Rusticus ad academicos in exercitationibus expostulatoriis, apologeticis quatuor The rustick's alarm to the rabbies, or, The country correcting the university and clergy, and ... contesting for the truth ... : in four apologeticall and expostulatory exercitations : wherein is contained, as well a general account to all enquirers, as a general answer to all opposers of the most truly catholike and most truly Christ-like Chistians [sic] called Quakers, and of the true divinity of their doctrine : by way of entire entercourse held in special with four of the clergies chieftanes, viz, John Owen ... Tho. Danson ... John Tombes ... Rich. Baxter ... by Samuel Fisher ...

CHAP. 4.

HAving hewed my way to it throw those craggy contradictions of T.D. to himselfe about it, and dispersed and vanquisht some of the dark va∣pours, wherewith he had vailed that Question, that lyes between us, I shall now vent my verdit on it, in a more plain open view, and having nega∣tively declared, whose righteousnesse, and good works, justification and life is not given upon and discarded all those of meer mans own, as D••ng, Losse, Rags, Imperfect, and (what ever T.D. falsly charges on us, as affirming it, or affirms himselfe of life given upon imperfect obedience, and meetnesse to in∣herit it by Pauls own, which he renounced) of no worth, to give any influ∣ence into these matters; I shall shew whom and whose good works and righteousnesse, life comes by, and is given upon, yea I here positively affirm that by none but Christ alone Iustification unto life can come; nor is there either title to the inheritance, or fitnesse to possesse it, by any other good works or righteousnesse save those of the Lord Iesus only, whose only, and all whose works, even in the very least degree thereof, when or whereever wrought, are perfectly good, when the best of meet mans are as T.D. sayes but imperfectly good, which is as much as to say imperfect-perfect things, every truly good thing being properly perfect, and every perfect thing properly good, and every imperfect thing properly evil, and every evil imperfect, or rather defect and im∣perfection it self; and every perfect thing good for somthing, and every im∣perfect

perfect thing (without Gods wisdome, who orders sin to his own glory; and is easily able to bring good out of evill) being properly & per se good for nothing.

Yea this stone of Israel Gen. 49.23. Christ which was ever set at nought by you builders who seem to your selves so much to build upon him, but are seen more then any to build beside him, and stumble at him, is now again become the head in the Corner, Act. 4.11.12. Neither is there salvation in any other, nor any other name under heaven given among men, whereby they must be saved then that of the Lord our righteousnesse who is, not here in this world simply so accounted (as 'tis, simplicer satis, accounted on by our Ac••demicks) and then made to us of God, Wisdome, Righteousnesse Sanctifi∣cation, Redemption, hereafter in the world to come, but so ready made to us here and that perfectly too (so far as he is perfectly trusted to and h••ped in 1 Pet. 1.13. for salvation) Salvation from God, to such as expect not more the pardon and forgivenesse of what is past, then pu••ging from and power to forgo all sin, and all unrighteousness in due time to come, who have the witness within themselves of all iniquity to be (as they waite on him) so truly done away and remited, as (though they meet with temp∣tation (as Christ did) which is not transgression if withstood) not to be done, nor at all committed any more: 1 Ioh. 1.7.9. 2 Cor. 7.1.119. Psal. 1.2.3. And this peculiar priviledge, and high prerogative hath he, who is the head, and hath (as he is well worthy) in all things the preheminence over his body, which he is the Saviour of, purchased to himselfe by his free humiliation and b••eience to death even the death of the Grosse, to be in perfect power to save to the uttermost, all that shall ever come unto God by him.

Now much if not most of this is in general granted and assented to by all (viz.) that Iustification to life and Salvation is by none but Christ, and by no other righteousnesse, but that, which is most peculia••ly and properly called his, and not mans; but still the Question about which sub••judice lis est (viz.) what Christ it is (for T.D. makes two at least if not more (viz.) a Christ within, and a Christ without) and what righteousnesse of Christ it is (for T.D. makes two righteousnesses of Christ also (viz.) one within us and another in him without us,) by whom, and upon which the title to Iustification and the in∣heritance comes.

And to this I answer that as I know no other person nor thing, that gives us title to salvation then Christ and his righteousnesse, so I know no other Christ then that one, which the Scripture speakes of, that dyed at Ierusalem, and was crucified in the great City, spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, and was an immaculate Lamb, slain by the beast from the foundation of the World, by whose blood his Saints ever were, and still are redeemed and cleansed from all their sins, and by the eating and drinking whose flesh and blood they have life in themselves, whom they also as Paul and others did, witnesse speaking, living, working, labouring in them, comming into them, (as they open to him) supping with them, manifesting himselfe to them, as they keep his Commande∣ments (when not to the world that break them) making his abode with them, dwelling in them by faith, walking in them as they in him, formed in them, being in them that are in the faith, and not reprobate as concerning the faith, as some are, who dream they have it, the hope of glory, even

Christ Iesus, the Son of God, the seed of Abraham according to the flesh, risen from the dead, and alive for ever, the second man, the Lord from heaven, the quickning spirit, that shewed himselfe to his disciples, comming in where they were, the dores being shut, appearing to them in what f••••m he would, vanishing out of their sight at what time he pleased; Christ, the wisdome of God, the power of God, the word of God, the righteousnesse of God, the sanctification and sal∣vation of God, the Image of God, the true vine of the Branches, the dore of the Sheep, the light of the World, and by his light in them, the judge and condemnation of all that hate it, and perfect Saviour of all that come to God by him, and to him in it, the same that ever he was yesterday to day and for ever, the selfe same and not another, no changling but numerically the same to them that see him, as the wo••ld does not, who are commenting on him, but can∣not comprehend him, guessing at, but cannot k••n him, naming themselves after him, but are no kin to him, not divided but individually one not one without us, and a different thing in us, as T.D. dictates, ••aying two things are called Christ his person and his operations in us p. 23. but one without us, and that same one in us, seen to be but one, and the same without them, and one, and the same in them by the single eye of them that are (being joyned to him, 1 Cor. 6.) one and the same spirit in him, though ••eeming two Christs to the doubleey, that never yet saw clearly any true Christ, for he that imagines any more then one Christ knowes not aright that one that is, but (what ere he thinks) unlesse it be some false ones, in truth hath truly ••een just none at all.

And as I own no other Christ but that one, by whom life comes to all that beleive in his light; so I own the life to come by that one Christ not as withou•• us, but as comming within us, and contrarily to T.D. at the dis∣pute, who (as he truly relates it, to his own fuller shame p. 22.) being asked by G.W. whether we are not iustified by Christ with in us? answered no but by Christ without us; which Christ (to make but one of him still, whom T.D. by his Metonymy Metamorphosyes into two things expressed by that one name, his person and operations) as without or while without and not come into them, is no more to them, who when he comes in them are his Saints, then he is to all them who are without him in the World whose condemnation he is by his light, because they yet beleive not in it, that he, in whom is life, whose life is the light of men, by it might come into them, and make them partakers of the life Ioh. 12.

But as he comes in (and men behold he now cometh 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in myriads of his holy ones. Jud. 14. to convince all the ungodly of their ungodly deeds, and the hard speeches that ungodly sinners have spoken against him) so is he made not only their Sanctification to cleanse, and make them meet for the pure Lord to look upon with delight, as vessels of ho∣nour sitted for him to take pleasure in, but also even so, and no otherwise then so, as within, and bringing forth his own Image, and righteousnesse within them, is he their righteousnesse to justification, so as to enright and entitle them, to the gracious acceptance in the sight of the Lord, which by his own holy presence, and holy spirit, and holy operations in them, he hath first•• fitted them for. And as by him else not as without us, but us within us, ••o by that obedience, and those good works of Righteousness; both active and

passive of himselfe, not as without us only (as is blindly beleived by our blind guides, and their beleivers) but as within us wrought and performed, doth he really become our righteousnesse to the iustification of us in Gods sight and an Entitler of us, to the inheritance, and a Sanctifier and sitter of us for it, and also we the righteousnesse of God in him: for though whatever he did, and endured without in that body that liv'd and dyed at Ierusalem, was as truly meritorio••s of perfect obedience, as to the ends, in order to which it was yeilded, being the fulfilling of the Law, and of all the Types, Shadows and Sacrifices that went before him, and that, whereby he left us an example that should follow his steps, &c. Yet if the blood of that immaculate Lamb, and the suffering and the sacrifice of himselfe by which he purges away sin, and that righteousnesse, and those perfect good works, and holy spirituall ope∣rations of his be not witnessed neerer to us in time, and place then 1600. years since at Ierusalem (viz.) within us now as 1 Ioh. 1.7. It avails us not to our salvation.

And howbeit this true transposition of purifying before pardoning, of mens forgoing sin by Christs power in them before Gods forgiving and forgetting it, runs in a clear crosse line to your 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the Cart before the Horse, who set iustification from the guilt, before sanctification from the filth of sin, expecting and accounting among your selves (without the Lord, while he is silent, and before the bill of your accounts be brought in by him) ye are iust, and pure, and holy, and good in the sight of God, when its nothing lesse upon the account of somewhat done by another, that ne∣ver knew the workers of iniquity, so well as to entitle them to an entrance into Gods bosome in their iniquities, as if all scores were quitted between God and you, and your sins blotted out 1600 yeares at least, before they were by you done, and by his witnesse in you, as with a Pen of Iron, and point of a Diamond written down by Christ, and the works of his spirit within, yet I absolutely assert that ye can be no further justified then in such measure as ye are sanctified before God, nor yet any sooner in order of either time or nature as you speak. I am not ignorant of your ordinary School distinctions & positions namely that bona opera non praecedunt justificandum sed sequuntur justificatum & dant non us ad regnum, but only aptitudinem regnand••, &c. That good works go not before in the person that is to be iustified, but follow only in persons already justified, and give no right to the kingdom, but only a fitness for en∣trance into it, to such as have actuall right before ever they do any good by the power of Christ, and T.D. by implicit faith treads in the same common beat'n track, telling us p. 16. that surely the leading of the spirit or sanctificati∣on is a fruit and effect, and not a meritorious cause of not being obliged to the pe∣nalty of the Law: yet all this is but tittle ••attle of those whom Christ and righteousnesse serves to talk and make a trade on: Tell not me T.D. of Thomas, of Io. Duns the Scot, and other Scepticks, Schoolmen and Casuists, that make Religion a matter of dispute more then practice, for I say (and yet no more then what the Scripture proves to any, but such as take more care by their innumerable distinctions, senses, and meanings upon it, to defend themselves in their sins, then to live the life of it, that the good works, that are the gift of Christ and the fruits of the spirit of Christ in us, and that righteousnesse which is of his working in us, who worketh in us, both to will

and do what are we do, that is of worth before God, are those by which our Salvation is wrought out, 2 Phil. 13. and are not the fruit and effect of, but go before Iustification from guilt, and acquiting from the penalty and condemning power of the Law, which is the fruit and effect of the other, and the same that gives the aptitude and meetness for the Kingdom, the self same Righteousness of Christ within us, wrought and imparted to us, gives to us the Ius or Right to inherit it, and not another without us, onely im∣puted; for as is commonly said, quae supra nos, and so may it be truly said in this matter, quae extra nos nihil ad nos, &c. what good works and Rigteous∣ness of Christ are done by him without us, what ever they are intentionally, and conditionally, yet are actually and absolutely nothing to us, but as we come to see and feel the same, by that same power that wrought in him working mightily in us; performed within our selves.

Neither are the good works and Righteousness of Christ, which are the fruits of his Spirits leading us thereto subsequent as effects of his not being under the Lawes curse in a person before justified (as T.D. and the Schola∣stick Doctors of whom he learns it, indoctrinates) but are praecedent as causes of it in persons in order to their peace with God, and Iustification in both Gods sight, and in mens, and in their own, for as 'tis said Isa. 31.15, 16, 17, 18, 19. of the inhaerent Righteousness, that resides and remains in the hearts of Saints, which is the fruit and effect of the Spirit of God, making them of a Wilderness a fruitful Field, by the pourings out of the Spirit upon them from on high; so it is in truth that the work of that Righteousness is the peace, and the effect or fruit of that Righteousnes is quietness and assurance for ever: yea, that people who of a barren Forrest become a fruitful Field to the Lord, bring forth fruits of Righteousness by Christ in them to the praise of God, are they onely that, when the Nail of Gods wrath, indignation and tor∣ment comes down by Right on the fruitless Forrest, have (even eaten us, or thereupon) a due Right and Title to the dwelling in the peaceable habita∣tion and sure dwelling, and quiet Resting-places of the Fathers Love and Abra∣hams Bosom••, as well as a fitness for it; which fitness and meetness is first, and ever goes before the Actual, A••solute and Immediate Right there to come; for whatever Remote and Conditional Right all men have to the Iu∣stification, Life and Peace of God in Christ, Mediante fide, Iustitia, Pie••ate, Sanctitare, &c. On Terms of that precedent Faith, Righteousness, Godliness and Holiness wrought in them by Christ, which makes them mee•• for it; yet a Positive and Immediate Right thereto, can no man have, till he be thus made mee•• to enter it, any more then he, that was unmeet for the Marriage Supper, for want of his Wedding Garment, who had as true a Rem•••••• Right as any that were there conditionally he had fitted (i.e.) clothed himself accordingly, had in his old Suit, the Rotten Rags of his own Righ∣teousness, and not Christs, a Real and Immediate Right, to intrude himself in∣to so Holy a presence, who was, with shame, thrust forth forth for his labour.

And whereas our unjust Iusticiaries strike hard against us, as they think, with that True Story Rom. 9. of Iacob and Esau's being the one loved, th•• other 〈…〉〈…〉 yet, being 〈◊〉〈◊〉, ••me neither good nor evil.

Rep. 1. I say, and so would they too, if they could once sea that 〈◊〉〈◊〉

one thing to be denominated aforehand by God, who fore-seeing how it will be, oft calls those things that yet are not, as if they were, loved and ••ated Respectively before or good or evil be actually done, or the doors born, with Reference to the good and evil he fore-saw would be done in time, and another to be abs••lutely and actually l••ved and hated, not onely without any reference or respect to good and evil fore-seen, that it would be done, but also before the Subject; and doers thereof are, in rerum natura, as yet in so much as any actual being.

2. That those two Persons were Types of the two Seeds, that (and not Persons, but so as they are the Children of one or t'other) are the only abso∣lute unchangeable Everlasting Subjects of Gods peremptory in alterable and Eter∣nal decrees of Election and Reprobation (viz.) the Seed of the Woman, and that of the Serpent, which the Seed of the Righteous, who are ever blessed, and the seed of evil-doers, who are never to be Renowned, are respectively born of, and adhaering to.

3. That though they will needs mis-understand it as spoken of those Pers••ns only, yet it is not poken of two Persons only, but it is spoken of the 2 Nations that strove in the womb of Rebecca, and the two manner of peo∣ple that were to go forth of her bowels (viz.) Israel and Edom, which two Nations also, but that what is most Right, is mostly a Riddle to them, they might Read (as born after the flesh) were Types, yet of a more My∣stical and spiritual Israel and Edom* 1.1, then they are yet well acquainted with, as neer of kin to Esau, that is Edom, as they are in G••ds Account, both in name and nature.

4. That Gods loving one and hating t'other of these, was (as is most evident in the Letter, Mal. 1.2, 4.) not without, but with respect to evil, and not evil fore-seen to be done in time, for on the Account of Edoms Mountains being the border of wickedn••ss (as Iacobs were not) they became the ob∣jects of Gods hatred, and a people against wh••m the Lord hath indignation for ever.

5. That there was no such thing as Iacob have I loved, Esau have I hated, said of those two single Pe••sons, of which our intricate Expositors interpret that Text, before those two children and single pair of twins came out of Re∣beccaes wombe, neither doth that Text Rom. 9.11, 12, 13. say so in: terminis as our Academical Arithmeticians usually wrong repeat it, for the Text, sayes, that before they had done either good or evil, or were bo••n either, it was said to her, the elder shall serve the younger, and that's true enough, that he did both in the single Type and the foresaid double Anti-type, and its wit∣nest in the Saints, whom the world knows not, to be truth at this day, that the elder doth serve the younger, which was an underling to the elder a great while: but of the other its said thus, not (as it was said unto her) but (as it is written) Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated: and where, and when was this written? before the two-single Persons of Iacob and E∣sau were born, or had done either good or evil? I trow not; but if our benighted Seers look again, they'l see it was written by Malachi the last Prophet, who••e Prophecy was not before, but after they were born, and had done all the good or evil they ever did in the body; yea, so long after all this was written, that the mens bodies both were 100ds of years before that, both dead and rotten.

And to inculcate this a little further, let thus much t••e considered, that howbeit T. D. denyes Iustific••••ion and Life to be given (••s myself do somewhat more then himself, who falsly accuses me of it) upon my obe∣dience or good works, or Righteousness of Ours onely and properly so called, for as much as all Ours as well as Our selves, as in the fall without Christ and his in us, are as an unclean thing, and ••ung and liss, and as filthy Rags before the Lord, and as he speaks (improperly) imperfectly good, which is no o∣ther then evil (as I said above) or imperfect, or to use his own Phrase still imperfect obedience, which is but disobedience; nevertheless the good works, righteousness and ••bedience of Christ in us, as well as his without us, being, when but in part or in the least degree, perfect, and the fulfilling of the Law (tuliter, qualiter) and not defective or transgressive of the Law, for as we have of our selves no other, so he hath none such, nor are any of his his operations or obediences imperfect, or a violation or breaking of the Law, and either a violating or fulfilling, breaking or keeping of it every deed is, that is done at all, even these are such by which Iustification may, doth, and must come, if at all, and upon which the Gospel gives life.

And if any doubts it, as T. D. himself does, or rather denyes the Truth of it, I need go no further for an Argument, ad hominem, then to T.D. himself, who p. 45. sayes the Gospel gives life upon imperfect ob••dience, from whose own imperfect speech in that particular I may Argue, and perfectly conclude the Truth asserted of the worth, weight and vnloar of Christs obedience in his Saints, every part of which is perfect, a minori a•• ma••us, if I may be candidly construed in my cauting back to him in his own Language of Imperfect Obedience. Thus,

Arg. If the Gospel gives Life upon imperfect obedience, as evrs onely is, if any can properly be so called, then upon perfect obedience, such as at Christs within us and without us is, much more.

But, Secundum re, T. D. the Gospel gives life upon imperfect obedience; therefore upon Christs good works, Holy Operations, Righteousness and Obe∣dience in us, which is perfect and not imperfect, much more.

