Shadows Without Substance, Answer (3 of 3)

Shadows Without Substance · Answer (3 of 3)

p. 752. You talk ſtill in ambiguous terms to us. For what intend you by being ſpiritually perſwaded? If from ſuch grounds as Gods Spirit in the word ſuggeſts, and ſuch operations as the Spirit is wont ever to work in the ſoul whereſoever it gives ability to believ; you croſſe your ſelf, who are ever and anon girding at us, (asddReply, p. 5. Sect. 1. your ſelf deny not) and traducing us, for teaching men, with the Apoſtle, thence to draw ground for ſuch perſwaſion, and thereby to examine the truth of it. If you mean by an immediate voice of the Spirit ſpeaking directly to the ſoul, as ſome of your party ſeem to maintain; then I ſee not how there can be more or leſſe in it, notwithſtanding whatſoever you talk elſe-where ofeeTreat. p. 99. degrees: For what the Spirit ſpeaks in ſuch an immediate manner to the ſoul, cannot but fully ſatisfie and perſwade that ſoul to whom it ſo ſpeaks. Nor will you ever be able to prove, that to every beleever the Spirit ſo ſpeaks.

5. But, Do you ſpeak of faith abſtracted from all repentance, obedience, &c.?

1. If ſuch perſwaſion as you mention may be without any of theſe, as there is no qeſtion but it may be; then a faith abstracted from theſe comes within compaſſe of your definition or deſcription of faith, term it whether you pleaſe.

2. You do ſpeak of, approve, and juſtifie ſuch a faith; yea, more then that, you affirm, all true faith to be ſuch; when you maintain, thatffTreat. p. 186. every one that receivs Chriſt (which is doneggJoh. 1.12.John 1:12 by faith) receivs him in a ſinfull condition; and conſequently, in an impenitent condition. And that to be your meaning, you acknowledge, tho you return no anſwer to mine Argument againſt it.

3. If you intend no other faith, why do you ſo oft tax us, for preſſing theſe things as required of all thoſe that have intereſt in Chriſt.

4. What other faith is it that you intend, when you ſay, thathhTreat. p. 98. men ought not to ſtay the exerciſe of their faith, for repentance or humiliation, or any other grace? Of which more hereafter in your Modell.

6. Since you have dealt ſo ambiguouſly and covertly (by your own confeſſion at the beſt) in this and other your Aſſertions, p. 74(which you are not able to juſtifie) being delivered in your own words, and well ſorting, as they are delivered, with what you affirm elſe-where; you have no cauſe to ask me, why I deal thus: but wee may well ask you, why you deal ſo deceitfully, and delude ſilly ſouls, in teaching them to reſt on ſuch rotten reeds as theſe, (which you are loth to own, tho they be your own) to the ruine of their ſouls.

Your next Aſſertion is, that

iiTreat. p. 97No man can beleeve too ſuddenly.

To which I anſwer, ThatkkAnſ. p. 20. men may beleeve too ſuddenly, as did Simon the Sorcerer: too ſoon and too ſuddenly they may preſume, and he perſwaded of Chriſts love; if that be faith, as you define it.

llReply p. 13.Now to this you reply,

1. Was Simon Magus blamed for beleeving too ſuddenly, or for miſ-beleeving: becauſe hee beleeved that the gifts of the holy Ghoſt might be bought with money?

1. Grant it, that hee was blamed for the latter; that miſbelief of his, and the evill act thence proceeding, diſcovering the unſoundneſſe of his formerly pretended, and externally profeſſed faith: yet what I ſay ſtands ſtill firm, That a man may too ſuddenly believ as hee did. And if his belief were unbelief, and a mere groundleſſe preſumption, then that which I ſay is true: For ſure it is, men may too ſuddenly miſ-believ and preſume.

2. If to believ be no more then as you ſay, To be perſwaded more or leſſe of Chriſts love; not Simon Magus alone, but many millions, nay, any other in his eſtate, may too ſoon and too ſuddenly believ: yea, if your former tenents be true, Simon Magus, thommAct. 8.23.Acts 8:23 abiding ſtill in the gall of bitterneſſe, and in the bond of iniquity, had as good right unto, and intereſt in the promiſes of the Gospel, running abſolutely and ſimply without any condition of faith and repentance, and belonging to ſinners as ſinners, not as humbled or repentant ſinners, and therefore to him, unleſſe you will deny him to be a ſinner; as Philip or Peter, that preached Chriſt to him: and might conſeqently believ as well as they, and be on good ground perſwaded that Christ loved him; ſince the promiſes belong to none but ſuch as Chriſt loves.

But you proceed in your chiding and expoſtulating language.

2.nnRepl. ibid. Can any believe too ſoon? If ſome miſ-believe, or believe p. 75falſly, what is that to them that truly believe? ooRom. 3.Rom 3Shall the unbelief of ſome make the faith of God without effect? God forbid. Can Chriſt be too ſoon a Saviour to us? Can the fountain be too ſoon opened for ſin? Can the riches of Chriſt be too ſoon brought home? Paul counts it an honour to be ppRom. 16.5, …Rom 16:5firſt in Chriſt: as to ſome that were in Chriſt before him, and to others that were the firſt-fruits of Achaia.

1. No man can truly believe too ſoon, no more then hee can truly repent too ſoon. But Sir, you compell us to ſing over your own ſong again to you. Men may too ſoon be perſwaded more or leſſe that Chriſt loves them; becauſe ſooner then they have any good ground for any ſuch perſwaſion, that which is the very eſſence of faith with you; and they that ſo beleeve before they repent, beleeve too ſoon; their impenitency ſhewing ſuch belief of theirs to be no well-grounded faith, but a preſumptuous fancie.

2. If there be miſ-belief and falſe belief, as well as true belief; How dare you diſſwade men from trying their faith, whether it be ſound and ſincere? Should one diſſwade or forbid men to weigh or try the gold they receive, when they know light and baſe coin to be rife abroad; yea, ſo rife, that there is far more ſtore of the faulty commonly tendered in payment, then of good and weighty gold; what could it be deemed but a meer knaviſh device, of one either deſirous to cheat and cozen people himſelf, or willing to have them cheated and cozened by others?

3. You miſ-apply and abuſe Scripture, as elſe-where, ſo here. ThoqqRom. 3.3.Rom 3:3 the unbelief of ſome cannot make the faith of God of none effect, but that his promiſes ſhall in their due time all undoubtedly be made good to all his: yet what is that at all to our preſent debate? For may not therefore ſome perſwade themſelves, (and that from your grounds encouraged ſo to do) that Gods promiſes belong to them, when indeed they do not?

4. Tho Chriſt cannot too ſoon be a Saviour, if hee pleaſe, unto any; yet may many, yea, too many do perſwade themſelves, that Chriſt is their Saviour, whom yet he never will ſave.

5. The fountain in ſome ſort and manner may, in the miniſteriall diſpenſation of it, be too ſoon ſet open; if it be otherwiſe ſet open then it was by Peter in his preachingrrActs 2.38. & 3.19.Acts 2:38Acts 3:19 to the Jewes, p. 76andſſAct. 8.22.Acts 8:22 to Simon Magus afterward: and if, as it is by many of your ſtrain in theſe times, who tell men that ſinners of all ſorts may be waſhed in it from the guilt of their ſins, although they continue ſtill in the practice of them; and your own principles prove and approve the ſame.

6. The riches of Chriſt cannot too ſoon be brought home to any ſoul. It is God; not you, or I, or any other that can doe that. But the riches of Chriſt, and the waters of the forementioned fountain, are (I ſuppoſe) of thoſettMat. 7.6.Matt 7:6 holy things, which wee are by our Saviour himſelf forbidden to throw to dogs, or to expoſe to ſwine. And wee may be over haſtie therefore in our diſpenſation of them.

7. For the Scriptures wherewith you ſeal up this impertinent diſcourſe, I ſhould endeavour to ſhew how miſerably and palpably you abuſe them in your vain and ridiculous citing of them to no purpoſe, if I deemed any Reader to be ſo ſottiſh or dim-ſighted, that hee were not able to diſcern between an apple and an oyſter.

But in ſtead thereof, I ſhall onelyonly make bold to preſent him with a brief Modell of your Divinitie concerning theſe points.

1.uuTreat. p. 94. Faith (you told us) to ſpeak truly and ſimply, (which indeed you, and thoſe of your ſtrain ſeldome do) is (no more then) to be perſwaded more or leſſe of Chricts love.

2.wwIb. p 97, 98. Men cannot too haſtily or too ſuddenly (thus) believ. (for unto this your definition your words muſt have reference, unleſſe you will acknowledge, that your writings hang together like ropes of xxArena ſine calce. Suet. Caio. cap. 53.ſand, without lime to bind it: and by faith you mean one thing, and by belief another).

3.yyIbid. p. 98. Men ought not to ſtay the exerciſe of their faith for repentance, or humiliation, or any other grace. (As much as to ſay, they ought not to forbear perſwading themſelves that Chriſt loves them, tho they do not repent, nor be humbled at all for their ſins.)

4.zzIbid. p. 92. None ought to qeſtion whether they believ or no: (and ſo need not, yea, ought not to examine their faith, whether it be ſound and ſincere, or no.)

5.aaIbid. p. 57. In the Goſpel all are immediately called to believe: (that is, according to the former tenents, to be perſwaded that they are of the number of thoſe that Chriſt loves, and will ſave, whether they be yet humbled and repent, or no.)

p. 776.bbIbid. p. 93. Chriſt commands to believ: (whom, but thoſe whom he calls? and hee calls all immediately without more ado;) for this is his commandement; and commandements of this nature muſt be obeyed, not diſputed: (and men muſt not therefore ſtand diſputing whether they beleeve aright or no: for to that purpoſe is this alledged.)

Now Sir, endeavour you to ſalve theſe Aſſertions with what qualifications and modifications you pleaſe, and out of your ſubtile wit you can deviſe; let any indifferent perſon judge, what encouragement you have hereby given unto ſely ſouls, to build hopes of attaining heaven and happines, on ſuch a ſandy foundation as mans corrupt and profane heart is of its ſelf over prone to entertain and r…ly on; to wit, being perſwaded more or leſſe that they are of Chriſts beloved ones, and true belevers, tho they have no dram of repentance, or other grace in them.

But the moſt of all this (which indeed you might juſtly be aſhamed of, had you not made an utter riddance of all ingenuous diſpoſition) together with what is againſt the ſame in mineccAnſ. p. 20, 21. Anſwer objected, you let paſſe, only out of mine exception to the laſt, you ſnip off that one ſhred, wherein I ſay, that

ddIbid. p. 20.Chriſt commands us to repent as well us to believe; yea, firſt to repent, and than to believe.

Whereunto, in your wonted faſhion, to little purpoſe, you thus reply:

eeRepl. pag. 13. Sect. 7.Yea, but will you take the doctrine of the Goſpel from a part, or ſummary of it, as you ſay, and not from the Goſpel in its fulneſſe, and glory, and revelation? will you gather doctrines of truth, as Ruth for a while did glea…ings, here one ear of corn, and there another; and not rather go to the full ſheaf, …o truth in the harveſt and Vintage? Will you pick up truth by pieces and parcels, in Repentance, and Obedience, and ſelf-deny all? and not reveal theſe as Chriſt may be moſt glorified, and the Saints moſt ſanctified, and theſe gifts moſt ſpiritualized and improved? Will yee preach doctrine as it lies in the letter; or in their Analogie and inference of truth? The Papiſts preach Chriſts very fleſh and bloud to be in the wine, and why? becauſe they look but half way to the demonſtration of truth in the Spirit: they ſhut up Chriſt in one nation, and not in anoth… ▪ and ſo loſe the truth by revealing it in that form of words which is too narrow for it, and too ſhort of ffEpheſ.the height, and depth and length of it.

p. 78But Sir, 1. You have here a great deal of your Rhetorick; which it ſeems, you have not yet renounced: but very little of your Logick; which, it ſeems, you have ſo ſhaken hands with, that you never intend to admit, or to be reconciled unto again. For here is nothing but idle flouriſhes, like ſome Fencer in diſport, laying about him with his two-handed ſword, to make paſſage for ſome ſight, when hee hath no body to fight with: nothing but a mere ſound of words, the ſame that wee had oft before, with one or two qeint ſimilitudes, that may ſerve for a new garniſh: all as much to the matter, as an anſwer of chalk to a queſtion of cheeſe. Sir, put your diſcourſe into ſome form of Argument, and you may from you ſelf ſoon have an anſwer; you will ſoon ſee the looſneſſe of it your ſelf.

