more involved in Error concerning it then your self being truly what you charge upon others 1. Grosely ignorant 2. Too highly Opinionate 3. Proud in affection 4. Lignorish 5. A Self-Lover 6. And for your Blasphemy under the just Judgement of God If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them that believe not least the light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. I am come now to your last Chapter Pag. 281. which tells us wherein the essence and life of Christianity Censisteth viz. In a good state and habit of mind in a holy frame and temper of Soul Answ. 1. It consisteth in a Life of Faith when I live in the belief of this that Christ loved me and gave himself for me The Life that I now live in the Flesh saith Paul it is by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me 2. And besides a good state and habit of mind or an Holy frame and temper of Soul in your notion of them which respecteth purely obedience to Morrals from Natural Impulses or Dictates of our Humanity they are rather Heathenish then Christian and being alone end in Death rather then Life As many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse he saith not they that Sin against it but they that are OF the Works of it such as do Justice Righteousness Charity Goodness Mercy Patience and all kind of Morral Duties from Principles Humane Natural or as Men they are under the Curse because they have sinned first and also are in firm and weak in their pursuit after the perfections they desire These follow after Righteousness but that flyes from them wherefore they do not obtain it because they seek it not by Faith in Christ but as it were by the Works the Righteous Good and Holy Works of the Law But you add It is such a habit of mind such a frame and temper of Soul as esteemeth God as the chiefest good and preferreth him and his Son Jesus Christ before all the World and that prizeth above all things an interest in the Divine Perfections c. Answ. 1. God must needs be esteemed the chiefest good by all that have but and are ruled by the light of Nature because they see him by his Works to be Almighty Merciful and Eternal but this may be where the Knowledge of the Man the Mediator is not therefore this in this and in your sence cannot be of the Essence of Christianity for that it is common to all the World That estimation of God which is common to Natural Men cannot be of the Essence of Christianity because they want that knowledge of him that comes by Jesus Christ and so are not capable to esteem of him under a Christian consideration But you say it is that good habit and temper of mind that preferreth God and his Son Jesus Christ before all the World Answ. He that esteemeth God above all must needs at least in his Judgement so prefer him but whereas you add and his Son Jesus Christ you put in them Words but as a Cloak For your self have not preferred his Son Jesus Christ no not before a Morral Law no not before your obedience to it although but by Humane Principles Yea you have accounted the Command of God by which we are injoyned by him to come to God a thing in it self but like Levitical Ceremonies or as Baptism and the Lord's Supper a thing in itâ—self indifferent and absolutely considered neither good nor evil Pag. 7 8 9. You add It is such a tempâ—r as prizeth above all things an interest in the Divine Perfections such as Justice and Righteousness Vniversal Charity Goodness Mercy Patience and all kind of Purity Answ. Seeing by these expressions you onely intend Morral Vertues and those that are inherent in you and originally operations of Humanity it is evident that you have but Impiously and Idolatrously Attributed to your own goodness so high and blessed a Title For whatsoever is in your Nature and Originally the Dictates thereof and whatsoever proficiency you make therein by Humane Principles and helps of Natural Indowments these things are but of your self your own Justice your own Righteousness your own Charity Goodness Mercy Patience Kindness c. Now to call these the Divine Perfections when they are onely your own Humane Vertues bespeaks you I say Fond Impious and Idolatrous and shews you in the midst of all your prentended design to Glorifie God such an one who have set up your own goodness with him yea and given it the Title of his blessed Grace and Favour That Scripture you mention Rom. 14. 17. Although by the Word Righteousness there is intended obedience to the Morral Law yet to it by persons already Justified by Christ's Righteousness hence they are said to do it in the Joy and Peacâ— of the Holy Ghost or by the Joy and Peace which they had by Faith in Christ's Righteousness as Revealed to them by the Spirit of God Hence again they are said in IT to serve Christ or to receive the Law at his hand which he giveth to them to walk after having first justified them from the Curse thereof by his Blood 2. The Law was given twice on Sinai the last time with a Proclamation of Mercy going before and he that receiveth it thus receiveth it after a Gospel manner For they as Justified persons are dead to the Law as a Covenant of Works by the Body of Christ that they might live to another even to him that is raised from the Dead But you by this Scripture intend not this Doctrine for you make Justification by Christ come after not before obedience to the Law Yea you make obedience thereto the Essential and coming to God by Christ but a thing of a more remote Nature from true and substantial Gospel-Righteousness In Page 283. you speak again of the old Principle and thus you comment A Principle of Holiness that respecteth Duty as with respect to the Nature of the Command so not with respect to the Duty as occasioned by certain External Inducements and Motives but from a good temper and disposition of Soul Answ. This I say still respecting your old Principle of Humanity and the Purity of your Nature the most amounts but to this Your Principle is confined to a liberty of Will and Affections with respect to doing of the Law of Work which many have professed to have and do before you and yet have come short of the Glory of God For as I told you before I tell you now again that the Gospel-Principles are the Holy Ghost and Faith which help that Soul in whom they dwell to count believing in Jesus Christ the great Essential part of our Christianity and our reckoning our selves pardoned for the sake of him And
A DEFENCE OF THE Doctrine of Iustification BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST SHEWING True Gospel-Holiness flows from Thence OR Mr. FOWLER' 's Pretended Design of CHRISTIANITY Proved to be nothing more then to trample under Foot the Blood of the Son of God and the Idolizing of Man's own Righteousness AS ALSO How while he pretends to be a Minister of the Church of England he overthroweth the wholesom Doctrine contained in the 10 th 11 th and 13 th of the Thirty Nine Articles of the same and that he falleth in with the Quaker and Romanist against them By JOHN BVNYAN Disalowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious 1 Pet. 2. 4. Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle without Temple-Bar 1673. A Premonition to the Reader Gentle Reader THat thou mayest not be tired with longing to know what Errors and Doctrines Destructive to Christianity Mr. Fowâ—er in his Feigned design of Christianity hath presented the World withal and that thou mayest even in the Entry see that which more fully is shewn in the House Namely of the Contradiction that is in his Book to the wholesome Doctrine of the Church of England while he stands a Minister of the same I have thought convenient instead of an Epistle to present thee with those Doctrines contained in his and that are refuted by the Book that thou hast in thy hand The which also I hope will be a sufficient Apologie for this my undertaking His Doctrines are these 1. That the First Principles of Morrals those First Written in Mens hearts are the Essentials the Indispensible and Fundamental Points â—r Doctrines of the Gospel Pag. 8 281 282. 2. That these First Principles are to be followed Principally as they are made known to us by the Dictates of Humane Nature and that this obedience is the first and best sort of obedience we Christians can perform Pag. 8 9 10. 3. That there is such a thing as a foundness of Soul and the purity of Humane Nature in the World Pag. 6. 4. That the Law in the first Principles of it is far beyond and more obliging on the hearts of Christians then is That of coming to God by Christ Pag. 7 8 9 10. 5. That the Precept of coming to God by Christ c. is in its own Nature a thing indifferent and absolutely considered neither good nor evil Pag. 7 8 9. 6. That Christ's great Errand in coming into the World was to put us again in Possession of the Holiness we had lost P. 12. 7. That John the Baptist the Angel that was sent to Zecharias and Mary Preached this Doctrine and so also did Malachy the Prophet Pag. 13. 8. That Christ by saving us from Sin is meant not first his saving us from the punishment but from the Filth and from the punishment as a Consequence of that Pag. 14 15. 9. That Christ's Work when he was come was to establish ONLY an inward Real Righteousness Pag. 16. 10. That Christ's fulfilling the Law FOR VS was by giving more perfect and lighter instances of Morral Duties then were before expressly given Pag. 17. 11. That Christ's Doctrine Life Actions Miracles Death Resurrection Ascention and coming again to Judgement is all Preached to establish us in this Righteousness Chap. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. 12. That it is not possible a Wicked man should have God's Pardon Pag. 119. 13. That it is impossible Christ's Righteousness should be imputed to an Vnrighteous Man Pag. 120. 14. And that if it were he boldly affirms it would signifie as little to his happiness while he continueth so as would a Gorgious and Splendid Garment to one that is almost starved Pag. 120. 15. For God to Justifie a Wicked man c. would far more disparage his Justice and Holiness then advance his Grace and Kindness Pag. 130. 16. He saith Men are not Capable of God's pardoning Grace till they have truly repented them of all their Sins Pag 130. 17. The Devils saith he have a large measure of these Attributes of God as his Power Knowledge c. Pag. 124. 18 That Christ did himself perform as our example what ever he required of us to do Yea That he trod himself EVERY step of our Way to Heaven Pag. 148. 19. The Salvation of Christ First Consists in curing our Wounds our Filth And Secondarily In freeing us from the Smart Pag. 216. 20. That pardon doth not so much Consist in Remission as in healing to wit our filth Pag. 216. 21. Faith Justifieth AS it includeth true Holiness in the Nature of it it Justifieth AS it doth SO Pag. 221. 22. That Faith which Intitles a Sinner to so high a Priviledge as that of Justification must needs be such as complyeth with ALL the purposes of Christ's coming into the World c. And it is no less necessary that it should Justifie AS it doth THIS Pag. 222. 23. He wonders that any Wordly man should be so difficultly perswaded to imbrace THIS account of Justifying Faith Pag. 222. 24. There can be no pretence for a man to think that Faith should be the condition or instrument of Justification as it complyeth with only the Precept of relying on Christ's Merits for the obtaining of it Pag. 223. 25. It is saith he As clear as the Sun at Noon-day that obedience to the other Precepts must go before obedience to this Pag. 223. 26. He shall be his Apollo that can give him a sufficient reason why Justifying Faith should consist in Recombancy and Relyance on Christ's merits for the pardon of Sin Pag. 224. 27. He will take the boldness to tell those who are dispeased with this account of Justifying Faith that in his opinion it is impossible they should ONCE think of another Pag. 225. 28. The Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Consisteth in dealing with sincerely Righteous Persons as if they were perfectly so c. Pag. 225. 29. The rand intent of the Gospel is to make us pertakers of inward real Righteousness and it is but Secondary that we should be accepted as before Pag. 226. 30. It is not possible he saith that any other notion of this Doctrine should have truth in it Pag. 226. 31. Whatsoever is commanded by the customes of the place we live in or commanded by Superiours or made by ANY circumstance convenient to be done our Christian liberty consisteth in that we have leave to do them Pag. 242. 32. For our resuffering to comply with these can hardly proceed from any thing then a proud affection of singularity or at best from Supersticious Scrupulosity Pag. 242. 33. Those Ministers hinder the design of Christianity that Preach up free Grace and Christian Priviledges OTHER WAYS then as Motives to obedience and that scarce ever insist upon any other Duties then those of believing laying hold of Christ's Righteousness applying the Promises c. Pag. 262. 34. But to make the Christian Duties to consist either wholly or MOSTLY in THESE c. is the way effectually