And if T. D. shall strive by the serpentine sublety, to save his head this way, by saying, he intends by that Term of imperfect obedience, not any obedience or righteousness of our own, wrought by us without Christ, but that wihch is (as he sayes Pauls was, his own, that he received from Christ, which own of his Paul counted less and dung) Our Own, received from and wrought in us by Christ; yet let him remember at least, 1. that then he calls the gift of Righteousness, by Faith received from God and Christ, from whom comes every good and perfect gift (but not any insufficient, defective or imperfect, that I or any ever read of) imperfect. And whereas he may yet twine & say, that he intends not in such a sence as I take the word imperfect in for evil, defect, insufficiency to its end or so, but for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 onely, or a less measure or degree of that fulness, every part of which is also in a sense perfect; let him 2. consider what I said above viz. of no good, heavenly, spiri∣tual thing, or gift that comes down from above from Christ and the Father of lights, that which is but in part, is any where no not in, 1 Cor. 13. or truly can be, called imperfect; for the earnest and first fruits of the Spirit and Grace is Spirit and Grace, and good, as the whole is, that its a part of, and

not imperfect, but perfect as the other is perfect, and so all that's born of God is truly Holy as God is Holy, and perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect, and sins not as he sins not, nor can, being of the incorruptible non-sinning Seed, for all that sins is of the Devil, and thereby are manifest the Children of God, and of the Devil; that, that is of God overcometh the world, and that which overcometh the world is not overcome by the world, but keepeth himself that the evil one toucheth him not, and sinneth not, as he doth, and doth no o∣ther that is begotten to it by the Devil, and is of the D••vi••, and he that sinneth not doth Righteousness, and he that doth Righteousness is Righteous as God is Righteous, Pure as he is Pu••e, and so in some measure perfect, though not in the same measure perfect, as his heavenly Father is perfect, that is bearing his perfect Image in his mea••ure, and not part of Gods, and part of the Devils, as an Infant in nature, bears the perf••ct Image of a man in stature, and not Centaure-like, part of a mans Image, and part of a beasts: and not having a mixture of sin with his Grace, as thou (whether more foo••ish••y or falsly it matters not, sith its both in a great degree) sup∣posedst (as thou saist p. 18) I meant, when in Answer to thy Question, (viz.) Whether th••r•• be any true Believers who are not perfect? At the Dispute

I Replyed, There are degrees among Believers, little Children, young Men, Fathers; and these things may serve, as my Answer to that piece of folly and falshood of thine, now I am up on't, for whatever thou T. D. sup∣posest I mean, I suppose, and mean no such matter, when I say perfect; for every true Believer and Sanctified one by Christ, though but in part, is as truly, though not ••o totally perfect and perfected as he shall be by him who is said to perfect for ever all such as are, so far as they are, for ever Sanctified by him, nor yet (but that thy senses are sodden so as to Take, or rather Rake or Scrape things for granted to thee before they are so given) did or do I grant (as thou there tatlest) s••me persons to be justified, who never did fulfil the Law personally; for though I told thee indeed, as thou truly tel'st it again to the world, there are but two Estates, Iustification and Condemdation; and now I tell thee over again, that there is no medium between these, for every one stands either Iustified or Condemned, Guil••y or not Guilty before God, as his Law, which is the Light is broken or fulfil'd by him, and he that stands by the Light in his own Conscience, by which God Judges him, in any Particular Cleared or Iustified, stands before God so far uncondemned, how ever Judged by man; therefore wherein David was clear in himself, though clouded with mens false accusations of him, he could and did with boldness appeal to God, to Iudge and Reward him in that case still, according to the integrity of his heart, and innocency of his hands in Gods sight; and so Abimelech and others, see Psal. 25.21. 26.1. 6.11. 18.26. Gen. 20.5. 1 Kings 9.4. But he that by the same Light, which is no lye in the Conscience of ether, Godly or Wicked (as T.D. little less then perswades men it often is in both, p 19.) stands Condemned within himself, and so consequently before God, whose witness that in him is (let him▪ flatter himself as he will, & let T.D. and all men sing Lullaby and Prophecy as smooth things to him as they can) so far as in any Case or Cases, he Rebels against the Light, is so far inexcusably, till he repents and re∣turns to it, in such wise condemned by it in the sight of God, whereupon

even David himself where his heart smote him, for iniquity regarded in it (and he that does it, let him dote the contrary if he dare, does I say as∣suredly, so far regard it) could stand in no more boldness and guiltlesness in his sight, then Adam could after he had fed on the forbidden fruit, for which he fled Gods face; and where he fell short of that uprightness, he sometime stood Iustified in and by before, and fail'd so fowly as that flawes, fainirgs and falshood were found in him (as if ever there were in all his dayes it was in that unjust matter of V••iah and his Wife, in which yet even while he was guilty thereby, T. D. most impudently affirms he stood with God not in a condemned, but in a justified estate) there, let T. D. lye as he lifts, yet David declares when he had done that wickedness in his sight, God did not onely speak in wrath and judge him, but was worthy to be (though himself was justly condemned by it) to be justified and cleared in so doing, Psal. 51.4.

I ay, though I said there were but two states, in one of which every man is, as he does good, which since the fall he cannot do but by the Power of Christ, or evil at the suggestion of the D••vil, viz. Iustification, or Condemnation: yet I deny any person to be justified in whom the Law [which can't be by the weakness of the flesh] is not by the Power and Spirit of Christ fulfilled, neither do I Imagine (as thou imaginest I did) a mixture of sin with Believers Grace; for though they, that drink of the Whores Cup of abomination and fornication, which is full of such kind of trashy do∣ctrines and mixtures, and medleys, which they ministes and measure out to one another, supposing I see with such eyes as themselves, suppose such a mix••ure, and suppose I suppose it too, yet I neither suppose, nor own such mingled messes of doctrine, but know, that no more then Iron is truly mixed, or can cleave into one compositum with mi••y clay, and no more then God and Idols, light and darkness, Christ and Belial can be mingled into agree∣ment, no more mixture is there of the sinners sin, which is of the Devil, with the Saint's Grace, which is of God; and so whereas thou thoughtest thou hadst caught me (as thou there sayest) in a manifest contradiction, thou hast but according to thy common custom in that kind, caught thy self; instead of winding my self out of which contradiction (of thy meer coin∣ing) though thou sayest I replyed not, but sa••e down on the Top of a Seat, like a man astonisht and under the Hereticks Iudgement (i e.) self-condemned; yet thou feest I have here so well wound my self out of it, as to manifest it to all men that I were never in it, and to leave thee in the lurch under the Hereticks Iudgement of self-condemnation, for thy folly and fictions about it, which are hereby also manifest to all; for verily, if I were at all astonished at any of the three dayes Disputes, thou miserably mistook'st the manner of it, it being not at all, as the Iewes were at the Wisdom of Christs, but as oft as it was, at the stupidity of thy understanding and answers.

Thirdly and lastly, From thy foregoing Grant to us, which is more then we say, and would have thee say, That the Gospel gives life upon im∣perfect obedience, let it be well remembred by thee, sith its agreed on all hands, that all the obedience that Christ yielded to the Law in that person called Christ without us, was perfect, and in no wise imperfect, that then that imperfect obedience (as thou call'st it) which the Gospel gives life upon

(as thou sayest) can be no other then that which is inherent in us, in our∣persons onely and not his, in whom all that is inherent thou darest not on pain of Blaspemy deny but that it was perfect; and if so, then see how with thy wining to and fro, and running up and down, round about, thou hast at last brought thy Hogs (as they say) to a fair M••rk••••: even till thou hast drawn the dirt of thy fal'd charge of Popery, as thou callest that Doctrine of Life upon our imperfect works, which thou threw'st at me, who never held it by an••, but Christs perfect obedience, upon thy Own indirectly-driving-self, so that if any man enquire who is it that holds that Popery of Life & Iustification upon Our imperfect obedience, T. D. tells it that himself is the man, in whose Book p. 45. it is written as legibly to all, as if it were branded upon his B••ow, as his own Doctrine, That the Gospel gives Life upon imperfect obedience •• and if he will take his Term of imperfect, and Translate it better by the Term of perfect obedience wrought by Christ in his Saints, I'le give him his word again with all my heart; and can afford it, for if so, he gives me no less then the Question it self, which is affirmed by us, and not denied (if so) by himself concerning lifes coming upon Christs Righteousness, received from him and wrought by him in us.

So then the snare is broken and I am escaped, which yet is whole enough to hold T. D. fast enough, who set it, who while I for whom 'twas set am set at liberty by himself, cannot with all his struggling strain his own neck out of the string, whereinto he hath slipt it unawares. Sic ves non vo∣his fertis Aratra B••ves.

Further, yet much more is to be said in proof of it, that our being first led by the Spirit of Christ into the Righteousness of his working in us, is Antecedent to our Iustification, as a meritorious cause of it, though consi∣dering how slenderly T. D. slides away from what was at the Dispute ur∣ged to that purpose, even as he sets it down in his own Relation of it, p. 15, 16. to his own best advantage, there were no great need of more, if all wereas wise as some are silly, to see the strength of what was urged; but some are silly, and some are willing, rather then to own troublesome truths, to wink against it, and to seem more silly then they are; where∣upon when I have Examined the inefficacy of T. Ds. returns to it, and turned them home in their native nakedness, to the shame of him who sent them out, I may not unlikely urge somewhat more.

1. To this Argument from Gal. 5.18. They who are led of the Spirit, are not under the Law; therefore being led of the Spirit, is a meritorious cause of not being under the Law, and so consequently of Iustification or Non-Condem∣nation by it.

Thou T.D. Rep'yest, That I am very silly myself, or take my hearers to be so, thinking this to be a proof of my former consequence, or that there is any con∣sequence in this Argument; whereas first this Argument is urged not so much in proof of my former consequence, as entail'd on that, but as entire and absolute within it self: for as to the proof of the former consequence, (viz.) Contrariorum contraria est Ratio; therefore as evil deserve Condem∣nation, so good works Non-Condemnation; in proof of which thou sillily sayeth, I should, have pro•••• that there's Par. Ratio, for had I prosecuted

that, I should have proved that there's Contraria Barro, for the merit of the ones, and of the other, as I have told thee above, I say as to that former con∣sequence it had been sufficiently proved before by telling you (but that in such a crowd of conference as ye were in among your selves, it could not be heeded); that as Condemnation and Non-Condemnation, of Iustification were Contraries, so good works which I said were not those of our own working without Christ (for I oft said, not by works of Righteousness we have wrong h•••• but what Christs works in and by us, none of which are imperfect but all truly good) and evil works are truly Contraries, and so of contrary desert, the one being all as truly good, as the other truly evils and as for thy saying, I am either silly, or take my h••••••ers s••to••, in that I think there's any conse∣quence in, the Argument from Gal. ••.18. I say I did not take my heedless, hearers so silly thus, but I now take some of them an ••thy self for one, to be much more silly then I did at the Dispute, not onely by reason of sundry other remarkably silly passages, that are in thy Printed Relation thereof, but also in that thou thinkest there is no consequence in that Argument; for ve∣rily, wert thou but as solid as thou art silly in this matter, or couldst thou but look an inch or two beyond that 18th verse, whereon the Argument is grounded, thou might'st see of thy self that which is of force sufficient to prove the se••••et for shewing in the verses between the works of the flesh, which the Spirit leads out of, and the fruits and works of the Spirit, which the Spirit leads such into as follow it, the Apostle v. 23 adils this (viz.) against such there is no Law: (i. e.) such works of the Spirit, as Love, Ioy, Peace, Goodness, Meekness, Temperance, and such Persons as are by the Spirit led out of the work of the flesh, adultery, uncleanness, laferviousness, hatred, wrath, envyings, drunkenness, revellings, &c. and into the other: whence to the proving of the Sequel of that Argument, in which thou sillity sayest there's no, no consequence, I argue.

If such as are led by the Spirit out of evill into good works, are thereupon deservedly not under the Law, then their being led by the Spirit, who are led by it from under it, is the deserving or meritorius cause of their nor be∣ing under the Law, and so of Iustification.

But verum prius ergo & posterius.

The Minor which (unless thou wilt deny thy Principles) its like thou wilt deny, is thus proved;

Those against whom deservedly there is no Law, are thereupon deservedly from under the condemning power of it; for such is the R••gour of the Law, that who ere deserves the Condemnation of it, till they come not to de∣serve it, first or last, shall assuredly feel it.

But there is no Law deservedly against such as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not after the flesh into evil, but after the Spirit into good works; therefore according to that also Rom. 8.1 deservedly no Condemnation.

For indeed those and no other (what ere ye deem to the contrary, being deluded by the Devil, to the deceiving of your own Souls) are truly in Christ Iesus, then those that are led by the Spirit, which who is led by, is led out of evil, for it leads into nothing but good, those onely are in the Spirit, and all the rest in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which follow the flesh in its lustings against the Spirit, and so under the Law and c••••e, thought they

name the Name of Christ, and after him call themselves Christians, while they are not departed from iniquity, much more while they plead for its continuance under the name of their infi••mi••ies of necessity, while they abide in the body: yea, those and none else are Christs, though millions more may conceit themselves his, so as to be interessed into the blessings of Peace, Life and Iustification by him and Abrahams Seed, and heirs according to the Promise, and sons of God, that are led by the Spirit of God into good works out of evil, to live and walk in the Spirit, out of the fl••sh and the f••uits thereof, out of vain glory, envy, hypocrisie, and all deceit: and if any think he is Christs, or any other men are Christs, so far as to stand justified before God in him, before he be sanctified, or while he is guilty of such gross evils, as David was defil'd with, while he was wal∣lowing in the Mire of that matter of Vriah, as T. D. guesses David and all Saints are (by which name he paints them out as well while they are in such a nasty pickle, as when they are wash) of impure the Righteousness of Christ without him to himself, or count upon it that God impures it so as to compute him or any Righteous, Holy, Good, &c. upon that mere account of his own so counting en't and confident believing it so to be before he find and feel that by his Faith in Christs Light (which such Fanciers as I.O. T. D. and most Divines and their Disciples are far from Faith in, while they fight against it as fiction) it be revealed and ••rought in himself, and imported to him, to making of him Righteous as Christ is, and to the puri∣fying of him (in fiert••) till he come (in facto esse) to be pure as Christ is pure, 1 Iohn 3. To walk as he walked, and as he is, in whom is no sin, and in whose mouth was found no guile, even so to be in this world, and so are his Sants that stand with him on Mount Sion redeemed from the earth, without fault before the Throne, Rev. 14.1. and layes claim to the blessedness in Truth, Psal. 32.1, 2. Psal. 119.1, 2, 3, I say if any man thus believe Trust and Hope as aforesaid, his hope is but vain, and not that of theirs, 1 Iohn 3.1, 2, 3, 4. nor the sure and stedfast Anchor of them, Heb. 6.18, 19, 20. that enters into that within the vail, whether the Fore-runner is entred, making the way for such onely as follow him in the daily Cross to the Carnal mind; yea, his belief is but blind, his faith meer fancy; he feeds but upon ash••s, a deceived heart hath turned him aside; his trust is in lying words, he leans upon nought but lyes, a meer lye is in his right hand; Christ is not his, nor his Righteousness his as yet, neither is he Christs, while he lives in his lusts and his lusts in him, while alive to the world and the world to him; for as it is in the Verse next after that I last argued from, Gal. 5.23, 24. They that are Christs, have cru∣cified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof, upon that Cross of the Lord Jesus, then which Paul glorified in nothing more, as true Saints now do, while the world is ashamed thereof, that is, the light by which Christ condemns all sin in their flesh, that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in them, as truly as in himself, and they walk no more after the flesh, but the Spirit; by which also Paul was crucified to the world, and the world also unto him.

And now whereas T.D. and those Divines from whom he must come to be divided, before ever he know his part in the undivided Christ, do (uno ore) confesse so far unto this truth as to tell it further, then they are a∣ware,

against their wills, while they tell us that the good works and fruits of the Spirit, and Christ righteousness within the Saints, and the obedience, which by him they are enabled to perform, are not onely that which makes men meet to enter, but are also all the righteous mens evidence for heaven both in faro ecclesia, & conscientie, for I know no man among them, that sayes any other then thus, that no men can know one another, nor any men themselves, to be Christs and heirs of heaven, and to have right to enter there, and that the faith in Christ which they professe, whereby they say they stand, entitled to the righteousnesse of Christ without them, is true, living, saving, justifying faith, and not fancy, dead unprofitable, and good for nothing, 'but as it is accompanyed with the other fruits of the Spirit and good works, which serve (••ay they) to justifie every one that is justified (without them (say they) in the sight of God) in his own sight, and conscience, and in the sight of men: I shall take all our Doctors at their words, so far as they do yield, as Pharaoh did, to Is••ael by a little and little at once, in order to the winding of them in at last, whether they will or no, to yield us the whole Question in every inch of it, wherein they stick (for we shall not ere we have done, leave them, so much as a hoof thereof behind,) and while it is in and upon me, say something more to these two grants of good works, giving 1 st. meetn••sse for entrance 2 evidence of our T••Se to the in•• heritance, and the truth of that faith, which though it never be alone (say they) yet along gives (on our part) true T••le to it:

As then to the 1st, I mu••e what great difference there is [but that they who where they should not, make two into one (as T. D. does Pauls own righteousnesse and that of Christ in him,) love as much, when they need not, to make one into two] between the matter of merit, and the matter of meetness, that our Divines can digest it exceeding well, to have it said the fruits of the Spirit, and Christs good works and righteousnesse within his Saints onely makes them meet to inherit, but can't digest it at any hand, to have it said that these of Christ and his Spirit in them do meri•• the inheritance or make worthy of it: Doth not the ••ame that makes meet and fit for, merit or make worthy of it, and enright to it in some ••ort, and in Scripture sense at least? The whole course of which tells you not onely (as you tell one another often, but that you often untell it again, when you tell that of ne∣cessity, men must sin while they live) ••hat no sinners nor unri••hteous ones of any sort have in any wise any right to inheritance in the kingdome, or are ei∣ther meet or worthy to be any where but without the holy City together, as fearfull, unbeleiving, dogs, and abominable in the lake of fire, but tells you also verbatim in many places, of all their and onely their right and worthy∣nesse to enter, who by Christs power do the sam•• will of God he did, and have and work the same righteousnesse that he did in himselfe, within them∣selves, 1 Thess. 1. They that suf••er'd for the kingdome were worthy of it, 21. Math. 8. Not onely they that came 〈◊〉〈◊〉 when bidden to the the marriage were unworthy, but such also as took them••elves to be entitled upon bare bid∣ding, and so (as you do) ran in all the hast, and thrust themselves in, as those that had the onely right, and who but they the worthy guests, that thought there was no need, (I speake after the manner of men) of the ••l••ves and Ribbons, I mean the Wedding Robes of Christ righteousnesse to

cloth their own persons, as if what he only wore 〈…〉〈…〉 Theirs too, so far as to enright them ••hith••r, were (for all their more bast then good speed) thrust out at last, as u••worthy to be there, where had they been ••s well sui••ed, as they were willing to have the good 〈◊〉〈◊〉 might there upon, deservedly enough, since the invitation was free, and though a gift yet what more free the gift? Have stayd there among the rest as worthy: And the few names in Sardis that had not defiled their Garment had right by promise, and so ex debito (if promise ought to be kept, when made) though gratis too, because the promise was freely made to walk with Christ in white, for they were worthy, Rev. 3.4. I say worthy ex bene placito, for as much as nothing, but the free good will and pleasure of God, made him oblige himselfe to give a right to such; and yet (to confound that nice and needlesse distinction of Criticall Scholasticks, which hath confounded most Divines in Christendom into darknesse) ex condigno, also, for as much as by Christs power and gift to will and do they both will and do what is required, as the Termes and condition, on which the thing is promised; which consistency that I make between ex condigno & ex beneplacite, ex debito & ex dono, ex operibus & ex gratia, which T. D. and most Divines deeme to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or inconsistent toge∣ther in the matter of mans iustification, being a 〈◊〉〈◊〉, that few of them can get over, a meer gnat, at which they that in other things can swallow Ca∣mells, can't but strain, I am made free a little more here to uney.

T. D. thinks he hath half knockt the Qua. for ever down into their dumps with his deep drawn argument from Rom. 11.6. T.D. If by grace then it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace; but if it be of works, then it is no more of grace, otherwise work is no more work: whence (quoth he p. 20.) if justification be of works as you assert, then grace is exclud∣ed from having any hand in our justification, which is contra••y to the Scripture, which sayes we are justified by grace. Our justification cannot be a debt and a free gift. I mean not both in respect of us. And this he calls his irrefragaba∣Scripture urged by him, that the hearers might be covninc't of the damna∣blenesse of our doctrine, who dare to talk of good works and perfecting holynesse bere, as ever we mean to see the face of God hereafter, which he and Th••. Rumsey el••ewhere call a Doctrine of Devils, and might ••••••th and detest us, as we deserve, and indeed finding his work fail in its force the day before, before the fire and the day, that declared of what sort it was, he prepared this against the 2d dayes dispute as his Corner-stone, setting it in the front of his second fight against us▪ and the truth, and to this (quoth he) nothing was replyed.

