Baxters Aphorisms, Part 2 · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
Whether the Reaſons which hee bringeth prove him not to be a Legallist and Anti-goſpeller.
HIS fifth endeavour is to vindicate his doctrine from being legall and Anti-Evangelicall: That although it hold Beleevers not only under the bondage, but alſo under the Curſe of the Law, in life and death till the day of Judgment, Theſ. 9. pa. 65. & p. 73. and elſe-where oft: Though it makes works the condition of the New, as well as of the Old Covenant; though he maintains that Doe and Live, is the voyce of the Goſpel as well as of the Law, Append. p. 81. Yet is he not a Phariſee or Legalliſt, nor his doctrine ungoſpel-like; It is purely Chriſtian, and full of ſweet and raviſhing Conſolation to a Beleever, not the leaſt tangue of the Covenant of works, but the odour and very marrow of the Covenant of grace in it. It would be too long to ſet forth in his own words all the reaſons that ſcatteringly throughout this Book of his hee bringeth to prove a probability and likelihood of truth in this his Paradox. The ſum of it is this.
B. 1. As to the bondage and Curſe of the Law, though they that are in Chriſt are under it in part, yet they are not under it in the whole, as all ſinners under the Law, wholly out of Chriſt. For they are conditionally pardoned and juſtified [as he frequently expreſſeth himſelf] and ſo there is ſome ground of hope, to take off the extreamity of deſpair. And it is not the whole, but ſome part of the Curſe of the Law that lyeth upon them, p. 65. Theſ. 9. Chriſts death hath ſuſpended the RIGOROƲS execution of the ſentence of the Law, that it doth not immediately fall upon his Redeemed ones, p. 67. though they ſuffer, after they are in Chriſt, much of the Curſe in execution of the threatning of the Law, [and that not without rigour] yet is it not in its full rigour, p. 69. And Chriſt wch hath ſuſpended the rigour of the Curſe, manageth that which lyeth on them to their good and advantage, pag. 72. And is not this cordiall Goſpel? the balm of Gilead? and the healing of Chriſts wings to a wounded ſoul?
The force of all this hath been examined already, as elſe-where, ſo moſt copiouſly in the Examination of his ninth Theſis, and the explication thereof, to which for the prevention of Tautologizing here, I refer the Reader. Only let him by the way conſider with me how fitly theſe gloſſes of Mr. Br. do agree with many plain and evident Sriptures. Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the law, being made a curſe for us, Gal. 3. 13. i. e. ſaith M. Br. from the rigour of the Curſe, not from the Curſe it ſelf, for it lyeth upon us ſtill: or from the Curſe, that it ſhall not follow us to heaven after the world is ended; not but that untill the worlds end it ſhall torment us both dead and living. There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, who walke not after the Fleſh, but after the Spirit, Rom. 8. 1. i. e. No condemnation in its full rigour, but condemnation unto, and the execution of the Curſe they muſt bear untill the day of judgment, and after that he knoweth not what will become of them. Bleſſed is the man whoſe iniquities are forgiven, and whoſe ſinns are covered, Rom. 4. 7. i. e. in part bleſſed, and in part curſed. The blood of Chriſt purgeth from all ſin, 1 Joh. 1. 7. i. e. from all ſin, not from all the curſe and vengeance due to any one of our ſins are we delivered. God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiven you all your ſins and treſpaſſes, Eph. 4. 32. Col. 2. 13. i. e. hath forgiven you the fault, but not the curſe and puniſhment. By one offering, Chriſt hath perfected for ever them that are ſanctifird, i. e. hath laid a ground to perfect them if he will in the next world, not that he hath perfected them in point of Juſtification here. The time paſt is put for a time to come, and a certain for an uncertain time. Heb. 10. 