Shadows Without Substance, Answer (1 of 3)

Shadows Without Substance · Answer (1 of 3)

p. 1TO Mr John Saltmarſh.

SIR,

WHether according to your hope in the very entrance into your Epiſtle profeſſed, you have returned an Anſwer unto all things materiall in my Book, tho I might well, without further trouble, referre the triall of it unto any that will take the paines to compare this of yours and that together; yet I ſhall, I hope, as occaſion ſhall offer it ſelf, in the further purſuit of this Debate, make it appeare to be farre otherwiſe; and that you have wittingly and willingly overſlipped many things as materiall as any that you have been pleaſed to take notice of. Mean while, to give you a taſt of ſome few of them; you may among others be put in minde of, your palpableaaSee Anſwer page 34, 35. gloſing and diſſembling, in a profeſſed deſire to have the names of Legaliſts and the like, layd down; when in that very Diſcourſe you ſo oft uſe them your ſelfe: yourbbSee Anſ. p. 27 30, 31. 40. inſolent cenſures and uncharitable aſperſions of thoſe whom you are pleaſed ſo to ſtyle; one while charging them with groſſe ignorance, asccTreatiſe p. 40 85. unable for want of that ſpirituall diſcerning, andddTreat. p. 28. more glorious light, revealed to your ſelf and thoſe of your way, to diſtinguiſh thoſe things that Antichriſt hath jumbled together; another while with no leſſe groſſe perfidiouſneſſe, and notorious wickedneſſe,eeTrea. p. 37. 85. in deviſing wayes and courſes, to keep open the wounds of their ſpirituall patients, for the lengthning of their cure; beſids other reproachfull ſpeeches p. 2uttered of them, as thatffTreat. p 82. they exalt men, to cry down Chriſt: yourggTreat p. 77. See Anſw. p, 41 paralleling the way acknowledged to have been uſed by the Prophets, with the Popes giving out his Pardons: your declining to render an account where you finde in Gods word thathhTreat. p. 85. Scripture aſſurance (as you tearm it, pronouncing withall,iiIbid. ſee Anſ. p 32. 33. all other aſſurances, tho ſuch as are ſhewed to be found in Scripture, to be rotten concluſions from Gods Word) to wit,kkTreat p. 84. that Chriſt Jeſus hath perfectly beleeved for us, and perfectly repented for us: thellSee Anſ. p. 27 28. other baſe terms heaped upon thoſe wayes of Aſſurance, that by the Apoſtles have been delivered: and laſtly, (to let paſſe the reſt for the preſent, that you ſtoop not ſo low as to look after) your encouraging ChriſtiansmmTreat. p. 173 174. ſee Anſw. p. 17. 18. not to be troubled for any ſin; nor to imagine that God is diſpleaſed with them, or that any afflictions do befall them for their ſinnes, or that they ſhall ever be called to any account for them.

But theſe, it ſeems you account matters of no moment, nor do I much marvell that ſuch things as theſe ſhould be ſo ſlighted by one who tho he reproach, revile, calumniate, and wrong any in any kinde whatſoever, traduce the truth, broach errours, belch out blaſphemies, yet profeſſeth not to expect or fear any after-reckoning with God for it; and either jeers, or at leaſt and beſt, pities themnnTreat. p. 171. as ſely ſouls that ſo do. Howbeit, Sir, we cannot yet ſo perſwade our ſelves; nor do you deal ſo kindly with us, in letting theſe things ſlip, and not endeavouring to rectify our judgements herein, out of Gods word (which we deſire to make, as we conceive it to be, both in theſe things and in all other,ooEſay 8.20. 2 Tim. 3.16, 17 foreign. Chryſoſt. in 2 Cor. Orat. 13. foreign. Baſil. aſc…t defin. 72.Isa 8:202 Tim 3:162 Tim 3:17 our Rule of direction, as well for opinion as for practice) that ſo we might not with thoſe ſely creatures you ſpeak of, hold and carry our ſelves ſo ſtrait-laced in theſe things, but being better enformed of our liberty, as you, it ſeems, are, may know our ſelves to be in this regard much more looſ-girt then as yet we are aware of. And thus much ſhall at preſent ſuffice concerning your Hope of having donne that which indeed you never meant to do.

After this your hope profeſſed, you fall to ſnatch and ſnarl at my margine; which tho you tell me you will not meddle with ppEpiſtle.; (nor is it any great matter whether you do or no; tho you may peradventure finde ſome things there, that you liſt not to deal with) yet in the very next words, breaking your word ſo lately given, as repenting you of what you had ſayd, you fall foul upon it, charging it both in this Anſwer and in other my books, to be p. 3filled with ſuch things and Autors as are of little valew to Chriſt crucified; and to be ſuch as argue me to be Comicall and Poeticall in mine old age.

Concerning which there needs here no large Apology, nor long Anſwer. In brief, many things are uſefull, which are yet of no great valew to Chriſt crucified, and ſuch indeed are all humane Arts and Sciences; which notwithſtanding are and may be made many of themqqforeign. Ariſtot. Met. l. 2. c. 2. Ancillantur Theologiae humaniores diſciplinae. Lipſ. manud…ct ad Stoic. Diſt. 3. Handmayds unto Divinity; and are of ſpeciall uſe for the finding out of truth, andrrVerè hoc mihi dicturus videor; niſi accuratius homines incipiant philoſophari, futurum, ut nullus ſectarum & errorum futurus ſit finis; quōdoquidem ignoratione ac cidât, ut neque accipere legitimè, neqe reddero rationes diſputatores imperiti valeant. Schaegh. adv. Antitrin. praef. diſcovery of errours oppoſite therunto; nor is it marvell therefore that the Sectaries of our times do ſo much decry them. The Apoſtle, tho he profeſſeſſ1 Cor. 2.2. foreign1 Cor 2:2 that he determined to know (that is,uuDocere, Cameron in Myrothec. ad Marc. 13.32. Profiteri. Illyric. Beza. Praedicare, Calvin.Mark 13:32 to teach, preach, regard, or take notice of) nothing in compariſon at Corinth but Chriſt Crucified; yet in the very ſame Epiſtle, wherein he ſo profeſſeth,xx1 Cor. 15.33.1 Cor 15:33 he cites a ſaying ofyyEx Menandri Thaide. Schol. Graec. & Hieronym. ad Magn. qos pleriqeſequntut. At Clemens foreign ſtrom. l. 1. Menander a Comick, as is moſt generally agreed: and tho concerning himſelf be elſewhere profeſſes, thataaPhil. 3 8.Phil 3:8 he eſteemed all things, beſides, as bbforeign, ſcoria, faex. Dioſcorid. l. 5. c. 85. unde foreign Plut. in Themiſt.dr…ſſe orccforeign, ſtercus. Gloſſar. foreign. Heſych. foreign. Etymol. At Suidae, foreign, menſae decidu…. Chariſio, qiſqiliae. Priſciano, frumenti purgamen a, aceres, paleae. Syneſio, capitis furfures, ſordes. dung, (for the word may bear either) in regard of Chriſt, the eminent knowledge of him, and his intereſt in him; yet did, he not ſo abandon his former reading in Poets, as wholly to refuſe or reject all uſe of them; but is obſerved to haveddEx Arato, Act. 17.28. ex Epimenide Tit. 1. 12.Acts 17:28Titus 1:12 alleadged ſome paſſages out of them; and that in likelihood alſo in his elder age. For mine own part, Poetry I never profeſſed, nor was ever heard or ſeen on any Scene: whether your ſelf have, or no, I know not; nor is it ought to me, nor do I liſt to enquire. Howbeit in their writings I acknowledge, that, I have been ſomtime ſomewhat verſed: and ſome of thoſe things that I then red in them, are not yet utterly loſt with me: nor am I aſhamed, as occaſion is offered, to make uſe of them, no more then that bleſſed Apoſtel was: tho they be the leaſt part of that which you might have met with in my margin, either here or elſwhere.zzEuripideum Socrat. hiſt. l. 3. c. 16. utriuſqe eſſe potuit. Vide Clem. ſtrom. l. 6. & Gell. l. 23 c. 17.

p. 4But Sir, what is all this to any point in qeſtion between you and me at preſent? what is the filling of my margin with things and Autors of leſſe valew then Chriſt crucified (which yet for want of better and more pertinent matter, helps to fill and make up the main body of your Epiſtle, and comes in again to eech out theeeConcluſ. p. 17. cloſe of your book) unto the buſineſſe in debate; either the clearing of your ſelfe from your arrogant cenſures, and groundleſſe asperſions of Gods faithfull ſervants, and your blasphemous jeeres faſtened through their ſides, on Gods Prophets? which winde and turn you, which way you will, you will never be able to elude; and which, had you any dram of ingenuity left in you, you well might and would in the eyes of men at leaſt be aſhamed of; (tho in Gods ſightffSee Gods eye on his Iſr. Pref. p. 2. the principles layd by you and thoſe of your ſtrain, do openly profeſſe and proclaim, that you neither are, not ought to be aſhamed of ought) and which being altogether unable to wipe off, you therefore ſlily ſlip by, and return no Anſwer at all to? Or what is my being Comicall and Poëticall in mine old age? which you have once again a fling at, making itggforeign. Prora & puppis. ut Graecorum proverbium eſt. Cicer. ad. Tiron. epiſt. 24. prow and poop (as they uſe to ſay)hhCaput & cavda. head and tail of your diſcourſe; (tho I know no reaſon why any Divine may not exerciſe his Poëtry, if he have a vain that way, which my ſelf never had; and that in his old age too, asiiGregor. Naz. Pavlin. Nolan. Theodor. Beza, alii innumeri. many worthy and religious perſons have done) but what is this, I ſay, unto the cleering or ſtrengthing of ought excepted againſt in your book, or to the removing or weakning of any objection made againſt it? It was long ſince obſerved to be ankkforeign. Ariſtot. rhetor. l. 3. c. 14. ill ſign, and ſuch as might well give juſt ſuſpition of a bad cauſe, when men fly out from the matter in preſent debate, and eitherllIn adverſae partis advocatos invehuntur, & ubi defecerint alia, conviciis implent vacua cavſarum; ſi contingit, veris, ſi… minus fictis. fall foul upon the perſon of him, with whom they are to debate it, or makemmforeign Aeſchin. ad Cteſiph. excurſions into by-matters, ſnatching and catching at every thing that comes in their way, as deſirous to be dealing rather with any thing then that, wherein they find themſelves wringed. Which whither herein you do or no, I am well content that others judge.

As for what you ſubjoyn, concerning your former raptures, which you profeſſe now to be ſhamed of; and of your preſent ſtrains of a more glorious Spirit: for the former, what they have been, I wot not, nor am I curious to make inqiry. If they were ſuch as you may juſtly be aſhamed of, you have good cauſe to repent of them; asnnPſal. 25.7.Ps 25:7 David did in his later dayes of his younger ſlips p. 5and exceſſes; if you think David at leaſt a fit precedent for you to follow; which the inſolency of thoſe of your way doth diſdaine: And for the latter, to wit, your ſtraines of a more glorious ſpirit, not unlike your vaunting elſ-where ofooTreatiſe, p. 28. a more glorious light, it will peradventure with ſome no injudicious Readers be deemed, not to want ſome ſmach of vain-glory; eſpecially laid together with the glittering Title of your former Treatiſe, and that height of ſcorn and contempt, which therein you expreſſe, ofppTreat. p. 40. the divinity and the Divines (a tearm that ye here ſeem to jeer at tho formerly uſed by you) both of theſe dayes and former times.

Your concluſion is, That you hope you ſhall be no more in paſſion with me, then with my brother of the Aſſembly, M. LEY.

Truly, Sir, this latter hope ſeems wholy fruſtrate as well as the former; for you have already here expreſſed paſſion enough, if not pride and Magisteriality alſo mixt with it. Or what was it but paſſion, that carried you into this digreſſion? and what is it, but pride and Magiſteriality, to cenſure for that, which you convince not to be evill, and to reprove without proofe? And ſurely, Sir, if your Anſwer to me, be of the ſame ſtamp with that of yours to Mr Ley, I ſhall look for little in it, but a few froathy ſqibs, ſlightings of matters objected, and vain boaſtings of your ſelf. For of ſuch is your Anſwer to him in a manner wholy made up; fruits of paſſion rather, then of judgement and reaſon.

But, you write, you ſay, to edifie, not to conqer, nor to teach others, but that we may be all taught of God.

Sir, you write riddels; whom intend you by your writing to edifie, if not others? or how to edifie them, if not by teaching? it is true indeed, that unleſſe men beqqEſai. 54.13. Ioh. 6.45.Isa 54:13John 6:45 taught of God, all humanerr1 Cor. 3.6, 7.1 Cor 3:61 Cor 3:7 teaching will do litle good: but neither can man edify any without him; and the caſe therefore being alike in either, where the difference in this regard ſhould ly between edifying and teaching, my ſhallow brain is not able to conceive.