Rep. 1. A good cause why (say I) for there was no room for Reply, but like as Pilate, when he had askt Christ this Question what is truth? As soon as he had so said, rose up and went his way, not staying to take his answer, so I well remember T.D. crouded in the next Argument, which I have answered already above concerning the works the Iews went about to establish (which Argument is so neer a kin to this, that one answer may very well for both, in both places Paul by works, and own righteousnesse meaning no other then what are wrought without Christ by us, and not any that are wrought by Christ in us,) I say T. D. crouded the one so hard on the back of the other, and past so soon from one to the other,

that without interrupting of him, which he would ••••ve complained on as much on other hand, there could be no interposing of an answer, and so Pilate-like, not expecting it, he went his way to another matter, with∣out it.

2. Yet now as to his Argument itself somewhat may be Replyed, and 1st if considered as in conjunction with its fellow that followes it so close at the heeles p. 21. from Rom. 10.34. and beares such a broad shew of backing it, it is not so big, nor amounting to such a bulky Bulwark, but that one may easily put them both in a bag, if no more be said but this, that in both Scriptures as also Phil. 3. (where as inconsistent he opposes his own, while a Pharisee to that of Christ within him when converted and a Saint, and Tit. 3. where he opposes the works▪ of righteousnesse we have wrought to our being renewed by the holy Spirit, and makes grace and renewing by the Spirit all one, as well he might, for if we be not renewed by the Spirit and saved from the sin, then I say grace is no more grace for what use is it of to us, if we be left in, and unpurged from the sin, which Christ came to save his people from 1st, & so from the wrath of to come, which will come unavoidably on all that are disobedient, and unrighteous) Paul opposes the gift of grace Gods righteousnesse to mans meer own works, which are not good though so thought by himselfe, and mans own literall righteousnesse of the Law wrought in mans will and Imagination onely, out of Christ the light and faith in him and the leadings and movings of his Spirit, and does not oppose grace to the righteousnesse of Christ in his Saints, or sanctification and holinesse, that is of God, by faith in the light, revealed in and received by every one that beleeves as inconsistent: for those are not onely concomitant but consistent and concurrent together to justification, as grace and Our works onely are; not for these two do tollere se invicem, I confesse, so that if justification and life be of grace, it can't be of Our work••, et retro, if of our works, not of grace, but grace and Gods righteousesse, grace and those good works wrought in us by Christ, and for the doing of which we receive the grace, or gift of a∣bility from Christ, these are indeed one and the same, and so Homogeneous or of one kind, that they may be Synonomous also, and bear both to be called mutually by the same name of either grace, or good works, and so are they throwout the Scripture, as one thing promiseuously denominated, sometimes by the Term of grace, somtimes the gift of God in Christ, the gift of righteousnesse, holinesse, &c. For all this is grace and free gift, and yet its inhaerent in us too, as the same that was in Christ, and being Christs as meritorious, ma••ing not onely meet but worthy also, in such measure as its received in, as it was in a higher measure in himselfe, whether it be a gift to do, or a gift to beleeve, or a gift to suffer, as 2 Thess. 1.5. Compared with Phil. 1.27. To you given not onely to beleive, but also to suffer for his sake and they to whom this gr••••e was given were by God counted worthy of the Kingdome, for which they suffer'd; and so Paul, who laboured abundantly in preaching the Gospell, sayes this work was the grace which was given him by Christ in him, by which grace also he was, what ere he was, that was worth any thing, having nothing but what he had received, that made him differ from another; by which grace or gift all boasting and glorying in selfe was continually excluded, and the glory of all to be given still to God, and not flesh, man, and selfe: so that while Iudas could blame none but

himselfe for being damned; so Paul and the rest, though they wrought out their own Salvation, yet could blesse none but God, who wrought in them of his good pleasure 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to work, will, and d••, for their being saved by his grace, 1 Cor. 4.7. 1 Cor. 15.10. Eph. 2.8. 3.8. Phil. 2.12.13. So that all a∣long the gift of both faith and good works are both called grace; yea, grace is no grace yet, to Salvation from sin, while men remain in their sins, and unsaved by it, and while the grace or gift of Gods righteousnesse, remaines onely in Christ without them, save onely that they are in a possibility to be saved, and while they yet witnesse not him, and it by him within themselves to the destroying of the works and Image of the Devill, which when they do, then, and not before (let them pra••e of ••••ace as they will) they know the grace of God in Christ Iesus, and then alls grace, and by grace and not of works or themselves, or any righteousnesse of their own that they can thank for it, whatever they work in the light and leadings of it, in Preaching, Pray∣ing, Service, Worship, and what ere they have, are, enjoy, act, beleive, endure, or suffer for his name.

And so grace and works, grace and the righteousnesse of Christ within us (when mans own, which ye yet are onely in, and establishing your selves by, who hate the light and are out of it, is denyed as Rags, as it is by us) do not destruere, but ponere se invicem, so well stand together in the matter of our justification, that indeed neither of them can stand in it, without the o∣ther. Neither is grace at all excluded, as T. D. injudiciously judges, from any hand in iustification by our asserting it to be of works of this nature, and e∣stablishing this inhaerent righteousnesse of Christ in us thereunto, but by this alone is grace perfectly ectablished: Neither are these in opposition each to other (as T. D. sayes they are) as immediate contraryes, as mens evill works and these good works of Christ in man were by me affirmed to be, but ra∣ther individually the same: and whereas T.D. saith our justification can∣not be a debt and a free gift both, in respect of us; to what was said above, which might serve to answer this, I adde my denyall of that position of his with my grounds thereof; for howbeit in respect of the same time it can∣not be a debt and a free gift too; yet in respect of the same pers••ns with reference to d••fferent times and seasons it may; for as it was nothing but meer mercy to lost man, and free grace, gift, and goodnesse to man on Gods part and not any debt or desert from God, on ma••s part, that 1st. engag'd or mov'd God to give his Son, and to make promises in the Gospell to give his free gift of life eternall, and to make Christ the Author of it, to all them that obey him, and the meer grace of Christ to us, to come into the world a Light, and give himselfe a Ransom for all and to promise to give life to all that come unto him, and to God by him, that they might have Life and Salvation to the utmost; yet seeing (as I may say so) God and Christ have by free grace, that moved them to make it, thus put themselves freely into mans debt, on Terms of their obedience, they are (man performing the conditions on his part) since then in justice bound to perform it: and so to the same Subject mankind, from whom God at 1st. was altogether free, and to whom he was rich in mercy, and infinitely free in giving Christ, and making promises he is since on account of his truth engaged, if man be not wa••nting to him selfe, to make it good, and as it is in the like ca••es, among men, that pro∣mise

which pitty, meer mercy moves to make, piety and equity require its making good, so 'tis here, and its no such newes▪ but to such as are novices in the faith, to understand that which to the same persons was grace and free gift at 1st. becomming a matter of desert, and due debt at last: So that though glory be to the grace and mercy of God, which onely moved him to say, when the wicked turnes from his wickednesse, and does what is lawfull and right he shall not dye, his iniquity shall not at all be mentioned to him, yet the wicked turning, Gods wayes are not so equall as he pleads they are, Ezek. 18. Against man whose wayes and thoughts are all crooked and un∣equall, if he do not now justify, and forgive the reforming evill doer: and having in his free favour said it that he that confesseth, and forsaketh his siSs shall find mercy, Iohn saith 1 Iob. 1.8. If we now confesse our sins, not, God is gracious and mercyfull, though that be Originally the ground of all, and to be magnified over all his works, and is oft exprest to the wicked repenting, as the grand cause of Gods remitting 55. Isa. Let him forsake his way and thoughts, and turn to the Lord for he is gracious, but saith Iohn God is fa••thfull and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighte∣ousness: So having refuted T. D's. irrefragable Argument, (as he stiles it) from that Scripture Rom. 11. Which I confesse is irrefragable in truth, but that T. D. wrests it (being one of those unlearned and unstable ones in the truth, that Peter saith 2 Pet. 3. Wrest Pauls Epistles and other Scriptures to their own destruction) I return to proceed in that, which I went away from by this profitable Parenthesis (viz.) to shew how the Scripture ascribes the inherita••ce as not onely meet for them that are meet for it, but their due de jure that do his Commandements, R••v. 22.14. Blessed are they that do his Commandements that they may have right to eat of the tree of life and to enter throw the Gates into the Citty, but without are Dogs, &c. (1.) without the Citty, and without Right to it, as well as without mee••nesse for it, who if they were other (1.) doing the Commands they should have both mee••nesse, worthynesse and right and (jure hereditario by right of heirship according to the promises made in that behalf) should both duly, and (keeping the con∣dition) no otherwise then deservedly inherit it; as he that having a pro∣mise of the inheritance of a Citty in case he will adventure to storme, and o∣vercome and win it, fighting and overcoming accordingly (though the pro∣mise of it at 1st. on such Termes was a gift) may then claim it for his inheritance as of debt, and desert, which it is not onely fit and meet he should have, as on terms of promise on anothers part, & performance of the Terms required on his own, who ever helpt him in it, he is worthy as the right heir, one that hath due Title to it accordingly to enjoy and inherit: And indeed the very word inherit, which is so often-used both in the negative, where the wicked are excluded; as no unrighteous one shall ever inherit and on the positive, and promissive hand, where the righteous are included, as he that o∣vercometh shall inherit all things, doth (if men were not praepossest with preju∣dice against the truth and with blind principles, which (as its harder to knock an old peg out of its hole then to knock a new one in when thats out) theres more ado to drive out of them, dispossesse them of, and draw them from, then would be to draw them to own the plain truth, if the darkness were once dispeld) import no lesse then an entailing the Title of the King∣dome

to the good works and fruits of the Spirit in us which are the Termes on which it is promised, on any name or thing abstract from these, which yet T. D. is so absurd, as his fellow A B C Da••ians in the School of Christ are, as to make in no wise a cause, but onely an effect of our justification and of our standing entitled to it on things without us, that are nothing to us, ab∣stract from these: Whereas if that be true (as it is in their own Schools) that quo p••sito panitur, quo sublato t••llitur effectus, &c. That upon the being of which the effect ever is, upon the not being of which the effect can never b••, must needs be the cause of that effect, its most uncontr••lably true that the good works and fruits of the Spirit in us, are not the f••uits and effects, but the causes, of some kind or other, of our just••fication; and as the cause of every sort, if it be but causa sine qua non (as they speak) the cause that gives no influence, but only is a meer hangby yet, necessarily too, as a Cipher, is in order of nature evermore before the effect, so is our Sanctification, so antece∣dent to our justification even in the sight of G••d, that contrary to our Sch••••lmens Figments, who say justification is 1st. of the two, so that God lookes on us as just, while unjust, before he makes us just, I say, till our Sanctification is, our be∣ing counted holy in Gods sight can never possibly be.

Ob. And though its said he justifieth the ungodly.

Rep. I say, yea justification is ever of ungodly ones, yet never in, but from their ungodlinesse, as Sanctification and Salva••ion is of sinners, but not in, but ever from their iniquityes; he clea••s the guilty, but by no meanes, no not Christs blood, so Exod. 34.7. as to cleare the guilty while in their sins, or hold them guiltlesse as T. D. dreames he did David, while they are guilty of Adultery and murder, and while they are taking his name in vain, crying Lord, Lord, but not doing what he sayes, naming his name, but not d••parting from eniquity; he makes Christ to such as believe in his Light Wisdom, Righteous∣nesse, Sanctification, and Redemption, but (what ere some count) he in no wise counts him so to any, any further then he doth so make him; he sees no sin in Iacob nor tra••sgression in Israel, but it is because there its done away, and remitted, not by pardon, without purging, but so as not to be committed any more, or if it be theres new guilt contracted, and the sin imputed, till again remitted on returning; but this Israel to whom he is so truly good are them that are of a clean heart Psal. 73. He will speak peace unto his people and his Saints, while they walk in wisdome, but let them not return any more to folly, for if they do they do, they must again hear more rough repro••f from him then ever, and find him speaking in wrath, and v••xing in his sore displeasure, there is a blessed man, to whom••he will not impute sin, whose iniquityes and transgressions are covered, but tis he in whose Spirit theres no guile, Psal. 32.1. So that I marvail what our Priests mean by Salvation, Iustification, Redemp∣tion and such like, when they say a Saint or a Sinner (what should I call their mongrell seed?) may be in a State of Salvation, while they are in the guilt and filth of their sins, for I know but two things Christ saves his people from (viz.) from their sins and from the wrath, which is to come, and I know no Salvation at all from the wrath, which is the effect; till there be a Salvation from the sin, which is the cause of it, for posita caus a p••nitur effectus as well as sublata tollitur, and I am sure none is there (as yet) from the sin, where men are not onely in it, and it in them, but singing loath to depart, and pleading for

a necessary abode of b••th these (themselves and sin) together while themselves are abiding in the body. Yet T.D. so thinks, that to stand in sin, which is in the Reprobation, and yet to stand within the lists of Gods love and Election will stand so well both together, that David stood justified in Gods sight in that which if men had seen him in, he would not have been justified in their sight, who love sin more, and hate it lesse then God does, and yet all this altogether. But T.D. thou hast heard of God onely by the hearing of the ear as yet by hearsay from thy self and s••lf blinding Brethren, but when thine eye comes to see him, and he comes neer thee to judgment, wh••se comming, who in sin can abide? and who in iniquity, can stand before him? who is as Refiners fire to the drosse and Fullers Sope to the fil••h, thou shalt, for all thy seeming Saint-ship, Abhor thy selfe before him, and repent thy s••lf that ever thou talk∣edst of mens being in a state of justification before him, while under the guilt of sin (as purer Saints then thy selfe have done, that have thought the same as thou dost) in very dust and ashes; and that walking in the fruits of the Spirit and holinesse of truth, must go before the sight of Gods face in peace, and that the sinner shall not see his face and live, thy selfe shalt see, whe∣ther e••er thou come to walk holily yea or nay.

But alas to what purpose is it to tell our P••iests this, when they tell (in effect) the same one to another, yet believe not what they say themselves, but contradict it out of their own mouths as soon as t••e•• have done, like L••••∣ards making good plain Prints with their feet in the Sandy ways they run in, yet dashing them all out, as the go with their long bushy tail••s; they say no lesse then that Sanctification goes before justification in the sight of God, though they see it not, while they say fai••h, which they confesse is a fruit of the Spirit, the gift of God, a part of our Sanctification is that, that, as an instrumentall cause of it, goes before ••ustification, as that by which we are, and without and before which we cannot be accounted ••ust in the sight of God; yet by and by again they tell us that justification, which is by faith, and so not before but after it, goes before Sanctification, whereof faith (they say) is a part, and that the leadings of the Spirit, and its fruits, among which justifying faith is reckoned up as one 5. Gal. A••ea f••uit and effect of our b••ing not under the Lawes penalty that is of our justification from the guilt of sin, so T.D. p. 16.

Sometimes, to escape and slip away from the shame of this absurdi•••• and contraction, they tell us, or at least some of them, that Iustification of Saints or sinners (for I am to seek still what to call the Creatures they call Saints, for if I call them Saints, it loaths me to call such sinners Saints, as they Term so, yea,

If they be Saints, which some so call, Then guilty sinners are Saints al,

And if I call them that commit sin the Servants of sin (as Christ did Iohn 8.) and not Saints and Children of God, they will be ready to loath me) I say then, they tell us that Iustification of sinning-Saints, painted and Saint-like sinners in the sight of God is without, and before Faith, or any thing else, even before sin was, or men either, from all Eternity, and from all sins (past∣nor present, I can't say here, because the sinning Subjects of this Iustifica∣tion are not yet extant in the world) but from all that ever is to come, and Faith by which the Iustification comes, is but an Instrument, whereby the

Evidence of this long-since Iustification in Gods eye comes in to men, and mani∣fests it to their eye, whereby the sinners themselves know it; and as for other fruits of the Spirit, which are all the fruits of Faith too (which I con∣fess to be the first in being of all work; truly good, so that without it 'tis im∣possible to please God, and whatsoever is not of it and in it, but out of it, and out of the Light, in which it is, if true, is but sin) these are onely as Evi∣dences to us, and to others that the Faith we have is justifying and true, &c. and not dead and fained, and fit for nothing.

So say they, In Gods sight we are justified, freely from of Old without Faith, or good works that follow and flow from it either; this we know and are assu∣red of, that Faith is opp••sed to it self as a work in the business of Iustification, and that Faith is imputed to us as being in stead of a perfect personal righteous∣nese, or that 'tis the meritorious cause of our Iustification, I utterly deny (quoth T. D. p. 24, 25.) but Faith without works is that by which we are formally justified, but the other, that is, good works, that by which we are declara∣tively justified; in Pauls sense, who Rom. 3.28. sayes, We are justified by Faith onely, without the works of the Law; a sinner is absolved (I wot he means in his own Conscience, for I know not when T.D. reckons, or whe∣ther at all God holds an Elected Saint guilty, if not David while he was guilty of Adultery and Murder) In Iames's sense, Iam. 2.14. who sayes By works a man is justified, and not by Faith onely; a B••liever is approved' (quoth T.D. p. 8. out of Diodat. whose words he useth) which approba∣tion of a Believer in his Faith (as true) is both in himself and before men, so as they usually say by good works a mans Faith is evidenced to himself within and others without, to be a true living Faith, and so consequently his Iustification with God to be surely known, which was, but could not be seen or known to be before.

Rep. Now therefore a word or two to the grant of our Antagonists, that Iustification is before (in Gods sight) but it can't be known to be by us or others, nor evidenced to us, so that we can stand as justified ones, or ap∣proved in our own sight and other mens, till we be sanctified and have both Faith, which is a fruit of the Spirit, and other fruits of the Spirit, which, if true, that Faith works by, as love, a pure heart, victory over the world, tem∣perance, peaceableness, gentleness, and such like.

Is it so Friends, that no man can appear to himself to be approved and justified in Gods sight, nor to himself or others be known that he is so, till he comes to believe, and do other good works of Righteousness, which first declare the thing so to be? I wonder then how ye dare talk and affirm that to be, before good works, which before good works ye confess cannot be known so to be; will ye ever be in your wills, thoughts, inventions and tra∣ditions, intruding your selves into that ye have not seen, and confess cannot be seen to be, as you say it is, vainly puft up in your fleshly minds, and entring into, and venturing to reveal and vent out Gods secrets, which ye say are secret and hidden to man, saying they are so and so, before the time you say they are first revealed to you in? And telling men they are justified be∣fore God and loved, before they do any good, and bidding them believe this for true Doctrine from you, that 'tis so, till they come to do good works, and that that's the onely Evidence, whereby you can discern that

thing so to be, which yet you say is so, before either by you or them it is dis∣cerned? In his own secret thoughts (say you) and bosome Councels the thing stands so, that we are justified, but its not revealed to us to be so, neither can we know it to be so, that we are justified, but from the time of our bringing forth fruits of Righteousness: Do not secret things be∣long to God onely, and things that he reveals, when he reveals them and not before, to you and your children to talk of? Are ye not like na∣tural bruit beasts in this, that you oft speak evil of that truth ye know not, and oft tell that for truth, which is not so, when ye know it not, and e∣ven confess it cannot be known to be, till evidenced by good works, and yet you will say 'tis of a truth, before any of those good works by which onely the Evidence of it comes to you, be brought forth in you?

'Tis true, there be many things, in esse Rea••••, before they be in esse cogn••scibili, Real before they be visible (though this Iustification of yours before Sanctification in Gods sight, which ye yield is before Sanctification, but Sanctification before it in your own sight, and in the sight of all men is not one of those invisible Realities, but (if may so say) an apparent, Real, visi∣ble non entity rather, and fancy of your own brain; but what things soe∣ver are in truth, to us they are not so, as that we in truth, and of a truth can say, so or so they are, till the time that we come to see them, and that come forth, which is the onely Evidence, which we come to see them by; and he that p••ates of that thing, as being so or so, which to him is not yet known so to be, is a buisie body, whose tongue runs afore his wit, his lips before the light that would lead him out of darkness, & his thoughts not a little out-run and out-reach his Reason. Tum demum, apud nos, res dicuntur fieri, cum incip unt patefieri, to us things are onely as they ap∣pear, so that whoever perks up and prates of what he knows not, and of mat∣ters that yet to him are not, which work (which is that of the Priests in many things) he that shall count him that's in it a wise man, shall by my consent be canonized a fool for his labour. Iustification in Gods sight of a sinner is, say the Priests, before any Sanctification is at all in him, but neither the sinner can know that there is any such matter as pardon of his sin, or that he stands just in Gods sight appears not at all to himself, not yet is it evident to us, who tell him 'tis so, neither can we know it any more then he, till Sanctification appear in him, from which as that which goes be∣fore it, ever in our eyes, we come to the sight ••f it: yet if he will believe us (who speak of a thing we know not, and talk we know not what) and if he will take our words for it, that his Iustification is before he be Sancti∣fied (who have no other Evidence of it our selves, or whereby to make it Evident to him but this of his Sanctification, which is evermore that which goes before the other, for ought we see or can discern, and if he will trust us implicitly at a venture he may (but if he will not (say I) he may safely chu••e.

