Baptism With water proved 176. 183 Of Infants vindicated 178 Sprinkling lawful 180 One Baptism consisting of two parts 178 182 Bible To be read and preached upon 20 See Scriptures C. Call To the Ministery how lawful 211 Inward to be tried by the outward fruits 214 The Churches call spiritual 215 Some may counterfeit an Immediate call 211 Some mediate calls good 213 214 Some bad ibid. Christ Exalted by the Scriptures and the Scriptures by Christ 43 44 Christ above his gifts 59 His Godhead asserted and cleared 54 How he leads out of the fall 86 How he was made sin or a sinner 132 As Mediator not in natural men 262 276 When and how in the soul 264 His condemning sin in the flesh beyond conscience-condemnation 266 A Savior according to Scripture 283 Commandment How the general includes particular persons 106 What is a command in the Spirit 109 Saints experiences about a command 110 What is a Gospel-command 111 Communion Of Saints on earth with Saints in heaven 146 Conviction By the Spirit beyond that of a natural conscience 266 Conscience If but natural and not renewed gives no saving testimony 269 Covenant Of works and of grace what 90 Of works in Adam 97 Differences of the Covenant of works and of grace 90 Covenant of grace one for the substance 91 Two for maner of administration 93 Old and new what 8 The reason of the change 94 E. Elders Their Ordination by man though not of man 207 F. Forms Of Religion 291 Of Speech 292 Fruits Of the Spirit 293 Of the flesh ibid. G. God How God is Light 68 His Essence not mixed with created Beings 236 Gospel Gospel-Light above natural reach 75 Grace Given by means 173 H. Hearing Of the word 173 Holy Ghost A person one of the Three in the Godhead See Spirit 49 c. 207 Honor Civil due to Superiors and to all men 231 ibid. Gestures of honor some bad and idolatrous 233 Some civil and but good maners ibid. The denial hereof what it argues 292 I. Imputation Gods imputation of righteousness his covering of our sin 130 A constant act of Gods free favor 131 The doctrine of it no pleading for sin 123 c. Justification The material cause not the new-birth 119 Not sanctification 132 Its difference from sanctification 126 God justifieth sinful persons believing 120 121 How justified by faith ibid. Defilements of sin remain in a pardoned soul 125 Peter in his falls not out of a state of justification 128 Perfect at first believing 135 L. Law How set up in stead of Gospel 12 Levitical Law way Typical Gospel 89 Law-Levitical no Covenant of works 95 law-Law-moral positions concerning it 97 How subservient to the Covenant of grace 98 How inservient to the Covenant of works ibid. Gods Law above the conscience 307 Letter What in a large or in a strict sense 4 5 The Spirits Letter is Gods written word 9 How denied 244 Light Of the Godhead in every man not redemption-light 52 Strange notions of the Light in every man 53 How light without Scripture is no light 64 The Light-giver not to be confounded with the light-given 59 84 Light in every man no Teacher of saving truths 60 Not Gospel-light 75 Not the light of Saints as such 61 261 Much less equal with Christs person 59 Not supernatural 61 Not above but beneath the Scripture-light 66 Not a part of the New-creature 77 Not the Corner-stone 80 Nor the first principle of Christian Religion 82 Leads not out of the fall 83 Obeyed gives no saving excuse or testimony in the conscience 269 Creature and Scripture-light compared 76 Not to be confounded 275 Mysterious absurdities 263 How the least degree of light is perfect 274 How counterfeit ibid. True conclusions about light 69 Lords Supper The visible outward part no carnal invention 185 Bread and wine the outward matter 186 The Institution spiritual 188 The benefit great 190 A strange trans-mutation by 192 James Nayler His reasons broken 193 Antidotes against the dissolution of the Lords Supper 200 M. Magistrates Their forbearance 308 Means of grace attended with a promise of blessing 174 N. Nakedness No Commission for going naked in these times 291 O. Oaths see Swearing Ordinances How owned or disowned 302 P. Perfection Of holiness but comparative 162 164 Not absolute in all degrees till death 143 144 How denied how not 141 158 161 This life a time onely of pressing after it 290 Person What it is 48 What a person in the Godhead is ibid. How distinguished 49 Prayer Publique not forbidden 201 Gods Spirit is there 204 Preaching By Doctrine Reason and Vse c. justified 72 293 How free and consistent with taking Wages 209 Printing When invented 21 The benefit of printed Bibles ibid. Promise Of grace and leading out of the fall none annexed to the good use of natural light 87 Yet the light of a promise helps to lead out of the fall 86 Prophets Some immediately inspired some mediately taught 217 They studied the Scriptures 218 Some distinguisht from men in office 217 Psalms Not sung without some kinde of meeter 205 Q. Quaking From visible manifestations of Gods majesty how and by whom imitable 287 See Trembling Questions Their fit place 223 Which are of the devil 224 R. Reconciliation Of the person perfect before the heart is perfectly sanctified and how 134 135 Regeneration By the Scripture-promise 132 257 Remorse What. 171 Repentance How decryed 171 Righteousness What our own 145 329 What the Quaking Papists mean by Christs righteousness 278 S. Sabbath A mercy as a duty 303 Saints Their light beneath Scripture-light for the degree 271 Their highest degree of light and grace not here attained 272 Experimentally imperfect 148 Scriptures The word of truth 1 To all 2 The word of God and truly so called 3 40 In what sence 25 The witness of God 4 The Letter of God and the Scripture of God all one Ib. A standing Rule 7 A more standing Rule then visions and revelations 13 15 37 38. Not mans word or other mens words 18 The Touch-stone of Doctrine 23 253 And Judge of controversies 258 Not carnal 24 The Spirits sword 26 Powerful 153 The ground of the Saints acting 26 31 And how 27 Interpretation by Scripture 37 A Voice a Light a Rule a Guide 43 44 Scripture-light above the light of nature 66 74 76 Its further preeminence 271 281 Scripture-light Salvation-light 73 Its fulness 284 It magnifies Christ above it self ibid A more excellent Teacher then the creatures 70 To be studied 218 220 Who deny them 244 Gods mouth is in the Letter 247 252 Sin Visible in and to the Saint 112 Groaned under all the life time by true Saints ibid in what respect 113 Sin and purity dwell in one soul not as one 118 Sin confessed is not pleaded for 125 It dwelleth and acteth in the Saints 138 It continueth in them they continue not in it 151 No heart perfectly pure form it 158 159 160
is not the light of a promise nor any promise of spiritual saving light annexed to the good use of that universal light And therefore that universal light though never so well improved will not shall not lead men out of the fall Promised light is onely found in the Scripture and according to what is there revealed but where is the answer to my question R. F. tells his Reader of promises of saving light in Scripture and such as follow and obey the same are saved by it Rep. By it let the simple-hearted and ingenuous Reader observe refers to light which light he makes one with grace as he addes For by grace are we saved through faith and not of our selves it is the gift of God Ephes 2. 8 9. How fairly doth R. F. his conscience here bid for the truth but this is no faithful answer to that particular question to beg the main question viz. Whether every man hath sufficient saving light to lead him out of the fall Such as follow and obey saving light indeed through faith freely given of God are saved by it out of the fall but every man hath not that saving light to follow nor the gift of faith to obey it But my particular question was No promise in Scripture of spiritual light and grace annexed to the good use of natural light Whether to the good use of universal light there is in Scripture any promise of special spiritual saving light annexed not to saving light and saving grace as R. F. puts it but to the good use of common or natural light as I exprest it Who knows not being conversant with Scripture that in Isaiah 42. 6 7. speaking of Christ his person God promiseth I will give thee for a covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles which is one place R. F. quoteth but with this additional gloss This light hath grace annexed that is a covenanting light Why what is this to the question still It is but a low expression to say this light namely Christ himself hath grace annexed For Christ the promised Mediator and Foundation of the Covenant and the Fountain of all saving light to the Gentiles as Jews hath all the fulness of God-head grace love holiness power c. in him But hath God promised to give Christ for a Mediator to every one that well useth the reliques of created light Or hath he promised to admit all or any into a covenant of Grace who do their best to get life by a covenant of Works Nay rather he hath threatned the contrary as I hinted in my former piece Gal. 3. 10. As many as are of the works of the law that is will be doing for life and depending upon their obedience to the law written in the book of Scripture which is more or in every mans heart which is less are under the curse and if under the curse they are as I said sure enough under the fall R. F. quoteth other Scriptures as Isaiah 49. 6. Isaiah 60. 19 20. Luke 2. 22 23. I suppose he intended Ver. 32. but let him or any man make the best or the most rather he can of them he shall never be able to extract such a promise as I called for of that tendency as he would have it out of them all That which I called for was a promise of spiritual saving light and grace annexed or adjoyned to the use of natural light and common gifts spiritual and saving light and grace is light of a higher sphere and a gift of another kinde i. e. which differeth not in degree onely but in kinde from every mans natural light as much as the work of Redemption from the work of Creation Nor doth it follow because Christ is promised for a saving light to the Gentiles that therefore he is promised to them upon such an account if they use inferior light as they ought or that because Christs grace is promised to the use of his grace therefore his grace is promised to the use or actings of nature Or that because this light as R. F hath grace or a promise of grace annexed therefore every light hath grace or a promise of grace attending it I know there are those who are Lights of a greater magnitude then R. F. that have prompted such a promise as I call for yea many but the Doctrine which they would shore up thereby savors so strongly of the Popish merit of Congruity and the Jesuites Facienti quod in se est c. fleshing up every natural man in a good opinion of himself and his endeavors that I abhor their prevaricatings upon the Scripture which as to a way of salvation is one and God is one Gal. 3. 20. i. e. Ever since he revealed the covenant of Grace like himself and of one minde But these men we Gal. 3 20. opened have to do with are inconsistent with the Scriptures and with themselves in this as in other cases God having founded all his promises of saving Light Grace and Glory in the death and satisfaction of his Son he never laid another bottom or founded any such promises in the Light within every man or upon their good improvement of that Light But sometimes they say Stand still in the Light and it shall lead thee out of the fall sometimes there are promises of saving Light or else a man might continue in the fall and under the curse either that alone must save or that and Christ together by their Doctrine whereas Christ alone above the help of that light which every man hath leads out of the fall unto the Father and unto heaven those that the Father hath given to him to be a Leader Commander and Savior unto 4. Head of Scripture-contradiction Concerning the Law Section 17. TWo things chiefly I noted in this Section First that they affirm the Levitical Law was the covenant of works Secondly they deny that the Law which Adam had in Innocency written in his heart was the moral Law R. F. calls me to the disproving of what they affirm and to the proving of what they deny As to the first it being affirmed by them it should be proved by them but he intends The Levitical Law was Typical Gospel Col. 2. 17. opened to put me to business now that one place of Scripture I quored Col. 2. 17. But the body is Christ might determine the controversie but he saith nothing to it makes nothing of it unless you will interpret his silence to be a seeming consent or conviction at least From that Text I argue thus That which was the Type and shadow of Christ the truth and body of those shadows that was Gospel and not a Covenant of works But the Levitical Law and Legal figures were the Types and shadows of Christ the truth and body as saith the Apostle Therefore it was Gospel and a Covenant of Grace and not of Works To clear out this farther for the sake of Gods chosen
covenant with his Creature upon any terms but as there needed no mercy before it was broken so when it is broken there is judgement for the sinner without mercy It is the covenant made with Christ upon his satisfaction to Justice for others that he becomes our Propitiatory and Mercy-seat Many more Arguments might be added I conclude with this 5. and lastly The Levitical Law and all the old administration was a Testament and called the first Testament being the first disposition and discovery of free Grace but a covenant of Works is no Testament nor any where in Scripture so called for a Testament requireth the death of the Testator Heb. 9. 16. Christ of necessity therefore must die to ratifie the Will A covenant of Works exacteth death if it be transgressed but it is the death and blood of the sinner Under the Levitical Law the transgressors did not die but the beast died for the transgressor which plainly shewed it to be a covenant of Grace and gracious Testament wherein the death of Christ is accepted not the sinners as that by which all the Legacies of the Will and good things of the Covenant are both purchased and assured As to the Second particular noted in the beginning of this Section viz. That the Law which Adam had in innocency written in his heart was the moral Law this they deny and R. F. * Page 11 to back J. Nayler addeth for thy saying that Adam was under a covenant of Works and the same then canst not prove it Rep. What he meaneth by and the same I do not well understand it is well if he understands himself If his sense be that I cannot prove Adam to have been under a covenant of Works and the same with the Levitical Law which he holdeth to have been a covenant of Works I acknowledge it is against my judgement and conscience ruled by truth to confound the covenant of Works and of Grace together I have even now disproved the Levitical Law as no covenant of Works for the substantial matter and living form of it and therefore cannot speak daggers or contradictiously say That the covenant which Adam in Innocency was under was the same with that which true Believers of the Old Testament were under If his meaning be that I cannot prove Adam to have been under a covenant of Works and the same which is contained in the moral Law or ten Commandments given on mount Sinai and written in Tables of stone I shall premise a few positions of truth Positions of truth about the covenant of Works in Adam and the Moral Law and then produce a few Arguments for the Affirmative The positions I premise are these 1. Adam was created in the image of Gods goodness holiness justice c. Gen. 1. 27. else his nature had not been perfect Eccles 7. 29. 2. The covenant of Works is a covenant of Goodness Holiness and Justice as is the Commandment moral Rom. 7. 12. ordained to life by the keeping of it but found to be unto death after the breach of it ver 10. 3. Adam stood and fell as a publique person representing all mankinde that were in his loins Rom. 5. 14. 4. The condition of his standing in life to eternity was by the strength of that image of God given him in creation to do all that was written in his heart and to obey any particular positive precept of God as it should be revealed to him 5. The Moral Law contained in the ten Commandments may be considered abstractly and nakedly in the matter or as clothed and formed with circumstances 1. Abstractly It is a bright beam of Gods holy good and righteous Nature and Will and the Idea or express representation of that which was perfectly written in mans heart in the time and state of Innocency 2. As clothed with circumstances and so it is either inservient to Adam standing and his fallen posterity that would rise and stand in and by the covenant of Works or subservient to Adam and Eve and the Seed of the woman Gods chosen who being fallen as others were to be raised ruled and saved in and by the most free covenant of Grace The circumstances that make the Moral Law subservient to a covenant of Grace are 1. The Preface to the Precepts a free Promise so God began with Adam and Eve after the fall as with the Israelites Exod. 20. 2. Gen. 3. 15. 2. It is given in the hand of a Mediator Gal. 3. 20. Moses was the Typical Christ the true Mediator who because God loseth not his Justice in the covenant of Grace undertakes as a surety for some the Elect to pay their debt both forfeiture and principal the forfeiture by his Passive obedience the principal by his Active obedience for their justification John 1. 17. and Rom. 3. 31. 3. It is a directory and rule to true Believers as it is also in Christs hand guiding them by his Spirit for the ordering of their sanctification Mat. 5. from ver 17. to the end The circumstances that make the Moral Law serviceable to the covenant of Works made at first with Adam are the ingredients attendants and effects of that Law As 1. The absolute perfection of it 2. The maner of promulgation with thundering fire blackness darkness tempest sound of a trumpet terror of voice c. Exod. 19. Heb. 12. 18 19 20. 3. The rigorous exaction of all the debt at the hands of sinners with threatning of death Gen. 2. 17. and the curse Deut. 27. 26. 4. The tryal of the creatures strength as was that prohibition to Adam Gen. 2. 16 17. Exod. 20. 20. to restrain from sin 5. The discovery of transgressions Gal. 3. 19. increasing of wrath in the conscience Rom. 4. 15. and holding the whole world under guilt and some under the sense of a sinful estate Rom. 3. 19. 6. Although God in giving the Law with all these ingredients attendants and effects had Gospel-purposes to his true Israel yet that the Moral Law clothed with these last mentioned circumstances doth lead to Christ or to the promise of life by him it is onely Intentio agentis the scope of God to work by contraries not Intentio operis properly the work of the Law before Faith but what it doth work upon the Elect it is by accident as the Spirit by his effect of keeping them under bondage a while wearieth them out of conceits of self-righteousness c. that they look after Christ For the Moral Law is not contrary Gal. 3. 21. opened to the promise or so against the promises of God that it can forbid a Mediator or a pardon from another way though it provides none of it self nor so against them but that God can and doth provide a Righteousness in a Surety when the Debtor the Sinner hath none of his own and neither the Law nor Sin can put God besides his purpose 7. The Moral Law was so perfectly written in Adams heart
in innocency as it was never perfectly revealed nor half so clearly known after he fell till the Lord gave it in writing upon Tables of stone and upon Books Rom. 5. 13. Rom. 5. 13. opened It is granted Vntil the Law in was in the world but sin is not imputed when there is no Law Diverse kindes of sins were not known to be sins original guilt and filth was not taken notice of until the Law Albeit God imputed sin yet men would not charge it upon themselves nor did God charge it in this life so closely fully and particularly home either upon the Jews or upon the Gentiles consciences till the written Law came amongst them 8. The covenant of Works was onely at first made or entred with Adam standing as a publique person representing all mankinde It was never made with any else since the state of perfection Distinguish we must between entring or striking this covenant and maintaining or holding of it up God entreth not strikes it not up with any fallen son or daughter of Adam he will never trust any meer man with it upon his single bond when as Adam betrusted with the whole stock broke himself and his posterity but onely he keeps it up with reprobates and with them that insist upon the condition of their own obedience thinking by their own strength to fulfil the Law and by their own righteous and religious performances to make amends to his offended Justice and to attain life in such a way of works Matth. 19. 17. Rom. 2. 13. Gal. 3. 10. These things premised and pondered it will neither be difficult as R. F. imagineth to draw up proofs and Arguments nor yet to believe or be convinced of this Affirmative truth which he J. Nayler and others have formerly Adam in innocency under a covenant of works and stood by the Moral Law Arguments to prove it denied viz. That Adam in innocency was under a covenant of Works and that he stood by the Moral Law written in his heart and by the observation of the positive branches given him in command according to that Law Argument 1. Either he stood under the Covenant of works or was under the Covenant of Grace or he was under no Covenant Under none he could not stand live or breathe He was certainly upon some terms of agreement with God being made in his image and in communion with him and yet a creature under the Law of his Creator The covenant of grace and reconciliation by Christ it was not for there was no variance nor breach of friendship as yet between God and Adam If it was not of Grace except a common-creation favor to be in some sort or other it was a covenant of works Some indeed speak of a covenant of Nature but that is all one with the covenant of Works variety of expressions must not lose us the truth as they do not alter the thing it self 2. He that was under an engagement of personal perfect conformity to Gods holy nature and righteous will every instant and moment of time upon his single bond in his received strength without promise of a surety or superadded abilities was under a covenant of works But this was Adams case and state in innocency he must conform to all that which he had perfect light and strength for A perfect stamp there was of Gods Law which we call the ten Commandments upon his heart they being the perfect beam of Gods holiness and righteousness none stand bound for him all his posterity are bound in him the promise is onely that he shall live if he continues every moment as perfect as he was made which we gather by the threatning if he fails but in the least eats but of the Tree of knowledge a Tree of tryal he shall surely dye And the Moral Law saith the same consider it with its rigor out of the hand of a Mediator Do this and live do it not fail in the least at the last moment of time or sin but at the first moment of being and thou shalt dye the death Therefore he and all in him were under a covenant of works and while he stood he stood upon his own legs given him in the first moment of creation 3. That covenant which he fell under when he fell that he stood under the terms of while he stood But Adam as a publique person and all in his loins fell under the penalties of the covenant of works for as all sinned in him by that one transgression in eating the forbidden fruit a sin both against his inward created principles and against a positive Moral precept so death passed upon all men Rom. 5. 12. And all are born for that sin children of wrath and under the curse of God Ephes 2. 8. Therefore Adam stood under the covenant of works and its legal conditional performance and promise of life no longer then he continued perfect as he was made and sought out no inventions and wanderings from the law of his creation and Creator 4. If the covenant of works was not made with Adam in innocency seeing he was a publique person God could not in justice require satisfaction of his posterity under the fall and in misery But he requireth just satisfaction of Adams posterity under the fall and in misery The just satisfaction that is due to him is not onely the suffering of infinite punishment for the offence against him who is infinite but that perfect obedience due to him from creation which Adam had strength to have performed in innocency viz. strength to have kept in that perfect state and to obey any command that God as a Creator might in a just way give unto his creature This just satisfaction some poor creatures since the fall will attempt to give to God first in a way of suffering partly here partly in a faigned Purgatory and moreover they will undertake to satisfie God in a way of active obedience endeavoring to compound with their offended Creator and to pay a part for the whole and while they attempt impossibilities they are found debtors to the whole Law Gal. 5. 3. Now albeit God makes not nay renews not the covenant of works no not by the death of Christ as some would have it with any man since the fall yet keeping them under the penalties he loseth not his right of exacting the principal debt and he doth require it of those who will be paying a part for the whole to get life thereby Therefore such a covenant Adam was under in innocency as obliged him to pay the whole debt of the Moral Law in its rigor Again suppose a poor soul falls under the conviction that all is due which was given but lost and doth not say to God Take a part for the whole or have patience with me and I will pay thee all but I can do nothing at all I can suffer nothing to satisfaction of an infinite Justice in finite time God now standing
upon his Justice and he must not let his Justice fall though the creatures righteousness be lost and the sinner fallen so low cannot give life to this poor sinner upon the terms of his father Adams covenant in innocency And if Gods infinite grace his peculiar electing-love findes out another way of life and the onely way of salvation for the way of works by a meer creature as to preservation of Gods image and communion-life is lost and as to salvation i. e. recovery of a lost life that is not to be found by the invention of men or Angels this way that God himself findes out or makes discovery of is in so just and righteous a way that he lays the foundation of the covenant of grace in the satisfaction of a righteous Surety the Son of God the Lord Jesus Christ who was not bound to pay the forfeiture or principal for himself nor was he bound to become man or assume our nature but upon supposition of Gods decree he voluntarily undertakes the office and work of redeeming and saving the Elect fallen with others thereupon he stands obliged to assume their nature in which onely he could obey and suffer and he doth assume it for the persons the children of the Election Heb. 2. 14. for their sake and on their behalf according to that Scripture And having taken their nature upon him he is made under Section 1 is the law deeply now in debt for their sakes all which he pays actively and passively and by the meritorious satisfaction given now to Justice accepted by grace at the hands of such a Surety he obtaineth eternal redemption for Gods chosen But I ask of R. F. Why must Christ the Surety pay the Elects debt of obedience to the Moral Law in all perfection of nature and life if they did not owe it How came they to be so indebted if their father Adam was not under the debt broke and run away among the trees of the garden and left them under the obligation wherein he was before he turned bankrupt 5. That whereof every man hath some reliques written in his heart that Adam in innocency had as a perfect bond and obligation written perfectly in his heart But every son of Adam hath some reliques of the Moral Law and ten Commandments with the ingredient rigor of attendant condition and effects of a covenant of works written in his heart viz. That he ought to have a God and a worship and that suteable to the Deity with solemn time for worship and the characters of the second Table are yet more legible in every mans heart with impressions that produce the effect which the Apostle speaks of Rom. 2. 14 15. the work of natural conscience that tells him of an obligation to his Creator and excuseth or accuseth in matter of fact as he acteth according or contrary to the light of the Law written in part upon his stony heart and afterwards perfectly upon Tables of stone these forfeited reliques are given back of Gods common goodness and bounty to mankinde and as the remains and ruines of a stately fabrick they demonstrate what was once standing in beauty The best light in men without the new birth carries them to the repairing of this fabrick by works although that way Gal 1. last to life is shut up and kept as by the flaming sword impassable after every mans best endeavors But when the children of Adam are laboring after life in the way of their working as the condition and cause of life it is strange they should not know what stock their father had in his hands nor upon what terms he and they stood in with God I wish it be not the scope of R. F. and J. N. with others as is the Papists design to extol Adams state in innocency above a covenant of works not to magnifie the grace of God but as holy and blessed * Expos upon Ecclesiastes pag. 163. Mr. Cotton saith to derogate from the grace of Christ Object 1 James * Discovery of the man of sin pag. 23. Naylers Objection is of no force against what I have argued for The covenant of works saith Do this and live but he had the life already while he stood in it and so it was not to be obtained by working He had it while he had it upon condition of working it should have been continued to him upon that condition Life once lost in that covenant for want of working or for bad work cannot be obtained again by the parties themselves that lost it yet if men will be doing for life God permits them to go on and let them see at last how they have lost all their labor as well as their life Object 2 But the Law was added because of transgression which if it had been before the transgression could not have been The quite contrary is more clear if the Law had not been before the transgression viz. of Adam Adam had not been under transgression for what is sin but the transgression of the Law 1 John 3. 4. And it was added not to the Gal. 3. 19. cleared transgression but because of transgressions sins were now multiplied in the world and men would neither charge the first sin nor the last nor any upon themselves as they should to become sensible of the need of the promise and of him to whom the promise of salvation was primarily made therefore the Law was as a glass held before them to shew them their spots and it came with an arrest to self-justifiers as to this day it will come to be clapt upon the backs the consciences of transgressors Object 3 But why stood not Moses by the Moral law J. N. tells us That Law which was given to Adam was Thou shalt not eat of the Tree of knowledge I suppose he means for an absolute prohibition of eating Adam had not but a liberty of eating of every tree that excepted which no where in Scripture is called the covenant of works That was but a positive branch of the Moral Commandment for tryal of his love to God and of his obedience in one kinde but to stand obliged to all kinde of obedience answerable to the written Law with the tag as the Martyr called it at the end of the point death and the curse attending the first transgression is no less then a covenant of works and as hath been shewed and proved as such a covenant was onely then made and entred with all mankinde Object 4 Is R. F. his reason * Page 12. any better Adam had not the Law in which the ten Commandments were given for it was written the Law with the ten Commandments several hundred years after Adam and not given to him in paradise therefore he was not under that Law and Covenant of Works Answ 1. The Law with the ten Commandments is more then the Law of the ten Commandments Although no Law but the ten Commandments was written
be esteemed as loss and dung Take Sanctification by it self it is of great excellency and use A good work done in faith by a person justified is better then all the glorious deeds of Pharisees and Hypocrites but bring it and all that all Saints can bring together before the tribunal of Gods strict Law and Justice for their justification in that Court and they and their works will be damned to hell for their inherent and adherent imperfections 7. In our Justification we have that perfect righteousness in Christ which as it is his is the cause and merit of our salvation and that gives a just right and title to the kingdom In our Sanctification we have the cognizance and badge of such as shall be saved and inherit the kingdom The former is the Ground why the latter the Evidence whereby we know we have the kingdom 8. In Justification we are meer Patients all along through the righteousness put upon us by Gods pure act and account In Sanctification we are after-agents i. e. after the first infusion of the Spirits new-born qualities being acted we act in the strength of Jesus Christ Although too many be willingly ignorant of these and such like distinctions yet they are necessarily useful to deliver people from natural Popery and artificial Babylonish Confusion in and about this great fundamental Truth of a Believing-sinners Justification Section 24. ANother piece of unsoundness in their Doctrine of Justification I had noted to be That they deny Peter to have been in a state of Justification when he denyed Christ contrary as I said to Christs Prayer Luke 22. 32. I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not R. F. * Page 14. Peters fallings in carnal counsel to his master and of denial of him puts him not out of the state of Justification undertakes the defence of this unsound Doctrine of J. Nayler but how He challengeth me for bringing a Scripture which speaks no such thing now had my pen or Printer failed the words would have led him to the right Verse but he will needs out-face all with Luke 22. 23. which speaks of the Disciples enquiry among themselves which of them it was that should betray him as if I had quoted the three and twentieth Verse and not as I did the two and thirty and hence he compares Judas denial and Peters together with this groundless Aviso in this case See how blinde thou art was Judas in a state of Justification when he denied Christ and betrayed him no more then Peter was when Christ called him Satan Rep. 1. Here R. F. goes further then J. Nayler and shuts Peter out of a state of Justification not onely when he denied his Master but when his Master called him Satan so as by this addition one would think they hold That every act or sinful word as act of a Saint puts him out of the state of Justification or let honest men observe with what a shuffler I deal and suspect him in all the rest of his writings for this deceitful trick 2. Who will say that Judas was ever in a state of Justification Who but those that envy or extenuate the free grace of God and the fulness thereof will say that Peter was un-justified when he gave carnal counsel to his Master or when he denied him out of frailty and self-confidence 3. Let me judge the best of R. F. that I ought by Scripture-rule I must say this contradictious opinion of his ariseth from his ignorance and prejudice together of the very nature and state of a Believers Justification before God as may further appear by what followeth But after Peter had repented of his denial of Christ and wept bitterly upon his return and after he was united to the faith then Christ prayed for him Rep. 1. How confused cross and thwart this is to the Text I alledged Luke 22. 32. let my sober truly conscientious Luke 22 32. vindicated Reader weigh with himself First Christ saith I have prayed not I will pray Wo were it with Saints if Christs prayers did not prevent their repentance and tears returnings and unitings to the faith as he expresseth it Secondly The promise that his faith should not fail respects his very fall and Satans winnowing of him as wheat some grains of wheat or substance of the grace of faith there was then left in Peter as the effect of Christs prayer For either Christs prayer was heard or not if any say not 't is contrary to John 11. 42. I know speaking to his Father that thou hearest me always if it be yielded as it must be that Christ was heard not if Peter failed not but that he might not fail then Peters faith failed not totally or altogether howsoever it was shaken sifted or winnowed and if it failed not utterly he was in that act of Christ-denial in the state of Justification And hereupon is R. F. with J. N. detected for a contradictor of Christ and of his Scripture-pure and faithful promise Section 25. WIth much impudence J. Nayler had said The man of sin is discovered in them who say Believers are pure and spotless too by reason of imputation or covering of Christs righteousness For the denial of imputed righteousness and justification that way came from Rome and the race of Roman Prelates and Teachers that make up the man of sin Yet as impudent a Contradiction as it is to 2 Cor. 5. 21. R. F. * Page 14. will take part with it and tells me I wrest James Naylers words and make covers for the man of sin and by my policy go about to make Christ a sinner Rep. 1. Let standers by judge how I wrest James Naylers words who * Dâ—scovery of the man of sin p 28. 29. in answer to the Ministers of Newcastle brings them in thus expostulating May not a man be in part unclean viz. as they meant it through defects of Sanctification and yet pure and spotless too by reason of imputation And then he takes boldness to accost them Gods imputation of Christs righteousness no covering for sin but his covering of sin with this high language Here now you shew your confusion and I command you to shew plain Scripture for this without twining and tells them at last By their pleading for sin the man of sin is discovered in them Now how did they plead for sin as R. F. saith I make covers for the man of sin He that acknowledgeth impurity in himself and teacheth that sin is inherent in the Saints though it be not imputed must be censured by these men as a patron of sin or a pleader for it when as poor souls they little know their own hearts or what defilements are in their lips and pens and what wo attends such contradictious calling of good evil and evil good They call Gods good and gracious act of imputation of Christs righteousness a covering for sin this is to call good evil That it is
as to the guilt curse and damnation which he bare in his own body on the Tree Yea and such as are in him are at present redeemed out of sin as to the dominion and reign of it but we are not therefore justified and when sin shall wholly be rooted out of us that shall not be our justification at Gods tribunal because we are perfectly holy but because Christ died for us to justifie us by his blood Let him that throws off Christs imputed righteousness go shift for his justification where he can get it He is a foolish bewitched Galatian and Christ shall profit him nothing For bring in any one act of ours though wrought by the Spirit whether of mortification self-denyal love or faith as an act to be an ingredient to the essence of our justification and it is as bad as to be circumcised and as destructive to the souls peace and safety as to be a debtor to keep the whole Law Section 26. I Had noted what I found in J. Nayler That no imperfect thing can be reconciled to God is plain Scripture plainly contradicting Rom. 5. 10. If he meaneth by no imperfect thing no man that is not perfectly sanctified But R. F. makes out the sense thus * Page 14. No sin can be reconciled to God nor any such imperfect thing Rep. 1. If this were the onely sense why was it not spoken at first for we know by the Spirit in the Scriptures Our persons are perfectly reconciled before our natures are perfectly sanctified that it was Gods design to reconcile sinners onely to himself persons as I hinted before in my book imperfect enough and to abolish sin in guilt and power as first and in the presence at the last and we can prove it by clearer Scriptures then R. F. produceth which is onely Rev. 21. 27. that sin and God cannot be reconciled and as Psalm 5. 4. Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with thee Hab. 1. 13. Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity But 2. The scope of J. Nayler * Answ to perfect Phar. page 9. was to prove that we are not justified by a righteousness without us but by what is perfectly wrought within us and therefore I mistook him not in my former piece when I subjoyned Their meaning is till sin be wholly abolished in its residence out of the heart and all imperfections in sanctification be done away there is no reconciliation of our persons with God or to him whatever be R. F. * Page 14. his flourish And as for our meaning thou speaks of thou art without our minde and so knowest not our meaning by thy imagining therein thou shewest a spirit of error It sufficeth that by Scripture-truth wherein the Spirit of truth reigneth I can detect this for an error viz. Christs work in us is that which justifies our persons before God and what if his work for us be joyned with his work in us if they mean no more then what is inherent righteousness wrought by Christs strength in himself and in us together so F. Howgill must be construed if he quadrates with his other passages in the Book when he saith * The inheritance of Jacob. pag. 29 Christ fulfilled the Law and he fulfils it in them who know him and his work and herein man comes to be justified in Gods sight by Christ who works all our works in us and for us Christs obedience and ours his work for us and his work in us put together for our justification is Babylonish mixture but this I can maintain as a clear and pure truth viz. That it is not the work of Christ in us which justifieth and reconcileth our persons but his sole working for us by his own personal obedience and satisfaction to justice The plain Scripture is this Heb. 10. 14. Christ by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are Heb. 10. 14. cleared sanctified It is not said in any Scripture that Christ hath first perfectly sanctified any persons and then reconciled them unto God but the sense of that as of other Scriptures is that Christ by one offering of himself hath perfected their justification and reconciliation whom he doth also sanctifie in the truth of it at what instant he applyeth their perfect justification And the plain truth according to Scripture is this That no person is reconciled to God How the sinner and yet none but the perfect person is reconciled to God who hath not a perfect Mediator of his reconciliation and who is not accepted as perfectly righteous in the righteousness of Christ his surety and so t is true none but the perfect person is reconciled to God but how not by his qualifications at first an enemy and always carrying about with him while here some wisdom of the flesh which is emnity against God but as he had on Christs Cross his person represented in Christ his head and his sins not imputed upon the account of Christs righteousness made or reckoned to be his 2 Cor. 5. 19. 21. To clear this a little further we must distinguish between the reconciling of our individual persons and the reconciling of our individual natures dispositions or qualities and acts both are a fruit of Christs satisfactory obedience and sufferings and they cannot as J. N. * Love to the lost pag. 50. acknowledgeth this truth though not truely be divided in the possession But personal reconcilement is done at once by imputation of the perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus nature-reconcilement admits of degrees according to the measure of the Spirit of sanctification As for J. Nayler and R. F. and such as imagine that while sinful imperfections remain in the Saints they in their persons are not cannot be perfectly reconciled to God then not themselves nor any that adhere to their doctrine are or can be reconciled to God in person as not in judgement and affection while they harbor such fleshly and legal conceits of a poor sinners justification and reconciliation and they shall see if by this they get no eye-salve Oh that it might not be too late how till they be better bottom'd with contradictions of Scripture they contradict and come short of true salvation-light right and possession For I judge it 's absolutely necessary to salvation rightly to discern the way of a mans justification before God and reconciliation to him which discerning I perceive not in these mens writings although sometime in discourse with some of this Sect I have had their confession of the truth yet their bad principles make them fly off again as it fares with many a natural ignorant countreyman I wish there be not more then a few such in Cities and populous places who have a notion of the Gospel-truth but practically and experimentally cannot for their hearts but stick in themselves and think a Bird in the hand is
the Scripture Against their magnifying of every mans light and the Law within them Mr. Saltmarsh hath this savory passage The natural Law Rom. 2. 14 15. Flowings of Christs blood page 6. is but weak in respect of any transforming power it hath as the Law of the Spirit hath in it self We see in a clear frosty night though the moon shines very bright and the stars too yet not so but it is cold and hard as if there were no light at all c. If R. F. stumbled at that passage * Ib. page 146 Though the Law be a beam of Christ in substance and matter yet we are not to live by the light of one beam now when the Sun of righteousness is risen himself He might have recovered himself by that which followeth * Ib page 150 There is a doctrine of holiness in the Gospel as of grace and love Gospel commands fits man who is made up of flesh and spirit and so hath need of a Law without and in the Letter as well as in the heart and spirit The Law is spiritual but we are carnal Rom. 7. nor can such a state of flesh and spirit be ordered by a Law onely within c. He might have learned how the justified person is perfect while his sanctification is imperfect A person justified or in covenant is as pure in the Ib. page 129. sight of God as the righteousness of Christ can make him though not so in his own eyes that there may be work for faith because God sees his onely in Christ not in themselves He might have been instructed That Christ is not ours by an act of our own but Gods Ib. page 188. God imputing and accounting Against the dream of perfect sanctification in their sense he might have observed such a passage as this The body of sin is in a Ib. page 67. Believer more or less till he lay down this body and take up a glorious one And again Can you have any assurance that the change that is in any childe of God in this life or their sanctification is such in any particular act or work as there is no spot of sin in it is it not mixt of flesh and spirit If he grew sick of opinion by one passage he might have been cured and relieved by some other But whatever were that good mans Naevi blemishes or specks my Antagonist and his fellows are transported with another kinde of spirit even with that of Marcion and Montanus and his Enthusiastical Associates and the Manichees who troubled the Church as a very learned Brother * Dr. John Owen vindic Evang Pref. to the Readers page 4. hath already hinted with their madness and folly and with that spirit which acted the fanatick and furious Libertines who called themselves spiritual in Calvin's time ninety years ago who placed our redemption in this That Christ was but as a Type Image or Exemplar in whom all those things were figured which were required to our salvation Moreover as they imagine saith Calvin Caeterum ut imaginantur nemo nostrûm non est Christus quodque in ipso factum est in omnibus effectum dicunt Calvini Opuscula Instructio adversus Libertinos pag. 214. there is not one of us but is Christ and what was done in him they say is performed in all Hence one Quintinus * Quomodo inquit an Christus male habere potest pag. 215. was very angry as often as he was asked How he did How said he can it be otherwise then well Christ * Christus ipsis idolum est 10. a Deum blasphemari alunt siquis limentetur aut sensum aliquem doloris prae se serat ibid. pag 217. They as that most learned and godly man saith make an idol of Christ Further as he noteth a They say that God is blasphemed if any bewails his condition or makes a shew of any sense of grief So as a by their opinion to a Sic corum sententia veterem Adamum mortificare nibil aliud est quam nihil discernere ibid. pag. 218. mortifie the old man is nothing else but to be sensible of nothing b Siquis peccata sua considerans sibi displiceat ac moerore afficiatur peccatum adhuc in ipso regnare aiunt sensu carnis suae captivum teneri ib. pag. 219. For if any be displeased with himself and grieved upon the consideration of his sins they say sin reigneth in him and that he is held captive by the feeling of his own-corruption Such a spirit follows these men as acted H. N. in Flanders who wrote seven and twenty small Treatises and Epistles to brood the Sect and broach the doctrine of the Familists admired by some at this day that understand not the mystery of iniquity See Answ to a famous Libel of ◠◠by John Rogers printed An. 1579. therein or love not the truth in Scripture but are given up to strong delusions that they might believe a lie The lie of perfect holiness and justification thereby The lie of the light in every man to be Christ And that Adam was nothing but the old man or corrupt qualities and Christ nothing else but the new man or new qualities Hence our men make nothing of the Historical letter of Christs Death Resurrection c. but turn all into an Allegory and according to H. N. * Joyful message of the kingdom by H. N. p. 170. they are ready to call those things meer lies which the Scripture-learned through the knowledge which they get out of the Scripture bring in institute preach and teach From what spirit that H. N. wrote may clearly be discerned by that one piece of his translated out of base Almayn into English An 1652 wherein after all his exotick and uncouth divinity c See from page 153. to 163. he plainly cries up the Catholique Church of Rome the Holy Father the Pope his Cardinals his Bishops his Parish-priests his Deacons his Sextons and Monks and condemneth them that have deserted Rome as having unorderly rejected and blasphemed the Services and Ceremonies of the Catholick Church rented the Concord and nurturable Sustentation of the same and turned away therefrom The scope of the book is but to lead captive to Babylon all blinded Professors who hold not the Truth if ever they received it in the love of it Yet again such a spirit haunts these men called Quakers as professed Jacob Behme in Germany about thirty years by-past He slights * Two Theosophical Epistles p 24. the righteousness imputed from without so do they * Concerning the Election of Grace by J. Behme p. 81 and 142. He magnifieth the little spark within whereby the Father he saith draws them all to Christ and teacheth all within them thereby so say they In Adam a Ib. page 118 quoth he stood the kingdom of grace and R. Farnworth will not have Adam stand in innocency under
all this time but strengthned his own and fellows Contradictions to the Scripture Section 21. HEre I took up two passages the one of James Parnel in his tryal of Faith * Page 4. While sin is there no purity can dwell The other of James Nayler * Few words c. page 25. God and sin cannot dwell together in one Both contrary as I noâ—ed to 1 Cor. 3. 16. The Saints at Corinth had sin and the holy Ghost dwelling in them at the same time so had Paul Rom. 7. 17. compared with 1 Cor. 7. 25. lets this Section pass without answer and I shall dismiss it with but a little more animadversion whether their Doctrine or mine will stand Sin and purity dwell in one soul not as one let him that readeth understand I am sure of Contradictions one part must be false both cannot be true And if it hath been already cleared as a truth of Scripture and experience That Saints and Regenerate upon earth in whom God dwelleth have sin in-dwelling that must be false First which J. P. teacheth While or where sin is there no purity can dwell by which dictate he would destroy the faith of all those who believe no perfect freedom from the body of sin in this life Secondly which J. N. teacheth That God and sin cannot dwell together in one I suppose he meaneth in one soul by what he hath before Did ever Jesus Christ redeem such a people or dwell in such a people If he would say God and sin cannot dwell together as one or at agreement but as enemies warring and fighting one against another in the same field or house that is a truth evident enough For as Jacob and Esau were in one womb struggling so are grace and corruption in one heart As Hannah and Peninnah were contending in one family so are holiness and sin in one soul Even as two contrary qualities light and darkness are in the same air at the same time and heat and cold in the same water though one in a remiss the other in a higher degree God dwells as a Lord sin as a slave purity as a prince sin as a tyrant in the same Saint and Christian If any that is called a Saint thinks otherwise he is either not as he is called knows not himself as every Saint doth in part and in this case or if he be one really sanctified he is under a strong delusion and in a most drowsie dream for the present the Lord will awaken him in his good time 6. Head of Contradiction to Scripture Concerning Justification R. F. addeth And the end of the reighteous and wicked or unrighteous This I treated not of but he was disposed to darken counsel by words without knowledge Section 22. THe first contradiction I noted here was that which publiquely I had given me in Scotland That God justifieth not a believing sinner contrary to Rom. 4. 5. He justifieth the ungodly that believeth on him R. F. * Page 13. returns me for answer That such as are born of God do truly believe and faith in God purifieth their hearts and giveth them victory over the world and so frees them from sin 1 John 5. Rep. Here is enough before I examine the rest to discover the man and what a friend he is to the man of sin to lay the bottom of a believers Justification not upon Christs Obedience but upon his new birth c. This is plainly to build a mans Justification upon his Sanctification unless his meaning the better then I have reason to judge it is I The new birth is not our justification shall look to the words more then to the writer First 'T is one truth that such as are born of God do truly believe 2. 'T is another that faith in God purifieth the heart A third that faith gives victory over the world But put these together to make a compound for Justification and that so and so and so we are freed from sin that is from the guilt and punishment of it to speak ad idem and accepted as perfectly righteous in the eye of Gods justice This is so Popish a tenet as nothing is more unfound for it makes sanctification wrought within men the material if not the meritorious cause of their justification And that no better construction can be made of R. F. his words taken in any true Grammatical sense may appear by what followeth Such Believers are justified form sin and ungodliness and not in sin and ungodliness Rep. That Believers are justified from sin and ungodliness and not in it I have always and every where taught and was then teaching it at Edinburgh when I was publiquely affronted but the mystery of iniquity lies in the qualification such the Believer considered not as a sinner yet in himself short of Legal obedience but as a Saint conformable in his heart and life to the Law who must in his sense be the subject of justification For by Christ saith he again such as are so born and believe are justified c. And so Christ is their justification who are sanctified and from sin by him redeemed Rep. But how as they are so born thinks he by way of evidence say I. It is not known to whom Christ is righteousness But an evidence of it for justification but as they are found sanctified yet for the thing it self He that is justified is justified by God not under the aspect or notion of a Saint and as such but of a sinner and as a sinner believing in Jesus That Saints are justified is a truth but that they are justified by their sanctification is a falshood and that none are justified but as Saints perfected in holines is a notorious contradiction to the whole Scripture and the tenor of the Gospel For God justifieth sinful persons 1 That God justifieth him who in legal strictness not onely before he is sanctified but after the work of holiness is begun would otherwise stand a sinner at Gods Bar and who hath sin yet dwelling in him is clear by all the instances in Scripture of justified persons think of Abraham David Paul Peter the Corinthians Galatians or whom you will there mentioned you will finde they had sin dwelling in them not holiness enough to answer the absolute perfection of the Law all their days while yet their sins and imperfections were not imputed The imputed righteousness of Christ was the cause why their sins were not imputed why their persons were accepted as perfectly righteous in Christ who were but imperfectly at the best righteous in themselves The best Saint that yet liveth upon the earth is yet a sinner in himself or his worser part and hath not wherewithal to cover his nakedness of any deserved guilt no not by his best in-dwelling and inreigning holiness but as Christ gives him of his white raiment Rev. 3. 18. All they are Laodiceans in this case who have no need or feel not
the want of a righteousness without them to hide their personal failings the defilements of their fairest and holyest performances Again as persons were considered in Christs death so they are to be considered when they come to be justified Christ dying for men and women considered them not as Saints but as sinners Herein God commendeth his love to us Rom. 5. 8. that while we were yet sinners and ungodly Christ died for us Yet further Law and Justice findes us and leaves us sinners Gospel and mercy declareth and pronounceth us righteous and continueth us such as it accounteth us If the Gospel did not pronounce sinners righteous that is in the righteousness of another till they had a righteousness in themselves and of their own it would do no more for us then the Law Gospel would become Law And therefore R. F. in denying that God justifieth a sinner denyeth the Gospel and would turn it into strict Law a covenant of Works 2. God justifieth a sinner not continuing in his unbelief God justifieth the believing sinner though some unbelief continueth in him not as he loveth God or overcometh the world by faith c. but as he believeth on Christ dying and on God raising Christ from How justified by faith the dead Rom. 4. 24. Believers as believers are justified that is 1. Without the help of other graces though not without their presence therefore our justifying righteousness is called the righteousness of Faith not the righteousness of Love of Patience c. Rom. 9. 30. 2. Instrumentally the believer as a believer receiveth Christ and his Righteousness to Justification Hence the phrases of being justified by Faith and through Faith The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preposition in the Greek construed with a Genitive Case signifying the instrumental cause means or way at least faiths passive capacity or that service it doth the soul in reception of Christ and his righteousness is held forth thereby Philip. 3. 9. Rom. 3. 25. 3. Relatively and improperly faith is said to justifie and to be counted for righteousness it is not properly faith but that which faith apprehendeth Christs personal obedience in our nature made meritorious by his God-head which justifieth it is not faith as our act or as an act that is our justifying righteousness but the object without a soul which faith carrieth the eye of the soul to look upon and the hand or heart of the soul the will to rest upon even Christs righteousness inherent in him alone as in the subject that justifieth the person of a believer so believing So believing respects the truth of faith not the measure A weak believer is perfectly justified as is the strong believer There is no ingredient qualification of ours or of a work in us that doth cast the ballance nor doth the Apostle Paul put in the ingredient of the new-birth for Justification in that place where R. F. seems to shelter himself and his Popish opinion Heresie I might call it Act. 13. 39. And by him Act. 13. 39. vindicated all that believe are justified from all things from which ye Jews who did more then the Gentiles could not be justified by the law of Moses R. F. his gloss upon allusion to this Scripture * Page 13. is By Christ such as are so born and believe are justified from all sins and such like things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Rep. 1. By Christ such as are new born are justified but they are not justified because so born nor for their believing The new birth and true faith go together but the infusion of new qualities or the qualities infused at the new birth take them all in the lump are not concerned in justification have no causality nor any maner of efficiency towards it 2. Christ doth not justifie us by his own Righteousness and by our Faith as a quality habit or act together but he singleth out the grace of Faith from the rest of the newcreature-newcreature-work to apply what himself hath done and suffered as a surety undertaking and paying the whole debt and to rely upon him for the Fathers gracious and just sentence of absolution and acceptation for his righteousness alone made ours in a way of imputation 3. Believers in the new Testament times are not onely justified from all sins as to the guilt and curse but from all the Ceremonies of Moses Law which are not called such like things as R. F. expresseth it as if they had the appearance of sin upon them but understood with sins under the general phrase which the Apostle useth from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses For the Moral Law considered strictly as Law once broken could not cannot absolve first from Guilt nor secondly from Punishment nor thirdly from Obligation to the whole by the payment of a part which part is either according to what was written at first fully after but in shreds and pieces left in mans heart or to what was positively given in command for trial of mans obedience and strength before or since the fall and therefore the new creature in us a beginning of that image of God which was lost by the first Transgression is no ingredient in our justification for by Christ they who believe in him and him alone are justified from all Legal obligations and conditions of their own workings within them or without them Christs Righteousness without them makes them compleat Rom. 3. 22. 2. Cor. 5. 23. Col. 2. 10. To assert this way of justification is not pleading for sin as R. F. * Page 13. objecteth For 1. Suppose I or any should abuse the doctrine of Free-Grace and of justification which is by a righteousness without us and inherent in Christ alone Answ 1 thereby to take liberty to sin the doctrine is not to be blamed nor Christ to be charged with the fault of the person as the Apostle preoccupieth such an objection with this answer Gal. 2. Gal. 2 17 18 opened 17 18. But if while we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves also are found sinners we our selves Jews also is therefore Christ by his way of justification the minister of sin God forbid For if I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressor I can make Christ none the fault is not Christs but mine Answ 2 2. They that plead for true Gospel-justification truly and sincerely in its proper place do also plead for Gospel-sanctification in its due place Their enlightnings into the Law teacheth them somewhat for as the Apostle reasoneth ver 19. I through the Law am dead to the Law I Gâ—l 2 19. opened have as if he should say a sufficient lesson from the clear sight of the Laws rigor to teach me never more to seek my justification from my own conformity to the Law that I might live in the
and may be so called a covering of sin is warrantable by Scripture Psalm 32. 1. with Rom. 4. 7 24. but to say it is a covering for sin and for the man of sin is to speak blasphemy against God and to say our pleading for Gods not imputing of iniquity or for his covering our sins is to make a covering for sin is with Antichrist the man of sin * Rev. 13. 6. to blaspheme the Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven In this Doctrine of Justification they call evil good by attributing that unto outward and inward acts of a Believers holiness in all which there is some mixed evil which properly and onely belongeth unto the personal acts of Christs own finless obedience and sufferings in the nature which himself assumed to perform the work of Mediatorship J. Nayler speaks plainly enough for them all and for all the children of the man of sin * Discovery c pag. 27. â— Our walking with God in his righteousness is our covering from wrath you know not the covering of Christs righteousness and holiness in which whoever walk with God are covered from wrath Which walking with God he meaneth not of our living by faith in Christs personal actings and sufferings for us to our perfect justification from wrath and from the guilt of sin binding over to wrath but of our personal acts of righteousness and holiness wrought in us by Christ and his Spirit which although they be good as wrought by the Lord in us yet meeting with mixtures of defilement in the hearts of Saints as they are their acts are but filthy rags and no covering at all to hide our nakedness from appearing in the eye of Gods strict Law and Justice This J. Nayler or some in his coat hath much for discovery of the rottenness of their judgement in this case in a piece lately come forth * Love to the lost pag. 4. With him Christ his righteousness is freely imputed or put into the creature Again This righteousness is wrought into the creature in that obedience which is contrary to the will of the flesh Imputing here is all one with infusing to him Justifying righteousness and sanctifying righteousness is the same individual obedience which is pure Popery or impure Babylonish Doctrine More yet * Page 5. Your faith without his works will be little worth to salvation Christs works for us are onely of worth with the Father for our salvation Christs workings in us are not to be joyned with our faith in Christs works or obedience for us in the business of our Justification This latter is intended by him who by his Title pretendeth Love to the lost but by his baits and snares would hold fast some and carry others back into the wilderness witness his confounding of Justification Sanctification and Mortification * Page 15. The living Faith is never without works which works are Love Meekness Patience Mortification Sanctification Justification c. We grant a presence of works the fruits of the Spirit in the subject or person that is justified and these works are evidences of the life and truth of our faith the fruits are evidences of the tree but to put Justification in us with the fruits of the Spirit and to say as afterward * Page 51. he doth men are so justified as they are sanctified and mortified and no further is to deny Protestant Doctrine which is according to Scripture that who so is justified is justified semel simul once and together perfectly and for ever Heb. 10. 1 14. And to revive the old Popish Tenet of degrees of our Justification according to the degrees of our Sanctification and no further whereas we say and say truly men are not at all justified as they are sanctified Two Arguments against Sanctification as the matter of our Justification when we speak of the thing it self and not of its declaration For 1. That which is the price of our Redemption is the matter of our Justification or that thing which justifieth us before God and reconcileth our persons to God Now put all the degrees of all the Saints holiness together these are no part of the price of our Redemption but the blood and obedience of Christ alone is the whole and sole price and ransom Rom. 3. 24. Rom. 5. 19. 1 Pet. 1. 19. 2. That which is the immaculate Sacrifice for sin is that which is the matter and merit of our Justification But the Sanctification and Mortification in Believers is not the immaculate Sacrifice for sin Christ is the sole and entire Sacrifice for sin that is to expiate and take away the guilt and curse of sin by his perfect obedience and sufferings in his own natural body And therefore as that onely merited our Justification so it is the onely thing that properly and for its worth is imputed to our Justification Rep. 2. For R. F. to all it my policy to go about to make Christ a sinner is pitiful weakness in him For it was no How Christ was made sin or a sinner 2 Cor. 5. 21. cleared man or Angel-invention but the master-piece of Gods infinite wisdom to have his Son who knew no sin be made sin i. e. a sinner by imputation and a sacrifice for sin in and by his sufferings in the room and stead of sinners which could not have been if their sins had not been imputed to him but seeing their sins were imputed to him they are in that way of imputation made or reckoned righteous in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21. What foolishness soever there seems to be in this way of our Justification Christ crucified as a sinner and for sinners bearing their guilt and curse is the wisdom and the power of God and a poor sinner justified this way is the object of the eternal unsearchable riches of Gods wisdom and grace or freest choicest favor As for that contradiction to Scripture which R. F. * Page 14. saith is seen in this our doctrine because it is said He was made like unto us sin excepted it is but in his imagination and something he must say to color over and hide his own gainsayings for that place Heb. 4. 15. and 2. Cor. 5. 21. are Heb. 4. 15. vindicated no ways at variance Christ was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin so are the words to the Hebrews He yielded to no temptation He had no inherent sin to comply with a temptation He knew no sin as in the other Scripture yet was he made sin reckoned as a sinner tempted like a sinner deserted like a sinner yea accursed as a sinner the feelings and experiences whereof make him experimentally a sympathizing High priest and moves him to succor them that are tempted And his being free from sin of his own while he was tempted to sin as others and while he was charged with the sin of others frees us or justifies us from our sin
word of God to declare from God his call is not by man neither doth he go to man to be approved for he that preached the true Gospel consulted not with flesh and blood and so it is now the same thing do we witness and to be Ministers of the everlasting Gospel called not by man but by God Thus far E. B. Let the light in R. F. his natural conscience judge whether I said not truly when I referred to E. B. his Book as pleading onely for an immediate call and that none preach the true Gospel but such as have that call and then let the light of the Scriptures above cited to Timothy and Titus judge whether such as they laid hands on were Ministers or no and whether the Gospel they preached was true Gospel or not By Ed. Burroughs verdict such were not called of God because they had a hand in their call nor could they preach true Gospel because their call nor could they preach true Gospel because their call was but mediate But praised be God we neither stand nor fall to these mens verdicts the Lord himself by the Scripture shall judge them and us And as to All have not call to office who have outward liberty of preaching that which E. Burroughs saith about the Ministery called by earthly powers or at Oxford c. according to Scripture I distinguish between their outward encouragement and call to office Earthly powers are to give outward liberty to such as by the Godly-learned are tryed and approved as men fit to have publique liberty and encouragement 2 Chro. 17. 7 8 9. The call to office in the Church is by the Church Again we must distinguish between Pauls not consulting with flesh and blood whether he had a true call or the true Gospel being immediately called and taught by Probation an approbation requisite for whom Jesus Christ and ordinary mens refusal to be tryed and approved either for the obtaining of outward liberty or office for the Rule is clear as to ordinary officers 1 Tim. 3. 10. Let these also first be proved which also presupposeth the Bishops and Elders to be under the command of Christ for submission to a tryal as the Deacons first and before they be chosen to the work And as concerning those who assume liberty to teach it is commended in Hezekiah 2 Chron. 30. 22. that he spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord And in the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Rev. 2. 2. that he had tryed them which said they were Apostles and were not and had found them lyars which is the plain case now in controversie between us and the Quakers whether they be Apostles seeing they pretend to immediate calling and whether we are Pastors and Teachers who are called by the Church or whether they are not lyars who say they are Apostles and bring not the doctrine and zeal of true Apostleship Till the Lord doth more discover them and all pretenders to one call or other I must attend R. F. and examine what he further offereth All thy mediate calls and sendings will not prove thee to be as Paul and Timothy was that had the gift within him and the testimony by the holy Ghost as they had Rep. 1. I pretend to no such call of an Apostle an officer in every Church as was Paul or of an Evangelist an assisting officer to the Apostles where they saw fit to send him as was Timothy Titus and others 2. All that R. F. saith of his immediate call will not prove him to be called as Paul was by a voice from heaven for then haply he might have heard sounding in his ears Richard Richard why dost persecute me with thy calumnies and reproaches Or Farnworth Farnworth why dost throw dirt upon my face by pretending to honor me as the word of God and ownest not my Scriptures to be my word Why dost deny my Spirit to be what he is c. 3. I acknowledge the gift within and testimony by the holy Ghost when they are found in us to be the best Letters Inward call to be tried by the outward fruits testimonial as to an inward call but these suffice not to prove the outward call unless the fruits of that inward gift and testimonial appear If the gift and testimony within would carry it before men as to the man himself that hath them and that R. F. did know it in those that he dis-owns for the Ministers of Christ I think he would not crucifie them so often with the ignominious title of Romish Priests and Hirelings but how shall he or we be known among men if our words and works without be not called forth to bear witness of what is within By thy words thou R. F. shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Mat. 12. 37. I am to answer at the same Bar and to be tryed the same way Our words must be tryed by Gods word and our works also by the same Rule If Scripture of Old and New Testament be the Scripture of God there have been counterfeits of an immediate call and some mediately sent of God by man who with their mediate call have been and still are approved of the Lord. Section 46. TO this Section R. F. saith nothing in his wonted shew of words but is wholly silent where I had noted that as they cry up their own pretended immediate Call so they condemn any mediate call as carnal for mediate say * Glory of the Lord c. pag. 6 7. they is carnal and natural I granted there is a call of man by man which is carnal and I instanced in such people as make choice of carnal men by the hands of a carnal common forein Eldership But this is not our Question they fight All mediate calls not carnal against the most orderly call if man hath any hand or voice or consent testified about it Hence it is that R. F. will not vouchsafe with patience to take notice of the two Scriptures which I desired the Reader to compare viz. Acts 14. 23. with chap. 20. 28. where the Elders called by the Churches and set apart by their and the Apostles fasting and prayer are said to be the Holy Ghost's Bishops such as He made Overseers Accordingly are all Elders Pastors and Teachers called if called of God Even Evangelists were called of God by man Mark by Barnabas and Paul * Acts 13 5. Timothy Titus Silas or Sylvanus and others by * Acts 16. 3. Titus 1. 5 Acts 15. 40. Paul much more fixed Officers set in every Congregational Society As the Apostles had a power Paramount under Christ to call and take Evangelists to their assistance so the Churches had a power from Christ to chuse their Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons and to set them apart by prayer and fasting and what power they had then they have still who are Churches or companies of
of deceit we deny but a form of sound words the Scripture doth justifie being spoken by the Spirit of truth which we own and now the time is come that deceivers and such as you are cannot endure sound Doctrine but utters your folly to make your selves manifest and what generation you are of even of him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish 2 Thes 2. 2 Pet. 2. Rep. I leave all this with the former to the judgement of the intelligent Reader and of the righteous Lord onely I advertise that he may refer in these words to Section 26. as to this in hand and then by our forms of deceit he meaneth our putting off the Hat and against that we must set their putting off the Hat-band and by their form of sound words he must be construed of Thou and Thee and I still leave it to the Lords judgement where deceit is harbored and acted where Humility and Love is lodged and at what Sign it dwells good men may in time understand by Scripture-marks this for one 1 Cor. 11. 16. If any man seem to be contentious we have no such custom neither the Churches of God 13. Head of Contradiction to themselves Concerning Ordinances Section 29. I Noted here what they pretend to own viz. Praying in families with reading and instructing of Children and teaching according to the Apostles Doctrine but contradict it in their giving over the course of Family-prayer ordinarily Morning and Evening and at Meals nor do I hear they teach Children but what leads them to an imitation of their new forms R. F. * Page 30. as before asketh me touching that which they say they own And art thou offended at this Rep. 1. I am not offended at the practice pretended but at the bare pretence of the practice viz. at saying and not doing and at back-slidings from the old and good ways of the Lord. 2. I am offended at R. F. his denying as before our raising Points Reasons Vses Motives and Tryals from the words of Scripture and yet justifying their teaching according to the Apostles Doctrine for sure if all they reach be according thereunto it will go near to fall under some of those heads viz. of Motives Tryals Points Reasons or Vses and if they so teach one another in their families why do they condemn us for teaching after that maner in the publique assemblies 3. I am offended at R. F. his subtilty or ignorant simplicity all along that he puts off his Reader with answer to one part of the Contradiction but not to the other as in what followeth I observed they pretend to own all that is Gods Baptism the Lords Supper Church-fellowship Sabbaths c. but as I said 't is in a sense contradictious to the light that ever they had have or can have truly from Scripture This man speaks not to the latter part of the charge but onely to the former We do own that which is Gods free love and mercy to us and all that is Gods as Baptism the Lords Supper Church-fellowship Sabbath Rep. Here are fair words but what the sense and meaning of them is and how contradictious to Scripture and the ordinary use of the terms and phrases we may gather from what hath passed before See Part 1. Sect. 3. 8. 1. All Water-Baptism is dis-owned by them and he that saith he owneth Scripture-Baptism which comprehends the sign and the thing signified and doth dis-own all Water-Baptism he doth wittingly or unwittingly contradict himself 2. The Lords instituted Bread and Wine Supper they deny as was shewed Part 1. Sect. 39. contrary to the Scripture And he that saith he owneth all that is Gods and dis-owneth Bread and Wine as instituted by Jesus Christ to be used by the Churches as the outward visible sign and memorial of the Lords death to his second coming is beside himself as well as without his Book 3. All forms of Church-fellowship but their own they deny and that can be no true Church-fellowship of theirs which dis-own the Scriptures from being the word of God and rule of their fellowship and of their Church 4. As for a day of Rest one day in seven it was a mercy The Sabbath a mercy and a duty of God to Israel of old that he made known unto them his holy Sabbath Nehem. 9. 14. and I think it is a mercy still and a pledge of love that Gods holy Sabbath exchanged since Christs resurrection from the seventh to the first day of the week hath not ceased in any Age for the standing Rule and Law of the fourth Commandment obligeth to one day in seven whether the last or the first of the seven it is a mercy we have either but doth R. F. and his fellows own the outward part or rest of the Sabbath according to Gods command not that I finde in any of their writings hear one for all * Several papers pag. 19. The worlds Sabbath is without them and they have no rest but in a form without The Saints Sabbath is within where Christ is come to give them rest and they are ceased from their own works 5. It is the mercy and love of God to give a heart to look more into the inside of Ordinances then upon the outside but he that is unfaithful in the least is unjust also in much and he that breaks the least of God Commandments as to the outward part of an Ordinance and teach men so shall be called or reckoned the least in the kingdom of heaven 14. Head of their Self-contradiction Concerning Speech and Silence Section 30. THey sit silent for an hour or half or quarter and when others in though not of their company speak freely they check it as I observed with this or the like saying In the multitude of words there cannot want sin and yet they are in their Letters and Pamphlets full of tautologies c. R. F. passeth this Section over with deep silence but in this Pamphlet he hath verified the charge 1. Of multiloquious needless repetitions where he thinks Sect. 31 32. to vindicate the Scriptures by frequent and impertinent quotation of them And 2. Of Silence in many passages where it was necessary he should have vindicated himself and his Brethren from their own Contradictions 15. Head of their Self-contradiction Concerning Elders Section 31. THis Section also he lets pass as having nothing to say where I noted J. Naylers interfering viz. The ordaining of Elders was not by man and yet it was by the Spirit of God in the Apostles the Spirit made use of them then as he did of the Brethrens and Churches suffrages and prayers To grant an use was made of men in the call of Elders and yet to deny the Call was given of God by man is to speak Daggers and Contradictions as all along I have cleared it in fore-mentioned instances 16. Head of their Self-contradiction
following the Light of Christ in the conscience To inform the ignorant we teach out of Scripture that the new-birth is not wrought by our following work but by Gods preventing Grace casting the promise into the heart and quickning that seed by the in-coming of the Spirit James 1. 18. with John 3. 5. Regeneration is not acquired by our acts but infused of God by his will and power John 1. 13. That Again c Ib. page 21. Shew if ever any natural man did get power over sin and abstain from things forbidden throughout the Scripture When before he had asked By what is the new-birth wrought if not by following c. If a natural man may get the new-birth by following the Light of Christ in his conscience then he may by such an act of obedience get some kinde of power over sin and far sooner abstain from many things forbidden then ever get the new-birth thereby There is a two-fold power over sin the one by the restraining power of God called Restraining Grace the other by the special influence of Christ and his Spirit uniting himself to the soul and taking up his habitation in a Believer as in his Temple The natural man hath the former more or less and yet remaineth a natural man and in his natural state because he wants the latter Was not Herod a natural man Mark 6. 20. and so remained even while he heard John gladly and did many things Did not Paul while in his natural state following the light in his conscience abstain from things forbidden Phil. 3. 6. was he not touching the righteousness of the Law blameless Were not those Peter speaks of escaped from 2 Pet. 2. 18 20 the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Christ yea clean or really escaped as by a common or inferior 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 work of the Spirit and yet were in their natural state first and last What wilful ignorance is in that Querie d Ishmael and his mother cast out p. 1◠Where is such a Scripture that the most eminent believer sins in any things This is subscribed by three or four of them as if they had never read or having read not regarded James 3. 2. or will not understand Rom. 7. 21. that not onely in all the good they do or would do evil by a tyrannizing law of the old man is present with them but in many things they all offend or sin And what affected blindness in that demand e The skirts of the whore discovered by Dennis Hollister page 19. Where doth the Scripture call it self the Word of God and to whom was it the Rule of Life Who please may read over the 119 Psalm once more and view the 40 page and then consult Gal. 6. 14. and view the explanation page 44. of this Reply and the Scriptures will stand right in his thoughts by Gods blessing and he be affected to them 7. Much of Mystical Babylon and Confusion is in their writings and ways They confound common and saving gifts we not onely distinguish them but divide them Common are in many persons where saving are not saving are in all the Saints but on some of the Saints many common gifts are not conferred They confound Justification and Sanctification We distinguish them but divide them not so but they are present to the same subject or person the believer although they are not the same Grace They confound the Price of our Redemption and the application of it by power We distinguish them and divide them not so but where one goes before the other follows after according to the riches of Gods grace and the unchangeableness of his Covenant in Christ There is enough in the fore-going Reply and in the third and fifth of these Animadversions for a plain demonstration hereof It may be hoped upon no weak grounds this Sect is acting one of the last parts upon the tottering Stage of the Romish Antichrist Never I conceive did any as these so masked and disguised servire scenae suit the present occasion and times for Romes advantage but it began and will end in their confusion 8. Their Doctrines and Practices end in Apostacy of the deepest stain and Blasphemy against Christ of the highest strain The experience of James Nayler and his Comrades give sad and dreadful proof hereof When the humane Nature of Christ is not adored for its self but as it subsists in the person of the onely begotten Son of God they give and take by their doctrine of God and Christ manifested in their individual flesh the same divine Honor which is peculiar to the person of Christ alone God blessed for ever 9. There needs no farther proof of their Scripture and Self-contradictions Their Blasphemies evidence the former and their Grandees giving one another the lye demonstrates the latter We had a notorious evidence hereof the last Summer at Witham in Essex After that a blustring fellow said to be one Hubberthorn had driven divers to quaking falling down and roaring out that the flesh might be cast forth by the Spirit as he said there followed him William Deusbery in his circuit and course and tells the poor people they were fools and beasts if they minded any such quaking postures and much more to that purpose And the Narrative of their Letters and Examinations thereupon at Bristol put forth by Mr. Farmer sets a broad seal to this as the former Animadversion 10. Their Sufferings in defence of corrupt and false doctrines are no part of the sufferings of Christ in his mystical body That their doctrines are false which they attempt and labor to defend hath sufficiently been evinced and cleared The other follows by undeniable consequence It is not the punishment but the Cause that makes the Martyr as he Martyrem facit Causa non supplicium Aug. said of old who was a famous Assertor of the Truth in his time The Philistines died by the fall of the house as well as Samson sed diver so fine ac fato but with a differing scope and that through a wise-ordering Providence They suffered for their Riot Idolatry Cruelty and Impenitency he died in Faith and with zealous calling upon the name of the Lord for a publique Revenge upon his and the Church its enemies Who sees not a vast difference between James Naylers Pillory and Mr. Burtons between the Imprisonment of many disturbing Quakers in our times and of the peaceable Confessors and Sufferers in Queen Maries days Who so blinde as they that will not see Lord open the eyes and hearts of deluded Quakers and Papists Being thy people quite out of the Babylonish wilderness Forgive them that know not what they do write they know not what suffer out of devout ignorant intentions which will not justifie their unwarrantable actions or passions FINIS THE TABLE A. Acting IN a mans own strength or Christs 110 Adam In innocency under a Covenant of works pag. 100 B.