14. They that are once purged by ſacrifice, have no more conſcience of ſinn, i. e. when they are wholly purged in heaven, not while they are but in part purged upon earth. Heb. 10. 2. Their ſins and their iniquities will I remember no more, Heb. 10. 17. i. e. no more as forgiven to ſpare them: But as long as the Sun and Moon endure, I will remember to pour out the Curſe and vengeance for them. Wee are juſtified by the blood, and reconciled to the Father by the death of the Son, Rom. 5. 9, 10. That is, we have right and title ſo to be reconciled and juſtified in another world, if we loſe it not by the way. He was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, and bruiſed for our iniquities, and with his ſtripes we are healed, Iſa. 53. 5. i. e. So healed with his ſtripes that he ſhall wound us again with the ſtrokes of his Curſe ſo ſorely, that we ſhall be healed no more while the world laſteth. I have ſworn that I would no more be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee, Iſa. 54 9. i. e. I have ſworn, but never meant to ſtand to it. I might inſtance hundreds more of ſuch Scriptures, wherewith Mr. Brs. gloſſes and diſtinctions do as well agree as fire & towe together. If Mr. Br. did ſo much honour the very intrals of Gods word, as hee doth the backſide of Ariſtotles Topicks, he would not dare ſo to elude and elide them. But Gods authority with him muſt (it ſeems) ſtand or fall, as it hath or hath not approbation from Ariſtotles or Socinus his Reaſon, being ſubmitted to the cenſure thereof. And then what living plant of God can ſtand, where this man brings the Axe of his diſtinctions to fell and prepare billets in heaps for his Cole-fires?
B. 2. As to the Covenant of works, though he make them Concomitants with Faith in juſtifying, and that the voyce of the New C: is (after his Aſſertion) the ſame with the voyce of the Old, Do, and Live, yet he denies his doctrine to be herein Legall: Becauſe there is a manifold difference implyed, though not expreſſed between the Lawes and the Goſpels juſtifying by works. 1 The Law requireth an obedience or righteouſneſs of works in every number and degree perfect, to juſtification: But hee makes the New Covenant or Goſpell to require only ſincere obedience, or obedience perfect in ſincerity for the attainment of this end, Aph. pa. 133. & 316. and Theſ. 77. pa. 310. and App. pa. 76, 77. And the ſincere covenanting of this obedience, or this ſincere obedience covenanted, muſt be thus conditioned, elſe it is not ſincere. 1 It muſt follow upon the knowledg of the Nature, ends, & conditions of the Covenant. 2 It muſt be done deliberately, and not in a fit of paſſion, or raſhly. 3 It muſt be done ſeriouſly, and not diſſemblingly, or ſlightly. 4 Freely and heartily, and not through meer conſtraint and fear. 5 Intirely, and with a reſolution to perform the [whole] Covenant, and not with reſervations, giving themſelves to Chriſt by the halves, or reſerving a purpoſe to maintain their fleſhly intereſts. 6 It muſt be the taking and obeying of Chriſt alone, not joyning others in office with him, but renouncing all other happineſs, ſave what is by him, and all government and ſalvation from any, which is not in direct ſubordination to him, Append. pa. 33. Theſe make up a ſincere and perfect obedience, a ſincere and perfect Goſpel-righteouſneſſ, perfect in reſpect of Evangelicall, though not of legall perfection. For ſincerity is our Goſpel perfection, being a conformity to the rule of perfection, viz. the New Covenant as it is a Covenant, a perfection of ſufficiency in order to its end, which is to be the condition of Juſtification, Aph. p. 132, 133. [Who now is there of all men that hath eyes in his elbows, but ſeeth diſtinctly a vaſt difference between the Laws and the Goſpels juſtifying by works. For it is juſtice which requires perfect, but Grace that requireth but ſincere obedience to juſtification.