As for writing to conqer: he that writes barely to conqer, without reſpect had to truth, is at beſt butſſSuperbae ſtultitiae perſeverantia. Senc. de ben l. 4. c. 38. a pertinacious, or vain-glorious fool; it isttforeign. Philonid. A veritate vincires p…cherrima. Qi vincitur à veritate, triumphat. Moſes Amyrald. defenſ. doct. Calv. c. 3. a conqeſt fair and honourable enough, to be overcome by truth. Yet touuIud. 3.Judg 3 contend and that earneſtly for the truth, that it may not be overborn by ſuch as oppoſe it; and to further its conqueſt, by beating down errors, that are raiſed up p. 6againſt it, is a juſt and commendable endevour: and ſo to ſtrive to conqer, is no evil, butxxforeign. Henod. …per. a good and laudable ſtrife. In which kinde I profeſſe freely, that I do in this my writingyyTu pertinaciam eſſe hanc praedicas: Ego pervicaciam a…o, & à me uti volo. N…m per…icacem dici me eſſe & vincere, perfacile patior; pertinacem nil moror. Haec fortes ſeqitur; illam indocti poſſident. Accius apud Nonium. endevour to conqer, to wit, by holding out and maintaining the truth oppoſed; and thereby to eſtabliſh and edify others with my ſelf in the ſame, through Gods bleſſing upon my labours; whereunto whither your writings conduce or no, in the enſuing diſcuſſion of this Reply, ſhall by Gods aſſiſtance be more fully made to appear. Which, having thus diſpatch your Epiſtle, I ſhall in the next place addreſſe my ſelf unto.

Your Reply begins with mine Epiſtle, out of which and the forepart of mine Anſwer, you have theſe ſhips.

1. Whereas I ſay, that I was advertiſed of a Treatiſe of yours, wherein I was among other late Writers, produced, (traduced, I might ſay) as giving teſtimony to ſome tenents of the Antinomian party.

You faſten on the word traduced; which as of others there cited, ſo of my ſelfe, I may wel ſay. And whereaszzReply p. 1. you referre the Reader to our books, I do therein very willingly joyn iſſu with you. Let my book ſpeak for me, how I condeſcend to them, or approve of their tenents.

But my words you gave, my meaning you could not come at, nor dive into; nor were you to diſcover to the world, mine intents, nor to judge of my reſerves and ſecret ſenſes; but of words and writings: that whichaaReply p. 1. 2. more then once or twiſe you inſiſt on, to ſalv your double and deceitfull dealing.

But Sir, firſt, we leave ſuch reſervs to thoſe of your own way, whereby to help out their hideous and blaſphemous aſſertions of which morebbSee Gods eye, &c. Preface, p. 26.30. elſ-where.

2. I deem you not ſo ſhallow brained, but that you might, had you liſted, have eaſily conceived my meaning, not lying deep in my heart or breſt (as you pretend) butccSee Anſ p. 4.5 as expreſſed before in my book, ſo laid there before you, in that clauſe inſerted, [as was before ſaid] pointing and directing you as with the finger, to that place, where my meaning was fully explained: which clauſe in your qotation of it was adviſedly left out, becauſe you liſted not to make uſe of it.

But Sir, ſuppoſe you had not had that help, to diſcloſe mine intent to you, and that my words ſhould be taken as they ſtand, p. 7without reference to ought before intimated. Yet the charge of traducing me, as by thoſe words taken in the ſtricteſt ſenſe that may be, acknowledging litle difference between us and the Antinomians, ſtands firm ſtill againſt you: ſince that you cannot with all your witty and wily Sophiſtry (wherein you are riſe enough, I confeſſe; tho Logick you diſclaim) conclude that, which you would father and faſten upon me, from ought you cite out of me: which by divers inſtances in mineddAnſw p. 5. Apology I evidently ſhew; whereunto you return here no Anſwer at all; and remain therefore convict of abuſe and wrong herein offred me. But what forehead that man hath, that hath the face to alledge me out of that book, as acknowledging litle difference between them and us, I ſhall leave to any perſon whatſoever frend or ſo to determine, that hath but curſorily read over the Preface to that book, out of which my words are cited.

But Sir, you profeſſe herein to have done me a great kindneſſe, and to have ſhewed me much love: for hereineeReply p. 2. you accounted me better then I deſire to be, and took me to be more a frend to the truth, then you now ſee I am: and abuſingff2 Cor. 12.13.2 Cor 12:13 the Apoſtles words, deſire to have that injury forgiven you.

Sir, Theſe are your wonted ſcofs and jeers: wherein yet you might have been pleaſed to ſpare the Apoſtle, and not dally with his words.

But what a frend I am to thoſeggforeign. Baſil. ubi ſup. Counterfaits of truth, that inſteed of Gods ſacred truth are obtruded upon people, and inſtilled into too many, to the preverting of their faith, and the poyſoning of their ſouls; my book it ſelf, whence you ſnipped of that ſhred might ſufficiently have enformed you: Whereby, as you needed not to have been thus miſtaken in me, ſo may you eaſily ſuppoſe, that I eſteem it a very ſorry courteſie to be deemed warping towards thoſe, whoſe Tenents out of their own books, mouths, and writings, I there ſhew to be ſo hideous and blaſphemous.

As for yourhhReply p. 2. exception taken to the ſtiling of ſome Antinomians, as if I had now newly done it, and not before in my book; and the wrong you therein pretend done them, I ſhall without further ado, referre the Reader toiiAnſw. p. 3…. mine Anſwer.

Secondly, Where I ſay,kkPreface to Anſwer. you were a man utterly unknown to me before ſave by one or two ſhort Pamphlets.

p. 8You pitchllReply p. 1. upon the tearm Pamphlet; and interpret it as a ſlighting of your works, which it ſeems, you have an higher conceit of, then that they ſhould be ſo ſtyled.

Yet Sir, you know, that it is a term commonly given to ſmall things of a ſheet or two; ſuch as thoſe of yours were, that had then come to mine hand. Nor truly Sir, to deal freely and ingenuouſly with you, did I meet with any ſuch ſolide matter in any of them (for many they were not) that ſhould neceſſarily exempt them from being ſo termed. Howbeit, to make you ſome part at leaſt of amends, if it ſtick ſo much in your ſtomack, I am very well content (as**Quod Alpha dixeram te penulatorum, ſi fort. bilem m…vit hic tibi ver…us, Di…as liceb. 1 Beta me togatorum. Mart. l. 5. ep. 27. he ſometime in ſomewhat the like caſe) that you call, if you pleaſe, mine Anſwer and this Rejoynder, being neither of them overlong, two ſhort Pamphlets, ſo you may be even with me herein; and this qarrell I hope at an end.

Yea, butmmReply ibid. You could call my Treatiſes by a worſe name then Treatiſes.

And ſo do Sir, if you pleaſe, they will be never the worſe; for the worſt terms you can give them, no more then the faithfull ſervants of God, whom you and your brother Eaton have in your books ſo beſpattred, are any whit the worſe for all thoſe opprobrious reproaches that you have endevoured to overwhelm them with.

**Reply ibid.Yea, but one of them you knew long ſince, that of Lots, wherein I defend cards and dice playing; which it had been happy for others as well as your ſelf, in your times of vanity, had I therein following Auguſtines example, printed a Retractation of it: for you believe I have ſtrengthned the hands of many to ſinne.

1. For writing of Retractations after Auguſtines example; it is that I ſomewhere promiſe, if opportunity ſerve, and God be pleaſed to lend life and ſtrength, to review what I have abroad, and amend ſuch miſtakes in my writings, as upon further conſideration may be diſcovered in them. But for retracting of that which you inſtance in, I muſt crave pardon of you, if I profeſſe that I may not; becauſe I cannot ſo do without betraying of the truth againſt mine own knowledge: Which I continue ſtill the more firmly ſtrongly aſſured of, becauſe it hath upon due tryallnnVideatur Antidiatriba, qa Ameſio, & Voetio reſpondetur. held out oppoſition free, againſt other manner of Champions, then I yet take Mr S. for. Howbeit if by dint of p. 9Argument to ſhew your Goliah-like might, you ſhall deygn to deal with it, I hope I ſhall not greatly need to fear your encounter.

2. For your belief, That I have thereby ſtrengthened the hands of many to ſinne: I know, and am well aſſured, that there is nothing in that book, that may encourage any thereunto. But if your ſelf, in the dayes of your vanity, (which it may juſtly be feared, are not yet over; to much of it ſtill appeares in you both here and elſ-where) or any other,**Aranei ex eiſdem floribus, unde apes mel conficiunt, ven…num colligunt. Conſt. Emper. praefat. ad clav. Talm. Spider-like, beſides your ſelf, have ſucked poyſon out of the ſayings of truth (I am bold ſo to ſtile them having not been hitherto convict of errour; and diſprove you if you can, what I ſay) therein delivered; the fault is not in my book, but in your own, and their ownooHomines malè ſumentes ſalubrem cibū in venenum vertunt. Aug. de temp. 45. corrupt affection, that converts that into venome that is wholſome and harmleſſe of it ſelfe. Nor is it probable, that the freeing of a Lot uſed, either in thoſe games or any other, from that ſuperſtitious conceit, that ſome had laboured to faſten on it, ſhould ſpur any on to an exceſſive uſe, either of thoſe diſports or any other. They that were ſo conſcientious as to forbear them only for that ſcrupel, there is no likelihood, but would be as ſtrict and preciſe in the moderate uſage of them, if they thought good to make uſe of them, when they were freed from that groundleſſe ſcrupel. And well may it be deemed therefore, that your own idle vain and looſe diſpoſition, was it that caried you on to exceſſe, if you were in game overmuch, rather then my book (which not only gives no allowance for it, butppTreat. of Lots, chap. 9. expreſſely condemns it) or ought you found or read in it.

3. I know none who by their teachings and writings doe more ſtrengthen mens hands in ſinne, then thoſe that infuſe ſuch principles as theſe into them; That God ſee: no ſinne in them, live they never ſo ill; nor likes them any whit the leſſe when they do ſinne; nor is an all diſpleaſed with them, or will ever call them to account for ought they doe, and the like.

4. As was before ſaid, What is either my frequency of qotations, or my uſe of Poets, or this now concerning my book of cards and dice, either unto mine Anſwer of your Treatiſe, or your Reply to mine Anſwer? Of what force or ſtrength is it, either unto the impairing of the one, or the improving of the other? And yet is this alſo as well as the former, both Aleph and Tau with you; p. 10it beginneth your diſcourſe; and it helps to conclude, as if it were one of the principals of your Reply. Howbeit Sir, if to cry qittance with me for laying open ſome of the unſound and rotten ſtuffe conteined in your Treatiſe of Free-grace, you will take the paines to diſcover ſuch dangerous matter, as you pretend to be delivered in my Treatiſe of Lots; and that the rather that others may thereby be warned to ſhun thoſe rocks, that your ſelfe you ſay have formerly ſtruck on, howſoever you got off again; do with me as I have done with you, I ſhall be very well content with it: Lay open as much as you pleaſe of the unſound matter you find in it; but withall ſhew it to be ſuch, and when you have ſo done, I will give you mine honeſt word, that I will either refute you or elſe do as you here adviſe me, retract.

Secondly, for the unſound ſtuffe in your book, that I have undertaken to lay open: I yeeld to you,qqRep…y p. 2. § 2. that it is neither your ſayin it is ſound; nor mine that it is unſound, rrforeign. Ar…ſtot. de ininterpet. c. 10.that muſt decide the matter: Let the tryall be by Gods book, the only ſure touchſtone of all ſaving truth.

Yet Sir, let me mind you withall, that the foulneſſe and unſoundneſſe of ſome ſtuffe in your book is ſuch, that being laid open to view, by your ſilence you ſeem either aſhamed, or unwilling at leaſt to own it; and ſuffer it therefore to be charged upon you without Anſwer, as was intimated and inſtanced in before.

The laſt thing you nibble at in my Preface, is ofſſReply p. 1. § 3. ſome that think they have found a ſhorter cut to heaven, then (ſay you) ſome former Divines: where you tell me, that you know not what I mean by a ſhorter cut; and that Papiſts finde a way by works; ſome Proteſtants by Jeſus Chriſt and works others by Jeſus Chriſt alone, and make works the prayſe of that Free-grace in Jeſus Chriſt.

Where Sir, 1. You relate not my words to the full; I ſay not, a ſhorter cut then former Divines, but a ſhorter cut and more compendious paſſage then Gods Miniſters out of his word have formerly chalked out unto them.

2. Becauſe you pretend ignorance (tho I doubt not but you underſtand well enough, what the ſhorter cut and eaſier paſſage ſpoken of imports) I ſhall plainly and directly point to it, not your ſelf ſo much, being already well acqainted with it, as the Reader, who, it may be, hath not formerly heard of it: It is the p. 11way that your ſelf, and other of the Antinomian party propound, to wit, that there is nothing reqired to be done by any, for the obtaining of a ſh…re, in the redemption and ſalvation procured and purchaſed by Chriſt, or for the application of Chriſts merits unto any; and they may therefore be ſaved by Chriſt, without faith or repentance or new obedience; tho they continue in infidelity, impenitency, and the worſt ſins that are.

