passionately for a Phrase never delivered it 's enough for us to contend zealously for the Faith once delivered to the Saints and let them fight for a Phrase who have need on 't § 3. This Phrase has been miserably abus'd by the Antinomians and I think it prudence to keep a jealous Eye upon 't when we see it not only contended for by them but imposed upon us too with such desperate Fierceness as if all Religion must stand or fall with one sorry Phrase Let me Sir once more re-mind of Dr. C's Acceptation Here is a direct change Christ takes our Person and Condition and stands in our stead we take Christ's Person and Condition and stand in Christ's stead so that if you reckon well you must always reckon your selves in anothers Person and that other in yours This is a Commutation of Persons with a witness 1. We stand in Christ's Person and Condition that is we suffered in Christ's Sufferings not only Christ suffered for us and in our stead but we also suffered in him satisfied in him And then 2. From that Moment in which Christ suffered for us and we suffered in him we must in strict Justice be discharged for since we stood in his person as well as he in ours what should hinder our Actual Discharge And at this Door all the Antinomian Speculations rush like a Deluge in upon us § 4. This Phrase admits of a Socinian Sence too Report p. 9. Socinus and Crellius granted there was a Metaphorical or rather an improper Change of Persons but this is more fully evidenced from the Rt. Rd. Bp. of Worcester in his Letter to Mr. W. p. 57. Such a change of Persons as implies that one is appointed and allowed to act on behalf of others and for th ir advantage the Socinians never denied It 's not therefore the use of the Words but the Sence of them that is to be inquired into Some may affirm a Change of Persons and yet be Socinians and others may deny a Change and yet be far enough from Socinianism Seeing then this Phrase has been Press'd taken the Press-Money and Cloathing and Serv'd on both sides Seeing it has been true to no side seeing it's capable of being interpreted to a twofold evil sense and can have but one good sense and that when we force a good sense upon 't it sits uneasie under it and is scarce able to support it we may reasonably demand That it be bound to its Good Behaviour and that we be not compelled to swallow a Phrase without Chewing which may possibly stick in our Throats and choak us § 5. Nor can we yet find after all our search no nor the Defender after all his more curious Inquiry That this Phrase has appear'd in any Confession of Faith of any Church of whatever Denomination We have those extant of Episcopal Presbyterian and Congregational Perswasion of England Scotland France Ireland and Holland Compiled by Persons Learned Godly and Wise and if they knew this Phrase and judged it either necessary to confirm or useful to explain the great Doctrine of Satisfaction wherein they were so express clear and full they would not they could not have omitted it § 6. And among those Articles which were pitcht upon as the Test and Standard of Orthodoxy and upon which the Brethren did Unite did this Phrase never appear nor was the Rejection of it numbred among the Objections brought in against Mr. Williams's Book and it s more than probable had this Expression been insisted on in the previous Debates among the Brethren in order to their Coalition it had prevented their Union and we now find it has been made an Engine to widen the Breach among them that were once and might have again been United had not this and some other odd Terms of Art been skilfully managed to keep it open § 7. Nor can I understand how this Phrase of a Commutation of Persons between Christ and sinners is either serviceable to the explaining or confirming the Doctrine of Christ's satisfaction that is his suffering and dying in our Stead to expiate our Sins or satisfie Gods Iustice. 1. Not to the explaining it Because wise Men always endeavour Non fumum ex fulgore sed ex fumo dare Lucem they explain a Thing less known by that which is better known and think it absur'd to Comment on the Twylight by the Beams of Midnight Nor 2. To the confirming or proving it For seeing the best that can be made of this Phrase is that its equivalent to that of Christs suffering and dying in our Stead if it be so it will be hard to prove a Thing by it self For this is but the Learned Argument Christ suffered in our Stead because he suffered in our Room and he suffered in our Room because he suffered in our Place But of this kind of Argumentation we shall find the Defence fruitful to a Miracle § 8. And this Phrase when all is said and done is but a Phrase and never yet had its Signification Authentically fixt and stated by a competent Authority The Trumpet gives an uncertain Sound so that if we subscribe it it must be by an Implicite Faith in its own good Meaning § 9. Much less can we submit to its being imposed upon our Faith to be believed upon the Pains and Peril of Heresie And we know that by this Method the most abominable Heresies in the World were Canonized for the greatest Truths That Monster of Transubstantion was at first in its Infancy a meer Opinion that floated up and down in the Brains of Private Persons it became in a while to be tossed upon the Tongues of Scholastick Wits till at last it got firm footing in the Lateran Council and in process of Time became setled in the Conventicle of Trent and has since been the Neck-verse to many thousand poor Protestants Thus we fear that this Notion which now they play withal should in Time become the Test of the Faith of sound Protestants and all shall be damned that cannot subscribe the Antinomian Creed There was a Time when the Presbyterians were blamed as too Rigid in imposing their Sentiments and the Congregational magnified themselves as Persons of a better Temper and more Christian Moderation But we have now gotten a small number of Antinomian Independents who are far more Imperious Bigotted and Tyrannical than ever the Presbyterians could be justly charged to be I will give you one Passage from the Preface to the Declaration of the Faith of the Brethren at the Savoy Such a Transaction the compiling of their Articles is to be look'd upon but as a meet or fit Medium or Means whereby to express their common Faith and no ways to be made use of as an Imposition upon any Whatever is of force or constraint in Matters of this Nature causeth them to degenerate from the Name and Nature of Confessions and turns them from being Confessions of Faith into Exactions and Impositions of Faith
into one Lump What a Monster will that Person seem made up of such Integrals and such a Person as Mr. Hobbs represents his Commonwealth to be an Aggregate of Copper-Farthings or Guinea's Of this Objection our Antagonist is so civil as to take no notice the wisest way in the World unless he could have given an Answer What does he then For a noise must be made Why he multiplies Quotation upon Quotation Author upon Author and such a Lumber of Modern Testimonies as if the Cause were to be press'd to Death with number not with weight but this was the Logick of Iob's Friends who proceeded eternally upon an Ignoratio Elenchi Job 6. 25. what doth your Arguing Reprove Thus all his Learned Divines are of this Faith That Christ dyed in our stead But that this Phrase Christ dyed in the Person of Sinners was necessary to the Explication or Confirmation of that Truth they prove not But let us hear him speak Defence p. 11. The Phrases of a change of Persons between Christ and us and of Christs taking on him the Person of Sinners and suffering in their Person room and stead are most apt to convey unto our Understanding the True the Orthodox the genuine Sense of those Texts Christ dyed for our Sins and for us This he asserts with great Bravery and Confidence enough I hope we may have leave to wedge in a few Words 1. As for one of these Phrases viz. That Christs suffering in the room and stead of Sinners is apt to convey to our Understanding the true and for ought I know the genuine Sense too of Christ's dying for us and for our Sins I agree with him perfectly because every Expression in the World is apt to convey its own self to a humane Understanding 2. And yet perhaps it had been more properly said that Christs dying for us and for our Sins is apt to convey to our Understanding this Truth that Christ dyed in our room and stead For when all is said that can be said 't is the Holy Scripture divinely inspired that must convey to our Understanding whatsoever we are to believe and build our Faith upon nor ought we from Terms of humane Contrivance to conceive of the Scriptures but by and from the Scriptures of Truth to judge of and to Measure those Terms and Phrases and from thence to form such other Terms as there is really need of and occasion for which must clearly and adequately express the Mind of God therein contained and from hence they receive all their Value and Authority 3 I must nevertheless enter my peremptory Dissent to what he says That those Phrases A Commutation of Persons between Christ and Sinners and Christ's suffering and dying in the Person of Sinners are most apt to convey to our Understanding the sense of those Scriptures Christ died for our Sins and for us And I advance these opposite Positions That these Phrases are not apt nor more apt nor most apt to convey to our Understanding the aforesaid Truths 1. They are not apt in themselves but inept and unproper to convey to our Understanding those Truths for that Christ dyed for us and for our sins conveys to our Understanding That there was a Change of Christ's Person for others but the phrase A Commutation of Persons between Christ and Sinners conveys to my Understanding this Falshood That there were two persons exchanged mutually each for the other They are inept and improper to convey to my Understanding the import of those Scripture Expressions because they are less known less understood than those Scriptures which they pretend to illustrate 2. Nor are they more but less apt to convey to our Understanding the sense of those Scripture Expressions Christ suffered for us for our Sins than the other Phrase so well known and approved Christ suffâ—red dyed in our room place and stead loco nostro vice nostra 3. Nor can they be most apt to do this Service because Scripture Expressions and Phrases are more apt much more apt for that end than they unless we should be so vain as to fancy that the Spirit of God was not able to chuse the most apt and proper Phrases to convey to our Understandings whatever it was his Will we should believe with our Hearts to Salvation At this rate the Apostle spoke and taught and argued 1 Cor. 2. 13. Which things we speak not in the Words which Man's Wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing things Spiritual with Spiritual Nor did St. Paul fear he should vent Pestilent Heresies so long as he kept close to the Words of the Canon dictated by the Holy Ghost But it seems these Persons whom our Author has Dubb'd to be the Godly Learned have a priviledge to render their Terms of Art more expressive more signisicant than the Canoniz'd Expressions of the Holy Ghost I must beg their pardon Men may deceive and be deceived What the Psalmist spoke in his haste the Apostle spoke in cool Blood that all Men are Lyars that is we can have no infallible certainâ—y no good security to rest our Faith upon them further than as they propose to our Belief what is conformable to the Word of God Sir I need not give my self or you any further trouble in this matter 'T is a Phrase and but a Phrase that all this pother is about and a Phrase none of the best that ever was invented and a Phrase that has been and may easily be interpreted to an evil sense and the World has been troubled about some fruitless barren Controversies about it and if any has occasion for it let 'em use it and for my self I will use my own liberty But yet Sir because I am no Hider but open-hearted I will therefore deal frankly with you and give you what satisfaction I am able in this phrase 1. I firmly believe that Christ took on him our Nature the Nature of Sinners but not their sinful Natures He was made like unto us in all things yet without sin Heb. 4. 15. I believe the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us John 1. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Eternal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condescended to dwell in the Humane Nature as in his Tabernacle That this Assumption of the Humane Nature into personal Union with himself was a Foundation laid in the Counsel between the Father and the Son for his suffering in his Holy and Sinless person for and in the stead of Man 2. I believe also that according to the Compact and Counsel that was between them both the Father and the Son Jesus Christ did take on him our sins that is he bore the punishment due to them and therefore in some sense bore the Guilt too as the R. R. B. B. of Norwich and Worcester have explained the Term from Isa. 53. 5. He bore our Sins and carried our Sorrows 3. I have read and probable 't was true There was once a Crew of lewd
remembred that when in the Year 1692. some slender Objections were made against Mr. W's Book that Matter was seriously debated and at last all Differences were amicably composed all Offences removed and the whole Body of the United Ministers were abundantly satisfied or declared that they were Since which time what new Matter they have pickt up raked and scraped together after all their Scrutiny into and Rummaging of that Book is below all Considerations and next to nothing 8. To shut up all in this one Observation The withdrawing of some of the Congregational Brethren can never be construed or interpreted a Dissolution of the Union because by the very Form and Tenor of that Union they who had formerly made two Parties did Coalesce into one Body and laying aside the former Denominations Terms and Marks of Division and utterly abolishing the Memory of them they joyned together in that Honourable Name of the United Brethren all the old distinguishing Notes being swallow'd up in that one more commendable And therefore whosoever should go off must be supposed so to do as single Persons as so many Individuals not as a Body which the remaining United Brethren cannot own them to be and still the Door stands wide open as before and their Brethren stand with their Hearts and Arms wide open to receive them with the most Cordial Affections whenever they shall please and the good Spirit shall incline them to return You see Sir the Defence according to his poor power has represented the Brethren as to their Union dissolved and annihilated whether they will Acquiesce in this Determination I know not If they be of that Sheepish Complexion to bear it they do by Interpretation yield the whole Cause and lay themselves down in the Dirt for every Insolent Scribler to Trample on them but I would hope and most do expect they will at length awake and rowse themselves out of this Lethargy and assume a more Masculine Spirit This Sir at present is all I shall say as to Matter of Fact if any thing further accrue you may receive a second Trouble from Sir Your most Affectionate Friend and Servant c. LETTER XI Of the First and Third Paper SIR I perceive by your last you are inclinable to put a Period to our Correspondence about this Controversie if a Squabble about Words may be dignified with the Title of a Controversie and I confess my self as willing as your self and when I have made some Remarks upon these two Papers which have made such a Noise I see nothing that should give you or my self any farther Disquiet §. 1. Some Account of the First Paper 1. I cannot but look upon 't as a piece of Incivility which no Ingenious Spirit would have been guilty of To publish a Narrative of an Affair wherein two Parties had an equal concern without their joint consent and concerting of Matter of Fact between them both I have known of some and heard of more Conferences Debates Disputes where both sides have mutually agreed to the Truth of things before either of them durst be so hardy as to publish the whole But I am now convinc'd that there are some Men whom no Laws of Civility or Decency can oblige to what is Comely Our Author was never indeed very Costive in his Scribling Humours but of late he 's grown so Laxative that all the Astringents in the Shops will not check his Scripturiency but out it flies without the Preface of Saving your Presence If Prudence might have been heard it would have Advised not to roll that Stone which when it 's once in motion he could not be sure to stop If the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might have been his Counsellor it would have suggested that there were others deeply concern'd besides himself whose leave might have been modestly asked in a matter of common concern If Conscience might have spoke it would have obliged to a severe Regard to Truth in the most liable way of Writing which is that of the Narrative But Prudence Decency and Conscience are never consulted when Men are full of Wind and think they can leap over Nine Hedges 2. 'T is most certain that this Paper was never drawn up with the Knowledge Privity or Procurement of the United Brethren and that the Cabals wherein it was Contrived Hammered or rather Forged were never under the Inspection or Authority of the said Brethren they were a few a very few who set the Wheel a going that put the Intrigue on foot tho some others were afterwards wheadled in to bear some part in the Farce and rather jogg'd on Passively than Actively 3. You must always bear this in your Mind that several of those Persons who were then actually of the Number of the United Brethren subscribed this Unhappy Paper with a Declaration and Protestation antecedent to their Subscription that they did it with a Reserve to the Iudgment of the Body of the United Ministers So that if those Brethren should not give their Fiat it should be lookt on as a Non-factum a meer Nullity 4. The great Inducement to some of those Brethren to subscribe was a Whisper that this would redintegrate the Union and from hence they conceiv'd some glimmering hopes of so great a Blessing which hopes tho they were Faint and Leucophlegmatick as if they were giving up the Ghost yet they were willing to call 'em Hopes or any thing rather than black Despair Tho others that knew with whom they had to do had their greater Fears that it would never produce the boasted effect such especially as knew that one of the Company had declared That they never intended an Union And we may be assured that not one of the Nine would have put Pen to Paper had the Defender freely told them that he has since publish'd That they never intended or pretended to Union but the quite contrary 5. You must farther knew Sir that tho this Paper might have been seen and no doubt was so by many Individuals of the United Brethren whose curiosity might tempt them to get a sight of a Secret as we naturally have an Itch to see those Pamphlets which steal abroad sans privilege yet it was never laid before the Brethren in a Body never debated by them and therefore could not be said to be rejected by them because the Truth is they never concern'd themselves to Advise about it 6. And yet the Brethren at Little St. Hellens might have rejected it upon their own Right without rendring a Reason as well as those two Brethren declined their Subscription to the same Paper for divers Reasons to themselves best known and let our Gentleman with all his Fragments out of Calvin's Lexicon whereof he so unmeasurably glories give us a solid Reason why Titius should not have the same Law with Sempronius 7. Supposing the Brethren had waved their own Rights and proceeded upon the Merits of the Paper and Reasons intrinsecal to it they might have found many Causes for