All this is without book, the dictates not of the Holy Ghoſt, but of Mr. Br. and that ſpirit which wrought in his Maſters from whom he learned it. For 1. The Scriptures which he alledgeth in any part of this Treatiſe to make any part thereof probable, have been examined, and none of them found to ſpeak for him, moſt againſt him. Neither do theſe aſſertions of Scripture that affirm Chriſt to give, or promiſe that he will give life, ſalvation, &c. to ſuch or ſuch qualified or working perſons, [as to them that love him, or fear him, or obey him, or to the meek, the righteous, &c.] any more infer that theſe qualifications or works have any proper or improper cauſality to produce their juſtification; than when the Scriptures affirm him to give grace and life to Centurions, Publicans, Harlots, Sinners, Enemies, U…godly, Chief ſinners, Samaritans, Heathen, do infer, that their being ſuch had any cauſality unto their juſtification.
2. Nay the Scriptures utterly deny the Goſpel to have to do with the Law in this voyce, Do, and Live, as I have before oft alleged them. Not by works of righteouſneſs which we have done, but of his Mercy he hath ſaved us, by Faith not of works. Not of workes, but of Grace. And how poor a ſhift Mr. Br. uſeth to elude the force of theſe and the like Scriptures, hath been ſhewed in the examination of his vindicating himſelf from being contradictive to St. Paul.
3. Yea if works in any notion or conſideration be brought as coupled with Faith to promote Juſtification, the Scriptures affirm them to deſtroy the hope of Juſtification, and to repell the grace of Chriſt, by which the Beleevers are juſtified. If ye be circumciſed (which in Pauls ſenſe there is, if yee bring but this one work to forward your Juſtification by Chriſt) ye are bound to keep the whole law; Chriſt is become of no effect, ye are faln from grace, and faln under the Curſe, Gal. 5. 3, 4. & 3. 10.
4. And if works or obedience in Mr. Brs. ſenſe (which is the doing of the moral Righteouſneſs that the Law commandeth) be not as much as adjuvant to Juſtification, then ſurely ſincere obedience cannot be helpful, where obedience, yea perfect obedience is excluded. This is, and appears to be either an inſtinct, or a diſtinction of Mr. Brs. own brain, not a doctrine of the Scripture, for which way ſhall we turn the leaves thereof to find it?
5. Yea, how rational, or how ridiculous this diſtinction or gloſs of Mr. Br. applyed to thoſe Scriptures which deny juſtification by the obedience of works, I leave both to the ſeeing and the blind to judg. By the works of the law no fleſh ſhall be juſtified, ſaith the Apoſtle, i. e. ſaith Mr. Br. by the perfect obedience of works, but by unperfect obedience, if ſincere, we may be juſtified. Not of works but of grace, i. e. not of works perfectly done, but of works unperfectly, yet ſincerely done: ſo grace and works may be made friends, that is, Gods grace and mans vain glory may kiſs each other as co-equal workers of mans juſtification. Not by works of Righteouſnes which we have done, but of his mercy, &c. i. e. which wee have done perfectly, but which we have done maimedly, yet ſincerely. If ſome Feſtus ſhould hear ſuch a Commentary of Mr. Br. upon Paul, he would conclude ſure, that one of them is beſide himſelf, much learning hath made him madd. Either Paul, that he had not wit or words to expreſs his own meaning, that in the whole bulk of his diſputes, denying unto our works and righteouſneſs indefinitely, all operation to Juſtification, & doth not as much as with a Parentheſis, in any place inform his Reader that he ſpeaks not of Goſpel, but of legall works, not of ſincere, but of perfect obedience; that theſe are rejected from, thoſe neceſſarily required to juſtification: Or Mr. Br. that without craving leave of Paul, by ſuch groſs diſtinetions goes about to make him unſay what he hath ſaid, and the world to believe, that in all what he wrote of Juſtification, hee meant to be underſtood on the contrary to what hee ſpeaketh.
6. If we bring works at all to procure juſtification by Chriſt, we do by evacuating the grace of God and merits of Chriſt to our ſelves, oblige & put a bondage upon our ſelvet to fulfil the whole Law legally in its perfection, elſe can we never be juſtified, but abide under the Curſe for ever. For he that worketh, requireth the reward as a debt in law, and not as a gift of grace; therefore, except his work be ſo perfect, as that it can in ſtrict juſtice ſave him, hee can never attain ſalvation, as by comparing together theſe Scriptures will be evident, viz. Gal. 5. 3, 4. & 3. 10. Rom. 4. 4, 5. & 9. 30, 31, 32.
7. As to the rules or qualifications which he gives to covenanting and obedience that it may be ſincere, they are in ſubſtance meerly legal, the Name of Chriſt being only put in ſtead of the Name of God. And who is there not only of the Jeſuits & Socinians, with the Arminians, from whom he borroweth moſt of his principles, but even of the reall Antinomians, whom he pretends to oppoſe, who in all thoſe particulars thinks not himſelf or gives not cauſe to all to think them as ſincere as Mr. Br? what ground have we to conclude but that they know the ends, nature and conditions of the Covenant ſo truly, and obey with ſo much deliberation and as little fittiſhneſs and raſhneſs; ſo ſeriouſly, without diſſimulation and ſlightneſs; ſo freely, intirely, and ſingly, a… Mr. Br. doth? Thus every ſtigmatized Heretick in his own way, bringing with him ſuch a ſincerity of obedience, ſhall thereby be poſſeſſed of the inveſtiture of Chriſts righteouſneſs, though he ſeek it in his own, not in Gods way, by his own righteouſneſs, and not by Faith alone, which alone God hath ſtamped with an aptitude and efficacy to this work.
B. 2. The Law (ſaith he) requireth obedience and doing, by its own righteouſneſs to juſtifie us: but the Goſpel requireth it as a Medium to acquire to us Chriſts Righteouſneſs by which wee may be juſtified. So that the one requires works to juſtifie us withoutt, the other the ſame works to juſtifie us by a Mediator. This he ſaith ſo frequently in ſubſtance, that it were loſt labour to quote the places.
And it hath been almoſt ſo oft anſwered as ſaid. Therefore I ſhall referr the Reader to the places where it hath been anſwered, and ſpecially to the examination of thoſe his diſputes in which he labours to cleer his doctrine from all tincture of Popery, from all contradiction to Paul, and from being derogatory to Chriſt, & his righteouſnes. Here only I add, that this doctrine is the ſame with that of the moſt legal Phariſees, againſt whom the Apoſtle ſo much inveigheth, wiſhing them accurſed & cut off, for troubling the Churches therwith, Gal. 1 9. & 5. 12. For they arrogated to themſelves alone part in Chriſt & his Righteouſnes, becauſe of their own perſonall righteouſneſs in the works and obedience which the Law requireth; reſiſting the Gentiles, & denying to them all poſſibility to partake in the Juſtification which is by Chriſt by means of Faith alone, except they alſo fulfilled the righteouſneſſe which the Law required to give them right to him and it. Yea Mr. Br. [with theſe] aſcribes more to works than the very unbeleeving Phariſees. For theſe claymed Juſtification only by their works; but he and the beleeving Phariſees challenged for their works, right both in the Juſtifier and in his juſtification alſo: For Cauſa cauſae eſt etiam cauſa cauſati. As farr as they aſcribe to their works a Cauſality to make Chriſt theirs, they make them cauſal to render the Juſtification which is by Chriſt theirs alſo.
B. 3. That neither is his Doctrine legall, nor doth he aſcribe too much to works, becauſe he maketh Faith and obedience to be but a Condition, or a M…dium, or a poor improper Cauſa ſine qua non, of our Juſtification, Aph. pa. 223, 224. and our doing no part of ſatisfaction for our unrighteouſneſs (for this hee ſeems to have aſcribed before to our ſufferings in bearing the Curſe) but to be our Goſpel-Righteouſneſs, or the Condition of our participation in Chriſt who is our legall Righteouſneſs, & ſo of all the benefits that come by him, App. p. 78. I ſay, that ſubjection and obedience juſtifie. 1 Not as works ſimply conſidered: 2 Nor as legall works: 3 Nor as meritorious workes: 4 Nor as good works which God is pleaſed with: 5 But as Conditions to which the free Law giver hath promiſed Juſtification and life
Nay your (i. e. the Proteſtants) doctrine aſcribeth farr more of the work to man than mine; For you make Juſtification an effect of your own Faith, and your faith an inſtrumentall cauſe of it, and ſo make your ſelf your own Juſtifier. And you ſay your faith juſtifieth as it apprehendeth Chriſt, which is the moſt intrinſicall, eſſentiall conſideration of Faith; & ſo faith hath much of the Honour. But while I affirm that it juſtifieth only as a condition, which is an extrinſicall conſideration, and alien from its eſſence and Nature, I give the glory to him that freely giveth mee life, and that made ſo ſweet a condition to his Covenant, and that enableth me to perform the ſaid Condition, App. pag. 120, 121.
All this hath been oft and fully examined before in its place alſo, and how little truth there is in any part or parcell thereof diſcovered. It would be wearineſs to the fleſh, and vexation to the Spirit, but to look ſo often upon his great Goddeſs, his Queen of Heaven [CONDITION] as he bleſſeth her. O that his conſcience had been ſo well acquainted with Chriſt, as his fancy is with this Idoll; he would not then have peſtered the Church with ſuch an imaginary Deity, nor proſtituted all that is called God at the feet of ſuch a Proſerpina. I am weary any more to attend to him, making the will of God, i. e. God willing conditional, and ſo the immutable God a conditional God, the ſalvation of Chriſt conditional, & ſo Chriſt a conditional Saviour; or the witneſs & ſeal of Chriſt a conditional ſeal and witneſs, and ſo the Holy Ghoſt a conditional Spirit of Adoption; or the goſpel of righteouſneſs, forgiveneſs, and life, a conditional Goſpel, and conſequently nulling all th…ſe, and pronouncing them no God, no Chriſt, no Holy Ghoſt, no Goſpel. For a conditional propoſition doth Nihil ponere, and after Mr Brs. principles, it is in mans righteoſneſs to give or deſtroy the actual exiſtence of every of theſe. But I leave to him that delights therein to bury himſelf in this gu…ph. I conceive my ſelf obnoxious to cenſure for ſpending and ſpilling ſo many words already, to ſhew the deformity and uglineſs of this imaginary Chimera. Here therefore it ſhall ſuffice (leaving the Reader to the peruſall of what hath been ſaid already upon this ſubject) to mind him of theſe two things.
1. That both the whole and every leaſt fragment of all that is here collected, whether we look to the ſubſtance or Artifice uſed about it, is not his, but borrowed partly from the Papiſts, partly from the Socinians, and their Apes the Arminians, as hath been before ſhewed: and if I ſhall be called thereto, I am ready more fully to ſhew, by quoting the Authors, out of whom he hath tranſcribed all almoſt word for word, to his uſe: So that the Reader may conſult with ſuch of our Writers, that have anſwered their ſophiſtry, if he deſire to read more fully and largely upon this ſubject, and not expect it from mee who have already tranſgreſſed (as ſome will judg) by my too much largeneſs thereon, as to Mr. Baxter.
2 That although the voyce here be the voyce of Jacob, yet the hands are the hands of Eſau. Sweet words, but ſubverting doctrine in matter and ſubſtance. Pills of poyſon wrapt up in gold, we except not againſt the gold, but the poyſon therein incloſed, not againſt the Terms of words conſidered by themſelves, but againſt the pernicious doctrine which they palliate. Whether we aſcribe too much to Faith by making it an inſtrument, ſee the examination of his anſwer to the laſt queſtion which he propoundeth in the explication of Theſ. 56. But how falſe and fallacious his flaattering words which he uſeth here to make tolerable, yea ſweet his arrogant doctrine of Juſtification by works (viz. that Wee, that is, I and the Papiſts, with Socinus and Arminius, make our righteouſneſſe but a Condition, or Medium, or a poor improper Cauſa ſine qua non, no part of ſatisfaction for our unrighteouſneſs, Not as works ſimply conſidered, nor as Legall works, nor as Meritorious works, Nor as good works with which God is pleaſed, but as our Goſpel-righteouſneſs, and conditions to which the free Law-giver hath promiſed juſtification and life) will eaſily appear to him that conſidereth what & how much hee aſcribeth to works. Though he cals works a poor Cauſa ſine qua non, yet himſelf affirmeth that ſome Cauſes ſine qua non, deſerve farr greater praiſe in morall reſpect, than ſome that have a proper Cauſality, do, Aph. pa. 216. wch though in words he deny of Faith (meaning by faith all obedience and good works which hee calls the ſeverall Acts of Faith, Aph. p. 126.) that it doth ſo deſerve, Aphor. p. 224. yet in matter and ſubſtance he affirms it. And
Nulla fides verbis cum res adverſa loquatur.
For as I have more than hinted before,
1 He maketh our righteouſnes of works and Chriſts ſatisfactory righteouſneſs, co-ordinate and collateral in the procurement of our Juſtification, the one as abſolutely neceſſary as the other to the attainment of this end; the one to purchaſe a poſſibility of Juſtification, the other to render that which was but in poſſibility, actual and effectual to us: Both ſatisfactory, the one as a ſufficient Fine and payment, the other as ſatisfactory Rent and homage, Aph. Theſ. 17, 18, 19. pa. 129.
2 He puts both in the ſame order and kind of Cauſes, making our righteouſneſs and Chriſts ſatisfaction to be both the Cauſa ſine qua non, Theſ. 56. For although he names Faith there, yet himſelf declares himſelfe under Faith to mean and comprehend obedience alſo. This Civility alone he vouchſafeth to Chriſt, that he names Chriſts ſatisfaction before our faith or obedience, becauſe it ſeems that is the elder. But in order, power and authority, to the producing of this effect, Chriſt hath no pre-eminence given him above man.
3 He affirms mans righteouſneſs to be as perfect as Chriſts righteouſneſs in order to Juſtification, viz. both perfect [in ſuo genere] Chriſts righteouſneſs perfect to do its work, & mans to its work; or (as he explains himſelf) both perfect in the perfection of ſufficiency in order to its end. So that here alſo is a parity, no efficiency in Chriſts righteouſneſs without mans, nor in mans without Chriſts to juſtifie. But when the two perfections meet, if neither loſe its perfection, they may after the world is ended, perfect our juſtification, Theſ. 24. p. 132. In the mean while, till our works be added to Chriſts ſatisfaction, what he ſaith of faith, that he every where implyeth of the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, that it is dead being alone, as to the uſe and purpoſe of juſtifying. And ſo as works make faith alive, ſo they make Chriſts ſatisfaction alive, as to the attainment of its end, juſtification.
4 That works juſtifie in the ſame kind of Cauſality and procurement with faith, not only proving Faith to be ſound; but themſelves being in the ſame obligation with Faith, not idle Concomitants, only ſtanding by while Faith doth all (which ſome fools might imagine hee meaneth, when he calls them onelyonly neceſſary Antecedents of Juſtification, pa. 223.) Nay they are Concomitants with Faith in the [very Act of] procuring it, and in that kind of Cauſality which they have, p. 299, 300.
5 They do all this as they are works. Even Faith it ſelf juſtifieth, as it is an Act of ours, Append. p. 80. and as a morall duty, Append. p. 102. So do all other Morall duties as they are part of our ſincere obedience to Chriſt, ibid.
6 That we are juſtified not only by works, Aph. p. 300. and according to our works, but alſo for our works, pa. 320. that good works are a ground and Reaſon of it, p. 221.
7 That we are juſtified for our works, that is, for the Merit of them. Not Merit in the moſt proper and ſtrict ſenſe, which is the performance of ſomewhat not due (by one that is not under the Soveraignty of him to whom it is performed) of that worth in it ſelfe, which bindeth him to whom it is done, in ſtrict and naturall juſtice to requite him. Such an obligation can no creature lay upon God; Neither could perfect obedience, in reſpect of the Law of Works (if man had continued ſtill upright) have ſo merited. [But ſo far as it was poſſible for a perfect man to have merited under the Covenant of works] hee may now merit alſo under the Covenant of Grace by his works, viz. in an improper way of Meriting: where the obligation to reward is Gods Ordinate Juſtice, and the truth of his promiſe, and the worthineſſe lyeth in our performance of the Condition on our part. [Thus farr might Adam in his perfection have merited according to the Law of works, and ſo farr may wee merit according to the Covenant of Grace.] Aphoriſm, Theſis, 26. & pa. 138. 140, 141.
Let all this be laid together, and who can but per-force acknowledge together with the horns of the Lamb, the voyce of the Dragon alſo? and all that he hath ſpoken pretendedly to the diminution of works, under the fine terms of his [cauſa ſine qua non, his Goſpel Condition, and neceſſary Antecedents] to be really but a Cloke to hide his diminution of Chriſt and exaltation of ſinfull man? A Syrens ſong to draw poor ſouls to daſh againſt the Rocks and be drowned in the gulph? Why had he not made our works conjunctly vvith Chriſts ſatisfaction, in his Theſ. 56. the procatarctick and meritorious cauſe of our Juſtification, as well as he doth the ſatisfaction of Chriſt conjunctly with our Faith [or obedience] in the ſame Theſis the Cauſa ſſne qua non, thereof? Had he ſo done, could he have aſcribed more to vvorks under the name of a Meritorious cauſe, then he doth under the title of a poor improper Cauſa ſine qua non? But by ſo doing he ſhould have ſhewed himſelf in the light, when contrariwiſe he that doth evill hateth the light, neither cometh to the light leſt his deeds ſhould be reproved. Let now any of his Diſciples produce (I will not ſay one Arminian, but) one Socinian, Papiſt, yea or Jew, that aſcribes more to works, then this man, in derogation from Chriſt and Grace, elſe let him ceaſe to be a follower of him, or openly and ingenuouſly profeſs that he followeth him as a Jew, Papiſt, or Socinian, and conſequently that he hath made not Mr. Br. but Mr Brs Maſters his Maſter alſo in the doctrine of Juſtification: And that in advancing ſelf ſo high, as to affirm he meriteth no leſs fully and properly then Chriſt himſelf hath or could have done: For, his merits are in order to Gods ordinate not naturall juſtice. But to ſhew the vanity of his diſtinction here, how careleſly he eludeth the holy Scriptures as meer ſhaddows and play-games, the Apoſtle denyeth man in this or that or in any ſenſe to be juſtified by works. He ſaith not, Not by works, [as the efficient or meritorious cauſe, or as the Medium or Antecedent, or Condition, or Cauſa ſine qu… non] leſt any man ſhould boaſt: but poſitively and peremptorily, not by Works as by Faith, yea not by works in any acceptation, upon any ſcore and accompt. Mr. Brs chippings therfore have no more force then a chip to make the Holy Ghoſt to unſay what he hath ſaid. And it is as good ſenſe as if I ſhould ſay, Mans bread doth not apparrell him, as it is the maker, or matter, or inſtrument, or merit of his clothing, but as it is the antecedent, or medium, or condition, or Cauſa ſine qua non of his apparrelling, when contrariwiſe it doth not at all in any ſenſe apparrell him.