adversaries must needs have it read in the abstract in this acceptation Sin I would have them to consider it may be more fitly translated expiation than Sin and the reason for this is because as Buxtorfius observes the Verb from whence this Noun comes in the same Conjugation Pihel signifies mundare purgare à peccato expiare i. e. to cleanse purge from Sin and expiate or make expiation And so we find the word used Levit. 14. 52. And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird c The word for he shall cleanse is â—â—NRâ—â— which I hope none that understand themselves will read he shall Sin the House with the Blood of the Bird. And we find the same word translated to bear loss Gen. 31. 39. That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee I bear the loss of it â—â—NRâ—â— which Buxt orfius renders thus Ego expiabam illud id est luebam pro illo I did expiate that i. e. I suffered for it I paid for it or made satisfaction Now I would gladly know of them we have to deal with how did Jacob make expiation or satisfaction what by taking upon him the form of the Beast that tare it or by sustaining the Person of the Thief that stole it or was this at all requisite would this have given any satisfaction to Laban let Men consider We have indeed torn as it were the Law of God by our disobedience and offended the justice of God now our Lord Jesus Christ did not expiate or make satisfaction in our stead by sustaining our Persons as Rebellious and disobedient and as an offender of justice but as Jacob suffering for us and making full recompence These observations have been occasioned to be taken by me on another account but do well serve my turn here Touching that Text by the Man I have to deal with alledged i. e. 2 Corinth 5. I have above spoken somewhat unto it This Assertion that Christ took our Sins upon him is grounded upon a false supposition which is that Christ did not only take our nature upon him but also our legal Person i. e. our Persons in a Law sense Now if Christ was the same Person in the sense of the Law with Sinners then there could be no such thing as hath commonly been affirmed i. e. Christ's active perfect obedience to the Law for the Law of Innocency accounts us all as transgressors and if it account Christ also a transgressor which it must do if he be the same Person with us in Law sense where then shall we find his active perfect obedience thereunto He that is looked upon to be of the same Person legally with him that breaks the Law cannot be looked upon as a perfect obeyer and fulfiller of the Law what can be more plain Touching the passive obedience of Christ i. e. his sufferings if Christ be accounted the same Person with Sinners in the sense of the Law then his sufferings could not be a satisfaction and if not then not accepted by God for that purpose And the reason is if they had been the sufferings of a Person accounted by God as our Mediatour a Sinner they would have been the sufferings of a Sinner for God judgeth always according to truth for the Law doth and ever did since the fall account us Sinners and if Christ be the same Person with us in the sense of the Law then by the Law he must be looked upon as a Sinner and if as a Sinner then his sufferings must be accounted by God the sufferings of one that was a Sinner and if so how could they be a full satisfaction to Justice But that Christ's sufferings were not the sufferings of one accounted by God a Sinner 't is plain from Ephess 5. 2. And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour And Hebr. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God But suppose I should grant these Men what they would have i. e. That the Lord Jesus Christ did perfectly obey suffer and satisfie in our legal Person which I have proved could not be I hope they will give me leave to shew them what will follow upon it and after this I shall leave them to determine whether this notion can be right or no if they will but follow the conduct of Scripture If therefore the Lord Jesus Christ did perfectly obey suffer and satisfie in our legal Person that is the Law accounting him the same Person with us then it must follow that even the Elect themselves in the sense of the Law did perfectly obey suffer and satisfie And if they Christ obeying and suffering in the sense of the Law did obey suffer and satisfie in him in their own Persons then these things must follow according to the Law 1. It must discharge them from all Sin as it accounts them perfect fulfillers of it in their legal Person 2. It must discharge them from all obligation to punishment as it accounts them to have suffered and satisfied in their legal Person 3. In the sense of the Law of Innocency according to these Men it must be injustice in God to charge any Elect Soul either before or after conversion with Sin and he cannot now afflict them for Sin but must be bound in the sense of these Persons to give Eternal Life to the Elect for perfect legal obedience performed in the account of the Law in their own Persons as Christ and they say these Men are one legal Person But it may be said was not Christ our Surety Yes Did he not undertake as our Surety to satisfie for our Sins Yes And was not Sin debt No. It was that which brought us under the obligation of suffering but it was not our debt that is a Man's debt which he is under obligation to pay but were either we or Christ bound to pay Sin I trow not Doth not Christ cry out upon the Cross because of the Father's forsaking him I Answer though he did this was no total withdrawment of Divine favour and love for God loved Christ as our Mediatour while upon the Cross but a withdrawment of his sensible comforting presence and as a Reverend Divine saith letting â—ut upon his Soul a deep afflicting sense of his displeasure against Man for Sin which was his penalty as he was our Surety and suffered in our stead a Sacrifice for Sin But again say they could Christ be afflicted in his Soul for the