And as to that speech of thine out of Dioda••us, I dare say it was not a Deo datus concerning good works justifying a man declaratively, and serving in Iames's sence to approve a Believe in the sight of men, for there's not Truth in't, if meant so onely and exclusively of their use to Iustifie formal∣ly, and absolve a sinner in the sight of God (as it must be, if it serve that turn

at all to which thou usest it) yea, I contrarily affirm (yet not denying, but that they do decla••e before men the Faith of him, that professes to believe in Christ to be true, and not hypocritical) that they also tend as well as that t••ue Faith they flow from, to justifie formally, and absolve sinners in the sight of God. And though Paul Rom. 3.27. concludes that a man is justified by Faith before God without the deeds of the Law; yet he never concluded as you cloudy Expositors of him conclude of his words, which ye wrest, be∣side his Right, to your wrong meanings, any such ma••••er as that a man is justified before God without the good works of the Gospel, between which of Christs in his Saints, and those of the Law, which are mens own done with∣out Christ of themselves, ye never distinguishing, run so far into confusion as ye do: which deeds of the Law done in mans own thoughts, willings and run••ings, and not in the Light and Spirit of Christ the Power of God, never reach the thing that is run after (that is) the fulfill••ng of it, without which there is no life, for the Law requires brick but affords ••o 〈◊〉〈◊〉, good works but it gives no strength to weak man in the flesh, and fa•• wherewith to perform; ••o the Letter onely kills, and onely the Spirit giv••s the Life; So both Paul and Iames, and we, as much as Diodate and T. D. do, for ever shut out them; yea, and so much more, then any of you, do we deny the deeds of the Law (so done) as to the doing us any good toward our absolution before God, by how much we do both in our Life and Doctrine establish onely the deeds of the Gospel, while you, who doctrinally exclude the Laws deeds, do yet practically establish them to your Iustification; for howbeit in words ye establish Faith, as that by which ye stand justified formally before God, yet that faith ye act, who believe God accepts your persons and perf••••mances without his Righteousness inherent in your selves, and while ye are yet impurged, and not so much as believing you can or must be here purged from your sins, is far from the true Faith of the Gospel, being no other then the false faith or true fancy of those, who were of Moses and the Law, that trusted in lying words, that could not profit them, Jer. 7. Isa. 1. Isa. 58.3. who thought God did them wrong, if he justified and accepted them not in their fastings and services, though they never fasted from their iniquities, nor loosed the bands of wicdedness, as if when they had been at their formal humiliations for a day, they had procured some dispensation to let Hell loose again, and were then delivered to do abomi∣nation; this kind of barren, leafy lean-faith of yours, who look for life in it, is one of those deeds of theirs, who were of the Letter and Law, and not that of them, who are of the Gospel Faith, which formally justifies be∣fore God, which who are of, are blessed with faithful Abraham.

But now as to the Faith and other good works of the Gospel, which all are the works of God himself, and Christ Iesus working them in his Saints, a∣mong which Faith in the Light is the first, from whence others come, without which they cannot be, any more then it can be true without them, and by the Name of which Faith, for as much as all follow it, all the rest are denominated in gr••ss, John 6. This is The work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent, these are the Righteousness of Christ and of his Saints, which is One, the being of which in them and in him, and not their being in him and not in them, is counted by God to them as their Righte∣ousness,

nor doth the Faith without them any more then they without it, both which concur as one cau••e thereunto, obtain formal Iustification in the sight of God. So that there is a doing some; and sometimes the same (material) good, which deserves no good nor acceptation, but rather evil and reprobation from God, being not good formally, but evil before him, while the same, that does material evil also, does that good: and such was Cains sacrifice, which was else as good as Abels, yet had noacceptance by Right as the other had, because sin lay still at the door, and 'twas not the Righte∣ous one, but the evil-doer that did the good, and the sinner whom we know God heareth not, who had he done as bene as it was b••num that he did, and offered it as well as the thing of••ered was good, had been justified as well as his Brother; If thou do well (laith God) shalt thou not be accepted? A∣gain there is a doing good, which deserves no Ill nor Cond••mnation, but one∣ly Good and Iustification before God, being both bonum and b••ne factum also materially good and formally well done, and that, de jure promissi at least, enti∣t••es to an entrance into the Kingdom: and such are all the good works done, on the Gospels account, in the Faith and Power of Christ the Light, and in the leading of the Holy Spirit, whether Faith it self, or Lov••, or any other that follow these, which are not of our selves, but by way of gift and grace from God, and strength from Christ received by us, who are weak in our selves, the fulfilling of the Righteousness of the Law, which is all fulfilled in this word, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self, for love worketh no ill to his Neighbour, therefore is Love the fulfilling of the Law, Gal. 5.14. Rom. 13.8, 9, 10. and this is the Royal Law that gives Liberty from the lust to envy, or any other evil, that keeps from stealing, and killing, and adulte••y, and from falling in one point as well as in another, of which Iames sayes, if ye ful∣fil it, as by the Letter none are, but by the Light and Spi••it, which lead into the Love, the Saints are enabled to do, ye do well, Jam 8.2. and what is well done, is twice done; and so is every little that is done in faithful∣ness according to the measure of the gift received, as from and unto Christ, and lets in (so far) into the Lords acceptance, Matth. 25.23. Well done good and faithful Servant (was said on the improvement of two talents, as well as five) thou hast been faithful in a few things, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord: This is that love which, when Cains wrath doth not, worketh the Righteousness of God, Jam. 1.26. in the doing of which by Christs Power in our selves, and not by his doing it without us in himself, who not as with∣out us, but as within us is the Iustification from the sin, and so the hope of glory, Col. 1.27. he is made in us the Righteousness of God, and we the Righteousness of God in h••m.

And his Light within, which leads all that in a cross to the lust follow him in it, to this Royal Life of love, is that Royal and perfect Law of Li∣berty, every degree of obedience to which is perfect, as it self is, and not imperfect as all that of those is, who are of the Law, and not of Faith; and as thou T.D. imperfectly and weakly wottest this is, for though, as to the Law, Bonum non oritur nisi ex integris causis, yet I say of true Evangelial obedience, none of which is imperfect, for its Christs in us, Bonum oritur ex qu••libet a∣ctu, as well as Malum ex quolibet defectu: and howbeit any one or more good works (as thou sayest p. 14, 15.) is not a fulfilling of the Law, done as

Paul in his blind zeal did them before he knew Christ, while he served in the oldness of the Letter, and not in the newness of the Spi∣rit: for then all the bonum he did, did but break the Law, being done not bene, and so what ere he did in any print, he was still guil••y of all, and in that na••••re he did it in, it was but Cains sacrifice, which was in the Re∣probation, the Tree not yet being good: yet he that doth and teacheth the least of Christs Commandements given out in the Light, fulfils so far, that he so far enters by Right into, and shall be so far great in the Kingdom of Heaven; in the observing and obeying of which Law onely Iustification, acceptation and approvement comes, as an effect of it, in the sight of God as well as in the sight of men; and so Iames will be found affirming, though thy senseless self canst not (looking in the Letter without the Light) well see his sense; which Law or Light who so looketh into, and continueth in the doing of what is there shewen, this man shall be blessed (Mark) in his deed, even with the blessedness described by David Psal. 32.1, 2. and by Paul Rom. 4.4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. which is, forgiveness of iniquity, covering of sin, and non-imputation of it, which comes on all (circumcision and uncircumcision) tha•• ••elieve, without difference, Rom. 3.2. as it came on faithful Abraham, whose Faith, with those works Iames speaks of Iam. 2.21. which were the fruits of it, were not one without t'other, but altogether (for they were Christ the Image of God, his operations in him, which thou also sayest p. 23. are called Christ) accounted or reckoned to him as his Righteousness as well in foro Dei as hominum: for hereby (saith God) know I thou lovest me, be∣cause thou hast not witheld thy Son; and again (Mark) because thou hast done this surely Blessing, I will bless thee, &c. as also it was said by Christ of Mary, Her many sins are forgiven her, for this cause, Because she loved much: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Cujus gratia propter quod, see Arias Mountanus: so Mark 19. If thou•• wilt enter into Life, follow me, and we have forsaken all and followed thee (saith Peter to Christ) What shall we have therefore? Ye shall sit on Thrones, saith Christ, and everyone, &c. so 2 Thes••••. 6, 7, 10. that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer, seeing it is a Righteous thing (Mark) with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you who are troubled Rest with us, because our Testimony was believed among you: here Faith and sufferings are made the cause upon which by Right deservedly, and in Righteousness Rest is to be expected, as a debt by promise, though Phil. 1.29. they are the gift of God to us, and not simply our Own works, to you it is given not onely to believe, but also to suffer for his sake.

T.D. Does not the Apostle oppose Faith and Works? Faith is opposed to it self as a work in the business of Iustification. p. 24. 1. Pamph.

Rep. Faith is neither opposed (as thou frivolouily supposest) good works to the Gospel, nor yet to it self as a work in the business of Iustification, but both it self and all the good works, that are done onely in it, which together with it are the gift of God to us in Christ Iesus, who is ths Authour; Worker and Finisher of them, in us, are altogether as the one good work or Righ∣teousness of God and Christ in the Gospel, by which we stand justified before them, opposed to mans meer Righteousness and works of the Law, by which no flesh living can be justified; and though Paul when he sayes to him that worketh is the ••eward not reckoned of grace, but of debt, but to him that worketh

not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his Faith is counted to him for Righteousness, doth ••ppose Faith and our works, the Gospel and the Law, which is not of Faith; yet when thou lookest with clearer eyes, who canst now see with no better then thou hast, thou wilt see that he no where opposes grace and Gospel good works, ••aith and the works of Christ in us, Faith and the fruits of the Spirit, of which Faith is one, much less (as thou fai••est) Faith, and it self as a work, but joy••s all these in One, as God and Christs single and singular gift of grace to us under the Gospel, as that one perfect and personal Righteousness by which, as a cause thereof, we are made meet or worthy to be justified in his fight, by which works & that of Faith together with them justifying us as a work, as well as an Instrument to receive Christ and his other operations wrought in us by it, all b••••sting (as blind as thou art, not to see it) is Eternally excluded, forasmuch as both it and the rest are a gift, as well as works given to us by him to perfo••m, For which the glory belongs onely to the giver and not to the receiver at any hand.

T. D. thou sayest as p. 25. 1. Pamph. the Scriptures attribute our Iustification to the Righteousness of Christ in the same sense that they deny it in to works.

Rep. That's true, if by the Righteousness of Christ thou intend the Righteousness of his working in us, and by works those works of our working without him, but utterly false, if by his Righteousness thou mean what he works without us, and by works what works we work onely in him, for the Scripture attributes Our Iustification to this latter, as to the former it attri∣butes his Own, of both which he beinh the onely Authour, not unto us (O Lord) not unto us at all, but to thy Name onely be the pra••se; who dost not (as thy supposed Ministers suppose meerly that thou dost, but far be it from thee so to do; Shall not the Judge of all the earth do Right?) First count men just that are unjust, in this world, and not make them so till the World to come, but first justifie the ungodly from their ungodliness and make them Godly, and then countest them to be such as thou hast made them.

But awake O ye divine Diviners, and see what a dream you are in, who deeming the Lord to be no other then like your selves, imagine your selves as pure in his, as you are in your own eyes, though ye are not yet washed from all your filthiness, nor yet believe you need be so in this present world; whereas he that condemneth the Iust, and be that justifieth the wicked in his wickedness (and I crow God is not an Abomination to himself) both these are an Abomination to the Lord.

And hence is one ground of your so miserable a mistake, in that ye take (as ye confess your selves) Iustification in its meer forraign, and not in its neer and proper signification (viz.) a counting, and not a making of them just, who are not so, whereas Iustifica••e and Iustificari is Iustum facere and Iustum fieri to make and to be made just, properly and p••imarily, and then consequently and secondarily to think and to be thought so; but you fleeing afar off in this and many more points from proper names into for∣raign acceptations, that ye may be as far as may be from such Truths as most torment you, will needs (in this world at least) have the words to justifie and be justified, sanctifie and be sanctified, to import and found forth no more then injust••m & improbum justum, & Sanctum putare, & putari, & justificare, & sanctificare, & ri, in no wise to be Ex injusto, & improbo justum, & san∣ctum

facere, & fieri; as if in this life God having somewhat else to do, could not well have while to make people Iust and Holy; and therefore (they being also well contended so to be left) did agree to leave them to the liberty of their lusts, under some certain toleration to live in them, and yet to think them Iust and Holy in the mean while, notwithstanding, and then hereafter, when men are more willing to it, and himself a little better and more at leasure to do it, to make them Iust and Holy by some P••pisb Purgatory in the life to come.

But Friends, have a care however of what you do in this case, which is of no less then Eternal Consequence to your immortal Souls; for assuredly let Paul and Iames himself, Iam. 2. determine it if you will (whose sence T.D. thinks he hath 〈◊〉〈◊〉 on his hand) yet you will find it so that ye can be no further justified then ye are sanctified in the sight of either God, or men that are after the heart of God: yea, if a man say he hath Faith, and have not works, can Faith save him? Can it profit him? Is it not dead? Yea, knowest thou not O vain ma••, that as the body without the Spirit is dead, and can do nothing, so Faith without works is dead also, Is it not made perfect by works? Was not Abraham and others justified by works? See ye not then that by works a man is justified, and not by Faith onely? Yea, quoth T.D. appro∣ved by men, but not absolved and accepted of God by works. Rep. then let Paul speak, Rom.14.17,18. The Kingdom of God is Righteousness, Peace and Ioy in the Holy Spirit, he that in these things seereth Christ, is acceptable to God (thereupon surely) as well as approved of men.

Though therefore ye dream pleasantly while ye are awake and bless your selves, saying, Aha I am warm, I have seen the fire, becau••e in the Letter, where ye read by the halves, singling out of it what best suits with, and serves your sinful desires, and leaving out what serves to the crossing of your carnal lust, and corrupt affections, you have been flashily and more shalowly, then solidly, read of a Declaration of a Righteousness and good works of ano∣ther, even Christ, whereby onely men can possibly come to be saved, never heeding at all that this Righteousness of that other is to be wrought in the Saints by him, who wrought it first in his own Person, before ever they can be justified by it, and their Salvation truely wrought out by it, which we confess is to be wrought out by it alone, and not by any that's meerly mans own; yet when ye come to see what a meer painted Paradice ye have been led into by that false flash of your justifying Faith, without works concur∣rent, which is but the fruit of your affectionate fancy, which would fain have it so, that you might be saved by Christ, and yet serve your selves, you'l find that you and your whissling faith have in all this been but as Ig••is fa•••••••••• going before, and Ignoramus fa•••••••••• following after.

And though (to Ring back a little to you here to the Tune of F.Os. Talk, Mutaris murandis) about this matter of Attonement with God by the blood of Christ, p. 125,126,127,128. of his English Pamph. Ye King a Requiem to your Souls, saying with him Luke 12. Soul thou hast been dis∣qu••eted, perplexed, and intangled about these considerations (as all men are more or less; without exception) how thou mayest be Reconciled and at Peace with God, or have an attonment for that guilt, which (Super) naturally, thou art sensible of, and how thou maist attain to true blessedness, and come to the enjoy∣ment

of God; and thou hast miserably groped up and down in the dark, not able to ••••me to any satisfaction what will become of thee in time to come, and no way able to stand against the uncontroleable convictions of thy own self-condemning Conscience: yet now Soul take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry, there's me∣rit enough in store laid up in the Righteousness that Christ wrought in that single body of his, that long since liv'd and died at Jerusa∣lem for the sins of many years past, present and to come, so that there's no need of any Righteousnesse to be wrought (as in order to thy Justification and Peace with God) in that sinful body of thine own, it must & may safely (fith the Righteousness by which thou standst justified in thy sins (as T.D. sayes David did in his murder and adultery) resides without thee in another person) ••••n as long as it lives: let the Pop••sh Merit-mongers run, when they have no good works of their own, to their Treasury of the Saints meritori••us g••••d works, the merit of which they buy of the Pope for money, and by which they have indulgence and pardon for all sin, for many years to come, and let the Qua. run to that Righteousness they talk of, which is to be wrought by Christ in the persons of men, before ere they can be justified with God, here's that which shall administer to all and every one of us satisfaction as to all these things as Plenipotentiary to the quieting and calming of our spirits, and cut off any further enquiries, after such a thing as Goodness, Righteousness, Holiness, though that of Christs own working (as the Qua. say) in our selves in order to our peace with God; here's that that gives us wherein to acquiesce, and wherein we will be satiated (viz,) The Doctrine of the Scripture, which gives as glorious incontroleable a conviction of Peace with God by Christs Righteousness without us (not within us, as the Qua. prate) as that Light in our Consciences they tell us of, gives uncontroleable convictions of our sins: there its revealed (to those, say I, the eyes of who••e understanding are blinded by the God of this world) that its Christ without, and not Christ in us (or else the De∣vil and his Doctors are blind, say I) which is the h••pe of glory, and upon which we are lookt on as no Repro••ates: So that O Soul, I would not have thee to cry out of wrath and wo, nor sing to thy self of Iudgement, but of mercy to the Lord, do thou sing: yea, I must needs cry out 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I have found an easie broad way to Life, by applying the good of another to my self as mine, as truely as if it were in me inherent, so that I need not turmoil my∣self as some do, and as the Qua. who cant beleeve that what Christ has is theirs till they see it conveyed and derived from him, by way of participation to them∣selves: We can beleive that all that Christ hath is ours, though all that we have is our own, and need not be forsaken for his sake: I have found that without me, which in vain, the Qua. seek elsewhere, as within them, waxing foolish in their Imagi∣nations viz. the businesse of att••nement reconciliation and acceptance with God, which they are contriving to find by Christ within them, to the producing of such horrible effects and fruits, as tedious doing good and induring evill for their Tenets as we are loath to expose our selves to•••• What have they not done? What have they not suffered? What miseries extitus{que} infelices, have not the Qua. puld up∣on themselves, ubivis gentium quo impelluntur Fanatici; by their faith and do∣ctrines of Devils, (so I.O. of Qua. doctrines Ex. 3. S. 35.36. and T.D. and T. Rumsey of perfect holynesse in this life) let them meditate terrour and dream of dread and bring themselves into Bondage, we will cast these trouble∣some

things far away from our thoughts, though we do sin, and he that commits sin is the servant of sin (as they tell us) yet whatever bondage we are in, to sin, we will not be under the spirit of bondage so far as to fear wrath, or dread any danger so long as with such a glorious soul appeasing light (which say I, is the Devill transformed into an Angel of light in you) the doctrine of satisfaction and attonement by the blood of Christ, the Son of God comes in upon us. This is, that that astonisheth us another way, so that we can't be astonish't nor afraid of any amazement about the matter of our our sins this conquereth all the Qua••••••s of conscience this ravisheth and satiateth our souls, that though we may, yea must sin while we li••e, yet they have been already reckond for with one that is Our Righteousnesse without us, though his Image is not formd, nor his righteousnesse wrought in our selves. This is the designed of the Apostles discourse to the Romans to prove justification by faith without works of ours by Christs righteousnesse im∣puted to us as ours to justification before it be infu••ed to our sanctification (when the Devill is blind say I) Oh with what glory and beauty (to them that see so much, as we do in the worlds glory and the lust thereof) with what full and ample satisfaction this Doctrine breaks out, this is that we looked for, this is that we were sick for want of the knowledge of (being wounded by the light of God in our consciences for our sins and withall in such love to them, as to be loath to leave them or depart from them) viz. to beare of a way or Saviour whereby to be sav'd in them, and that we have now found and though we once c••yed out 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and were at our wits ends feeling our selves sinking to hell yet this Christ (without us, without whom we also are feeling neither him us nor our selves in him) this and not in the imaginary Christ of the Qua. within them is the stone, by which we will stay our minds in as perfect peace, as we can, by putting away the sense of sin, and the evill day far from us: Ex. 2. S. 28. Dicat quod quis que volet ex hac opinionem non dimovebimur.

