Opposition to Errors of William Sherlock, Chapter 3 · Section 3

Opposition to Errors of William Sherlock · Chapter 3 · Section 3

p. 263CHAP. III. Sect. 3. How unsafe it is to found Religion upon a Pretended Acquaintance with Christs Person.

I Foresee this Section will certainly prove Unanswerable; the Comfort is, it's the onelyonly one that appears to be such in the whole Book. The Reader will judge with me, that he must needs have a hard Task on't, (and perhaps equal to any of Hercu…es his Labours,) that shall maintain it safe, To found Religion upon Hypocrisie; and yet this must be his lot, who will defend, That it's safe to build Religion upon a pretended Acquaintance with Christs Person. Some report, that that Goodly Beast, which for Honours sake we will call a Porcupine, keeps alwayes Two Avenues to her Cell, that let the Wind sit where it will, it shall never blow full in the Dore; and let her Enemies besiege her how they can, she has a secret Sally-port, to creep out at. With the same wisdom has our Author provided for his own Retreat in this Section: For if any shall be so foolhardy as to assault him with an Argument, That it's our Duty to be acquainted with Christs Person, and for that end to search the Scriptures, which testifie of him, direct, and lead us to him; that so upon the Person of our Redeemer we may build our Faith, as upon that Rock against which the Gates of Hell p. 264shall not prevail; he can readily reply upon you, True; but it's onelyonly a Pretended Acquaintance with Christs Person, that I so zealo…sly declaim against. I perceive, it's no small advantage in all Disputes, to have the Priviledge to state the Question to our own good liking; and he that has once got a Faculty for it, is out of Gun-shot; unless he be so incorrigible a Coxcomb as not to be aware of his own Interest. That the Religion of Sinners is built upon a Mediator, (as the Religion of the Innocent was upon the Being of a God;) That this Mediator is the Lord Iesus Christ, who has by the Sacrifice of Himself reconciled God to Man, and Man to God; has received some Light and Confirmation from these Papers. That our Author has opposed any thing that may stagger the Faith of Christians, tolerably exercised in the Word of Righteousness, I do not see: but that it's easie to erect a Castle in the Aire, and when we have so done, to draw a formal siege about it, to batter, storm, rase, and utterly demolish it, not to leave one stone upon another; this I grant he has satisfied me in to satiety. For, having all along laid it for the ground-work of his most accomplisht Raillery, That some men found all their Religion upon the Person of Christ, exclusive of the Scriptures, he is now resolved to destroy that Hypothesis, to give it no Quarter, but even to Internecion plow up the Foundation, and sow it with Salt, that After-ages may sing goodly Ballads of his Atchievement, Iam seges est ubi Troja fuit. Thus when the Creative Power of the Imagination has given Life to a Chim…ra, the same Power, with the same ease can stop it▪s breath, annihilate it, and calcine it to it's primitive Nothing. There are Two p. 265parts of his present Discourse; First, a false Supposition; Secondly, a most unmercifull Confutation of that Supposition.

(1.) That which he supposes, (and is resolved to suppose in spight of Fate,) is, that These men you wot of, Pretend to learn their Religion from an Acquaintance with Christs Person, (to which he often addes, and alwayes understands) without Gospel Revelation. A Supposition so idle, absurd, and palpably false, that none can possibly believe it of those Persons upon whom 'tis fixt; but those (and some such there are) that have accustomed themselves to tell a Lye so often, till at length they begin to be pretty well perswaded that they speak Truth: Happy men, that have found an Expedient, so far to mitigate their Guilt, that what was before a formal Lye, becomes now onelyonly a material Untruth! That Iesus Christ is God and Man, that he dyed for our Sins, and rose again for our Iustification, that he was set forth by God to be a Propitiation for sin, to declare Gods Righteousness for the Pardon of it; that he is our High-Priest, our Advocate with the Father, with whatever else comes within the compass of their Creed, they do solemnly profess to have learnt from the Gospel onelyonly; and surther than as Scripture has been Liberal herein, they protest in so many Letters and Syllables, they know nothing less or more; these things are owing purely to Revelation; and they are ready, when or wheresoever cited before their competent Iudges, to give it under their Hands and Seals, attested with all the Good men and True, of the Vicinage. The plain Truth is, Their Principles lie in it, their Writings witness to it, and at other times they are reproach'd by these p. 266very same unreasonable men, that they so tenaciously, and pertinaciously adhere to the written Word, that they make it the Rule of their Faith, the Rubrick of their Worship, the Directory of their Prayers, the Square of their Obedience, the Treasury of their Hopes, and the grand Cynosure whereby they steer, or desire to steer the whole Course of their Conversation to Eternal Life.

(2.) The Confutation of this Hypothesis (which is his second Travel) must therefore needs be very easie. And to this purpose, he brings us in two pompous Reasons mounted like St. George himself on horse-back, armed Cap-a-pe, with his Trusty Morglay by his side, his Launce ready couch▪d; but all this while, where's the Dragon? Or like a Champion of State, who upon the Coronation of some Great Prince, presents himself in rigid Steel, throws down his Gantlet, defies all Men, Women and Children, in defence of the Princes Title, when he knows well enough before-hand, that none will Take it up. Now his Reasons are drawn, the former from the uncertainty of such a Way, and the Second (which is as strong as the other) from the uncertainty of such a Way. Reader do not smile; It was no less a Piece than the Great Demos…henes, who being ask'd, What were the Main Qualifications of a Good Oratour, answer'd, The first is Pronunciation, the second Pronunciation, and the third (forsooth) was Pronunciation: But stay awhile, and you will see our Author come off well enough.

[1] His first Argument is taken from the uncertainty of such a procedure; This is at best to build Religion upon uncertain Conjectures; we agr…e to it; and whatever I could be content to be p. 267at a loose end in, it should not be my Religion: but yet for more sureness he lines his Argument with an under-reason, (and had he faced it with Bayes, it would have worn like Steel;) Had we seen Christ in the flesh, and been witnesses of the many Miracles he wrought, of his Death upon the Cross, and his Resurrection from the Dead, had he not acquainted us with the End and Design of all this, we might have ghess'd, and ghess'd till we had been weary, but it's odds we had never ghess'd right. Nay, yet further to overwhelm all Opponents with Reason upon Reason, he addes; Because there's no natural and necessary connexion between the Person of Christ, and what he did and suffer'd, and the Salvation of Mankind; for these things are available for those Ends to which God design'd them, the virtue and efficacy of them, depends upon God's Institution and Appointment, and therefore can be known onelyonly by Revelation. So that his Conclusion is this: Whoever would learn the Religion of our Saviour, must learn it from his Doctrine, and not from his Person. To say the Truth, the greatest fault I find with all this is, that he betrayes the Truth he contends for; and does not understand, that his Clyent had better have given him a Double Fee to say Nothing, than a single one to Destroy the Cause he pretends to plead. I shall therefore only burden his Margin with a few asterisks, and fairly dismiss him.

1. Let the Reader carefully enquire who those We are, that if they had seen Christ in the flesh, his Miracles, Death and Resurrection, yet without He had acquainted them with the End and Design of all this, might have ghess'd themselves weary, e're they had ghess'd aright? And for the clearing of p. 268that, let him know, that he speaks not here in his own Person, but in the Person of others, who have not the knack, or if they had, are not fortified with a Priviledge to conclude Quidlibet ex Quolibet, or to demonstrate Godwin-Sands from TenterdonSteeple; for as to Himself, you may be pleased to understand, that he can infallibly prove all this and more, from as little as that comes to, and less. Admire his Abilities, pag. 84. When We remember that Christ died as a Sacrifice and Propitiation for Sin, this gives Us a great Demonstration of Gods good will to us, how ready he is to pass by all our former sins, in that he hath appointed an Atonement for us, and given no less Person than his own Son for our Ransome. The Reader cannot but observe, that he is there giving us Another Scheme of Religion from an Acquaintance with Christs Person, without Scripture; and then when he comes to take the Matter in hand, he can from the Person of Christ, demonstrate Gods good Will, his pardoning Mercy, and what not? when others indeed venture upon Conclusions without Scripture, they give some uncertain conjectures, get some feeble hints, some dim appearances and smattering I…cklings of the Matter; but to Us it speaks nothing less than Apodictical, and great Demonstration.

2. The Reader will observe, how perfectly he Overthrows the very design he would exalt; for undertaking to prove, How unsafe it is, to found Religion upon a Pretended acquaintance with Christs Person; and assigning this for a Reason, that this is to build Religion upon uncertain Conjectures, which we acknowledge to be Cogent; When he comes to wind up his bottomes, he tells us, Though p. 269we had seen Christ in the flesh, we could never have ghess'd at the End and Design of it, had not he [Christ] Acquainted us with it. So that the short and long of this great Demonstration, is this; That it's uncertain to found our Religion upon Christ's Person, because we could have known nothing of Religion, unless we had been Acquainted with him: He will lift himself off this flatt, by replying, that he means nothing but Christs acquainting us in and from his Gospel; and we rejoyn, that that which will bring him off, will bring off his Neighbours; for who ever affirm'd any more?

3. He has herein at unawares stabb'd his main Cause to the heart; For if there be no necessary connexion between the Person of Christ, his Death and Suffering, and the Salvation of Mankind, but that (as he assures us) the End and Design of Christ in dying, must be known onelyonly by Revelation; then it will unavoidably follow, that Christ dyed for some greater Ends than to give us an Example of Patience, and Submission to the Will of God, to Confirm what he Preach'd; seeing we needed no Revelation to acquaint us, that a holy man is to be imitated in all holy things, living or dying; and that he thought (at least) his Doctrine was true, or else he would never have exposed, and layd down his Life to justifie it. Now it's plain, however our Author does now and then humour us with Propitiation, Ransom, Atonement, Expiation, these are all reducible by his Engine, to Christs confirming what he preach'd; Pag. 320. All that I can find in Scripture, concerning the Influence that the Sacrifice of Christ's Death hath upon our Acceptation with God, is, that to this we owe the Covenant of Grace; which is Nothing else p. 270in his sence, but God's Promise of saving us, if we obey his Laws.

4. He is slipt into the very same guilt with which he loads (though unjustly) his Adversaries, viz. The Dividing the Person and Gospel of Christ. He was of a good Mind once, p. 3. if he could have kept him in't: That the Person of Christ is not at oddes with his Gospel, and that Christ and his Religion were well agreed; but he has quitted his Post, and dogmatically asserts: That whosoever would understand the Religion of our Saviour, must learn it from his Doctrine, and not from his Person. And why not from his Person, in or by his Doctrine? It's a harder matter than our Author is aware, to hear a Sermon preach'd without a Preacher; and almost as difficult to believe it, without good warranty, that the Preacher has good Authority for what he delivers: All the Authority of the Scripture, is resolved into the Authority of Christ, and therefore it concerns us to fetch our Religion from Christ, by his Word.

5. I must needs observe to the Reader one piece of cleanly conveyance and Legerdemain, which our Author is forced frequently at a standing pull to serve himself of▪ to draw Dun out o'th' Mire; and that is, to shew you a fair round Tester, and then fob you off with a Counter; to shew you a Horse in the Premises, and pass to an Asse in the Conclusion. He has pasted, and posted it up in the Title of this Section; How unsafe it is, to found Religion upon a Pretended acquaintance with Christs Person; but when he addresses himself to prove his Thesis, he falls a persecuting the old thing of Learning Religion from an Acquaintance with Christs Person. He who has the famous Art of Arguing p. 271from the essential Differences of things, can he find no accidental difference at least betwixt Principium essendi and Cognoscendi? Betwixt the Foundation of our Religion, and the Means of conveying the Knowledge thereof unto us? A thing may be first in Knowledge, which is last in Being; there has been some such Distinction in former Ages. There was a time when the old World learnt it's Religion from Angels, (as our Author thinks) from Prophets, from the Government of the World; will he say that the Religion of those dayes was founded upon any thing short of God, upon Angels, Men, Sun, Moon, Stars? Say the same in our Case; Jesus Christ has revealed what we are to know and believe of the Father, Son, and Spirit, (in his Word he has reveal'd it) yet our Faith, Hope, Love, Obedience is founded on, and ultimately terminated in God alone by Christ: He that believes a Promise, obeyes a Precept, does believe the veracity of Christ in that Promise, and obey the Authority of Christ in that Precept: That Credit we give to Letters Patents praemunited with the Royal Seal, is resolved ultimately into the Kings foreign; That Obedience we give to a Law, is founded upon the Authority of the Legislator: We learn our Duty from a printed Act of Parliament, from a Proclamation, but that which is the formal Reason of our Duty, is the Relation wherein we stand to our Prince: So childish is our Author in his Reasonings, he begins to make a Cauldron, and tinckers up a sorry kettle; Amphora coepit institui, currente rotâ cur urceus exit? He undertook to prove the unsafeness of the Foundation of our Religion, but he's glad to come down a button-hole lower, and prove onelyonly the danger of learning of our Religion p. 272from a pretended acquaintance with Christs Person▪ without Scripture-Revelation.

6. He tells us, there is not a Natural and Necessary connexion between the Person of Christ, his Death, &c. and the Salvation of Mankind. Very discreetly worded: Not a natural, and necessary connexion! What's matter if it be not Natural, if it be Necessary? Let it be owned Necessary any way that's fair and honest, and let him choose whether it shall be necessary by Nature, or no. If our Author understands himself here, it's very well; I am sure some others do not: Does he mean therefore of all Mankind? that there's no natural connexion betwixt Christs Person, his Death, &c. and the Salvation of all Mankind? I presume, the man's either unborn, or long agoe dead, that ever asserted that there was any Connexion either Natural or Necessary, between Christs Death and the Salvation of every individual Person that should be upon the Earth: Does he mean any one of all Mankind? I then do affirm, and will abide by it, that upon supposition the Son of God was incarnate, took our Nature upon him, and in that Nature dyed a cursed Death, there is a Necessary connexion betwixt the Death of the Son of God, and the Salvation of some, at least, of Mankind: It's very unconceivable, that Christ should submit to such a Dispensation, and have no fruit of his Labour. But to put him out of fear, that he may sleep at hearts ease, we do not fancy any natural connexion of these things; that Bond that tyes them together, is the compact betwixt the Father and the Son, that upon his Souls being made an Offering for Sin, he should see his seed, and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand, Isa. p. 27353. 10. The Total is this, The Concurrence of the Sons Will, with the Fathers good Pleasure, gave the Death of Christ a necessary Connexion with the Salvation of some, at least, of Mankind. But to talk at this loose Rambling rate is tedious.

All this while, you see but very little into our Authors Design: For as your great Politicians have their Causae justificae, which they Hang out to view, but the Causae suasoriae lie deep, and are not to be Exposed to, and Prophan'd by common Eyes▪ Thus however our Author makes a Flourish, and Vapour, about the Connexion of Necessary causes and Necessary effects, as if we see Fire, we know it burns something; and if we see Smoak, we may safely conclude there is some Fire: Which poor Reynards Experiment would have Confuted. Notwithstanding I say all this Ostentation of Mysterious Philosophy, there was something lay nearer his heart, than this Bombaste, and how to bring it upon the Stage handsomely, required good Deliberation. In plain Terms, it was nothing but to state a Parallel betwixt the Rational, and your Systematical Divine, and to Demonstrate the excellency of himself and those of his exalted Intellectuals, above those low Spirited, Phlegmatick, Tigurine Doctors, who Trade all in gross Bodies, and unweildy Systems of Divinity: For these latter, they (Dullmen) shape all Religion, according to their Phancies and Humours, and stuff it with an infinite Number of Orthodox Propositions, (such as the 39▪ Articles.) But now for your Rational Men: They Argue the Nature of God, his Works and Providences, from the Nature of Mankind. and those eternal Notions of Good and Evil, from the Essential p. 274differences of Things, from plain Principles, which have an Immutable and unchangeable Nature, and so can bear the weight and stress, of a just Consequence: Which singular Happiness may sooner be Envyed than Mistated. Indeed it would do any man good at Heart, to hear with what Nerves and Sinews of Brawny Reason, they will Argue; how they Drive all before them; how they will Trounce a poor amazed Auditor into As. and Con. and force the most Obstinate herds of Contumacious Animals, into good Behiavour by Duress. In a word, all their Discourses are Muscle, and Cartilage: And in one of these you shall have the Marrow▪ and Pith, the Quintessence and Elixir of your Profound, Irrefragable, Subtile, Angelical, Seraphical Doctors: But I Chide my self for comparing them to the School-men, who are Systematical Theölogues. Let the Reader content himself with a short Specimen of their Abilities. And, 1. They argue from the Nature of God: How Facile is he to Pardon sin, all sin without any Compensation, or Satisfaction made to his Justice: For seeing Justice is but a secondary Attribute, a mere Instrument or Tool of Government; He may spare or punish as he sees Reason for it without being unjust in either: For though the Scripture has told us, Iosh▪ 24. 19. That God is a jealous God, who will not forgive Transgression, nor sin; and that He is of purer Eyes than to behold Evil, and cannot look upon Iniquity, Hab. 1. 13. And also that the wages of sin is Death, which is the Religion of the Scripture, yet now one of these familiar acquaintance of Gods Nature, can inform you better; that there was there was no necessity of Christs Death p. 275to declare the Righteousness of God, that he might be Iust, but that as he Pardoned the Old World for Four Thousand Years together, who knew nothing of Christ; … he might have done for one poor Sixteen Hundred Years more, and as much longer as it shall continue. That Caution which he Hints to others, pag. 76. he has as much need of himself; That we be wary in drawing conclusions from Gods Nature, since 'tis so seldom we have any good Assurance, those Inferences are Genuine. Thus when he argues, pag. 43, from Gods Long-suffering and Patience towards the World, and the various Methods God uses to reclaim them, that therefore he is as ready to Pardon sinners, as a kind Father is to receive a penitent Prodigal. I would have him Cautious lest he should over-run the Constable, for God stands not related to sinners, in the state of lapsed Nature, as a Father, but as an Enemy; and our Son-ship and Adoption, comes in by Jesus Christ, and this may perhaps a little disturbe the Connexion of his Antecedents and Consequents: And this for distinction-sake, may be called his New Religion of Gods Nature, from whence we learn those greater and deeper Mysteries whereof the Scripture is so silent. And then, 2. They argue with marvellous Success from the Works and Providence of God. As how? pag. 44. Those Natural Notions the Heathens had of God, and the Discoveries God made of Himself in the Works of Creation and Providence, did assure them that God is very Good, and that 'tis not possible to understand what Goodness is without Pardoning-Grace. For you may be sure they cloud not see the Sun shine, but presently they must conclude that the Light of Gods p. 276Countenance would shine upon them also; nor have a showre of Rain, but it did Demonstrate that God would wash away their sins; nor forbear them a day, but He would acquit them for ever. But then, 3. From the Nature of Mankind, they Reason with incomparable Judgment: As for Instance, That because Man was Created upright, therefore he is so still; how Vegete, Sprightly, and active mans Nature is, that without the Subsidiary assistance of effectual Grace, working both to will and to do, it can fulfil all Gods Commandments; and that to talk of our own Impotency to Spiritual performances, is to suppose us to be acted like Machines by an External force, and the irresistable Grace and Spirit of God. And further, 4. They make admirable work from the eternal Notions of Good and Evil: That God may punish sin if he pleases, and if he sees good he may let it alone; sin it seems, is one of those Adiaphorous Trifles, that it needs not the Blood of Christ to satisfie for it; for our own repentance, without any respect to the Death of Christ, will stop that Gap: Wherein, I confess, I as little admire his Divinity, as he does other mens Philosophy. But, 5. They argue from the Essential differences of Things, and what rare Feats they can do from hence is Incredible: For whereas other poor Sneaks only deal with the Rinde and Bark of Beings, as they are cloathed with Circumstances, and crusted over with Accidents; these Gyants of Reason will strip your. Nature stark naked, and show her for a Sight at Bartholomew-Fair, in her first callous Principles. Thus our Author tells us, pag. 94. That Christ came not to distract us with the Inexorableness of Gods Iustice; and yet p. 95. p. 277He assures us that God is an Irreconcileable Enemy to all sin: For he could pry out an Essential difference between the Inexorableness of his Iustice, and his Irreconcileableness to sin. And pag. 82. He can shew us the difference between being astonisht, and surprised with wonder; which though any other might have stumbled on: Yet to shew you just to a Hairs breadth where Wonder ends, and Astonishment begins, this was reserved for the Acumen of a Rational Divine. It were tedious, though useful, no doubt, to Instance with what Dexterity they Wire▪ draw Discoveries out of Immutable, and Unchangeable Natures; how they call Fire out of Smoak, but never steams out of Light: At what Killing undoing Rates they Syllogize, how they run their Enemies all on Heaps, and perplex their Discourses all into Snicksnarles, but every one would Live as long as he can. This (though the better half) is but one part of that Design which he is driving on Incognito: The other is, to Besmear a sort of pittiful Fellows he has often, but never with respect, mentioned. For it's a very great Question whether he be a greater admirer of his own Excellencies, than a dispiser of other Mens Imperfections: But what is their Crime? Why they Cry down Reason for such a Prophane and Carnal thing, as must not presume to Intemeddle in Holy Matters. I have met with some who decry Carnal Reason, but never with one that affirmed Reason was Carnal: I know none that are very ambitious to put on Brute, and put off Man; and for those who are so Pelted with empty clamour, I have ever found them as much in love with, and as great Improvers of Reason as their Neighbours, only p. 278their unhappiness is, they have not so vast a Stock to set up with, and sometimes may be out of Sorts: However they are not ashamed to own, or disown that Thing, which many vend for reason, as it behaves it self, and for what I understand in this Matter, I shall freely confess where I had it, viz. From the Ninth Article of the Church of England, of Original or Birth-sin. This Infection of Nature doth remain, yea, in them that are Regenerated, whereby the Lust of the Flesh called in Greek, foreign, which some do Expound the Wisdom, some the Sensuality, some the Desire of the Flesh, is not subject to the Law of God. I have met also with others, who will not scruple to own, 1. That Reason is the sole and proper Iudge within her own Iurisdiction, and that as we must give unto Faith the things that are Faiths, so must we yield to Reason the things that are Reasons; let her move within her own Sphere, and they will not Iostle her, nor Enterfere with her Motions. 2. They are earnest that the best Reason that can be got for Love or Money, be employed in Spinning conclusions out of those Premises which are of pure revelation, though for scanning the Truth of some propositions may be, she's not so good at it. 3. They say, that our Service and Worship of God ought to be foreign, a reasonable Service; that in all our Worship of God, our Actions be under the Conduct of Reason. So Idle is our Authors reproach, that they will not allow Reason to Intermeddle in Holy Matters: Can she not meddle, but she must be Lady Paramount? Can she not look into the Temple, but she must peep into the Holy of Holies? 4. They say they never affirmed, Hot nor Cold, that Reason p. 279was Carnal, but that there is some Carnal Reason: That [Carnal] is not Epitheton generis, as if all Reason were Carnal; but only Specie…, that there is such a thing as Carnal Reason; and they bring the Church of England for their Voucher. On the other side they do affirm, 1. That the Reasonings of Men as they are found in all the Sons of Adam are Vitiated and Corrupted; they cannot see how Reason scaped better in the common Shipwrack, than the other powers of the Soul. 2. Hence they put a difference betwixt Reason in the abstract, as it is in it self, and as it is found Immerst in Matter, and Drencht in Hyle; betwixt Reason as it ran clear at first, and as it now tastes of the Cask: And when the Apostle Paul (who passes now-a-days for an Obscure writer) could give us the Hint of this Difference, Rom. 1. 21. foreign: They became vain in their own Reasonings or Argumentations, and their fool-heart was darkned. Methinks they that Trade in the Essential differences of things, should not have over-lookt it; but Bernardus Non vidit omnia. 3. Therefore where the Infallible Word of God has clearly revealed any Doctrine, and propounded it to their Belief, they look upon't as their business to Believe, not Dispute; as owning the Reason of the Scripture, to be the Supreme and Sovereign reason, which is nothing but the Authority of an Infallible Revealer: When therefore they cannot Grasp how some things should be, with Consistence to their apprehensions, they trouble not themselves much, but are satisfied that Thus they are. 4. That there are some Doctrines in the Scripture fairly laid down to be Faith, which yet are above the most p. 280Exalted reason to give an account of any other way, than by Faith's Old answer to all New Objections: The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. 5. These men are not aminded that those great Masters of Wit, should have their reason to be the common standard and Assize of the Reason of all Men, unless they can bring better Evidence that they are Clerks of the Market, to seal all measures of Truth and Error, Good and Evil; then their new Lights hang out in Dark-Lanthorns. If it come once to this, that God must not be God, unless he please their Humours: If Scriptures must pass the Ordeal of their reasons before it be Canonical, we humbly desire to be Excused, if we rather chuse to Walk alone in the Ways of Truth, than for companiessake (as well as we love them) to be Seduced into their Misprisions.

This is the grand Crime of these men, there are others not to be despised. As that they argue from Fancies and Imaginations, from some pretty Allusions, Similitudes, and Allegories, which have no certain shape: Yet I am well assured, that no man was ever more firmly bounden, and indebted to an Allegory, than our Author, unless I saw him clapt up for one upon Execution in the Kings-Bench. pag. 6. He did but meet with the word Salem upon the Road, and he presently spies the New Ierusalem coming down from Heaven, in it: pag. 161. He had heard, that Eve was taken out of Adams side, and he sets his Allegorical Machine awork, and hales, [the Church taken out of Christs crucified Body] Out on't. Though to Qualifie the Matter, he says it was but with a Quasi, as it were, or if he might so say; but by and by, he grows more p. 281flesht with Success, and Peremptorily concludes: That the Church is taken out of the crucified Body of Christ, which (says he) in the Mystical sence, answers to the Womans being taken out of the Man; and from this pretty Allusion, grounds his Interpretation of Ephes. 5. 30. 1 Col. 21. 22. Although the state of Innocency had no proper instituted Types; however the passages of Gods Providence therein may be accommodated by the Penmen of the Holy Scriptures Infallibly inspired, to Illustrate Evangelical Verities. But let a taste of these things stay the Readers Stomach a while, and if his Mouth waters at such Theology, he shall have his Belly full, even to Surfeit of such Luscious Allegories in due time. Thus much to his first Argument, taken from the uncertainty of this way of arguing.

(2.) His second Reason follows, drawn also from the uncertainty of this way of arguing. For thus his Argument runs: This way of reasoning will serve any mans turn: Which is nothing but the uncertainty of it, and had not our Author (who alway argues as occasion serves from the Essential differences of things) told us it was another reason, it might have Militated under the colours of the former: But he puts in a Caveat against all the World but himself and his Brethren. For though it will serve any mans turn, yet you must always Interpret it with this restriction, who have any Quickness and Vigour of Fancy, which clearly cuts out all the rest of Mankind, as shall appear from the Fag end of this Section.

What remains of this Discourse, is laid out upon the Equipping of another Scheme of Religion, from an acquaintance with Christs Person: Where in p. 282the Quickness and Vigour of his Fancy, doe Triumph. The World shall now see (I that they shall) what other-guise work our Author can make on't, when he comes to the Trimming of this Matter, than those clumzy Fellows ever could, who have attempted that way; and shall see that Scanderbags Sword and Arm together, can work Wonders. It's ordinary to find the Physitians Trencher loaden with that Meat, which he Prohibits his Patient upon pain of Death. If any else had presum'd to have finger'd this Theme, he had got a rap oth' Knuckles, and yet here we find our Author up to the Elbows in't. Great Spirits know how to give Laws to others, and yet themselves to Live above them. I have openly owned it, that this Section is unanswerable, and that my Reader may not Censure me for a Dictator; I am Obliged to give him an Account of the Impregnableness of it. The Scheme which he here presents us withal, is not supposed to be his own Iudgment, but meerly an Imitation of other Mens way, though the Copy outdoe the Original: If therefore any one shall Essay to Answer it, he comes over you: I did but play the Fool, because I supposed others had done so, and I was willing to let you see, I could do it as neatly as another. To meddle therefore with the substrate Matter, and main Doctrine thereof, would be lost Labour; to Examine whether it be stufft with Orthodox, or Heterodox propositions, shall be all one to me; but one thing (I confess) I am tempted to search into (because he Boasts so highly of his Skill in it; how easie it is to present us with many more Schemes, with fair Colours, Exact and regular Proportions, and artificial Connexions!) viz. Whether p. 283there be that regular proportion betwixt his Confidence and his Performance; whether he has put such fair Colours upon things, but that the Morphew of the skin shines through the Ceruss; whether his Matters be Linckt together with such artificial connexions? Or whether the Sun in the Firmament, and as the Battoon in the Chimney co…ner do not as well shake hands; that is, whether the Wind-Mill be not alive for all Don Quixot?

(1.) He tells us, Since we see Christ come in the Nature and Likeness of a Man, nothing dreadful in his Countenance, having all the sweetness of Innocency, his Miracles Great and Glorious, but not Frightful and Astonishing; his Almighty Power displai'd in Methods of Love and Kindness, healing the Sick, dispossessing Devils, &c. From all this we may safely Conclude, He came upon an Embassy of Peace, to assure the World of Gods good Will to them, and to Reconcile the Differences betwixt God and Man. Now for my own part, my Eyes are not a whit Dazled with the fairness of his colours, nor my Thoughts much ravisht with the exactness of the Symmetry of this Piece. For, 1. It's very Disproportionable to his main assertion: How unsafe and dangerous it is, to found Religion upon an acquaintance with Christs Person: Whereas in this Period, he assures us, We may safely conclude thence, that Christ was an Ambassador of Peace, that he came to reconcile the Differences betwixt God and Man. Which (I promise you) makes a shrewd Hole in Religion. 2. It bears no better proportion to its self; for I hope the Reader has not forgotten how he is Erecting a Scheme of Religion from an acquaintance with Christs Person, p. 284not taking in Gospel Revelation: Now here he supposes Christ to have been the Eternal Son of God, leaving his Fathers Throne, coming into the World; which he could never have concluded from his Person; had he seen him in the flesh, unless the Mystery of it had been revealed to him from above, Math. 16. 16, 17. Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God: Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Iona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father which is in Heaven. 3. He pretends to gather Christs design in coming into the World, from his Person, Miracles, Behaviour, and sweet demeano… towards men; yet here we want Proportion, if we may believe himself, pag. 76. Had we seen Christ in the flesh, and been witnesses of the many Miracles he wrought, of his Death upon the Cross, and his Resurrection from the dead, had he not acquainted us with the End and Design of all this, we might have ghess'd our selves weary, and never have hit upon the right. But Now what a happy change is here? we may safely Conclude now, who could not sorrily Ghesse before: And here's a long stride made from one of the Poles of Impossibility, to the other of Certainty and Necessity.

(2.) And when we consider, that this Heavenly Ambassadour and Mediator is no less than the Eternal Son of God, by whom the worlds were made, we may reasonably conclude, that he came upon no less Design than of universal Goodness; for he can have no temptation to partiality, as being equally concern'd in the Happiness of all men; And we cannot imagine, why he should lay a narrower Design of Love in the Redemption, than in the Creation of Mankind, &c. Here are proportions p. 285indeed, but whether justifiable by the Rules of Vitruvius, or the Propositions of Euclide, is more dubious: The proportion fancied here is, betwixt Christs coming, his manner of coming, and universal Redemption. Now to justifie the regularity of his Superstructure upon its Foundation, he offers us several things. As, 1. That Christ came upon a design of Universal Goodness: Well, but it must be equal Goodness to do his Business. 2. He says, Christ can have no temptation to Partiality: True, but differing Kindnesses where none are due, may consist very well with Impartiality: That he shewed Kindness to any, was more than he owed them, that he vouchsafed more to some than others, was no wrong to the rest. They who have the benefit, must ascribe all to his Grace; they who are left in the same plight their own sins had brought them into, have no cause to complain. 3. He goes a step higher in his Proportions: Christ was equally concerned in the Happiness of all men. And this he gathers reasonably from the Behaviour of Christ towards the World. But I doubt he has taken false measures of Christs concernment for mens Happiness: The best way, I should think, would be to view how he carried it towards them with whom he did converse; and there are some shrewd suspitions, that he was not so equally concern'd, for we read Ioh. 17. 9 that there were some he prayed for, and others for whom he prayed not; some to whom he immediately dispatcht his saving Gospel, others to whom he at present suspended that Favour, Matth. 10. 5. Goe not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any City of the Samaritans enter ye not, but goe rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel: Nay in Fact it's clear, … p. 286not his Gospel to all places of the habitable World equally, to some sooner, to others later: with some it continued longer, with other Nations less while; to some it was preach'd in more purity, clearness and power, to others with less: And if he sent it not at the same minute to every individual Person, it will not argue an equal Concernment in the Salvation of all men; for it's possible thousands might, and certain thousands, and ten thousands dyed in Ignorance, or (as our Author expresses it, pag. 30.) under Gods ineffectual Wayes, before the Gospel came unto them: and if this Gospel stayed a day longer in one Nation than another, still here's no equal concernment for the Salvation of all; for what becomes then of those poor Wretches, who without any fault of theirs (let me borrow an Expression from our Author) were left out of Gospel times, because their Fathers had eaten sowre Grapes, and now the childrens teeth are set on edge. 4. But he assigns a Reason of all this, wherein we hope to find more exact Proportions: We cannot imagine why he should lay a Narrower design of Love in the Redemption, than in the Creation of Mankind. That when in the first Creation he design'd all men for Happiness, in this New and Second Creation he should design onelyonly the Happiness of some few, which is to make him less good in Redeeming than in Creating Mankind. The summe of it is thus much: Christ Redeemed all that he Created; but he Created all men, therefore he Redeemed all men: And he cannot Imagine how it should be otherwise. But, 1. Leave out that one word [Mankind,] and let the Proposition reach all rational and intellectual Creatures, made capable of Everlasting Happiness, p. 287and then let him try how his Proportions will fadge: We cannot Imagine how Creating Love, and Redeeming Love should be of different Latitudes; why in the first Creation he should design the Happiness of all his Creatures capable thereof, and yet in the Second and New Creation, leave out some, and take others into his favour. The Creating Love of Christ was extended to Angels, he made them glorious Spirits, and had Christ been tempted to Partiality, was he less concerned for their Happiness, than that of poor men? Did he lay a Narrower design of Love in Redeeming his capable Creatures, than in their Creation? Or why in the first and Old Creation did he design Angels for Happiness, and yet in the Second and New Creation design the Happiness only of Mankind? One Angel might have done Christ more Service, brought him more glory, than a thousand such wretched Worms as Man: And yet not one Angel recovered, not one fallen Spirit raised, redeem'd, and brought back to its Original Happiness. 2. What he therefore addes, is most Vain, that this would make him less good in Redeeming than in Creating, though Creation cost him no more than the Exercise of his Power, but Redemption the Expence of his Blood. For, 1. One Soul redeemed argues more Love than many created, which is proved by that very Reason which our Author has brought to overthrow it; because, to Redeem one Soul, cost more than to create many. But, 2. What warrant he has to measure betwixt Redeeming Love, and Creating Love, I cannot tell; This I know, they are both beyond our reach; yet I think, that the Blood of Christ as a Man, separated from that consideration of it as satisfactory to Gods Iustice, cannot be said to be p. 288of more worth or dignity than the Creating Power of God. But to conclude, God made Man righteous, there was his Creating Love; he qualified him thus made, for the Service and Enjoyment of his Maker; If now he shall voluntarily loose his fitness, and leave his relation to God, and thereby make himself lyable to the Curse, whenever this Creator shall please to undertake a Recovery, I suppose he may (without impeachment of Partiality) do with his own Grace what he pleases, and bestow it where he pleases, and not fear to be called to Account by every Malapert Caviller: And Now he clenches the Nayl with a sure stroke. No sure, his Goodness did not become less infinite and boundless, when he became Man. This is indeed somewhat Amazing, for how to find out the Proportion, the exact and regular proportion betwixt a greater and lesser Infinite, may puzzle our brains as much as to find out the just proportion betwixt finite and infinite; which when it shall be made out, will doubtless equal the invention of that Prosipotion in Euclide which deserved a Hecatombe. In pag. 208. he tells us, Though God be rich in Mercy, yet he never told us that he was bottomless and boundless. And if God be not a God of bottomless and boundless Mercy, it will not bear a regular proportion to enquire, Whether Christs Goodness became less Infinite and boundless than it was before.

(3.) He considers, The Holiness and Innocence of Christs Life, that he was a great Example of unaffected Piety towards God, &c. Hence does he reasonably conclude, that he came to restore the Practice of Piety, &c. which had been banisht out of the world by the hypocritical pretences of p. 289a more Refined Sanctity, in washing of Hands and Dishes, in tything Mint and Cummin, (as he calls it.) Now this is to be fear'd, is not very regular and exa…; for some would conclude, as if Christ came to destroy the Ius Divinum of Tythes; but we are to understand, that the Venome and Villany of this Hypocrisie did not lye in Tything Egges, or Pigs, Chickens, Ducks, or Goslings, Apples, Pears, or Plumbs, much less those fatter Praedial Revenues of the Church; but only in those uncanonical things, Mint, Annise, Cummine; and bate but those two or three, and Tythes are Sacred out of all things, from the Cedar in Lebanon to the Hyssop upon the Wall.

(4.) Our Saviour by his Example as well as Laws, taught us Another Lesson, that as we lost our Happiness at first by Sin, so the way to regain the Favour of God, and an Immortal Life, is by the practice of a Sincere and Universal Righteousness. I must freely confess, I would never desire any man to be more ridiculous whilest I live, than our Author in these few words: If he has forgot his design, or lost himself in a Wood, yet does he presume the Reader also has his wits gone after him a Wool-gathering: He has pretended over and over▪ that he would give us Another Scheme of Religion from acquaintance with Christs Person, more beautifull for Colour, more exact for Proportion than what all other men have been able to shew, and all this without Gospel-Revelation; And yet here contrary to all the Laws of Proportion, he takes in Christs Laws, from which we must learn this other Lesson; but though his Laws came in by an Anomaly, surely his Example is Regular; and that teaches p. 290us▪ that The way to regain Gods Favour, is by the practice of a sincere and universal Righteousness. Now if Christ has taught us this by his Example; we must suppose that He had once lost God… Favour, but happily regain'd it by this Expedient of a sincere and universal Righteousness: Whether this be a Truth or no in it self, is out of our Charter to examine; for we are obliged onelyonly to consider the Regularity of his Proportions, and the self-consistency of his Notions.

(5.) When We remember that Christ died as a Sacrifice, and Propitiation for sin, this gives Us a great demonstration of Gods good will to us, how ready he is to pardon former sins, in that he hath appointed an Atonement for us, and given no less a Person than his own Son for our Ransome. It's very strange, that none else may be allowed to gather all this from the Revelation of the Gospel; and yet our Author, with his Scrues of Artificial Connexions and Regular Proportions, can draw it, every Letter and Syllable, from an Acquaintance with Christs Person: But by what secret wayes he became Master of this Mystery, is to me a greater mystery: How the Person of Christ, the Death of Christ, should teach us the proper Ends and Designs of his Death, unless he had Acquainted us with them, I am yet to seek, and so was our Author himself within these few leaves, pag. 78. The Incarnation, and Life, and Death, and Resurrection of Christ, were available to those Ends for which God designed them, but the Virtue and Efficacy of them doth depend upon Gods Institution and Appointment, and therefore can be known onelyonly by Revelation.

p. 291(6.) He assures us, That the Death of Christ assures him of the Desert of Sin, and what it is. And I a… heartily glad to hear the News, and wish it had been attended with Proof from Scripture, which is pregnant in it, and not shuffled off with that which is next dore to none. Surely then there was somewhat in the Death of Christ which Answer'd the Demerit of it, which was, Gods Anger and Displeasure against it; or it will be impossible from Christs Death to learn Sins Demerit, without a Scripture-Comment upon the Text of his Crosse and Sufferings.

(7.) Christs Death seals the irrevocable Decree of Reprobation. That's as terrible News as the other was comfortable; but I fear he must be beholden to the Gospel for his Intelligence, or he will never learn it from a bare acquaintance with Christs Person. And now we may fairly presume there is such a Decree, so irrevocable▪ so immutable, else how does the Death of Christ seal it? It's supposed ever, that the Decree is made, e▪re it be sealed; but the vigour and quickness of our Authors Fancy is incredible; and so at length, those poor wretches whose hard Fortune it was (in our Authors phrase) to be left out of the Roll of Election, without any fault of theirs, are in the same Predicament they were in before.

Our Author has reserved one thing for the shutting up of this Section, which being a matter of very great importance, and yet so easie and accountable, we may not doubt but he has handled it with much Exactness: It is the True Method of a Sinners Recovery by Christ. From hence (says he) it's easie to understand what is the True Method of a Sinners p. 292Recovery by Christ. And there are two parts of his Undertaking. 1. The Erecting of his own regular and exact Method. 2. The demolishing the confused Method of others.

And, (First,) For his own Method, (for so he is pleas'd to Nick-name it, for divers good and valuable Considerations him thereunto especially moving,) it is no more but this: When we are so affected with all the powerfull Arguments to a New Life, which are contained in his [Christs] Incarnation, and Life, and Doctrine, and Example, and Miracles, and Death, and Resurrection, and Ascension into Heaven, and his Intercession for us, as to be sensible of the Shame and Folly of Sin, and to be reconciled to the Love and Practice of true Piety and Holiness; Then—What then? O then, we partake in the Merits of His Sacrifice, and find the benefit of his Intercession, and have A Title to all the Blessings and Promises of the Gospel. This is the True Method of a Sinners Recovery: But still I doe not see the Regular Proportion of it to his Design; for, as has been oft observed, he pretends to give us a Scheme of Religion from the Person of Christ, never medling with his Doctrine; and yet now when he thinks it so easie to give us from thence, a Method of a Sinners Recovery, he is glad to be beholden to the Doctrine of Christ; for he sayes, When we are so affected with all the Arguments to a New Life, which are contained in Christs Incarnation, and Life, and Doctrine, &c. It seems there are not Arguments enough in his Person, but we must run to his Doctrine for a Recruit, and what's become then of his specious Promise, that he would out-throw all that ever p. 293tryed before him, in making Schemes of Religion from Acquaintance with his Person: The veriest Bungler on Earth could but have contradicted himself; but I wish that were the worst on…t. For, 1. Some cannot see any Method at all in it. But to be recovered is the Method of being Recovered; to be converted, is the way to be converted; and that's a very sure way, I promise you; for, Omne quod est in quantum est, Necesse est esse: But this one of his peculiar Excellencies: p. 18. The way to be perfect, is to live as Christ lived; or which is all one, The way to be perfect, is to be perfect: If any one can make any better of this, he shall have my free leave: When we are so affected with all the powerfull Arguments contained in Christs Incarnation, &c. as to be sensible of the shame and folly of sin, and to be reconciled to the love and practice of true Piety, and Holiness; Then—The English of which is this: When we are once holy, then we are holy. And this is his New way or Method of a Sinners Recovery by Christ. But, 2. We have been made to believe hitherto, That Method, is a convenient sorting and marshalling of Matters which relate each to other, into such an Order, as may tend best to the reaching the End in practical Disciplines, and making out the Truth in Theories: But herein our Author is wretchedly out of the way: For first he tells us, we must be so affected with all the powerfull Arguments contained in Christs Intercession, &c. and then we partake in the Merits of his Sacrifice, and find the Benefit of his Intercession for us. That is, we must set the Cart before the Horses, which is an excellent Method; Seeing we cannot partake of the Fruit of Christs Intercession, before we partake of the Fruits p. 294of his Sacrifice; for it is unquestionable, that the Intercession of Christ is available by virtue of, and operates by his Sacrifice. 3. His Method is very lame upon this Account, that he tells us we must be affected with all the powerfull Arguments contained in Christs Incarnation, &c. and yet never tells us, how these Arguments become effectual to affect us, which is a main thing in this Method. A Method he supposes, and yet never informs us, whether it be onelyonly a way that God prescribes us to recover our selves by, using the best of our own Natural strength, or whether it be Gods Way and Method which he proceeds in, for the effectual recovery of a Sinner to himself. 4. Here's a Method pretended, how a Sinner is recovered, and yet no Consideration had, what part and share the Holy Spirit bears in it, which must needs be marvellously ridiculous to him that considers, Iohn 3. 5, 6. Except a man be born again, of Water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Our Saviour had said, v. 3. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God; but not contenting himself to have shew'd, how absolutely necessary Regeneration is to Salvation; v. 5. he shews the Spirits concernment in that work, and that all other Endeavours after Conversion without his powerfull Operation, will amount to no more than flesh; The streams will not rise higher than the Spring. V. 6. That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit: But yet, 5. It's equally absurd to speak of a Sinners Recovery, and never shew from what he is recovered: As if he should promise to Open to us the Nature of Motion, and yet never shew us from whence the Motion takes its rise, nor p. 295whither it tends: Sinners are here talk'd of, to be recovered, but whether there be a state of corrupt and sinfull Nature, a state of Enmity against God, a state of blindness and darkness of Mind, from which this Recovery must move; we are not honoured with half a word. 6. Here's a recovery to Acts of Obedience, love, and practice of Piety, but nothing of a New Heart, a New Nature, which the Scripture makes the Vital Principle of all New Obedience: Here we are told a little of the Fruit the Tree brings forth, but nothing how the Tree was made good, that it might bring forth good Fruit. 7. He assigns a sensibleness of the Shame and Folly of Sin, as the Means to get a Title to the Promises of the Gospel, and yet some of those Promises contain an Engagement of God to give that New heart, new spirit, which he makes the Condition of obtaining a Title to the Promises. Ezek. 36. 26. I will take away the heart of Stone out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of Flesh. I am perswaded that if we should all study seven years to be Impertinent and Ridiculous, there are not many that could reach, or equallize our Authors Attainments.

(Secondly,) The other part of his Task, wherein he is always most Admirable, is, To pluck down those Methods which others have, or are supposed to have Built. And 'tis certainly an easier province to find faults, than to amend them. Now first, he enlightens us with this Doctrine: That the design of Christs coming into the World, was not to distract mens minds with the Terrors of the Law, and the Inexorable Iustice of God, not to bring us under a Legal Despensation of Fear and Bondage: Now all the Colour of this trifling Sophistry lies in two p. 296things. 1. In putting in the word [Distract] to make his Negative seem Tenable: For though Christ came to Humble, to Abase, to Awaken the guilty Consciences of sinners, yet it would be hard to say, he came to fright men out of their Wits, to prepare men for Bedlam, and the slipping in such an useful word, will make a Negative justifiable upon any of the Designs of Christ: But can sinners be more Mad than they are, who go on securely in a state of Impenitency, and Rebellion against God? No sure: That which some call distracting of sinners, is but really a step towards the helping of them to their Wits. 2. The Design of Christs coming into the World is either Subordinate, which relates still to some further end and design of Christ, or Ultimate to which all others do submit, and give deference. Now 'tis true, To awaken guilty Consciences with the Terrors of Gods Iustice, to bring the Soul into a spirit of Bondage, were not that which Christ did aim at as his great End, but that he aimed at these things also in the way to his farthest End: That is, he used the Law to rowse the sleepy sinner to see his danger, and provide for his safety: He wounded men that they might seek after healing; and laid load upon their guilty minds, that they might be content to take his Yoke upon them. And that this is so: 1. We have an Argument, which is, Instar omnium, a Thousand Reasons by it self: That is what our Author says; That we must be affected with all the Arguments of Christs Incarnation, &c. so as to be sensible of the shame and folly of our sins. Now how a man should be ashamed of sin, till he sees its vileness and baseness; and how he should see its vileness and filthiness, till its brought p. 297to the Test of Gods Holy Law, which is the Rule of righteousness, the Measure of Good and Evil; is past my Conjecture. Nay further, that shame which fills a Soul, does not merely arise from a sence of the Souls vileness; but as compared with Gods Holiness, who is a God so Pure, so Holy, &c. that the Soul may well be ashamed, and filled with Confusion of face, to appear before him. Now shame upon the account of the filthiness; and dread upon the account of the guilt of sin, are very near Neighbours: Shame expresses the Souls sence of its own unworthiness to appear before God, upon the score of its baseness and deformity; and Fear expresses but the sence of Gods Authority, which he hath Impressed, and Stampt upon his Holy Law, with the Souls reflection upon it self, that it has violated that Law, and thereby become liable to that Penalty which his own guilt has bound him over to. And this was clear in Adams case: He was Naked, and therefore ashamed; he was guilty, and therefore feared to appear before this Holy God, and Iust Iudge. Now our Author will allow it lawful to fetch Arguments from Christs Incarnation, Life, Doctrine, Death, and what you please, to make us ashamed of sin, but by no means to be afraid of the Great God: But the very truth is, none say, that it is the duty of Men to be Distracted, and Unhinged in mind with slavish fears, and Hellish apprehensions of Gods Justice: But that this Dread may possibly run up some poor Creatures so high, as to a literal distraction, when the apprehensions of the Curse due to the Transgression of a righteous Law, of a Holy, and Jealous God, shall overset a weak Judgement, and dark Mind, that sees its danger, p. 298but no way to escape; sees its Disease, but not its Cure; its sin with the demerits thereof, but not a Saviour with his Merits, and at once considers that Wrath of God which it concludes to be unavoidable, and knows to be Intollerable. 3. That our Saviour did use the Law, and it's Terrors, to awaken the Souls of men to a due apprehension of their sin, and their danger thereupon, the whole Tenour of the New Testament prove: It was the Method of his Precurser, Iohn the Baptist, he laid this Ax to the Root of the Tree, Mat. 3. 10. denouncing against them, That every Tree that brought not forth good Fruit, should be hewen down, and cast into the fire. And where-ever the Pharisees got it, yet a warning they had got to flie from wrath to come. The Apostle Paul both felt it, and Preacht the use of the Law for Conviction of sin, with all its Consequents, and leading the sinner to Christ: He felt it, Rom. 7. 9. When the Commandment came, sin revived, and I died; he saw himself a dead and lost man, He Preacht also the Use of the Law, Gal. 3. 24. to be a Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. What use our Saviour in his own Person made of the Law, may be seen from Matth. 5. and also chap. 23. where he thunders upon the dead and secure Consciences of Sinners, with Arguments taken from the Law of God, and the dreadfull Curse annex'd to the violation of it. And though our Author will allow no more than an Awfull regard and reverence for God, who is a holy and righteous Iudge, and an irreconcileable Enemy to all Sin; yet when a Sinner shall be throughly convinc'd that he is so, and shall know that the wages of Sin is Death, and that he that gave forth this Law, and must sit in Iudgement p. 299upon him, is both a Holy and a Righteous Iudge, and an Irreconcileable Enemy to all Sin, there will be more than an awfull regard and reverence for this God; unless he have the faculty to tell a Sinner how he may stand guilty before his JudgementSeat, and not be filled with horror and unspeakable amazement. But I see our Author can be both more severe than Christ, where his severity is not due, and more mercifull too at other times, when his Clemency will destroy: He will dawb over the chinks of their Consciences with untemper'd Mortar, and skin over their wounds very smoothly; he will not have men feel the workings of the Law, nor any amazing terrours of Gods wrath. Though it be hard to conceive how a Soul should see Sin, and not see Gods wrath; or seeing it, not be terrified, and amazed with it: But such was not the Way and Method, nor such the End and Design of Christs coming; He never preach'd Peace, when Destruction was nigh; he accommodated not his Doctrine to the Lusts and Tempers of Sinners, but Acted according to his Commission, Isa. 61. 1, 2. Preaching the Acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God. But our Author has imposed it upon himself, as his constant Method, to discourse pro re natâ, to fit the present purpose; for pag. 3. of this excellent Piece, he had told us, That the Gospel of Christ is as severe a Dispensation as the Law, which dooms men to Eternal misery, that live not very vertuous and innocent Lives: And they must be very vertuous and innocent ones indeed, who escape that doom, for just now he assures us, That God is a righteous Iudge, and an irreconcileable Enemy to all sin.

p. 300After all this storm, there are yet a few drops behind, which we may do well to shelter our selves from, if we can: He falls into some heat against our having Christ offer'd to us to be our Saviour; against the Beseechings of Christ; against Covenanting with Christ; which is well express'd by Contract and Espousal: And for this there is good warrant, 2 Cor. 5. 20. As though God did beseech you by us, we pray you (in Christs stead) be ye reconciled to God. This was Scripture before he was born, and will be so when he is gone; and therefore he may speak his pleasure against Christ, and his Gospel; But he has a License, and let him make the best on't: for our parts, we hope we shall not be Scoffed out of the Concernments of our Souls, and Salvation; and if that must Anger him, let him repeat over the Alphabet, or which will do as well, Turn the Knot of his Girdle behind him.

To conclude; the Persons whom our Authors lot is fallen out to reproach, Doe build their Faith, Hope, and Expectations upon God through Christ; The Knowledge of all which, they owe alone to the Scriptures, given forth by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost: The supposition therefore that our Author has proceedeed upon all this while, is a meer Falshood; yet had it been True what he charges them with, he had very weakly overthrown their Errour; and none can doe greater disservice to the Truth, than by a weak and feeble defence of it, or a weak Opposition to the contrary; it's enough to tempt some men to take up what he opposes, and to presume there are no better Arguments one way or other, because so confident a Designer could give no better: For all the Misadventures p. 301in his Tedious Scheme, he will make us believe hee's not bound to answer for them; for if the Proportions be but regular, let the Doctrine be what it will, he does but personate the Mode of others: But yet we have discover'd here many of his own dear Notions, sent abroad in Masquerade, which will appear more bare-faced in the following sheets; Imitating herein the famous Limner, who would stand behind his Exposed Piece, to Eaves-drop the Censure of the Critical Spectator; Just thus does our Author skulk behind his New Model of Divinity, and if it meets with an Imprimatur, he will play a more Overt Game; but if otherwise, he can quickly pluck in his Horns.