How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God to purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God And for this cause he is the Mediatour of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the utmost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them But it may further be said for I shall deal fairly and let him have what advantage upon the point he can He speaks only of the righteousness of both natures united in Christ and intends this is not imputed I Answer there cannot be the imputation of the active and passive obedience of Christ in his sense without the Imputation of this for consider we his obedience in Life and Death as the obedience of one who is not God Man united and so essentially infinitely righteous as God and perfectly in his nature righteous as Man that obedience could not be the obedience of Christ but if we consider his obedience in Life and Death as the obedience of one who is God Man united in one Person and so essentially infinitely righteous as God and perfectly in his nature righteous as Man then if it be imputed in this Man's sense it must be imputed as the obedience of such an one and how can the righteousness which constituted him a â—it Mediatour not be imputed when the acts as they are the acts of such a Person a Person so and so qualified are imputed And were Christ's acts any further satisfactory and meritorious than they were the acts of such a Person as he was If not then take away that which qualified and made him meet to be a Mediatour and see then if his acts in obeying and suffering can be satisfactory and meritorious and if the Persons have satisfactory and meritorious acts imputed unto them in this Man s sense then that which makes them such they must also have imputed And if they say they have not the righteousness of Christ as satisfactory and meritorious imputed then they must not have it imputed at all and consequently deny all imputation of Christ's Righteousness in any sense which I do not for as I have said above if we could take away from Christ's Righteousness which we cannot it 's satisfaction and Merit that which remains with respect to our Justification and Salvation will be none of his But further saith he it is the acts works doings and obedience of this blessed Mediatour that are imputed and counted to the Elect for their justifying Righteousness Mark if God do impute or count the very acts works doings and obedience of the Mediatour to the Elect for their justifying Righteousness or as he saith in this his Article to be the material and formal cause of their Justification then God must account them to have that Righteousness which in its own nature is a Mediatory Righteousness for such were Christ's acts as Mediatour to be their personal justifying Righteousness Now if any Man be accounted formally righteous in his own Person with that Righteousness which in its own nature is Mediatory then he must be counted to be righteous personally with such a Righteousness as is satisfactory and meritorious after an infinite sort and if he be one that is personally righteous with a satisfactory and meritorious Righteousness and this of an infinite value for such was and is Christ's then how should he chuse but be Godded with God and Christed with Christ and be accounted to have that whereby he may be a Redeemer Saviour anâ— Mediatour both for himself and others yea to have Christ's Office wholly put into his hand now I have so much charity for this Man though he be my professed Adversary and for others that have the like notions with him as to believe that they do neither hold nor intend these consequences which are so gross but they themselves lead me by their hot opposition to shew that these are the unavoidable consequences of such a Doctrine if peradventure they may be convinced It is out of doubt with me that many good and gracious Persons have imbibed and stuck to this notion of the strict Imputation of Christ's Righteousness in it self who yet have abhorred the consequences that have been natural therefrom But then their practice hath ever contradicted this notion and hereby they were kept in the way of safety But then I think it somewhat dangerous when God hath set up before Persons more clear light and yet they are so hot in their opposition as that they will not take time to consider whether it be light from the word or no but almost upon the first hearing or upon a very slight trial cry out Popery Quakerism Arminianism Socinianism and what not Suppose we now that such as pass under any of these names do hold this or the truth what must it be a sufficient Argument for me to relinquish that truth because they hold it for my part I do profess to the World let Men think and say what they please that I am for Catholick truth that is truth where-ever or in whomsoever shall be owned by me so far as I can have evidence for the Devil himself believes that there is a great dreadful and terrible God and I believe the same and am certain in that I do well James 2. 19. And I must not therefore because the Devil believes this turn Atheist But after these Men have done what they can they can never make that they oppose into what they fain I am afraid would 13. I believe â—aith he that by this obediential Righteousness of Christ all the Elect of God are or shall be freely justified from all things Acts 1â— 39. for it is by the obedience of one and not by the Faith and Obedience of many that many are justified and made righteous Râ—m 5. 19. Observe the Scripture Acts 13. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that believe are justified and he saith all the Elâ—ct 〈◊〉 seems he likes not this Scripture expression his Wisdom thinks another better and therefore for all that believe he puts in all the Elect perhaps he is for Justification before Faith and so thinks Elect a term more agreeing to his purpose than believe and he thinks not far amiss if that be his notion but then it might be asked from whence he had his dispensation for such a change I believe according to that Scripture Acts 13. 39. that by Christ and his satisfactory and meritorious Righteousness all that truly believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses i. e. according to the Covenant of Grace have a right to Christ Pardon and Life purchased by him and also I believe the truth of that Text Rom. 5. 19. that
effects of Christ's passion as I suppose he doth I utterly disclaim any condition on Man's part of this sort and so cannot be one with him 2. They that will enjoy the effects of Christ's passion must fulfill the condition If he meant they must fulfill it by the assistance of God's grace as a condition of connection and order it is true but if he meant they must fulfill it so as that they may merit or deserve it from the very nature of the thing which I think he did according to the Popish Doctrine that Christ hath merited that we might merit then it is false 3. The fulfilling of the condition requireth first knowledge of the condition which knowledge we have by faith Perhaps he meant by faith a blind implicit faith that which is so much in vogue and cried up at this day even among such as account themselves the greatest Anti-papists 4. Faith cometh of God and this faith is a good gift it is good and profitable to me it is profitable to me to do well and exercise this faith So it is I must confess if he spoke of that faith which according to the Scripture is true and saving for and through the merits of Christ and not such a faith that doth deserve of itself or in its own nature the reward for I know no such faith therefore faith Gardiner further By the gift of God I may do well before I be justified In the following Article he further explains himself 5. Therefore I may do well by the gift of God before I am justified towards the attainment of my Jâ—â—ification If he meant by way of merit to procure Jâ—stification ex opere operato from the very work done it is false and I disown it 6. There is ever as much charity towards God as faith and as faith increaseth so doth charity increase If this be taken absolutely every one may judge of it as they have light 7 Towards the attainment of Justification is required Faith and Charity If he meant still as meriting procuring causes in their own nature I disown it 8. Every thing is to be called freely done whereof the righteousness is free and at liberty without any cause of provocation This is a jumble like some other things I have met with of late and therefore I shall leave it to such as this Man who account themselves much wiser than I to find out the true intent and meaning and shall not trouble the Reader with conjectures 9. Faith must be to me the assurance of the promises of God made in Christ if I fulfill the condition and love must accomplish the condition whereupon followeth the attainment of the promises according to God's truth This doth not much differ from the Doctrine of such as place the very Essence of Faith in assurance I speak as to the first branch of it and for the rest I leave it as confused 10. A Man being in deadly Sin may have grace to do the work of penance whereby he may attain to his Justification If he meant that though a Man may be bound over to eternal death by Sin and live in a state of impenitency yet God may give him the grace of repentance who can fairly deny this but then that such an one by his repentance doth merit by it in its own nature that God should justifie him this is false and I disown it It was not my province to say any thing upon these Articles but only barely to transcribe them that the Reader might compare them and mine and see whether they be all of a piece as this Man insinuates Hence mine follow Touching Christ's Righâ—ousness and the Imputation thereof I affirm 1. God so far imputes it as that he accounts it was for â—ur Redemption and Salvation 2. God so far imputes it as that he accounts it to be the sole or only merit and purchase of the new Covenant and the benefits thereof 3. God so far imputes it as that he accounts it to be the merit of the blessed Spirit to work grace 4. God so far imputes it as that he accounts it is for this that all the duties and graces of his People are accepted 5. God so far imputes it as that he accounts it for this he pardons us and receives us into favour and justifies by his Covenant of Grace upon believing and so accepts our Faith for Righteousness It is not without Christ but for him 6. I do believe that what Christ did and suffered he did and suffered for us in the Person of a Mediatour and God doth account what he did and suffered as Mediatour doth and shall avail as much for the obtaining of Pardon and Life for us upon Faith as though we had been able to have done and suffered the same in our own Persons Now Reader compare and be judge whether Winchester's Articles and mine in this point of Imputation do so agree as this Man hath the modesty to affirm and if thou be such an one as Calumniations have weight with thou mayst have enough in him But further saith he the Martyrs before named sealed the contrary Doctrine with their dearest Blood i. e. the Doctrine contrary to mine as well as that of Winchester's for this he must chiefly intend in affirming Winchester's and mine i. e. my six things before mentioned do so agree that I in them do not exceed nor ascribe more to the grace of God and the merits of Christ than Winchester doth in his Be it known then unto all Men That if this Man or any other for him can find me any one either in the Scripture or in that which hath been accounted the Church of Christ by the Reformed since the Apostles times that was reckoned a faithful Servant of God and yet sealed as such a Doctrine contradictory to what is contained in the six particulars with his 〈◊〉 her dearest Blood and I profess I will retract them if so then such an one should have holden and this agreeable to the Scriptures and the common suffrage of the Church of Christ That Christ's satisfactory and meritorious Righteousness was not nor is not accounted by God to have been for our Redemption and Salvation nor to have been the sole purchase and merit of the new Covenant and the benefits of it together with the Holy Spirit nor to be that for which God accepts of the graces and duties of his People nor to be that for which God pardons and receives penitent believing Souls into favour c. Let him prove now if he can that Barnes Hierome and Garret sealed such a Doctrine thus contradictory to mine with their dearest Blood Hierome and Garret agreed with Barnes in the Doctrine of Faith and we find Barnes affirming that good works are to be done and they that do them not shall not come into the Kingdom of God and we find him only excluding them from Justification and Salvation in point of merit making Christ and the death of
though I be by Office a teacher of others yet I am but a disciple my self and desire further and further instruction from my great Master and if it appear that it is his I hope I shall take it let the Instrument be what it will that he is pleased to make use of If any shall be offended because the work is not so accurate nor in such a fine dress as they think it should have been I must tell them I did not study to please such but my aim was the information and edification of those who desire more sound knowledge for practice than the subtilty of wit or the sound of words to please the â—ar And therefore if this of mine will not please because it wants the dress they desire they are at liberty to let it alone and cook and dress something for themselves and their own guests of this nature and serve it up in a dish in which it may be more grateful and go better off And whereas Readers you may meet with the repetition of some things know it was not with a design to fill up Paper or make a great deal of a little but because many things did occur which did require it seeing that many Persons will scarce take the pains to look back to what they have had though I have put them upon it in several parts of this work And my request to you Readers whosoever you be is that you will not content your selves with the notion of truth it is good in it self yea and it is necessary to have your judgments as clear and sound as may be but know if this be all you are but passing for all your light towards utter darkness Christian practice according to knowledge and the increase thereof is the life of the matter he that knows his Master's will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes For a Man to have a head full of light so that he can both discourse of and defend the truths of God and yet have an heart stuffed with pride hypocrisie formality love of the World desires after its profits preferments and honours and a life alienated from the life of God living in 〈◊〉 formity to this vain World a stranger to a Spiritual and 