Though I say these things are in truth, the sum and substance of your sayings, the very Image, proportion, lively pourtraiture of your dead faith; which ye count living, and saving, and justifying and what not? Yet as the Lord lives youl find it dead, even thou I.O.T.D. and your fellowes, as well as we have done, who were as high in that supposed saving faith, but reall fancy, as your selves, and your selves utterly undone before the Lord for all that, when he comes to enter into judgement with you, as he hath with his own House, the Qua. where the Iudgement in these dayes hath begun: Therefor be ye warned, who seem to sit warm by this your fantastical faith and imaginary painted fire, for whatever ye think, and how ever ye blesse and flatter your selves, with hopes of true bliss•• and blessednesse in this way, wherein ye erre, not knowing the Scriptures, which are true, but that ye under∣stand them not, nor yet the power of the wrath of God; Yet this is but your Own righteousnesse all this while (1) though reall, as in Christ, yet of your own faining to your selves, as yours, and yet not your own neither, so as that ye shall ever be saved by it, till ye come to put it on and be cloathed with it, in your own persons: Its but a fire of your own composing with wood and hey and stubble, and sticks, and straws; that crackles in your conceits like that of thorns under a Pot, that will soon flap down, and not last longer then such flashy fuell as your fancies seed it with: its not the joy of the righteous which the strangers, intermedle not with, which burns sure and sollidly and the more when cold water is thrown upon it.

Yea from the Lord God, I say to you all, as twas said of old to such as trusted in the name of the Lord without his ••••ture, behold all you that kindle a fire, and compasse your selves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled, but this shall you have at last from the hand of the Lord, ye shall ly down in sorrow.

And though in your pleasant trance, you sweetly sleep it our every one within your Tents, as in a Pavillion, and snort it our every one to a∣nother that your iniquityes are hid and your sins (who declare your sin as Sodom, and hide it not) are covered, and the Lord impares, them not, though ye are far from them, in whose hearts there is no guide, as if ye were those hidden ones of God, that he himselfe sees no sin in, because its by Christs blood (really and not imaginarily) washt away: and though you Canonize your selves into the compellation of the Saints while in your sins, and then sooth up and comfort one another under that Title with smooth words, yet I••a. 29.7.8. As a dream of a night vision, wherein an hungry, and thirsty man dreameth he eateth and drinketh, but behold he awaketh and is empty, and faint, and his soul hath apptite so shall all the maltitude of those meer ••∣imaginers and Image-makers be ••••yea, as in a dream, when one awaketh so when the Lord awakes to visit you (〈◊〉〈◊〉 do••ing dreamers) he will assuredly despise your Image, Psal. 73. Yet T. D. sowes soft pillowes under the Arm∣holes of his fellow Sainted-up-sinners, least they should 〈◊〉〈◊〉 under the un∣supportable burden of their wounded Spirits, when the light begins to shew them to themselves, and judgement to take hold on them, and their own sins to slave them in the face; Saying that a man once justified cannot become unjustified again in the sight of God, and what the Saints do, he heeds it not, so as to mention it to the Saints; and would have the Saint by all meanes not be so senselesse, as not to hold the sense of his present in∣terest in Gods favour and pure presence, though at present under the same sins, which God behold as Paule y iniquity in another, but as petty infir•••••••••• onely in him, because he taketh pleasure 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in his (sinning) 〈◊〉〈◊〉, witness David, who (quoth T.D. p. 38) when he was guilty (mark) of Adultery and Murder was not in a condemmed state but in a justified estate, in proof of which I have said more, sayes T.D. to R.H. then this man or any of his brethren can answer; in vindication whereof also when was urged and proved a∣gainst him that David was then, and long after condemned in his own conscience Psal. ••••. 4. and therefore could not stand justified before God, who is greater then our hearts, and must (if they do) much more condemn us, •• Iohn 3.20.

T. D. Replyes (most unanswerably indeed; to what one might expect from one that sayes no Qua, can answer what he sayes) all this, which is 〈◊〉〈◊〉: •••• It does not appeare to me that David was at this time (mark) un∣justified in his own conscience, but the contrary; i.e. justified for he spoke those words, Psal. 5••.4. That thou might••st be justified when thou speakest and cleare when thou judgest after Nathan had come to him and told him that the Lord had put away his sin.

Rep. Which coming of Nathan T.D. was then told (but that he was so absurd as not to heare) and hereby in told again, was after the Childe was born, and not while the adultery and murder was commited, which words

of Nathan the Lord hath put away thy sin being spoken not till David had confest to him that he had sinned against the Lord, which was not till many Months after his vile sinning, do evidently evince it to any thats not wilfully blind, that for many Months his sin was not put away, but remained on the File, and that the Lord did not hold him guiltlesse, nor the light in his own con∣science neither till he had truly repented from his sins.

Yet least any poor Saint like sinfull soul should sink down, while he lyes in the sordid sink thereof, under sin & the sense of the losse of his interest in Gods love, since he is so deriled that he may easily suppose himselfe to stink in the in his sight. T.D. who hath not one in all his Apothecaries Shop (for ought I find) to save the soul of a Saint from sinning, hath ano∣ther Antidote at hand, whereby to strengthen the hands, and save the soul of the sinning Saint from sinking so low, as to beleeve God loves or likes him, ere the lesse, when he has done: Yea, he is never without his Cordialls and Pills, to purg the head and heart from all sense of judgement, that that evill day may be put a far off and the Saints he past feeling of wrath, when they sin, and so be more secure in commission of it; but Pills to purge from the sin it selfe; he is so far from vending, that by his good will, he would have none of them licensed to be vented by the Qua. in the Country where he hath to do: Or if any course be taken to purge men throwly by calling them to perfect holynesse in this life, he takes to contrary a course to keep the men unpurg'd, as to mount against those, as against some cheating Mounte banks, as delivering no better then the doctrine of Devils, and to make men beleeve (that are such infidells in Christ as to give credit to T.D.) that 'tis not possible to attain to such a purging as this in the body, no not by the very All-healing herb of grace it self.

His Antidote to preserve the Saints from too deep a sense of their sins, is this, whereas the Qua, tell them, that if the light in their own con∣sciences accuse, and condemn them from the face of God for sinning, theres no God nor Christ that holds them guiltlesse, sith that of God within is his witnesse and vicegerent, that what it sayes and judges in them, is as the voice of God himselfe, and if that create trouble, man cannot create solid Peace.

Tush (quoth T.D for to the same purpose he talkes though not in totidem verbis p. 19.) what tell you us of Conscience; conscience is often erroneous, and not rightly guided in the very Saint. Talk of conscience to the wicked, its office is to be a witnesse against them for their sins, which if it do not check them, but tell them God loves, justifies and accepts them, when they sin, its defiled, 1 Tit. 15. and leads them into a wrong opinion of their estates in that it testifies that their estate is good when its nothing lesse, for to the impure is no∣thing pure; but unto the pure all things are pure, and when the Saints sin and are defiled thereby, the office of conscience (as a witnesse) in them, if it do its office, is to cleare and comfort and speak peace, and if it offer to trouble them when they fall throw infirmity into fowl enormity, and dare be so bold as to darken their evidence of Gods love, and of their justification in his sight, when they are guilty (as David was once of things not fit to be named among Saints) yet I dare be so bold as to say it is defiled in the Saints, and testifies falshood to them also, in saying that their estate is bad when (for all their sins) it is good no

lesse then it tells lyes to the wicked, that their estate is good when its nothing lesse.

Thus we have the unconquerable and that uncontrolable comfort which T. D. Administers to the Saints, when they become sinners, and fall into the same folly and filth with other wicked men, who is very a Boanerges or Son of thunder as he is in a few slight words, more th••n the same solid pow∣er with Peter and Iohn to the wicked; yet to the Saints (of his own coyn∣ing) is he another Barrabas or Son of Consolation; I mean not another of the same with him, who confirmed the Saints in their goodnesse and grace, but another of another kind, that comforts, confirmes and chears up his sinfull Saints in their sins, and dawbs them over, who are dirty enough already (if such he Saints, as he sayes are) with his own more dirty doings, who would have them live as justified in Gods sight, and as uncondemned in themselves as Saints, whilst ore head and eares in their sins.

But will all this hold T.D.? little did I once think ever to have seen such a dish of doctrine drawn by a divine from Tit. 1. 15. though unto the pure all things are pure, was wont the same way to be wrested by the Ranters; and for my own part had I been minded to look for such a licenti••us piece of Libertinisme, as he would learn men from thence (as I am far from it, knowing that in maxima libertate, theres minima licentia) yet I should sooner have lookt for a needle in a bottle of hey, as they say, then have lookt for the like from thence, or have scrap't in that Scripture to find it, if T.D. had not told me, it had been there; where yet (for all his telling me of a justification of a Saint in his sins) I cannot yet find or see such a thing, nor any else I (beleeve) but such as are as blind as himselfe: for the light in the conscience of both good and bad, doth tell them infallibly what they are, and testifie to the face of the best man in the world, that God doth not justifie him while he sins; which witnesse of God within their own hearts is greater then the witnesse of man, and will have audience at last, when it begins to speake out, when such a one as I, may easily be slighted, who witnesse onely for God from it, and therefore I shall say but little more to this matter; neverthelesse when T.D. and his un••ust justifi∣ed ones, come once to feel it stand upon its feet, which like an innocent, just, h••ly Lamb, hath been hitherto slain by the beast within them, because it torments them with telling too much truth, great fear will then fall on such as see it, and have made merry over it in its captivity, and at the same time, there will be a great Earthquake, and lightnings, and voices, and terrible thunderings, and great hail out of heaven, the Plague whereof shall be exceed∣ing great, every stone perhaps about the weight of a Talent, Rev. II. Rev. 16. the storm of which shall overthrow their open hiding places and sweep away their refuge of lyes, and disanull the Covenant, which these D unkards of E∣phraim have made with death and hell, and passe over them like an overflowing scourge, so that they shall be all troden down by it: Iudgement also shall be laid unto the line, and righteousnesse to the plummet, Isa. 28. To take a more exact account of them before God, then they are willing to give of them∣selves, who now not knowing the goodnesse and grace of God within them, which in his love, as a light, is given to teach, and to lead them unto Repentance, Tit. 3. 13. Rom. 2. 4. to 13. Are in the hardnesse and impeni∣tency

of their hearts treasuring up wrath to themselves against the day of wrath and the Revelation of the righteous Iudgment of God, wh•• in the day when he shall judge the secrets of men, by Christ Iesus the Light according to the Gospell, that Paul himself preached, will (mark) in his righteous Iudgment Render to every man according to his deeds, (viz.) to them, who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory, honour and immortality, eternall life: Yea, glory, ho∣nour, and peace to every soul of man (mark) that worketh good: But unto them, that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indigna∣tion and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every one that doth evill without respect of persons, yet the Iew first, who say they are Jewes, and are not, but do lye, and are the Synagogue of Satan, and also to the Gentile; then shall they know that such as sin, whether without the law, or in the Law in the Let∣ter, shall be judged respectively; by that letter such as have it, and all by that light in the conscience, by which all are a Law to themselves, and that it is not the Hearers, and Preachers, and Praters against the Laws justify∣ing, but the doers of the Law onely by the power of Christ, which onely does it, shall be justified.

Three or four more of T. D.'s. (in comparison of what we might expect from him in satisfaction) most unanswerable answers to such Arguments, as were urged by us in proof of Iustification by the Spirit of life and grace of Christ in us, and by his fulfilling the Law in us, throw the condemnation of sin both in, and cleare out of our flesh, and by our walking not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, as a cause that gives Right and Title to it, I shall speak a little to, and then dismisse T.D. as to this point, till I meet him again in other matters, about which he joyns in with J. Owen, with whom I must come to joyn again too by and by, about the Scripture and the light, and some other things, least he thinks I am lost in this long bout with T.D. So as to be run quite away and never meane to come at him any more.

The 4. Scriptures alledged and out of which it was argued in proof of the point above said were I Cor. 6. II. Rom. 8. 2. Rom. 8. 4. Tit. 3. 7.

To the Ist., And such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are san∣tified, but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Iesus, and BY the Spi••t of our God, whence 'tis to be observed that the Corinthians are said to be justifi∣ed BY the Spirit.

T.D. Replyes I might say that perhaps that Clause should be referred to san∣ctification, which is in a more appropriate manner attribu••ed to the Spirits efficiency, as if the words had been, but ye are sanctified by the Spirit of our God; and he gives his instance for the transposition from Math. 7. 6. give not that which is holy to dogs, neither cast your Pearls before Swine, least they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent you, where turn again and rent you, is to be joyned to the dogs (quoth T.D.) for as Swine do trample under their feet, so dogs do ••ly upon a man, or teare him down, or else justified by the Spirit, may be meant of the Spirits application, I mean (quoth he) the 3d. person is the Trinity, not of the work of grace whereof we are the Subject.

Rep. To all which I Reply thus Ist. let the Reader observe how T.D. dances between two, and serves the turn of truth against I.O. who blames the

Qua. and others for denying the Text of Scripture to be such a certain, immoveable, stable, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Standard, Touchstone, of all truth as he contends it to be, and for calling it a Nose of wax, not infassible, because flexible to every mans fancy, while the said TD. by his twining it, which way he finds will fit him best, proves it so to be, no lesse then practically, to our hands, yea, quid verbis opus est, cum facta loquuntur, doth not T.D. make a very Nose of wax, a Lesbian Rule a meer peice of lead of the letter, a Reeling Rule, in unsted∣fast standard, when he plucks it to peices as he pleases, and makes many meanings of it, and then out of them, still takes that that best takes with him, and makes most for his own penurious purpose, for sometimes he turns one Text into two senses, and when he hath twatled one Text into two senses, and is so betwatled in himself, as not to know which of the twain to betake himself certainly to as the Spirits, sayes it must be either t'one or t'other, or it may be either this or, that thrusting out the third, be it nere so plain and obvious, if it clear the Qua. cause when indeed (exclusively of the Qua which is most right and true) its neither this or that, nor t'one nor t'other; witnesse the Text in hand; sometimes again gives three senses to one Text, witnesse Ioh. I. 9. to which position of Christ, that true Lights enlightning every man that cometh into the world, he puts three (viz.) p. 6. 1. Every man that is enlightned; 2. Some of every Nation, and 3. p. 36. Everyman who is (spiritually) enlightned to which three I.O. who joyns with T.D. in one of his three, saying everyman is not spoken absolutely of all, and every man, but with Relation onely to the Elect, whom he is grati∣ously pleased to enlighten, being not contented with that one single simple sense, doubles his Files, and adds a fourth sense more nonsensicall then all the rest, which as senselessely he serves from that Scripture phrase as 'tis in the Greeke (viz.) not as the Qua. speake Christ enlightens every man coming into the World, but thus the true light coming into the World, enlightens every man, making the participle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to agree with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and not with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which (but that, considering the order and placing of the words in the Greek, its far more cleare that way wherein its construed by the Qua. considering its Analogy (as so) with the whole scope of the Scripture also) might with more colour, then now it is, be wrested the wrong way, as it is by I.O. and be construed as c••ookedly as 'tis by him; but as much as he hopes to overtop the truth with standing upon the double construction of a Greek Term; yet he cannot, by all his taking so much thought about it, add one Cubit, nor yet an irch to the Stature of his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 talk from that Scripture, but rather pulls him self a pegg or two lower, if (though yet we will not) we should grant him his will in his own way, as to his double cause both about the letter, and against the light: For if the Originall Text may be so doubtfull as to be truly construed two ways in one phrase, or place; How fit such a flexible thing is to be counted the onely sta∣ble and infailible guide, as he pleads it to be to meet fallible men, a more foolish wise man, and silly Scribe, then I.O. is, cannot but se••: And as to the true Lights enlightning every man, which he impleads thereby, what gets he, if we grant him his own improper exposition? for whether we read the true Light enlightens every man coming in the to world, or the true Light coming into the world enlightens every man it amounts to one and same still, and both are

Tanta mount to no lesse then what the Qua. stand for, and I.O. and T.D. against (viz.) that the true light, which is come into the World, Joh. 3. doth en∣lighten every man that comes into it.

So heres more then a good many (viz.) 3 by T.D. and 2 by I.O. whereof one is of the 3, and t'other a fourth beast divers (like the fourth in Daniel 7. 7.) from all his fellows, that is to say between them both. 4 meanings in all, made of one Text, which 4 mean all together to exclude the Quakers fift, as an odd one, though the onely true one, that without minc∣ing and pinching in the mind of the Spirit is there intended in the Text by the Spirit, in which it was written; for though their senses are some of them true enough to serve out turn, yet (as they mean) not so fully as the Spirits true one; in proof of the truth of which, when we, who are of the light, and of the day, and so needing no proof of it to our selves, its so cleare, do tell them, who are of the night and darknesse, that our meaning is drawn from the import of the Phrases, and ours is the very meaning of the Word, as the Letter of them doth import, and ours is the most genuine interpretation of the Words, as they are taken in the most Ordinary and literall sense of them, and that their meanings are far fetch••, fOrraign and eve∣ry way improper; T.D. wipes away all this with a wet finger, and though himself I know not how o••ten argues ad libitum, which way he will, and none must controle him, yet me mutire nefas, we must be tyed to take such a sense as is imposed on us: As for him he argues sometimes from the fi∣gurative and me••onimicall as p. 22. Christ is said (quoth he) to be in us by a metonymy of the cause for the effect: so p. 44. holynesse of that state of the Re∣surrection is cal'd perfect by a metonymy of the Subject for the adjunct; some∣times from the forraign and more unusuall, yea improper; sometimes from the most ordinary, usua••l, genuine and proper signification of the words, sometimes from (as he saith at least, but falsly) the literal sense and import of the phrases as p. 4. As for the Phrase (in your hearts) it imports the same (quoth he) with that, &c. And p. 5. when the Kingdom of God is Luk. 17. 21. by Christ and his, said to be in the Pharisees that expression may import (quoth he) that the Kingdome which they upon a mistake did look for without them, was indeed a Kingdome within them, and that (say I) is very true, T.D. himselfe hath there imported the very truth for the expression (in you) imports the Kingdomes not being whi••hout them in the outward obser∣vation, wherein they lookt for it, but really within them, as he said, indeed: neverthelesse T.D. who is like his Father, that ab••de not in the truth, cannot abide (when he happens to be in it) to be long in it neither, and is ne∣ver well till he is out of it again; therefore when by hap hazard, he had utter'd the truth from the right imp••rt of the Phrase (in you) cannot rest till he has chang'd his mind, and to his first and true, hath added another 2d and false meaning (so mightily is he enamoured with many meanings and senses) and therefore addes another as false as his first was true from a∣nother import of the same expression, as wrong as his first was right: Thus, To which I shall add (quoth he) that upon 2d thoughts (secondae cogitationes are mostly meliores, but are (I must not say maliores, for that were false La∣tine, though true in English to him that can English it) but longe pepres in this place) I judge the most genuine interpretation to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 among you, so the

Preposition may be rendered in which last import of T.D. the case is so altered from what it was before, that is stead of that one truth (could he have kept to it) he uttered before, he hath now uttered more errours, and falsities, and absurdities then one, for if the Proposition i•• may be rendred a∣mong, and so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 may possibly sometimes (as, if ever, it seldom does) import among you, yet first it is not usual nor ordinary, much less its primary, proper, literal, nor (as T.D. calls it) its most genuine, but a most unusual, forraign, secondary, illiteral, ingenuine and improper import; and 2. in very deed, if T.D. will vouchsafe that Scripture, Luke 17.22. a Review, he may come to return to his first judgement, which he past in truth (viz.) that the Kingdom was indeed within them, and upon his second looks to Judge as Right, as he went from, the Right to Iudge amisse upon his second thoughts, for what ever 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 may improperly import, yet in the Greek it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which imports not among you, and can properly import no other sense then truly and properly within you: in in opere longe obrepsit somnus, as I.O. saith, and sith Non Divinum, but Humanum est errare, Aliquando bonus dor∣tat Homerus: But however there's two meanings to that one Scripture (as T.D. sayes) it may import so, or it may import so; so that the Reader of T. D. may take his choice, and read his inalterably Reeling-Rule of the Scribes wrested Scripture which way he will, and not let it Rule him, but Rule over him as he listeth.

