An account of Mr. Lock's religion, out of his own writings, and in his own words together with some observations upon it, and a twofold appendix : I. a specimen of Mr. Lock's way of answering authors ..., II. a brief enquiry whether Socinianism be justly charged upon Mr. Lock.

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Title: An account of Mr. Lock's religion, out of his own writings, and in his own words together with some observations upon it, and a twofold appendix : I. a specimen of Mr. Lock's way of answering authors ..., II. a brief enquiry whether Socinianism be justly charged upon Mr. Lock.
Author: Milner, John, 1628-1702.
Publication: London :: Printed and sold by J. Nutt ...,; 1700.
Rights/Permissions: To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
Subject terms: Locke, John, 1632-1704.; Socinianism -- Early works to 1800.
Cite this Item: "An account of Mr. Lock's religion, out of his own writings, and in his own words together with some observations upon it, and a twofold appendix : I. a specimen of Mr. Lock's way of answering authors ..., II. a brief enquiry whether Socinianism be justly charged upon Mr. Lock." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A50867.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 15, 2024.

Pages

CHAP. IX. Of Redemption by Christ; also of his Precepts and perfect Sanctity.

THey that think there was no Redemption necessa∣ry, and consequently that there was none, make Jesus Christ nothing but the Restorer and Preacher of pure Natural Religion, thereby doing Violence to the whole Tenour of the New Testament. Mr. Lock Reason. of Christian. p. 2. The Doctrine of Redemption, and consequently of the Gospel, is founded upon the Sup∣position of Adam's Fall, Ibid. p. 1. Admirable is the Contrivance of the Divine Wisdom in the whole work

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of our Redemption. Ibid. p. 160. Our Saviour was the Just One, Act. 7. 57. and 12. 14. who knew no Sin, 2 Cor. 5. 21. who did no Sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, Ibid. p. 208. In the Precepts of Christ there is nothing too much, nothing wanting, but they are such a compleat Rule of Life, as the wi∣sest men must acknowledge tends entirely to the good of Mankind; and that all would be happy if all would practise it. Ibid. p. 285. Thus Mr. Lock.

OBSERVATIONS.

Both the places out of the Acts in which our Sa∣viour is stil'd the Just One, are misquoted; whether through the Author's Fault, or the Printer's, I know not. Instead of Act. 7. 57. read Act. 7. 52. and Act. 3. 14. instead of Act. 12. 14.

Mr. Lock speaking of the Advantages that we have by Christ, largely sets forth the Excellency of the Precepts, or Rule of Morality, which he hath left us in the New Testament. Such a Body of Ethicks I think no body will say the World had before our Sa∣viour's time: So Mr. Lock, Reasonab. of Christian. p. 273. Again, Where was there any such Code that Mankind might have recourse to as their unerring Rule, before our Saviour's time? Ibid. p. 275. And certainly this is a Subject which Christian Writers, both Ancient and Modern, have insisted much upon; I mean, the Excellency of the Precepts of Christ: but I conceive that we are to understand them so, as that they had no design to disparage the Precepts or Rules for holy living which are left us in the Old Testament. The Jews were not without their Code of excellent Laws, to which they might have Re∣course as to an unerring Rule. None will have the Confidence to deny that the Writings of Moses and the Prophets, and other inspired Persons, do contain many excellent Instructions for the regulating Mens

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Lives and Manners. Yea, doth not our Saviour himself, and likewise the Apostles, urge several Du∣ties in the Words of the Old Testament, and making use of its Authority? I shall instance only in the two great Precepts of Doing as we would have others do to us, and Loving Enemies. All things whatever ye would have Men do to you, do ye also to them; for (says our Saviour) this is the Law and the Prophets, S. Matt. 7. 12. And then for Loving Enemies, If thine Enemy hunger feed him, if he thrist give him drink, for doing this thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, says S. Paul, Rom. 12. 20. transcribing the words of Prov. 25. 21, 22. as they are faithfully translated by the Septuagint. Here then S. Paul, in the very words of Prov. 25. presseth upon his Ro∣mans this great Command to love Enemies, to love them not in Word and in Tongue, but in Deed and in Truth, to testifie it by relieving them in their Ne∣cessity; and then to encourage them to do this, he sets before them the Benefits of it: 1. They would perform an act of Charity to their Enemy, melt him, and reduce him to a better Mind. 2. They would gain a Friend instead of an Enemy; instead of Hatred Returns of Love. 3. Solomon adds, That God also would reward them; Thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee, says Solomon. And this excellent Lecture he here reads us, may, I think, be call'd (in the Words of an an∣cient Writer) the top of Philosophy. I only add, That there are the like Commands to love Enemies, and testifie that Love by doing them good, in Exod. 23. 4, 5.