2. If you did but well weigh what you ſay, you might eaſily diſcern, that the edge of this your rapſodie, (for it is not worth the name of an Argument) leaving us, turns directly upon your ſelf. For who be they that glean, picking here an ear, and there an ear, and refuſing to reſort to the whole ſheaf, but your ſelf? You tell us,ggJoh. 14.1.John 14:1 Chriſt commands to believe: there you pick up one ear. We tell you,hhMark 1.15.Mark 1:15 he bids us repent and believe: we would have you take the reſt of the ſheaf along with you; and that you refuſe. You tell us, thatiiActs 16.31.Acts 16:31 Paul bids the Jailer believe: there you pick up the ſame one ear again. And wee tell you, that the ſame Apoſtle ſaith, thatkkAct. 20.21.Acts 20:21 hee preached to all (that hee preached to) Jew or Gentile, as well repentance, as faith; yea,llAct. 26.20.Acts 26:20 faith, repentance, and new obedience: and would have you joyn them together, binding them up in one ſheaf, as hee did. And you not onelyonly refuſe ſo to doe, but jeer and deride us for ſo doing: and when wee complain of your ſo dealing with us, you demand of us,mmRepl. p. 5. Sect. 1. Why wee think much to be ſo dealt with, when wee do therein amiſſe. Now Sir, whether of the two pick up ear by ear, or whether go to the full ſheaf, you or we, in that particular at leaſt, that is now before us, let any man, not wholly void of common ſenſe, judge. Wee require to have the ſheaf kept entire, and not broken aſunder,nnMat. 19.6.Matt 19:6 nor thoſe things diſ-joyned, that God and Chriſt hath conjoyned: You over-ſaucily and preſumptuouſly ſever them. And when wee finde fault with you for your ſo doing, you charge on us the fault that you your ſelves offend in.

p. 793. If there be any truth in our doctrine concerning repentance, ſelf-deny all, and obedience; and concerning the neceſſity of theſe unto ſalvation: confeſſe at length to your ſhame, unleſſe you regard your own credit more then Gods truth, your hainous impiety, in wilfull oppoſing theſe truths, againſt your own knowledge; and with Achan,ooJoſh. 7.19.Josh 7:19 Give God the glory, whoſe doctrine of truth in his Miniſters preaching and preſſing of it, in no other manner then as Chriſt himſelf did, you have wickedly and wretchedly derided.

4. If theſe be but pieces and parcels of truth, what is faith any more?

5. Before you taxed us forppReply, p. 8. Sect. 2. interpreting Scripture in conſeqence; and now for not preaching it in Analogie and inference. Do you know what you would have? you are very wayward, it ſeems: nothing that wee do, or not do, can pleaſe you. How differ conſequence and inference? Be pleaſed good Sir, to ſhew us, and arread us this riddle: for butqqRep. p. 14. a little hereafter your ſelf make them all one.

6. No ſound inference or analogie doth or can deſtroy any truth: nor doth the analogie of one truth with another, inhibit the preaching of one truth as well as another.

7. For what you prate ſo much of ſpiritualizing the letter of the Text, wee juſtly ſuſpect that lurking in it, that wee deſervedly deteſt and abhorre: the doctrine of repentance, and ſelf-denyall, and obedience, is no allegoricall matter, that wee need fancie or fiſh for ſome myſticall ſenſes of, by ſome I know not what new forged lights. But of this enough before.

8. For the Popiſh doctrine, either of Tranſubſtantiation, or of Concomitancie; what have wee to doe with it? were it any part of Gods truth, wee had no cauſe to r…ject it. Wee deem of it, as wee doe of your Antinomian dotages, that they are both alike mere novelties, fruits of mens wicked and wanton wits, enamoured too much on their own vain ſpeculations, and therewith endeavouring to delude and ſeduce others.

9. Popiſh errours and Scriptures you make much alike uſe of; alledging them to as little purpoſe the one as the other.

To the refidue that enſueth,rrAnſ. p. 21, 30. in five entire leaves, in way of exception to his eighth, ninth, and tenth Aſſertions, the juſtification and eſtabliſhment of our grounds of aſſurance aſſigned out of p. 80Gods word by us, and by him oppoſed; and the diſcuſſion and rejection of his new-found aſſurances, hee returneth indeed ſome few ſhort ſlubbring anſwers; but ſo as that the main matter, the moſt of it, is let go, and left as wholly buried in oblivion.

1. Concerning his diſſwaſive from any triall of faith, which with much eagerneſſe he had formerly inſiſted on; affirming, thatſſTreat. p. 73. for a man to qeſtion his faith, were to qeſtion Chriſt himſelf, and to make our Saviour a Sorcerer: Hee is now ſomewhat allayed of his former heat; and out of his kindneſſe hee is content in ſome ſort to cloſe with us, and to ſtoop ſo low from his Magiſteriality, as (tho contrary to his own tenents) to condeſcend in ſome things to us, that wee may not utterly diſagree. His words are theſe.

1.ttRepl. p. 14. You ſay, We are to try our faith: I ſay ſo too; if you would not pick and chuſe in my book, to make me ſome other thing then you find mee.

1. Do you ſay, Sir, that wee muſt try our faith? You do indeed now here ſo ſay: but doe you ſay ſo in your book? or do you not there flatly avow the clean contrary, and that, in as expreſſe terms as may be? elſe what is the Engliſh of thoſe words there;uuTreat. p. 92. None ought to qeſtion whether they believe or no? andwwIbid. p. 95. Wee ought no more to qeſtion our faith, then wee ought to qeſtion Chriſt? Unleſſe I have forgotten mine Engliſh, as you have your Logick, theſe words are directly repugnant to what you now ſay. Nor do I in charging this upon you, make you any other thing then I find you: the rather, finding you, asxxAnſ. p. 22, 23. mine Anſwer ſhews, not barely propounding theſe things; but with much vehemencie preſſing them, and deeply cenſuring what you ſeem how to acknowledge, as derogatory from the credit of the Gospel, and the honour of Chriſt: both which in truth you doe hereby not oppoſe and contradict onelyonly, but much diſhonour and diſgrace. Sure, you made full account, that no Rejoynder would ever have appeared to this your Reply; you would never elſe have thus written.

2.yyRepl. ibid. But my meaning is, that we muſt try our faith for aſſurance; as my other words imply: and you ſay ſo to.

Sir, I ſay, we muſt try our faith it ſelf, whether it be ſincere or no, as well as take triall of our aſſurance; which a man may want, tho he have true faith. Nor do my words imply any other p. 81thing, or exclude either. But Sir, this puntilio we will not ſtand upon; (tho your words here be nothing cleer) a ſmall matter ſhall not part us. The rather ſince that in both you freely profeſſe to ſay the ſame; and are of late become ſo liberall, where you ſeemed ſo extream tenacious and hidebound before. But where is the difference then between us? what is it, that ſets us at a diſtan… and ſuch a diſtance, that for ſaying no more then you now gran…, we muſt needs be held guilty of making our Saviour a Sorcerer? Speak on your mind Sir, plainly; you are much miſtaken in us; we are willing enough to hear you.

3. You ſay;zzRepl. Ibid. We would have the beſt aſſurance from tryall: and there you leave us; and do not ſay … we ſay.

1. The q ſtion at preſent is not concerning the beſt aſſurance, or the worſt; but whether any triall is to be taken at all. And here your words are peremtory and generall: that none ought to qeſtion their faith: and conſequently, that no triall at all is to be taken. And here Sir, ſhould I leave you, ſticking faſt in the mire of your owne former aſſertions, which it ſeems you are growne aſhamed of, and are loth therefore now to own; and ſo entangled in the bryers of your own croſs contradict…ons, that you know not how to wind your ſelf out of them; and ſo rid mine hand of you, having forced from you a confeſſion of what you formerly denied; there could be nothing further exacted of me as concerning the preſent debate. For all that here followeth is nothing at all, either to the cleering of your ſelf from the point charged on you, or the removall of mine exception made thereunto. Yet reſolved we are to hear what you ſay, tho you ſpeak not to the point.

2. Where then do you find me ſay, that the beſt aſſurance is from triall? and here I might return you again your own coin, expoſtulate with you in your own words; Why do you make me ſome other thing then you find me? deceive not your ſelf, nor your reader; nor wrong not your Author. Set not up a ſtake, as the youngaaAd palum tirones exercebantur, Vege. l. 1 c. 11. & l. 2. c. 23. Inde, Pali vulnera, Juvenali Sat. 6. novices of the Roman trained bands had wont to do, wherewith to exerciſe your ſelf. Howbeit, that you may ſee, we are not ſo quarrelſome as you deem us; if you will be pleaſed to do, not us, but the Apoſtles of Chriſt the courteſie, as to acknowledg the asſurance that they have pointed us to, and given us aſſurance of, to be true, ſure, ſound, certain; and not p. 82vilifie, debaſe, diſgrace and traduce them, asbbAnſ. p. 27, 32. narrow, puzzling, perplexing, diſtracting courſes, broken ware, weak work, rotten ſtuffe, and the like, we will let fall this controverſie, and leave contending and qeſtioning what aſſurance is the best, we will be content to take theſe, and teach them, ſuch as they be, and as the writers of holy writ have aſcertained them to be. And yet, give mee leave to be ſo bold, as to tel you ſo much of my mind by the way, that I ſhall ever conceive juſt cauſe to qeſtion that faith, that ſhunneth this touchſtone, that refuſeth to be tried by ſuch ſigns and marks as the Apoſtles have propounded for that purpoſe.

ccRepl. Ibid.But is that (ſay you) the best ſpirituall aſſurance, that is from our ſpirit in part, or from God alone? from our reaſoning, or his speaking? can a ſpouſe argue better the love of her friend, from his tokens and bracelets, or from his owne word and letter and ſeal?

1. Sir, we contend not for prerogative, as was before ſaid, that is a qeſtion of your owne; no aſſertion of ours.

2. The aſſurance gathered from the gratious work of gods ſpirit on our ſouls, and the effects of the ſame, is not an aſſurance taken from our own ſpirit, but from Gods ſpirit. dd1 Joh. 4.13.1 John 4:13Hereby we know, that we dwell in him, and he in us, becauſe he hath given us of his ſpirit.

3. Our aſſurance rightly and truly raiſed by our reaſoning from Gods gratious work in us, is a true and a divine teſtimony; as aeeHabent teſtimonium in verbo Dei, ſuntqe non minus divina mandata, qae ex certa Scripturae ſententia, bona conſequentia deducuntur, qam qae totidem literis & ſyllabis in Scripturis exprimuntur. Chemnit. exam. trid. part. 1. p. 19. concluſion neceſſarily deduced from Scripture, is a divine truth, as well as that that is expreſly found in Scripture: yea, the Apoſtle tels us, thatffRom. 8.16.Rom 8:16 the Spirit of God bears witneſſe together with our ſpirit. Nor doth the one therefore ſimply weaken the work of the other.

4. A bracelet, or a frontlet barely ſent or given, may argue ſome good will, but makes no engagement; there muſt be ſome letter, orggPignus eſt donum verbo veſtitum. Reg. Jur. word of promiſe added, that muſt effect that: And that theſe ſpirituall endowments want not. Wee have Gods word, hhforeign. Maca. hom. 39.his letter, his hand writing, his ſeal, both teſtifying to us, and giving us aſſurance that theſe things are his earneſts; as your ſelf before confeſt.

5. Yea, butiiRepl. Ibid. the Spirit is kk1 Joh. 5.8.1 John 5:8one of the three that beareth witneſſe on earth: and, in whom after ye beleeved, you were ſealed with the Spirit of promiſe.

p. 83ThatllRom. 8.16.Rom 8:16 The Spirit bears witneſſe, and that together with our ſpirit, is acknowledged; and that the faithfull are ſaid to bemmEpheſ. 1.14. & 4.30.Eph 1:14Eph 4:30 ſealed by the Spirit, the Apoſtle is expreſſe for it: but the qeſtion is, what manner of ſealing it is that is there meant: And it is ſuch, I ſuppoſe, as rather croſſes, then furthers what you would have. Which to make manifeſt, I ſhall in the firſt place crave leave, that I may without offence or prejudice a little rectifie the Tranſlation, and render the text as the Originall yeelds it; the words run thus,nnEpheſ. 1.13.Eph 1:13 In whom ooforeign Ita foreign, credens, Marc. 16.16. foreign credentes, Luc. 8.12. foreign credere, Marc. 9.23. 2 Theſſ. 2.11. Sic foreign audiens, Mat. 2.3. & 4.12. & 8.10. foreign audientes, Mat. 15.12. foreign audire, Mat. 13.42. & 13.15, 17.Mark 16:16Luke 8:12Mark 9:232 Thess 2:11Matt 2:3Matt 4:12Matt 8:10Matt 15:12Matt 13:42Matt 13:15Matt 13:17beleeving, or having beleeved, or when you beleeved, you were ſealed.

Now the ſealing here mentioned I take to conſiſt in the inward endowments of ſanctifying grace, whereby the Spirit ſet Gods mark and ſeal on them at the time of their converſion and receiving of Chriſt.

My reaſons are briefly:

1. The ſealing here mentioned is generall, common to all beleevers; pp2 Cor. 1.21, 22.2 Cor 1:212 Cor 1:22us with you, and you with us, ſaith the Apoſtle of thoſe at Corinth; and the ſelf-ſame hee preſumeth here of all the faithfull at Epheſus.