Thus these two men T.D. and I.O. impose as many meanings, accord∣ing to their own minds, which are not the same that was in Christ, as they see good on the Scriptures, and in stead of Reconciling them, and letting people (to whom T.D. sayes, They seem to be at va••iance among themselves) see how well th••y are agreed, and in stead of causing them like the Cherubims, to face one another, which T.D. sayes p.4.36. is his dury and part of their work, they set them at variance, by their several senses on them, and pervert them by their Perhaps's, per adventures and pratings against the Phrases most proper, and for and about their own improper imports, saying perhaps its so, or else perhaps so, the Expression may import so, but upon the second thoughts I Iudge rather (for it may be s••••rendred) the most genuine in∣terpretation is so, the meaning is not so as the Ph••ase imports, it must be either so, or else so, or else so, or else so; as who should say, we'l have it any way, rather then the Qua. shall have it theirs; and cause it to face three or four wayes at once, if never a one of them be right, and altogether against within, where the onely true way is, which wayes the Cherubims alwayes lockt, with their faces onely inward: and they make to it not onely many meanings, but any meanings, though never so uncouth, and contrary to truth, sense and reason, so they may but wave off and wind away from the right true meaning and mind of Christ, Luke 17.22. The Kingdom in you is not without, but indeed within you; and yet upon second thoughts quoth T.D. it is not in you, but among you, p. 5. and Rom.8.4. The Righteousness of the Law said to be fulfilled in us, imports not in our persons, but in Christ; p.17. and Omnes, everyman is not every man, but of every sort some, Omnes is not all, but here and there one; p.6. so see I.O. Exer.4. Sect. 24. Hoc est Syncategorema istud Omnis, the world, whole world, John 3. 16. I John 2. 2,3. not the whole world, nor the most of it, but the Elect onely, that are out of it, not of it but a few in it, as T.D. at the Dispute; so

that on this soore our Scribes scape Scot-free still by their shifts.

To meet with Quakers Priests need never doubt, Nor need they when they meet them f••ar a Rout; If (All)'s but (Some) (Out)'s (In) and (In)'s for (Out) Then they are Alwayes (In) and never (Out)

Thus the seed of the Serpent saves it self alive in its enmity against the Holy Seed, not so much by plain down right dealing, nor any bold open facings of the truth, quae non quaerit argulos, but by cowa••dly creeping into corners, shameful sh••frings from sense to sense, mi••••rable marchings from meaning to meaning, ••o that one can hardly know well where to have them, nor how to find them, nor what they mean, any more then they, who know not which way to take, when they have two or three before them of their own devising, nor very well what to mean, nor very distinctly what they do mean them••elves.

But as for us, Nos mutire nefas, we may not safely without their cen∣sures, so much as take the Scripture to be what themselves are neither a∣fraid nor ashamed to make them; (viz.) a Lesb••an Rule, a N••se of Wax, which may be made (yet scarcely is by any more then themselves) to shew it self in 7, 8, 9, shapes at once. And though they dare Di••pute them∣selves and argue any way from figurative and f••••a••gn, and proper and impro∣per, literal or mystical meanings and importments of words and Phrases, yet they can well digest or di••pense with none of all this in us, and least of all when we do (as we mostly or ever do) keep to the ••rue, hon••st, ordinary & plain purport of the words, as they lve open and clear to every ordinary and common capacity that is willing both to know, own and do the truth, but rather will take any, and if one will not serve, two mean••••gs at once, or one after another, whereof one overturns t'••ther, to cross the truest by, and leave the Reader to chuse, which best likes him of two or three, so be he will leave that single one of the Qua, witness T.D. who takes on him to domineer over all our truly Divine ones, with his different, dev••sed and di∣vided ones; who, when R.H. puts that one true one, even the same that is expressed in the words on 1 Iohn 9. Puts two meanings to oppose it, adding p. 35. I would have him to know that both the meanings are the Holy Ghosts, though but one is intended in that place, the Ph••ases will bear either senses (that is) those aforesaid, and either of them c••••ss his interpretation; and p. 6. the meaning of those words Iohn 1.9. cannot be as the l••••tter of them does im∣port, but it must be either every man that is enlightned, or else some of e∣very Nation: and p. 7. It was usual with Christ to speak words of a doubtful sense, Christs meaning may be mistaken, when his words are taken in the most or∣dinary and literal sense, and so it would be if by every man we should understand every individual man; so that 'tis your self (quoth he to G.W.) and not I that am such a giver of meanings, as the Iewes, who gave theirs con∣trary to Christs meaning: and p. II. when to prove perfect purging from sin, here I urged Psal. 119. 1,2,3. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, &c. They do no iniquity, as for the Phrases (quoth T.D.) they are hyperbolical; thus any T.Y is used to turn the Truth off with: and p. 9. when R.H. urged 1 Iohn 3.9. Who so is born of God doth not commit sin; T••at cannot be meant of freedom from sin, but either there is an Emphasis in the word sin, intending by it one sort of sin; Or, if not on the Substantive, on the Verb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,

which notes to make a Trade of sin: So p.16. to the Scripture under hand, 1 Cor. 6. 11. Ye are justified by the Spirit of our God, urged by us to prove Iustification by the Spirit in us. I might say (quoth T.D.) Perhaps that clause should be referred to Sanctification, or else justified by the Spirit, maybe meant of the Spirits Application, which is as much as to say, Perhaps its this, perhaps its that, but I well know not, whether this or that: so that the Reader may of two take either, But will (say I) is wise, take ••e••ber; for though two strings to his Bow still T.D. hath, for fear one should snap, yet neither of the••e here will hold on T.Ds. side so much as Ours, nor if both could be twined so as to stand together in one (as they cannot, they are so divers and destructive to each other) would they prove strong enough to reach the Butt, so but that by his overshort shooting T.D. at this time will loose all he shoots for.

For first to begin next with thy last clause, wherein thou dar'st, or at least dost Preach out thy meaning not positively, but possibly only, or by Per∣haps, as in the first, that justified by the Spirit, may be mea••t of the Spirits Application, meaning the third Person in the Trinity (as thou Term'st it) which Phrase of justified by the Spirit, if it may imply such a thing as the Holy Spirits Applying Christs Righteousness to us, yet must it needs imply such a far-from, Antick Applying, as thou implyest, who falsly imaginest that to be truly Applyed to men, that stands at such a vast distance, as to be no nearer to them then Heaven is to Earth?

If the Spirit of God Apply Righteousness to any man for his Iustification, doth he do it by the halves, as thou vainly hopest, so as to impute it, where he doth not convey it? Doth he not do it in a more perfect manner then so, as to give him his share, part or place in it, without its having its share, part or any place at all in him? Is it false doctrine, as thy self p. 39. Rela••est R.H. Relating thou said'st it was, to say a man must fi••st partake of the Righteous∣ness which justifies, before it can be imputed to him as his? And that is that a mans Righteousness any otherwise then Imaginarily? is it so truly, properly and perfectly, that he partakes no more, & hath no more partin, nor participation of then meerly by way of computation and supposition onely, so as to be coun∣ted to him to the steading of him, till it be some way or other also actually and really conveyed to him? And grant we be justified by the Righteousness of another onely, and not our own (yea cur••ed for ever be and will be that man (say I) that looks for Iust••fication by any Righteousness that is meerly his own) Eccl. 7. 15. for the righteousest man, that is onely in his own, perisheth in his Righteousness, and I have seen such a one as well as Paul, he that ever comes to Gods Righteousness, Rest or Sabbath, hath left and lost his own Righteousness, hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his, Isa. 58. 13. Hab. 4. 10. yet is there not a Righteousness which man lives in the doing of, that is done in the assistance of another? Did David not say, Let integrity and uprightness preserve me? Is there not a Iust man that walk∣eth in his integrity, and that lives in the doing of the Equity? Ezek. 18. Can there be (as thou falsly and lyingly, boldly and blindly sayest there cannot p. 40.) no way of conveyance of that others Righteousness, so that thereby the benefit of it may redound unto us, as truly as if we were every way the Subjects of it, but by imputation? Can it at no hand be

conveyed from that other to us by impartition first, and then by imputation to us, as most truly, really Ours, and not fictitiously onely, afterwards? Can we by no means be truly said to be the Subject inhesive of it, and yet it be said to be not Our own properly, but onely anothers Righteousness, work∣ing it in us? Is there not a Subjectum in quo, which yet is not P••r qu••d, as well as a Subjectum cui? A Subjectum Inhaesionis duplex (viz.) secundum formalem inhaerentiam Originaliter, & primario, & secundum formalem inheren∣tiam derivative, & secundari••, as well as Secundum extrinsecam adhaerentiam & imputationem: a Subject in which the Righteousness of Christ is wrought (viz.) man, which is not (save as an Instrument) he by whom it is wrought, but a vessel (as it were) in which it is Revealed and Received, into which through Faith in the Light, which is the gift of God, and a part the••eof (also) it is in part conveyed before it is imputed, unto which said Subject, but as thereinto it is conveyed, it cannot possibly be imputed, from him that calls no evil ones good, more the good ones evil, more the good ones evil, and unrighteous ones Righteous, the pure onely pure, and all that's impure impure, nor shews himself in any shape (save as a Iudge) to any, but the pure in heart, and the inhaerent Subjects of his own Holiness, without which none can see him approving? Must not both he that justifieth, and they that are justified, as well as he that sanctifieth, and they that are san∣ctified, be all of one, Heb. 7. 11. be all as one, in one na••u, reimage, ga••b and cha••hing, that so he may not be ashamed to call them Brethren, who will b•• ashamed of all that are ashamed of him and of his words, Mark. 8.38. and is ashamed to call them Brethren, who are not ashamed to be Brethren in iniquity? Can that be accounted and reputed by that Most Holy Head, a part or member of his unspotted Body, that is yet filthy and unholy, or before he hath in any measure at all purged it, and made it ho••y & fit for himself, that is yet full of spots, and wrinkles, and blemishes, as upon thy Principles T. D. must be supposed? Will God esteem any just, clean and pure before, I say before so much as in order of nature he hath justified them by his Spirit? will he before he hath washt and sanctified them? Hath any unrighteous one, while he is yet unrighteous, and before he be made Righteous, a Right to the Kingdom of God? Is it not more then is to be read in any Scripture, but the Scripture of the Scribes, that from the example of David would fain be found justified, and favoured of God, for the sake of anothers good∣ness, that they put far away from them, that they might be more free to, then from their sins? Are there not yet treasures, treasuries of wicked∣ness in the house in the heart of the wicked, and the measure of leannesse, which is abominable? and shall I count them pure with their wicked Ballances (faith God) and with the bag of deceitful weights? Mic. 6.10, 11.

T.D. Yes (quoth T.D.) Why not? For the Purity and Righteousness of another that was made sin for us, though he knew no sin, that we who yet know no Righteousness of our own, nor of his neither within our selves, might be made the Righteousness of God in him: from that Scripture 2 Cor. 5.

Rep. T.D. then be like accounts that we are but just so, and not a jot otherwise, then as he was made sin for us, made the Righteousness of God in him; & so as he was made sin, that never committed any sin, & was accounted a sinner, that never was so by either nature or practice in his own perso••, had

though the Realty of our sorrows, sufferings and miseries, but the meer impu∣tation of our iniquities; so we must in him be made Righteousness, but ne∣ver perform any, and be accounted Righteous, but never be so by nature or practice in our own persons, and have the Reality of his Rest, Peace, I••••es and Eternal Blessedness, but the meer imputation onely of his Holiness and Obe∣dience, and as God laid, lasht and punisht on that innocent immaculate Lamb without spot, that never owned nor delighted in any, but ever hated all iniquity, the iniquity of us all, seeing he was willing to become a curse for us all, to bear our cross and take our shame upon him, so he will put upon such Saints all, as T.D. calls himself and others, while in their sins, as never owned nor delighted in, but ever hatred the doing of Righteousness altogether in their own persons, the reward of all his personal Righteousness, seeing also they are as willing as as he was to be accu••sed for them, to be blessed in him, to bear his Crown, and take all his dignities and glory upon them∣selves; for the words of T.D. are these (p. 21.)

T.D. How he is our Righteousness, 2 Cor. 5. ult. tells us, as Christ was made sin for us, so we are made the Righteousness of God in him; but the former was by imputation, not inhaerence, and therefore so the other.

Rep. How now T.D. what is it so indeed, even so and not otherwise, that as Christ was made sin for us, which was, secundumte, by imputation onely, never inherence, so we are made Righteousness (i.e.) by imputation onely, ne∣ver by inherence? Art thou not a loud lyar in this? If not, then fare∣well all hopes of ever having any Righteousness at all in themselves, to those blessed ones that hunger and thirst after it, not only in this world, where such are to be filled, but also i•• that World wich is to come; and as for such as hating Righteousness, are in hopes to be held Righteousness, and saved with∣out it, and by that alone which is in Christ without them, they need not fear so much as they do its entrance so far into them, as to have Dominions over them, for if his word be worth taking T.D. warrants them, that as Christ never entred into t••a••sgressi••••, though he was tempted to it, nor trans∣gression into him, but it was onely accounted to him, so as to be Rewarded with evil upon him; so God will never let them come into his Righteous∣ness, nor let it come into them to trouble them with that tedious transfor∣mation of them, from the fashions of this old world, by the renewing of their minds, into a new Creature, but onely adde or leave them to adde iniquity un∣to their iniquity, that when the iniquity of these sin••ul Saints is at the height, the Rewa••d of Christs Righteousness may be given them.

But seeing there's no such haste, nor much need to make mad folks run, who can find the way fast enough to Hell, whether (facilis discersus A∣••••rn••) the descent is easie, and the Devil eager and skilful enough to drive them without T.D.s doctrine to help him, I shall check the wilde A••lies Colt in his course, which lacks much more to be fetcht in with the Spirits Bridle, then forc't on with T.Ds. Anti-Scriptural Spurre: in order whereunto I deny the first Proposition of T. Ds. last Argument, as utterly un∣true, for that Scripture 2 Cor. 5. ult. tells us not so (as he faith it tells us) it doth not say (as) Christ was made sin for us (s••) we Righteousness in him, as T.D. Repeats it to the perverting of it, as by his perverse Readings, Re∣petitions, Rendings, Renditions, sundry silly senses, and manifold foolish mean∣ing

he perverts many more: But it faith of God, that he made him sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him; and that's another matter, then T.D. makes of it; who first writes it down the wrong way, and then wrests it to a worse end; for if it were truely so (but that Text sayes not that it's so as T.D. mis-rehearses it) then to transpose his own words p. 38. as Christ is no sinner by inhaerent defilement but by imputation onely, so his Members must for ever be no Saints by any inhe∣rent holiness or purity, but imputation onely; and as Christ never was the Sub∣ject (inhasionis) of what we were such Subjects of (viz.) sin, lust, filth, en∣vy, hatred, and other works of the flesh, which the Light condemns, but was accursed for them onely, as things done by us and not him, so we m••st never be such Subjects, as he was of the contrary graces and fruits of the Spirit, Love, Ioy, Meekness Temperance, &c. but must onely be saved for them as things done by him, but never from them to all Eternity, but re∣main (as he was in all points of misery, cursedness, affliction, infirmity, evil and sorrow, tribulation, temptation, like unto us, transgression and sin onely excepted, Heb. 4.15. So) in all points of Mercy, Blessedness, Ioy, Peace, Power, Glory, Rest, good Consolation and Happiness, like unto him, Inherent Grace, Righte∣eousness and Holiness onely excepted: and so the Body, that is united to that head, must abide absolutely for ever, as filthy as the head it self per∣fectly holy, which is a doctrine as false as falshood can make it, and a mat∣ter not onely Ridiculous and Monstruous to Imagine, but more monstruously Ridiculous, if that meer Imagination should be true.

Humano capiti cervicom pictor Equinam Iungere si vellet Risum Teneatis Amici?

And if T. D. (the summe of whole doctrine from the Scripture is this; viz. as the Iust once suffered for the unjust, but was never made inhaerently unjust by his injustice, so the unjust are saved for the Iust ones sake, but must never be made inhaerently just by his justice) shall yet insist upon it as at all inferred from that place, I desire him in order to his satisfaction to the contrary to eye it a little better, as it is in the Greek, and then instead of Arguing thus (as he falsly does) that As Christ was made sin, So we are made Righteousness by imputation, not inherence, he may (as I do) find good ground from thence to Argue thus (viz.) if Christ was made sin, but by imputation one∣ly, not inherence, and we Righteousness, not by imputation onely, but in∣herence, then not so •••• he was made sin for us, are we made the Righteousness of God in him, but in another manner: But the former is true, therefore the latter.

In proof of the former, let it be well weighed, how the Apostle when he sayes, God made him sin for us, uses the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is of a far more shallow and slender signification then that he uses, when he saith that we may be made Righteousness of God in him (viz.) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is a word of a deeper dye; for howbeit, they both are rendred by this Term (Made) in the English Text, yet do found forth two different sorts of makings, whereof the one is not so Real and Substantial as the o∣the••: for the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, though they do signifie a true ma∣king sometimes, and may truly be translated fac••o, efficio, and (passive) efficior, yet is at most but a making of a more (as I may so say) sleightby, external

and accidental kind then the other, & sometimes such a one as amounts to no more then a meer accounting or reckoning a matter to be so or so, as it is thereby said to be made: wereupon they are sometimes rendred not onely in many other secondary sense, as by afficio 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 afficio te malis) also by causo, pono, propono, Redulo, colloco, sometimes simul, & when one is said to be made a Child an Heir that is not so born, by adupt•• but used also sometimes to express existrimo, and to signifie the making of a thing no otherwise then by meer ••ptimation and computa••ion, and so God is said here to make Christ sin for us, who knew and did no sin, in himself; but the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies such a solid sort of making as gives the thing, not a meer notional and accountative, but a Real and no less then a true natural being so or so, as it is thereby denominated to be made; for (if more can be) its more then sio, factus, sum I am made, even no less then Nascor, gignor, natus, genius, siam, I am so or so bern, so by birth, so by nature, not by some meer external fabrication or function, as a dead painted Picture that hath the shew, shadow and name, and not the life and being of what it represents, much less by meer fiction, imagination, or bare empty computa∣tion onely, but by a Real infusion, impartition and conveyance of the nature of the efficient itself into the effect, so that it is according to the measure thereof as (truly inhaerent) and Resident in the one as in the other; as the na∣ture of the Vine in the branches. 'Tis to be observ'd that when ever we are said to be made anything truly Really that Christ was, so when ever Christ is said to be made anything, that he, Really was, it is exprest mostly, if not ever by that Verb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, when the Saints are said to be the Sons of God, though adopted, because they were once degenerated into another seed by Sin, into that favour freely by his gift of grace, yet to be by that same grace, begotten also back again to himself from beneath, and born from above of his spirit, renewing them by a washing of regeneration, John 3.3. 5. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Tit 3. 5, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Iohn I. 12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, when Christ is said to be made anything for us, or any thing to us, which he had the reality of for us, and we the Reality of from him respectively, and not the meer account and imputation of it onely, its express by the same Verb or Root, as Iohn I. 14. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The word made flesh and dwells in us, Rom I. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. Made of the seed of Abraham, born so, after the fl••••sh; so Gal. 4. 4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Gal. 3. 13. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Made of a Woman, made under the Law, made a curse for us, for he had the Reality of our miseries wo and cursednesse, but the imputation onely of our iniquit••••s, so I Cor. 1. 30. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. He was made unto us of God, Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, Redemption, not accounted so onely, for when he is said to be made sin for us, its spoken by another Verb, implying that his being made sin, is a kind of making singled off from all the rest, for where he is said be in all points like to us, sin still is expected, Heb. 7. 15. Heb. 2. 14. For as much as the Children were partakes of flesh and blood, he took part of the same and where they were partakers of sin, he took not part with them in that, but only

took part of their sorrows, and took on him to be a curse to Redeem them from it, so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And thus we are here said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to be made (i.e.) by a new birth, and not a bare naked account by the Righteousness of God in Christ; and this is not so (as T.D. dreams it is) but far otherwise then so as Christ is said to be made sin which is not (as T.D. truly says) by inhaerent defilement or real Participation of the Serpents seed, between which and him there is eternal enmity, nor of that sinful nature & Image, which man was not created in and after, but contracted to himself by the fall, neither took he upon him that of Angels, but he took on him the Seed of Abraham: but we who are of Abrahams Faith, and not of your meer Adamical fancy, are made not com∣putatively onely, but inhaerently Righteous before God in him by a Real Par∣ticipation of his own Divine nature, so as whilst bodily in the world, to escape the pollution and corruption that's in the world through lust, whereby, so far as partaking thereof as naturally to seek the things of Gods Kingdom, as ye who as yet are by nature his Children, who hath b••gotten you to himself from God, who made you upright, do take care, by pleading for sins necessa∣ry continuance in you here, to uphold the fleshly glory of the Devils King∣dom.

