The Scripture Gospel Defended, Note to the reader
A further Advertiſement to the READER.
HE that will know whether I rightly cite Dr. Criſpe, muſt read his own Books, eſ…ecially, Lib. 2.Serm. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.15. and Vol. 1. Serm. 9, 10, 11. He is ſo large, that I muſt give you but a Taſte of his Doctrine, in his own Words.
Vol. 2. Serm. 3. pag. (Edit. 1644.) 88, 89, 90. It is Iniquity it ſelf that the Lord hath laid on Chriſt.— It is the Fault or Tranſgreſſion it ſelf — To ſpeak it more plainly, Haſt thou been an Idolater, a Blaphemer, a Deſpiſer of God's Word, a Trampler on Him? Haſt thou been a Deſpiſer of Government, a Deſpiſer of thy Parents, a Murtherer, an Adulterer, a Thief, a Lyar, a Drunkard? Reckon up what thou canſt againſt thy ſelf, if thou haſt Par… in the Lord Chriſt, all theſe Tranſgreſſions of thine become actually the Tranſgreſſi…ns of Chriſt, and ſo ceaſe to be thine, and thou ceaſeſt to be a Tranſgreſſor, from that time they were laid on Chriſt, (which he oft ſaith, was before we were born) to the laſt hour of thy Life: So that now thou art not an Idolater, thou art not a Perſecutor, a Thief, or a Murtherer, (Why will not our Judges believe this, but hang innocent Men?) Thou art not an Adulterer, thou art not a ſinful Perſon, (Why did Chriſt then juſtifie the confeſſing Publican?) Reckon what Sin ſoever you commit, when you have part in Chriſt, you ARE ALL that Chriſt was, Chriſt is ALL that you were, 2 Cor. 5.21. mark it well: Chriſt is not himſelf ſo compleatly righteous, but we are as righteous as he was: Nor we ſo compleatly ſinful, but Chriſt became, being made ſin, as compleatly ſinful as we: Nay, more; The righteouſness that Chriſt hath with the Father, we ARE the ſame righteouſness; that very ſinfulness that we were, Chriſt is made that very ſinfulness before God; ſo that here is a direct Change: Chriſt takes our PERSONS, and Conditions, and ſtands in our ſtead; we take Chriſt's PERSON and Condition, and ſtand in his ſtead: What the Lord b…held Chriſt to be, that he beheld his Members to be; and what he beheld the Members to be in themſelves, that he beheld Chriſt himſelf to be.—Chriſt himſelf is not more righteous, than this Perſon; and that Perſon is not more ſinful than Chriſt was.
Pag. 91, &c. He at large ſtriveth to prove that it was not only the guilt of ſin, or the Puniſhment that God put on Chriſt, but the very ſin it ſelf. So p. 108. (Having well proved, that Imputation ſignifieth not, That God lyed, or miſ-reckoned, but only reckoned that to be, which truly is: He ſaith, [That Chriſt became as really and truly the Perſon that had all theſe ſins, as he that did commit them really and truly, had them:] Read more, Serm. 6. pag. 139. There is not one Paſſage of Scripture that ſpeaks of imputing our ſins to Chriſt.
Vol. 1. Serm. 10. pag. 242. For ANY HURT that ſuch ſins can do to us, it is not poſſible; for Chriſt hath made ſatisfaction. pag. 239. Tho' ſins be committed, there is no peace broken, becauſe the breach of peace is ſatisfied in Chriſt. p. 234, 235. That they are to do, they are not to do it with ANY EYE to their own Advantage, that being already perfectly compleated to their hands, before they do any thing: But with an Eye to glorifie God, and to ſerve their Generation. And page. 236, 237. he is large in threatning them that pr…y or do any thing for Life, or furthering our Salvation, Do this, and live; being the Voice of the Law, therefore we must do nothing that we may live, (or as e…ſewhere he ſaith) to …e ever the better for it.
P. 230, 231. There is n…t any Duty you perf…rm, when you have attained the higheſt pitch, that hath any prevalency or availableneſs, to produce to bring forth any the le…ſt Good to your ſelves: I ſay again, There is nothing you can do, from wh… … you ought to expect any Gain to your ſelves by doing; you ought not to ſeek to find in what you do, &c. — No Believer for whom Chriſt dyed, ſhould have the leaſt Thought in his heart, of promoting or advanceing himſelf, or any end of his own, by doing what he doth, but to glorifie God, and do good to men.
You cannot propound or intend to your ſelves any poſſible Gain by Duty, &c. Why then do men plow, and ſow, and trade, and eat, &c. Is it not as much againſt Chriſt to do good for others, as for my ſelf? Is glorifying God inconſiſtent with ſeeking to be ſaved?
Reader, I give thee but this Taſte, to ſhew thee how truly I cite him in all the reſt. I have Five Arguments againſt theſe Men. 1. The Eſſential Nature of Man. 2. The Nature of God, and his Government. 3. The Office and Work of Chriſt, and Grace. 4. The whole Bible. 5. The Conſent of Mankind, eſpecially Chriſtians.
The diſmal Effects: 1. The confirming of Thouſands in Popery, ſeeing our horrid Errors. 2. Hardening Malignants in Impenitency, as being but againſt odious Hereticks. 3. Seducing ignorant Zealots, cheated by good Words and Names. 4. Threatening the Land with uncurable Diviſion. 5. Diſaffecting Rulers againſt us as intollerable.