The reviler rebuked: or, A re-inforcement of the charge against the Quakers, (so called) for their contradictions to the Scriptures of God, and to their own scriblings,: which Richard Farnworth attempted to answer in his pretended Vindication of the Scriptures; but is farther discovered, with his fellow-contradictors and revilers, and their doctrine, to be anti-Scriptural, anti-Christian, and anti-spiritual. By John Stalham, a servant of the great bishop and shepherd of souls, appointed to watch his little flock at Terling in Essex.

(10. Head of Contradiction to Scripture.) Concerning Repentance.

Section 36.

IMet with a question in one of their Books which im∣plyed a denyal of Repentance in the godly: viz. what remorse can there be in him that doth not commit sin? now taking remorse, for godly sorrow (as they phrase it) this is (as I shewed) contrary to 2 Cor. 7. 10, 11. where godly sorrow wrought in the Corinthians (with the effects of it) although they committed not sin, in Johns sense; i. e. they made no trade of it, R. F. bids me take heed, &c. for we know that the goodness of God loadeth to re∣pentance, Rom. 2. 4.* 1.1

Rep. The Apostle there speaketh of the unconverted, but the question is about the Saints. As for the unconverted, Gods goodness (in providential ways) is a motive and in∣ducement to repentance, but no Physical means, energetical and operative to give what it leads, or directs unto. We witness, saith he obseurely, the gift from the godness.

Rep. 1. That God gives aim for repentance by his provi∣dential goodness (of which the Apostle speaks) is plain, but that he giveth the thing thereby, is denyed, Ver. 5. shewing

what abuse is made of it by impenitent hearts, and such who by providence have the Gospel preached unto them. Re∣pentance is not given to all where Christ is preached.

2. That which I charged, was their disclaiming a godly remorse or sorrow, viz. in the godly. Remorse, properly* 1.2 and strictly is the biting, and sting of conscience, by up∣braiding guilt; this, believers are freed from, Heb. 10. 1. and 22. And Francis Howgill (in the account he gives of his dark condition* 1.3 will hardly finde a sound Protestant Preacher, who ever told him, [sin was taken away by Christ, but the guilt should remain while he lived, and brought him the Saints conditions, who were in the warfare, to confirm it] for such a remorse is for them that are unpardoned, and un∣sanctified, and shall so continue while they live; and the warfare of justified, sanctified believers, as such, is onely with the sin that deserves guilt, and hell; not with guilt it self: Because sin is pardoned, and the reigning power re∣moved, the Saints are to rejoyce, and give thanks: but that sin remaineth, and the roots of all their old pranks, and wic∣kednesses (now brought to remembrance) are not perfect∣ly mortified, this is matter of repentance, and godly sor∣row all their days.

R. F. tells me I have uttered another lye, in saying, they disclaim godly sorrow.

Rep. 1. Where was the first lye, or one, to which ano∣ther was added? Hitherto, the honest godly conscientious Reader, who is also judicious, I trust, will finde none.

2. That my charge was true, will further thus appear. They that all along disclaim in-dwelling sin in the godly, (which is the chief matter of their grief) disclaim Godly* 1.4 sorrow; R. F. and others disclaim in-dwelling sin in the godly; what follows but the truth of my charge? Again, They that cry down the doctrine, and practice of continu∣al sighing, and groaning under the roots, and remnants of sin, they disclaim godly sorrow; But R. F. and his associates de-cry the doctrine and practice of sighing, and groaning all our days, under the burden of sins remainders, (as Section, 20. was evidenced, and elsewhere) Therefore they do disclaim godly sorrow. If R. F. his simple hearted

Reader say, but we must believe him, he saith, they do not so, and so: I ask then what meaneth he by godly sorrow? (which I never called remorse, but seeing they used the term, I called the sorrow of the godly, a godly remorse or sorrow) using the word at large, for no other but grief in the affection, not for gripes in the conscience,) and in whom doth he not disclaim it? Haply, the simple heart will say, he meaneth sorrow for sin, as sin, past, and present; past de∣filements, present stirrings, and inclinations to sin; Doth he so? then he must deny his doctrine of present perfection true of some Saints, you will say; but then he disclaimeth godly sorrow in the rest that are already perfect, and free from the matter of sorrow, as I said above, and so he will put them (if not himself and some imperfect ones) among the ninety nine that need no Repentance, which yet is not so with them in reality, but in supposition. If you say, they preach that men should repent; I ask, how shall the un∣godly sorrow after a godly maner? If they lay the burden upon the ungodly onely, and absolve the godly altogether, they may by that way preach down all godly sorrow, and startle the wicked with legal convictions, and that which is remorse of conscience, but no way help toward the pulling down the old man, or building up the new, in the true Believer.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rom. 2. 4. cleared.
• * 1.2

  Remorse what?
• * 1.3

  The inhe∣ritance of Ja∣cob, &c. by F. Howgtll. page 8.
• * 1.4

  How Repent∣ance is de∣cryed.