§. 43.
R. B. 1. YOu say, [It is a like matter.] But you say so much and prove so little, that you lose much of your labour, as to me. It is not a like matter. The Law for saving him that reads ut Clericus, was made partly to spare Learned men, because the Prince or Commonwealth hath need of them, and su∣staineth a greater loss in the death of such then of the unlearned; and partly in a respect to the worth of their Learning, if not with some special indulgence to the Clergy for their Office, and to please the Pope. But Gods Law of Grace pardoning a penitent, gracefull Believer, hath no such intent: God needs not us, as the Commonwealth needs the Learned. Besides the Law hath laid the con∣dition of escape in intellectual Abilities, without any Moral respect to the virtue of the party: but God hath laid it more in the meer consent of the Will▪
2. But if you will interpret the Law of the Land otherwise, as if it were an act of purest grace, then I say, your Client with his Gramercy is an ungrate∣full fellow, and your bad Englishman, is the picture of a bad Christian, indeed no Christian: But by your speeches I perceive that about these matters experience is a great advantage to the right understanding of the Truth; by the means whereof many an unlearned Christian knows more then some Learned Disputers. He that hath felt what it is to be condemned by the Law, and afterward pardon∣ed by the Gospel, and put into a state of salvation by Christ, doth not say as Mr. K. that he is more beholden to his believing then to Gods promise, but hear∣tily ascribeth all to God. Faith is the act of an humbled soul accepting of Christ as he is offered in the Gospel. And can any humbled soul give thanks to his own Acceptance, more then to Gods Gift? yea when the power and act of Accepting is his Gift also? If Mr. K. have an imagination that in every conditional Dona∣tion, there is more thanks due to the performer of the condition then to the giver, I dare say, he is an ungratefull person to God and men. If his father leave him all his Estate on condition he give a younger Brother 6d out of it, or that he give 6d to the poor; it seems he will more thank himself then his father. If he had forfeited his life, and a pardon were given him, on condition he would Accept it thankfully and humbly on his knees, and that he would not spit in the face of him that giveth it, nor seek his death, he would give the chiefest thanks to himself. As for the phrase of [saving himself] he knows it is the Scripture phrase, 1 Tim. ••. last▪ though pardoning our selves be not.