2. It is ſaid of them, that they are thereby ſealed, as elſewhere; not that thereby redemption is ſealed unto them; but thatqqEpheſ. 1.13. & 4.30.Eph 1:13Eph 4:30 they are thereby ſealed unto it: which implies ſome impreſſion of a ſeal, or ſignature ſtamped on them. And herein ſome difference ſeems to be between the outward ſeals, to wit, therrRom. 4.11.Rom 4:11 Sacraments, and the inward ſeal of the Spirit; that they ſeal the covenant to the ſoul, this ſeals the ſoul to the future benefits contained in the covenant, which in due time they ſhall be poſſeſſed of: the Sacraments ſeal to all that receive them indifferently, for the truth of the covenant (elſe were not wicked onesſſJer. 34.18.Jer 34:18 covenant-breakers with God) effectually, for their good and benefit, unto thoſe alone that believe and repent. The Spirit ſeals in the manner above mentioned, not the truth of the covenant alone, but the benefit of it, unto the party thereby ſealed, as having intereſt in and unto all the good things therein contained; and being, by what hee hath already received, marked out for, and ſealed up unto whatſoever thereof is yet behind.

3. That which is here called the ſeal of the Spirit, is elſe-where called thettRom. 3.23.Rom 3:23 firſt-fruits of the Spirit, as a parcell of that, which in the ful crop is hereafter expected, and of the ſame nature with it.

p. 844. That other place plainly parallell to this, wherein by divers ſeverall tropes, under ſeverall diſtinct notions, this one and the ſelf ſame thing is decyphered, to me ſeems to carry it along this way.uu2 Cor. 1.21, 22.2 Cor 1:212 Cor 1:22 He it is, ſaith the Apoſtle, that aſſureth, or rather,wwforeign. enſureth us, in Chriſt, orxxforeign. into; or unto Chriſt; and hath anointed us; who hath alſo ſealed us, and given or put, the earneſt of his ſpirit on our hearts, Whence I thus reaſon: Look how God enſureth us, ſo he anointeth us; and how he anoints us, ſo he ſeals us; and how he ſeals us, ſo he gives us his earneſt, or puts his earneſt into us: But it is the gratious indowments of his ſanctifying ſpirit, wherewith he anoints us; as all Interpreters hold, that ever I read: And it is the ſame therefore, whereby God ſealeth and enſures us, as by hisyyEpheſ. 1.14.Eph 1:14 earneſt to himſelf. And this being, as I take it, with other goodzz…llyric. Cal…. Piſc. Ba…n, alii. Autors, the genuine ſenſe of that ſcripture, (the contrary whereunto, I ſuppoſe, you will not be able eaſily to evince) it little helps you in ought▪ that you would conclude from it; but it much ſtrengtheneth that which you ſo mightily oppoſe.

6.**Repl. Ibid. Can any inference or conſequence drawn from faith, or love, or repentance, or obedience in us, ſo aſſure us, as the breathing of Chriſt himſelf, ſealing, aſſuring, perſwading, convincing, ſatisfying. aaPſal.I will hear, what God will ſay; for he wil ſpeak peace to his ſervants. A Saint would rather hear that voice then all his own inferences and arguments; which tho they bring ſomsthing to perſwade, yet they perſwade not ſo anſwerably, till the voice ſpeak bb2 Pet. 1.2 Pet 1from that excellent glory.

Sir, 1. Compariſons we uſe to ſay, are odious. We make no compariſon between any aſſurances that God gives and affords unto his. Nor do we cry up one, as you do, to cry down another: like thoſe of the prelaticall faction, that cried up prayer, to cry down preaching. And tho all you plead here therefore were granted you, it neither hits us, much leſſe hurts us, or our cauſe; nor yet cleers you, from the hainous guilt contracted by you, and cleaving ſtill faſt to you, in traducing and vilifying Gods own ſacred aſſurances, the generall and ordinary pledges and pawns of his ſpeciall favour and love in Chriſt.

2. I might demand of you: Are not theſe graces you mention the very breathing of Chriſt himſelf into the ſoul? were p. 85the miniſteriall abilities conferred on his ApoſtlesccJoh 20.22.John 20:22 ſuch? and are not the ſanctifying graces of the ſpirit ſuch alſo? or doth not Chriſt by theſe ſeal, aſſure, perſwade, convince, and ſatisfie? and I might here challeng you, or any other of your way, to denie this if they dare.

3. Where did the Pſalmiſt profeſſe his deſire and endeavour to by inqiry to hear ddPſal. 85.80.Ps 85:80what God would ſpeak, buteeIn verbo ſuo: Moller. In promiſſionibus: Calvin. in his word? or what ſpeaking of peace are we to underſtand there, but a reall ſpeaking; not a verball or vocall ſpeech, either inward or outward, but affPacem loqi, largiri, Moller. reall exhibition, ſuch as GodsggDeus, cum benedicit, facit qod dicit: Aquin. benediction is wont to be, of peace, that is, ofhhPacem, proſperum ſucceſſum: Calv. Ita paſſim. Iſa. 48.18. Pſal. 119.165.Isa 48:18Ps 119:165 proſperitie, and proſperous ſucceſſe, to the people? ſo that this place is little to your purpoſe.

4. It is not denied, but thatiiLuk. 7.48, 50.Luke 7:48Luke 7:50 Chriſts immediate voice to the poore penitent woman, could not but be matter of exceeding great comfort to her, and ſuch as might well afford inexpreſſible refreſhment to her drouping ſpirit, inconceivable tranq…llitie to her troubled mind, inconcuſſed ſettlement and aſſurance to her ſoul; but neither can ſuch now be expected: nor is the ſecuritie drawn from the grounds of Gods word (askkMatth. 5.18.Matt 5:18 infallible and unfailable as the pillars and ground-works of heaven and earth; yeallMark 13.31.Mark 13:31 more unfailable then the foundations of either) leſſe powerfull and efficacious in it ſelf; and might be ſo alſo unto us, were it not for the weakneſſe of our faith, and want of our firm apprehenſion of them. Nor is it denied but that Gods ſpirit in a more immediate way, may at ſometime inſinuate it ſelf into the ſoul, by ſweet and ſenſible raptures and ſoul raviſhing comforts, in times eſpecially of tribulation and extremitie of diſtreſſe; thereby to encourage Gods ſervants to depend upon him, and with the more alacrity of ſpirit to go thorow with ſuch bitter brunts as God hath pleaſed to call them to: and that God may in ſuch manner, and oft doth, in ſuch ſort communicate himſelf to his ſervants, according to his good pleaſure, and the divers manners of his diſpenſations to his: and that ſuch irradiations and inſinuations are for the preſent matter of ſingular comfort and contentment to the ſoul. But theſe aremmHeu, Domine Deus, rara hora, & brevis mora: Bern. in Cant. neither generall, nor perpetuall; many a ſoul (no doubt) hath gotten into heaven, that was never much acqainted with them. Nor doth any ſuch extraordinary or more unuſuall courſes any whit infringe (much p. 86leſſe take away and annull) the force and efficacie of aſſurances drawn from the word, wherein Gods voice is as well as in theſe; and which are commended to us in the word, and that for ſuch as every one ought to try himſelf, and to be tryed by. Wee ſpeak of ſuch wayes as every true beleever is, or may be capable of; and ſuch as, if the Spirit of God ſpeaking in his word doe not delude and deceive us, may give us abundant ofnnRom. 15.4.Rom 15:4 comfort and aſſurance oo1 Joh. 1.3.1 John 1:3with joy.

5. For the place you cite out of Peter to confirm your compariſon, let but any Reader conſultpp2 Pet. 1.18.2 Pet 1:18 the place, wherein the teſtimony of the word written and enrolled in the records of the Prophets is pronouncedqqforeign, 2 Pet. 1.19.2 Pet 1:19 more firm and certain, then the immediate voice heard in the Mount; and hee may ſoon diſcern, how you miſ-apply and abuſe Scriptures (a practice too common with you) to ſerve your own turn, as your ſelf pleaſe.

6. For ſuch grounds of aſſurance as wee plead for, wee have expreſſe Scripture, as you cannot denie: of ſuch an immediate voice or enthuſiaſm as you ſeem to plead for, no Scripture produced by you is yet proved to ſpeak: Scriptures onelyonly are to that purpoſe by you miſ-applyed. That which I ſay of it at preſent ſhall be this onelyonly, that that voice that ſhall inwardly ſpeak peace to a ſoul, where thoſe marks of faith, repentance, ſelf-denyall, and obedience are not found, may undoubtedly be avowed to be no voice of Chriſt, nor teſtimony of his ſpirit, (for the Spirit of God cannot croſſe it ſelf) but either ſome vain and groundleſſe ſuggeſtion of a mans own corrupt heart, or a meer deluſion of the Prince of darkneſſe, transforming himſelf into the Prince of light, the Lord Jeſus.

Mean while Sir, conſider, I beſeech you, ſeriouſly, and weigh well what you doe; you beat men off from thoſe grounds and aſſurances which Gods word holds out to them; and in room thereof, you propound either ſome devices of your own, as that Chriſt hath repented and believed for them, which they cannot admit, becauſe they find no footing for them in Gods word; or ſome extraordinary and immediate voices, or what elſe you pleaſe to term them; which, tho being true beleevers, and wel-grounded in the faith, yet it may be they never had, nor dare to expect. Now whether this be not a puzzling way indeed, let others decide.

p. 87From hence making a long jump, or an almond leap, and skipping over all that you find objected againſt that your moſt unreaſonable motion of not taking any tryall of faith at all, and the branding of it as above: you light at length on a by-paſſage in the Animadverſion on your tenth Aſſertion; forbearing to trouble your ſelfe further, as your wiſeſt courſe was, with the exceptions taken to the main matter: which yet is the chief principle and groundwork of almoſt your whole book.

The paſſage together with the occaſion of it is this: Mr. S. blames usqqTreat. p. 27, 29. for propounding the promiſes of the Goſpel to men with conditions of repentance, ſorrow for ſin, &c. as ſo clogging them with conditions and q…lfications, that becauſe they are things they cannot doe, in ſtead of drawing a ſoul to Chriſt, wee put it further off from him.

Now to return the reproof upon him,rrAnſ. p. 24. I tell him, that hee may as well be ſaid to doe the ſame, when hee propounds them ſo clogged with conditions of receiving, taking, and believing on; unleſſe hee dare ſay, that it is an eaſier matter to believe, then to repent.

Whereunto Mr. S. returns us this anſwer:

1.ſſRepl. p. 14. Sect. 8. I preach not receiving as a condition, as you do repenting.

But Sir, your preciſe words are theſe:uuTreat. p. 30. The way of coming by a right, or purchaſing an intereſt in this righteouſneſſe or ſalvation wrought by Chriſt, it is held forth without price or work, onelyonly for taking, and receiving, and believing in.

Where, to omit that you ſay more then wee dare doe, in aſcribing a purchaſing power unto faith; whether theſe words imply not as much, if not more then a bare condition amounts unto, let any man that hath not utterly loſt his wits, judge. Wee attribute nothing neer ſo much to repentance, as concerning faith theſe words import.

2.xxRepl. ibid. I preach Chriſt the Power, and Life, and Spirit, that both ſtands, and knocks, and yet opens the door to himſelf.

Sir, wee preach as much in this kind as you here mention, and as much as you doe, if you preach no more then Chriſt himſelf doth in his word: Nor doth this or any other part of ſound doctrine, concerning Gods work in the act of converſion, either take away, or contradict thoſe other parcels of Scripture, wherein upon ſuch conditions part in Chriſt is propounded. Nor is p. 88any man to be blamed for the preſſing of the one, any more then to be taxed for preaching of the other. You might as well pick a quarrell to Peter for hisyyActs 2. & 3.Acts 2 two firſt Sermons, and with Paul for his whole diſcourſe of justification by faith, in the third, fourth, and fifth chapters of his Epiſtle to the Romans, as to any of us in this regard.

3.zzRepl. Ibid. I preach not receiving as a gift, or condition given or begun for Chriſt: but Chriſt working all in the ſoul, and the ſoul working up to Chriſt by a power from himſelf.

Sir, you prate and vaunt very much of your preaching: But Sir, compare what you ſay you preach, and what wee preſent you with from your ſelf in print; and ſee how well they ſort together. For as for Chriſts working all in the ſoul, you have been anſwered more then once.

4.aaRepl. Ibid. If you would preach repentance and obedience as no… either preceding or previous diſpoſitions, wee ſhould agree better in the pulpit, then wee do in the preſſe.

If wee preach otherwiſe then the word of God warrants us, reprove us out of it: Otherwiſe Sir, blame us not, tho we agree not with you, either in pulpit, or in preſſe.

In the next place, taking a new leap, you paſſe over all that wasbbAnſ. p. 25. excepted againſt your parallelling of the promiſes of ſalvation by Chriſt, with the covenant made with Noah: and to the reſult of your Aſſertions, and ſumme of your Divinitie thence extracted; to wit, thatccAnſ. Ibid. The promiſes of the Goſpel belong to all ſinners without exception: and that all are therefore bound to beleeve the ſaid promiſes, being not conditionall, but abſolute; even as abſolute as the promiſe to Noah, of never drowning the world again: Nor is any man to qeſtion his faith, or what ground he hath for ſuch his beliefe. From whence it neceſſarily follows, that men may be ſaved, whether they believe or no, repent or no; as from that concerning the promiſe to Noah, and other your Aſſertions there related, is inevitably inferred. To the laſt branch, I ſay, of this, to wit, That men may be ſaved whether they repent or no, beleeve or not: ſilencing the whole reſidue, you thus reply;

1.ddRepl. p. 14. Sect. 9. Should I ſay to you, The ſumme of your Divinity is this, That faith, and repentance, and obedience are helps with Chriſt, and conditions with Chriſt to mans ſalvation; and that ſalvation is not p. 89free, but conditionall; the covenant of grace is as it were a covenant of works: Should I do well in this to upbraid you, and thoſe of your way?