To this purpoſe take theſe aſſertions from ſome of thoſe Wri…ers, whoſe works, I preſume are no ſtrangers with you.ttChriſts Counſell to the Angel of Laodicea, p. 27. The end, ſaith one of them, for which Chriſt came, was to dy for the ungodly, to purchaſe redemption for their ſins, and to reconcile them unto God; and all this he did freely, upon no condition, fully and perfectly, leaving nothing undone or to be done by way of application: for in the performing thereof he fully and perfectly applyed it; for he took upon him our nature; and by vertue of this our humane nature in the perſon of Chriſt, we are made truly the Sons of God, heirs and coheirs with him. And again,uuIbid. p. 35. Salvation is not tyed to belief; nor is faith a condition without which a man can not be ſaved: All men, women and children, that is, the whole Church of God, are all ſaved only and totally by the merits of Chriſt; whoſe merits are applyed unto us ſufficiently and effectually too, by hi… own aſſumption of our nature, by which we are incorporate into him. **Ibid. p. 40.And they are falſe teachers that make redemption conditionall, and make it depend upon duties: xxIbid. p 41.Nothing at all being required in any reſpect of him for whom Christ dyed, (they are deceivers that teach otherwiſe) neither faith, nor repentance, nor ſelf-deniall, nor hearing, nor uſe of ordinances, nor obſervation of Sabbath, nor doing as we would be done to, and the reſt: yyIbid. 42.they are falſ teachers that make theſe duties, and teach that we muſt exerciſe our ſelves in theſe things, or we ſhall have no part in Christ. And another of them:zzPower of Love, p. 30. This work of our redemption and reconciliation with God was perfected, when Chriſt dyed; and nothing ſhall be able to ſeparate you from his love then purchaſed; neither infidelity, nor impenitency, nor unthankfulneſſe, nor ſin, nor any thing whatſoever can make void this purchaſe; no, tho with the Iews you ſhould deny the Lord, that bought you. And for want of this knowledge many of us have walked very uncomfortably, ſpending our time in faſting, and weeping and mourning, in praying, reading and hearing; and in performance of other duties, and all to get Chriſt; while we conſider not what the Scripture ſetteth p. 12forth unto us, to wit, ſalvation purchaſed and perfected for ever, to ſinners, to the ungodly, to all the world; a work perfected, depending on no condition, no performance at all.

Now I would gladly underſtand from Mr S. whither the courſe that theſe propound, be not a ſhorter cut and an eaſier paſſage, then Gods Miniſters out of Gods Word, or Gods Prophets, and Christs Apoſtels, yea, God and Chriſt himſelfe in the Word, have formerly chalked out unto us; and how theſe things agree with thoſe words of our Saviour,aaMark. 16 16Mark 16:16 Whoſover doth not believe ſhall be damned: And,bbLuk. 13.3, 5.Luke 13:3Luke 13:5 unleſſe you repent you ſhall periſh; And,ccMath. 11.20, 24.Matt 11:20Matt 11:24 It ſhall be worſe in the day of jugdement with Chorazin, Bethſaida and Capernaum, then with Tyre and Sidon, Sodom and Gomorrah, becauſe thy repented not at his preaching: And,ddMath. 10.33.Matt 10:33 He that denys me before men, I will deny him before my Father in heaven; and thoſe paſſages of the Apoſtle,eePhil. 3.12.Phil 3:12 Work out your ſalvation with fear and trembling; And,ffRom. 8.13.Rom 8:13 If ye live after the fleſh ye ſhall dy; And,gg1 Cor. 9.27.1 Cor 9:27 I keep under my body and bring it into ſubjection, leſt having preached to others, my ſelf prove a hhforeign rejectaneus, ut 2 Cor. 13.5, 6.2 Cor 13:52 Cor 13:6caſt-away. AndiiHeb. 12.14.Heb 12:14 Follow holineſſe, without which no man ſhall ever ſee God: and that of Peter, who telleth us, that thoſe thatkk2 Pet. 2.1.2 Pet 2:1 bring in damnable hereſies, denying the Lord that bought them, bring ſwift damnation upon themſelves.

Let any man lay theſe two ways together; and then tell, whither of the two is the ſhorter cut and the eaſier paſſage; For they are not ſure both the ſame.

Now Sir, if you ſhall diſclaime and refuſe to own theſe and the like, as pretending, that you are not to make good what every one prints or preaches. Yet 1. hereby may appear what new cuts are abroad: which there was juſt cauſe and good ground therfore to give warning of. And 2. that your ſelf are not far from compliance with them herein; it is too palpable, too apparent. For 1. that main part of your Treatiſe, contrived dialog-wiſe, wherein in a jeering and ſcoffing way, you traduce, as they alſo do, the faithful Miniſters of Chriſt, and their manner of propounding and preſſing ſuch things as theſe men make wholy needleſſe and unneceſſary unto the attaining of life eternall, runneth all along juſt in the ſame tone with them; as may appear by thoſe parcels in minekkS…e A…ſ. p. 9. 10. 14. 17. Anſwer thereunto, thence repreſented. 2. In that your Treatiſe you tell us in expreſſe terms, thatllTreat. p. 126. in the Gospel, God agrees to ſave man; p. 13And that all the conditions are on Chriſts part, no conditions on our parts; And thatmmIbid. p. 191. Salvation is not made any puzzling way in the Goſpel (a puzzling way, then belike before time it was) it is plainly, eaſily, and ſimply reveiled: Ieſus Chriſt was crucified for ſinners, this is ſalvation, we need go no further; all that is to be done is to believe that there is ſuch a work; and that Chriſt died for thee amongſt all other ſinners he dyed for. nnIbid. p. 193.This is ſhort work: (And it is ſhort work indeed) and this is the only Goſpel work and way. You ſee Sir, what a ſhort cut your ſelfe here make; for here is Repentance, and new Obedience, and Mortification, and the ſtudy, purſuit and practiſe of Holineſſe and the like, all cut off at one blow, as being neither Goſpel work, nor way. And it may juſtly be queſtioned, whether this beooMatth. 7.13.Matt 7:13 the ſtreight gate and narrow way, that Chriſt pointed his to.

Yea, but Faith may ſome ſay, is at leaſt reqired by you, for the application of Chriſt, and the attaining of intereſt in him.

How it is reqired by you, your ſelf inform us;ppTreat. p. 189. Chriſt you ſay, is ours without Faith; but we can not know him to be ours but by believing: and you reject this under the Title of the Reformed opinion and more generall, qqIbid. p. 198.That none are juſtified or partakers of ſalvation, but by faith. And if no conditions at all be reqired for obtaining ſalvation by Chriſt as was formerly affirmed by you, then neither Faith alſo: Yea, to this you come fully home, where you ſay, thatrrIbid. p. 15…. 153. The Covenant now under the Gospel is ſuch a kind of Covenant, as was establiſhed with Noah, Gen. 9.11. clear againſt the ſtrain of the old, wherein man was to have his life upon condition. And in this your Reply, you denyſſReply p. 14. § 8. the receiving of Chriſt to be acknowledged by you as a condition. And indeed, if the promiſe of ſalvation by Chriſt, be as abſolute and free from all condition as that Covenant made with Noah; then may a man be ſaved by Chriſt, tho he never know or look after Chriſt; as he is ſure never to periſh by an oecumenicall deluge, tho he neither know nor believe, nor do ever heare of ſuch a Covenant concerning it. Whereunto alſo,ttAnſw. p. 8. 9. 24. 25. where it came to be ſcanned (whence you might have informed your ſelf, what this ſhorter cut meant) as a thing materiall, you have returned nothing at all.

But thus the Reader may be pleaſed to take notice of that ſhorter cut and more compendious way, and eaſier paſſage to heaven, that your ſelf have cut out as well as thoſe other of your way, p. 14not without onelyonly, but contrary to all warrant of Gods Word.

3. For what you add; of the Popiſh way by works, whereby men are ſaid to merit heaven, we abhorre and deteſt it, as much as you do. Of ſome proteſtants by Ieſus Chriſt and works. Sir, when you ſet Ieſus Chriſt and works, as cheek by joull the one with the other; you wrong thoſe whom you would by ſuch an expreſſion aſpers. They teach Chriſt Ieſus to be the only purchaſer and procurer of our Iuſtification and ſalvation; and his bloud to be the only price, that was laid down and paid for the purchaſe thereof. But they hold withall, that faith and repentance, and ſelf-deniall, and new obedience are neceſſarily required in the Goſpel, as conditions to be performed by all thoſe, that will have part and intereſt in Chriſt or look for ſalvation by Chriſt; and that none ſhall without theſe ever attain to that ſalvation ſo deerly purchaſed by Chriſt. And for this; Sir, we have the Scriptures pregnant and plentifull; as your ſelf can not be ignorant; and as in the Anſwer to your book hath ſufficientlyuuAnſw. p. 11. 15. been ſhewed: which how you ſeek either to ſhift off, or to ſlubber over, ſhall appeer, when we come to that part of your Reply.

Laſtly, for taxing mexxReply p. 2. § 3. with frowardneſſe and qarrelſomneſſe; which yet you impute partly to mine age, and partly to the remainders of my diſeaſe, rather then my judgment, and the infirmity of my body, not the ſtrengh of my Spirit: but withall demand of me, why I choſe not a better time to try truth in, when I were not ſo much in the body.

1. Sir, froward or qarrelſome I have not ſhewd my ſelfe in this buſineſſe. The beginner of the qarell here was your ſelf, who as an inſolent Golias firſt entred the feild, with a flag of defiance,yyTreat. p. 40. to the Divinity both of this age and former times, reproaching in baſe and ſcurrilous manner Gods faithful Miniſters, men many of them much better then your ſelf; and endeavouring by your unchriſtian charges and vile calumnies to bring ſhame and contempt upon them and their Miniſtery; and were pleaſed to ſingle me out and draw me forth among others, (whom, tho comming all within verge of your magiſteriall cenſure, you call in for ſeconds) as complying in part with you and the party you fight for; acknowledging litle difference at leaſt between us and them; nor doth it argue any frowardneſſe or qarelſomneſſe in one ſo p. 15engaged, to endevourzzforeign. Menander Olynth. & Chaeremon Therſ. Svid. Principium non eſt â m , qi me vindico. Et Achaus, apud Athen. l. 13. foreign, &c. N…n haec ego ultro di…o, ſed me vindicans. to vindicate himſelf and thoſe with himſelf, whom he finds to be ſo abuſed.

2. For my yeers, Sir, ſcof not at old age: you may live if God pleaſ, to come to it your ſelf; and for the remainders of my ſickneſſe, which I am not yet freed from, nor am like to be in haſt:aaEccleſ 3. 1, 2, &c. Vide Iu…. & Coch.Eccl 3:1Eccl 3:2 ſickneſſe and health are paſſages of Gods providence, above mans power to diſpoſe of: nor was it therefore in mine hand to make choyſe of my time for this tryall of truth; but was neceſſitated to take it, as the wrong offred by your ſelf occaſioned it, and as God had pleaſed to diſpoſe. Beſides, that the triall of truth in this cauſe was not now to be firſt new taken up by me, but had formerly been laboured in (as bybbGods Eye on his Iſrael. my other work may in part appear) in time of better health: and you may ſee if you pleaſe thereby to underſtand, that my judgement then was the ſame, that now ſtill it is. Nor is ſickneſſe I ſuppoſe, wont to make men much in the body, as you ſeem here to imply but leſſe rather. Howbeit, Sir, I ſeem to underſtand your jeer and to conceive what ſpirit and body you intend; ſuch ſpirit and body as may be juſtly ſuſpected, notwithſtanding all your vauntings of ſuch a glorious ſpirit and light, that you have litle yet of the one, but too much ſtill of the other; otherwiſe beingcc2 Cor. 4.16. & 12.10.2 Cor 4:162 Cor 12:10 much in bodily weakneſſe, is not wont to be deemed any means of impeaching the work of grace in the ſoul.

And thus farre ſhall ſuffice to all that you have replyed, either to my Preface, or to the former part of mine Anſwer; all in effect as good as nought.

Paſſe we now to conſider of your Reply to the latter part, concerning divers Paſſages in your Treatiſe.

Here at the very entrance into this Part of your Reply, you manifeſt your ſelf to be of that qarelſome diſpoſition, that you pleaſed even now to faſten on me. For to pick out matter for a new qarell to begin with, youddReply p …. § 1. relate my words thus, That our Antinomian free-grace is not the ſame with the Prophets in the Old Teſtament and the Apoſtles in the New.

And then you fall, as one in a chafing heat to chide, and demand, Why do you tell us of Antinomian, of Prophets and Apoſtles free grace? It is not the free grace of any of theſe.—I could as eaſily ſay, Mr Gatakers free-grace and the Legaliſts free-grace, as p. 16he the Antinomians free-grace; but ſuch words and repoaches make neither you nor I ſpeak better truth.

