Fourteen Queries and ten Absurdities about the extent of CHRIST'S Death the power of the Creatures the Justice of God in condemning some and saving others presented by a Free-willer to the Church of CHRIST at Newcastle and answered by Paul Hobson a Member of the said Church In which Answer is discovered the extent of Christs Death the nature and truth of Election the condition of the Creature both before and after conversion c. Published in tenderness of love for the good of all especially for the Churches of Christ Matth. 22.19 Jesus answered and said unto them Ye do err noâ— knowing the Scripture nor the power of God Gal. 1.8 But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed LONDON Printed by Henry Hills for William Hutchison Bookseller in Durham 1655. The Epistle Dedicatory To the Church of Christ at Newcastle these THe grace of our Lord be multiplied upon you all and strengthen you in every good word and work Beloved in the Lord you may remember that one William Pedelsden who professes and preaches the universal point at Sheels did present to me and some others in the face of the Church certain dangerous Queries requiring our Answer and for truths sake there being other business lying upon Brother Gover you desired me to write and publish an Answer to them and though I am sensible that in my appearing publickly I am called rather to manifest the present dealings of God with me and my former unkinde dealings with him but being sensible how much this opinion spreads and what dangerous consequences are produced by it I could not but after a serious seeking of God endeavour to answer your desires herein and the rather knowing that it is one of the general ways wherein the Devil deludes poor souls for I have found by experience that these two ways are the general Heads the Devil commonly goes upon and gradually proceeds in to draw away souls from the good way of the Lord first perswading men under specious pretences to allegorize Scaiptures and turn all into a more spiritual understanding and enjoyment than at present they have attained to who stand by the Rule of Truth in the practice of Gospel order and ordinances and this is backed on as I told you before with specious pretences of spirituality though in truth it is that which ends in carnality though at the first it doth not so appear which I can sadly witness the Devil commonly imploys this way with such spirits that are taken with curiosity of words and notions leaving the wholesom Word of the Lord. The second general way the Deluder takes is by discovering the way of God and the Doctrine of the Gospel under a greater way of rationality though it be but that which doth answer that reason which indeed is carnal which the Apostle speaks of in 1 Cor. 2 3. ch at large this second way the Devil takes many who are not capable of the first but both are very dangerous and though the first was my proper snare yet I judg it not amiss to let some part of my imployment be also to discover the second which according to my weak ability in this writing I have endeavoured desiring the Lord it may accomplish that end which you and I desire to wit the putting a stop to that opinion which the Author of those Queries doth hold forth which in many places doth so sadly spread and for the establishing of the weak that are ready to stagger so desiring the Lord in his power and presence to own it I shall say no more as to the matter nor end but commend you to God and the Word of his grace I remain Your poor Brother in the Faith and fellowship of the Gospel P. Hobson From Sagerstonehugh the 9th day of the 12th Moneth 1654. To the Reader COurteous Reader I am sensible the Devil never wants cunning inventions to court men to the imbracement of evil and wants no ability to mannage his wiles to take mens hearts off from owning good and I am sensible that he needs go no further to incense thee against this matter than his using Arguments from the former miscarriages and present insufficiency of the Author But it is the desire of my Soul to the Lord that though I have formerly stumbled and not stood steadfast in the truth yet my unsuitableness may not stave you off from a serious consideration of the matter that is here exprest I must confess that I am not apt to think it may do so because the same temptations have been in mee by which I had been almost taken off from ever appearing publickly bearing my Testimony for truth having been for a long time such a cloud to truth yet being as you will see by the insuing matter so providentially put upon it and besides seing that great necessity for it this opinion of free will with the rest therein exprest do increase so much in these Northern parts and it comes with such a face of rationality that many poor precious hearts who are weak in the faith are apt to stumble and in an especiall manner some about Hull where I was an eye and eare witness not long since of the sad disaster that is befaln the Church of Christ there upon that account therefore in tenderness of Love to them and answering the Desires of the People with whom I walk and for the prevention of this opinion spreading further here I could not but break over the difficulties I mean the sence of my own insufficiency and the great objections that will endeavour to be made by men opposite to the truth against the matter from the insufficiency of the Author but I trust the Lord or at least I desire it that he will give you a heart to look above the instrument to him who is the Author and fountain of truth it self considering that it is not the excellency of means but the truth of the matter that we are to mind it was I Cor. 27.28 and still is Gods way to manifest truth by weak and contemptible means that so truth may be entertained upon its own naked account sure I am we have too long imbraced truth upon confidence of the instrument or Author not Saint-like examining the matter or else concluding our judgment upon all when we have seen or read but part all which I desire thee to avoid in reading this small Treatise which though the dress is such that will not court mens fancies it was not for that end intended but that truth may be entertained in thy affections that it may appear to be so both in you and me it is ihe desire of my Soul that we may live in the power life and spirit of Truth and so be sure we can bear a Testimony in our lives to what our words or lines do discover lest we be found in the day of the Lord too
are his Now having discovered what troubles me and what makes me so unwilling to mention these truths but with discovering also wherein men do abuse them I shall now say no more but come to the proof of this seventh Particular and for the proof of that minde these Particulars 1. The whole Testimony of Scripture 2. The nature of the Work 3. The Titles that are given by God and Christ to the Work 4. The nature of every Creature before this is wrought Which four things will sufficiently prove that this work of faith is not gained by improving nature before conversion or a work before conversion that nature is capable of but is singly the work of God not in a general sense as a works ate but in a peculiar and a Gospel sense First the Testimony of Scripture to make good this truth is very full and clear see 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can be know them because they are spiritually discerned Which fully declares that the receiving or entertaining through faith the truths of the Spirit of God is a work which nature or natural men before conversion are not capable of it nor able to perform it but it is a special work of the Spirit of God John 3.3 5. Verily except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God And in v. 5. he saith Except a man be born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Where you see the 2. special employments of faith to wit 1. The seeing or viewing the glory of Gods Kingdom 2. The entering of the Kingdom Both which are to be done through faith CHRIST doth here affirm it is a work impossible for a natural man to do or any thing in nature to perform before conversion or the new birth which appears in Paul Phil. 3.6 which work is singularly Gods by his Spirit according to his own good will and pleasure which CHRIST affirms in vers 8. of the said Chapter Jer. 31.18 19. Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after I was turned I repented and after I was instructed I smote upon my thigh and I was ashamed Ephraim's experience doth testifie this that repentance smiting and being ashamed followeth turning and that turning and instructing in this Gospel sense in the act of conversion is Gods singular work Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil The comparison declares that it is impossible for unconverted man that lives in sin to do good as good that is to say to do any Gospel work Besides these testimonies which are sufficient I desire you further to minde these Scriptures Phil. 2.13 For it is God that works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure So it is singular Gods work produced by his good pleasure Suitable to that is Prov. 16. 1. Jer. 10.23 Lam. 5.21 Now as for the second which is what the nature of the work is before I speak of the nature of faith give me leave to speak a word or two of the new birth or conversion which of necessity must be wrought before any work or employment of faith can appear and the truth is my dear Friend if we cannot witness the new birth we are not in a capacity to inform one another of the things of God for till then we are but natural and not fit for such an employment 1 Cor. 2.14 Now this work of conversion and new birth I shall present it to you thus it is by the glorious and powerfull appearance or discovery of the glory of God in CHRIST which doth so seize upon the soul and convincingly conquers the soul that the soul in the discoveries of that light is so killed and made silent and confounded in the sense of his own unsuitableness to God and undonness without CHRIST that the heart is presently made to loath and abominate it self and whatsoever was wrought or done before CHRIST came and is so restlesly carried out for CHRIST that the soul cannot rest till it doth enjoy him that is till he can see a propriety in him or enjoy him as his own which is alone done through believing Now faith is a supernatural light and life set up in the soul by Gods causing the creature to assent to and close with the authority of Gods truth and tenders â—n CHRIST upon which direct act reflection followeth which is the applying of CHRIST as his own from the truth of Gods tender which is from his peculiar love which love the heart is made sensible of in that appearance Now dear Friend do but consider this small description of the work of conversion and faith and see if any thing in nature before the new birth is wrought is capable of or able to perform such a work do but pick out some Particulars of it as 1. This appearance of God doth and will kill make silent and confound or conquer whatsoever is in the soul before Christ comes Jer. 31.18 19. Rom. 7.9 Zach. 2.13 Acts 2.37 2. The creature is so overcome with a sight of this light that he can no longer love but loath himself Job 50.3 4 5. chap. 42.5 6. Isai 5.6 Phil. 3.8 3. It is made able to go out of it self and give way for and assent to the authority and truth of Gods tenders John 3.33 chap. â—2 38 Rom. 4.18 19 20.2 Thess 1.10 4. It can finde no rest in its self nor whatsoever self did before or can do but soly waits upon and attends the authority of this discovery Acts 2.37 ch 16.30 Cant. 5.6 8. Psalm 63.1 Matth. 11.12 5. It 's made able to apply that is to say to own a propriety and to bring home that to its self as its own which is as high as Heaven and far above what nature can either reach or attain unto according to these Scriptures Heb. 11. 1 8 10 13. John 8.56 1 Cor. 2.9 10. Now I beseech you consider what hath been said and you will see that the nature of this truth as we faid before is too high for any improvement of nature to attain to before the new birth Thirdly consider the Titles that are given by God and CHRIST to the work I mean to the work of Regeneration in which faith is comprehended or included it is called a new birth John 3.3 5. Except a man be born again he cannot see or he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Now dear Friend consider what it is to be born and minde that a spiritual birth transcends a natural if you can truly witness this you will see and must acknowledg this truth 1. That it is impossible by any improvement of Nature to be performed before the work of grace is wrought 2. It is called spiritual 1 Cor. 2.14 Now
or virtue of the promise the fruit of the promise and the form of the performance which is but the mouth and language to speak out the life by which was made good when Isaac and his seed successively took place so in CHRIST he was a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world the life or virtue of the act which was the efficacy of Christs Death which did arise from the Author and life of the act that took place so soon as ever God did promise CHRIST the form of the act which is the language as I told you before to speak out the life that takes place in time and is not formally presented till lively performed but the life or virtue of the form that takes place for us when first promised and so the Death of Christ was effectual so soon as ever the promise was propounded or else Adam must have died and none could have been saved till CHRIST had come and suffered in the flesh the very same we are to minde in election the life of the act which is the essence took place from the beginning as to the form we shall minde it in the second Particular Now as to the discovery and the fruits of the act that takes place in forms as forms are presented but the act is as truly alive before the form appears as it is afterwards and the truth is every act takes its denomination from the life and the antiquity is derived from thence and so Abrahrm was a father of Nations when the promise was first propounded and so CHRIST was really slain as to the life and virtue when he was first promised and election was then done when it took place in its rise which was Gods singular love and good will to chuse some to be vessels of glory now when the Apostle saith that God calls things that are not as if they were he doth not intend the life or virtue of the act but the form of the act and he that denies it endeavours to overthrow the whole tenure of Scripture for in this sense we are to understand our fall in Adam and our rise in Christ according to the tenure of the Gospel and so also the promise to Abraham and so we are to understand the intent of the Law Matth. 5.28 which declares lusting after a woman to be Adultery 1 John 3.18 that hatred is murder which declares the act to live in the life and virtue though it wants its outward form and is so really before the form is brought forth and in this sense we are to understand Christs love and rejoycing in the sons of men before the world was Prov. 8.31 Secondly consider as the life and virtue of some acts take place before the form and is really in being before the form appear either of our acts or Gods So further minde that whatsoever is done not onely of God but also in God for us the life and form of that act as to God takes place together and both is in being before it doth appear though the discovery of that is not till the Object to which the Action relates be brought forth and this is true election for that is an act done as well in God as by God and so life and form take place together as to God though as to the form of the discovery to us it is not till formably we are brought forth so this act is not to be paralleld with such acts that God doth for us though by himself yet our of himself as Redemption or the promise to Abraham is and therefore what is said from the words of the Apostle Rom. 4.17 is not sufficient to overthrow this truth to wit that election is before the beginning of the world according to these Scriptures Ephes 1.4 1 Pet. 1.2 2 Thess 2.13 1 Tim. 1.9 A second Objection that is made against this Truth by the fore-mentioned party and some others is from these words in 1 Peter 1.2 Elected according to the foreknowledg of God through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience And in 2 Thess 2.13 We are bound to give thanks always