Sir, If you ſhould upbraid us with ought that wee teach not, or doth not neceſſarily flow from ought that wee teach, you ſhould wrong us, as in part here you doe: Concerning which, and your doctrine herein, enough already hath been ſaid, for the cleering both of us and it.

But Sir, there is nothing here charged on you, but what either in expreſſe terms you deliver, or of neceſſity follows from what you affirm.

2.eeReply p. 15: Say not then, that I think men may be ſaved that never repent nor beleeve.

Sir, what you think, I know not; and it may be you ſcarce know your ſelf what you think or would have, you ſeem to be of ſo many mindes. But what you have written and taught, both you and wee know: and if you think otherwiſe, as you here ſay, why take you ſo much pains to poſſeſſe your Reader with ſuch principles, asffforeign. Greg. Naz. ad Eunom. S. foreign. Plut. ad Golot. being admitted, do neceſſarily infer as much as is here avowed? Yea, why do you not cleer your ſelf hereof, by ſhewing that ſuch things doe not follow from the grounds by you laid, and by removall of the Arguments, whereby the ſame is evidently evinced? Mean while, you muſt give us leave to ſay what wee ſee, and to relate what wee read.

And to meet with that your unjuſt and groundleſſe charge, wherein you do ſo paſſionately expoſtulate with us, as if ſome apparent wrong had been offered you and the reſt of your crew;

ggRepl. Ibid.Why do you ſet up and counterfeit opinions, and then engrave our names upon them?

Sir, 1. Shew what the opinions are that are by mee fathered on any of you, that have not been proved to have been taught by them whom I have therewith charged. But you are likehhforeign. Lucian. de Gymn. ſlippery eels the moſt of you:iiforeign. Athanaſ. de Arian. in Synod. Nicen. defenſ. one while you ſtoutly avow p. 90your erroneous conceits, where you miſdoubt no oppoſition or diſcuſſion of them. Another while you cry out that you are of an other mind, and wrong is done you in them; not ſticking to report that you have made the ſame manifeſt, by repair to thoſe, and giving ſatisfaction to them, who were never once in that kind ſpoken with: And otherwhile pretending to be altered in judgement, and otherwiſe now minded then formerly they were; when as yet, where you find opportunitie, you are in effect ſtill venting again your former opinions; ſometime indeed more covertly, and ſometime more openly, as you ſuppoſe you may do with moſt ſafety: whereof divers inſtances might be given.

But Sir, 2. For your ſelf, no opinion is here ſet up, with your name engraven on it, but what comes out of your own forge, what was minted by your ſelf, and hath received its impreſſion fron the mould of your own maximes. For to omit, what beſides in mine Animadverſions doth inevitably evince it, If the promiſe of life and ſalvation in the Goſpell, be as abſolute, and as free from any condition on mans part, as the promiſe made to Noah for never deſtroying the world by water again: then a man may as well attain life and ſalvation without faith and repentance by vertue of the one, as ſafety from deſtruction through ſuch a generall deluge by the other. But the former you ſay: and the later neceſſarily thence followeth, unleſſe Logik be loſt.

Do not you tell me therefore, thatkkRepl. Ibid. you could ſo peice up my book, if you would be unfaithfull, as to make me appear as great an heretick as any whom I thus fancy.

1. Talk not too much of your faithfullneſſe, Sir; how unfaithfull you have been in relating my ſayings hath more then once been manifeſtly made to appear.

2. But here is no unfaithfull dealing at all with you, here is nothing wrung from your aſſertions, but what lay couched in them, and flows freely and naturally, without force or torture from them. If otherwiſe, why make you it not to appear?

3. If you can by like due courſe of Argument draw ſuch rotten ſtuffe from ought of mine, I crave no favour from you; do your worſt: and I ſhall tell you before-hand,llforeign. M…th. apud Epiphan. Haer. 64. foreign. Mar. Imp. l. 6. Sect. 21. that if you charge p. 91me juſtly with ough in them, and convince me of it, I will thank you for it, and recall it. For Sir, I am not herein ſo obſtinate, as you aremmConcl. p. 17. hereafter pleaſed uncharitably to affirm of me. If otherwiſe, I ſhall take leave, whether like you to give it or no, conſtantly to defend, while God ſhall be pleaſed to affordabilitie, what I deeme agreeable to truth.

4. But Sir, give me leave mean while to tell you, that it will be hard for you to perſwade an intelligent and adviſed reader, that ſhall peruſe your ragged Reply, that you would not have been forward enough, to have done in this kind what you could, had you met with matter fit for your purpoſe in my book; when hee ſhall obſerve how you take liberty both innnEpiſt. the van and inooConcluſ. the reer here, to run out impertinently, into other by-matters concerning me, and ſome other of my works, that have no reference at all to the buſineſſe in hand, but you ſuppoſed (tho vainly) might ſome way aſperſe me. And there is little reaſon to imagine, that you ſhould make ſuch excurſions to ſeek and fetch in matter of that nature abroad, when you had ſo much of it ſo neer at hand, cloſe under your noſe, but you were loth (forſooth) to take notice of it, or to file your fingers with it. Howbeit, I doubt not, but that by ſuch Logick as you make uſe of, you may draw hereſies enough out of Chriſts Sermons, and Pauls Epiſtles; whoſe expreſſe doctrine how you have traduced in our teaching, hath abundantly been ſhewed

As for your ſtivolous flouriſhes, concerningppRepl. Ibid. your teaching faith and repentance, not as gifts to procure us God, or his love, or Chriſt; but as gifts from Gods love, and fruits of the ſpirit, given to ſuch as Chriſt hath ſuffered for, and are choſen in him: and in that full revelation, in which they are leaf tin the New Teſtament; not in that ſcantling of doctrine, as they are meerly and barely revealed in the hiſtorie of the Goſpel and Acts of the Apoſtles, and that becauſe you preach thus, you are all Antinomians, heretiks, men not worthy to live.

1. All this varniſh hath been waſht of again and again: and yet you will be ſtill glaſing over your rotten ſtuffe with it, to conceal the badneſſe and baſeneſſe of it from common view; which yet every qick-ſighted ſoul, through all your colours caſt over it, will eaſily diſcern.

2. What the opinions are, for which you are juſtly termed p. 92Antinomians, and which your companions, if they continu yet in what then they profeſſed, were ſometime publikely charged with and ſtand ſtill convict of, it is well known: ſome of them I relate els whereqqGods eye on his Iſrael, Preface p. 17, 18.: and too much of them is found in your book. Thoſe Sir, either cleer your ſelves of, or make them appear to be conſonant to Gods word; and do not abuſe men by telling them idle tales, that you are ſo termed for preaching this and that, concealing your unſound wares; for which you are no otherwiſe deemed, then as your hideous and uncouth dotages deſerve.

As vain and frivolous is your next expoſtulation where you begin with a fawning compellation: rrRepl. Ibid.Brethren, muſt ye forbid us to preach, becauſe wee follow not with you? becauſe wee preach not the Law as you doe, nor faith as you do, nor repentance as you doe, therefore do we not preach them at all?

1. Sir, this your ſmooth compellation, may juſtly be ſuſpected, to be but aſſLuk. 22.48.Luke 22:48 Judas his kiſſe. You cannot ſure have ſo ſoon forgotten, what mountebanks and qacksalvers you erſt while compared them to; what cheating and coſening companions you made of them; (not therein unlike the Compaſſionate Samaritan, a bird, it ſeems, of the ſame feather with you) of kin to, or kind with, ſuch unfaithfull and ill minded Chirurgians ttTreat. p. 37.as keep mens wounds open for ſiniſter ends to lengthen their cures; and ſuch asuuIbid. p. 77. deal out Chriſts bloud, as the Pope doth his pardons. Were they but even now ſuch abominable beaſts? and are they now become your brethren? This was ſure no brotherly courſe, if you accounted them then your brethren. Or if you deſire to admit them into brotherhood with you, ſuch vile wretches as then you made them; eitherwwforeign. Matt. 18.15.Matt 18:15 convince them of what you then charged them with, that being convinced of it, they may repent and reform, and ſo be made fit for the ſocietie of ſuch upright and faithfull dealers as ye profeſſe your ſelves to be, (for honeſt and faithfull Chirurgians will refuſe to own thoſe that are notoriouſly known to be ſuch cheaters as you charge them to be) or if you cannot convince them by making your charge againſt them good; confeſſe ingenuouſly your baſe calumny, and ask forgiveneſſe in print, as in print you have wronged them, before God and the world, in the face of whom you have traduced them. In ſo doing you may give ſome liklyhood of your willingneſſe to embrace them p. 93as brethren; and there will be ſome hope of acknowledgement and amendment of other overſights with you, that have been laid open before you, as well in this, as in other of your works. Till then wee ſhall juſtly deem, that you little mind or regard, what you acknowledge them here to be.

2. As to the matter of your expoſtulation, wee forbid you not to preach, becauſe you follow not with as; or becauſe you preach theſe things otherwiſe then wee doe. But Sir, it is you that ſcoffe and diride us; and by conſeqence ſo much as in you lies, inhibit us, for teaching theſe-things as Chriſt and his Apoſtles taught them; and are juſtly therefore charged with impietie for jeering in us, the doctrine expreſſely delivered by them.

And for what you add, thatxxRepl. Ibid. you preach them all, as you are perſwaded the New Teſtament will warrant you; and as you make Chriſt to be the power of all, and fulneſſe of all, and may exalt him whom God hath exalted.

1. you are ſo far from preaching them as neceſſarie duties required on our part, as Chriſt in the New Teſtament, and the Spirit of Chriſt by the Apoſtles did (nor could they contradict themſelves by ought, that they preached further, either before or after:) that you ſcoffe at us for ſo preſſing them: yea, as hath abundantly been ſhewed, you preach and print, that without them men may have part in Chriſt, and without them conſequently be ſaved by Christ

2. And for all your vain boaſting & vaunting ſo much of what, or in what manner you preach, as if that would ſerve to waſh off all your other filth; it may diſcover your vanitie, but it covers not, much leſſe cures your impietie. It is no more then any ſect, tho maintaining things never ſo v…le and abominable, is not wont to do. Sir, crake not to us thus of your preaching; but return anſwer directly to the crimes and erroneous aſſertions wherewith you are charged; refute the exceptions taken to them, and remove the arguments brought againſt them, and then you have done ſomewhat. Till then you muſt juſtly look to lie under the guilt and imputation of either, as a partie, that being charged with ſome treaſon, or felonie, ſhall in ſteed of anſwering to his inditement, run out into diſcourſes, of what good ſervice he hath ſometime done to the State, or what good offices to others. But theſe things in your reply you have warily ſhunned; p. 94and may well therefore be deemed to have replied as good as juſt nothing, notwithſtanding all the noiſe you have made to no purpoſe; as thoſe at the bar are ſaidyyNon eſt hoc reſpondere, qod eſt non tacere: Aug. ad Gaud. l. 3. c. 1. to ſtand mute, when they decline a legall triall, tho they talke at large never ſo much otherwiſe

Laſtly for your cloſing wiſh, thatzzRepl. Ibid. we and all that here you, were almoſt, and altogether as you are, except in reproaches.

If your meaning be, to have them all Antinomians, and ſo principled as the Antinomian tenents import; howſoever you may much deſire it out of a ſelfiſh and ſiniſter reſpect, to enlarge your faction by multitudes added to your partie; wherein the worſt and wickedeſt that are, will eaſily concur with you: it were to wiſh the poyſoning of millions of ſouls with peſtiferous and pernicious opinions; tending directly to beat them off from all trouble or ſorow for ſin; or craving pardon of any ſin at Gods hands; or fearing to commit any the moſt horrible and hideous ſin, in regard of Gods either fight of it in them, or diſpleaſure for it with them; or making any qeſtion of the truth of their faith, if they be but more or leſſe perſwaded that Chriſt loves them; or making the leaſt doubt, but th…t God loves them and likes them as well, when they cheat, and cozen, and eqivocate, and lie, and ſwear, and forſwear, as when they deal truly and juſtly. Nor Sir, are theſe forged calumnies, but well-grounded charges; ſuch as have in part been made good here, and are further**Preface to Gods ey… on his Iſrael. elſe-where, againſt thoſe whom here you profeſſe to take part with.

As for reproaches; your exception of it is idle: for either they muſt not be like you and yours, for ſuch principles as theſe, and much leſſe for ſuch compoſure of mind, and practice of life as is ſutable thereunto, if they will not miniſter matter of juſt reproach: or if they would keep free from juſt reproach, they muſt waiv your principles, and ſuch practices much more, as they either exact of them, or encourage them unto, and too many, to their worthily deſerved reproach, have exhibited the fruits and effects of already.

Hitherto Sir, your Reply reacheth; ſuch as wee have ſeen: many words beſides the matter, little to the purpoſe: ſhort enough, becauſe it falleth ſhort of reaching what it ſhould have been returned unto: and yetaaforeign, Philem. apud Stobaen. too long, becauſe it detaineth and p. 95taketh up your Reader with much impertinent diſcourſe: which I ſhall impute either to your known guilt, which you are unwilling to acknowledge; or to your fixed reſolution of abandoning all Logick, which you are unwilling to revoke.

Your Concluſion followeth, patched up of unſutable, and much of it likewiſe impertinent pieces, looſely put together.

1. You tell your Reader, that**Concluſ. p. 16. from pag. 29. to the laſt, (ſome 14 or 15 pages) my replies all amount not to any thing of ſubſtance, but of qarelſom… and humourous exceptions.

An eaſie way indeed of reply, as you term this: but whether there be not there ſome ſtore of ſuch matter as concerned you to anſwer, and to cleer your ſelf of, thoſe that read it impartially will as eaſily eſpy.

Had I ſaid the like of your whole Reply, from the firſt to the laſt, and ſo left it; thoſe that ſhall ſeriouſly ſurvey and weigh this Rejoynder, will peradventure deem, that I had neither ſpoken nor done much amiſſe. Tho thoſe of your own party, it is not unlikely, would have been extolling your work, and have given out, that it was unanſwerable. But Sir, your Reply here I have not ſo either put off, or poſted over. I have traced and purſued you, not from page to page onelyonly; but from line to line, even through all your idle and extravagant excurſions. But I find you here no other then I obſerve you to be in your Replies upon, and Anſwers unto others, both annexed to this, and elſewhere. To make up ſomewhat that may riſe a little higher then the common appellation of a Pamphlet, (a term that you much ſtomack) you entertain your Reader with ſome impertinent diſcourſes of by-matters; tending moſtly, under ſpecious pretences of Love, Peace, and Ʋnity, to plead for a toleration of all abominable opinions, and libertie for every one in matter of religion, to profeſſe, vent, and practice what he pleaſe, without check or controll by cenſure, either Eccleſiaſticall or Civill. What elſe meansbbReaſons for &c. Sect. 4. ſeverall ſpirits, conſciences, opinions, judgements, without limitation or exception of any? But what you return Anſwer to, or reply upon, that you make very ſhort work of: here a ſnatch, and there a ſnatch,ccQod canis in Nilo, bibit, & fugit. Conſtat enim in regionibus illis canes raptu crocodilorum exterritos currere & bibere. Macrob. Sat. l. 2. c. 2. De hoc Aelian. l. 1. c. 4. Plin. l. 8. c. 40. as the Egyptian dog, lapping in Nilus, and as Antonie in his flight, after his diſcomfiture by Auguſtus. ddLetter to Mr. Ley, p. 3. After-reckon. p. 7.Seventeen ſheets poſted over p. 96in a ſheet and an half: eeRepl p. 9. See Rejoynder.whole pages in a line and an half: ffAnſw. to Mr. Edwards, and After-reckoner.two large books in little more then two pages: forty five pages here in ſeventeen: and yet by-matters ſometime in the way plentifully enough proſecuted; and additionals prefixed, to detain and take up the Reader, that your failings in the matter that concerns you may the leſſe be looked after; and your dealing haltingly and by halvs, or by ſnips and ſhreds rather, the leſſe regarded. Yet in the Front of your writings you pretend and promiſe to do great matters; but in the works themſelves there is ſo little perf…rmed of what is looked for, that the old ſaying may not unfitly be applied unto them, being verified in them,ggPlus habet rubium qam nigrum. There is more in the Title then in the Text.

2. In ſtead of what you ſhould have done, you tell mehhConcluſ. Ibid. what I might have done, Indeed, I ſuppoſe, you would rather have had mee done any thing, then have medled with the ulcerous ſores of your book. But Sir, you are not to cut mee out my work. And for the Argument you would here have put mee upon, ſuch an one as thoſe of your ſtrain every-where condemn and cry out againſt, I have ſomewhat largelyiiMeditation on Pſal. 97.11. in Signs of ſincerity.Ps 97:11 done elſewhere already; and that (I bleſſe God for it) with ſome good ſucceſſe, as I underſtand from thoſe, who having made uſe of it, profeſſe to have received much comfort thereby.

3. Yet to quit mee of that labour, (in way of kindneſſe no doubt) you tell mee, thatkkConcluſ. Ibid. I ſay of my ſelf, (how becoming ſuch a one, you leave) that I am an old Steed that neighs, and prances, but is paſt ſervice; ſo as you muſt take this of mine age and infirmitie, as a fuller anſwer, or ſupplement of what I have failed in againſt you.

True It is, Sir, in regard of mine age, being now upon ſeventy two complete, and infirmitie by a late ſore ſickneſſe accrewing, having never been of much ſtrength, and finding my naturall abilities, as well inward as outward, (llforeign. Ariſtot. Phyſiogn. cap. 4. foreign. Ibid. cap. 1. Animus, languente corpore, nec membris, nec ſenſibus uti poteſt: Cicer. de Divin. Animo qi aegrotat, videmus corpore hunc ſignum dare: Tum doloribus confectum corpus animo obſiſtere: Lucil. lib. 26. the one uſually ſuffering with the other) memory eſpecially, much impaired; I p. 97am willing rather to ſet others of younger yeers, freſher parts, and better endowments, on work, to proſecute the diſcovery and diſcomfiture of theſe monſters, which the Sectaries of theſe our times daily produce, and to undertake ſome further and larger ſurvey of your Treatiſe, which, but upon occaſion of being called in by you to atteſt for you, I had not at all taken notice of; it may be, had never ſeen: and doe therefore in acknowledging mine own inability to undertake ſuch an over-burdenſome employment, compare my ſelf, not as hee in the Tragick Scene onelyonly, but as one of the Greek Fathers, to an old Steed, who tho paſt yeers of ſuch ſervice as the field and fight reqires; yet by beſtirring himſelf as well as he may, incites others to do that which himſelf is not able to do. And this is that which Mr. S. is ſo much pleaſed to play upon, and to make ſport with, that hee began with it in his Introduction, and returns now again to it in his Concluſion; as being bare and barren of better matter, to make up his Reply with, and enforced therefore with renewed patches to piece it out.

But Sir, neither doe I ſuppoſe it any uncomely thing, for any Miniſter of the Goſpel, much broken with age and ſickneſſe, to acknowledge himſelf either well neer, or wholly paſt ſome kind of ſervice: mmNum. 8.24, 25.Num 8:24Num 8:25God himſelf was after ſome term of yeers content to diſcharge his Attendants in the Tabernacle and Temple of ſome more laborious employments. Nor do I plead either of theſe in way of excuſe for, or (as you ſpeak; which to me ſeems little better then non-ſenſe) as a ſupplement to what I have failed in againſt you: which if in ought I have done, it is your part to ſhew, not barely to ſay; but to declare, why I took no further pains with you; but contented my ſelf with ſuch parcels of your broken wares, as I thought good to deal with at preſent. And truly Sir, unleſſe you can better diſcharge and defend your ſelf and your Aſſertions in the things objected and excepted againſt either, then in this your Reply hitherto you have done; there will be little need to wade further into your work: there is folly and unſoundneſſe enough diſcovered in it already to make it worthily to be abhorred.

4. Howbeit,nnConcl. Ibid. two or three things, you ſay there are (in that rif-raf of ſo many pages, which you told us even now had not any matter of ſubſtance in them) more obſervable then the reſt.

p. 98But you repented you, it ſeems, again of what you had ſaid; or you had no great luſt to deal much with any obſervable matter. For inſtead of two or three, you preſent us (as I remember a greatooBellarm. de ſac. Euchar. l. 3. cap. 19. Cardinall ſometime) with a firſt, without ſecond or third: ſo that your firſt muſt be ſuch a firſt, as the Lawyers ſpeak of in ſome caſes; ſuch a firſt asppPrimus eſt qem nemo praecedit, etiamſi nullus ſeqatur, Reg. Jur. none follows; and muſt therefore goe for both firſt and laſt: for it is all you produce.

qqConcluſ. Ib.Firſt therefore, you ſay, that I tax you for ſaying, The marks in the Epiſtles of John and James, (where Sir, you leave outrrTreat. p. 32. your &c.) are delivered rather as marks for others, then our ſelves to know us by. And this, ſay you, I affirm again; not excluding that other of our ſelves, but rather for others. To which purpoſe you inſtance 1. in James 2.24, 18, 21. where works, you ſay, are made a ſign rather to others, then our ſelves. Which how IſſAnſw. p. 29. ſhew to be not agreeable to the Apoſtles main ſcope, who directs his ſpeech there to the partie, thereby to undeceive him in himſelf; you paſſe by, and return no anſwer unto. 2. In 1 John 3.14. concerning which paſſage, how abſurd and ſenſeleſſe it is ſo to ſay, how directly contrary, both to the Apoſtles ſcope in that Epiſtle, and to his expreſſe words in that very place, tho the bare reading of the Text be ſufficient to make evident, yet I ſhall refer my Reader (tottforeign Suid. in Pythag. avoid needleſſe prolixitie, and unneceſſary repetitions) to what I have ſaiduuAnſ. ubi. ſupr. in mine Anſwer; whereunto there is no one word here replied: And much leſſe to that of Peter; which ought to come within compaſſe of your & caetera; but you have no mind at all to take notice of: and that the rather, becauſe with it this your rather, wherewith you would evade, could have no colour, as here alſo it hath no truth.

And Sir, for what being enforced by evidence of truth, ſhining forth ſo ſtrongly and brightly in your face, that in ſpite of your teeth it ſtrikes through your eye-lids, tho you cloſe them as faſt as you can poſſibly againſt it, you doe in a ſcanty and malignant manner elſewherexxTreat. p. 81. acknowledge; (which alſo I conceal not, butyyAnſ. p. 27, 28. give it expreſly in your own words) after you have ſpent all your fleam and ſpittle upon it, to beſpatter it, and throw ſo much dirt and filth on the face of it, to deface and diſgrace it; it neither makes amends for your former abuſe of it, nor doth it take off ought that is herein charged on you.

p. 99And for your pitifull complaint therefore ofaaConcl. Ibid. my pulling your Treatiſe in pieces, to make my ſelf work; and then binding it up again after mine own faſhion;

It is ſo poor, as mightbbforeign Suid. vel Priamo miſeranda: Mar. l. 12. move even a profeſſed adverſary to pity you; and ſhews indeed how inconſiſtent your Work is, one part of it with another.

But Sir, I want not work at home; that I ſhould, withccforeign Suid. Zenob. Plut. ad Colot. the Lydian, go to ſeek ſome abroad. much leſſe wanted I any then, when my work rather wanted me, I being neither fit almoſt for any work at all, and wanting workmen for that work, which God had at that time diſabled me unto. Nor had I any reaſon to undertake that task that then I did, had I not conceived a kind of neceſſitie in it.

Yet neither have I pulled your book in peeces; nor have I bound it up again after my faſhion. Your book lies by me ſtill intire; bound up in the ſame manner as it was brought mee at firſt: onelyonly I have made bold to pick out of it, and lay open ſome neither ſound, nor ſavoury paſſages of it, and have dreſſed them indeed as they deſerved; but repreſenting them no otherwiſe then as I found them in the book: the preciſe words whereof you have not hitherto ſhewed, that I have any where ſwarved from; nor ſuppoſe I, that I did amiſſe in ſo doing: for neither did I undertake to deal with the whole book, but to give ſome taſt of what it contained: nor if any thing be ſound in it, will that ſerve to excuſe and juſtifie ought, that is rotten and unſound.

As forddConcl. p. 16, 17. the ſtory of the Ladie, what you except againſt my ſpeech to her, it is alredy anſwered elſewhere, where the proper place of it was, and where all this might have come in more ſeaſonably, then it doth here. But in ſteed of it, Sir, you might have done well, not to ſay over the ſame things again; but to have aſſerted and confirmed by Scripture, that way of aſſurance, thateeTreat. p. 84, 85. you propound as the only Scripture way, and in regard whereof all other aſſurances (thoſe that Peter, James and John hold out, not excepted) are affirmed to be but rotten ſtuffe; to wit, That we are to beleive, that Chriſt hath beleived for us; and we have beleived in him; that he hath repented for us; and we have repented in him. For this, Sir, being one of your main ſhores, yea the onelyonly main ſhore in effect, (your immediate enthuſiaſm excepted) p. 100erected and ſet up by you for the ſupport of poor afflicted Spirits, when you have beaten them off from all other, ought not to have been deſerted by you, where you found it oppoſed, much leſſe diſſembled, and ſhifted off, and ſhuffled, or ſhoveled away, as a thing not worthy of any notice, among the rubble and rubbiſh, wherin you ſay, there is nothing of any ſubſtance. And the truth is, I am therein of the ſame mind with you, if you think as you ſpeak, as concerning this particular, that it is a meer ſhadow without ſubſtance; and ſuch therfore as is no more able to afford any true ſtay, or ſound ſatisfaction to a wavering ſoul, or a wearied ſpirit, thenffAeſopi fab. the ſhadow of the ſheeps ſhoulder that the dog catched at in the water, or ſome delineation of the like on the wall, to releive and refreſh an hungry body. Take heed, Sir, how whilſt you dally and delight your ſelf with ſuch ſublimated notions, diſtilled through the limbeck of your own qaint invention; you delude Gods people, and cauſe them, as Jonas ſpake, while theyggJon. 2.8.Jonah 2:8 follow lying vanities, to forſake their own mercy; and ſo attract a greater guilt, then you are aware of, or at leaſt conſider well of at preſent. But to what end ſpend I words, and waſt wind unto one, who in plain termes profeſſeth, that ſhould he ſo ſin, yea ſin never to much, being a beleiver, (as I doubt not but he beleives himſelf to be, eſpecially glorying and vaunting ſo much as he doth of the glorious light and ſpirit that he is now poſſeſſed of,) he never looks to be called to any acount for it, and ſcoffs at thoſe as ſilly ſouls drowned in melancholie, that doe ever ſo imagine?

In the laſt place a little to eaſe your ſtomack, and empty yourhhJecur pro felle; cujus veſicula jecori adhaeret: Job 16.13. Lam. 2.11.Job 16:13Lam 2:11 liver, you take ocaſion at parting to ſpend, out of your gall, ſome of your bitter choler upon me; by demanding of me,iiConcluſ. p. 17. now I am an old man, (for you are oft playing upon mine age) how if I were to account to you I would gather up my aſſurance; whether it would be of ſuch a meaſure of faith, ſo much obedience, ſo much love to the brethern, ſo much zeal, prayer, repentance, and all of unqeſtionable evidence: then you proceed to qeſtion me concerning my faillings, when I writ in defence of cards and dice, and of the common prayer book: then whether my luxuriancy in qotations, be all out of pure zeal; no ſelfiſhneſſe, no vaine glory; my love to the Antinomian brethern, without bitterneſſe; my preaching and obedience all out of love, and not ſeeking mine own, and making a gain p. 101of Godlineſſe: all my faſtings and repentance, from true meltings of heart, and ſound humiliation, or becauſe the ſtate called for it, and conſtrained it: my praying and preaching not much of ſelf, of invention, of art, of learning, of ſeeking praiſe from men.

To all which rabble, Sir, 1. I might in a word return this; that, for ought I yet know, neither have you any autoritie herein thus to ſhrive me, nor I neceſſity to return anſwer unto theſe your interrogatories.

But yet, 2. That if I were to render account of mine aſſurance either unto you, or, any other, I ſhall aſſure you, that it ſhould be none of that, that you propound and commend, as the onelyonly Scripture aſſurance, tho in Scripture no where extant; to wit, my believing that Chriſt hath believed and repented for me; untill you can give me better aſſurance for it out of Gods word, then you hitherto have done.

3. For my grounds of aſſurance concerning my ſelf, I ſhall need to profeſſe no other, then what is common to all true Chriſtians, and for which we have good warrant of aſſurance from Gods word; our faith in Chriſt, who hath made ſatisfaction to God for our ſins, and purchaſed eternall happineſſe for us: the ſinceritie whereof is approved to us in our conſcience, by by ſuch holy graces as are in the word found to be inſeparable attendants of it.

4 We uſe not to mete out our faith, as drapers doe cloth by the eln and the nail; or to weigh it our, as merchants ſome wares, by the pound and the ſtone; or as warie men do their gold, which they refuſe to receive, be it never ſo good, if it come never ſo little ſhort of its allowance; as if the ſinceritie of faith, and its acceptance with God depended upon the ſcantling and the quantitie of it. we know, thatkkforeign, Mat. 6.38. & 8.26. & 14.31. & 16.8.Matt 6:38Matt 8:26Matt 14:31Matt 16:8 ſmall faith may be ſound; andllMark 9.24.Mark 9:24 faith weak and mixed with much infidelitie, as good gold with much droſſe, yet may be ſincere. Nor is the weakeſt faith leſſe efficacious unto juſtification then the ſtrongeſt, no more then a plaiſter is more or leſſe efficacious in regard of the ſtrength or feebleneſſe of the hand, wherewith it is applied unto the ſore. The like may be ſaid of other ſanctifying graces, ſuch as you here mention; they are Gods mm2 Cor. 1.22. & 5.5. Eph. 1.14.2 Cor 1:222 Cor 5:5Eph 1:14earneſts; and an earneſt is available for ſecurity, not according to the valew or qantitie of the ſum given in earneſt, but according to the fidelitie of the party we p. 102deal with: your qeſtion therefore concerning ſo much faith, and ſo much of this and that, might very well have been here ſpared.

5. For my defaults and failings, I may ſay, of my ſelf, as you of your ſelf,nnEnd of one Controverſie, p. 12. I have indeed many, which you and the world ſees not. And I bleſſe God, as forooCui deputat ille qod dimiſit, huic iſte deputet qod non commiſit, Aug. homil. 23. foreign Demades. keeping me from many ſins, that my corrupt nature might otherwiſe have carried me unto; ſo for keeping thoſe that I may have failed in from the notice of ſuch as your ſelf. For to what end, Sir, do you here call me to this account concerning my failings, but to diſgrace me, what you could in the eyes of the world, and to caſt ſhame and reproach thereby upon me? and what think you, Sir, have you gained thereby with any modeſt, prudent and intelligent reader? as much, ſurely, as by your frequent vaunting and vain boaſtings of your ſelf in your book; the note of an extrem inſolent and arrogant ſpirit by the one, and of a no leſſe ſpitefull and malevolent diſpoſition by the other. So that theppforeign Marc. Imp. l. 9. S…ct 4. foreign Chryſip. de juſtit. foreign Dio orat. 74. foreign Clem. Paed. l 2. c. 10. foreign Simocat. Epiſt. 40. wrong will in fine redound, I doubt not, to your ſelf; and yourqqMalitia ipſa maximam partem veneni ſui bibit: Attalus, Sen. Epiſt 81. malignitie, as he ſometime ſaid, take in again, and drink up the greateſt part of its own poyſon.

For your ſelf, I liſt not to mak enquiry into your life. To what end were it? orrrforeign Marc. ubi ſupr. foreign Idem l. 4. Sect. 26. foreign Idem lib. 12. Sect. 26. foreign Ibid. lib. 9. Sect. 38. what is it to me what you either are, or have been? altho there be, it ſeems, ſome reports abroad concerning you of ſome things that ſound not well; which wether true or falſe, I take no notice of, as not at all concerning me: yet ſuch as true or falſe, coming to your ear, I ſhould in likelyhood have heard of on both eares againe from you.

6. But Sir, I am glad, that one ſo ſpitefully minded, as you have manifeſted your ſelf here to be, could take up no worſe matter to caſt in my diſh, then you were able (for good-will, it appears, you wanted not) here to doe. For the truth is, you bark and ſnail indeed; and bite you would, but you cannot: you willſſGenuinum fregit in illis: Perſ. Sat. 1. Ʋbi tamen Duza legit, Julis. break your fangs, Sir, ere you will be able to enter, where you have endeavoured to faſten them.

p. 103The failings you charge mee with are two onelyonly, they are drawn into a ſhort and narrow ſumme.

The former, which I was told of once before, that I writ in the behalfe of Cards and Dice. Sir, no otherwiſe in the behalf of them, then in the behalf of any other lawfull game lawfully uſed: nor more in behalf of a Lot uſed in them, then of the ſame uſed about any other light affair, either in ſport, as for mating men at bowls, or for moving firſt at Cheſs; or out of it, as drawing cutts for the partition or aſſignement of ſome trifle: For that is all that my writing aimeth at, that it is not the uſe of a lot in them, that makes them, or any other wherein the ſame is uſed, unlawfull. Wherein Sir,ttforeign. Marc. Imperat. lib. 5. Sect. 22. & 28. l. 9. Sect. 11. & l. 10. Sect. 4. & l. 11. Sect. 13. if I have failed, do you ſhew me my failing; or elſeuuReprehenſores non audio; ſeqor magiſtros: Hieron. apolog. de Jovin. forbear to reprove mee for, or reproach me with that, which you cannot prove to be a fault.

The later is my writing in the behalf of the book of Common-Prayer. Sir, Where ſaw you that writing? or who told you of it? What writing is it? or how far forth in that writing have I written in behalfe of it. Sir, when you produce it, I ſhall know what to ſay to it. It is ſome Treatiſe or other, ſure, that ſlipt from mee in my ſleep: for, of any ſuch Work of mine abroad, is more then I am aware. But, it ſeems, you were driven to ſome ſtreits, when for want of other matter, you were fain to be faining ſomewhat to object to mee as a failing. So that here, Sir, you have engaged your ſelf to a twofold task; firſt, to prove that I have written in defence of the book of Common-prayer: and ſecondly, that I have failed if I had ſo done, in ſo doing: neither of which, I ſuppoſe, you will eaſily be a…le to make good.

7. But Sir, ſuppoſe I had failed in both theſe, or twice as many things more as theſe, as in many more then ſo, I know I have: neither were that ſufficient to weaken my aſſurance, even gathered from thoſe grounds that by the Apoſtles are given us, and which you purpoſely here oppoſe; nor to argue the inſincerity and unſoundneſſe of my faith. For the ſame Apoſtle who telleth us, thataaJam. 3.2. Impingimus ait, non impingitis; nec in uno, ſed in multis: nec multos ſed omnes impingere dixit: Aug. Ep. 29. Non dixit, offenditis, ſed, offendimus, inqi…: & in maltis praemiſit, omnes ſu…junxit, Beda.Jas 3:2 in many things wee ſin, or ſlip all: doth withall inform us, that a true Chriſtian, notwithſtanding theſe many ſlips, may have the ſincerity of his faith and profeſſion juſtified even by his works, in the eyes both of God and man. And that I take to be the genuine ſenſe of James in that place, and the right p. 104way of reconciling Paul and James in that argument, the one with the other. The caſe or cauſe in qeſtion that they deal with, is divers. In Paul the caſe is concerning ſin in generall, whether a man be a ſinner or no: and if that be the qeſtion,bbRom. 3.23, 24, 25.Rom 3:23Rom 3:24Rom 3:25 hee cannot be juſtified but by faith only, reſting on the bloud of Chriſt, and pleading that in way of full ſatisfaction to God for his ſin. In James the caſe is concerning a particular ſin, to wit, hypocriſie, or counterfeit faith, and counterfeit profeſſion, whether a man beccforeign, 1 Cor. 9 27. 2 Cor. 13.5. cui opponitur foreign, 1 Tim. 1.5. & 2 Tim. 1.5.1 Cor 9:272 Cor 13:51 Tim 1:52 Tim 1:5 a counterfeit Chriſtian or no: and where that is the qeſtion, hee that is unjuſtly ſo charged, mayddJam. 2.24.Jas 2:24 by his works be juſtified in the eyes both of God and man. To which purpoſe makes that of a learned Autor,eeFides juſtificat hominem: opera juſtificant fidem: Zanc. Faith juſtifieth the man; works juſtifie his faith. Thus, to omitffRom. 4.1, 3. Heb. 11.17. Jam. 2.23. Gen. 22.12.Rom 4:1Rom 4:3Heb 11:17Jas 2:23Gen 22:12 Abrahams example, which both of them inſtance in; David, tho conſcious ofggPſal. 19.12. & 40.12. & 51.5. & 149.2.Ps 19:12Ps 40:12Ps 51:5Ps 149:2 many ſins to himſelfe; yethhPſa. 7.3, 4, 8. & 26.1. & 18.22, 23.Ps 7:3Ps 7:4Ps 7:8Ps 26:1Ps 18:22Ps 18:23 for his ſincerity dare appeal unto God, and offer himſelf to be tried for it by his works and his ways. And the like might be ſaid ofiiJob 9.2, 3.15, 21. & 19.25. with cha… 13.16. & 23.10, 12. & 27.5, 6. & 31.Job 9:2Job 9:3Job 9:15Job 9:21Job 19:25 Job, and of other of the faithfull; were it ſeaſonable here to expatiate into diſcourſes of this kind. It would little therefore avail you, tho I ſhould plead guilty in all wherewith you here charge mee, to beat me off thereby from mine aſſurance; unleſſe you could prove theſe failings to bekkDeut. 32.5.Deut 32:5 ſuch blots or bloches as are inconſiſtent with ſincerity.

8. From theſe failings wherewith you thought you had mee on the hip, you paſſe on to ſuch corruptions as might adhere to mee in my works and writings, in my preachings and faſtings, and other like employments. And truly, Sir, I ſhall freely confeſſe unto you, ſince you will needs be my ghoſtly father, as they uſe to ſpeak, that I find and feel to my hearts grief, many more corruptions accompanying mee in all my performances, then any one beſide my ſelf is able to eſpy.

But Sir, if it ſhould be demanded of you, for what cauſe or end you were pleaſed to make up this long Catalogue, and to pitch upon moſt of thoſe particulars, I doubt your heart would tell you, that it was not to ſhrive mee alone; but to be girding at, and traducing of thoſe, againſt whom with rancor you ſwell almoſt till you burſt, and upon all occaſions therefore are ſtill venting your gall.

For to give a little touch at leaſt upon each of them:

1. As concerning my luxuriancy in qotations: which you p. 105had once before a fling at; and whichllThe end of one controverſie, p. 7. you twit Mr. Ley with: your qeſtion is ſo frivolous, whether it be all out of pure zeal, that it is unworthy any anſwer: It is a moſt ridiculous mmforeign. Marc. Imp. l. 9. cap. 31.ſemblance of affected ſageneſſe and ſeverity, to expect or reqire zeal (if you underſtand what zeal means) and pure zeal, in every qotation of an Autor, or paſſage of a diſcourſe, tho in Divinity; and a meer frothie frump therefore to object as a fault, the abſence of ought there, where it is neither needfull, nor ſutable.

2. For my bitterneſſe againſt the Antinomians, wherewith my love to the brethren you imply to be tainted. Good Sir, give me leave to mind you, or thie Reader at leaſt, a little of your great and palpable partialitie. It is not ſo long ſince the Miniſters by the call and command of autority met and ſiting at Weſtminſter were ſtyled by Mr. S.nnEpiſt. Dedic. prefixed to Animadverſ. on M. Fullers Sermon. An Aſſembly of moſt ſacred and reverend Divines, for the reformation of the Church, convened by the Parliamen…. But now ſince he is fallen of to the Antinomian partie, and is become an Architect of a new Sect, that wants as yet a peculiar diſtinguiſhing name, (for the moſt of thoſe that are of that note and notice, as to have gained any ſpeciall denomination, he diſclaims andooIn a diſcours prefixed before his Smoke. excepts againſt) and he perceives that the frame of government commended by them to the Parliament, is adverſe to his idol of immunitie and impunitie for all ſorts of ſectaries; now that moſt ſacred and reverend Aſſembly, are with Mr. S. likeppFrontiſpiece of An end of one Controverſie. See After-reckon. p. 4. that confuſed Aſſemblie at Epheſus, qqAct. 19.32.Acts 19:32raiſed by Demetrius and his fellow crafts men, for the ſupport of their trade, whereof ſome ſaid one thing, and ſome another, and the more part knew not for what they were come together. Thus is the Aſſemblie turned and transformed, as Maſter S. his weathercock turns to and fro. Now Sir, juſt in the ſame manner you deal with Maſter G. For while, it ſeemes, you conceived ſome hope of gaining him to your ſide, at leaſt ſo far forth to win and work on him, as to render him ſomewhat favourable and inclinable thereunto, by faining him one, that acknowledged no great difference between us and you; while this I ſay, laſted, Maſter G. was one of thoſerrTreat. p. 210. men of learning and judgement, that do not cry out Antinomianiſm on free grace or free juſtification, as others do. But ſince he hath begun to touch your free hold, and to deal a little more freely with your work; and that hope, it ſeems, is utterly qaſht; now is Mr. G. become aſſRepl. pag. 2… froward old man; and one p. 106that may juſtly come under cenſure for his bitterneſſe againſt the Antinomians his brethren. and yet all the bitterneſſe I ſtand charged with, muſt be out of that book, concerning my cariage, wherein Mr. S. himſelf was pleaſed formerly to afford me this teſtimony, ſufficient, I hope, if his certificate may ſerve, to diſcharge me of this guilt. Nor is it an argument of an embittered Spirit, to diſcover the vileneſſe and perniciouſneſſe of ſuch Opinions, as perſons either of corrupt judgement, or bad conſcience, or both, endevour to taint and poyſon the ſouls of Gods people with.

3. What your next interrogatorie tendeth to, of ſeeking mine own things in preaching and obeying, and making again of godlineſſe, he that hath but half an eye, yet may eaſily diſcrie. This you would caſt as an aſperſion, not upon me alone, but upon our whole Miniſterie, asttReaſ. for Ʋ nity, 13. Sec. 5. elſewhere, that receive and are ſuſtained by ſuch maintainance as the Laws of the land have allotted us. And it muſt be returned back unto you as a baſe calumnie, untill you are able to ſee into mens hearts.

4. Concerning our faſtings and repentance; they are ſuch themes indeed, as thoſe of your way cannot endure to hear of: and it is not unlikely, but they could very well be content, to have all exhortations to, or injunctions of repentance, razed out of the New Teſtament; as well asuuSee Gods eye, Pref. p. 18. that petition for remiſſion of ſins, out of the Lords prayer. For as for Faſts, it is well known what ſome of them have been convinced to have taught; to wit, thatxxIn Star-chamber, before the Committe of the Houſe of Commons; by them reported to the Houſe. There ought to be no Faſting days under the Goſpel. Nor ought beleevers to afflict their ſouls; no, not in a day of humiliation. that, To faſt in obedience to civil commands of men, is to be ſervants of men. And your aim, Sir, here is apparent enough, to aſpers and traduce our monthly faſts by autoritie enjoyned. But the impreſſe of autoritie commanding us to convene, is not of that nature, that it muſt needs either imprint ſuch a ſtamp of impietie and profaneneſſe upon our hearts, or ſo damp all gratious affections and diſpoſitions in our ſouls, that we ſhould thereby be diſabled to the performance of that duty with true meltings of heart and ſound humiliation: no more then it was preſumed or deemed ſo to do, in thoſe ſolemn faſts, recorded in the word, that wereaa2 Chr. 20.3. Joel 2.15, 16.2 Chr 20:3Joel 2:15Joel 2:16 called and commanded by religious Kings, yea and ſome alſobbJohn 3.7.John 3:7 ſcarce ſuch. And I marveil why you let ſlip the obſervation p. 107of the Sabbath, by autoritie enjoyned: which thoſe of your way begin alſo to diſclaim, affirming, thatccQomodo Diogenes, foreign Plut. de Tranq. Vel potius ut Theocr. Idyl. 14. foreign. every day, with them is a Sabbath.

5. For your laſt, of invention, and art, and learning, (under which head alſo, I hope, that heatheniſh piece of Logik comes, which your ſoul ſo much abhorres) uſed in preaching and praying: any one, that is but lightly acqainted with the humours of the times, may eaſily diſcern the drift of it; to comply with thoſe that cry down all neceſſity and uſe of any learning; and to help to bear up and bear out the rude rapſodies of thoſe that from the loom-work, or the cutting-bord, or the waſhing ball, and the like, ſtepping up into the pulpit, and ſuppoſing it enough to make there a great noiſe, throw out boldly what comes next to hand with them, making prayers and ſermons without head or foot.

9. But to paſſe from your not profeſſed aims, tho to any eye apparent and tranſparent enough, through the choiſe of ſuch matter, as you picked out, to inſtance in and inſiſt on: and to come to that, which you pretend, and would ſeem, onelyonly to drive at, that upon due conſideration,ddConcl. Ibid. there would be found ſo much of ſelf, and hypocriſie, and vanitie, and fleſh, and corruption in all thoſe our performances, that all would prove unprofitable.

1. It is not denied that even the beſt-performances of the very beſt of Gods ſervants are more or leſſe tainted with ſin, ſome with a ſlighter ſtain, ſome with a deeper dye. Paul himſelf, thateeAct. 9.15.Acts 9:15 choiſe veſſell of grace, found within himſelf, the fleſh and the ſpirit ſo intermingled, thatffRom. 7.21, —23.Rom 7:21 nothing came with him from the one, but it ſtill received ſome light tincture at leaſt from the other: yea, that which was ſometime ſpoken by the Prophet Eſay, tho I ſuppoſeggDe ſenſu genuino videantur Luther, Calvinus, & Muſcul. in loc. & conferatur cum Mic. 7.4.Mic 7:4 the genuine meaning of the place to be other; to wit, thathhIſa. 64.6.Isa 64:6 All our righteouſneſſes are as a menſtruous cloth: yet may truly be affirmed of all even the good actions of the godly: andiiOrig. in Rom. 3. Hieron. in Iſa. Auguſt. nom. ſoliloq. cap. 28. Greg. in Job. l. 21. c. 15. Hugo in Job. 9.30. Bern. de verb. Iſa. 5. & alibi ſaepe. Perald. ſum. tract. 6. Dionyſ. in Pſal. 132. Ferus in Matth. 12. & alibi. Oecolamp. Buleng. Alii in loc. Luther. aſſert. art. 31. Perkins Reform. Cath. Abbots Defen. Chamier. Panſtr. tom. 3. lib. 11. cap. 18. Cajet. in 2 Cor. 5. Pigh. de fide & juſtif. Morus Apol. pro Eraſm. Alii.Rom 3Job 9:30Isa 5Ps 132Matt 122 Cor 5 ſo not a few, as well Papiſts at Proteſtants, p. 108old as new Writers doe either expound it, or apply it. Nor is it denied, but that many, yea the beſt of Gods Saints, have had their failings, and ſome of them grievous ones; of other manner, then any of thoſe by Mr. S. here mentioned.

2. It is apparent, that notwithſtanding theſe, either defects, or defaults, yet the Holy Ghoſt hath pronounced them to bekk1 King. 3.6. & 9.4. & 15.11, 14. 2 Chr. 15.17.1 Kgs 3:61 Kgs 9:41 Kgs 15:111 Kgs 15:142 Chr 15:17 upright-hearted andllLuk. 1 16.Luke 1:16 righteous in Gods ſight: and that they have hereupon aſſured themſelves ofmmPſal. 18.20, 24.Ps 18:20Ps 18:24 being in favour with God; and been ſo far forth thereby emboldened, tho in ſubmiſſe and humble manner, tonnJob 23.10.12.Job 23:10Job 23:12 plead the ſinceritie and integritie of their heart and life unto God; and bothooIſa. 38.3. Pſal. 86.2. & 119.94.Isa 38:3Ps 86:2Ps 119:94 to ask, andppNehem. 13.14, 22, 31.Neh 13:14Neh 13:22Neh 13:31 to expect favovr, and mercy, and goodneſſe from him in that regard.

3. Your main drift herein (and that not concealed, but profeſſedly held forth) is, in plain terms, impious. For it is (as hath already in part alſo been ſhewed) directly to contradict the Apoſtle John, and to make him a liar: for hee telleth us, that hereby wee may know and have aſſurance, that we are in the ſtate of grace and life; qq1 Joh. 1.7.1 John 1:7if we walk in light, rrChap. 3. 14.if we love the brethren; ſſIbid. Ver. 19, 21, 22.if we do thoſe things that are wel-pleaſing unto God. And on the other ſide, you tell us, that we cannot hereby know, or have any aſſurance of it: and what is this, but in expreſſe terms to contradict what he ſaith, and to give the holy Ghoſt ſpeaking by him the lie? Or what other end can you pretend that you propounded to your ſelf in this your prolix and curious ſifting and ſhriving of Mr. G. but to make this aſſertion good? And yet, alas, Sir, what is he? a feeble wretch,ttforeign Heb. 5.2.Heb 5:2 beſet one every ſide with manifold infirmities; a ſorry creature, made up of a multitude of imperfections; one of the meaneſt in his Lords houſe, of the moſt unſerviceable in his Maſters familie. Why ſhould you pick him out as a patern, or an inſtance, whereby to diſprove the Apoſtle? For what if Mr. G. a man of ſo many failings, were not able to make out any good account of his aſſurances from ſuch grounds as John there gives; or were found ſo faultie, that he could not paſſe the triall, and attain approbation, by ſuch marks, as he there propounds: and that Mr. S. here had laid ſuch load of iniquitie and hypocriſie upon him, as muſt of neceſſitie force him off from his hold. Yet what is that to the truth of the Apoſtles doctrine, or the proving of it to be vain, and fruitleſſe, and uſeleſs, and frivolous, and ſuch as no other, tho ſincere and upright, might p. 109gather ground of aſſurance from? To what purpoſe then is it, Sir, that youuuforeign, Mat. 1.19. Catamidiare: Spart. in Pio. An Catomidiare, ut Salm.Matt 1:19 bring him thus here on the ſtage? either it is onelyonly to traduce him: and that is meer malignitie; or elſe it is to croſſe the doctrine it ſelf delivered by the Apoſtle; and that is groſſe impietie. Make your choiſe, Sir, your ſelf, for whether of the two, you reſerved this to the laſt: and let it then go for an aſſay of the reſt, if you ſo pleaſe.

10. That all we do, or can do, is unprofitable, either unto the diſcharge of the leaſt and lighteſt of our ſins, or to the meriting of ought more or leſſe at Gods hands, you need not tell us: we are not to learn it from you; nor need we to light our candle at any of your new waxen tapers for the diſcoverie of this truth: we had it long ſince fromxxMatth. 23.8.Matt 23:8 our common Maſter; thatyyLuk. 17.10.Luke 17:10 when wee have done all that ever wee can do, we are unprofitable ſervants. But withall we have alſo from him, that even ſuchaaIſa. 42.3. Mat. 12.20.Isa 42:3Matt 12:20 ſmoking bbforeign. ut Iſa. 43.4. Ellychnium, Jun.Isa 43:4weeks, as you jeer at,ccTreat. p. 171. that have more ſmoke then light, he will not qench: and that the very buds and bloſſomes of ſanctifying grace areddRom. 8.23.Rom 8:23 the firſt fruits of the ſpirit; and that the being of them in us, and the diligent and conſtant exerciſe of them with us, are a goodee1 Joh. 4.13. & 3.14, 19.1 John 4:131 John 3:141 John 3:19 evidence of the ſtate of grace and life: and that trueff2 Cor. 7.10.2 Cor 7:10 repentance, and Godly ſorow for ſin, are good aſſurances of the pardon of ſin, andgg2 Cor. 1.21, 22. & 5.5.2 Cor 1:212 Cor 1:222 Cor 5:5 ſure earneſts of eternall ſalvation: and that by theſe therefore, tho weehhJob 22.2. & 35.7. Pſal. 16.2.Job 22:2Job 35:7Ps 16:2 cannot be profitable unto God; yet wee may be profitable, asiiTit. 3.8.Titus 3:8 unto others, ſo herein alſo to our ſelves.

11. But,llConcluſ. p. 17. for your part, you ſay, you cannot be ſo uncharitable, but to wiſh us a better aſſurance, then what I and my brethren can find in our own works and righteouſneſſe. For it is not what wee approve, but what God approves, is accepted.kkLuk. 16.9. Gal 6.7, 8. 1 Tim. 6.18, 19.Luke 16:9Gal 6:7Gal 6:81 Tim 6:181 Tim 6:19

1. Sir, I and my brethren are much beholden to you for your charitie. Which yet as appears by the fruits of it, is not very fervent towards us: and which in the very next clauſe, wherewith you conſign all, you bewray ſome want of it; when you charge us, with maintaining the truth formerly taught by us, (which your ſelf cannot but confeſſe to be found in Gods word, and in the Sermons and Sammaries of Chriſt and his Apoſtels) and oppoſing you and theſe your new-found and new forged lights, mmConcl. Ibid.out of a lothneſſe to looſe our reputation, by going out of an old track of divinitie. p. 110Tho that indeed would be the readieſt way rather, to get reputation with the multitude in theſe humorous times; wherein mens appetites ar not more nice then theirnnJo… 34 3. ears, and nothing reliſheth with them, butooforeign. either new diet, or old diet newly dreſſed. But whether this be not againſt the rules of charitie, thus to ſit upon the conſciences of others, I ſhall appeal, not ſo much to your own conſcience, (whoſe doctrine profeſſedly teacheth not to make conſcience of ought in regard of Gods ſight and diſpleaſure) as to the conſcience and judgement of any other that underſtand and acknowledge what charity and conſcience import.

2. Nor unſutable to this your qick and ſharp, tho ſhort cenſure, is the longer tail or train it drawes after it; the rather, it is not unlikely, drawn out thus in length, becauſe it goes great with ſecret inſinuations, ſuch as are not unuſuall with you (which any intelligent Reader therefore will yet eaſily diſcern) of the glorious excellencies of your illumination by vertue of your new-lights attained: Wherein you tell us, thatppConcl. Ibid. when our ſpirits ſhall once begin to be unclothed of forms of darkneſſe, (which wee muſt conceive your ſelf to be deveſted of; howſoever wee ſilly ſouls remain enwrapt up ſtill in them) and ſelf-righteouſneſſe; and do qq2 Cor. 3 18.2 Cor 3:18with open face behold the glory of the Lord, (as your ſelf do; wee as yet do not) wee will cry out, rrIſa. 6.5.Isa 6:5Wo is me, I am undone, for I have ſeen the Lord; which none of us belike, you and your brethren, to return you your own words, onelyonly yet doe:) and,ſſLuk. 5.8.Luke 5:8 Lord depart from me, for I am a ſinfull creature: and,ttMatth. 11.7.Matt 11:7 What went you out to ſee? mine own unrighteouſneſſe? or rather, a reed ſhaken with the wind? (a not unfit emblem, if your frequent ſhifting and flittings to and fro be well weighed, of your ſelf): which long ſage admonition, or premonition rather, wherein like a cunning wizzard, youuuforeign Lucian. foretell us what is already done by us, (for there is none of us but acknowledge as much already as you tell us wee will doe, when wee have attained to your light; and wee are like to be no great gainers therefore by your new light, if that be all wee ſhould get by it.) Whether it diſcover not ſome height of ſpirit above Chriſtian modeſty, and raſh cenſure of others beyond Chriſtian charity, I leave it likewiſe unto the conſideration of others.

p. 1113. For our aſſurance of our peace made with God, wee reſt wholly on the merits and mediation of Jeſus Chriſt, whom by faith we pitch our ſelves upon, as the ſole procurer and purchaſer of it; and wee renounce our own righteouſneſſe, which yet wee acknowledge to have received from God through Chriſt, or ought elſe in us, as utterly unable to ſatisfie for the leaſt of our ſins, or toxxPſal. 130. & 143.2.Ps 130 appear at the bar of Gods exact justice. Howbeit, from ſuch graces wherewith God in any meaſure hath been pleaſed to endow us, and the workings thereof, as well outward as inward, wee take encouragement (Gods own word affording us good warrant ſo to do) thereby furtheraa1 Joh. 1.7. & 4.14.1 John 1:71 John 4:14 to aſſure our ſouls, that wee are of the number of thoſe that are reconciled to God in Chriſt, and are therebybbEph. 4.30.Eph 4:30 ſealed up unto life eternall. And whoſoever ſhall charge us with preſumption for ſo doing, ſhall withall be enforced to condemn, not onelyonly multitudes of Gods faithfull ſervants, whoſe practice wee find u on record in Scripture as guilty of the ſame crime with us; but even the pen-men alſo of Scripture, as teachers of doctrine tending to preſumption, who have taught us ſo to do. And yet dare we not be ſo preſumptuous, as to offer to perſwade either others or our ſelves, that wee or they have intereſt in Chriſt, tho not repenting of our ſins, but remaining wholly ſtill in them; or that our faith or theirs may beccforeign 1 Tim. 1.5. & 2 Tim. 15.1 Tim 1:5 ſound and ſincere, tho not accompanied in ſome meaſure with other ſuch ſpirituall qualifications.

4. It is true, thatdd2 Cor. 10.18.2 Cor 10:18 not what wee approve, but what God approves is accepted. But Sir, wee know, thateePſa. 119.108. Iſa. 567.Ps 119:108 God doth approve and accept the weak and unworthy ſervices and ſacrifices of his ſincere-hearted ſervants: and that they areffPro. 15.8, 26. Phil. 4.18. Col. 3.20. 1 Theſſ. 4.1. Heb. 13.16.Prov 15:8Prov 15:26Phil 4:18Col 3:201 Thess 4:1Heb 13:16 well-pleaſing to him, notwithſtanding thoſe manifold defects and taints either attending them, or adhering to them; they being alſo, for the guilt of them, waſhed away in the bloud of our Saviour, who hath undertaken the diſcharge as well ofggExod. 28.38.Exod 28:38 the iniquities of our ſpirituall performances, as ofhhIſa. 53.6, 7.Isa 53:6Isa 53:7 our exceſſes otherwiſe: Which yet wee d…em that wee have juſt cauſe to beiiRom. 7.18, 23, 24.Rom 7:18Rom 7:23Rom 7:24 humbled for; and that as well for the one, as for the other. So that neither do wee reſt on the worth of ought that either is in us, or is done by us, which we know and acknowledge to have p. 112much more matter of humiliation mixt with it, then you can know by us, or can truly therefore tell us of: Nor yet doe wee in regard thereof deem our aſſurance the weaker: ſince that it is not the qantitie of it, but the ſinceritie, not the worth of it, weighed in its own intrinfecall valew, but conſidered as God… earneſt, and a ſeal of our portion in Chriſt, from whence this our aſſurance ariſeth. And we ſhall deſire you, if this do not ſatisfie you, either concerning us or other faithfull, to propound your captious cavils unto John the Evangeliſt, and demand of him, why he put us and other Chriſtians on ſuch a puzeling courſe of aſſurance, as by the finenes and ſubtility of your ſublimated wits, you and thoſe of your way have diſcovered that to be, that he hath delivered, and directed us and them unto

Laſtly, Sir, for a farewell, I ſhall in friendly manner adviſe you, to be hereafter more ſparing, then here you have been, in inſulting over, and trampling on the the blindneſſe and darkneſſe of others, leaſt by your new pretended light you lay open your own folly, in the impotencie and inſolencie of your ſpirit, unto the light and fight of others; men are not uſually ſo blind in this ſeeing age, but that they can diſcry day-light at a little loop-hole.

Thus having ript up and uncovered your Reply from the firſt ſtich to the fag end, I may truly ſay of it, that I have, as I found it, ſo ſhewed it, to be ſuch, as one of your Hyperaſpiſtae, or Encomiaſtae rather pronounces of his book, whome he oppoſeth; to wit,kkI.P. his Anſwer to Mr. Vicars in his Epiſtle. a worke conſiſting, the moſt part of it, of inconcluſive notions, having no more to underprop them, but your own Ipſe dixi. And tho I will not be ſo bold with you, as he is with his Antagoniſt; whome he tels, thatllIbid. he cannot imagine him to be yet out of his hornbook in divinitie, that expreſſeth ſo little Logick in his writings: which blow ſo unadviſedly given to his Client, whom hee had undertaken not to defend onelyonly, but to commend to, being one that cannot endure to hear of Logick in matter of divinitie, how he will by his Sophiſtrie teach him to ward, I know not, and muſt leave him therefore to crave him mercy. Yet I beleeve your Treatiſet to be in ſome kind ſuch as he ſaith,mmAnſ. to Mr. V. p. 9. Sect. 3. to ſubtile to old men; (thoſe of thennJer. 6.16.Jer 6:16 old way, that p. 113God by the Prophet adviſed his people to looke after,) whom he therefore pronounceth to have the old man ſtill in them; (which we all, indeed withooRom. 7.17.Rom 7:17 the Apoſtle howſoever it be with theſe new illuminates, denie not to have more or leſſe ſtill in us) and to have been infected (which himſelf belike never was) with the old leven of outward diſpenſations, (one of the faireſt terms that theſe mens black mouths, can afford Gods ordinances, and and the doctrines and dealings of Gods Prophets and Apoſtles with his people) and ſelf conceit: (one of the trueſt and moſt conſpicuous characters of thoſe of his own way) as allſo that Mr. S. ſpins too fine threds in Divinitie; (that which Mr. S. himſelfppTreat. p. 37. chargeth the Legaliſts with as a fault in them) and that he is too ſublime and ſpirituall (the term that all your Familiſticall, fantaſticall Novelliſts, as well as the oldqqQui ſe ſolos pneumaticos indigetabant, orthodos Pſychicos. Nos agnitio Paracleti, atqe defenſio, diſjunxit a Pſychicis, Tert. ad Prax. c. 1. Et de Monogam. cap. 1. Nos ſpirituales merito dici facit agnitio ſpiritualium chariſmatum. Sed Pſychicis non recipientibus ſpiritum, ea qae ſum ſpiritus, non placent. Mountaniſts affect) for thoſe that take all in groſſe (in thoſe plain terms, in which Chriſt and his Apoſtles preached them) and have not yet attained the more excellent way; (the new way now revealed, but till now concealed, and in the ſacred writings of former times not to be found) wherein (if you will upon his own experience, and that is proof, I hope, ſufficient, beleive him); and yet, according to his way, wee need not ſtick much at it with him.

Mr. S. Treatiſe (he ſaith) doth ſo lay down the doctrine of Free-grace in that manner and with that demonſtration of ſpirit. (that he and his profeſſeth) as no other writing yet extant in print doth the like. But I beleive withall, that the Doctrine of Free-grace in the way that it was taught both by Gods Prophets and Chriſts Apoſtels, is ſo far from being either cleered or advanced by this Treatiſe of his, that it is much obſcured aſperſed and ſcandaliſed thereby: as hath evidently been ſhewed both here and before.

Concerning which, Sir, to make an end at length with you, let the Reader, that will be pleaſed to take the pains, to compare mine Anſwer with this your Reply, and your Reply with this Rejoynder to it, when he ſhall perceive what a poor pittance you have returned ought unto, in regard of what you have wholly let ſlip, and how little you have ſpoken to the purpoſe, in that whereunto you have returned ought; judge, whether this were not rather undertaken by you, that you might ſeem to have done p. 114ſomewhat, then out of hope that any good fatisfaction ſhould thereby be given unto any that would adviſedly conſider of either, unleſſe thoſe onelyonly of your own partie. Unto whom I ſhall onelyonly wiſh more wiſedome then to ſuffer themſelves, forſaking the light and conduct of Gods ſaving truth reveiled in his word, to be ſeduced miſled by ſuch falſe, tho flairing, lights as may bring them into, and leave them in, thoſe miry qags, wherein finding no firm footing, nor being able to get out of, they may ſtick faſt irrecoverably, to their eternall perdition.

FINIS.