So that as to that Ridiculous Retort of T.D. to R.H. his Argument, where∣by from the Vnion between Christ and the Saints, who sayes, I in them, and they in me, R.H. concludes that Christ and his Righteousness are in the Saints; and which T.D. refels foolishly thus, p. 38.

T.D. viz. If that Vnion makes us to be the Subjects of what Christ is the Sub∣ject, because he is in us, then I hope it will make Christ the Subject of whatever we are because we are in him, and then Christ is a sinner by inhaerent defile∣ment.

Rep. I say what ere thou hopest I hope no such matter, and thy self, all whose hopes are yet but vain, wilt hope another matter then thou dost, when thou once comest to hope truly in Christ Iesus: thou hopest it seems at pre••ent, being loath to part with thy sins, that thou hast sufficient U∣nion with Christ to thy Iustification, while thou art the Subject of nothing but sin, and without being the Subject of him within thee or his Righteous∣ness either, or else it must follow that he is a sinner, and the Subject of thy sin, because (as thou hopest) thou art in him; but I tell thee thou hath neither part nor portion in this matter of I in them and they in me to thy Iustification before God, nor ever shalt, till thou witness thy self as really born into, and by a new birth made after his Righteous Image, as thou falsly hopest thou art with God counted Righteous for his sake before thou feel him, and his Righteous Image Revealed, wrought, brought forth and for∣med in thee: and as for thy inference of sins being in him, because his Saints be in him, drawn from our Asserting his Righteousness to be in his Saints, because he is in them, its a weak, lam•• and decrepid deduction, for∣asmuch as first his being in them and they in him, can neither of them possi∣bly be any sooner nor any further, then in such time and measure as the Body of the sins of the ••eth is put off, by his circumcision of them to him∣self without hards, that they may be both ••it to dwell in him, in whom

no sinner, while so, hath any inheritance or habitation, and fitted for him to dwell in, being made an holy habitation for him, by his Spirit; for if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature old things are past away, all things become new; though ye old creatures, as far as your thoughts can thrust you, and as far as your meer imagining of your selves to be in him, when ye a••e not, can let you in, who will, needs be intruding yourselves into him impudently before your time: And if any man be in Christ Iesus, in whom to them that are in him there is no condemnation, he must be out of the transgressions, to the least of which the condemnation is till it be condemned as well away from, as in his fl••sh, and must walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; and again if Christ the Lord come into any man as his Temple, the sinner cannot abide the day of his comming, nor stand at his appearing, Mal. 3.1.2.3. But the Refiners fire and the fullers sope passes before him, even the Spirit of judgement, and burning to purge away the drosse and tin throwly and wash a∣way all the flesh and blood, Isa. 4.4. Yea if ever Christ be in you, the Body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life, because of righteousness; Rom. 8.1.10. And assured∣ly both Christs being in his Saints. and they in him, were neither of them intended of God to that end, that in such wise as they of righte∣ousnesse by him, so he should be the Subject of inherent sin, but both one and t'other to one and the same cleane contrary end, and purpose, (viz.) onely, and alone their deliverance in him from the sin in which they could never be just, or any better then abominable in his sight, but not in any that they should be saved from the sin, and he by being in them be∣come the Subject of it in their stead; that we might be made the righteous∣nesse of God in him, and not he the Image of Satan forever in our Room: so its said, 1 Pet. 3.18. that Christ once suffered for our sins the just for the unjust, not that he might bring us to God only and not bring God to us, nor so as to own and count us holy in our sins, but to bring us to be Gods chil∣dren by Nature and Image and not to bring us to be so thought, and yet le•• us like the Devill, much lesse to make himselfe by sin like the Devil; and that this is the onely end, its said, for what the Law could not do in regard it was weak•• through our flesh, God sending his own Son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in our•• fl••sh, that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh (as all sinners and no Saints do) but after the Spirit, Rom. 8.3.4. which is one (viz.) the 3d of the 4 Scriptures above named, I am under the ex∣amination of T.D's. Admirable answers too, which that I may rid my hands on't while tis in hand, and not need to take it in hand any more, and also, because his answer to it suits so well with what I am here saying, not mattering so much order, as to tarry till its turn comes, I shall take notice of his answer to it, and by a briefe Reply, take it out of the way; as I go: Having ••aid no other of the 3d verse then I myself do, he grants that the 4 verse imports the end, for which God sent Christ (viz.) that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled (in us) so far he is right and runs with me, but then he speedily spoils all again, adding that by that Term (in us) is meant not in our own persons, but in Christ, his righteous∣nesse imputed to us, as if it had been inherent in our selves: which I told him then when he uttered it (as he relates) p. 17.18. was his own meaning,

but not Pauls, to which his yes started up against my no, and so it ended for that time.

But a word or two with thee T.D. about it now: Is the sense and meaning of that Term (in us) (not in us) but (in another) not (in our persons) but (in Christ?).

I never heard so much in all my dayes, that I know of, till I had it from thee, and if thou hadst not told me so, I should never have believed it, to have been so, any more then I can believe it now thou dost tell me it is so, and that is (to say the truth) not at all; for if this be so, that when the spirit of God sayes (in us) we must understand him as intending (not in us) but (in some other) I can't tell where we shall have him, nor how to understand him distinctly more then one can understand thee, who oft speakst on thing and thinkst another, and hast so many meanings for one Scripture somtimes, that thou know it not which to take for true, nor which of them all to fix upon as the Spirits, but hangst thy people up in the aire, there to hover with thy self in the Clouds of darknesse, till neither thou nor they know well, either where ye are, or what ye say, nor whereof ye affirm. But surely T. D. though thou thinkst (as all takers of Gods Covenant into their mouths, that hate to bereformed and cast his words behind them do) that God is such a one as thy selfe, Psal. 50. and goest about to make thy more talkt on, then well known unity in Trinity, a Trinity of vain talkers, and meer mockers of men like thy self, saying one thing & meaning oft another (viz.) that God offers salvation to all men but intends it onely to a few, or at least (by thy own confession) offers it to more then he intends it, though I believe thy words were as R.H. rehearses p. 40. and that twast an usuall thing with Christ to speak words of a doubtfull sense: So that his meaning may be mistaken (by none but illiterate Anti-Spiritists say I) when his words are taken in the most ordinary and literall sense by (every man) not meaning (every individuall) but (a very few) and by (all) but (some) and that the meaning of the Spirits words Joh. 9. cannot be as the letter of them doth import [ut prius] p. 6.7. and so here that by [in us] they all three mean not [in our persons] but [in Christ] and a deal more of such Hoberdipoise; but let the Father, Word, and Spirit, which are one, be true in their witnesse in heaven and every man a lyar, that belyes them as thou doest, for there is no such matter, as thou intimately of them, but the wayes and words of wisdome are all plain to him that understandeth pro. 8. and dark to none but the Children of darknesse and parables to none, but such as seeing see not, therefore must not see the mysteries of the Gospell, which are revealed to Babes, nor his secrets which are hid to none but such as fear not him, whose secrets are with those that fear him;

Blind Priests and people hate the light, Therefore of truth can have no sight.

Else how easily might they see that God, Christ and the Spirit, mean as they say, and do not mean by [all] [but a few] nor by [in] [out] nor here by [in us] [in another] or [not in us] and if this may passe for a cur∣rent answer to say, God by [yea] means not [yea] but [nay] which he that hath his fingers in the fire, and will not pull them out at the hearing of, 'tis almost pitty but he should be burnt. This is an easier way to put off truth by, then the common Creephole of all the Clergy, when they

are cronded up into a Corner [viz.] in aliquo sensu ita est, in alie sensu non in one sense 'tis so in another not, which may serve not T.D. onely, who hath more senses to one Scripture then every one hath, or he should have, though not enough to serve his turn, but also the veriest Duncicall Dispu∣tant in the World. Yea at this rates when Paul tells us that if Christ be not in us, we are Reprobates, and 'tis Christ in us, onely who is the hope of glory; if I were minded not to admit of such a troublesome guest in my heart; as Christ is to all such sinner-like Saints, as T.D's. Saints are, I could easily turn him out into the Stable, as they did of old that could af∣ford him no Room at all in the Iune and excuse my selfe in it well enough too, by telling him in T.D's. distinction, that by [in us] Paul means not (in us) but [in Christ] and so tell Christ he is (in us) enough to our justi∣fication; if he be but in himself.

And as this last sense or senselesse meaning of T.D. who sayes by (in us) is meant (not in us) but (in another) as also that the righteousnesse that is in another i.e. Christ, is in a sense too (as good as ••on-sense) i.e. by im∣putation, Ours and (in us) (for that which is fulfilled not in our persons but in Christ is according to T.D. in that Scripture Rom. 8. Said to be fulfil'd (in us) as if it had been inherent in selves).

I say as that distinction of T.D. concerning (in us) not meant (in our per∣sons) but (in Christ) and by (in Christ) when fulfilling the righteousnesse of the Law is spoken of, Ministers Latitude and liberty enough to our Ministers, whereby to fence of and save themselves from truth, so it lends Liberty and license more then enough to their Priestlike people, to save themselves in their sins; for what will many care what they do them∣selves, if the Law be not to be fulfil'd in themselves by Christ; but 'tis enough in themselves fulfil'd to their justification if in Christ for them, and as well as if it were inhaerent in them: So though the Priests oft preach thus viz. he that made us without our selves will not save us without our selves, yet fith they to the contradiction of themselves as oft unpreach it again, saying he that made us without our selves, will save us without our selves by anothers ful∣filling the Law not in us but in himselfe for us, their people will quickly cry. hang sorrow and care and of their two selfe confusing doctrines cleave to that, thats next to them, easiest and most fitting their turns, and fall a preaching presently in their works the pleasing things their Priests, who do docere faciendo faciendo, do preach both in words and deeds he that made us will save us, and shew us mercy without any goodnesse of our own.

If (in another) (in us) be and (in us) (in another) Wee'l ne'er be good, good deemd are we in this, in that, ith rather.

So having wiped out by the way, that blot or blurr'd answer of T.D. to my Argument from Rom. 8.3.4. Seeing his answer to what we urge from Rom. 8.2. (The 2d of the 4 Scriptures above said) is as neer in kind to it for fillynesse, as that 2d verse from whence we argue is neer in truth to the 3d and 4. He here make as short a dispatch and round a Reply to that too, now I am about it: Arg. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free f••om the Law of sin and death (saith Paul) and (say we) the Law of the Spirit that is in Christ and in the Saints whereby, the Saints are justified, is the same therefore the work of the Spirit of Christ in us is the cause of our justification.

That place quoth T.D's p. 16. (but I trow not) is much against you for the Apostle asserts the holiness of mans nature as a work of the Spirit conforming it to the Law to be the meritorious case of our freedome from sin and death.

Rep. Thus far is son, and not against us, I am well assured, for 'tis no lesse then the very Cardinall truth we plead for against T.D. that the holy∣nesse of our nature as a work of the Spirit conforming it to the Law, is the de∣serving cause of justification, for conformity to the Law cannot deserve con∣demnation but non-condemnation and so (which is all one) justification: and if this be not enough on our side, T.D. adds more; let me add (quoth he) p. 17. that the Law of the Spirit of life here spoken of, is not onely the meritorious cause of our freedom from death, but from the Law of sin or obeying sin as a Law: In all this I own T.D. whose Answer to my Argument is thus far as an∣swerable, that is, as yeilding to it as I do desire.

But then T.D. whose manner it is often to give a thing, and take a thing (which is the Devils gold Ring, as I have heard Children say when I was a Child) doth not in all this give the cause to us so much, but he thinks he gets it and carryes it away from us again, as much in other parts and particulars of that his parti — coloured answer: But I hope we shall fetch it all again, and no thank to him for his gifts and grants, sith what he gives he would have it all again if he could tell how, and he thinks he plucks much from us again, 1st by saying thus (viz.) mark withall (quoth he) though I grant you the holynesse of mans nature as a work of the Spirit con∣forming it to the Law, is the meritorious cause of our freedom from sin and death yet 'tis not that which is (in us) but (in Christ) the Law of the Spirit, and so the holynesse of mans nature I and Paul 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of, is that (in Christ) and not that (in our persons.)

R. To which I Reply thus. 1. What if I should answer T.D. that by (in Christ) is not meant (in Christs person) but (in us) 〈◊〉〈◊〉 eb••tl•••• ••••∣lionis to serve him in his own kind, for when we say with P•••••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 4 that the righteousnesse of the Law is by Christ condemning sin in ou•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to be fulfilled (in us) he answers us thus that by that Term (in us) is not meant (in our persons) but (in Christ) I might as well say retro that by (in Christ) is not meant (in Christs person) but (in us) adbomi••••m it holds well enough till T.D. recants his own odde distinction of the same kind: But as its as unfound in itselfe as his is, so T.D. is not yet come to bear it to be done to by us, as he does to us, and therefore I must sit him to a better answer. 2. Then I Reply that thought the Law of the Spirit of life be in Christ, yet not onely in him, or exclusively of its being in the Saints, but so as that from him and from his being in them it consequently, and upon that account is in them also, for Christ is not in any, as their Righte∣ousnesse, in whom his Righteousnesse and the Spirit of life, that is in him, is not together with him also; yea though it will not follow as thou fainest from the Saints being in Christ, who were once sinners to their sins be∣ing in Christ together with them (so the reasons above said, where I told thee that men must leave their sins behind them and be by Christ divested of them before they can come indeed to be in Christ, to whom no sin∣ners (while sinners) are or can be united (unlesse thou wilt contradict Paul who faith what Concord between Christ and Belial) yet if Christ be in

Saints, who leaves nothing of his own behind him where ere he comes, his righteousnesse, holynesse, and spirit of life, is in them also.

But no more of this T. D. confesses it p. 17. 'tis true (quoth he) that the same Spirit is in Christ and in his Saints, but then he hath a double bolt for all this wherewith to shut us out from justification by that Spirit, in Christ as in us. 1. The Spirit in us doth not conform us to the Law fully (quoth he) notwitstanding your vain assertion of perfection.

Rep. I never said that the Spirit of Christ in you did conform you fully to the Law, if when thou sayst (conform us) thou meanst your selves; for ye are farenough from perfection, to whom it seemes A vain••assertion, A Doctrine of Devils, to talk of or reach it, and how should the Spirit conform you to the Law, who though you have it striving in you and reproving you of sin, yet do in the stiffnesse and uncircumcis'dnesse of your hearts and eares alwayes quench, grieve, resist it, refuse to be led by it and will not walk after it; but after the flesh? But the Saints (and such onely are all those that walk af∣ter it, and not after the flesh) it eitheir conforms them to the Law, and that fully too, or else what doth it conform them to? Partly the Law and partly the Lust? Partly to it selfe, and partly to the flesh? Doth it lead any into any sin, which is transgression of the Law? Or onely out of all sin all such as give up to be guided by it? If any be at all deform'd, it is because they conform to the flesh, and follow it, and stop the Spirit; but if any conform to the Spirit, and follow it, it will conform them fully to the Law, and not to the forms, fashions, foolish fellowships and lusts of the world, but transform them from all these by the renewing of their minds, and lead them to perfect holynesse in the fear of God, thy vain assertion to the contrary in any wise norwithstanding.

Thus the 1st. bolt is broken, but 2ly (quoth he) if the Spirit did con∣form us to the Law fully, yet were not that conformity the merit of justifi∣cation.

Rep. Oh strange! that T.D. should deem theres strength in this to stand out against us by, which is far weaker then the former: Doth the Spirit working holinesse in our natures and persons, not merit justifica∣tion, which is non-condemnation? are Christ and his Spirits works of lesse or worse merit in one time place and person then another? I judg'd they had been every where, and alwayes alike, and of like good desert from the dignity of the person doing them (or else T.D. lyes p. 15. of his 1. Pamp) and especially that their good works, which are the fulfilling of the Law deserve non-condemnation (1) justification (or else T.D. lyes again in that same page) but sith the Spirit of life, and works of holinesse in our nature and persons conforming them fully to the Law do not (as T.D. p. 15. said before they did from the dignity of Christs person) deserve non-condemnation (for their conformity to, it, or transgression of it merits one thing or other, good or evill; and we use to say no truly good work deserves evill, more then an evill work merits good) we will take it for granted that T.D. thinks the Spirits conforming us to the Law deserves condemnation, and so let it stand that all people may understand the Blasphemy and Folly of it.

Thus T.D. pulls hard to have his own again, but what he can't win by force of false position, heel see if he can beg it back from us in these fol∣lowing fawning Questions.

I would fain know what or whether precedent holynesse in the Saints merits sub∣sequent holynesse; or whether the exercise of what they have, is the meritori∣ous cause of what they have not or of perfection, especially, if the Law of sin in∣tends the corruption of nature, as the Law of the spirit of the life does holynesse of nature, I would be instructed how a nature in part corrupted can deserve totall freedome, and I am sure the first work of the Spirit renewes our nature but in part.