to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth whereunto ye were called by the Gospel From whence they reason thus If we are chosen through sanctification of the Spirit then none are chosen before they have the Spirit and are sanctified by the Spirit and if Saints are chosen to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth and were called to believe that through hearing of the Gospel Then say they men are not chosen before they did believe the truth and before they did hear the Gospel by which they were calld to believe Answer That kinde of reasoning is very sad and unsuitable to the intent of the Apostle in those expressions and that their Arguments have no foundation from thence seriously view the words the Apostle saith in both the places that we are chosen to salvation through sanctification unto obedience and belief of the truth whereunto we are called by the Gospel All that can from thence be gathered is thus much that sanctification and belief of the truth or obedience is the way to accomplish that end unto which election doth intend for there are three things to be considered 1. The act of Election and that hath been punctually proved both to matter manner and time 2. The end of Election which is the advancement of Gods grace in bringing vessels of mercy to glory 3. The way or means to accomplish the end which is by or through sanctification or believing the truth But it is no other way discovered but as the way and means no where as the cause or foundation therefore there is no ground from thence to prove that sanctification and election must be both at one time no more than the people of Israel going through the Wilderness to Canaan to be a discovery that God did not ordain them for Canaan or give them promise of Canaan before they came into Wilderness which was the way to it The Scripture declares that without holiness no man shall see God Heb. 12.13 But I know no Scripture that declares that man shall not nor is not elected till he be holy though they that are elected must and shall be holy and they that are holy shall see the Lord and live with him in glory not as the efficient and meritorious cause but as the way and means to such an end If men will draw Syllogisms from such corrupt apprehensions of such divine expressions as the Apostle useth in those Scriptures they may as well prove from thence and with as small a Paradox that sanctification is before men are born as to prove from them Scriptures election which is before the world to be not till men are sanctified but to exercise wit to prove either of these two things is
sophistry and no Reason and not becoming a Saint to meddle with Objection 3. No men can be elected in CHRIST till they be in CHRIST but no men are in CHRIST till they believe or trust in CHRIST for the elect Ephesians were once out of CHRIST chap. 2.11 12. Answer Men are said to be truly and really in CHRIST two ways First by election and so we are all in CHRIST he being the publick person in whom all elections were comprehended and all the elect are really in him before they are brought forth as every man is in Adam before they are born this last affirmation they themselves do grant and so they must the other if they do but truly view the minde of God in his Word and not draw Reasons from bare Expressions without discovering the true intention now if they could prove that no man in no sense is in CHRIST till he doth believe then they say something or else their Argument is of no force for we are one with them in their second being in CHRIST which is when we are called and in that sense even the elect of God till they are converted they are without God and without hope and by nature the children of wrath as well as others Ephes 2.3 But before ever they are brought home to CHRIST in the second sense they were in CHRIST in the first sense or else CHRIST would not have said John 10.16 Other Sheep I have which are not of this Fold them will I bring in so that they did belong to CHRIST as his particular Sheep before he brought them in and that there is such a property and unity before conversion you will see if you seriously minde these Scriptures John 10.16 Acts 18.10 2 Tim. 1.9 Ephes 1.3 Now there is an outward being in CHRIST which is onely the outward profession of CHRIST that men may be in and fall according to these Scriptures John 15.2 6. 1 John 2.10 1 Tim. 1.19 20. But I shall not speak to that They have some other Objections about trusting in CHRIST and believing in CHRIST but we have said enough to that already shewing that faith and all other obedience is not a cause of but flows from that privilege according to these Scriptures Acts 13.43 Joh. 15.16 1 Joh. 4.19 There are some other Objections that do arise from some other mistakes of Scripture which I shall take an occasion to speak something to in my declaring the third thing I promised you to wit your mistakes which are the cause of your stumbling The sixth thing which is that the publishing of the fore-mentioned privilege which is the Gospel is Gods way or means to effect or produce faith or other Gospel obedience in the hearts of his own as to this there being but little difference between you and I and the speaking much to it will not upon that account add much to the deciding the controversie between you and others therefore I shall onely set down the Scriptures to prove it and so leave it 1 Cor. 4.15 Rom. 10.17 2 Thess 2.13 2 Tim. 1.10 1 Pet. 4.6 Gal. 3.2 I shall say no more to this but come to the seventh Particular Seventhly that faith which is produced in obedience to truth by the discoveries of the Gospel of CHRIST is not the bringing up of something that is in men before conversion but it is a peculiar work of God which Nature in the highest improvement is not capable of till conversion or the new work of grace be wrought which is Gods not upon a common but a special and Gospel account wrought by him Now dear Friend before I speak to this particular give me leave to speak two or three words to you relating to some things that do very much trouble me in relation to the abuse of this truth for there are two truths miserably abused even by them that do profess the Lord the one is that all the power we have to act or do things in a Gospel sense is produced alone by the power and Spirit of God not upon a common but a special account The second is that the best of Saints while they live here have sin now these truths are abused thus exhort those that profess the Lord to exactness in duty or reprove them for any neglect in duty presently this is replied We can do no more than we have power which is a truth in its sense but it is sadly applied for when God hath begun to work grace in us the way to increase in strength is to improve what we have by carefull watching and waiting hourly and daily before the Lord and they that do so wait and walk have experience that God will not be wanting to increase strength according to these Scriptures Isai 40.31 John 7.17 chap. 15. the later end 4. v. Isai 64.5 Psalm 9.10 Matth. 13.12 Luke 8.18 And the truth is were this practized there would not be such sad unsaintlike walkings as now appear to be among them that profess the Lord both in their pride fashiâ—ning themselves after the world covetousness frothy language wanton carriages and other unsaintlike practices that it is a hard thing to know a saint from a sinner in his daily practice and conversation unless you finde them in particular acts of worship which is that which doth sadly wound the Name of God and the glory of CHRIST among men I do not speak this for to accuse others onely but withall to bear witness against my self for my former unsuitable walkings wherein my daily watchings and waitings and exact conforming and improving faith was not kept alive and therefore I died but blessed be the Lord who hath discovered the truth of this to my soul Now they abuse the second truth thus come to some Professors and tell them of their pride fashions of the world covetousness passion or courtly complements frothy language manifesting that these things are unbecoming â—aints and inconsistent with a growing heart this presently is replied Every one hath sin Paul and the rest of the Apostles the very best of Saints had sin and so I confess have I this they answer and peradventure they will say they groan under it which is a perfect deceit for though there is sin in the people of God yet there is a daily growth and getting ground of it by improving faith in the bloud of CHRIST and by exact waiting and watching by which the sin of the heart or corruption of the will and the minde is kept under and there is not an allowance of any one sin where Christ is in truth And therefore those that do shelter themselves under truth in this sense and do not daily grow and get power against sin let them know this from a heart that knows it from wofull experience that they onely live in notions not in the power and spirit of truth to be 〈◊〉 witness of the truth of the now birth or work of grace which God hath wrought in them that
God and verily there is a greater and more eminent appearance of Gods power in converting such a man who by improvement hath made himself righteous as to the Law than in converting him that is a greater sinner which is clear from these Scriptures Matth. 11. 21 22 23. Luke 10.13 14. chap. 11.32 The case you may see in the proud Pharisee Luke 18.10 11 12 13. But this doth not arise so much from the nature of the righteousness as from the corruption in the creature who doth sinfully improve the righteousness endeavouring to finde the way to Heaven without CHRIST though they do use the Name and Title of CHRIST in what they do therefore I would not have any neglect to improve their Talent though I would have you and all know when you have done all as to the work of Grace and procuring Heaven you are unprofitable servants and far below the work of Grace and so far from being able to perform it till Grace comes in a Gospeâ— sense that nothing can be done and when it is come though it doth teach you to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts which fulfills the Law in answering the Gospel yet it doth teach you to deny and loath all your former improvements and righteousness according to these Scriptures Phil. 3.4 5 6 7 8 9. Gal. 3.10 11 12 18 21. Ephes 2.8 9. Tit. 3.5 6 7. And so much in answer to these Queries onely dear Friend that we may understand Truth truly let us draw up the result thus when the Scripture speaks of any power in the creature before the new Birth it is onely that small proportion of power which is to be improved in answer to the righteousness of a moral Law so far as the discovery of it is retained in nature and when I declare this Truth which the Scripture owns to wit that the creature hath no power that is to a work of Grace in a Gospel sense which is Gods peculiar work not in a common but in a special and Gospel account which work the former ability is far below and in the highest improvement is not able to perform Peradventure you may make a second Query which you were pleased to express when I saw you which is Query What is done before this new Birth and that which is done since is all by the power of God if by the power of God why make we distinction Answer We do not make any distinction of power as it is considered in God for the power of God is individable in himself but our discourse relates to the exercise of Gods power as to us and that is distinguishable and is to be considered either higher or lower either common or special according to these Scriptures Deut. 9.29 Job 23.6 chap. 26.14 Psalm 79.11 Matth. 9.8 Luke 9.43 Ephes 1.19 Col 1.11 Besides we see clearly that some acts of Gods power are universal and communicable to all and some are peculiar as gifts of grace to some and not to all and they that have the former may and do many times want the later for your better understanding of that Truth do but mind Deut 29 v.2 And Moses called unto all Israel and said unto them Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eys in the Land of Egypt unto Pharaoh and unto all his servants and unto all his Land in vers 3. The great temptations which thine eys have seen the signs and those great miracles Now all that Moses discovers there is to manifest the exercise of Gods power in a common or general sense but doth not at all include the peculiar exercises of Gods power as to Grace which we have been all this while a speaking of therefore he saith v. 4 Yet the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive nor eys to see and ears to hear unto this day The same you may understand in these Scriptures Matth. 11.25 applied to Matth. 13.11 ch 19.11 John 6.65 Pâ—â—â— 1.29 All which I entreat you in the fear of the Lord to minde and not to conclude any thing in opposition to this Truth from the unity of power that is in God but seriously minde the exercise of his power as to us and then you will finde that you have no ground to propound such a Query or to stumble at your apprehensions of the unity of the power in God but I shall say no more as to that Query Now I should come to the eighth Particular which is that it is Gods minde and way and therefore of necessity it must be so for the advancement of his Grace and the accomplishment of Faith in the hearts of his own that this Gospel is to be presented or discovered to all without any exemption as to the declaration it self to which I shall say little it being so clear onely refer you to the Scriptures which declare 1. Gods will so present or declare Christ to all according to these Scriptures Matth. 26.13 chap. 28.18 19. Mark 16.15 16. 2. That Gods end is for working of Faith in the hearts of this own or the gathering his own to himself according to these Scriptures Rom. 10.14 15. 1 Cor. 4.15 Col. 1.5 1 Thess 2.13 1 Pet. 4.6 This is all I shall say to this eighth Position Now I know there are some that will make some Objections further to what hath been said which I desire to mention and give my Answer to Obj. It is clear from what you have said that Christ is to be presented to all and that he is enjoyed by none but through believing and you say the power of believing is soly of God and not by any improvement of the ability of nature before the new Birth if so how can it be just with God to condemn them that do not believe seeing the power is not of them but in God Answer I judg this very mistake to be a chief ground of your stumbling and therefore for the clearing up of that according to the third Particular in my writing wherein I promised to clear up the Justice of God in this case I shall desire you not to stand upon curiosity of words but in singleness of heart owning the Truth of God to consider with me these Particulars following 1. That Christ is to be presented to all that 's not disputable that Faith is the way or condition of the Gospel to entertertain Christ and salvation by Christ that is clear 2. That this Faith thus considered is not in the power of the creature to perform by its ability from Gods authority in a common sense but it is a peculiar gift in a Gospel sense by the grace of God given to some and not to all that is clear from these Scriptures Matth. 13.11 16 17. 1 Cor. 2.14 Matth. 11.27 John 15.15 Phil. 1.29 3. Minde that notwithstanding all this Gods justice is clear not onely as to the prerogative of his will which we have no ground to dispute against but is also clear
light which day is a coming and will not tarry And even Sion it self cannot be a shelter to cover Hypocrites but in the day of the Lord their fear will be fearfull Isai 33.14 A virgins state with light in our Lamps without oyle in our vessels will not make way for entainment in that day Mat. 25.11 12. neither will preaching nor prophesying Mat. 7.22 23. neither will our being calld by the name of Israel nor passing through the waters of Judah nor swearing by the name of the Lord nor calling our selves of the holy City Isai 48.1 2. do it without a real oneness with Christ which is alwayes accompaned with soundness of principle and suitableness in practice not in bare words and formes but in power and life in each performance that it may be thus with you and me it is and shall be the earnest prayer of him that is Courteous Reader one that desires to appear before men as to approve himself to the Lord and be found saithfull at his coming P.H. To all that love the Lord in sincerity and are called according to his purpose BEloved it is wonderfull to consider how far Antichrist hath darkned the Glorious and pure truthes of Jesus Christ with his vails vizards and covers so that it is hard to find out their face or form as also to restore any one truth to its primitive institution and being though God is pleased many times by an eminent hand to bring truth to light notwithstanding these false covers which do yet lye upon it as to many though much discovered by others yet when I consider where the cause of all this is not in the truth it self but in mens blindness and darkness in their understanding of it and which is yet worse it being like so to remain till the glorious Gospel of Christ shall take hold of them therefore the consideration of this should stay our spirits when we see such contendings oppositions and carnal reasonings against the clear and pure truth of God in the Scriptures and now seeing our dear Brother the Author of this Treatise hath endeavoured to bring forth his Talent in the behalf of truth in answer to those Queries wherein I judg that God hath in a good measure inabled him to give a clear answer to the satisfiing and confirming of them who are or have been apt to scruple or stagger at the truth which is here affirmed by him and owned by the Saints I judg that this light of of his should not be put under a Bushell but he brought forth to publick view so that if there be in it that which may give satisfaction to one it may be usefull the rather when I consider what necessity there is of it in other places where the words of such kinde of persons are like the words of Hymeneus and Philetus which will eat as doth a Cancer this is the ground of his so appearing in a publick way yet what room and entertainment it may have or meet withall among the sons of men I know not because we know that wisdome is onely justified of her children if it be so among wisdomes children it doth accomplish wisdoms end and therein we have ours Possibly it may meet with reproches and scorns either in respect of its dress and habit it appears in which was minded to the Author but could not well be avoyded it being the onely suitable way to him to make out his mind in namely Syllogisms and the rather because Haggers book which he answers runs in the same strain or in relation to the Author against whom some may be ready to cavil and so slight and undervalue the truth possibly conceiving him to have been formerly dead if not twice dead as to such appearances yet not pluckt up by the roots I know it may seem strange to many that he should now appeare in the house of God the strangeness of which hath been beheld as much by me as by any and wee have been ready to wonder at the admirable rich grace patience and long-suffering of God towards him who formerly walked in notions and pretences of spirituality though in wantonness against Christ Were it not that the Lord is mercifull because he delighteth to be mercifull we had not known how or where to have centered our judgments and understandings concerning him in that condition yet knowing there is no difference where God makes none I cannot but be satisfied the rather I being an eye witness of the Authors great alteration and change not onely in reference to a gratious frame of heart and a close walking with God daily but also in respect of those his many principles as to notions which were imbraced by him and I fear too much by many now to the turning of their minds aside from the simplicity of the Gospel and the truth as it is in Iesus if the truth here affirmed shall take place in any hearts to the securing of their judgments and keeping their consciences free from error and pollution we wish the Lord may have the praise and we shall have cause therein to reioyce Friends I judg that now things will no longer go upon trust as formerly the truthes of God have too much gone upon the leggs of humane testimony now therefore it is our desire it may go upon tryal Gold loseth nothing by its tryal but its nature is discovered more excellent to the Law and to the testimony there must be a day of fining and trying Gold must appear to be Gold and Dross to be Dross it will no longer pass for current with god though it doth with men therefore it behoveth all the people of God to have their loynes girt about with truth this is all at present I shall say either in behalf of the Author or matter or persons to whom it is to be tendered and so shall desire daily to pray for your furtherance in the Gospel labouring while I am in this tabernacle on this side glory to approve my self in the sight of God Your unworthy yet faithfull Companion through grace in Gospel-service Tho Gower DEar Friend I received fourteen Queries from you destring my judgment about the Death of CHRIST the ability of the Creature and the Justice of God relating to the Condemnation of the Creature c. and with them ten Absurdities which you are pleased to annex to the Queries but as for the Absurdities I shall leave them till seasonably I may answer them and come to shew you the fallacy of them onely one or two things first as to them minde First to draw Absurdities from the cross Answer of your Queries before your Queries are answered is but a fallacy Secondly the drawing Absurdities from the Answer of your Queries or what you judg will be the Answer doth shew that you do not propound Queries to be informed because you conclude your Answer before you propound them or elseyour Absurdities be but the fruit of fancy the truth of which will