Good Sir,eeNe ſaevi mag…e Sacerd…s. have patience awhile, I pray you be, not ſo hot and eager in your firſt encounter; doe not begin with ſo much paſſion, eſpecially having ſo lately promiſed, that you would not be in paſſion; unleſſe your meaning were, for you are many times very ambiguous) when you ſaid you hoped you ſhould be no more in paſſion with me then with Mr Ley, that you intended to be in paſsion as much with me as you had been with him. But Sir, to come to a calm and ſerious reckoning with you: what is the cauſe and the ground of all this windy bluſter? where doth Mr G. ſay, Our Antinomians free-grace, or the Prophets and the Apoſtles free-grace? I ſay only, as in the Frontispice of my Book, ſo in the diſcourſe it ſelf,ffAnſw p. 6. That free-grace which we find here deſcribed and is by our Antinomians uſually aſſerted, is ſuch as differeth much from that which either the Prophets held forth in the Old Teſtament, or Christ and his Apoſtles preached in the New. And yet had I ſaid, The Prophets and Apoſtles free-grace; I might well enough have juſtified it; for why might not one as well ſay,ggEpheſ. 2.20. …od eſt ab …pſis poſitum & praedicatum. …un. ad. Bellar. cont. 3. l. 3. c. 23.Eph 2:20 the Prophets and Apoſtels free-grace, as the Prophets and Apoſtels foundation, and**… Cor. 4.3. the Apoſtles Goſpel? not theirs as Authors and owners of it; and yet theirs as taught and promulgated by them. But Sir, it ſeems you liked rather to be picking ſomewhat out of my work to find your ſelf work, which you found not in it; or to be pidling with that which had it been there found, had been of no moment, then to be dealing with thoſe things that are indeed materiall, but you either ſhun or ſlight. And let any indifferent Reader now paſſe ſentence; or let Mr S. himſelf, being by this time I hope, out of the fit he was in when he writ this, and in a calmer and cooler temper whither all this wind and duſt were not raiſed to litle purpoſe, and without any juſt occaſion given, unleſſe the matter propounded, and undertaken to be proved and made good againſt him, finding it ſomewhat too ſoundly ſet on, and perceiving he could not ſo eaſily ſhift it of, might caſt him into this frivolous and groundleſſe diſtemper.

And indeed, Sir, this may well the rather be deemed ſo to be, becauſe you appear plainly ſo puzzled in that which enſues; that you ſhuffell much, and maſh your ſelf like a fiſh in a net that … not get out, in anſwering to what is objected in the one part, p. 17and again you ſlily ſlip away as an eele out of the fiſhermans fingers, taking no notice at all of what you are charged with in the other.

For firſt to prove, that according to theſe mens grounds free-grace was not preached by Gods Prophets in times paſt, hhAnſw. 7.I reaſon thus from his own words there related.

Where Gods love is to be had in way of purchaſe by duty and doing; and the whole efficacy is put as it were on the duty and obedience performed, there is no free grace, much leſſe as theſe men deſcribe it.

But ſo it was, ſaith Mr S. in all the Miniſtery of the Prophets.

No free grace therefore was preached by them.

Now to this he Anſwers nothing but this, thatiiReply p. 4. § 2. thoſe termes inſerted, as if, and in the way, and as it were, do cleer him from ſuch poſitive and excluſive aſſertions of free-grace, as I would make him ſpeak.

Which had need of ſome Oedipus to unfold unto us, and to tell us what he would have, or to which Propoſition of mine argument, what he here ſaith, is to be applyed. Sure the man was ſomewhat diſtracted or diſturbed when he writ this: One would have thought, that theſe qalifying terms ſhould rather have imported no ſuch abſolute denyall, then no ſuch abſolute aſſertion of free-grace.

But Sir, this plaſter, make it up which way you wil, and apply it where you pleaſe, wil not ſerve to cover, much leſſe to cure the foul ſore of your aſſertions, or any whit to amend the matter. For look in what manner the Prophets propounded and preached it; in the ſame manner, and no other, could the people apprehend it; and if the Prophets then ſo propounded and preached it, as if it were to be had in way of parchaſe by duty and doing, then was it not either propounded or preached, as if it were free-grace, nor were the people then taught that it was to be had otherwiſe then by way of purchaſe; for in that way, ſay you, did all the miniſtery, that then was runne; and if free-grace were neither preached to them, nor beleived by them, then neither were they ſaved by free-grace; (kk1 Cor. 15.1, 2.1 Cor 15:11 Cor 15:2 for it is that, that is preached to people, whereby they are ſaved, and not ſome other ſecret reſerve) which yetllAct. 15.11.Acts 15:11 the Apoſtel ſayth that they were.

p. 18But Sir, to draw up all this debate to an iſſue; If the Prophets in their preachings propounded Gods love and favour ſo as if it were to be had by way of purchaſe, when as yet they knew, that it was to be had by free-grace, and not by purchaſe, and ſo intended, whatſoever they ſaid; then they deluded Gods people, and taught them one thing, when they knew and intended an other. Or if they taught in expreſſe termes, that it wasaaPſa. 55.1.Ps 55:1 not to be had by way of purchaſe; as your ſelf know they did, andbbTreat. p. 24. 30. preſſe their words to that purpoſe; (tho abuſing them groſly, as others of your ſtrain do, to make people beleive, that we do not preach ſuch freegrace as they did) then Sir, you did wickedly and wretchedly, againſt your own knowledg, wrong and calumniate Gods Prophets as wel as other his Miniſters, in affirming, that they propounded Gods love ſo unto his people, as if it were to be had by way of purchaſe. Now, Sir, out of theſe briars, wherein you have unadviſedly enſnared your ſelf, how with all your wit (for they give you out to be a very witty man) you wil be able to unwind your ſelfe, I ſee not.

Mean while by what hath been ſaid, may appear, how vain and idleccReply p. 4. … 2. your expoſtulations here are, and your complaints, of being unjuſtly delt with; as if your words had been ſtrained beyond their extent; when as nothing is drawn from them, but what they willingly yeild, and by juſt and neceſſary conſequence afford: nor are they racked any one jot beyond your intent; which is to prove that the Legaliſts (as you ſtile them) of theſe times, do not preach free-geace, ddTreat. p 163.becauſe they preach as the Prophets did; both which alſo, by what after enſueth, ſhall yet more fully be made to appear.

Nor do I marvell therfore that this unhappy Logick ſhould ſo ſhrewdly ſtick in your ſtomack.eeReply ibid. I may ſee you ſay, what this Logick hath brought me to, eeReply ibid.to deceive my ſelf, as wel as my neighbor.

Sir I neither deſire to be deceived; (thatffforeign Plato apud Epictet. l. 1. c. 28. & l. 2. c. 22. & Marc. comment. l. 7. §. 63. foreign; Epict. l. 4. c. 1. Qis eſt, qi velit decipi? da religioſum, non vult fallere; da impium, ſacril…gum, fallere vult, falli non vult; nolunt fallere boni: falli autem nec boni volunt, nec mali. Aug. de verb. Ap 30. Idem enchir. c. 17. falli nolunt etiam qi fallere amant: no man they ſay, would)ggOculum ſimplicem duo faciunt, cognitio veri, & dilectio boni; ſive prudentia & benevolentia, ut animi oculus & pius ſit qi fallere nolit; & cautus ſit, qi falli neqeat. Bern. de praec. & diſp. nor to deceive any: What ſhould I gain by ſo doing? p. 19My deſire and indeavour rather, is to undeceave thoſe that have been deceived, deluded and led aſide into errour by you and and ſuch as your ſelfe, nor have you yet made it to appeare, how I have here deceived either my ſelf, or any other; or delt any way unjuſtly with you. They rather may juſtly be ſuſpected, to mind and intend deceit, who reject and labour to have that removed, whereby deceit may be diſcovered.

But Sir, have you, who are reputed and reported by thoſe of your party for a great Scholar, now qite caſt of all Scholarſhip? or together with your Poeticall raptures, as you term them, (which for my part I was never acqainted with) have you laid aſide alſo your rules of Logick? If you have, it is to litle purpoſe to debate or diſcuſſe ought with you, that will not be tyed to rules of reaſon; for that priviledge once obtained, you may without chek or controull, affirm what you liſt, and prate what you pleaſe; Or would you preſcribe your adverſary not to proceed Logically with you? you may as well bid him enter the liſts with you, but lay his weapons firſt aſide: or invite him to flouriſh,hhforeign 1 Cor. 9.27. foreign. Loc…an de ſect1 Cor 9:27 and beat the ayre round about you; but upon condition that he ſtrike you not. Or do you imagine, as many now adays maintaine, that in matter of divinity there is no uſe of Logick? for that is it, you ſeen to intimate in your Epiſtle Dedicatory, where you complain of a Miſcelanie of Logick and Divinity: as if theſe two were things inconſiſtent the one with the other: and to make uſe of Logick in matter of Divinity were toiiforeign. Syneſ. Epiſt. 57. ſow together things unſutable. Concerning which abſurd fancy, I might turn you over to a Divine of great note, that hath written akkN c. Vedeli Rationale Theol…gicum lib 3. comp…ehenſū. large and learned Treatiſe, both to ſhew and prove, the manifold and ſingular uſe of it Divinity. But that it may be, you would then tell me asllAn end of one controverſy. Sumw. p. 8. you doe Mr Ley, that it is no good payment, to turn you over to an other, for what I ſtand bound to pay my ſelf: tho therein themmAfter-reckon. After-reckon it ſeemes, hath given you ſo full ſatisfaction, that you are well content to let your action fall.

Howbeit Sir, a litle to ſatisfie, if not your ſelf, yet ſome others, that may peradventure be in danger of taking in this ridiculous conceit from you.

1. I would demand of you, or of any of them that ſo hold, how any point of Divinity, that is not in expreſſe terms laid down in Gods Word, can but by the help of Logick be thence deduced; p. 20and yet how many points are there of undoubted truth, that have no other neceſſary ground, ſuch deduction excepted?

2. Did not our Saviour himſelf make uſe of Logick, when from Moſes by way of Syllogiſm, nnM… th. 22.31, 32. Luk. 20.37, 38.Luke 20:37Luke 20:38againſt the Saduces he confirmed the doctrine of the Reſurrection? whenooMath. 1….4, 6.Matt 1:4Matt 1:6 from the Story of the Creation, and Gods inſtitution of Marriage, he diſcovered the unwarrantableneſſe of groundleſſe Divorces? when from the words of the Pſalmiſt, ppMatth. 22.43, 45.Matt 22:43Matt 22:45he aſſerted his own Deity; and from a paſſage of the Prophet Hoſhea, qqMath 12.7.Matt 12:7the Lawfulneſſe of that which his Diſciples did on the Sabbath? Yea, do not the Apoſtles freqently by Logicall Arguments prove points of Divinity, and confirm matters of faith; as PaulrrRom. 3.2…, 28.Rom 3:2Rom 3:28 juſtification, not by works, but by faith, ſſRom. 6.2, 12.Rom 6:2Rom 6:12the neceſſity of ſanctification and newneſſe of life, in perſons by faith justified; tt1 C…r. 6.15, 19.the foulneſſe of fornication; uu1 Cor. 8.7, 1…. & 10.16, 21.1 Cor 8:71 Cor 8:11 Cor 10:161 Cor 10:21the haynouſneſſe of feaſting with Idolaters in Idoll-Temples, xx1 Cor. 15.12, 23.1 Cor 15:121 Cor 15:23the reſurrection from the dead and the like: or how think we, diſputed he at Athens withyyAct. 1….18.Acts 1:18 the Stoicks, the menzzStoici …ogicam ſive Rationalem Philoſophiū cum primis excolebant: qam Epicurei, licet repudiarent, tamen cum ambigua diſcernendi, ſalſa coargu…ndi, neceſſitas incumberet, alio nomine, Canonicae ſcil. introducere cogebantur. Laert in Zenon. & Chryſip. Senec. Epiſt. 89. of moſt repute for Logicall skill in thoſe times? doth not his Sermon it ſelf ſhew it? I might well, Sir, ſay to you, as Auguſtine to Creſconius, **Si Paulus dial…cticus erat, & ideò conferre cum Stoicis, qi Dialectici maximi erant, non timebat; cave ne Dialecticam cuiqam pro crimine objeceris, qa uſos Apoſtolos confiteris. Aug. ad Creſcon l. 1. c. 12.13. Sed & Chriſtum ipſum. Ibid. c. 17.If Paul at Athens diſputed with thoſe chief Logitians the Stoiks, beware how you object the uſe of Logick as a fault to any; which that the Apoſtles, yea, and Chriſt himſelf uſed, can not bee denyed. But I ſhall ſpare to ſpend more worde in purſuit of this point, untill Mr. S. further herein explain himſelf, and let us know what he will own in it, and how farre forth he will give thoſe that deal with him leave to make uſe of their Logick. Sure, if reaſon be the eye of the ſoul, and Logick aaforeign.the art or way, or methode bbforeign. Plato Alcib. 1.of uſing reaſon aright; they that would debar men of the uſe of Logick, would have them either put out or ſeal up their eyes, that being blind or blinded, they may lead them ascc2 King. 6.19.2 Kgs 6:19 the Prophet did the Syrian Troopers ſmitten with blindneſſe upon his prayer, or transfer and cary them as the Falkner doth the Hank hood-winkt, whether themſelves pleaſe.

p. 21But Sir, I ſhall intreat you to give me leave, or ſhall be ſo bold as to take leave, whither you liſt to give it or no, to be a litle further troubleſome unto you with my Logick in ſomething, wherein forbearing to relate mine Argument, you ſlubber over the matter after your wonted manner of anſwering, as if ſo you ſaid ſomewhat, it were not materiall whither or no it were to the purpoſe. I charge you with making Gods Prophets del…ders of Gods people; which tho it be apparent enough, by what already hath beenddAnſw. p. 7 8. ſaid, yet I doe by this Argument further make good.

Thoſe that profeſſe to Preach free-grace, and yet propound it with ſuch conditions and qalifications, that tho free-grace may be in the notion of it, yet it is not in the truth of it; they delude the people to whom they ſo preach.

But the Prophets of God, ſay you, tho they profeſſe to preach free-grace, yet they propounded it with ſuch conditions and qalifications, that tho free-grace might be in the notion of it yet it was not in the truth of it.

The Prophets therefore according to your aſſertions, deluded the people to whom they preached.

Of the Propoſition of this Argument, no man I ſuppoſe, will make doubt.

And for the Aſſumption you muſt be enforced to own it, wind and wriggell you which way you will.

For firſt, concerning the former part of it, thateeTreat p. 24… 30. the Prophets profeſſed to preach free-grace, you grant and produce as others alſo of yours doeffEſay 55.1.Isa 55:1 a paſſage of Eſay, to that purpoſe. And ſecondly, for the latter part, to wit, that it was by them tempered with ſuch conditions and qalifications, as did eat out the very heart of free-grace, that tho it were in the notion of it, yet it was not in the truth, I thus prove to be yours.

If the conditions and qalifications uſed by the Legaliſts (as you ſtile them) of theſe times, in preaching of the Gospel, being no other then ſuch as the Prophets of God formerly uſed, are ſuch as the free grace may be there in the notion, yet it is not in the truth of it; then was it by the Prophets ſo tempered, that tho free-grace might be there in the notion of it, yet it was not in the truth of it.

But the conditions and qalifications, ſay you, uſed by our legall p. 22teachers in preaching the Goſpel, being no other then ſuch as the Prophets of God formerly uſed, are ſuch as tho free-grace may be there in the notion, yet it is not in the truth of it.

Therefore according to your aſſertions, the Prophets ſo tempered it that tho fr…e grace might be there in the notion, yet not in the truth of it.

The Propoſition cannot be by any colour denyed; for whatſoever deſtroys the nature and truth of free-grace, muſt needs be of the ſame force, whereſover it is found.

And for the Aſſumption, neither do you, nor can you deny any part of it to be your own: For all that herein you charge the Legaliſts with, both now again and before, isggTreat Oc…ſ …rd p … preaching the Goſpel with ſuch conditions and qalifications as the Prophets did; and of ſuch preaching you ſay in expreſſe termes,hhTreat. p 16…. that tho it may have a notion of free grace, yet it hath not the truth of it.

Now Sir, let others judge, whither or no, I have juſtly charged you, with making Gods Prophets deluders of his people; Yea, with caſting an impious and blaſphemous aſperſion upon God himſelf, in making himiiOccaſ. Word, p. 4. like a Master, that to ſeem liberall bad his ſervants fill his wine out freely, but had before ordered them to burne it ſo; that it ſhould be too hot for them to drink. But your eagerneſſe againſt the Legaliſts, makes you, with others of your ſtrain, to oft too forget your ſelves, and to aſpers Prophets, and Apoſtels, yea and God himſelf, togither with them.

For all that you reply here in defence of your ſelfe, is no direct anſwer unto any part of the Argument: but (as if indeed you had never been acqainted with rules of Logick, or had wholy forgotten them, or were reſolved utterly to relinquiſh them) you addreſſe your ſelf to the concluſion, which alone you relate, and tell us with-all, that

kkRepl… p. 4. 5. § 3.The Prophets were no deluders of Gods people, bcauſe Gods people were then in their pupillage; and the way of teaching, which they then uſed, by preſſing repentance, reformation, humiliation with commination and the law, &c. was the methode and the ſtraine, that the Spirit then taught them; but if they ſhould ſo have held out Chriſt now, when the Miniſtration of the Spirit exceeds in glory, they ſhould have ſinned.

Which, howſoever part, of it be true, and part of it moſt falſe; p. 23for neither did Chriſt, nor his Apoſtels ſin in preaching and preſſing theſe things; as ſhall hereafter be ſhewed they did; nor doth the preaching and preſſing them any whit derogate from the glorious Miniſtration of the Gospel: Yet no part of it is at all to the purpoſe; nor helps any whit to clear you of that aſperſion caſt upon them, and upon the Spirit of God that then taught and directed them. For how doth this take off the crime you ſtand charged with, of asperſing Gods Prophets, and God himſelf, as by them deluding his people, in pretending to preach and propound free-grace to them, whereas there was no truth, but a meer notion or fiction rather of it, (for what other thing is a notion without truth?) in that they taught? How doth it in any wiſe take it off I ſay? or not rather further confirm it, by telling us that they did no other but what the Spirit of God taught and directed them to do; and ſo devolving that baſe and unbeſeeming carriage, wherewith, under the perſon of Legaliſts, you had aſperſed Gods Prophets, from them unto God himſelf and his Spirit? For what is this but to ſay, that God directed his Prophets ſo to propound free grace to his people, that tho it might carry ſome ſemblance thereof with it, yet it ſhould have no truth thereof in it: nor are they therefore to be taxed, as deluders of Gods people; (tho the Legalists delude them, when they do the like) becauſe God taught them ſo to do. Thus you ſee, Sir, how in labouring to ſhift of your ſhamefull abuſe of Gods Miniſters and their manner of teaching, you do but plung your ſelf into further impiety, and ſet your mouth blaſphemouſly againſt heaven it ſelf.

Yea, conſider, how you adde blaſphemy to blaſphemy; a new one concerning Chriſt and his Apoſtles, to your former concerning God and his Prophets; For if the Prophets, ſay you, have held out Chriſt in the New Teſtament as they did before, preſſing repentance, reformation, humiliation, and with commination and the Law, they had ſinned againſt the glory of that Miniſtration. Now Sir, to make a little further uſe of my Logick; llMenſura hypothetica eſt propoſitio aliqa categorica, ad qam ſemper revoc. ri debet. Bert. Logic. l. 2. c. 7.An hypotheticall Propoſition, they ſay, may be turned into an univerſall Categoricall; for example, this Conditionall, If a man can ſee, he is alive; is all one with this, Every thing that ſeeth, liveth; this Propoſition, If a man do evill, he ſinneth; imports as much as this, Every one that doth evill, ſinneth: When you ſay then, that the Prophets, if they had preached in the New Teſtament as p. 24they did in the Old, preſsing repentance, reformation, humiliation, with commination and the Law, &c. they had ſinned: It is juſt as much as if you had ſaid, Thoſe that preach under the New Teſtament, as the Prophets did under the Old, preſsing repentance, &c. do ſin …n ſo doing. Now Sir, take we your Propoſition, and ſubſuming what of the Apoſtles preaching will be made good, ſee what theſe premiſes will produce.

Thoſe that preach under the New Teſtament, as the Prophets did under the Old, preſsing repentance, reformation, humiliation, and with commination and the Law, &c. do ſin in ſo doing.

But the Apoſtels did under the New Teſtament preach, as the Prophets did under the Old, preſsing repentance, reformation, humiliation, and with commination, and the law, &c.

The Apoſtels therefore ſinned in ſo doing.

Nay, riſe we a litle higher, Sir, and ſubſume what may with good warrant, yea, with cleer evidence of truth be avowed; that Chriſt himſelf ſo taught; and conſider ſeriouſly in what extream impiety you here further involv your ſelf. Nor will it help you at all, what you add of ſuch veils over Chriſt, and ſo much Law over Chriſt. For theſe, Sir, not the Types, are the veils you ſpeak of: nor do degrees of more and leſſe alter the truth and nature of the thing it ſelf; nor are you able to ſhew, that Chriſt preached and preſſed theſe things any whit more ſparingly then did the Prophets. But thus, Sir, the extremity of your malevolent affection to the Legaliſts doth ſo tranſport you, thatmmQod de Cyro Xenoph. paed. l. 1. foreign. Democrit. …racundia in temeritatem prona eſt: & pericula, dum inferre vult, non cavet. Scen. de i…a. l. 1. c. 12. while over-eagerly you deſire and unadviſedly ſtrive to wrong them, you either forget or regard not how you wrong your ſelf.

Meanwhile, Sir, I ſuppoſe I have by your own grounds and grants made it good, that the free-grace which the Legaliſts teach, is the ſame with the free-grace that the Prophets preached: and that the free-grace which you and other Antinomians now teach, is not by your own confeſſion ſuch free-grace as the Prophets preached; unleſſe you will acknowledge that which you hold out for free grace, to be nothing elſe (as of that, which with p. 25the Prophets we preach, you ſay) but a meer counterfeit of it.

Proceed we now to examine, whither according to theſe your grounds Chriſt and his Apoſtles preached Gospel and free-grace or no: and whither our manner of preaching free-grace and the Gospel be not the very ſame with Chriſt and his Apoſtles preaching.

And here, Sir, your aſſertions excepted againſt, whereof I made bold to mind you before; ofnnTreat p. 125. 126. no Covenant at all made with man in the Goſpel; ooIbid. p. 193.nor any condition at all reqired on mans part but all on Gods own part; as in that with Noah, Gen. 9.11. as alſo, of your contradicting of your ſelf elſ-where, where you ſay thatppIbid. p. 163. the Goſpel is made up among other things, of conditionall promiſes; and of theqqIbid. p. 193. ſhort work, and only Goſpel work and way, you tell us of here; and yourrrIbid. p. 17. 19. 21. See Anſw. p. 9. girding at thoſe that tell men of repentance, and ſorrow for ſin, and ſelf denyall; or preſſe theſe upon any as things reqired of all thoſe that expect a ſhare in the ſalvation purchaſed by Chriſt, &c.

All theſe I ſay, with ſilence you let ſlip, as if they concerned you not to make good. Only your girding at thoſe that bid men repent and be humbled, as legall teachers; you make ſome offer to juſtify in a Magiſteriall manner thus demanding.

ſſReply p. 5. § 1.If you preſſe repentance and humiliation legally, why wonder you at ſuch words as legall Teachers? will ye do ill, and not be told of your faults? And ſo you proceed in a ſupercilious way of checking and ſcholing us, ſatis pro imperio.

But Sir, 1. We might juſtly have expected other terms from one that had before profeſt ſo greatttOccaſ. Word. p. 1. a deſire to have the name of L…galiſt laid down.

2. I might return you your own Arguments: when you, or thoſe you maintain,uuSee Gods eye on his Iſrael p. 17.18. c. 2. affirm, that the morall Law is of no uſe at all to a believer, no rule for him to walk, nor to examine his life by; and that Chriſtians are free from the mandatory power of it: yea, when in Pulpits they cry out, Away with the Law; in moſt horrid and hideous manner blaſpheming it, and in it God himſelf the Author of it, by giving out and affirming, thatxxIbid p. 18. the Law cutteth off our legs and then bids us walk; (which impious aſſertions I could never yet hear, that the Author of it ever recanted, tho they give out that he profeſſeth himſelf altred in his judgement, p. 26which if it ſo be, he may do well to make it more publike for the undeceiving of thoſe that were formerly miſled by him) when I ſay, thoſe at leaſt whom you abet, if not your ſelf, do in this manner oppoſe and oppugn all uſe of the Law among Chriſtians, and ſpeak ſo opprobriouſly and deſpitefully of it, Why wonder you, if the name of Antinomians be given them?

3. You are to haſty with us, you tell us we do ill; but you ſhew us not wherein; you charge us with ill doing, but you make it not to appear wherein it is that we have ſo done. If we preſſe faith, repentance and humiliation, we are ſure we doe no other, then Chriſt and his Apoſtles before us did.

Yea, butaaReply ibid. you preſſe them legally.

1. And ſo ſaith your brother Eaton, bbHoney-…omb. c. 5 p 84. Anſ. p. 10.that Chriſt himſelf did.

2. But Sir, you might have done well to enform us, what it is to preſſe theſe things legally: Is it becauſe we preſſe them, as things neceſſary unto the attaining of life eternall, and as reqired of all thoſe that expect any ſhare in the ſalvation procured and purchaſed, by Chriſt? What elſe do all thoſe ſpeeches of Chriſt and his Apoſtles before related, and the like amount unto?ccIoh. 8.24.John 8:24 Ʋnleſſe you believe that I am he, you ſhall die in your ſins; ddLuk. 13.3, 5.Luke 13:3Luke 13:5unleſſe you repent, you ſhall periſh? eeMath. 18.3.Matt 18:3unleſſe you be converted, and become as litle children, you cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven: ffRom. 8.13.Rom 8:13If ye live after the fleſh you ſhall dy: ggEpheſ. 5.5.Eph 5:5you know, that no Whore-mongers, nor unclean perſon, or covetous man, who is an Idolater, hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of God and of Chriſt, with many others of the like ſtraine.

ButhhReply p. 5. § 1. you blame not you ſay, any that bid men repent; or be ſorry for ſins, & be humbled, &c. if they preach them as Chriſt & the Apoſtles did, as graces flowing from him, and out of his fulneſſe, and not as ſpringings of their own, and waters from their fountain; as if theſe legall Teachers with Moſes, would make men believe that they could with ſuch rods ſmite upon mens hearts as upon rocks, and bring waters out of them, be they never ſo hard and ſtony.

But Sir, in all this your rhetoricall flouriſh (for that it ſeems you have not loſt or left with your Logick) you doe butiiOmiſſis ſuper qibus pugna eſt, de ſcammate & loco certaminis egred ens in peregrinis & alienis diſputationibus immoratis. Hier. ad Pammarh. run out of the liſts, and leaving your adverſarykkforeign Non po eſt adverſarium vincere, qi in dimicando non hoſtem, ſed umbram petit. Lactant. l. 3. c. 28. skirmiſh with your own ſhadow.

For 1. That they preach theſe things, as Chriſt and his Apoſtles p. 27did, hath formerly been ſhewed; and ſhall hereafter again be further made manifeſt, when we have occaſion to conſider of, and compare together the particulars of either.

2. It cannot be proved, nor doth it any way appear, that either Chriſt or his Apoſtles in the preſſing of theſe things (no more then the Prophets before them) did alwayes in their ſermons and preachings, make mention withall of Chriſt as the perſon from whoſe fulneſſe the grace did flow, whereby they were or might be enabled to do that which was then required.

3. That we preach theſe things to people as ſpringings either of their own, or our own, and waters from our own fountain, or theirs, to whom wee preach them (for you ſo ſpeak as it is not eaſy to tell, whither you mean; but whither of the two it be, that you entend) it is a calumnie, andllTurpe eſt hominem ingenioſum (aut ingenuum etiam) id dicere, qod ſi neges, probare non poſſit. Lact. Ibid. ſuch a charge, as you are no way able to make good: but would fain faſten ſomewhat, whereon to ground matter of reproof, on thoſe, whom you have engaged your ſelf to traduce, that you might have ſome colour to bear out your ſatyricall jeering and girding at them in that your dramaticall diſcourſe.

4. You grant, Sir, that we preſſe theſe things, as the Prophets did. But Sir, ſhould either you or any other, ſay, that the Prophets of God did ſo preach them, as you here imply that we do, he ſhould therein do them moſt notorious wrong, as charging them with a deniall, or not ackowledgment, at leaſt, of that grace of God, wherby thoſe whom they preached theſe things unto, ſhould be enabled unto the doing of them; nor can there be any difference aſſigned between the ſpring and fountain, from whence any ſuch grace then iſſued, and that from whence the like now flows. In plain terms, look from whence or from whom any now receive power to beleive, repent, be humbled and the like; from thence, and from him ſo many as in thoſe times beleeved, repented, were humbled, received the like power then; and the Prophets teaching herein was according to the truth of God, and of the thing it ſelf in thoſe times, as well as Chriſts and his Apoſtels in their times was.

5. You abuſe us notoriouſly, when you bear men in hand that we would have them to believe, that we can by ſuch rods as theſe ſo ſmite upon their rocky hearts, as to make water run out p. 28of them. No, Sir, you ſpeak untruly; we profeſſe no ſuch matter: yet we believe, that by ſuch preaching God is able to break and mollifie the moſt flinty heart that is; and we find by good proof, that by ſuch preaching and preſsing of repentance and reformation as you ſcof at, God hath to admiration wrought in this kind; andmmSee Act. 2.23, 38, 41. & 3.19. with 4.4.Acts 2:23Acts 2:38Acts 2:41Acts 3:19 given thereby ſuch ſucceſſe to his own ordinance, as may juſtly give you cauſe to be aſhamed and abaſed, as well as abaſhed, for your jeering of it, and girding at it in that manner as you do.

6. How bold ſoever you think you may be with us, you might have done well to forbear your unmannerly dealing with Gods Prophets, with whom too oft you are overbold: Could it not ſuffice you to ſpend your purulent matter on us, but you muſt needs ſpit ſome of it in Moſes his face? where find you thatnnExod. 17.6.Exod 17:6 Moſes believed that he could with his rod make the Rock give water? It was neither Moſes nor the rod, that made the Rock run with water; but God, who ſtood by to the deed, upon his ſmiting of the Rock. Nor did Moſes believe that he could himſelf effect ſuch a work by any power that himſelf had; nor did either he, or any other of Gods Prophets preſume that by any power of their own, they or their preachings, were able to work on the hearts of thoſe whom they ſpak to:ooSee Deut. 29.4. & 30.6. Eſai. 1.…5. & 57.18. & 63.11, 17, 18. Ier. 5.23 & 31.18. Zech. 12.10.Deut 29:4Deut 30:6Isa 1:5Isa 57:18Isa 63:11Isa 63:17Isa 63:18Jer 5:23Jer 31:18Zech 12:10 unleſſe God pleaſeth to ſecond them, and to accompany that his ordinance by them with the powerfull work of his holy Spirit.

But ſay you,ppReply p. 6. § 1. we agree with you, that repentance and ſorrow for ſin, and humiliation, and ſelf-deniall are all to be preached; and ſhall contend with you, who preacheth them most and cleareſt.

And Sir, for this I may very wel refer my ſelf unto thoſe that have been frequent auditors of your Antinomian teachers, how riſe and ſerious, or how ſparing rather and ſuperficiall, they are in this ſubject, if ever at leaſt they light on it. It is to to well known, to be concealed or diſſembled, what their dealings are in this kind; by the concurrent reports of perſons judicious and well affected; who having either occaſionally, or living in thoſe places where they have lectured, oft heard divers of them, too conſtanly and conſonantly affirme, that they could ſeldom or never hear them handling this theam; unleſſe it were by telling them, as you do in this Treatiſe, that it p. 29is enough for themqqTreat. p. 84. to beleive, that Chriſt hath repented for them, and confeſſed rrSee Gods eye, &c. p. 25.their ſinns for them. No Sir, their teaching runnes in an other ſtrain, and bends mainly an other way, to encite to joviality, and being fro-like, and making merry. To which purpoſe they have not ſtuck ſome of them to tell their hearers, that Jeſus Chriſt when he was here upon earth, lived all his life long as if he had been ſet upon the merry pin: and why ſhould not believers live in like manner? especially knowing that he now rules the roast in heaven: Yea, Sir, how you have in your Treatiſe preached and preſſed repentance, may appear by the ſeverall paſſages formerly delt with, and further yet to be diſcuſſed.

2. If you be ſo frequent in preaching of theſe things; why, do you check others, for doing as you ſay your ſelves do? Yea, why do your hearers ſhun our Teachers, and are offended with them, becauſe they preſſe theſe points which their nice palats are nothing pleaſed with.

ſſReply ibid.But then, ſay you, becauſe John ſaid, repent; and Chriſt ſaid repent; and Peter ſaid, repent; are we to examine the myſtery no further? know we not that the whole Scripture in its fulneſſe and integrity reveils the whole truth? and muſt we not look out, and compare Scripture with Scripture, ſpirituall things with ſpirituall; and ſo finding out truth from the degrees to the glory and fulneſſe of it, preach it in the ſame glory and fulneſſe of it, as we finde it?

Sir, if they preach repentance and preſſe it as neceſſary unto ſalvation, I hope we may be ſo bold as to preach the ſame after them in like manner; and in girding at us for ſo doing, you gird not at us alone but them.

Nor are we ignorant, that thettforeign. Baſil. de fide. whole Doctrine of Faith, is to be received, that is contained in holy Writ; and thatuuManifeſtorum lumine illuſtrantur obſcura. Aug. Ep ſt. 48. Obſcuriores locutiones de manifeſtoridus illuſtrand. Idem doct. Chr. l. 2. c. 9. Collation of Scripture with Scripture, may afford much light unto places more obſcure. But Sir, neither are theſe paſſages of any obſcurity; being of the cleareſt almoſt of any, either in the Old Teſtament or New: Nor can any parcell of Scripture contradict or take away the truth of another; nor are any therefore to be taxed for the delivery of any truth that in Scripture they find recorded, or for urging & preſſing any duty that they find there urged and preſſed, and ſo frequently by ſuch as you here inſtance in your ſelf. This is all therefore nothing but a pile of meere impertinences; as p. 30would plainly appear, would you but be entreated to rub up and reſume your old Logick and truſſe up your looſe ſtuffe into ſome Syllogiſticall frame, that it might appear what you here oppoſe.

Of the like condition is all that to litle purpoſe, that enſueth, where you tell us; that

aaReply ibid.We hear Chriſt preaching bbIoh. 7.39.John 7:39before the Spirit was given, Repent; and we find when the Spirit was given, Chriſt is ſaid ccAct. 5.31.Acts 5:31to give repentance to Iſrael, and forgiveneſſe of ſins; and ſhall we not now preach Jeſus Chriſt, and repentance in Jeſus, the fountaine of repentance, the author of repentance; and repentance thus and repentance in the glory of it ſelf more.

1. Christ then preached repentance; and repentance as of neceſſity unto ſalvation; and where find we, that ever he revoked this precept, or the doctrine concerning the neceſsity of it?

2. But this was before the Spirit was given; what Spirit Sir, is it you mean? was not that Spirit, which was given to thoſe that beleived and repented uponddMath. 21.32.Matt 21:32 Johns preaching, and eeIoh. 4.41, 42.59.John 4:41John 4:42John 4:59Chriſts, before his paſſion, and before thatffCompare Ioh. 7 39. with Act. 1.5. & 2 3, 4. foreign. Schol. Graec.) & 19.John 7:39Acts 1:5Acts 2:3Acts 2:4 more ample effuſion of it, and the extraordinary gifts of it, ſpoken of by the Evangeliſt, in the place you ſeem to point at; the very ſame with that Spirit, that was given afterward for the working of faith and repentace in thoſe, who in times enſuingggIoh. 17.20. Act. 2.38.41. & 4.1. & 8.12.John 17:20Acts 2:38Acts 2:41Acts 4:1Acts 8:12 upon the Apoſtles preaching repented and beleived? Or had they power to repent and ſo did without that gift of the Spirit, which the other afterward had not? So that theſe things in the one, ſhould be (to give you your own words) as ſprings of their own, and waters flowing from their own fountain, in the other as graces flowing from Chriſt and his ſpirit.

3. But after the Spirit was given, Chriſt is ſaid to give repentance and forgiveneſſe of ſins. And by whom, Sir, I beſeech you, were theſe things given before? The Apoſtle tells us, thathhHebr. 13.8. foreign. Schol. Graec.Heb 13:8 Jeſus Christ is yeſterday, to day, and the ſame for ever. And whatſoever ſaving grace is now given from Chriſt by the Spirit, was alwayes and in all times given unto all, that ever were ſaved by Chriſt; nor is there herein any difference between thoſe times and theſe. If you think otherwiſe, you may do well to ſpeak your mind plainly, for you talk very perplexedly; to make men believe, that we preach not repentance, p. 31as a grace of God by his Spirit, wrought in our hearts in and for Chriſt; which is moſt untrue; for we ſay and teach, that it is not only ſo now, but was ever ſo in all ages: whereas you by your ambiguous expreſſions ſeem to intimate the contrary.

4. But Sir, what is here to repeal the former precept of repentance? or to give any juſt, much leſſe neceſſary cauſe, to alter our preaching and preſſing of repentance, and the neceſſity of it, in the ſame manner I might well ſay, as the Prophets, but much more as Chriſt himſelf, before the Spirit was in that manner and meaſure given as after it was; when as the ſource and Originall of it was ever the ſame, and the neceſſity of it, as well now as then yea, in all ages no leſſe alike?

5. All therefore that hereafter followeth, concerningiiReply Ibid. the preaching faith in the glory of it, and faith in the revelation of it, and faith from Chriſt, and faith in Chriſt; becauſe the Apoſtle ſaith kkAct. 16.31.Acts 16:31, Believe in the Lord Ieſus and thou ſhall be ſaved; and llHebr. 12.2.Heb 12:2Ieſus Chriſt is the Author and finiſher of our faith, &c.

All theſe, I ſay, are but flanting flouriſhes brought in on the by, partlymmforeign, Plut. de vit. Epic. to put by what you ſhould ſpeak to, and partly to make heedleſſe people believe that there is ſome new doctrine of faith by our new-light-men lately diſcovered, other and more excellent, then ever was taught, either by the Prophets of God in former times or by Chriſt himſelf in his preaching here upon earth; or by any the ordinary Miniſters and Teachers of the Goſpel, either in thoſe times or in former ages.

6. For (not to ſtand upon the verſion of the word uſed by the Apoſtle, which ſignifieth ratherooforeign, Heb. 2.10.Heb 2:10 a Captain or Leader, then anppforeign, Heb. 5.9.Heb 5:9 Author or worker) who of us denies faith to berrEph. 2 8. & 6.23. Phil. 1.29Eph 2:8Eph 6:23Phil 1:29 the gift of God; or that God out of his love to us in Chriſt freely works it in us, that thereby we may be enabled toſſIoh. 1.12.John 1:12 receive Chriſt, andttEph. 3.17.Eph 3:17 Chriſt by it may dwell in us? yea, we ſay that it was ſo, and was taught ſo as well before Christs paſsion as ſince the ſame.

As litle to the purpoſe is what you ſubjoyn, ofaaReply ibid. one Scripture telling us, thatbb2 Cor. 7.10.2 Cor 7:10 godly ſorrow works repentance unto ſalvation; and an other ſaith ccZach. 12.10.Zech 12:10, They ſhall look on him whom they have pierced, and they ſhall mourn for him &c. and then ask, Shall we not preach ſorrow for ſinne from Chriſt piercing and wounding and melting the heart?

1. Who forbids you, Sir ſo to preach? or who denies, that p. 32the ſight of Chriſt crucified for our ſins by the eye of faith, is a ſingular mean of melting mens hearts into godly ſorrow; and that even after they are in the ſtate of grace, yea, and aſſured to of the pardon of their ſins thereby purchaſed and procured? contrary to what you teach, thatddTreat. p. 44. no trouble for ſinne can ariſe in the ſoul, but from the obligement of the Law, and the ſatisfaction it demands: againſt which to what iseeAnſw. p. 18. objected, you return nothing.

2 We teach therefore herein, as much as Gods Word warrants: But we teach alſo with good warrant from the ſame Word, that Gods ordinary way of bringing men over unto Chriſt, is byffAct. 16.18. & 16.31, 32.Acts 16:18Acts 16:31Acts 16:32 openi g their eyes unto a ſight of their ſins, and apprehenſion o… their loſt and forlorn condition, unleſſe they be ſaved by Chriſt; and by working their hearts unto a willingneſſe to come out of their ſinnes and go out of themſelves, that they may by a true and lively faith, repair unto Chriſt, lay hold on him and receive him, that they may be ſaved by him. Thus were thoſeggAct 2.23, …7, 41.Acts 2:23Acts 2:7Acts 2:41 that Peter preached to, brought in; thus was Paul hhRom 7.10, 11Rom 7:10Rom 7:11wrought on, as himſelf profeſſeth. And Sir, becauſe Chriſt calleth to come to him with promiſe of refreſhment, ſuch only as areiiMath 11.28.Matt 11:28 weary of, and burdened with the weight of their ſins: nor do we find any invited unto the waters of life, (which yet arekkE…ai. 55.1. freely propounded) but ſuch as ſpiritually llIoh. 7.37, 3…. Revel 2….…7.John 7:37John 7:3Rev 2:7thirſt after them: nor are any by the Prophet preſumed ſo to thirſt, but thoſe only that aremmEſai. 55.2, 3, 6, 7.Isa 55:2Isa 55:3Isa 55:6Isa 55:7 willing to hear and obey, and reform their lives, and return to God… We therefore dare not preſume to tell men as you do and others of your way, that they may come to Chriſt and receive him, tho no ſuch work at all be wrought on them but they continue ſtill in their wonted ſinfull courſes; and this indeed is that that you ſcof us for, becauſe we dare not be ſo preſumptuous to ſay herein as you ſay.

3. Yea Sir, we ſay further, from that very place of Zachary which you here cite; that, asnnZach. 12.10. … 13.1.Zech 12:10Zech 12:13Zech 12:1 there is no fountain opened for ſin and uncleanneſſe unto any, untill this work be wrought on them; ſo that all thoſe who now believing on Chriſt, do by the eye of faith behold Chriſt pierced by their ſins, cannot but be much grieved and troubled for them; and that as well for thoſe ſins that after their converſion they commit, as for thoſe which before it they commited: ſince that the one was a procuring cauſe of p. 33Chriſts ſufferings as well as the other; nor is there leſſe cauſe to be humbled and grieved for the one, then for the other.

4. Litle to the purpoſe therefore is it, for you to tell us; thatooReply p. 6 ibid. Chriſt was ſ…nt ppAct. 5 31.Acts 5:31to give repentance, and pardon of ſins; for notqqLuk. 24.47.Luke 24:47 this without that, nor pardon of ſin without (I hope) but upon repentance; which none of us ever denyed; but tell us, Sir, plainly, if you dare ſpeak it out; that men tho they repent not yet may believe in Chriſt, and be ſaved by Chriſt (that which is commonly aſſerted by thoſe of your way; and is alſo covertly hinted by you, as elſwhere is and will be ſhewed) otherwiſe you hererrforeign 1 Cor 9.27. ut qi a…tema jactat Brac…ia p…oterd…ns, & verberat ictibus aeras, Vng. Aen. l. 5. foreign. Euſtath. ad II. ….1 Cor 9:27 beat but the ay…r about you, you ſmite not us, nor touch by way of reproof or rejection ought that is held or taught by us.

The like doom belongeth (to give it his due) to what followeth next with you, that

ttMath. 16.24.Matt 16:24One Scripture biddeth, ſſReply, Ibid.He that will follow me, let him deny himſelf, and take up his croſſe: an other ſaith, uuPhil. 2.13.Phil 2:13It is he that works in us, both to will and to do; and vvPhil. 4.13.Phil 4:13I am able to do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthneth mee.

1. For what is all this alſo to the preſent purpoſe?

2. And yet Sir, you may do well to add the Apoſtles inference;xxPhil. 2.12, 13Phil 2:12Phil 2:13 It is God that works in you both to will and to do▪ of his good pleaſure: and therefore work you out your own ſalvation with fear and trembling: a leſſon that thoſe of your way luſt not to hear of, to learn and take out, much leſſe; yet a better, ſafer, and wholſomer inference then that of one of yours from the fore-mentioned place of Zachary: There is yyZach. 13.1Zech 13:1a fountain opened to the houſe of David and to the inhabitants of Ieruſalem for ſin and for uncleanneſſe. Therefore let believers ſin as faſt as they can, there is a fountaine open to waſh them in: and what ſuch wholſome exhortations tend to who ſeeth not?zzSee Gods eye, &c. Pref. p. 18 C. 2.

But how theſe things make to the matter in hand, you will ſhew us, I hope in the cloſe. For there you undertake to ſtateaaReply p. 7. the difference between you and us.

1. That we preach Chriſt and the Goſpel and the graces of the Spirit in the parts as we find it: whereas you dare not ſpeak the myſtery ſo in pieces: you ſee ſuch preaching anſwers not the fulneſſe of the myſtery, the riches of the Goſpel, the glory of the New Teſtament, as belike yours doth.

p. 34But Sir, 1. Do we preach theſe things, as we find them in parts? where doe we thus find them but in the word? and if we preach them ſo as we find them there; we are ſure, that we have warrant for ſuch preaching good enough: and need not therefore fear either yours or any mans cenſure, for our ſo doing.

2. Is there any piece we find in the word, that we leave unpreached? if we wave none at all, tho we preach them in pieces, as we find them preached by Chriſt and his Apoſtles before us yet preach we the whole, forbbforeign, Ariſt. metaphyſ. l. 4. c. 26. all the parts and pieces make up the whole, and your cenſure of us is moſt frivolous.

3. Conſider Sir, what an inſolent claim after your wonted manner you here made; as if you were the only men forſooth, that preach the fulneſſe of the myſtery, the riches of the Goſpel, and the glory of the New Teſtament.

But Sir, I ſee we muſt bear with you; for you ſeem ſo highly conceited of, and ſtrongly yea ſtrangly tranſported with the conceit of your own way of preaching, that unleſſe you be vaunting and bragging of it you burſt.

4. Conſider what aſperſions you caſt hereby upon the Apoſtles of Chriſt, yea, upon Chriſt himſelf, to wit, that they preached not the fulneſſe of the myſtery, nor the riches of the Goſpel, nor the glory of the New Testament; (for they delivered theſe things in pieces, as by their Sermons and Epiſtles whence we take them, your ſelf confeſſing it, as we find them, appears) but left that it ſeems to be done by you, and thoſe of your ſide. Whither will not the inſolency of mans hauty heart dare to aſcend? and yet obſerve their hyprocriſy; they dare not forſooth, do as we do, preach theſe things in pieces as the Apoſtels did, humble minded men, that dare not be ſo preſumptuous as we are, and yet under colour of this not daring to do as not we alone, but the Apoſtles alſo before us did, dare advance and extoll their own way of teaching above not our teaching alone, but theirs alſo, and the Holy Ghoſt it ſelf that taught by them;ccforeign, M rc. Imp. l. 12. § 27 no pride worſe, or more abominable then that, which commeth ſhrowded under the weed and wimple of humility, and by ſeeming to ſtoop, ſtrives to lift up it ſelf.

2.ddReply, Ibid. You find, you ſay, that in the fulneſſe of the New Teſtament, Chriſt is ſit up as a Prince, as a King, as a Lord, as a crown and glory to every grace and gift: nay, he is made not only righteouſneſſe, p. 35but ſanctification to, and ſo you preach him: Whereas to preach his riches without him, his graces by themſelves, ſingel, and private; as repent and believe; and be humbled, and deny your ſelves, we make the gifts looſe much of their glory, Chriſt of his prayſe, and the Gospel of its fulneſſe.

To all which vain gloſing I Anſwer.

1. Which of us deny Chriſt any part of this his honour? or how preach we faith in Chriſt, repentance unto remiſſion of ſin by Chriſt; or ſelf-deniall, as a duty reqired by Chriſt of all thoſe, that look for ſalvation from Chriſt; how can we preach any of theſe thus, and not withall preach Chriſt? But Sir, ſtill you proceed, without fear or ſhame as if you had caſt both away, to aſperſe our Saviour himſelf and his bleſſed Apoſtles, in whom and with whom we find the duties by you here mentioned, in the ſelf ſame manner preſſed, as you here propound them; nor is there any ground or colour of reaſon for any to imagine, that whenſoever they preached any of theſe duties unto any, or preſſed them upon any, they did withall inſtruct them in the whole doctrine and myſtery, concerning the power and principality of Chriſt. Read over our SaviourseeMath. 5. & 6. & 7.Matt 5 large Sermon in the Mount; his other longffMath. 13.Matt 13 Sermon by the Sea-ſide; his diſcourſe ggMath. 24.Matt 24on Mount Olivet with his Diſciples; hishhMath. 16.23.27.Matt 16:23Matt 16:27 leſſoning of them upon Peters carnall advice;iiAct 8.20.23.Acts 8:20Acts 8:23 Peters ſpirituall exhortation and advice to the Sorcerer; James whole Epiſtle, and Johns and Judes; and as you finde their exhortations to be framed, ſo judge whither they come not within the compaſſe of this arrogant mans cenſure, who litle regards how he brands or upbraids Gods P…ophets, Christs Apoſtles, yea Chriſt himſelf, and their preaching and teaching, ſo long as together with them he may ding ſome dirt on the faces of them and their doctrine, whom in the height and pride of his cenſorious ſpirit he looks upon, eitherkkSee Anſ. p. 30 as meer impoſters or as punies to himſelf in the mystery of Chriſt and the Goſpel.

But 2. Sir, we have learned to diſtinguiſh between Chriſt himſelf and the Graces of his Spirit, and thoſe duties or actions, the performance whereof is reqired of all thoſe, tho by grace from God received thereunto enabled, that deſire or expect to be ſaved by Chriſt, and to give each his due and proper place; nor do we jumble theſe things together, as you and thoſe of your ſtrain are wont to do: whereof to give the Reader a taſt, tho of no very p. 36good reliſh, I ſhall relate ſome paſſages that my ſelf heard delivered byccHeydon a …uſie ſpread r of Mr Eatons books. one of them in a Sermon, which as I was afterward enformed, had been preached in divers places. The Scripture he undertook to handel, was 1 Joh. 3.7. Litle children, let no man deceive you, He that doth righteouſneſſe is righteous even as he is righteous: In opening whereof he told his Auditory, that there was a twofold righteouſneſſe, a righteouſneſſe inherent, and a righteouſneſſe imputed; an active and a paſſive righteouſneſſe: the former was the righteouſneſſe of the Law, the latter of the Gospel and that the latter, to wit, the imputed or paſſive righteouſneſſe was the righteouſneſſe that the Apoſtle here ſpake of; and in proſecution of his matter, he expounded all the places he qoted, wherein any duty was reqired, not as to be done by us but as done by Chriſt for us, & ſo to be believed of us. For example,ddMath. 7.21.Matt 7:21 Not every one that cals me Lord, Lord, ſhall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father in Heaven; that is, he that hath done it in Chriſt and believeth that Chriſt did it for him, andeeMath. 12.50Matt 12:50 He that ſhall do the will of my Father in heaven, the ſame is my brother, and ſister, and mother, that ſhall do it in Chriſt, and believe that he hath done it for him; and ffEph. 4.24.Eph 4:24put on the new man, which is after God created in righteouſneſſe and true holyneſſe, that is, Jeſus Chriſt by believing his holyneſſe and righteouſneſſe imputed unto you: and gg1 Cor. 15.58.1 Cor 15:58abounding in the work of the Lord; that is, in believing in Christ, (for that ishhIoh. 6.29.John 6:29 the work of God) and what he hath wrought for you. Beſide many other Scriptures in like-manner vexed and racked, and being afterward charged with wronging his text, in expounding it directly contrary to the expreſſe words of it; and to the coherence of it with the reſt of the context; he boldly and peremptorily affirm'd that all that went before ofii1 Ioh. 3.3.1 John 3:3 purifying himſelf, andkkIbid. v. 6. not ſinning, and that followed after, not ofllIbid. v. 9. committing ſin, andmmIbid. v. 10. doing righteouſneſſe, was all to be underſtood of imputation and juſtification, or of imputed and paſſive righteouſneſſe, as he was pleaſed ſtill to ſtyle it. But thus he, to which I might add what an other of them writes; thatnnH. Denne Confer p. 30. in ſome, p. 18. Faith is, as the learned know, (but what learned, I know not) a part of repentance: and Repentance and faith differ, as whole and part, andooIbid. p. 32. or 20. Faith is our new life. Nor Sir, do your ſelf much ſwarve from this manner of teaching, when you tell your readers, as was before ſhewed, thatppTreat. p. 84. 85. Chriſt hath beleived p. 37and repented for them; and they muſt believe that their faith and repentance is perfect in Chriſt.

3. As for what you ſay, from the Apoſtleqq1 Cor. 1.30.1 Cor 1:30 that Chriſt is made not onelyonly righteouſneſſe, but ſanctification alſo to us (and do not we ſay and teach the ſame?) good Sir, keep you cloſe to this; and be pleaſed to preſſe it upon your people; for if it be ſo, then undoubtedlyrrRom. 6 2, 16. 1 Cor. 6.10, 11.Rom 6:2Rom 6:161 Cor 6:101 Cor 6:11 no unſanctified perſon hath any ſhare yet in Chriſt; nor are any juſtified by him, who are not with all ſanctified, and the one conſequently may be a good evidence of the other, all which yet your poſitions impugn and oppoſe; as in due place ſhall appeare.

But proceed we to the reſidue of your reply.

In the next place therefore,ſſAnſ. p. 9.10. skipping over (belike you found the ground to hot under your feet) all the inſtances given of our Saviours aſſertions; which ſhould you ſet your Amen to, you muſt needs paſſe ſentence againſt your ſelf on our ſide for deliverin… the like: andttIbid. p. 10. that blaſpehmous inference which from your own grounds you ſtand juſtly charged with, and will never be able to wipe off; as alſouuIbid. p. 11. the Anſwer to your Objection, of Chriſts mentioning faith onelyonly in ſome places; which you endeavour not to take away; and being duly conſidered, might in one line have blown away all the duſt that you have raiſed in the laſt forgoing paſſages, wherewith to dim your readers eye-ſight.

Theſe things over-skipt, you proceed to anſwer that plea of ours, as unjuſtly taxed by you, and termed Legaliſts, xxIbid. p. 11.14.for preaching faith and repentance and newneſſe of life, in the very ſame manner and methode that John, Chriſt and his Apoſtles did; who by collation of places are evidently ſhewed from the first to the laſt, to have obſerved the ſelf-ſame method.

The Anſwer you return hereunto (not denying at all that they all therein conſpired) is this, thataaReply p. 7. § 1. you taxe us only, for that we preach it not as they aid according to the full revelation of it in the New Testament; but we preach it onelyonly, as we find it in their Summaries, and in the breif narration of their doctrin: which we ought not to do.

But Sir, this is your old ^b Cuckows ſong; qqforeign.which ever anon to litle purpoſe you repeat; and helpes to fill up your pages, p. 38and take off your Reader, when you are at a loſſe and find your ſelf deſtitute of any ſatisfactory Anſwer to matters objected.

For 1. Is there ought in their Summaries, that is not ſound doctrine and good Goſpel?

2. Are not theſe things preſſed by them, as duties to be neceſſarily done and performed by all thoſe that are ſaved by Chriſt?

3. Can you juſtly charge us with concealing any part of the Goſpel, found in any book of holy writ?

4. Was this the meaning of John, or Chriſt, or Peter, or Paul, when they called upon people to repent, Repent: that is, Believe that Chriſt hath repented for you; and you have perfectly repented in him? or when they exhorted men to believe, was this their meaning, Believe that Christ hath believd for you; and you believe perfectly by vertue of that his belief? For this with you, Sir, is the full revelation of the New Teſtament, which yet you muſt pardon us, if we believe it not on your word, becauſe we find it not in Scripture.

Mean while Sir, you are to Magiſteriall in telling us, that we ſhould not do ſo, as we ſee ſuch as theſe are before us do, and we muſt reqeſt you,ccPatere nos cum iſtis errare, ut Hieron. ad Aug. Siqidem, Tales honeſtus error eſt ſeqi duces, ut Fab inſt…t. l. 1. not to blame us if we deem their practiſe better warrant to bear us out herein, then your bare word to beat us out of it.

But,ddReply p. 7. 8. you will herein condemn me you ſay, out of mine own mouth. For I ſay of the Apoſtels, that we have but Summaries of them, as in Act. 2.40. and 16.31. and we knowing this, preach onelyonly by their firſt methods and Summaries, not looking to the revelation of the myſtery, which the Apoſtle ſaith eeRom. 16.25, 26.Rom 16:25Rom 16:26it now made manifest.

Sir, He that hath but half an eye may eaſily diſcry, what monſters you are ſecretly brooding, tho you dare not yet offer them to open view: But let us diſcuſſe your words a litle.

1. Where do I ſay of the Apoſtle, that we have but Summaries of them? no ſuch matter, Sir; I ſay onelyonlyffAnſw. p. 13. we have not their whole ſermons; but ſome breif ſummaries, and principall heads of them: wherein yet we find more preached, enjoyned and preſſed, then you would have taught; to wit, repentance as p. 39well as faith: That which is ſufficient to ſtop your mouth, and to cut of yourggTreat. p. 123. ſhort cut, of making faith the onelyonly Goſpel work and way, becauſe the other in ſome places is not mentioned: But I ſay not, that we have brief Summaries only of the Apoſtles doctrine. For we have whole Epiſtles, and in them very large and plentifull diſcourſes and disputes; Yea, in thoſe Summaries of their Sermons, and their other writings, together with thoſe pieces of holy Writ, penned by other holy men, immediately directed, and infallibly guided by the Spirit, we have all things neceſſary to be known, believed or practiſed, for the attainment of ſalvation by Chriſt, fully delivered.

2. If we do ill in preaching after their firſt methods; good Sir, be pleaſed to ſhew us where or when they altred their methods; or where having at firſt preached, and preſſed upon people, faith, retance, and newneſſe of life, they afterward revoked and repealed any part thereof, as tho formerly needfull, yet no more neceſſary then, or where they impoſed ought on any, that came not within compaſſe of theſe; which if you be not able to do, you have litle reaſon to controll us for preaching after that method which they retained, and conſtantly held on to the laſt.

3. Whereas you ſay (and that it ſeems is the miſchief, and the maine ground of the qarell, that we admit nothhTreat. p. 204. your more glorious new lights, as you term them) we look not to the revelation of the myſtery, which the Apoſtle ſaid is now made manifeſt: Sir, you put me in minde of Dr Alabaſters dotage, ofiiApparatus myſticus in Revelationem Chriſti. a new way of expounding Scripture, which Solomon had foretold, ſhould in theſe latter dayes come to light; and was accordingly now reveiled to him: For in like manner, it ſeems you would make us believe, that the Apoſtle in his times foretold of ſome myſteries, that ſhould in theſe dayes be made known; and that the ſame are now reveiled to your ſelf, and your aſſociates. But, good Sir, when the Apoſtle ſaith in the place you point us to,kkRom. 16.25.26.Rom 16:25Rom 16:26 The revelation of the myſtery which was kept ſecret ſince the world began; but now is made manifeſt, and by the Scriptures of the Prophets made known to all Nations, for the obedience of faith: did he not ſpeak of the times wherein he lived; and of that myſtery of the Goſpel, which tho concealed formerly from the Gentiles, yet had bin manifeſted by Gods Prophets from time to time to his people, and wasllAct. 3.24. & 26.22. & 28, 23.Acts 3:24Acts 26:22Acts 28:23 out of their writings, and according to the ſame, by himſelf, and other p. 40the Apoſtles and Miniſters of Chriſt, in thoſe dayes preached, reveiled, and made known alſo to the Gentiles? Or, can you hope that any, unleſſe fanaticall and fantaſticall people (I will not ſay, like your ſelf) can be perſwaded (and yet, what are not ſuch prone to believe?) that the Apoſtle, when he ſpake that, ſhould ſo much as dream of Mr S. or I know what other Enthuſiaſts, and of ſome Myſteries, that in theſe times ſhould be reveiled to him or any other; which the Apoſtle himſelf was either ignorant of, or was loth to truſt pen and paper with? But this, Sir, may well render you juſtly ſuſpected, to be one of the Revelationiſts, reported to be riſe abroad. Howbeit, you muſt excuſe us if we take you not, for any ſuch extraordinary man, either Prophet or Apoſtel, untill you produce a better patent for it. And by your own grounds ſuch an one you muſt be, if you will profeſſe your ſelf a diſpenſer of the Goſpel; what elſe import thoſe words of yours elſ-where, that**Reaſons for uni y, § 7. Both Presbyterians and Independents have need of Seekers, becauſe none of them have the Ordinances by the firſt patern in the Word, as by Apostleſhip and Baptiſm of Spirit: But concerning this more anon, where you are harping on this ſtring again.

As for Johns manner of preaching, mmReply p. 8.his preaching, you ſay, ought to be no more an example to us then his baptiſm; and that we know the leaſt in the Kingdom of heaven is greater then he.

1. It is true, we know, nnMath. 11.11.Matt 11:11our Saviour ſo ſaith; and in that reſpect wherein he ſo ſpake, we deny it not; tho we ſtand not now to diſcuſſe it; becauſe it would reqire a large diſcourſe.

2. But Sir, for the exampell of Johns preaching, and the duties he reqired of thoſe that ſhould be ſaved by the Meſsias, whom he preached, we may well make him our patern; for that the things reqired by him were ſuch as were in all ages the ſame; and the rather are we emboldned ſo to do, becauſe we finde the Apoſtle Paul in his preaching by his own report (as I haveooAnſw. p. 14. ſhewed in mine Anſwer) treading preciſely in his ſteps, andppAct. 26.19, 20.Acts 26:19Acts 26:20 paralleling him to an heir: howſoever ſuch preaching (it ſeems) is now out of date, ſince the day of other more glorious myſteries reveiled unto you and yours.

3. Nor know I any reaſon, why his baptiſm for the ſubſtance of it, ſhould not be an example to us alſo in theſe times, beingqqMark. 1.4.Mark 1:4 the baptiſm of repentance unto remiſſion of ſins; that is, if I miſtake not, p. 41baptiſm obſigning remiſſion of ſins upon condition of repentance.

But this expreſſion you take exception to, and cannot endure to hear faith, repentance, and new obedience, termed conditions of life and ſalvation; and askrrReply p. 8. § 2. why I keep not the wholſome words of Scripture; and where the Scripture calleth theſe conditions of ſalvation.

Sir, I will not make ſtay to inſiſt on the like demand from you, whether Christs believing for us, and repenting for us, be either Scripture phraſes or contain in them Scripture doctrine; either ſuch as is found expreſſed in Scripture, or ſuch as may by neceſſary conſeqence be thence deduced; It may peradventure be one of thoſe myſteries that have ſince the Apoſtles writings been revealed unto your ſelf and ſome others, who take upon them to mould us out a new notionall Divinity, not in words and terms only, but in matter of faith, other then from the Scriptures which with many are now grown into contempt, we had formerly receaved.

Nor will I ſtand to examine whether by ſuch demand you intend to help out Paul Best, that blaſphemous beaſt his impious aſſertions: (ForſſVideantur Dionyſius Alex. apud Athanaſ. de ejus Sent. Gregor. Naz. de Theolog. Orat. 5. Ambroſ. de fide c. 5. Aug. epiſt. 178. that was the main objection the Arian and others of that way uſed, that the Names and Terms were not found in Scripture:) the rather to be ſuſpected, becauſe you are ſo eager a pleaderttReaſons for Vn ty, § 4. for opinions of all ſorts.

Nor will I take exception to your miſrelating of my words, that faith, repentance, and new obedience are conditions of life and ſalvation; for I no where ſo ſpeak, but thatuuAnſw. p. 11.12. pardon of ſin and ſalvation are propounded and preached upon condition of faith, repentance and newneſſe of life, which are the conditions of the Goſpel; and yet may they alſo be ſo termed, as conditions of peace, xxLuk. 14.31.Luke 14:31upon agreement unto, and performance whereof, peace may be had, which otherwherewiſe cannot be obtained.

Only Sir, I ſhall endeavour by help of Logick out of Scripture thus toyyforeign. Athan. de Syn. Nic. Idem fere Cyr l. de Tr nit. dial. 1. juſtifie the uſe of that term.

That which is ſo propounded as that being performed life and ſalvation may undoubtedly be attained, and without which it cannot be had; may well be termed a condition.

But ſuch are the things before mentioned.

They may therefore justly be termed conditions.

Yea, but this ſay you, isaaReply ibid. to make a condition by conſequence; and the interpreting of the Spirit thus in the letter, and by conſequence p. 42hath much darkned the glory of the Gospel; and when as bbIohn. 6.53.John 6:53ſome of Chriſts Diſciples took his words as I do, under a condition, ccIbid. 63.Except ye eat the fleſh of the Sonne of man, &c? the words, ſaith he, that I ſpeak are Spirit.

Sure the man is in a ſtrange humour; he would have thoſe that deal with him, to make themſelves no better then meer bruits; for they muſt deveſt themſelves, not of Logick only, but of Grammer too; both of common ſpeech and common ſenſe; they muſt not interpret the Spirit by conſeqence: as much as to ſay in plainer terms, they muſt deduce nothing by conſeqence from Scripture; eſpecially when it ſhall croſſe any Tenent of his, nor muſt they ſay, that ſuch a ſpeech imports a condition; tho they find it uſherd in with a conditionall particle; and therefore, tho niſi or except, be ſuch an one in our Saviours aſſertion, yet it muſt by no means there import a condition.