not own that the Wrath of God was upon Christ O repent John p. 29. c. Crook I know not what a great Cross it is for a Debtor that knows his Creditor to be fully satisfied and paid his Debt by another in his stead to believe it to be so But indeed it is a Cross to be stumbled at and a strange thing for a poor Debtor to be told he must believe his Debts are paid and his Creditor is satisfied while his Creditor keeps him still in Prison and calls to him every Day for full Payment this is cross to sound Judgment and good Understanding But if this be all the Acquaintance thou hast with the Cross of Christ I will assure thee thou art far enough from being his Disciple c. But why dost thou dare me William am I all of a suddain changed in thy Opinion from a Knave and a jugling Mountebank as thou callest me unto such a tender-conscienced Man that I dare not speak otherwise then I believe who playes Tricks now William making me believe that if I will own what thou would'st have me then thou wilt believe me yet when I have given Testimony to the Blood of Christ and many other Things even as thy self in Words professest to believe yet for so doing thou callest my Person a Knave and a Mountebank and my Belief a Juggle But thy Speech bewrayes thee for these Words viz. If thou darest c. is their Hectoring Language thou comparest me to But if the Reader please to examine his daring Challenge he will find it to be this viz. to own that the Wrath of God was upon Christ and that God poured out all his Wrath upon his Son and that these Words prove it Gal. 3. He was made a Curse for us for it 's written cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree this is that he so dares me to and if I will not be convinced by this Proof I must repent of the Thoughts of my Heart though never so right in this Matter viz. I believe that Christ bore our Sins in his Body on the Tree that we being dead to Sin should live in Righteousness by whose Stripes we are healed 1 Pet. 2.24 I dare and do own that what Christ suffered it was for us and that the weighty Sense of the Misery due to Mankind for Sin fell upon him as the squeezing of Grapes in a Wine-press which caused him to sweat like Drops of Blood in his Agony Luke 22.44 all this we believe according to holy Scripture But let us now consider William Haworth's Belief and we shall find this to be one Article of his Faith viz. That Christ when he suffered was not innocent and as guilty God poured out all his Wrath upon him c. Christ had the Guilt of Sin really charged upon him what else is to be understood by these Words viz. he was made Sin for us Epist c. which is more then I dare affirm for what Job said of his own Integrity may much more be testified of Christ's Innocency to wit That he did not let that go till he dyed neither was Guile found in his Mouth And whatever thine and others Conceivings are of the Sufferings of Christ I dare say that no Man can conceive much less express what they were in the deep Travail of his Soul when he poured it out an Offering for Sin and the heavy Sense of Mans Misery fell upon him c. only those that have had Fellowship with him in his Sufferings and been made conformable to his Death in their Mealure are his Witnesses of what he suffer'd by the good Experience he hath given them through the Revelation of his holy Spirit in their Hearts such know something of the Sufferings of Christ and the Benefit of them to their own Souls c. Yet is not the Freeness of Forgiveness nor the free Grace and Mercy of God to Sinners destroyed thereby that truly believe in the Light of Christ Jesus and repent of the Evils that are made manifest to them by the same neither is the Work of Sanctification and Regeneration by all that Christ hath done or suffered made less necessary to the inheriting the Kingdom of God and everlasting Salvation nor are the Exhortations to Men and Women to follow Holiness and to work out their own Salvation with Fear and Trembling either weakened in themselves or made indifferent to Believers nor is the inward Work of redeeming the Heart and Mind out of the World to be fully set upon things above by the Spirit and Power of Christ within to be neglected or disesteemed by laying all the Stress upon what Christ hath done and suffered without us c. For though Christ be both a general and particular Saviour yet the Benefit accruing to Men by him as the general Saviour is known and received only where he is witnessed a particular Saviour for Christ in man becoming the Hope of Glory and Man being changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord is the Salvation and the Perfection of every true Christian I have been the larger now upon this Subject that I may be excused from writing any more about it in this Reply Haworth What wouldst thou John have more then Faith page 29. c. Crook My Words are these viz. I find thee like the Pharisees of old flying from the Wrath to come by casting all God's Vengeance upon Christ an easie Way if thou couldst so escape it by imagining his doing God's Pleasure and suffering God's Displeasure to be reckoned thine by a bare Belief of it wholely without thee To all which he returns this Answer viz. What wouldst thou John have more then Faith Of which let the Reader judge if this be not his Hope and Belief viz. that he shall escape God's Wrath and Vengeance and consequently be saved by a bare Belief that Christ hath done God's Will and suffered his Displeasure wholely without him in his stead as if we were to understand no more by all Exhortations to Holiness and perfect Obedience to God's Holy Will and Commandments then that Christ and not we is to be only the Subject of all those Exhortations and Commands If it be asked whether a man may escape God's Wrath and Vengeance by a bare Believing that Christ hath done and suffered God's Pleasure wholely without him William Haworth answers What wouldst thou man have more then Faith But the Apostle James answers Wilt thou know O vain man that Faith without Works is dead Haworth He that works not but believes Rom. 4. There it Faith only a bare Belief John what sayest thou to that though that Faith that is justifying will work by Love yet it receives no Efficacy from its being accompanied with Works as to our Justification but from the Object without p. 29. c. Crook I say thou hast answered thy self that it is not a bare Belief without Works for thou