Rep. If I should grant T.D. in the negative all he asks, as he thinks I will my negative or denying or saying N•• were such answer to his Questions as he desires; but if I should say yea to all his Que••yes, it dashes him down, and denyes all he would have; and yet I must say yea to most of them if I say the truth. Therefore T.D. I say yea to some and nay to some: To the 1st I answer yea, that precedent holynesse in the Saints, merits subse∣quent holynesse and to the ad I answer yea, the exercise of what the Saints have is a meritorious cause of what yet they have not: And sith thou askest what precedent holynesse the Saints exercising of when they have it, de∣serves subsequent holynesse, or what they have not? I answer all that is the fruit of the Spirit in them, and the gift of God to them, whether Active or Passive, (if to merit be to be worthy of a thing by right of promise at least.) 'Twas given to the Saints, both to believe and suffer Phil. 1. Yet they were worthy of the Kingdome for which they suffered by beleiving the Testimony of it, and suffering for it, 2 Thess. 2. 'Twas the gift of God by promise to such as fight and ouercome to walk with Christ in white, and the gift of God to the Saints, that they could sight, and by his strength overcome, yet they shall walk with me in white faith Christ, for they are worthy. 'Twas Gods gift to do his Commandements, yet for all that the doing thereof deserves that they yet have not, and without the doing of which they should not enter by Right, gives right to enter the Citty and eat of the Tree of life, Rev. 22.14. Five Talents, and two, and one were Gods gift, yet as he that did not encrease and improve what he had merited at least the losse of it, so they that exercised the 2 and the 5 merited the doubling of theirs and by promise had Right, using what they had, and being faithfull in few littles, to many, and to more abundance and to the joy of the Lord: Much more I might say, but T.D. denyes in this the Doctrine of his fellow Divines, who tell that the improvement of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 grace (as they call it) deserves not the gift of speciall, but the improvement of special grace deserves more of that still: So that though they deny a meritorious transition a genere ad genus, from exercising of one kind of grace (say they) men deserve not another kind, as he that improves riches deserves not righteousnesse: Yet a desert (say they) there is, by the exercise of some grace of one kind, of more of the same kind, as he that is holy deserves more holynesse and he that sowes to the Spirit of life, shall have life everlasting, as he that sowes to the flesh reaps a crop (as all persons are to do suitable to their seed) of more cor∣ruption: And if purchase may be granted to be meritorious of what is pur∣chased, he that useth a lower ministration (1) the Office of a Deacon well, purchaseth to himself (saith Paul,1 Tim.3.) A good degree and great boldness in the faith in Christ Iesus, and he that will entertain holynesse, and Christ when he knocks to come in, deserves to have the Devill and un∣cleannesse

driven out by him, whose work it is to destroy the works of the Devill, and the very end of his comming into the World; as till a man does, he deserves the Devill should dwell in him still, as he must do, and not Christ, because 〈◊〉〈◊〉 existens proh betalienum.

And as to the last Query about which T.D. would be instructed (as I see he had need) I say no corrupt nature deserves totall freedom, but the holy nature, which is in bondage to the corrupt nature (which is the enmity, and to be slain, and never reconciled, for it is the Devills) that deserves to be freed from the other, that usurps over it, as Esau did over Iacob a while, the heir of all, and as the seed of the woman deserves to be deliver∣ed from the enslaving seed of the Serpent.

And as for the Spirits renewing our nature but in part at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thats true but every part of that renewed nature is perfect and perfectly renewed in a measure, and not partly renewed and partly corrupted as I shewed T.D. a∣bove, every part of that, which in its nature is perfect, being truly perfect as the whole is.

So having totally taken away two of T.D's. miserable mistaking answers to two of the 4 above named Scriptures, whence we disputed with him, the justification of Saints by the gracious works of Christ, and his Spirit in them, and not those in Christs Person onely, it matters not much, now I am gone abroad from following the first I began upon fully to an end, if I fall upon that in Tit. 3.7. and make as quick a Riddance of his gracelesse an∣swer to that, and th••n I shall have no more to do but go to an end with that in I Cor. 6.11. which I am a little digres't from proceeding in for a while, and with that I shall make an end for altogether as to this time with T.D. about the way of our justification by the holynesse, righteouscesse, and grace of Christ as inhaerent in us.

Our Argument is much what the same, yet somwhat stronger then T.D. relates it p. 24. (viz.) that the grace of eternall life, being that grace which ver. 5. (though oppos'd to the works of righteousnesse, which we work of ourselves without the Spirit) yet is the same thats otherwise call'd washing of regeneration and the renewing of the holy spirit, it follows that we are justified by the washing of Regeneration and Spirit of Christ within renewing us.

To this T. D. saying (in word) I am much mistaken (in deed) mistakes himselfe much more in his semi-demi answering thus (viz.) that grace there is meant not of Sanctification, but of the savour of God, which is manifest in the donation of his Son to us, imputation of his Righteousnesse and acceptance of us, as Righteous in him.

Rep. What a messe of gracelesse grace is here of T.D's making, heres grace with a witnesse, almost all manner of grace mentioned as materiall, and of moment in the matter of justification, but one, which is of so much use that all the rest are in a manner uselesse till it come in, and which makes all the rest grace so that (to say no more then then truth) they are no grace to us before it or without it; and that (viz.) Sanctification while others are included, is onely and alone excluded: Poor Sanctification, its set aside, its thrust out still from entring the lines of Communication among its fellows. T. D. stands against the dore so that, if he may Rule

the Rost, men shall be in favour with God and (contrary to what Divines commonly say, when they say, as they do all, that Sanctification manifests Iustification and the favour of God) have it manifested too, in the dona∣tion of his Son to them, the imputation of his righteousnesse and acceptance of them as righteous in him, and so consequently, a Title to the inheri∣tance, the Kingdome, Glory, and all the good that heaven affords to all e∣ternity; but washing Regeneration, Sanctification, Renovation by the Spirit, Sanctification and Sa••vation from the sins, which sins deserve the wrath, the curse and the condemnation, which Salvation from the sins (alias) Sanctification must be before any well grounded hope of escaping the codemnation, curse and wrath to come can be had, this latter sort of grace is shut out for a wrangler by the wrangling contenders against the truth, who had rather obey unrighteousnesse then it, and their lusts then him, they call their Lord and Saviour, and must be none of the ingredients among the com∣pany of causes of mens acceptance with God, and being accounted Righ∣eous by him, but if they be not Righteous and Holy, must be counted to be so, without it, and, if they be so, must be counted so by that which resides in another person, by which till it come into themselves, they are not made so, and without it, by the being of which, as in themselves and not as in another, they can onely 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 be truly made and really become Righte∣ous and Holy: and so that grace, which mainly, if not onely (as it is a gift) gives the proper name and nature of grace to all the other grace, may say of it self, cum nemo extru di potest itur ad me, when none ought to be excluded as not meant, where every grace God is mentioned in the Gospell, I onely am left out alone, and they seek my life also.

But Go too T.D. thou must not have thy wicked will in this wise a∣gainst Gods, about this thy so bold a bolting out of this grace of Sanctifi∣catin from concomitating and concurring together with faith (which is but a part of it, the whole Series of the particular graces of which generall grace of Sanctification are all fruits of the Spirit) in the matter of our being counted just in the sight of God: But as blindly buisy as thou art to tell us in a far other sense then Paul does, that if it be of grace then not of works and if of works, not of grace, yet I must tell thee that albeit it be of grace, and, as Paul sayes truly, Rom. 11. and in this 3. Tit. 5. not of works of Righteousnesse which we work in our own wills, wisdom, and strength in o∣bedience to the Law, without Christ and the Spirit, who onely can con∣form us to it, and fulfill it in us, otherwise grace indeed is no more grace, but it being of grace, that kind of work is no more work. Yet it is not so of grace as that the fruits of the Spirit, Sanctification, Washing, Renewing, and the works of Christ in us are excluded, otherwise Christs own works (absit blas∣phemia) are no more works, and of no such force and worth (as thou blushest not to blaspheme so as to say they are not p. 17.) as to merit justifi∣cation. Yea so necessarily is it of such good works as are wrought in us by Christ, that otherwise grace it selfe were no more grace; for what grace is that of being so or so, so long as we are not in truth so as we are account∣ed? to be accounted justified, accounted accepted with God, and accounted his Chil∣dren, heirs of his Kingdom, Righteous, Holy, saved from our sins (which whiles they abide the wrath of God abides, and condemnation, and cursing

hangs over the head of the Subjects thereof) and yet not really to be so, as none are, and as (nemine contradicente) without all contradiction none can know themselves to be, till Sanctification, which is the evidence for hea∣ven, and that which to us and all men shewes our Title to all the fore∣said Priviledges and Prerogatives, doth appeare upon us: I say, what grace is all this? What Salvation from sin whiles sin remaines? What Redemption from the and curse the effects of sin while sin the cause there∣of rests on us unremoved? all this faith of the favour of God is but ficti∣on this hope of heaven, but vain, groundlesse, heartlesse, and frustraneous, this divination of T.D. a meer dream of a hungry thirsty man, that dreames he eats and drinks, but as its said before, his soul is empty, and when he awakes, behold its another matter: Oh but (quoth T.D. the Spirit of God the 3d person in the Trinity, he does apply the righteousnesse of Christ to us to our justification and so we are justified perhaps (say you Qua. what you will) and not upon account of Sanctification of us, by his work grace of in our hearts and so that phrase justified by the Spirit, which ye insist so much on, 1 Con. 6.11. may be meant of the Spirits appli∣cation.

Rep. Mark Reader (for having run throw the other 3. I return now to the 1st. of the 4. Scriptures that we urged from, and T.D. answers so lamely to) T.D. sayes perhapse its meant of the Spirits application to which I say, 'twere better for T.D's. cause if it might be so meant, but for one reason I shall shew, it may not, must not, cannot, unlesse T.D. means a nigher kind of Application, then I am sure he does, for if by justi∣fied by the Spirit be there meant of the Spirits outward Application onely or imputation of Christs Righteousnesse without us to our justifying before God, then the work of the Spirits washing and sanctifying us also must be meant of the Spirits outwa••d Application only and meer imputation of the clean∣nesse and holinesse of Christ to us for our washing and Sanctification, for Paul sayes the same of them, they all hang on one string and must run the same way and be taken in the same sense relating all to that one Author thereof the Spir••••: Such (viz.) Drunkards, Effeminate, Adulterers, &c. Were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justi∣fied by the Spirit of our God: so if one (1) justification be by externall ap∣plication onely, then the other (viz.) our washing and sanctifying is but by such an empty application, and outward Imagina••y account and imputa∣tion onely and not by the inward Holy operations of the Spirit.

And indeed all your grace is one part of it as well as another by such outward Application, and meer Computation onely, and not by any true Real internal Application of Christs Righteousness, sufferings, and blood to your Souls and Consciences, to the purging of them from dead works to the true serving of the living God, your Iustification is by imputation and outward Application, your Washings, Regenerations, Sanctifications, Holinesses, Renovations, and all ye have is by such a meer Imputation and Application of what is far off you in Christs person to your selves, so that what ever he is in whom is no sin, you will deem and dream that God deems you so to be, upon nothing but a meer blind confidence and conceit, that swimmes in your brain that 'tis so, when 'tis no such thing, God knows: and so as one, that being at the

North of Scotland hungry and naked, should in his thoughts onely apply a gar∣ment or a mess of meat to himself, that's as far off him as the South of Eng∣land, must needs perish for want on't, if it be brought and applyed no neerer to him, then so; so you in all your Applications of Christ, and what ever is in him, who is as far off as Heaven, whil'st you are but on earth, far enough from thence, the Lord knows, must necessarily faint, fa∣mish, perish, pine and starve, till ye come to witness Christ and the Robes of his Righteousness and Holiness within your selves, and eat his flesh, and drink his blood, and put him on a little more effectually then ye do, by all your dead faith, and your eatings and drinkings of bread and wine, for all your imagined Spirits, applyings and imputings, by which, that the whole world, which d••th already, may and you together with it lye still in wicked∣ness, ye are ever dispelling and disputing all true inherent h••liness out of door••: And so being but in a meer Aery talk, and vain thought of things, that ye are in them when ye are out of them, and not doers your selves of what ye hear Christ hath done for you before, as an ensample, that ye should by his Power in the leadings of his Light and Spirit do the same, ye do, but deceive your own Souls: and, as both Paul and Iames, who both agree and we with them against you in this, do truly tell you, as Righteous and Religi••us as ye seem to be to your selves and each to other, all your Religion is but va••n, and your hopes that ye are this and that in the account of God, that ye are Iust and Pure, when really ye are nothing so, will prove abortive, and as that of the hypocrite, when the Lord takes away his Soul, no other then the giving up the Ghost: for Gal. 6.3,4. if any man think himself to be something, and that he is thought of God, for that holiness which is in another without him, to be something when he is nothing, and witnesseth neither that other, nor his holiness within himself, he deceiveth himself: but let every man prove his own work, and what he doth by the Spirit of Christ within himself of the Will of God, and then shall he have Rejoycing with in himself alone or at least als••, and not in another Person without him one∣ly, and he that glorieth, will gl••••y in the Lord, Christ in him the hope of glory, in the Lord in himself, in whom the Seed of Israel finds Righteousnesse and strength, and Salvation from the sin, is Iustified and shall glory, I a. 45. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. or not every one that commendeth himself as Iustified by Christ, will appear approved at last, but he whom the Lord commendeth, which is no man of sin that I know of, which David himself stood condem∣ed in, 2 Cor. 10, 17, 18.

So having snaptasunder one of the two strings to his Bow by which T. D. strove to shoot back to us that Arrow and Shast, which was sharp in his, and in the heart of all the enemies to justification by the Spirit of grace and life within us, from 1 Cor. 6.11. which pretended to no great strength it self, being a string made but of a meer may be, or perhaps for justified by the Spirit (if not otherwise) may be meant (quoth he) of the Spirits Ap∣plication; I come to try the strength of his other string, which is patcht up of no better then such a poor peice of Toe too, as peradventure or per∣haps; for when we say with Paul in the Text the Saints are washed, sancti∣fied and justified all one and the same way (viz.) in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of God and his grace and holy operations in us, T. D. who

confesses he chose to out-word us (see his Epistle) and is never to seek for something or other to say, though his aliquid is ever nihil, sayes thus. I might say that perhaps the clause should be referr'd to Sanctification, which is in a more appropriate manner attributed to the Spirits efficiency, as if the Order of the words had been but ye are sanctifyed by the Spirit of our God.

Rep. Then it seemes justification must go look its efficient somewhere else and must have no share with washing and sanctification in the Spirits ho∣ly workings in the Saints: it must be in the Name of God only, and the other onely by the Spirit, as if the Name and Spirit of God were such Heteroge∣neous matters, that whats done by one cant be said to be done by the other, and as if Paul had mistooke himself in the placing of his words, and had been by the infallible Spirit misguided, misplacing of them so, that when he should have said ye are justified onely in the Name of the Lord, and onely wash't and sanctified by the Spirit of God, confusedly crouds these effects all un∣der one cause, and sayes ye are not onely washt and sanctified but ye are ju∣stified also in the name of the Lord, and by the Spirit of our God.

I do not wonder thou purst in this with perhaps only, for hadst thou absolutely affirmed it for a positive truth, thou hadst of a truth lyed thy self into a very laughing stock to the lowest capacity in the Country, by thy talk of so transcendently untrue a transposition. T. D. But such traspositi∣ons are not without instance in the Scripture (quoth T.D.) as Math. 7.6. give not that which is holy to Dogs nor cast ye your Pearls before Swine least they tram∣ple them under their feet, and turn again and rent, where turn again and rent you is joyned to the Dogs (quoth he) for as Swine ds trample under their feet, so Dogs do fly upon a man and tear him down.

Rep. We know well enough its the property of Dogs and I Swine to turn and tea••, and ••rample, when Pearls and holy things are held out to them, having paid pretty well for the experimentall learning of it we have, since we began to tell the pretious Truth, and hold out such a holy thing as inhaerent holynesse is, to such an unholy seed as your selves are •• but I am y••t to learn that these these ill qualities of turning, tearing, trampling, do not all 3. jointly agree to both or either of these Creatures, severally con∣sidered, yea all of them as much to one as to the other: For as Dogs turn and tear, so do Swine, and as Swine trample under their feet what th••y tear, so do Dogs, or else the Scripture, which is very unlike to T. D's. Scripture about it, is in this case utterly unlike it self; for it tells us of the Gentiles, which in oppsition to the children are called the Dogs Math. 15.24. which are without the holy Citty, or any Right to enter there Rev. 22.14.15. (Though in their anger & envy canina utentes facundia they grin like a Dog and go round about it, Psal. to whom yet the outward Court of the Temple externall forms, worships, observations, ordinances and name of Christians is given) that they tread or trample the holy Citty under feet, Rev. 11.1.2.

No marveil therefore the Cat winkt when both her eyes were out, and that T.D. durst not speak his mind out positively, nor point blank neither one way nor another, in answer to our Argument from that Scripture, 1 Cor. 6.11. but only by perha••••es; Seeing he was so blinded by it that he saw nothing what to return directly and downrightly to it: and since he puts it off to us with no more force then perhaps it is so, or perhaps so, as he sayes 'tis, though

I have said much more for satisfactions sake to such as seek the truth, yet to such as seek nothing more then how they may cavill against it, and turn it off from taking hold on either their own hearts or the hearts of others, I need do no more then put it all back upon T. D. again with per-haps it is so or so; as I say 'tis against him, it being a generall generall received Max∣ime among all Schoolmen that an argument, that flyes in ones face with no more force then forte ita, requires to be no more forcibly refel'd then with forte non. Yea forte ita semper sat bene solvitur per forte non.

Thus I have at last made a clear end with T. D. as to this matter of justi∣fication, having to the undeceiving of such as by his misty makings out of our meanings in it, have much mistaken me and the Qua. as Po••ish about it, shewed plainly which way we hold it, and how it is, according to the Scripture, of grace and not of works (1) our works properly and onely so call'd, and yet not of grace onely but of works also (1) such as Christ and his Spirit only works only in us: which the Spirit in a sense subordinate to himself, who is the master-workman, to whom onely and Gods grace in freely giving us such an alsufficicent Assistant to do his will the glory of all belongeth is pleas'd, also, but more sparingly, to entitle by the the Term of Ours Isa. 26.

So that had it been as true, as [if T.D. and his witnesses together with him, p. 58. be to be credited before himself alone] 'tis false that I disputed justification in those Terms of (by our good works) as he says p. 14. yet if by our works we speak of those that God, Christ and the Spirit work in us, it can in no wise follow from thence, any more, then it doth from all his other pite••••s Premises whereby he improves himself to prove me so, that I am a rank Papist, nor so much as it followes from the remaining of so many Relikes of the Romish Who••e among our English Clergy that they are still living in and loving the Skirts of that, great Whores Sco••tations.

Indeed to say as T.D. doth of S.F. He hath been at Rome, * 1.2 He had great Bills of Exchange from Constantinople thither [a] 1.3 He witnest against the Pope and Cardinal there yet was not medled with, [b] 1.4 He saith he is above Ordi∣nances, [c] 1.5 He saith Iesuits and Friars are [d] 1.6 sounder in doctrine then those call'd the Reformed Churches, He made light on't when he was charg'd with Popery be∣fore 100ds of pe••ple, [e] 1.7 He affirm'd justification by our good works, [f] 1.8 and such as do∣ctrines are a fair inlet to the Papists Bag and Baggage; [g] 1.9 therefore probably he complyes with the Pope and Cardinals, hath a Pension from him, and is mani∣festly a rank Papist, These 7 or 8 piball'd Magpie premises and Humb•••• Bee pro∣positions, whereof some are true and some false, may like so many Roaring Megs, and Thundring Canons, make such a hideous Rumbling noyse in a Coun∣try Church (as they use to say) as to frighten poor Folck out of their senses, and force all Priest-bewitcht people whether they will or no into the faith of what followes at their heels, as the conclusion they serve to usher in (viz) that S.F. is a fer-vent Factor for the Sea of Rome.

Neverthelesse * 1.10 there is no more Consequence in them, though less Truth, then if a man should argue thus, where the Antecedent and Subse∣quent are both true, though the one very untruly deduced from the other viz. The Wheelbarrow runs Rumble to Rumble: Therefore the Clergy will never leave climbing up by lyes, till down they Tumble.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Or m••n of the earth (f••r so Edom signi∣fies of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.)
• * 1.2

  I deny not that.
• [a] 1.3

  which I had not.
• [b] 1.4

  which is true.
• [c] 1.5

  which I never said
• [d] 1.6

  which was not so, but in some doctrines, then some Ministers of the (so cal'd) re∣formed Churches.
• [e] 1.7

  as wel I might, sith I knew it was false.
• [f] 1.8

  which is false if by ours thou mean ••••at men work out of Christ, but too true for T.D. to disprove, if by Our works he means, as he does, such as Christ works in men.
• [g] 1.9

  alias famish the Popes Bag and expell his Baggage.
• * 1.10

  Caelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt.