A vindication of the faithful rebuke to a false report against the rude cavils of the pretended defence

2. The Excesses of the First Paper.

But the Excesses of this Paper were far more Nume∣rous than the Deficiencies. As,

• First, The Brethren found the Doctrine of Iustification clogg'd and incumbred with Novel Expressions, of which they could make no certain Iudgment: And as they did not know that they were bound to inform themselves that they might be able to make a Judgment; so they knew not where to make application to any that were able and willing to give them light into this obscure matter; they judged themselves sound in Faith in this great Article; if either the Article of Iustification,

• drawn up by the Reformed Churches in Europe, might be Judge; or if the Confessions of Westminster, or the Sa∣voy might determine; or if this Article, as drawn up by these very Brethren, might be heard speak; or if the Holy Scriptures, which we all own, or pretend to own to be the only Infallible Test and Standard of Ortho∣doxy, might be allowed to be Umpire; and yet they must needs add the Phrase of a Subordinate Righteousness, to which all those Confessions are utter Strangers; and yet the Paper agreed to in 1692, had expresly renoun∣ced, Al Righteousness whatever, in the Business of Iustifi∣cation, except the Righteousness of Christ.
• Secondly, It was surprizing that they should surcharge a Paper, which was pretended to be an Instrument of Pacification, with strange Phrases, such as a Commutati∣on of Persons, between Christ and vs; and Christ's Dying in the Person of Sinners: When it's more than probable, most of us, shall be in our Graves, before the true meaning of them can be liquidated, and the sense as∣certained; and that yet they should quote Grotius for the use of the former, who never once mentioned it; and the R. R. B. of W. who indeed mentions the Phrase, but never in the sence the Antinomians contend for; of which he has lately given an Account to the World; and when there was neither any need, nor any good use to be made of it, either for the Explica∣tion or Confirmation of the Doctrine of Christ's Satisfa∣ction; and when these Phrases had been so wretchedly perverted to such pernicious Ends, by Dr. Crisp, and some of his professed Disciples, it will be most Ad∣viseable to give it a Civil Dimission.
• Thirdly, The First Paper treated a Brother undecent∣ly, uncivilly, not to say barbarously; They put upon him such hard Terms, to purchase a little uncertain Quiet, which I believe no Man who had a Grain of Spi∣rit in him, would ever submit unto: And it may be

• question'd too, Whether any who had defecated their Souls from Passion, and were in a calm Temper of Mind, would ever have imposed: Let us Read and Blush! If therefore, Mr. W. shall concur with us in what we have declared touching the Doctrine of Justification; and in the Sense we have given of a Change of Persons be∣tween Christ and Believers; and of Christ's undertaking the Displeasure of the Father for our Sins; and shall give Satisfaction about any thing else, that any Brother excepts against in the rest of his Writings, agreeably to the above∣said Articles and Confessions, we shall so far Acquiesc∣therein, as not to make them the Matter of further publick Contest, or Altercation, amongst our selves. So then, the poor Man must be Teazed and Baited all the Days of his Life, and never be sure he has performed his full Penance, whilst one Antinomian can be found to demand farther satisfaction; and to be placed as a Shrove-Tuesday Bird Five Throws Two Pence, so long as any Man can find a Cudgel to bestow upon him; but the fuller exposing of these cruel Terms, will invite you to the Tostscript of the Rebuke, to which I refer you.
• Fourthly, The first Paper carries an Apparent Contra∣diction to it self, and to the Practice of those who so Zealously espouse it: For whereas, it seems to commend, A bearing with one another's Infirmities, and different Senti∣ments about Logical, or Philosophical Terms, or meerly Hu∣mane Forms of Speech; yet it makes a Commutation of Persons between Christ and us, to be one of the Terms up∣on which Mr. W. must expect a little rbitrary and Pre∣carious Rest, as long as he Breaths: And yet this is a Humane Form of Speech; Humane, I say, for its Weak∣ness and Infirmities, tho not for its Rationality; and the only Excuse they can pretend to make for it is, That it's neither Logical, Philosophical, nor Theological.