sayest it is a working Faith and if it were not so it must needs be a dead Faith And the Apostle Paul speaks not of a bare believing excluding its operative Nature no more then the Apostle James doth of Works excluding believing but both agree that Justification is by a living working Faith When the Apostle excludeth Works from Justification he excludeth them only under the Notion or Conceit of Merit in which Sense the Jews urged the Necessity of them in that Business There is no Opposition between Grace and Works but a clear Consistency except or unless by Works we understand Merit And to say it receives no Efficacy from its being accompanied with Works is little less in plain English then to say if it did not work it would be as efficacious to Justification which is both contrary to Scripture and this received Doctrine viz. Where Christ removes the Guilt of Sin he also removes the Filth of Sin Justification and Sanctification being inseparable Companions and Justification is never without Sanctification for no Persons are the Subjects of Gospel Justification as ungodly or as in their sins but as being sanctified and the Filth of Sin removed so then justified not in Sin but in the Truth and Righteousness of Christ they being washed c. according to 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and BY THE SPIRIT of our God according to this Maxim that without Likeness of Disposition there can be no Likeing of each other Haworth Enough if thou wast real in thy Expressions p. 29. c. Crook That the Reader may bear witness to W. H's Acknowledgment that what I have said is enough I shall set down my Words and abide by them to save further dispute about this Point viz. I know and believe Salvation by the imputed reckoned and real everlasting Righteousness of Jesus Christ brought nigh Which Confession of mine he acknowledgeth to be enough if real c. Haworth I had thought that Faith had been the Substance of things hoped for that by Faith Christ dwelt in our Hearts p. 30. c. Crook This he speaks of the imputed Righteousness of Christ brought nigh which is a large Confession to the Inherentness or Indwelling of Christ and consequently his Righteousness in the Hearts of true Believers and that which he calls the Substance of things hoped for he saith is in their Hearts also Now if all these things be so nigh what is the Cause that W. H. and I are so far assunder Haworth This is true plainly understood as spoken pag. 31. c. Crook These are my Words he confesseth unto speaking of the Imputed Righteousness of Christ which in the Fulness of time was manifest in and by him and in due time made mine by the Work and Application of his Spirit in my Inward Parts This is true saith W. H. So that I need take no further Notice of his Cavils against it seeing he hath so fully confessed to the Truth of it Haworth If this Him was to be understood of the true Christ we need not one Word further p. 32. c. Crook My Words are viz And God is well pleased or satisfied in and with Him in whom I am accepted c. Now I do declare it is the true Christ that I intended by Him so that it is needless for me to reply one Word further as himself confesseth Haworth Christ of himself and his Merit is not sufficient unless something wrought by the Light in us doth joyn its Merit with him pag. 33. c. Crook This is scoffingly spoken in Contempt not only of what I have said but also of the Works of the Spirit as appears by his own Words viz. Thou wouldst have the Works that are wrought by the Spirit have some Share in Acceptation What would this man say if he durst speak plainly as if the Spirit in its working did lessen the worth and sufficiency of Christ or as if W. H. contemned that Ancient Orthodox Saying viz. It is not propter but secundum i. e. We are accepted not for nor yet without where there is a Capacity but according to GOOD WORKS But this man would make the works of the Spirit and the work of Christ to be like Israel and Amalek No Acceptation of an Israelite by the Merit of Christ unless the Works of the Spirit like the Name of Amalek be quite blotted out from having any thing to do with it Haworth What the Lord doth is really done c. Crook I Oppose Reallity to thy Imagination not to any Act of God for in the New Creation as well as the Old God saith Let it be so and it is so But I am jealous thou and others imagine that to be so which is not so in this great Case Therefore do not deceive thy self and others by calling the strength of Imagination Reality and a confident Presumption a Living Faith Haworth But indeed this Righteousness is not at a Distance from us but put upon us by the Father's Gift Ye have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 It is the best Robe put upon us c. And all that Righteousness that is within us of Sanctification is but the Fruit of this it was merited and purchased for us by this p. 34 c. Crook I have spoken to this Subject under Title Contradiction and Confusion The Words he so wars against are these viz. Thou believest to be saved by a Righteousness wholely without thee Reckoned but not Real which Righteousness Christ wrought One Thousand Six Hundred Years since not that we undervalue that Righteousness nay cursed is he that so doth really no nearer to thee then the Place where he personally lived and dyed Now I desire the Reader to consider if his Proof consutes this viz. Gal. 3.27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ this is that Righteousness that is imputed to us and procures the Discharge from our Sins or Debts by W. Haworth's own Acknowledgement This being Baptized into Christ is explained by the same Apostle Rom. 6.3,4,5,6 Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his Death therefore we are buryed with him by baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised from the Dead by the Glory of the Father even so we also should walk in Newness of Life for if we have been planted together in the Likeness of his Death we shall be also in the Likeness of his Resurrection knowing this that our Old Man is crucified with him that the Body of Sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve Sin And this Phrase We have put on Christ is also expounded by the same Apostle Rom. 13.12,13,14 And let us put on the Armour of Light so that we walk honestly as in the Day time not in Gluttonny and Drunkenness neither in
unto Mankind and received through Faith and Repentance Q. 9. Haworth Whether any Actions or Sufferings of any besides those of his have any Merit Worth Desert in them to purchase any thing at God's hand for any of Mankind An. Crook 1 st No man's Actions or Sufferings without Christ are of any Merit or Worth in God's Sight 2 dly Besides those that Christ did and suffered above 1600 Years since in Iudea his continued Mediation and Intercession have Worth and Desert in them to obtain Good at God's Hand for man 3 dly Besides a being then reconciled by the Death of his Son there is a MUCH MORE put upon A being saved by his Life Rom. 5.10 4 thly The Saints sincere Obedience and Perseverance in Christ have Reward from God for his Sake Q. 10. Haworth Whether Christ Iesus dyed in the Room Place Stead of any or only for their Benefit or Advantage An. Crook A silly Query for Christ dying for all men in their Room or Stead must needs be for their Benefit and Advantage Q. 11. Haworth Whether God's imputing Righteousness to any man be any thing else but his putting Righteousness into the Creature by Saictifying of it An. Crook Yea it is an Accepting of him in Christ the Beloved through Faith and Sanctification in him whom God hath sent and given unto us with whom the Benefit of his Sufferings and Death is so reckoned unto us as ours Q. 12. Haworth Whether Iustification be not an Act of God in absolving and acquitting a Sinner for Christ Sake in Opposition to condemning c. and accounting him Righteous for the Personal Righteousaess Sake of Christ that was wholely without the Sinner An. Crook To the first Part yea Which proves Immediate Revelation through Faith and Repentance c. To the last nay while it is wholely without the Sinner it is none of his for if Justification be God's Act in absolving a man in Opposition to Condemnation and all God's Actions are Real as thou sayest in thy Book then it is not wholely without him for those to whom there is no Condemnation are such as walk not after the Flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.1 Q. 13. Haworth Whether God doth not find every one ungodly and in their Sins when he first gives Faith to them that justifies them c Answ Crook Yes they are both ungodly and in their Sins while in unbelief but God doth not justifie the ungodly therein but through Faith which purifies the Heart sanctifies c. But this is a most impertinent and silly Query for those must needs be found ungodly who are found without Faith Q. 14. Haworth Whether by the Blood of Christ thou meanest any thing that is not in thy Heart and Soul within thy self whether thou meanest that material Blood that was shed from that material Body of Iesus of Nazareth when he did hang upon the Tree at Mount Calvary without the Gates at Jerusalem with all his material real Sufferings both of Soul and Body Answ Crook I mean both the real and material Blood as thou callest it of Jesus of Nazareth and the Virtue Life and Mystery of it received into my Heart by Faith with all his real Sufferings both of Soul and Body Q. 15. Haworth Whether that Blood there shed was not the Blood of God according to Acts 20.28 he being God as well as Man Answ Crook The Blood there shed was properly and primitively the Blood of Christ mentioned before that by which God did purchase his Church according to Acts 20.28 quoted was properly Christ himself he gave himself for us a Ransom c. 1 Tim. 2.6 Tit. 2.14 which takes in his Blood and all that 's most Excellent in him both as God and Man Q. 16. Haworth Whether Remission of all Sins was not actually purchased by the Death of Christ above sixteen hundred years since for all that have been or shall be saved Answ Crook This in Substance is but the eighth Query over again and therefore is answered before Q. 17. Haworth Is any man any farther justified then sanctified any farther forgiven then according to that degree that Sin is mortified in him Answ Crook 1st If by farther thou meanest whether a man may be experimentally for so thou callst it in thy first Query both acquitted and condemned at the same moment of time and for the same Fact I say nay 2dly If thou askest whether a Defect or Failure in Sanctification causeth an Ecclipse of Justification I say Yea. 3dly If by farther thou intendest whether a man that was once justified wholely loseth the Benefit of his former Justification by every Failure in Sanctification I answer Nay because while the Sense of God's former Mercy abides in the Heart Man is sooner humbled and his Faith thereby greatly strengthned for his speedy Recovery 4thly Or if by this Query thou wouldst know whether a man that is not so fully and perfectly mortified and sanctified as he yet desires and endeavours to be may notwithstanding be justified by Faith and have Peace with God through Jesus Christ I say Yea. 5thly and lastly If by farther thou believest according to pag. 36. of thy Book that a man without or as free from all manner of Good as Christ was without or free from all manner of Evil may yet in that state be justified that is indeed farther then I dare go Q. 18. Haworth Whether is Justification any thing else but an Act of the Light within every man upon Obedience to it giving Peace Answ Crook Yea it is more then an Act of the Light as in every man for its the Act of God and is called the Justification of Life Q. 19. Haworth Whether is there any Good Work done by any man before he is justified and forgiven all his Sins Answ Crook If man be not justified without Faith nor his Sins forgiven him without Repentance and if believing and repenting be good Works the Querist answers himself Yet I do say both Faith and Repentance do flow as Streams from a Fountain which Fountain is Christ Q 20. Haworth Whether Faith as a Habit in or Act of our Mind or any Good Work proceeding from the Spirit in us be any part of that Righteousness that justifies Answ Crook If by proceeding from the Spirit in us thou intendest the Spirit of Christ then Christ and his Spirit being one what he doth in Experimental Justification as thou speakest that his Spirit doth also 1 Cor. 6.11 Q 21. Haworth Whether there is any such thing in the Nature of God as Vindictive Justice so that Sin must be punished upon all them that accept not of the Attonement of Christ Jesus by the Sacrifice of himself Answ Crook Shall not the God of all the Earth do justly yea surely and Sin must be punished upon all them that accept not of the Attonement of Christ Jesus that one Offering that perfects forever them that are sanctified by whom we have now received the Attonement Rom. 5.11
a natural Light and so by this means they do what in them lieth to escape Judgment altogether by imagining themselves Christians and Believers in a State of Sin but we say that Light which you scorn and blaspheme and undervalue and set at nought will one Day bring the Flames of God upon you and be as a Thousand Witnesses against you because of your Hypoerisie and Self-Righteousness except ye repent All the Scriptures thou bringst against us are perverted by thee and they do not in the least prove what thou sayest viz. How that the Inward Work of the Spirit of the Lord in man or the Work of Regeneration is a man 's own Righteousness Legal Righteousness for if the Happiness and Blessedness of man consist not in the Work of Regeneration and the Work of the Spirit wherein doth it consist What will thy Ramble of Non-Sense and Perversion of Scripture and vain Profession of Christ avail thee saying Abraham 's Works done in the Spirit were not sufficient contrary to James 2.21 Was not Abraham our Father justified by Works when he had offered Isaac his Son upon the Altar Read also the next verse Seest thou how Faith wrought with his Works and by Works was Faith made perfect so that it is plain that in the Spirit he performed a Faithful Work and acceptable to God And so this blessed inward Work was of Faith and through Faith as all Works performed by the Spirit of Christ within are then this Righteousness and Obedience so performed is not Legal Righteousness or a man 's own Righteousness opposed to the Righteousness of Christ as that Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees was but is true real Righteousness in Unity of the same Nature with that blessed and heavenly Obedience of Christ in his own Person proceeding from the same Root viz. The Spirit and Life of Christ manifest in us and the matter of our Justification alwayes was and is the same not divided nor separated for he is the Head of his Body the Church inseparable and his Power and Grace which unites is the same and his Righteousness in all and through all is the same Real Righteousness and there is not another in the Head but the same that is in the Church his Body which is of his Flesh and of his Bone and whom God hath joyned together let not vain man put assunder as W. H. doth by calling that living Righteousness of Christ in his Church which is in God Legal Righteousness and A man 's own Righteousness Oh absurd and base did I not say well in mine to thee upon this Account viz. What a Traytor iâ— this man to God and his Gospel who hath seemed in Words and Profession thus far to love and to hugg Christ and the Scriptures and with his feigned Lips to betray him into the hands of the vilest of men and call this his most blessed work of Regeneration Legal Righteousness and A man 's own Righteousness thus betraying his most blessed Image into the Hands of Sinners to be trampled upon and vilified and abused under the Name of Legal Righteousness and a man 's own Righteousness and so as filthy Rags Isa 64.6 and so consequently Christ to be no more a Saviour upon this Account then the Jews accounted him who only reckoned him the Carpenter's Son and a Deceiver for indeed Man is meerly cheated of his Salvation if this Work of Christ be no more but Legal Righteousness and Christ's Coming by this means made of no more sufficiency then to bring forth Legal Righteousness but this man bears salfe Witness by his Lyes and Blasphemies as any who are truly Christians may easily perceive As for thy quoting Rom. 4.6 where thou sayest Even as David also discribeth the Blessedness of the Man unto whom God imputed Righteousness without Works what Works sayst thou done by the Spirit surely for such were David 's Works c. Unto which I answer That David's Blessedness consisted in that the Lord God forgave him his Sins and pardoned his Iniquities freely upon his unfeigned Repentance and so he was received in Mercy so read Psal 32. to the 6th verse and there it is plain that Forgiveness and Remission and Non-imputation of Sin was to that Man in whose Spirit there was no Guile which Guileless State was effected by the Spirit of the Lord which he calls Legal Righteousness and a Man 's Own Righteousness and so this Perverter of Scripture goes about to prove that the Works of the Spirit of the Lord even the best of them are sinful and blasphemes the Gospel-Power and Spirit and may as well and as confidently call Christ an â—…ctual Sinner in the best of his Actions for all his Actions were done by the very same Spirit that enables true Believers truly now to perform their acceptable Duty to God and this is perfect that is done by the Spirit of the Lord and according to his heavenly Will and To be spiritually-minded is Life and Peace Rom. 8.6 and so there is no Condemnation to such as walk after the Spirit of the Lord Rom. 8. and he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Life Everlasting Gal 6.8 If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 But according to this Man's Doctrine these Scriptures must be read thus There is Condemnation to such as walk after the Spirit of the Lord and they are in this Work and Exercise chargeable with Iniquity because their best Works performed by the Spirit of God are sinful and as rotten Rags and a Man 's own Righteousness and Legal Righteousness And again He that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Condemnation and â—ins in his best spiritual Works And again Through the Spirit ye cannot mortifie the Deeds of the Body that you may live for this is but Legal Righteousness and a Man 's Own Righteousness c. So Reader observe that he goes about to prove that the Works of the Spirit and Power of the Lord are Legal and a Man 's Own Righteousness and effect nothing but Self-righteousness and sinful Obedience in a man's best Works where they are wrought and done by this Spirit of the Lord. And again he brings Isaiah 64.6 to prove it where the Prophet there saith in the Person of the Wicked Nation for which Wickedness and Hypocrisie God had brought would bring his severe Judgments upon them saith he We are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousness are as Filthy Rags and we all do fade as a Leaf and our Iniquities like the Wind have taken us away Mark W. H. goes about from this Scripture to prove that this Righteousness the Prophet calls as Filthy Rags was Spiritual Righteousness or wrought by the Spirit of the Lord for he saith Did not Isaiah observe Moses 's Law in the spirit and yet in that place of Isaiah calls it filthy Rags as to Justification This Man
and to thy own Consutation thou makes Christ the Author of both saying He wounds at well as heals kills as well as makes alive the one he doth by the preaching of the Law the other by the Gospel Doth not this prove Law and Gospel to be one in their End and Nature for which thou tauntest so much at me and spendest the whole 13th page by way of Derision saying It will cost me some Sweat to untye this Knot c. But before thou art aware thou hast done it For if it be Christ that kills by the Law as thou sayest and Christ that makes alive by the Gospel Is not he one and the same and is not his End the same like a wise Physician to cure and restore his Patient Haworth The Law in its own Nature is spiritual page 16 c. Crook And is not the Gospel so too What is it this man quarrels with is it not written The Ministration of Condemnation is glorious but the Ministration of the Spirit exceeds in Glory In it self it is not glorious but dreadful and terrible but because of its End by convincing of Sin and so humbling the Soul to a welcome reception of Christ or the Grace of the Gospel as thy self speaks p. 11. And the Apostle doth not say the Ministration of the Spirit differed in Nature and Kind but exceeded in Glory and therefore saith Diversity of Ministrations but by the same Lord or Spirit pag. 11 c. Haworth Yet hitherto tends this admitting of no Distinction of Law and Gospel p. 13. Crook My words are not so but thus viz. Why dost thou divide betwixt Law and Gospel Surely thou art not so ignorant as thou makest thy self as if there were no diffence between distinguishing and dividing But because the Scripture distinguisheth between Father Son and Spirit therefore by thy Logick they are divided and because the Scripture distinguisheth between Justification and Sanctification therefore it divides them according to thy dealing with me for I ask why thou dividest between Law and Gospel and thou abusest and pervertest my words as if I admitted of no Distinction between them Is this sair dealing William Haworth But remember for the time to come That a Man may lawfully Distinguish where he ought not to Divide as is proved Haworth The Law is spiritual i. e. requires that all the Thoughts of Man and Desires and Motions of the Heart should be holy and spiritual continually p. 14. c. Crook Here thou hast plainly confessed to that which thou hast been so long fighting against viz. that the Law is spiritual c. and is not the Gospel spiritual also if yea are they not One in Nature I never laid in Degree but want in Degree varies not the Truth in Nature and Kind and is it the End of the Law to require that all the Thoughts of Man and Desires and Motions of the Heart should be holy and spiritual continuaelly doth not the Gospel also do the same how now William who is infatuated now to speak that thou never intendest viz. that Law and Gospel are One in the End and Nature as thou speakest p. 12. But more of this may be seen in Title Contradictions c. and Title Scoffs c. Haworth I challenge thee to produce one Scripture where Law and Spirit â—re one c. Crook If I prove that the Word or Term Law is applyed to the Spirit I make good my own Assertion and overthrow thy vain boasting Challenge Now the Law is called Truth Psal 119.142 So is the Spirit 1 Joh 2.27 and 1 Joh. 5.6 The Law is called Light Prov. 6.23 and so is the Spirit If the Eye be single the whole Body is full of Light Rom. 7.14 We know the Law is spiritual how dost thou know it I feel it in my Mind by the Spirit saith Beza and also a Law in my Members warring against it Rom. 8 2. The Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus c. saith Beza is the Power and Authority of the Spirit against which is set the Tyranny of Sin Thus he c. The Term Law is applied both to Works and to Faith or the Spirit in Opposition to Works Rom. 3.27 The Law is also called the Testimony to the Law and to the Testimony Isa 8. The two Tables of the Law are called the Testimony Exod. 25.16,21 The Gospel or Spirit is called the Testimony 1 Cor. 2.1 2 Thes 1.10 Rom. 7.7 Except the Law had said thou shalt not lust by Law is understood the Law of the Spirit for the outward Law saith not so 1 Tim. 2.6 Where Christ is called the Testimony who gave himself a Ransom for all men that Testimony in due time c. by all which it may appear notwithstanding William Haworth's vain Challenge and confident to the contrary that the Term Law and Testimony c. are applied to Christ to the Spirit and to the Gospel or New Testament Haworth I have known the Spirituallity of the Law convincing me of that to be Evil which you say is not Sin viz Evil Thoughts arising in my Heart though not consented to Crook Here thou confessest that the Spirituallity of the Law which was the thing I affirmed to be one in End and Nature with the Gospel to be the Spirit or Power of God which is called the Gospel and is said Hebr. 4.12 to be A Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart which thou sayest it doth in thee this must needs be the Spirit by thy own Acknowledgment p. 14. calling the Law a fit Instrument for the Spirit to make use of so that it 's the Spirit 's Work whatever is the Instrument that is the Agent by thy own Acknowledgment But I perceive the Scriptures quoted by me have qualified thy Heat page 15. so that now it is the Doctrine of the Gospel not Law taken strictly c. but it may be called the Law so it be not taken strictly but in a mild or common Acceptation so that thou hast both made the Challenge viz. to produce one Scripture where Law and Gospel are Terms that signifie the same Thing as I asserted and to which thou makest this Challenge and also undertakest to make it good against thy self Haworth My tasting of the Grace of Jesus Christ was the Reason why I did not take up with the Quakers Christ finding so much Sweetness and Comfort in the Knowledge of him crucified and so abhorring to believe in the Light within as the Christ of God Crook David invites to Tasting as the best Way of knowing how Good and Gracious the Lord is Psal 34.9 and Paul also accounted the Revelation of Christ within to be the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Gal. 1.12,15,16 compared with Phil. 3.8,10,11 And called me by his Grace to reveal his Son in me but contrariwise that which thou callst the Grace of Jesus Christ caused thee to abhor believing in any such Revelation of
Chambering and Wantonness nor in Strife and Envy but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and take no thought for the Flesh to fulfil the Lust of it The Translators on the Margin say To put on Christ is to possess Christ to have him in us and us in him So that by his own Proof expounded by Men wiser then himself in this Point casts his Cause quite against him and makes him say That to possess Christ in us is the Real Imputed or reckoned Righteousness of Christ in which the True Believer is accepted of God and not by a Righteousness wholly without us no nearer to us then the Place where Christ personally lived and dyed which W. Haworth would maintain else why doth he so bend his Force against my words And if that be the best Robe put upon us as he speaks why doth he so violently contend for another to be imputed to us or if they be both one as he seems to make them why doth he quarrel with me for maintaining that they ought not to be put assunder Neither doth the Scripture call them Two Righteousnesses as W. H. doth in the next Page Haworth But it seems there is another Righteousness in which we may be saved and which is by the Quakers valued at a higher rate and that Righteousness may be and is brought nearer to you Quakers then this to us Christians p. 34 c. Crook It is thy Work to make two Righteousnesses of Christ We say that whoever hath Christ within in his Heart cannot undervalue the Righteousness that Christ wrought in his own Person without nor yet miss of the Acceptance with God through him nor can such a one be deprived of the Benefits and Priviledges thereof But Thousands called Christians believe the History of what Christ did and suffered and the Imputation of that Righteousness to Sinners that will perish for all that Belief because Christ is not formed in their Hearts But it is sad to see men professing Goristianity to be troubled and disquieted because Christ is come so near as to dwell in the Hearts of the faithful it s a great sign that that Man's Heart is not right But why is W. Haworth so angry that Christ is come so near the Quakers Did he not say even now That Christ was put upon us by the Father's Gift c Haworth Who of us ever denyed that we were to have a Real Righteousness in Sanctification but this is not to justifie us p. 35 c. Crook Thy words savour as if the Righteousness thou expectest to be saved and justified by is but historical or imaginary on thy part and is not attended with Reality Evidence and Certainty that the Righteousness of Sanctification is attended with And if I should infer from thy words that it is reallity thou sightest against thy words will more certainly justifie me then ever such a Faith in God's light will justifie thee by an Imagination of Righteousness without a real Injoyment of it we say God hath joyned what Christ did outwardly and what he doth inwardly together to compleat the Work of Man's Salvation and Redemption We say of Heart-Holiness wrought by the Spirit of God that it is such a causality as sine quâ non without it no man shall see the Lord to his Eternal Comfort But on the contrary the pure in Heart do and shall to their Joy behold him forever And we say with the Apostle viz. He that doth Righteousness is the justified Man or is righteous as Christ is righteous W. Haworth saith He that believes Christ's Righteousness to be imputed to him is justified or righteous as Christ is righteous by that bare Faith without Works c. The Difference I refer to the Ballance of the Sanctuary there to be weighed by the consciencious Reader Haworth We have Two Righteousnesses by Christ c. pag. 35. Crook This is an Unscriptural Saying not according to the wholsome Form of Sound Words which ought to be kept to But however they are one in Nature and Kind Haworth We must be without or free from all manner of Good as Christ was without or free from all manner of Evil in the Point of Justification p. 36 c. Crook Who ever before thee affirmed such Doctrine except the Ranters what our Hearts and Minds Bodies and Souls must be as much without Grace and the Spirit of God and as free from all manner of Good when we are justified as Christ was without or free from all manner of Evil Then the greater Sinners the fitter Subjects for Justification And the Apostle must needs be quite out when he gives Thanks to God Col. 1.12 who hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance c. Was this Meetness a Freedom from all manner of Good c But let us trace this a little further viz. What becomes of the Light of Christ in Man that maketh manifest and reproveth in the Conscience for Sin is that so bad and free from all manner of Good that there is not one Good Property belongs to it Why then pag. 19. dost thou call it a Spark of that Light Adam had in Innocency Surely it is not so bad then as to be free from all manner of Good seeing God created Man in his own Image and it was Good What is that Faith which sees and layes hold of that Righteousness Is this as free from all manner of Good as Christ was from Evil But whence come all those Breathings and Pantings Hungrings and Thirstings after Righteousness were all such Persons then justified or were those Buddings as free from all manner of Good as Christ was from Evil Hear Dr. Sibbs The Bud of a Good Desire and the Blossom of a Good Resolution and the Fruit of a Good Action all comes from God Then not as free from all manner of Good as Christ was from Evil. Nay saith the Doctor The Light whereby we know and the Guidance whereby we choose that is from a higher agent then our selves cap. 15. Soul's-Conflict pag. 220. Then Man is not as free from all manner of Good when he is justified as Christ was from Evil. Haworth The Gifts and Vertues that God's Spirit works in us are our own Righteousness in Contra-distinction to the Righteousness whereby we are justified p. 36. c. Crook It 's well thou art so far informed since thy last Book that they are not divided but distinguished and that Christ is the Author of both Haworth The Gifts and Virtues of the Spirit are really in our Minds this is the Righteousness that sanctifies p. 36. c. Crook So then by thy Doctrine our own Righteousness sanctifies and Christ's Righteousness justifies But seeing by thy own Confession Christ is the Author of both why dost thou call the one ours and the other his is Christ divided Haworth Christ had the Guilt of Sin really charged on him p. 37. c. Crook This makes good my Charge against him viz that Christ
dwelleth in me my witness is true and thus doth Darkness blind thee that thou canst not see the Oneness between the man Jesus and the Spirit of the Father that was in him Haworth He that worketh not but believeth there is Faith only a bare Belief John what sayest thou to that though that Faith that is justifying will work p. 29. c. Crook I say thou contradictest thy self William for thou sayest it is such a Faith as worketh not and yet sayest it will work Haworth My Surety paying such a some of Money for me at never such a Distance dischargeth me I have Benesit by it so soon as I hear of it and accept it the Sun is at a Distance in the Heavens but we have the Heat of it and feel it but indeed this Righteousness is not at a Distance from us but put upon us by the Father's Gift p. 34. c. Crook He dreams of an absolute Discharge from all Sins past present and to come by what Christ did and suffered 1600 Years since by that Righteousness that was wrought in Palestine at such a Distance from him c. as he speaks within a few Lines before yet makes the Benefit of all that Christ did and suffered to depend upon his Hearing of it and accepting it as if all was compleated there absolutely yet conditionally too viz. If heard and accepted c. and yet hearing the debt is paid by another at such a Distance saith W. H. dischargeth me where note he one while dates the Discharge of all Debts from Palestine 1600 Year since and another while from the time of his hearing and accepting of it besides it is uncertain whether by this hearing and accepting he intends only the believing of the Report without or the revealing of the Arm of the Lord within Isa 53.1 But to perfect the Contradiction of himself he implieth though it be at that Distance yet we are as really inwardly benefited by it as we are outwardly by the Light of the Sun that is at a Distance in the Heavens But saith he We have the Benefit of it and feel it c. But yet to manifest more plainly the Contradiction he saith Indeed this Righteousness is not at a Distance from us but put upon us by the Father's Gift citing Gal. 3.27 Ye have put on Christ c. So that he hath not only contradicted himself but also granted what I contend for viz. That Christ's Righteousness is not really reckoned and imputed to the Justification Acquitment and Discharge of such Persons as continue in Sin and Actual Rebellion against God by wicked Works and have no Feeling of it in their Hearts yet believe to be saved by a Righteousness wholely without them c. which Faith I affirm to be vain and but like a Body without a Spirit as the Apostle James speaks and in Confirmation hereof W. H. saith But indeed this Righteousness is not at a Distance from us then not wholely without us by his own Confession which was the very thing in express Words that I opposed and he endeavours to maintain that it was wholely without us yea saith W. H. Bare Faith without Works which Christ wrought in his own Personal Obedience and Suffering 1600 Years since c. and though this Righteousness was wrought in Palestine at such a Distance from me c. By this the judicious Reader may see his Contradiction and Confusion Haworth Christ was the Lamb of God but not the Light within p. 37. c. Crook In page 21 he saith The Church and People of God are the Heavenly Jerusalem and is not Christ there the Light within And page 35. he saith Christ works Sanctification in the Hearts of the sanctified c. and is not he there the Light-within what Confusion and Contradiction is this Haworth I am pleading that this Righteousness is imputed to Believers it is offered in the preaching of it to poor Sinners and if God gives Faith it will change their Hearts p. 38. c. Crook Now he hath resolved viz. When and to whom Christ's Righteousness is imputed the time is when God gives Faith the Persons are Believers so that he hath given away what he seemed to contend for p. 20. viz. We must be without or free from all manner of Good as Christ was without or free from all manner of Evil when we are justified by this imputed Righteousness and now he saith Till the Heart be changed Righteousness is not imputed But enough of this for I am weary of his Contradictions and Confusions Haworth While that which is contrary to God dwells in us yet being justified by Faith we have Peace with God Christ hath slain the Enmity c. p. 38. c. Crook If the Enmity be slain how comes that which is controry to God to dwell in us What slain and alive too The Apostle saith His Servants ye are whom ye obey whether of Sin unto Death or of Righteousness unto Life And Christ saith No man can serve two Masters Now this Phrase viz. That which is contrary to God to dwell in us is no where in Scripture applied to Believers that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit but Christ is said to dwell in them and they in him for its one thing to have Motions to Evil As in my Flesh dwells no good thing and another thing to suffer them as an Inhabitant or that which is contrary to God to dwell in us I know not what degree of Insensibility thou art arrived at but for my part I believe Sin to be the great Troubler of Israel and what Peace while that Jezabel reigns examine thy self and possibly thou mayest sind this Saying true viz. There is no Peace to the Wicked saith my God Isa 20. Haworth Let me tell thee withal this none ever did or can shew forth Christ's Virtues in their Lives that were not first justified by imputed Righteousness p. 39. c. Crook Thi is quite contrary to the former Page which saith That this Righteousness is imputed to Believers it is offered in the preaching of it to poor sinners and if God gives Faith it will change their Hearts c. So that till the Heart be changed Righteousness is not imputed now he saith None can be changed or shew forth Christ's Virtues in their Lives that were not first justified by imputed Righteousness how these can hang together let the Reader judge one while Righteousness is imputed while that which is contrary to God dwelleth in us and another while it is offered but not imputed to Sinners till the Heart be first changed But I hope W. H. henceforth will never charge the Quakers or any others that shew forth Christ's Virtues in their Lives with denying Justification by Imputed Righteousness seeing all such Holy Lives by his own Acknowledgment are first justified by it c. But to perfect his Confusion and Contradiction he saith but six Lines before viz. As if Christ
a Devilish Doctrine and Blasphemy which is no Lye to be contradicted but the real Truth from thine own Mouth and presently after I writ a Paper concerning it and other Stuff of the like nature to the aforesaid J. Suife a Copy of which I have here under written and it shall stand a Witness against thee forever and it was never Answered though writ several years since neither did Jeremy Suift ever come to me to contradict it in words to my Face though at that time and long after I had my Being not far from his Dwelling in the same Town and have met him in the Streets several times And can it be believed that if in any thing I had wronged thee in such a deep Charge I should have received nothing in Answer to this day either in Word or Writing This may breed a very shrewd Suspition even in them who are willing to believe what he saith that he is guilty and indeed it had been better for him if he had honestly confessed his Error and not have added Sin to Sin as he doth by Denying and Belying the Truth A Copy of the aforesaid Paper to Jeremy Suift followeth To you that think VVilliam Haworth to be a Minister of the GOSPEL HOw do you relish this Doctrine he affirmeth That the thorow work of Regeneration which brings a Man into God's Kingdom of Glory is not sufficient for Man's Salvation though this cannot be without True Justifying Faith in the Son of God by virtue whereof this Work is wrought in the heart Yet he saith this is not sufficient for Salvation but call this inward Work of Christ Legal Righteousness therefore he denyes the Perfection of the Work of Christ what he did for us in the Dayes of his Flesh and at his Death and the Efficacy of that One Offering and Blood that was shed for us and was for the perfecting of the Sanctified Ones that so they might be brought into the Everlasting Kingdom of his Glory in which is Peace Compleating and Perfection Union and Communion with God in Christ Jesus and so this man speaks unadvisedly with his Lips and his Ignorance of the Work is the Ground of his Mistake Again what do you say to this Doctrine of his viz. That the Light within that discovers all manner of Sin yea the Secret Sins of the Heart or whatever Sin he committeth he saith This Light is altogether Darkness yea he saith It is Flesh and before a man be convinced he hath nothing in him but Flesh the Light afore mentioned he saith is altogether Darkness and Flesh but some of you are of a better Judgement in this matter and have said to me and before William Haworth that it would bring a man under the Sense of Sin and condemn him for it so that it seems some of you begin to grow wiser then your Teacher and I pray God that you may go on to encrease in that which is good daily and know the Lord God and his Spirit to teach you and not to depend upon such an Unlearned Man as this in the things of God for Paul said the Law was Spiritual but he was Carnal Again he saith That Thousands in the World are this Day condemned by the Lord yet notwithstanding are not condemined for Vnbelief So it seems there are a People in the World whose Unbelief shall not be charged upon them yet must be condemned Now was not Unbelief the very Ground-Sin of the whole World who are in the First Adam and the Inlet into all manner of Vice and Debauchery and being clear from the Sin of Unbelief he is in the Way to obtain Freedom from all manner of Sin whatsoever and it may not touch him at all neither he be condemned at all And I have understood that the Gospel Sound had spread through the Earth and it is an Everlasting Sound this Day sounded in the Ears of all People calling to Repentance Dependance upon the Eternal God in Christ for Salvation and the stopping the Ear from hearing this glorious Gospel-sound not believing in the Light of Christ Jesus the true Light that lighteth every man coming into the world to be the Ground of Condemnation Now I say I had thought this Unbelief had been the same Ground of all mens Condemnation as they are in the first disobedient Adam or Earthly Man but all Sinners are not in that State by William Haworth's Doctrine shut up in Unbelief and therefore there is another way of Condemnation for them then that of not believing in Christ the Light but he is blind indeed that sees not this man's Ignorance and Confusion in the things of God Again Friends this he told me in the hearing of Jeremiah Suift and another man That God ordained People to be wicked before they were born which I called Blasphemy and surely you that are sober will be ashamed of him that is thus full of Confusion and Ignorance but he fell very furiously upon me in the End and thrust me out of his Chamber because I would have endeavoured his Welfare and reclaimed him from his Errors I am sure I had no other End in my Heart but he hath manifested the Spirit of his Master Lucifer and may be numbred among such as are wicked and hypocritical though he profess Liberty of Conscience I believe no such thing from him such of his Spirit but that he would soon I have good Ground to believe follow his Brethren of New-England in a Murderous Spirit I pray God bless you that are sober People and preserve you to himself that you may proceed in your Enquiry after that which is Good and the Lord of Heaven keep you is the Prayer of him that loves you C. T. Much I could write of this Man but I spare him at present only thus much lay on my Conscience to present to you at this time but if Occasion be I could present you with a great deal of his wicked Lying and Baseness full of Confusion and Darkness far unlike a Christian or Minister of Christ but a Feigned Hypocrite a Light Vain Man a Dreamer and Imaginer of the things of God having a patcht-up thing of an Imperfect form of Godliness but ignorant of the Power And if he had not so abused me in his Chamber I had notwithstanding all this held my peace but his Wickedness against Truth hath been great as may be manifest hereafter if occasion be This was writ long since and only one Copy of it given to Jeremaih Suift and his Brethren to peruse c. And my Charge stands good against him that he affirmed as above said That God ordained people to be wicked before they were born and I do solemnly affirm he spoke it let him bring what witnesses he can to the contrary I am sure they may be false ones in this matter it was not gathered up by me against him as a Consequence of his Doctrine or any thing of that Nature but he