the Lord is changed from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Câ—r 3. 14 18. Objâ—ct But it seems a paradox to many That a man should live to the Law that is devote himself to the works of the ten Commandments the most perfect rule of life and yet not be counted one changed or new Answ. Though it seemeth an untruth yet it is most true That by the works of the Law no heart is made new no man made new A man from principle of nature and reason which principles are of himself and as old may give up himself to the goodness of the Law Yet these principles are so far off from being new that they are as old as Adam in Paradise and come into the world with all the children of men To which principles the Law or the first principles of morals so equally suit that as you have said page 8. they are self-evident then which there is nothing maâ—-kind dâ—th more naturally assent unto page 11. Now Nature is no new principle but an old even our own and of our selves The Law is no new principle but old and one with our selves as also you well have called it first written in mens hearts and originally dictates of humane nature Let a man then be as devout as is possible for the Law and the holiness of the Law Yet if the principles from which he acts be but the habit of Soul the purity as he feigns of his own nature principles of natural reason or the dictates of humane nature all this is nothing else but the old Gentleman in his Holy-day-cloaths the old Heart the old Spirit the Spirit of the man not the Spirit of Christ is here And hence the Apostle when he would shew us a man alive or made a new man indeed as he talketh of the holy Ghost and faith so he tells us suchâ— are dead to the Law to the Law as a Law of works to the Law as to principles of nature Wherefore my brethen you are also become dead to the Law the moral Law and the ceremonial Law by the body of Christ that you should be married to another another then the Law even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God Rom. 7. 4. Ye are become dead to the Law dead to the Law Why That you should be married to another Married to another Why That you should bring forth fruit unto God But doth not a man bring forth fruit unto God that walketh orderly according to the ten Commandments NO if he do it before faith in the Spirit of a man by the dictates of humane nature respecting the Law as that by the obeying of which he must obtain acceptance with God This is bringing forth fruit unto himself for all that he doth he doth it as a man as a Creature from principles natural and of himself his own and for none other then himself and therefore he serveth in an old Spirit the oldness of the letter and for himself But now that is yeâ— being dead to the Law and married to Christ that the Law being dead by which while in our selves we were held Now we are delivered from that law both as to its curse and impositions as it stands a Law of works in the heart of the world we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter v. 6. A man must first then be dead to your principles both of nature and the Law if he will serve in a new Spirit if he would bring forth fruit unto God Wherefore your description of the principle of holiness in man and also the principles by which this holiness is put forth by him into righteous acts they are such as are altogether void of the true essentials of inward Gospel-holiness and righteousness But there is one thing more in this description or rather effect thereof which I shall also inquire into And that is saying As it was the errand of Christ to effect our deliverance out of that sinful state we had brought our selves into so to put us again into possession of that holiness which we HAD LOST page 12. The proof of this position is now your next business that is if I understand your learning the remaining part of your book which consisteth of well nigh 300 pages is spent for proof thereof which I doubt not but effectually to confute with less then 300 lines Onely first by the way I would have my reader to take notice that in this last Clause to put us again into possession of that holiness which we had lost is the sum of all this large description of his holiness in the foregoing pages that is the holiness and righteousness that Mr. Fowler hath been describing and adds that Christs whole business when he came into the world was as to effect our deliverance from sin so to put us again in possession of that holiness which we had lost The holiness therefore that here he contendeth for is that and onely that which was in Adam before the fall which he lost by transgression and we by transgressing in him A little therefore to inquire into this if perhaps his reader and mine may come to a right understanding of things First then Adam before the fall even in his best and most sinless state was but a pure natural man consisting of body and soul these to use your own terms were his pure essentials In this mans heart God also did write the Law that is as you term them the first principles of morals This then was the state of Adam he was a pure natural man made by God sinless all the faculties of his Soul and members of his body were clean God made man upright But he made him not then a Spiritual man The first Adam was made a living Soul howbeit that was not first which was Spiritual but that which was natural and afterwards that which is Spiritual The first man is of the earth earthy 1 Cor. 15 A living Soul he was yet but a natural man even in his first and best estate but earthly when compared to Christ or with them that believe in Christ. So then the holiness of Adam in his last estate even that which he LOST and we in him it was none other then that which was natural even the sinless-state of a natural man This holiness then was not of the nature of that which hath for its root the holy Ghost for of that we read not at all in him he onely was indued with a living Soul his holiness then could not be Gospel nor that which is a branch of the second covenant his acts of righteousness were not by the operations of the Spirit of Grace but the dictates of the Law in his own natural heart But the Apostle when he treateth of the Christian inherent holiness first excluding that in Adam as earthly he tells us it is such
before we know it But say you the Actual removing of our Guilt is not the necessary and immediate Result of his Death Pag. 91. Answ. Yea but it is from before the Face of God and from the Judgement and Curse of the Law For before God the Guilt is taken away by the Death and Blood of his Son immediately for all them that shall be saved else how can it be said we are Justified by his Blood He hath made Peace by his Blood He loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood and that we are Reconciled to God by the Death of his Son which can by no means be If notwithstanding his Death and Blood Sin in the Guilt and Consequently the Curse that is due thereto should yet remain in the sight of God But what saith the Apostle God was in Christ Reconciling the World to himself not Imputing their Trespasses unto them Those that are but Reconciling are not yet Reconciled I mean as Paul not yet come aright over in their own Souls by Faith Yet to these he imputeth not their Trespasses Wherefore because they have none or because he forgiveth them as they Believe and Work Neither of both but because he hat First made his Son to be Sin for them and lay'd all the Guilt and Curse of their Sin upon him that they might be made the Righteousness of God in him Therefore even because by him their Sin and Curse is taken off from before the Law of God therefore God for the sake of Christ seeketh for and beseecheth the Sinner to be Reconciled That is to believe in and imbrace his Majesty No say you The Actual Removing of Guilt is not the necessary and immediate Result of his Death but Suspended vntil such time as the forementioned Conditions by the help of his Grace are performed by us Answ. 1. Then may a Man have the Grace of God within him Yea the Grace and Mercy of the New-Covenant viz. Faith and the like that yet remaineth under the Curse of the Law and so hath yet his Sins untaken away from before the Face of God For where the Curse is onely suspended it may stand there Notwithstanding in Force against the Soul Now let the Soul stand accursed and his Duties must stand accursed For First the Person and then the Offering must be accepted of God God accepted not the Works of Cain because he had not accepted his Person But having first accepted Abel's Person he therefore did accept his Offering And here it is said that Abel Offered by Faith He belived that his Person was accepted of God for the sake of the promised Messias and therefore believed also that his Offering should be accepted 2. Faith As it respecteth Justification in the sight of God must know nothing to rest upon but the Mercy of God through Christ's Blood But if the Curse be not taken away Mercy also hangeth in Suspence yea lyeth as drowned and hid in the bottom of the Sea This Doctrine then of yours overthroweth Faith and rusheth the Soul into the Works of the Law the Moral Law and so quite Involveth it in the fear of the Wrath of God maketh the Soul forget Christ taketh from it the Object of Faith and if a Miracle of Mercy prevent not the Soul must dye in everlasting Desperation But say you it is Suspended till such time as the forementioned Conditions by the help of his Grace be performed by us Pag. 92. Answ. Had you said the Manifestation of it is kept from us it might with some Allowance have been Admitted But yet the Revelation of it in the Word which in some Sence may be called a Manifestation thereof is first Discovered to us by the Word Yea is seen by us and also believed as a truth Recorded before the Injoyment thereof be with comfort in our own Souls But you Proceed and say Therefore was the Death of Christ Designed to Procure our Justification from all Sins past that we might by this means be Provoked to become New Creatures Answ. That the Death of Christ is a mighty Argument to perswade with the Believer to Devote himself to God in Christ in all things as becometh one that hath received Grace and Redemption by his Blood is True But that it is in Our Power as is here Insinuated to become New Creatures is as Vntrue The New Creâ—â—ure is of God yea Immediately of God Man being as Uncapable to make himself A-new as a Child to Beget himself Neither is our Conformity to the Revealed Will of God any thing else if it be Right then the Fruit and Effect of that All things are already or before become New in the Christian Man But to return After all the Flourish you have made about the Death of Christ even as he is an Expiatory and Propitiatory Sacrifice In Conclusion you Terminate the Business far short of which it was intended of God For you almost make the Effects thereof but a bare Suspension of present Justice and Death for Sin or that which hath delivered us at present from a Necessity of dying that we might live unto God That is according as you have Stated it That we might from Principles of Humanity and Reason act towards the First Principles of Morals c. till we put our selves into a Capacity of Personal and Actual Pardon Answ. The Sum of your Doctrine therefore is That Christ by his Death onely holds the Point of the Sword of Justice Not that he Received it into his own Soul That he Suspends the Curse from us Not that himself was made a Curse for us that the Guilt might be Remitted by our Vertues Not that Sin was made to be our Sin But Paul and the New Testament giveth us Account far otherwise viz. That Christ was made our Sin our Curse and Death that we by him not by the Principle of pure Humanity or our Obedience to your first Principles of Morals c. should be set free from the Law of Sin and Death If any Object that Christ hath designed the Purifying our Hearts and Natures I Answer But he hath not designed to Promote or to Perfect that righteousness that is Founded on and Floweth from the Purity of our Humane Nature for then he must design the setting up Mans righteousness that which is of the Law and then he must design also the setting up of that which is directly in opposition both also to the Righteousness that of God is designed to Justifie us and that by which we are inwardly made Holy As I have shewed before You have therefore Sir in all that you have yet Asserted shewed no other Wisdom then a Heathen or of one that is short even of a Novice in the Gospel In the next place I might Trace you Chapter by Chapter and at large Refute not only the whole design of your Book by a particular Replication to them but also sundry and damnable Errors
him should not Perish but have Everlasting Life John 3. God SO Loved that he gave his Son to be SO great Salvation Now as is expressed in the Text to be the better for this Salvation is to give heed to hear it for Faith cometh by hearing He saith not give heed to doing but to the Word you have HEARD Faith I say cometh by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. But that this hearing is the hearing of Faith is farther Evident 1. Because he speaketh of a great Salvation accomplished by the Love of God in Christ accomplished by his Blood By his own Blood he entred into Heaven it self having Obtained Eternal Redemption for us Heb. 9. 2. This Salvation is set in Opposition to that which was Propounded before by the Ministration of Angels which Consisted in a Law of Works that which Moses received to give to the Children of Israel For the Law a command to Works and Duties was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ. To live by doing Works is the Doctrine of the Law and Moses but to live by Faith and Grace is the Doctrine of Christ and the Gospel Besides the threatning being pressed with an HOW shall we escape Respects still a Better a Freer a more Gracious Way of Life then either the Morral or Ceremonial Law for both these were long before but here comes in another Way not that Propounded by Moses or the Angels but since by the Lord himself How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at First began to be spoken by the Lord and was Confirmed to us by then that heard him Now Mark It is this Salvation this SO great and Eternal Salvation that was obtained by the Blood of the Lord himself It was this even to Confirm Faith in this that the God of Heaven himself came down to Confirm by Signs and Wonders God bearing them Witness both with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own Will Thus we see that to establish a Holiness that came from the First Principles of Morrals in us or that ariseth from the Dictates of our Humane Nature or to drive us back to that Figurative Holiness that we had once but lost in Adam is little thought on by Jesus Christ and as little intended by any of the Gospel Miracles A Word or two more The Tribute Money you mention Pag. 72. was not as you would clawingly Insinuate for no other Purpose then to shew Christs Loyalty to the Magistrate But First and above all to shew his Godhead to Confirm his Gospel and then to shew his Loyalty the which Sir the Persons you secretly smite at have respect for as much as you Again Also the Curse of the Barren Fig-Tree mentioned Pag. 73. was not if the Lord himself may be believed to give us an Emblem of a Person void of good Works but to shew his Disciples the Power of Faith and what a wonder-working thing that blessed Grace is Wherefore when the Disciples wondred at that sudden Blast that was upon the Tree Jesus answered not Behold and Emblem of one void of Morral Vertues but Verily I say unto you if you have Faith and doubt not ye shall not onely do this which is done to the Fig-Tree but also if you shall say unto this Mountain be thou removed and be thou cast into the Sea it shall be done and all things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer Believing ye shall Receive Again Mark saith When Peter saw the Fig-tree that the Lord had Cursed dryed up from the Roots he said to his Master Behold the Fig-tree which thou Cursed'st is withered away Christ now doth not say as you this Tree was an Emblem of a Professor void of good Works but Have Faith in or the Faith of God For verily I say unto you whosoever shall say unto this Mountain Be thou removed and be thou cast into the Sea and shall not doubt in his Heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass he shall have whatsoever he saith Therefore I say unto you what things soever you desire when you pray believe that you receive them and you shall have them Mat. 21. Mark 11. Christ Jesus therefore had a higher and a better end then that which you propound in his cursing the Barren Fig-tree even to shew as himself Expounds it the mighty power of Faith and how it lays hold of things in Heaven and tumbleth before it things on Earth Wherefore your Scriptureless Exposition doth but lay you even Solomen's Proverb The Legs of the Lawe are not equal c. I might Inlarge but enough of this Onely here I add that the Wonders and Miracles that attend the Gospel were wrought and are Recorded to perswade to Faith in Christ By Faith in Christ men are Justified from the Curse and Judgement of the Law This Faith worketh by Love by the Love of God it brings up the Heart to God and Goodness but not by your Covenant not by Principles of Humane Nature but of the Spirit of God not in a Poor Legal Old Covenant Promiseless Ignorant Shadowish Natural Holiness but by the Holy Ghost I come now to your Seventh Chapter but to that I have spoken briefly already and therefore here shall be the shorter In this Chapter you say Christ's Death Answ. But not with your Described Principles of Humanity and Dictates of Humane Nature He Designed not as I have fully proved neither by his Death nor Life to put us into a Possession of the Holiness which we had lost though the Proof of that be the business of your Book 2. To make men holy was Doubtless Designed by the Death and Blood of Christ But the way and manner of the Proceeding of the Holy Ghost therein you write not of although the First Text you mention Pag. 78. 79. doth fairly present you with it For the way to make men inwardly Holy by the Death and Blood of Christ is First to Possess them with the Knowledge of this that their Sins were Crucified with him or that he did bear them in his Body on the Tree 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 Rom. 6. 6. So he dyed for all that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves as you would have them nor to the Law or Dictates of their own Nature as your Doctrine would perswade them but to him that dyed for them and rose again There are two things in the right stating of the Doctrine of the Effects of the Death and Blood of Christ that do Naturally Effect in us an Holy Principle and also a life becoming such a Mercy First For that by it we are set at liberty by Faith therein from the Guilt and Curse that is due to Guilt from Death the
Precious Faith with all the Elect and that which is most Holy but those Acts of it which Respect our Justification with God from the Curse of the Law that is due for Sin are such as respect not any good Work done by us but the Righteousness that Resideth in the Person of Christ and is made ours by the imputation of Grace This Faith I say accounteth him in whom it is now a Sinner and without Works yea if he have any that in his own eyes are such this Faith rejects them and throweth them away for it seeth a Righteousness in the Person of Christ sufficient even such as is verily the Righteousness of God Now to him that worketh not but believeth Works and Faith are put here in oppposition Faith being considered as Justifying in the sight of God from the Curse The Reason is because the Righteousness by which the Soul must thus stand Justified is a Righteousness of God's appointing not of his Prescribing us a Righteousness that Intirely is Included in the Person of Christ. The Apostle also when he speaks of God's saving the Election which hangeth upon the same Hinge as this of Justification doth to wit on the Grace of God he opposeth it to Works and that not to this or that sort onely but even to Work in the Nature of Work Rom. 11. If it be of Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace but if it be of Works then it is no more of Grace otherwise Work is no more Work By this Text I say the Apostle doth so throughly Distinguish between Grace and Works as that which so ever standeth in the Case the other must be Annihilated If it be by Grace then must Works be no more then it is no more of Works but if it be of Works then is Grace no more then it is no more of Grace But this notwithstanding you urge farther That Faith Justifieth as it includes a sincere Resolution c. Answ. Although as I have said before the Faith which is the Justifying Faith is that of the Holiest Nature yet in the Act by which it layeth hold of Justifying Righteousness it respects it simply as a Righteousness offered by Grace or given unto the Person that by Faith layeth hold thereon as he stands yet ungodly and a Sinner Faith Justifieth not seperate from the Righteousness of Christ as it is a Grace in us nor as it subjecteth the Soul to the obedience of the Morral Law but as it receiveth a Righteousness offered to that Sinner that as such will lay hold on and accept thereof Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners by being their Redemption and Righteousness himself But you add The Faith that Intaileth the Sinner to SO High a Priviledge as that of Justification must needs be such as complyeth with all the purposes of Christ's coming into the World c. Answ. By this supposition Faith Justifieth not by receiving of the Righteousness that Christ by himself accomplished for Sinners but by falling in with all good Works which because they cannot be known much less done by the Soul at first his Faith being then as to the perfection of knowledge of Duties weak he standeth still before God unjustified and so must stand until he doth comply with all those purposes of Christ's coming into the World But yet again you recall your self and distinguish one purpose from the rest as a grand one Pag. 222. And that is to receive Christ as Lord as well as a Saviour Answ. 1. Although the Soul that in truth receiveth Christ receiveth him wholly and intirely as Christ and not as chopt and pul'd in Pieces Yet I distinguish between the act of Faith which layeth hold of Christ for my Justification from the Curse before God and the consequences of that act which are to engage me to newness of Life And indeed as it is impossible for a Man to be a new Man before he be Justified in the sight of God so it is also as impossible but that when Faith hath once layed hold on Christ for Life it should also follow Christ by Love But 2. Christ may be received at first as Lord and that in our Justification and yet not at all be considered as a Law-giver for so he is not the Object of Faith for our Justification with God but a requirer of Obedience to Laws and Statutes of them that already are Justified by the Faith that receiveth him as Righteousness But Christ is as well a Lord for us as to or over us and it highly concerneth the Soul when it believeth in or trusteth to the Righteousness of Christ for Justification with God to see that this Righteousness Lords it over Death and Sin and the Devil and Hell for us The Name wherewith he shall be called is The Lord our Righteousness Our Righteousness then is Lord and Conquerour over all and we more then Conqerours through this Lord that loved us The Author to the Hebrews calls him King of Righteousness because by his Righteousness he ruleth as Lord and King and can reign and Lord it at all times over all those that seek to seperate us from the presence and Glory of God Now how you will brook this Doctrine I know not I am sure he stands in need thereof that is Lorded over by the Curse of the Law the guilt of Sin the Rage of the Devil and the fear of the Death and Hell He I say would be glad to know that in Christ there is a Righteousness that Lords it or that Christ as he is Righteousness is Lord. Wherefore Reader when thou shalt Read or Hear that Jesus Christ is Lord if thou art at the same time under guilt of Sin and fear of Hell then do thou Remember that Christ is Lord more ways then one he is Lord as he is Righteousness he is Lord as he is Imputative Righteousness he is the Lord OVR Righteousness Of the same import is that also he is a Prince and a Saviour he is a Prince as he is a Saviour because the Righteousness by which he saveth beareth Rule in Heaven and Earth And hence we Read again that even when he was in the Combat with our Sins the Devils the Curse and Death upon the Cross he even in that place made a shew of them openly and triumphed over them Now in these things he is Lord for us and the Captain of our Salvation as also in that he hath Led Captivity Captive all which places with many more being Testimonies to us of the sufficiency of that Righteousness which saveth us from the Justice of the Law and Wrath of God But you respect not this his manner of Lording but will have him be a Saviour as he giveth Laws especially those you call Indispensible and Eternal the Morral Law You would have him a Saviour as he bringeth us back to the Holiness we had lost But this is none
Repentance of a Sinner is sufficient to answer whatever could be justly demanded as a Satisfaction thereto which if you should you would in consequence say that Man is or may be in himself just that is equal with God or that the sin of Man was not a transgression of the Law that was given and a procurer of the Punishment that is threatned by that Eternal God that gave it But let me give you a Caution Take heed that you belye not these men Christ cryes If it be possible let this Cup pass from me If what be possible why that Sinners should be saved without His Blood Ought not Christ to have suffered Christ must needs have suffered not because of some certain Circumstances but because the Eternal Justice of God could not consent to the salvation of the Sinner without a Satisfaction for the Sin committed Of which more in the next if you shall think good to reply Now that my Reader may see that I have not abused you in this Reply to your sayings I will repeat your words at large and leave them upon you to answer it You say Actions may become dutyes or sins two wayes first as they are compliances with or transgressions of Divine positive Precepts These are the declarations of the arbitrary Will of God whereby he restraineth our liberty for great and wise reasons in things that are of an indifferent nature and absolutely considered are neither good nor evil and so makes things not good in themselves and are capable of becoming so onely by reason of certain Circumstances Duties and things not evil in themselves sins SUCH were all the Injunctions and Prohibitions of the Ceremonial Law and some few SUCH we have under the Gospel page 7. Then page 9. you tell â—s That the reason of the Positive Laws that is concerning things in themselves iâ—different in the Gospel are declared of which say you I know but three that are purely so viz. That of Coming to God by Christ the Institution of Baptisme and the Lords Supper Here now let the Reader note That the positive Precepts declarations of the arbitrary Will of God in things of an indifferent nature being such as absolutely considered are neither good nor evil some few SUCH say you we have under the Gospel namely that of coming to God by Christ c. I am the more punctual in this thing because you have confounded your weak Reader with a crooked Parenthesis in the midst of the Paragraph and also by deferring to spit your intended venome at Christ till again you had puzzled him with your Mathematicks and Metaphysicks c. putting in another Page betwixt the beginning and the end of your blasphemy Indeed in the seventh Chapter of your Book you make a great noise of the Effects and Consequences of the Death of Christ as that it was a Sacrifice for sin an expiatory and propitiatory Sacrifice page 83. Yet he that well shall weigh you and compare you with your self shall find that words and sense with you are two things and also that you have learned of your Brethren of old to dissemble with Words that thereby your own heart-errors and the Snake that lyeth in your bosome may yet there abide the more undiscovered For in the conclusion of that very Chapter even is and by a word or two you take away that glory that of right belongeth to the Death and Blood of Christ and lay it upon other things For you sâ—y The Scriptures that frequently affirm that the end of Christs Death waâ— the forgiveness of our sins and the reconciling of us to the Father we are not SO to understand as if the blessings were absolutely thereby procured for us page 91. any otherwise then upon the account of our effectual believing I answer By the Death of Christ was the Forgiveness of Sins effectually obtained for all that shall be saved and they even while yet Enemies by that were reconciled unto God So that as to forgiveness from God it is purely upon the account of grace in Christ We are justified by his Blood we are reconciled to God by the Death of his Son Rom. 5â— Yea peace is made by the Blood of his Cross And God for Christs sake hath forgiven us So then our effectual believing is not a procuring cause in the sight of God or a condition of ours foreseen by God and the motive that prevaileth with him to forgive us our manifold transgressions Believing being rather that which makes Application of that Forgiveness and that possesseth the Son with that Peace that already is made for us with God by the Blood of his Son Christ Jesus Being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The peace and comfort of it cometh not to the Soul but by believing Yet the Work is finished Pardon procured Justice being satisfied already or before by the precious Blood of Christ. Observe I am commanded to believe but what should I believe or what should be the object of my Faith in the matter of my justification with God Why I am to believe is Christ I am to have Faith in his Blood But what is 〈◊〉 to believe in Christ and what to have faith in his Blood Verily To believe that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us That even then when we were Enemies we were Reconciled to God by the Death of his Son To believe that there is a Righteousness already for us compleated I had as good give you the Apostles Argument and Conclusion in his own language But God commended his love towards us in that while we were YET sinners Christ-dyed for us much more then being NOW justified by his Blood we shall be saved from wrath through him And note that this word now respects the same time with yet that went before For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more being Reconciled we shall be saved by his life or Intercession Believing then as to the business of my deliveranc from the Curse before God is an accepting of a trusting to or a receiving the benefit that Christ hath already obtained for me by which act of Faith I see my interest in that Peace that is made before with God by the Blood of his Cross For if Peace be made already by his Blood then is the Curse taken away from his sight if the Curse be taken away from his sight then there is no sin with the Curse of it to be charged from God by the Law for so long as sin is charged by the Law with the Curse thereto belonging the Curse and so the wrath of God remaineth But say you Christ dyed to put 〈◊〉 into a capacity of pardon 10 page 91. Answ. True But that is not all He dyed to put us into the Parsonal Possession of Pardon Yea to put us into a personal Possession of it and that
the Knowledge or Faith or Spirit of the Lord Jesus as it's Foundation or Principle Yea Nature was his Foundation even his own Nature was the Original from whence his Righteousness and good Works arose The next Scriptures also viz. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Rom. 12. 1. overthrow you for they urge the Promises as Motives to stir us up to Holiness But Adam had neither the Spirit of Jesus or Faith in him as a Principle nor any Promises to him as Motives Wherefore this was not that to which or which we Christians are Exhorted to seek the Possession of but that which is Operated by that Spirit which we receive by the Faith of Jesus and that which is encouraged by those Promises that God hath since given to them that have closed by Faith with Jesus The rest also in Pag. 29. not one of them doth promise us the Possession of the Holiness we have lost or any mercy to them that have it You add And whereas the Promises of Pardon and of Eternal Life are Frequently made to believing there is nothing more Evidently declared then that this Faith is such as Purifieth the Heart and is Productive of good Works Pag. 30. Answ. If the Promise be made at all to believing it is not made to us upon the account of the Holiness we had lost for I tell you yet again that Holiness is not of Faith neither was Faith the Effect thereof But 2. The Promises of Pardon though they be made to such a Faith as is Fruitful in good Works Yet not to it as it is Fruitful in doing but in receiving Good Sir the quality of Justifying Faith is this Not to Work but to Believe as to the Business of pardon of Sin and that not onely because of the Sufficiency that this Faith sees in Christ to Justifie but also for that it knows those whom God thus Pardoneth he Justifieth as ungodly Now to him that Worketh not but believeth Mark here Faith and Works are Opposed Now to him that Worketh not but Believeth in him that Justifieth the Vngodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness Rom. 4. You add farther That the Promises may be Reduced to these three Heads that of the Holy Spirit of Remission of Sins and Eternal Happiness in the Injoyment of God Answ. If you can prove that any of these Promises were made to the Holiness that we had lost or that by these Promises we are to be Possessed with that Holiness again I will even now lay down the Bucklers For albeit The time will come when the Saints shall be absolutely and perfectly Sin-less yet then shall they be also Spiritual Immortal and Incorruptible which you cannot prove Adam was in the best of his Holiness even that which we lost in him The Threatnings you speak of Pag. 35. are every one made against Sin but not one of them to drive us into a Possession of that Holiness that we had lost Nay contrariwise he that looks to or seeks after that is as sure to be Damned and go to Hell as he that Transgresseth the Law because that is not the Righteousness of God the Righteousness of Christ the Righteousness of Faith nor that to which the Promise is made And this was manifested to the World betimes even in that day when God drove the Man and his Wife out of Eden and placed Cherubines and a Flaming Sword in the way by which they came out to the end that by going back by that way they might rather be Killed and Dye then lay hold of the Tree of Life Gen. 3. Which the Apostle also Respects when he calleth the way of the Gospel the New and Living Way even that which is made by the Blood of Christ Concluding by this Discription of the Way that is by Blood that the other is Old and the Way of Death even that which is by the Morral Law or the Dictates of our Nature or by that fond Conceit of the Goodly Holiness of Adam Heb. 10. Your Fifth Chapter tells us that the Promoting of Holiness was the design of our Saviours whole Life and Conversation among Men Pag. 36. Answ. 1. Were this granted it reacheth nothing at all the Design for which you in your way Present us with it For 2. That which you have Asserted is That the Errand about which Christ came was as the Effecting our Deliverance out of that Sinful State we had brought our selves into so to put us again in Possession of that Holiness which we had LOST For that you say is the Business of your Book Pag. 12. Wherefore you should have told us in the Head of this Chapter not so much that our Saviour Designed the Promoting of Holiness in General by his life but that the whole Design of our Saviours Life and Conversation was to put us again into Possession of THAT Holiness which we had lost into a Possession of that Natural Old Covenant Figurative Ignorant Holiness But it seems you count that there is no other then that now lost but never again to be obtained Holiness that was in Adam 3. Farther You also Faulter here as to the Stating of the Proposition for in the Beginning of your Book you State it thus That the Enduing Men with inward Real Righteousness or True Holiness was the Vltimate end of our Saviours coming into the World still meaning the Holiness we lost in Adam You should therefore in this place also have minded your Reader of this your Proposition and made it manifest if you could that the Vltimate End of our Saviours whole Life and Conversation was the Induing Men with this Adamitish Holiness But HOLINESS and THAT Holiness is alone with you and to make it his End and whole End his Business and the whole Business of his Life is but the same with you But you must know that the whole Life and Conversation of our Saviour was intended for another Purpose then to drive us back to or to Indue us with such an Holiness and Righteousness as I have Proved this to be You have therefore in this your Discourse put an unsufferable Affront upon the Son of God in making all his Life and Conversation to Center and Terminate in the Holiness we had lost As if the Lord Jesus was sent down from Heaven and the Word of God made Flesh that by a Perfect Life and Conversation he might shew us how Holy Adam was before he fell or what an Holiness that our Holiness was which we had before we were Converted Your Discourse therefore of the Life and Conversation of the Lord Jesus is none other then Heathenish For you neither Treat of the Principle his Godhead by which he did his Works neither do you in the least in one Sillable Aver the First the main and Prime Reason of this his Conversation only you Treat of it so far as a mean Man might have considered it And indeed it stood not with your Design to Treat a right with these things For had
Devil and the Wrath to come No Incouragement to Holiness like this like the Perswasion and Belief of this because this carrieth in it the greatest expression of Love that we are Capable of Hearing or Believing and there is nothing that worketh on us so Powerfully as Love And herein is Love not that we Loved God but that he Loved us and gave his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins He then that by Faith can see that the Body of his Sin did hang upon the Cross bâ— the Body of Christ and that can see by that action Death and Sin the Devil and Hell destroyed for him 't is he that will say Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me Bless his Holy Name c. Psa. 103. 1 2 3 4. Secondly Moreover the Knowledge of this giveth a man to understand this Mistery That Christ and himself are united in one For Faith saith If our Old man was Crucified with Christ then were we also Reckoned in him when he hanged on the Cross I am Crucified with Christ All the Elect did Mystically hang upon the Cross in Christ. We then are Dead to the Law and Sin First by the Body of Christ Rom. 7. 4. Now he that is Dead is free from Sin now if we be dead with Christ we Believe that we shall live with him knowing that Christ being raised from the Dead Dyeth no more Death hath no more Dominion over him for in that he dyed he dyed unto Sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Likewise reckon your selves also dead unto Sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. This also Peter doth lively Discourse of Forasmuch then saith he as Christ hath suffered for us in the Flesh Arm your selves likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the Flesh hath ceased from Sin 1 Pet. 4. 1 2. By which Words he Insinuateth the Mystical Union that is between Christ the Head and the Elect his Body Arguing from the Suffering of a Part there should be a Sympathy in the whole If Christ then suffered for us we were even our Sins Bodies and Souls reckoned in him when he so suffered Wherefore by his sufferings the Wrath of God for us is appeased the Curse is taken from us For as Adam by his acts of Rebellion made all that were in him Guilty of his Wickedness so Christ by his acts and doings of Goodness and Justice made all that were reckoned in him good and Just also But as Adam's Transgression did First and immediately Reside with and remain in the Person of Adam onely and the Imputation of that Transgression to them that sprang from him so the Goodness and Justice that was accomplished by the Second Adam First and Immediately Resideth in him and is made over to his also by the Imputation of God But again As they that were in Adam stood not onely guilty of Sin by Imputation but Polluted by the Filth that Possessed him at his fall So the Children of the Second Adam do not onely though first stand Just by Vertue of the Imputation of the Personal acts of Justice and Goodness done by Christ but they also receive of that inward quality the Grace and Holiness that was in him at the Day of his rising from the Dead Thus therefore come we to be Holy by the Death and Blood of the Lord This also is the Contents of those other Scriptures which abusively you Cite to Justifie your Assertion to wit That the great Errand of Christ in coming into the World was to put us again into Possession of the Holiness which we had lost And that onely Designed the Establishing such a Holiness as is Sealed Originally in our Natures and Originally Dictates of the Humane Nature The rest of the Chapter being spoken to already I pass it and Proceed to the next Your Eighth Chapter tell us That it is onely the Promoting of the Design of making Men Holy that is Aimed at by the Apostles Insisting on the Doctrines of Christ's Resurrection Assention and coming again to Judgement Though this should be granted as indeed it ought not yet there is not one Sillable in all their Doctrines that tendeth in the least to drive Men back to the Possession of the Holiness we had lost which is still the thing Asserted by you and that for the Proof of which you make this noise and adoe Neither did Christ at all Design the Promoting of Holiness by such Principles as you have Asserted in your Book neither doth the Holy Spirit of God either help us in or excite us to our Duty Simply from such Natural Principles But the Apostles in these Doctrines you mention had far other Glorious Designs such as were truly Gospel and tended to strengthen our Faith yet farther As First For the Resurrection of Christ They Urge that as an Undeniable Argument of his doing away Sin by his Sacrificing and Death He was delivered for our Offences because he put himself into the Room and State of the Wicked as undertaking their Deliverance from Death and the Everlasting Wrath of God Now putting himself into their Condition he bears their Sin and dyes their Death but how shall we know that by undertaking this Work he did accomplish the thing he intended The answer is He was raised again for our Justification Rom. 4. 25. even to make it manifest that by the Offering of himself he had Purged our Sins from before the Face of God For in that he was raised again and that by him for the appeasing of whose Wrath he was delivered up to Death it is evident that the Work for us was by him effectually done For God raised him up again And hence it is that Paul calls the Resurrection of Christ the sure Mercies of David Act. 13. And as concerning that he raised him up from the Dead now no more to return to Corruption he saith on this wise I will give thee the sure Mercies of David For Christ having Conquered and overcome Death Sin the Devil and the Curse by himself as 't is manifest he did by his rising from the Dead what now remains for him for whom he did this but Mercy and Goodness for ever Wherefore the Resurrection of Christ is that which Sealeth the truth of our being delivered from the Wrath by his Blood Secondly As to his Ascention they urge and make use of that for divers weighty Reasons also 1. As a farther Testimony yet of the Sufficiency of his Righteousness to Justifie Sinners withal For if he that undertaketh the Work is yet entertained by him whose Wrath he was to appease thereby What is it but that he hath so compleated that Work Wherefore he saith that the Holy Ghost shall Convince the world that he hath a sufficient righteousness and that because he went to the Father John 16. And they saw him no more because he went he Ascended up to the Father was there
Entertained Accepted and Imbraced of God That is an Excellent Word He is Chosen of God and Precious Chosen of God to be the Righteousness that his Divine Majesty is pleased with and takes Complacency in God hath Chosen Exalted and set down Christ at at his own Right Hand for the sweet Savour that he smelled in his Blood when he dyed for the Sins of the World 2. By his Ascention he sheweth how he returned Conqueror and Victor over our Enemies His Ascention was his going home from whence he came to deliver us from Death Now it is said that when he returned home or Ascended he led Captivity Captive Eph. 4. that is carried them Prisoners whose Prisoners we were He rode to Heaven in Triumph having in Chains the Foes of Believers 3. In that he Ascended it was that he might perform for us the Second Part of his Priestly Office or Mediator-ship He is gone into Heaven it self there now to appear in the presence of God for us Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him as indifferent a thing as you make it to be seeing he ever-liveth viz. in Heaven whether he is Ascended to make Intercession for them 4. He Ascended that he might be Exalted not onely above but be made head over all things to the Church Wherefore now in Heaven as the Lord in whose hand is all Power he Ruleth over both Men and Devils Sin and Death Hell and all Calamities for the good and profit of his Body the Church Eph. 1. 19 20 21. 5. He Ascended to prepare a place for us who shall live and dye in the Faith of Jesus John 14. 1 2 3. 6. He Ascended because there he was to receive the Holy Ghost the great Promise of the New Testament that he might Communicate of that unto his chosen ones to give them light to see his wonderful Salvation and to be as a Principle of Holiness in their Souls For the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet Glorified But when he Ascended on High even as he led Captivity Captive so he received Gifts for Men by which Gifts he meaneth the Holy Ghost and the Blessed and saving Opperations thereof Luke 24. Acts 1. 2. Thirdly As to his coming again to Judgement that Doctrine is urged to shew the benefit that the Godly will have at that day when he shall gather together his Elect and Chosen from one end of Heaven unto the other As also to shew you what an end he will make with those who have not obeyed his Gospel Mat. 25. 2 Thes. 1. 8. 2. Pet. 3. 7 8 9 10 11. Now 't is true all these Doctrines do Forcibly Produce an Holy and Heavenly life but neither from your Principles nor to the end you Propound to wit that we should be put into Possession of our first Old Covenant Righteousness and act from Humane and Natural Principles Your Ninth Chapter is spent as you as you suppose to shew us the Nature and Evil of Sin but because you do it more like a Heathen Philosopher then a Minister of the Gospel I shall not much trouble my self therewith Your Tenth Chapter Consisteth in a Commendation of Vertue but still of that and no other though Counterfeited for another then at first you have Described Chap. 1. even such which is as much in the Heathens you make mention of as in any other man being the same both in Root and Branches which is Naturally to be found in all men even as is Sin and Wickedness it self And hence you call it here A living up to your feigned highest Principle like a Creature Possessed of a Mind and Reason Again While we do thus we act most agreeable to the right frame and temper of our Souls and Consequently most Naturally and all the actions of Nature are confessedly very sweet and Pleasant of which very thing you say the Heathens had a very great Sence Pag. 113. 114. Answ. No marvel for it was their Work not to search the deep things of God but those which be the things of a man and to Discourse of that Righteousness and Principle of Holiness which was Naturally founded and found within themselves as Men or as you say as Creatures Possessed with a mind and Reason But as I have already shewed all this may be where the Holy Ghost and Faith is absent even by the Dictates as you call them of Humane Nature a Principle and actions when trusted to that as much please the Devil as any Wickedness that is committed by the Sons of Men. I should not have thus boldly Inserted it but that your self did Pag. 101. tell me of it but I believe it was onely Extorted from you your Judgement and your Apollo suit not here though indeed the Devil is in the right for this Righteousness and Holiness which is our own and of our selves is the greatest enemy to Jesus Christ the Post against his Post and the Wall against his Wall I came not to call the Righteous puts you quite of the World but Sinners to Repentance Your Eleventh Chapter is to shew what a miserable Creature that man is that is Destitute of your Holiness Answ. And I add as miserable is he that hath or knoweth no better For such an one is under the Curse of God because he abideth in the Law of Works or in the Principles of his own Nature which neither can cover his Sins from the sight of God nor Possess him with Faith or the Holy Ghost There are two things in this Chapter that Proclaim you to be aâ—â—â—gnorant of Jesus Christ. â— First you say It is not possible a wicked Man should have Godâ—â— Pardon Pag. 119. Pag. 130. Secondly You Suppose it to be impossible for Christ's Righteousness to be Imputed to an unrighteous man Pag. 120. Answ. To both which a little briefly God doth not use to Pardon Painted Sinners but such as are Really so Christ dyed for SINNERS and God Justifieth the VNGODLY even him that worketh not nor hath no Works to make him Godly Besides Pardon supposeth Sin now he that is a Sinner is a Wicked man by Nature a Child of Wrath and as such an Object of the Curse of God because he hath broken the Law of God But such God Pardoneth not because they have made themselves Holy or have given up themselves to the Law of Nature or to the Dictates of their Humane Principles but because he will be Gracious and because he will give to his beloved Son Jesus Christ the benefit of his Blood As to the Second Head What need is there that the Righteousness of Christ should be Imputed where men are Righteous first God useth not thus to doe his Righteousness is for the stout hearted and for them that are far from Righteousness Isa. 46. 12 13. The Believing of Abraham was while yet he was Uncircumcised and Circumcision was added not to save
him by but as a Seal of the Righteousness of THAT Faith which he had being yet Vncircumcised Now we know that Circumcision in the Flesh was a Type of Circumcision in the heart wherefore the Faith that Abraham had before his outward Circumcision was to shew us that Faith if it be right layeth hold upon the Righteousness of Christ before we be Circumcised inwardly and this must needs be so for if Faith doth Purifie the Heart then it must be there before the Heart is Purified Now this inward Circumcision is a Seal or Sign of this That that is the onely saving Faith that layeth hold upon Christ before we be Circumcised But he that believeth before he be inwardly Circumcised must believe in another in a Righteousness without him and that as he standeth at present in himself Ungodly for he is not Circumcised which Faith if it be right approveth it self also so to be by an after Work of Circumcising inwardly But I say the Soul that thus layeth hold on Christ taketh the onely way to please his God because this is that also which himself hath determined shall be accomplished upon us But unto him that worketh is the Reward not reckoned of Grace but of Debt but to him that Worketh not but Believeth in him that Justifieth the VNGODLY his Faith is counted for Righteousness Rom. 4. He that is Ungodly hath a want of Righteousness even of the inward Righteousness of Works But what must become of him Let him Believe in him that Justifieth the Ungodly because for that purpose there is in him a Righteousness We will now return to Paul himself he had Righteousness before he was Justified by Christ yet he chose to be Justified rather as an unrighteous man then as one Indued with so brave a Qualification That I may be found in him not having mine own Righteousness away with mine own Righteousness I chuse rather to be Justified as Ungodly by the Righteousness of Christ than by mine own and his together Phil. 3. You Argue therefore like him that desireth to be a Teacher of the Law nay worse that neither knoweth what he saith nor whereof he Affirmeth But you say Were it possible that Christ's Righteousness could be imputed to an Vnrighteous man I dare boldly affirm that it would signifie as little to his Happiness while he continueth so as would a Gorgeous and Splendid Garment to one that is almost starved c. Answ 1. That Christ's Righteousness is Imputed to men while Sinners is sufficiently testified by the Word of God Ezek. 16. 1 8. Zech. 3. 1 5. Rom. 3. 24 25. Chap. 4. 1 5. Chap. 5. 6 9. 2 Cor. 5. 18 21. Phil. 3. 6 7 8. 1 Tim. 1. 15 16. Rev. 1. 5. 2. And that the Sinner or unrighteous Man is happy in this Imputation is also as abundantly Evident For 1. The Wrath of God and the Curse of the Law are both taken off by this Imputation 2. The Graces and Comforts of the Holy Ghost are all Intailed to and followers of this Imputation Blessed is he to whom the Lord will not Impute Sin It saith not that he is Blessed that hath not Sin to be imputed but he to whom God will not Impute them he faith Therefore the non Imputation of Sin doth not argue a non being thereof in the Soul but a Glorious act of Grace Imputing the sufficiency of Christ's Righteousness to Justifie him that is yet Ungodly But what Blessedness doth follow the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ to one that is yet Ungodly Answ. Even the Blessing of Abraham to wit Grace and Eternal Life For Christ was made the Curse and Death that was due to us as Sinners that the Blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Faith in Jesus Christ That we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith Gal. 3. 13 14. Now Faith hath it's eye upon two things with respect to it's act of Justifying First it acknowledgeth that the Soul is a Sinner and then that there is a sufficiency in the Righteousness of Christ to Justifie it in the sight of God though a Sinner We have Believed in Jesus Christ that we might be Justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law Therefore they that believe aright receive Righteousness even the Righteousness of another to Justifie them while yet in themselves they are Sinners Why do they believe in Christ The answer is That they MIGHT be Justified not because in their own Eyes they are They therefore at present stand Condemned in themselves and therefore they believe in Jesus Christ that they might be set free from present Condemnation Now being Justified by his Blood as Ungodly they shall be saved by his Life that is by his Intercession For whom he Justifieth by his Blood he saveth by his Intercession For by that is given the Spirit Faith and all Grace that preserveth the Elect unto Eternal Life and Glory I Conclude therefore that you argue not Gospelly in that you so boldly Affirm that it would signifie as little to the Happiness of one to be Justified by Christ's Righteousness while a Sinner as would a Gorgeous and Splendid Garment to one that is ready to perish For farther Thus to be Justified is Meat and Drink to the Sinner and so the beginning of Eternal Life in him My Flesh is Meat indeed said Christ and my Blood is Drink indeed And he that Eateth my Flesh and Drinketh my Blood hath Eternal or Everlasting Life He Affirmeth it once again As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that Eateth me even he shall live by me John 6. Here now is a Man an Hungred what must he feed upon Not his pure Humanity not upon the sound Complexion of his Soul nor yet on the Dictates of his Humane Nature nor those neither which you call truly Generous Principles But upon the Flesh and Blood of the Son of God which was once given for the Sin of the World Let those then that would be saved from the Devil and Hell and that would find a Fountain of Grace in themselves first receive and feed upon Christ as Sinners and Ungodly Let them believe that both his Body and Blood and Soul was offered for them as they were Sinners The believing of this is the Eating of Christ this eating of Christ is the beginning of Eternal Life to wit of all Grace and health in the Soul and of Glory to be Injoyed most perfectly in the next World Your Twelfth Chapter is to shew That Holiness being Perfected is Blessedness it self and that the Glory of Heaven Consisteth chiefly in it Answ. But none of your Holiness none of that inward Holiness which we have Lost before Conversion shall ever come to Heaven That being as I have shewed a Holiness of another Nature and arising from another Root then that we shall in Heaven injoy 2. But farther Your Description of
that is found in the whole World But you add farther What good ground can Men have for this fancy when as our Saviour hath Merited the Pardon of Sin for this end that it might be an Effectual motive to turn from it Answ. Although you speak this in great Derision to Faith when it worketh right yet know that therefore seeing you would hear it I say therfore hath our Saviour merited pardon and bestowed it on men freely and bid them believe or receive it and have it that thereby they might be incouraged to live to him and love him and comply with his commandements For scarcely for a Righteous Man will one dye yet for peradventure for a good Man some would even dare to dye But God commended his love to us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ dyed for us Much more then being NOW Justified we shall be saved from Wrath through him Now as here we are said to be Justified by his Blood that is as his Blood appeaseth the Justice of God so again it is said that this Blood is set forth by God for us to have Faith in it by the term of a Propitiation Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation or a Sacrifice to appease the displeasure of God through Faith in his Blood To declare at this time his Righteousness that he might be Just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Rom. 3. Again As we are thus Justified by Blood in the sight of God by Faith in it so also it is testified of his Blood that it sprinkleth the Conscience of the faithful but still onely as it is received by Faith But from what is the Conscience sprinkled but from those dead Works that remain in all that have not yet been Justified by Faith in this Blood Now if Faith in this Blood doth sprinkle the Conscience and so doth purge it from all dead Works then must Faith go first to the Blood of Christ for Justification and must bring this home to the Defiled Conscience before it be delivered from those dead Works that are in it and made Capable of serving the Living God Rom. 5. 7 to 10. ch 3. 24 25. Heb. 9. 14. ch 10. 19 20 21 22. But you say you will never trust your discoursive faculty so long as you live if you are mistaken here Pag. 224. Tell not me of your discoursive faculty The Word of God is plain And never challenge Man for he that Condemneth your way to Heaven to the very Pit of Hell as Paul doth can yet set forth a better I come now to the Second thing viz. The Doctrine of the imputation of Christ's Righteousness which you thus Expound It Consists in dealing with sincerely Righteous Persons as if they were perfectly so for the sake and upon the account of Christ's Righteousness Pag. 225 226. Answ. 1. Any thing but truth But I would know how sincerely Righteous they were that were Justified without Works or how sincerely Righteous they were whom God Justified as Ungodly Rom. 4. 3 4 5. 2. Your Explication of the imputation of Christ's Righteousness makes it respect our Works rather then our Persons It Consists say you in dealing with sincerely Righteous Persons as if they were Perfectly so That is it Justifieth their imperfect Righteousness First and so Secondarily their Persons for the sake of that But Observe a few things from this Explication 1. This Concludeth that a man may be sincerely Righteous in God's account WITHOUT the Righteousness of Christ for that is to be imputed to such and none but such 2. Thâ— Concludeth that Men may be sincerely Righteous BEFORE Christ's Righteousness is imputed For this sincere Righteousness is Precedent to the Imputation of Christ's 3. This Concludeth that a Man may have true yea saving Grace in great and mighty action in him before he hath Faith in the Righteousness of Christ. For if a Man must be sincerely Righteous first then he must not onely have that we call the Habit but the powerful Acts of Grace Besides if the Righteousness of Christ is not to be looked to First but Secondarily not before but after we be made sincerely Righteous then may not Faith be thus acted if a man should have it until he be first a sincerely Righteous Person 4. This Concludeth that a Man may be brought from under the Curse of the Law in God's sight before he have Faith in the Righteousness of Christ yea before it be imputed to him For he that in God's account is reckoned sincerely Righteous is beloved of his God 5. This Concludeth that a Man may be from under the Curse of God without the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ For if a Man must be sincerely Righteous in God's account without it then he is from under the Curse of God without it 6. This Doctrine teacheth farther that Christ came to call and Justifie the Righteous contrary to his express Word In short By this account of things first we must be healed and then the Plaister comes Yea so Confident is this Man in this his Assertion that he saith it is not possible any other notion of this Doctrine should have truth in it Pag. 226. O this Jesus this Rock of offence But he that believeth on him shall not be Confounded But Blessed be God for Jesus Christ and for that he took our Nature and Sin and Curse and Death upon him And for that he did also by himself by one Offering Purge our Sins We that have believed have found rest even there where God and his Father hath smelled a sweet savour of rest because we are presented to God even now compleat in the Righteousness of him and stand discharged of guilt even by the Faith of him Yea as Sins past so Sins to come were taken up and satisfied for by that offering of the Body of Jesus we who have had a due sence of Sins and of the Nature of the Justice of God we know that no Remission of the guilt of any one can be but by Attonement made by Blood Heb. 9. 22. We also know that where Faith in Jesus Christ is wanting there can be neither good Principle nor good Indeavour for Faith is the first of all Graces and without it there is nothing but Sin We know also that Faith as a Grace in us severed from the Righteousness of Christ is onely a beholder of things but not a Justifier of Persons and that if it lay not hold of and applyeth not that Righteousness which is in Christ it carrieth us no farther then to the Devils We know that this Doctrine killeth Sin and curseth it at the very roots I say we know it who have mourned over him whom WE have pierced and who have been confounded to see that God by his Blood should be pacified towards us for all the Wickedness we have done Yea we have a double Motive to be Holy and Humble before him one because be dyed for
us on Earth another because he now appears for us in Heaven there sprinkling for us the Mercy-Seat with his Blood there ever-living to make Intercession for them that come unto God by him If any man Sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the Propitiation for our Sins Yet this Worketh in us no looseness nor farvour to Sin but so much the more an abhorrence of it She loveth much for much was forgiven her Yea she weeps she washeth his Feet and wipeth them with the hairs of her Head to the confounding of Simon the Pharisee and all such ignorant Hypocrites But I pass this and come to the Twentieth Chapter which is to learn us by what Measure and Standard we are to Judge of Doctrines and that is by the Design of Christianity as stated you must know by Mr. Fowler Wherefore it will be requisite here again that a Collection of Principles and Doctrines be gathered out of this Book that the Man that hath a short Memory may be helped the better to bear them in mind and to make them if he shall be so bewitched by them instead of the Bible a Standard for Truth and a Rule for him to obtain Salvation by First Then he must know that the Principle by which he must walk must be the Purity of the Humane Nature a Divine or God-like Nature which yet is but an Habit of Soul or more plainly the Morral Law as Written in the Heart and Originally the Dictates of Humane Nature a Generous Principle such an one as although it respects Law yet acts in a Sphere above it above it as a Written Law that acts even in the first Principles of it Pag. 7 8 9 10. Secondly He must know that the Holiness Christ designed to Possess his People with is that which we had lost in Adam that which he had before he fell that Natural Old Covenant Christ-less Holiness Pag. 12. Thirdly He must put a difference between those Laws of the Gospel that are Essential to Holiness and those Positive Precepts that in themselves are indifferent absolutely considered neither good nor evil but must know also that of these Possitive Precepts he alloweth but three in the Gospel but three that are purely such to wit that of coming to God by Christ the Institutions of Baptism and the Lord's Supper Pag. 7 and 9. Fourthly He must hold for certain that the Faith which Intituleth a Sinner to so high a Priviledge as that of Justification must needs be such as Complieth with all the purposes of Christ's coming into the world whiter at present it understands them or not it is no less necessary it should Justifie as it doth so P. 222. Fifthly He must know that a Man may not rely upon the Merits of Christ for the forgiveness of his Sins before he have done other good Works first Pag. 223. Sixthly And that the right explication of the imputation of Christ's Righteousness is this that it Consisteth in having to do with persons that are sincerely Righteous Pag. 225. For it is not possible for Christ's Righteousness to be imputed to an unrighteous Man Pag. 120. These things with many like to them being the main points by this Man handled and by him asserted to be the design of Christianity by these we must as by a Rule and Standard understand how to Judge of the truth of Doctrines And saith he Seeing the Design of Christianity is to make Men Holy still meaning from Principles of Humanity and by Possessing us again with the often repeated Holiness which we had lost whatsoever opinions do either directly or in their evident Consequences obstruct the promoting of it are perfectly false Pag. 227 228. Answ. Thus with one Word as if he were Lord and Judge himself he sendeth to the Pit of Hell all things that Sanctifie or make Holy the hearts of Men if they oppose the Design of his Christianity But what if the Holy Ghost will become a Principle in the hearts of the Converted and will not now suffer them to act simply and alone upon the Principles of pure Humanity or what now if Faith will become a Principle to act by instead of these that are Originally Dictates of Humane Nature Or what if a Man should act now as a Son rather then simply as a Creature indued with a Principle of Reason I question here whether these things thus doing do not obstruct put by yea and take the way of his Pure Humanity Dictates of Humane Nature and instead thereof Act and Govern the Soul by and with their own Principles For albeit there be the Dictates of Humane Nature in the Sons of Men yet neither is this Nature nor yet the Dictates of it laid by Jesus Christ as the truly Christian Principles in his But you add Those Doctrines which in their own Nature do evidently tend to the serving of THIS design of Christianity we may conclude are most True and Genuine Pag. 229. Answ. The Holiness which you so often call the Design of Christianity being by your self said to be that which we had lost for this one Sentence is it on which your whole Book is built P. 12. whatsoever Doctrine or Doctor it be that asserts it both that Doctrine is of the Devil and that Doctor an Angel of darkness or rather a Minister of Satan become as a Minister of Rigteousness For where is it said in all the whole Book of God that ever the Lord Christ Designed yea made it his Errand from Heaven to put us again in Possession of the Holiness which we had lost Yet this you affirm and tell us the business of your Book is to prove it But blessed be God your shifts are discovered and your Fig-leaves rent from off you and the Righteousness or Holiness so much cryed up by you proved to be none of the Holiness of the Gospel but that which stood with perfect ignorance thereof I might speak to what yet remains of falshood in the other part of this Chapter but having overthrown the Foundation and broken the Head of your Leviathan what remains falleth of it self and dyeth of it's own accord What you say of Modes or Forms and Sticklers for little Trifles such as place their Religion in meer Externals you may fasten them where of due they belong Yet I tell you the least of the Commandments of Christ is better then your Adamitish Holiness Your Twenty first Chapter tells us if we will believe you how we shall Judge of the necessity of Doctrine to be imbraced or rejected also you say it giveth us a brief discourse of the Nature of Fundamentals But because your discourse of them is general and not any one Particularized I might leave you in your generals till you dealt more Candidly both with the Word of God and your abused Reader Indeed you tell us of Primary Fundamentals such as without the Knowledge and belief of which it is impossible
consideration 1. As it respecteth Christ. 2. Man 1. As it respecteth Christ so it concerns his compleating the Redemption of Man by himself by his own personal performances John 6. 38 39. Heb. 10. 5 6 7 8 9 10. 2. As it respecteth Man it doth first and immediately respect our believing on him for Remssion of Sins and Eternal Life And this is the Will of the Father which sent me saith Christ that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting Life and I will raise him up at the last day John 6. 40. This then is the will of God That Men do believe in Jesus Christ. Again when the Jews asketh Jesus Christ what they should do that they might work the works of God he did not send them first to the Morral Precept or to it's first Principles in the hearts of Men by obeying that to fit themselves for Faith but immediately he tells them This is the Work of God that ye believe in him whom he hath sent John 6. 29. This is the Work of God that is this is his Commandement that we believe in the Name of his Son Jesus Christ c. and love one another as he gave us Commandement 1 John 3. 23. If any Man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine that is as I have said he shall feel and have the Authourity of this Faith in his heart both to give Peace and Joy in his heart and assurance and the Sealing of his Soul to Glory For all these things come in upon believing First in Christ. 1. By Faith we have Peace with God Rom. 5. 1. 2. We have Joy and Peace through Believing Rom. 15. 13. 3. Assurance comes also through Believing Joh. 6. 69. Heb. 10. 22. 4. Yea and the Sealings up to Eternal Life In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise Eph. 1. 13. 5. Sanctification and a right obedient temper is not to be found in Men before but after they have believed He purified their hearts by Faith Yea Heaven and Eternal Happiness is promised to them who are Sanctified by Faith which is in Christ Act. 15. 9. Chap. 26. 18. This First Text therefore hath been by you abused in that you have ungodly strained it but in vain to make it warrant your Heathenish preparations to Faith The Second Scripture He that is of God heareth Gods Words ye therefore hear them not because you are not of God John 8. 47. Answ. This Scripture supposeth Men must first be of God before they can hear God's Word before they can hear it with the hearing of Faith and therefore nothing respecteth those that before they have Faith live in the Law of Works and least of all those that become obedient thereto that thereby they may obtain everlasting life For these are not of God not of him in a New Testament Sence not Sons because they are born of Men of the will of Men of the Law and according to the Wisdom of Flesh and Blood John 1. 12 13. Your Third Scripture is And as many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed Act. 13. 48. Which Text you thus expound That as many of the Gentiles as were disposed or in a ready preparedness for Eternal Life believed that is those which were Proselites of the Gate who were admitted by the Jews to the hope of Eternal Life and to have a Portion in the Age to come without submitting to the whole Law or any more then owning the God of Israel and observing the Seven Precepts of Noah Answ. 1. That obedience to the Morral Law is not a preparative to Faith or an excellent and necessary qualification to the right understanding of the Gospel I have proved 2. That to be a Jewish Proselite was to live in the Faith of Messias to come is the strain of all the Scriptures that have to deal with them 3. But that ordaining men to Eternal Life respects an act of the Jews or that the Jews did dispence with the Gentile Proselites in their casting off all their Laws but the seven Precepts of Noah 4. Or that God counted this a fit or forerunning qualification to Faith in Jesus Christ neither stands with the Word of God nor the Zeal of that People 5. Besides the Words presently following seem to me to insinuate more viz. That the Jews and Religious Proselites that adhered to Paul at his first Sermon verse 43. did Contradict and Blaspheme at his second verse 45. And moreover that it was they that raised Persecution upon him and expelled him out of their Coasts verse 50. When the Gentiles even those that were more Barbarously ignorant at his coming when they heard that by Christ there was offered to them the forgiveness of Sins they believed verse 48. and Glorified the Word of the Lord. The Wisdom of Heaven so disposing such of their hearts that were before by him not by Jews ordained to Life And as many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed But you come again in Pag. 269. to the Scripture first urged by you If any man will do his will c. and you tell us That this must also needs be implyed he shall rightly understand the Doctrine too Which word understand you so carry as may best help you in case you should meet with an Adversary As if any should thus object that here you have granted that the Words make promise of an understanding of the Gospel yea require in it the very first act of the will then you readily shift it by saying That this is implyed onely suggesting that obedience to Morrals is expressed and therefore muh first be thought on and done But if one of your Brotherhood stop here and make the objection then you add It is Knowledge at least in all the necessary points thereof absolutely necessary and Essential parts from among which you long since did cast out Coming to God by Jesus Christ Yea you add That by that which you call the design of the Gospel it may be presumed that whosoever considereth it with a design of being so that is of living up to Humane Principles and that desireth to be possessed again of the Holiness he hath lost for that is it for the proof of which you have Written above 300 Pages he must needs believe the Gospel to have come from God and also be inlightned in the true Knowledge of at least the necessary points of it viz. All Morral Duties contained therein which are never a one of them as such an Essential of the Gospel but are such Duties as are consequential to the belief thereof Wherefore although you feign it this honest temper as you call it will not help you 1. To judge of the Gospel without Prejudice nor 2. To evidence it with satisfaction nor 3. Secure those in whom it is from Error and Delusion No Man being more Bruitish or Heathenish nor so void of satisfaction about it nor
design therein to be none other but that of an enemy to the Son of God and Salvation of the World For that Holiness as I have shewed is none other but a Shadowish Christless Graceless Holiness and your so exalting of it very Blasphemy You proceed saying Let us exercise our selves unto real and substantial Godliness still meaning your Adamitish Holiness Let us study the Gospel not to discourse or onely to believe but also and above ALL things to do well Answ. Herein still you manifest either ignorance of or malice against the Doctrine of Faith that Doctrine which above all Doctrines is the qâ—intessence of the new Testament because therein and not Principally as you feign by doing well is the Righteousness of God revealed and that from Faith to Faith not from Faith to Works nor yet from Works to Faith Besides the Gospel is Preached in all Nations for the obedience of FAITH Neither Works the Law the Dictates of Humanity nor the first Principles of Morrals knowing what to do with the Righteousness of the Gospel which is a Righteousness imputed by God not wrought by us a Righteousness given not earned a Righteousness recived by believing not that which floweth from our obedience to Laws a Righteousness which comes from God to us not one that goeth from us to God Besides as I also have hinted before the Apostle and you are directly opposite You cry above ALL things DO well that is Work and do the Law but he Above ALL take the SHIELD of Faith wherewith are quenched ALL the fiery Darts of the Wicked Eph. 6. But you add Pag. 300. Let us do what lyeth in us to convince our Atheist that the Religion of the blessed Jesus is no trick or deviâ—e and our wanton and loose Christians that it is no notional business speculative Science Answ. This you cannot do by your Morral Natural Principles of Humanity For even some of your BRAVE Phylosophers whose Godliness you have so much aplauded were even then in the must of their and your Vertues Athestically ignorant of the Religion of Jesus And as to the loose Christian Christ neither hath need of nor will he bless your Blasphemous opinions nor feigned Godliness but Real ungodliness to make them Converts to his Faith and Grace neither can it be expected it should seeing you have not onely dirty thoughts but vilifying Words and sayings of his Person Work and Righteousness You have set your Works before his Pag. 223. calling them Substantial Indispensible and Real but coming to God by him a thing iâ— it self Indifferent P. 7 8 9. You go on and say Let us declare that we are not hearty â—elyers 〈◊〉 Christ's Righteousness by being imitators of it Pag. 300. You cannot leave off to Contemn and Blaspheme the Son of God Do you not yet know that the Righteousness of Christ on which the sinner ought to rely for life is such as consisted in his standing to and doing of the Law without a Mediator And would you be doing this What know you not that an Essential of the Righteousness he accomplished for Sinners when he was in the World is That he was Conceived by the Holy Ghost Born without Sin did all things in the Power of and Vnion with his own eternal God-head And are you able thus to imitate him Again the Righteousness on which we ought to rely for life is that which hath in it the Merit of Blood We are Justified by his Blood through Faith in his Blood Is this the Righteousness you would imitate Farther the Righteousness on which poor Sinners should rely is that for the sake of which God forgiveth the Sins of him that resteth by Faith thereupon But would you be imitating of or accompishing such a Righteousness Your Book Sir is begun in Ignorance mannaged with Errour and ended in Blasphemy Now the God of Glory if it may stand with his Glory give you a sight of your Sins against the Son of God that you may as Saul lye trembling and being astonished cry out to be Justified with the Righteousness of God without the Law even that which is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe Many other gross Absurdities which I have omitted in your whole Book may perhaps be more throughly gathered up when you shall have taken the opportunity to reply In the mean time I shall content my self with this Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sin of the World Joh. 1. 29. Even Jesus who delivered us from the Wrath to come 1 Thes. 1. 10. Who when he had by himself purged our Sins sat down on the Right Hand of the Majesty on High Heb. 1. 3. Christ dyed for our Sins 1 Cor. 15. 1 2 3. God hath made him to be Sin for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. Christ was made a Curse for us Gal. 3. 13. He bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. He loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood Rev. 1. 5. God for Christ's sake â—ath forgiven you Eph. 4. 23. We have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of our Sins according to the riches of his Grace Eph. 1. 7. Now unto the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the onely Wise God be Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen The Conclusion That my Reader may farther perceive that Mr. Fowler even by the chief of the Articles of the Church of England is adjudged Erronious and besides the very Fundamentals of the Doctrine of Jesus Christ and that in those very Principles that are the main I say and that most immediately concern Christ Faith and Salvation will be evident to them that compare his Design of Christianity with these Articles hereunder Recited The Articles concerning Free-will THe condition of Man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own Natural strength and good Works to Faith and calling upon God Wherefore we have no power to do good Works pleasant and acceptable to God without the Grace of God by Christ preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will The Article concerning justification WE are accounted Righteous before God ONELY for the Merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith and not for our own Works or Deservings Wherefore that we are justified by Faith ONELY is a most wholesome Doctrine and full of Comfort c. The Article of Works before justification WOrks done before the Grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant to God for as much as they spring not of Faith in Jesus Christ or deserve Grace of Congruity Yea rather for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done we doubt not but they have the NATVRE of Sin These Articles because they respect the points incontroversie betwixt Mr. Fowler and my self and because they be
also Fundamental truths of the Christian Religion as I do heartily believe let all Men know that I quarrel not with him about things wherein I discent from the Church of England but do contend for the truth continued even in these very Articles of theirs from which he hath so deeply revolted that he clasheth with every one of them as may farther be shewn when he shall take heart to reply But to wind up this unpleasant Scrible I shall have done when I have farther shewed how he joyneth with Papist and Quaker against these wholsome and Fundamental Articles Mr. Fowler 's Doctrine compared with Campian the Jesuite upon that question whether Faith onely Justifieth saith Campian 1. Campian We Papists say that as Grace is put into us in Justification so also our Righteousness is inlarged through Good Works and is inherent in us therefore it is not true that God doth Justifie by Faith ONELY Fowler Pag. 221. Justifying Faith is such a belief of the truth of the Gospel as includeth a sincere resolution of obedience unto all its Precepts and that it justifieth AS it doth SO In short is it possible that Faith in Christs Blood for the forgiveness of Sin should be the onely act which justifieth a Sinner 2. Campian So that Faith is urged but not Faith ONELY again by Faith is meant all Christianity and the whole Religion of Christians Fowler Pag. 222. For surely the Faith which intaileth the Sinner to so high a Priviledge as that of justification must needs be such as complyeth with all the purposes of Christ's coming into the World especially with his grand purpose as Lord and that it is no less necessary that it should justifie as it doth this 3. Campian Though Works void of Christ are nothing yet through Grace they serve to Justification Fowler Pag. 225. 226. Of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness this is the true Explication It consisteth in dealing with sincerely Righteous Persons as if they were perfectly so for the sake and upon the account of Christ's Righteousness The grand intent of the Gospel being to make us partakers of an inward real Righteousness and it being a Secondary one that we should be accepted and rewarded as if we were compleatly Righteous 4. Campian Speaking of Faith Hope and Charity he confesseth that Faith in Nature is before them but it doth not Justifie before they come Fowler Pag. 223. What pretence can there be for thinking that Faith is the condition or Instrument of Justification as it complyeth with onely the Precept of relying on Christ's Merits for the obtaining of it especially when it is no less manifest then the Sun at Noon Day that obedience to the other Precepts or Works of Love must go before obedience to this 5. Campian I deny that Faith ONELY doth Justifie for you have not in all the Word of God that Faith ONELY doth Justifie Fowler Pag. 225. And for my part I must confess that I would not willingly be he that should undertake to Encounter one of the Champions of that foul Cause with the Admission of this Principle That Faith Justifieth onely as it apprehendeth resteth or relyeth on Pag. 224. the Merits and Righteousness of Jesus Christ I must certainly have great luck or my Adversary but little Cunning if I were not forced to repent me of such an engagement 6. Campian Abraham being a Just Man was made more Just by a living Faith Fowler Pag. 283. He onely is a true Child of Abraham who in the Purity of the Heart obeyeth those substantial Laws that are imposed by God upon him 7. Campian I say that Charity and good Work are not excluded in the causes of ruo Justification Fowler Pag. 215. For we have shewn not onely that Reformation from the practice and purification of Heart from the liking of Sin are as plainly as can be asserted in the Gospel to be absolutely necessary to give Men a right to the Promises of it but also that its great Salvation doth even consist in it Mr. Fowler 's Doctrine compared with William Pen the Quaker 1. Pen's Sandy Foundation Pag. 19. Life and Salvation is to them that follow Christ the Light in all his Righteousness which every man comes onely to experience as he walks in a holy Subjection to that measure of Light and Grace wherewith the fulness hath inlightned him Fowler Pag. 8. That is those which are of an indispensible and Eternal Obligation which were first written in mens hearts and Originally Dictates of Humane Nature 2. Pen Pag. 32. I really confess that Jesus Christ fullfilled the Fathers Will and offered up a most satisfactory Sacrifice but not to pay God or help him to save Men. Fowler Pag. 85. Christ was set forth to be a Propitiatory Sacrifice for Sin I will not say that his Father who is perfectly sui Puris might be put by this means into a Capacity of forgiving it 3. Pen Pag. 16. God's Remission is grounded on Man's Repentance no tthat it 's impossible for God to pardon without a Plenary Satisfaction Fowler Pag. 84. There are many that do not question but that God could have pardoned Sin without any other satisfaction then the Repentance of the Sinner c. 4. Pen Pag. 27. Justification doth not go before but is subsequential to the Mortification of Lusts. Fowler Pag. 14 15. This Blessing of making Men Holy was so much the design of Christ's coming that he had his very Name from it Observe the Words He shall save his People from their Sins not from the punishment of them c. And that is the Primary sence of them which is most plainly expressed in them That he shall save his People from the punishment of Sin is a true sence too but it is Secondary and implyed onely as this latter is the never failing and necessary consequence of the former Salvation 5. Pen Pag. 25. Since therefore there can be no admittance had without performing that Righteous Will and doing those Holy and Perfect sayings Alas to what value will an imputative Righteousness amount c. Fowler Pag. 16. Christ shall bring in an inward substantial and everlasting Righteousness and by abrogating the outward Ceremonial and establishing ONELY this Righteousness he should inlarge the Jewish Church an accession of the Gentiles being by that means made unto it 6. Pen Pag. 24 25. Since God hath prescribed an inoffensive life as that which onely can give acceptance with him and on the contrary hath determined not to justifie the Wicked c. Will not the abomination appear greatest of all when God shall be found Condemning the just on purpose to justifie the wicked and that he is thereto compelled or else no Salvation which is the tendency of their Doctrine who imagine the Righteous and merciful God to condemn and punish his righteous Son that he being sanctified for our Sins we might be justified while unsatisfied by the imputation of his perfect Righteousness O why should
if God will timely Advertise my Reader that the Gospel and it's Attendants are to be accounted things Distinct The Gospel properly taken being Glad Tidings of good things or the Doctrine of the for giveness of Sins freely by Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus For to speak strictly neither is the Grace of Faith Hope Repentance or Newness of Life the Gospel but rather things that are wrought by the Preaching thereof things that are the Effects of it or its unseperable Companions to all them that shall be saved Wherefore the Gospel is said to be Preached in all Nations for the obedience of Faith Hope also is called the Hope of the Gospel not the Gospel it self So again the Gospel is Preached that Men should repent but it is not Preached that men should Gospel But your Gospel which Principally or Chiefly Centers in the Dictates of Humane Nature and your Faith which is chiefly a subjecting to those Dictates are so far off from being at all any near attendants of the Gospel that they never are urged in the New Testament but in order to shew men they have forgotten to act as men Rom. 1. 19 20 21. Chap. 2. 14 15. 1 Cor. 11. 14. Your last Reason is because of several untoward opinions the Gospel is very unsuccessful Pag. 175. Answ. But what these opinions are we hear not nor how to shun them you tell us here nothing at all This I am sure there are no Men in this day have more opposed the Light Glory and Lustre of the Gospel of Christ then those as the Quakers and others that have set up themselves and their own Humanity as the Essential parts of it You in Answer to other things add many other Reasons to prove they are mistaken that count the Gospel a thing of but mean Operation to work Holiness in the heart at which you ought your self to tremble seeing the Son himself who is the Lord of Gospel is of so little esteem with you as to make coming to God by him so trivial a business as you have done Your large Transcript of other mens sayings to prove the good success of the Gospel of Old did better become that People and age then you yours they being a people that lived in the power thereof but you such Bats as cannot see it That Saying you mention of Rigaltias doth better become you and yours Those now adays do retain the Name and the Society of Christians which live altogether Antichristian Lives For take away Publicans and a wretched Rable c. And your Christian Churches will be laâ—entable weak small and insignifieant things I shall add to yours another reason of the unsuccessfulness of the Gospel in our days and that is because so many ignorant Sir Johns on the one hand and so many that have done Violence to their former Light and that have Damned themselves in their former Anathematizing of others have now for a long time as a Judgement of God been permitted to be and made the mouth to the People Persons whose Lives are Debauched and who in the Face of the World after seeming serious Detestings of Wickedness have for the Love of filthy Lucre and the Pampering their idle Carcasses made Shipwrack of their former Faith and that Feigned good Conscience they had From which number if you Sir have kept your self clear the less Blood of the Damned will fall upon your head I know you not by Face much less your Personal Practice yet I have heard as if Blood might pursue you for your Unstable Weathercock Spirit which doubtless could not but stumble the Weak and give advantage to the Adversary to speak Vilifyingly of Religion As to your Seventeenth and Eighteenth Chapters I shall say little onely I wish that your Eighteenth had been more express in discovering how far a man may goe with a notion of the truth of the Gospel and yet perish because he hath it not in Power Onely in your Inveighing so much against the Pardon of Sin while you seem so much to cry up Healing you must know that Pardon of Sin is the beginning of Health to the Soul He Pardoneth our Iniquities and Healeth all our Diseases Psa. 103. 3. And where he saith by the stripes of Christ we are healed it is Evident that healing beginneth at Pardon and not Pardon after healing as you would rather have it 1 Pet. 2. 24. compare Isa. 53. As for your Comparison of the Plaister and the Physitians Potion Pag. 217. I say you do but abuse your Reader and muddy the way of the Gospel For the first thing of which the Soul is sick and by which the Conscience receiveth wounding it is the guilt of Sin and fear of the Curse of God for it For which is provided the wounds and Precious Blood of Christ which Flesh and Blood if the Soul eat thereof by Faith giveth deliverance there-from Upon this the filth of Sin appears most odious for that it hath not onely at present Defiled the Soul but because it keeps it from doing those Duties of Love which by the Love of Christ it is constrained to endeavour the perfecting of For Filth appears Filth that is irksome and odious to a contrary Principle now implantin the Soul which Principle had its Conveyance thither by Faith in the Sacrifice and death of Christ going before The Love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge That if one dyed for all then are all Dead and that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but to him that dyed for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5. 14. The man that hath received Christ desireth to be Holy because the Nature of the Faith that layeth hold on Christ although I will not say as you it is of a Generous mind worketh by love and longeth yea greatly longeth that the Soul may be brought not onely into an universal Conformity to his Will but into his very likeness and because that State standeth not with what we are now but with what we shall be hereafter Therefore in this we groan being burthened with that which is of a contrary Nature to be cloathed upon with our House which is from Heaven Which state is not that of Adam's Innocency but that which is Spiritual and Heavenly even that which is now in the Lord in Heaven But I will Descend to your Nineteenth Chapter it may be more may be discovered there Your Nineteenth Chapter is to shew That a right understanding of the Design of Christianity viz. as you have laid it down will give satisfaction concerning the true Notion First Of Justifying Faith Secondly Of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Pag. 221. First Of Justifying Faith It is say you such a Belief of the truth of the Gospel as Includes a sincere Resolution of Obedience to all it's Precepts Answ. To this I shall Answer First that the Faith which we call Justifying Faith is like