〈◊〉 venly conversation alas this light will but prove an ◠〈…〉 â— tion of his condemnation whatever light of the truth any Man hath that makes him not more holy humble and heavenâ—y in heart and life unites him not more to God in Christ makes not Christ more pretious and this world with all the fading enjoyments of it of a small value compared therewith and is not improved by a close walking with God according to the rule of his word this his knowledge though good in it self yet it is unprofitable for him Such an acquaintance with God in Christ by the Holy Spirit from the word as enricheth a Soul with experience of God's favour which is life and his loving kindness which is better than life and so excites and quickens love to God desire after him delight in him through Christ as that such a Soul resolves to follow God and adhere to him by faith in self-denial and crucifiction to this World for all the trials and matter of discouragement it meets with this this is the Soul which hath that knowledge of God in Christ which is life eternal begun John 17. 3. And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Sirs Converse with God through Christ by the Holy Spirit in all his ordinances is that which I beseech you be concerned for and though some deride this yet know that all your devotion is to no purpose if you live and die strangers to it for why well it is but cold formal and customary without it it is not a living but a dead service in which persons are and continue unacquainted what converse with the living God means that God who is the Infinite Ocean of good through Jesus Christ And though it is true there is not the like sensible enjoyment of God's quickening presence at all times yet it is that which a Child of God desires and cannot content himself without and therefore when he waits upon God and finds it not so as he desires this is an affliction unto him for this is that which he values before and which glads his Soul above the best of Creature confluences when it is enjoyed Psalm 4. 6 7. There be many that say who will shew us any good Lord life thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their corn and their wine encreased These lower things are but insipid and unsavory compared where this is enjoyed Know therefore upon the matter whoever they aâ—e that deny communion with God they must at the same time deny that there is any such thing as a superlative love of God for if they will grant this then there must be communion seeing that which any Man loves above and before all other things his heart cannot but be united unto and 〈◊〉 his thoughts will with the greatest sweerness be exerâ—â—spamâ—â— upon it and his desires work warmly after it if absent and his chief delight be in it if present and enjoyed and is not here communion and thus it must be where there is a superlative love to God which undoubtedly is in the heart of every true Christian and so both union and communion In a word Sirs consider your all of good is from God through Christ by the Spirit from the Father as the â—ountain through the Son as the purchaser by the Spirit as the principal applier and worker nothing of good is from your selves purchased and merited by your selves or by you wrought in your selves Keep humble then admire and adore the love grace and mercy of the Trinity of Persons in the unity of the Godâ—head in all the good you receive and enjoy and say of thine own we have received and of thine own we give thee back again And in the work and way of sincere constant obedience to God's commands according to your vow and promise in Baptism look by faith unto and plead the satisfactory and meritorious Righteousness of Christ for the acceptation of all your duties which retains and will do its mediating virtue for which be you ever ever ever thankful Coloss 3. 17. And whatsover ye do in word or deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him If this be your practice which the Doctrine I have delivered and have been vindicating in these few sheets directs to you will find the blessed fruit of it through and for our blessed Mediatour And though Men of a contray mind set themselves to oppose judging themselves hereby wise enough already and not only so but reproach such as will not make their measure their Rule as proud conceited and self righteous Persons who make light of Christ's Righteousness and accounting themselves and such as are on their part the only grave serious humble Christians I mean these that do thus oppose yet let not uâ— render evil for evil but earnestly desire of God that these Meâ— may be found such as they account themselves to be And thaâ— none of us through our abuse of light may be found such proud conceited Pharisaical Persons as these Men have passed the doom I am sure if we do the Doctrine will not be in the fault for iâ— hath a contrary tendency as hath been shewn Heb. 10 20 21 Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lorâ— Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the blood of thâ— everlasting Covenant Make you perfect in every good work to 〈◊〉 will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight througâ— Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS