>>:*• ^:. J^ , 1V <> V I 1 ! PRINCETON, N. J. *'«S, j 1 1 .. ' 1 Section Shelf Number / ]\ ..lis: Nor can any yt^i "^ " ^"' — Tau indeed ^ v -AS S E M BX Y s^^ Shorter CXtechism, Rescu'd from the Late Reviser and Vindicator: BEING, ALARGE DEFENCE Of that Most Excellent Compend of Divinity: To which is added, A P O STS C I PT, .ed to the Congregation of Protestant Dissenters at Hacbiey^ now under the Paf- toral Care, of the Reverend Mr. Barker. .1 Containing a very particular Anfwer to Mr. G I B B S 's " LETTER. Ceafe, my Son, to hear the InJiruSiion that caufeth to err from the Words of Knowledge , Pro v. xix. 27. ^ He goeth before them^ and' the Sheep follow him : For they knoiu his Voice. And a Stranger will they not follow, but will fee from him: For they know not the Voice of Strangers, John x. \ 4. 5- . V Search the Scriptures, John v. 39. LONDON, Printed fgr Joseph Davidson, at the Golden Uqu in the -P^«//0', M.DCC.XXXVjlII. .f-^.i */ ( iii ) fee he dare not fay, they really believed all this : Nor can any one think fo, who reads their Catechiiin. They fay indeed. That Gcd fore-ordained whatfoever cofnes to pafs : But, I believe, no one of them ever thought, " That all the Adions of Men « came from his abfolute Decree, as the Caufe." What they meant, I conceive, was only this. That nothing comes to pafs without his Knowledge and Providence^ or whether he would or no ; and confequently, without fame Fiirpofe^ to caufe, excite to, aflift in? or permit ; and then to limit, direct, and overule, whatfoever comes to pafs ; and all for his own glory. They were of Opinion, That the Eled are but paffive^ in their Regeneration, and efFeftual Calling : But, that after- ward, they themfelves del with and under Grace. And, as to their being Free -Agents^ they thought they were never inclined, difpofed, or enabled, i, e. FRE E to difcharge their Duty acceptably, till the Son made them free. So far is this Author miftaken. 'Twould be ftrgnge indeed, if an impartial Reader fhould fancy fome of thefe Things, when about two Thirds of the Catechifm, is taken up in teach- ing us our Duty. " 'Tis now generally tliought, that, through the free and dili- <« gent Searches of the Learned, the Principles of Chriftianity «' are better underftood in this prefent, than in any fuice the "" primitive Ages *." I am glad the firft Ages are excepted ; becaufe the Deniers^ of what he calls the cotnmon DoSfrine of the Trinity, were, in thok Ages^ excommunicated^ and hardly counted Chrijiians ; and, when Pelagius appeared, he alfo had been ferved in the fame Manner, had he not fcandaloufly (huffled, with the Synod of Diofpolis. But to go on, if this is indeed the moft learned of the later Jges, let us thank the laft, and the foregoing for it ; for, God knows, it is neither our Reading nor Thinking, our Diligence nor Serioufnefs, but their Labours that have made usy^ learned. Our P'athers were as free., and egregiou fly more diligent^ than we: And, when the Labours, of the prefent and the tiuo lajl Ages, come to be compared by Pofterity, I am afraid a Tekel will be writ- ten upon them. " As there are flili farther Advances made <« in critical Learning, and by the later Annotations on the " Scripture great Improvements axe made,— 'twould be unrea-/r?i " able to think, that in ninety Years Space, Men of .Letters *' and Study, fhould fee no Caufe for fome way or other vary- " ing, from what had been taught before that Period f." To pafs the extraordinary i^d?^^^;' of this, "that they are the Men of Letters and Study ;'* they would do well to remember. That I'ruth is ftill the fame : That the Do£lrines of Faith do not change with Mens Humours : And that the bell Critics, f Ihid, * ihtd. p. 5. A 2 and (iv) and the beft Commentators the World ever faw, if they have not been in the AlTembly's Mind, throughout^ have yet agreed, in every refpe^l, much better with them, in all the mojl Jvhjlantial Points here controverted, than with our Adverla- ries. After all, I do not know but we may defy them, to fhew us fo much as one jiiji Criticifm, upon any PafTage of Scripture, made within thefe laft ninety Years, oi fo much Importance^ as to m.ove any judicious honeft Chriftian, to give up any one Point, of any Moment, in ail the AJfemhlf s Cate^ chifm. We have had Critics, and Annotators on our fide, as well as they have on theirs : And, let them dream what they wnll, we know^ that, whatever wriggling, or {training m.ay Ao^ no jtiji Criticifms or Annotations, can ever obfcure, fhake, or overturn any of thofe Truths^ which are written, in the Bible, as with a Sun-Beam ; and, which occur, every where, from the beginning to the End of it. " Efpecially, confider- *' ing that, when the AfTembly fat, our Preachers had been <' no very long while out of Antichriftian Darknefs * ;" As fhort awhile they had been out of h^ antichristian Darkness was then about, and by their Means too, more thoroughly^ and uni'v erf ally difpelled, in this Nation, than ever it had been in any Nation before, or in this ever fmce. And 'tis but a forry Evidence of the extraordinary Learning of this Age, that Antichristian and Deist ic al Z>i7r/^?z^^ is fo much fpreading among us, and, that fuch Gentlemens La- bours fliould contribute any Thing towards it. " How much «' of their Time had been taken up in defending the Refor- " mation againfl: the Romanics f j " The C'ontroverfies they had with the Romanifts, had been, in a great meafure, over, for many Years : Nor had the TVeJlmirJler Divines had much trouble, in oppofmg Pop er Y, any other way, than by oppo- fmg Arminianism ; which was, by the Church?nen, as well as the Puritans, then generally thought, to have been defigned as a Back-door to let it in upon us. We all know, whowere thebiefTedP/^w/^?-^, of THAT sovereign Drug ; and, by what means, and under whofe Influence, it has thriven fo well fmce. " And how little they had left for ftudying " the inferior Points of Gofpel Divinity J." What does this Gentleman mean ? Are the Dcftrines of the Trinity, the Co- 'uenarct of Works, original Sin, the SaiisfaSfzon of Chrifl, Jujii- fication, &c. he, which he has thought fit to alter, to he ac- counted, INFERIOR Points! If they are ; I would fain know, which are the superiour! If thefe Gentlemen go on, re- vising and vindicating, I'm afraid we fhall not agree in any one Point of Gofpel Divinity, either inferior oi fuperi- our^ but ONE. * Ut4> t ihid. X ibid, ■ ^ If (V) If " modeft, Impartial, pious, and learned Enquirers of <* all Denominations, have difliked feme Things in the Cate- «' chifm *; " we cannot help it. His Alterations will be more difpleajing, to a great many more fuch Enquirers. " It cannot " be denied they have conveyed fuch a Scheme of Principles «' (with regard to abftrufe points of Do6lrine) as many have *' thought, in its Confequences, to weaken the Obligations " to practical religion f." A fad Thing I But vv^ho can help Peoples thinking ? And are the Points jufl: now named, all abjiriife Points P I am fure they are, many of them at leaft, clearly revealed In the Bible. Befides, if it is fo, vv^hy has not he Jirengthened them f I call upon him, to {hew fo much as one of his Alterations, which can, any how, Jirengthem them. I cannot perceive any one, that any how looks this v/ay, but his leaving out fome of their Words, in the Defcription of 'Juftification. [For the Aflembly have inculcated, our diligent Ufe of all the Means of Grace, and our Endeavours after neiv Obedience, as well as he ; nor hath he made any Alteration in any other point, which does not vifibly weaken them, more Ways than one.] And as to this, we muft tell him, and Mr. Gibbs too, That the pretended Confequence, which wic- ked Men, now draw from THE Imputation of Christy's Righteousness, being the very fame, which was drawn from the Apoftje PtfzJ's Do6trine of Justification, puts it beyond all Doubt, with us, That our Doctrine is the very fame with his : And, that That Faith which re- ceive t h the Ri^hteooufnefs of Chriji, is not, cannot be ALONE, i.e. cannot be dead, indolent, and una(5i:ive : And confequently. That thofe, againll whom the apoftle James dif- putes, had not that Faith ; and therefore, that there is not fo much as a feeming Contradidion between the Apoflles, be- caufe they fpeak not of the fame Things. " A Scheme which, *-'- upon this, as well as other Accounts, Is not approved of, " throughout, by a great Majority of the Minifters of our "Time. J" The Word, throughout, is a faving Word : If there be any one Exprcffion not fo clear, any one Word impro- per, or obfolete, or the like, they may not approve of it throughout I In this Senfe, there may be, and perhaps always were, a great Majority. But, I hope, there are not many who approve of the Revifal ; and I have not heard of any one, v^^ho approves of the Vindication \ but, if there be any, I perfuade myfelf, this Defence will be fo convincing, that neither of themfelves fhall approve what they have done, throughout. If " the Confclentions are brought into difficul- " ties by teaching it || f let them inform themfelves better, or ♦ Preface, p. 5. f Ibid. t I^i^' II Ihid. p. 6. pafs Cvi) pafs over what they do not fee proved. " The moft I'ntelh- gent Hearers cannot h^ jiijily offended^' if it be well fuppopt- ed by Scripture ; or if they are, such Offences must COME. What" ill Confequences it may be attended with to <' thofe that learn it * ," I know not ; the ill Confequences of not learning it, are alas ! but too apparent. Their great Modefly alfo, in calling themfelves, or thofe of their party, *' the mort " able and rational of our modern Divines f," and the like, may well put us in mind of Job's tartSarcafm, No doubt but ye are the people^ and ivijdojn fn all die with you. He then tells us his Defign, '' Tliat feveral Controverfies, «' about things not abfolutely necellary to Salvation, may be ^< paft by J j-' and yet, if any Points " concern fuch things,'* the Doctrine of the Trinity, the Depth o/' our Sin and Misery by Nature, the Satisfaction of Christ, Justification, ^r. are certainly of that number. " That *' the Ufe of it may be fcruplcd by none, or by as few as " poilible : — - To render it more cathoiick, and fitter for gene- *' ral Ufe ||. '' Noble Defigns ! but if it be Scriptural, why {hoald it be altered ? Should we make that wide and BROAD, which God has made STRAIT and NARROwr' What End would this anfwer ? And yet, were this a wife and pious At- tempt, as it is neither the one nor the other, he hath been very unhappy in it ; for, it is, tome, certain, it cannot, upon any Account, anfwer the End effecSlually. If he grants, that Reafon isasuFFiciBNT Rule, for the Salvation ^Sinners; the Deifts will laugh at him, for looking for another. If he has, in any degree, pleafed the Papijis ; they will never forgive him, while the fecond Com?nand, with the AfTemblies Explica- tion, i5c. ftand as they did, Pelagianizers will wonder to obferve, th:it Faith in Jefus Chrijl, and Repentance unto Life .^ are each of them called, a saving Grace, l^c. in a Ca- thoiick Catechifm. If our Brethren of the Church of Eng- land, believe their own Articles, they muft be offended, that the DoiSlrineof the Trinity is fpoken of fo fuperficially, that they hear nothing of Predejlination, EleSiio?:, and fpecial Grace, and fo much of our otvn Endeavours, Freezuill, and good Difpofitions, without preventing Grace, kc. The Jntipa- dcbaptijls, as fuch, will think it as uncatholick as the Affemblies. Were good Mr. Baxter alive, he would loudly complain, that a Chrijfian Catechifm fhouid appear, without a Word of Elec- tion, fpecial Grace, Sec. in it : and would rather, I believe, his Nojlrums had never been heard of, than that they fhouid ever have bqen brought upon the Stage, any how to patronize an Attempt, to bury the common Do^rine of the Trini- * Vreface, _p. 6. + Ibid. % Ibid. \\ Ibid, p. 7, TV TY in Silence. I hope his Admirers and Difciples, are of the fame Mind. So that I cannot fee, that this Catechifm either will, or can, pleafe any Party, but the wretched Socinians : And as for them, as they are far, blefled be God, from being a Majority, fo I am heartily forry that any who call themfelv«i Chrijiiansy fhould t2ike fuch Methods to oblige them ; though, if I am not miftaken, they will not like it, throughout^ any more than we, Thefe are the fpecious Things this Author would palm upon us ! And yet, after all, I am apprehenfive, fome will think the true Defigns of this TVork were, under Colour of giving fome Eafe to thofe who did not approve of it, through- outy to flip quite another Things upon the Ignorant or TVeak m- ftead of the Aflembly's Catechifm ; that this might be fold for it ; that fo, in Time, our good old Catechifm might be laid afide, and the Do<5frines of Faith, which it particularly inculcated, be forgotten, by Degrees; that the rifwg Generation might be trained up gradually, for other Matters \ that they might be kept in Ignorance, of the Do5iriyie^ for Example, of the Tr IN IT Y, or the Importance of it ; that fo, the next bold In- novator, may revise us altogether out of it; and the like; For, fome Men are, by their Principles, fo indifferent about 'Matters of Faith^ that they are very eafy what People he.Ueve^ or whether they believe any Thing at all^ provided^ they arc fo good Chrijiians^ a?id fo true Protejiants^ as to exclaim againft the DocSlrines of the Affemblys Catechifm, His " Hopes *," in the next Paragraph, we have fully {hewn, in the following Sheets, are, all of them that are worth nam- ing, as much fruftrated, as every any Man's were. The Author, fearing all this would not juftify fuch an Un- dertaking, brings in, at laft, three great Authorities, to eke out his Apology : And yet, he could hardly have pitched upon three, who have fpoken more honourably of the Aflembly, and their Catechifn ; or would have more heartily oppofed the moft and chief of thefe Alterations. " The great Mr. Baxter *' was not perfectly pleafed with every Thing in this Cate- <' chifm f." Nor was he, nor any great Man in the World, ever perfeSlly pleafed with any of their own Works. And yet ali he faid, as far as I can learn, was, " I could wijh fome Words *' in their Catechifm had been more clears And fo could I. *' The worthy Dr. Cotton Mather did not think it took in all *' the Particulars, which ought to have been mentioned ivi a " Work of this Nature %" Why then, our Author, or any other, might have borrowed them, from their larger Cate- chifn or Confeffwn, And yet, he has brought in none of thofe Particulars, but one very impertinently ; and, for one fmgle good Addition, has skipped over, or darkened, a great many * Ihid, p. 6, t Ihtd, p. 7. XJhid, which which are more confiderable. Thefe two are gone to their Reli " The in2;enious Dr. TVatts Intimates as if it did not *' exprefs every Thing in fuch a Manner as might have been <' vi^iihed *." What then ? Did he find any Fault with the Do£irines of it ? No. Does he approve of the Liberties thefe Men have taken with it ? By no means. He feems, chiefly, to have defired a Catechifm, more level to the Capacities of the young and the weak, to fit them, as they grew in Years and Underitanding, for this. Little did he, I dare fay, imagine, he fhould ever fee what he faid quoted, in fuch a Manner, and with fuch a View. That great Man's Words, are very juftly and generally, regarded ; and will go as far, as any Man's of the Age; and did he know, how many of the Hearts, of thofe that fear God, tremble^ when they hear his Authority brought, to vouch for any^ even the leaj} Alteration^ in thofe Doctrines, which are as dear unto them as their Lives ; I am fure, he would be cautious of every Word that drops from his Mouth or Pen. The Argument then is this. Three great Men, who highly honoured the AfTembly's Catechifm, did not think it, in all Refpe6ls, Perfect : Therefore one or two, not worthy to be named ivitli them, may take the Liberty, by adding, deleting, and altering it, to overturn, inagoodmea- fure, the very Nature and End of it ! '' The obftinate rejeding of Alterations in Conftitutlons ^' and Com.pofares merely human, has been juftly complained *' of in thofe of the Church of Ro?ne, as tending to nurfe up '' Superftition f , {frV." And with very good, and obvious Rea- fon. What is merely human, ought to have no Place at all in Catechifms, Articles, ConfelTions of Faith. It can- not fail of " nurfing up Superftition, ^c'\ and much worfe Things. But the Do6lrines of the AJfemhlfs Catechifm^ are not any of them merely human. Did I know any that was, I fhould be one of the firft for cafhiering it for ever : But, fince we believe they are all Scriptural, we fhall ^^r«^/jf contend for keeping them in their Place. " Changes for the " better will always meet with Efteem from the honeft-minded " and wiferPart of the V/orld, ^^." And can he be fo fan- guine as to dream. That the honeft-minded and wifer Part, who have read^ fearched, and love their Bibles, can ever think, that fuch Changes are for the better ? Or, that ferious Chrif- tians, v^ho have been baptized^ into the Name of the^i.v.s'^'^'Q Three ; have been thoroughly convinced of their finful State ; have experienced the Power of dijiingiiij})ing^ drawing Grace ; made their Calling and Election fure j have found in their Blefled Saviour, both Right Eovsi^ ess and Strength, &c. 5vc, Sic. will ever fufFer themfelves^ be moved by fuch "^^ Ibid, t Ibid. j: Ibid. p. 7, poor (ix) • poor Pretences ? No, no. All fuch, will love their Cate- chifm, from henceforward, fo much the better, when they obferve what Methods are taken, to fteal it from them. He then puts up a Prayer, " That God would favour this " well-meant Endeavour with his Blefling, ^<:." and fo con- cludes. What his hitentlons were, we (hall leave to " the aw- " ful Day of Judgment : " The Intention of his Work, I have examined, tried, and convicted, by the Word of God ; and fhall fubmit the whole, to all ferious, judicious, fmcere Chriftians. Several Months after the Publication of the Re visa l, a Divine of Learning, Piety, and great Reputation, (as was 'commonly thought) made Remarks, upon every Alteration the Author had brought into his Work : And, not long af- ter, came forth a Vindication of the Revifal. My Bu- iinefs, at prefent, is not to defend the Remarker^ which he is well able to do himfelf ; but to Rescue the Assembly's Catechism, out of the Hands of thofe, who have wound- ed, defaced, and quite metamorphofed it, as was the poor Man^ in the Parable, who fell among Thieves, The Vindicator'^ long, ill-natured Preface, in v/hich are not a few Falfehoods, many Trifles and Impertinencies, and a great deal of Lan- guage very unbecoming fuch a Difpute, l^c. ilfc. lies there- fore out of my Way. But, becaufe I agree with the Remarker in thinking. That the Title of the Revifcrs Catechifm, is un- fair, and defigned to impofe upon the Weak, and Inadvertent ', I fhall confider what the Vindicator fays by way of Apo- logy. And, I. « Dn Stanhope, and Bifhop Fell, did fome fuch " Thing, by the Works of Parfons, Akempis, &c. f " i- e. Two private Divines, undertook, in fome fuch way, to re- vife fome Pieces, of fome other private Divines ; tho', per- haps, they might have been otherwife as well employed : Therefore, One or Two, no Body knows who, might take the fame Liberty with a puhlick Work, of the greateft Repu- tation that any fuch Work ever had j and, by fo doing, make it quite a different Thing from w^hat it was ! A glorious Ar- gument ! " 2. l^he Wejhninjier AJfemhly revijed and altered " the thirty-nine Articles of the Church of " England, he. \\ " /. e. The Wejiminfier Divines, among whom were a great Number, in all Refpedls, as well quali- iied for revising, as our pious Reformers were for com- posing them, 2Lnd of the fame Se?iti'ments alfo, were called by the Parliament of England to this Work ; and did it, to the Satisfa^ion of the Generality of the Nation, and of all the Reformed Churches : Therefore, one or two, not woi- * Ibid, i Fref p. 5, % ibid. p. 6. ^.. a thj (X) ^hy to be compared to them> and of very different religious Opinicns alio, niiglit, of their own Heads^ chop, and flice, and deface the ?noJi perfe^ Work, of the Kind, in the World ; to the Satisfa^iicn of no Party, but thofe, who would have us abate in cur Zeal, for fome or other of the Points x)f Chrijiian Faith ! A Reafon like the former ! 3. " The AlTembly render' d " the Senfe of the thirty- nine Articles more '' exprefs and determinate, in favour of Calvimf?n, &c. * '* i. e. They gave the Jame Senfe, which had been, very exprefs- ly and det er mined ely, put upon them, by almoft the whole Na- tion, for at leaft threefcore Years after they were compofed ; and that, agreeably to the Confeilions of all the Reformed : therefore, thefc Gentlemen might, under the Name of re- vising, give us a Catechifm, neitlier exprefs x^ox deter?ni- nate, for t\\Q greai and chief Points of our Religion ; as ex- prefs and determinate, in almoft every Cafe, againft the 39 Articles, as againji the Affemblys Catechifm ; and not at all agreeable to the Confeflions, of any of the Protefiant Churches ! A goodly Apology ! And yet the AlTembly had too much Dif- cretion, Honefty, and Honour, to call their Confeffion, The Articles of the Church of England revised; tho' the Dif- ference in DoSfrinals, is nothing between them, to what it is between their Shorter Catechifm and the Revifal, 4. The beft of all follows ! " Thofe Changes in the Revifal, do not " amount to the Quantity of four Pages, ^c. f " Very well ! But, one may, very eafily, in one fingle Page, make Changes enow to overturn Chrijiianity ; and yet, not depart altoge- ther " from the AfTembly's Method and Language." Thus. Q^ Are there more Gods than one ? Anf. Yes. Tho' Nature, Reafon, and Scripture, do all abhor Polytheifm and Idolatry, Qi How 7nany Perfons are there in the God-head f Anf. On e ONLY. Tho' Chriftians are baptized in the Name ofTu REE, are bleffed in the Name o/' Three, and tho' the Revifer 2lc- knowledged that Text, i John v. 7. And these Three are One, to be authentic, &c. &c. %. Q^TVhat are the Decrees of God ? Anf. They are unfit for our Catechifm. Tho', if there is a particular Providence, without the Belief of which there can be no Religion, the Decrees muft, of NcceiTity, be as particular, and as extenfive as That. Q^ Did God enter into a Covenant zvith our firji Parents, in the EJiate wherein they zvere created P Anf. No. Tho* that Covenant, is the ONLY Foundation of Natural Religion. Qi Did all Mankind fall in Morn's firji Tranfgreffion ? Anf. no: They only fell with him through it. Though it is impoffible, they could fall with ^'- him through it," and not fall with him in it. Q^ IVhat h the Punifhment of * Ibid. f Ihid, p. 4. X Bev, p. 5, Sin Sin in the future IVorld? Anf. eternal Death, /. ^. among Friends, Annihilation. Though natural Con- fcience as well as the whole Word of God, reclaims againft fuch a Delunon. Q^ Did Chriji as aVKiE^T fatlsfy fcr our Sins? Anf. yes: But, though he Vv-as deserted of God for a Seafon^ he did not undergo h is Wr a t h for a Sea- fon: Yet this is a manifeft Contradidion. I need add no more. The Revifer and Vindicator both know, there are fo7ne who call themfelves Chriftians^ that would boldly give thefe An- fwers to thefe Queitions ; though they appear plainly to over- throw Chrijlianity. To come then to our Purpofe, I cannot think, notwitliftanding all thefe Subterfuges, and all that can. be faid for it, that adding the Word revised to the Titky makes it either fair or honcft. Had he illuftrated, and con- firmed theAfTembly's^w^zfw 5^^/^, explaining, or changing, any Word he thought not fo proper^ or the like, fome Excufe might be made for him : But, as it is, I can think of none. Should any private Lawyer prefume, fo to corrupt any puhlick Deed, or Record, ^c. and then publifh it, under the Name oi, fuch a Dced^ or Record revised, 1 know what every honeft Man would fay of him I Nor is there an upright Judge in the World, but would call him a , if not fentence him to the . In this Defence, I have offered a great many Scripture Proofs^ efpecially to thofe Anfwers which are ?nofl controverted^ or of the greateft Moment; all wliich either dircdly prove the Af- fembiy's Doctrine, or much illuftrate and contirm it. I have confidered every the leaji Alteration^ I could obferve in the Revifal, and have freely given my Thoughts of them, and fully anfwered every Thing in the Vindication, which 1 thought worth any Notice. If I have anywhere miftaken the Senfe of my Adverfaries, I difpute not againft them, but the Scnfe I have put upon their Words : But, I have fairly quoted them, and have not, wilfully, put any ftrained Conftruciion upon them ; and fhail be heartily glad to know, they have not de- parted fo far from the Truth, as I fear they have. I contend not for Vi^ory ; but for what / fincerely believe^ vjith all my Heart : And therefore, if either of them, or any other, fliall favour me with a Reply, I defire no other Treatment than 1 have given. Let them quote my own Words honeftly ; con- fider, and anfwer all I have faid, on any Point, fairly ; con- fute me, with Scripture and Reafon ; and treat the Subject, with becoming Gravity ; and, if they fucceed, I allure them, I {hall be as well pleafed as Tliey. The Revifer has been, generally, more foft, and feemingly grave and ferious : But, as for the Vindicators Manner and Stile, one had need to ferve an Apprenticefhip at Billingfgate^ to qualify him to re- ply in his own Way. In thefe. Til allow him the Advan- a 2 tage ! tage ! and have only imitated him fo far, as to turn fome of his more civil Rhetoric upon himfelf, with a few Improve- ments, of which, 'tis hop'd, he will be the kit will com- plain. I would not be thought, by this Defence^ to plead. That the AJjhnhlys Catechifjn is abfolutely fcrfe£l \ or, that nothing may be changed in it, or added to it, for the Better : Far from it. I have freely owned the contrary. It is the Pre- rogative of THE Scripture alone, to be, in all Refpe6ls, PERFECT, j^il the Works of Men, even the moft excel- lent, ever had, and ever will have, fom.ething hurnan^ i. e. iviperfeof^ in them. My Defign is. To rescue this Work, which has been long, as it were, iS^av^ among us, out of the Hands of thofe Manglers of it : To explain, ilJuftrate and confirm, efpecially thofe Points, which they have ex- punged, altered, or defaced : And, in fo doing, to fhew. That thefe Men are very unhappy in their Undertaking, and wholly improper for Reviftng it : That their Alterations are, almofi every one of them., much for the worfe j and not a few of them of very dangerous Confequence : And, That good Chriftians, had much better put up, with the Catechifm their Fathers fo juflly admired, were there a hundred more little Imperfections in it, than there are ; than admit of ftuh e Revijaly as would, in a good Meafure, quite change their Faiib ; and make Way for other Things, which might, at laft, wholly worm them out of it. Should ever fuch another Allembly be called in England., which is not more improbable at this Day, than v/as the Calling of the Wejhninjler Divines^ about an Hundred Years ago, I hope God will put it into their Hearts, to revife this Catechifm., and alTifl them, in any little Alterations, or Additions, which may feem expedient, or neceflary : But, till then, I believe all honeft Proteftant Diffenters^ who love the Word of God^-2in^ their own Souls^ had beft be content with it as it is. The foliov/ing Sheets were ready for the Prefs, many Months ago ; and, perhaps, might never have fcen the Light, had I not heard it fur;gefi:ed, That fome Miniftcr, in or near London^ would fcon declare himfelf another Man than he had been taken to be ? —I then read them over, and, not know- ing, but fomething in them might put him upon thinking a- g:vin,fent them to the Bookfeller. But, before thirty Pages were printed off, I fuv Mr. Gz^Z'i's miserable Letter. A Friend, feveral Years fmce, having been in his Company, from the Converfation that pafl, faid, in my hearing, he was afraid he was a going. Some read his Letter with Surprize, not a few with Pity, and many w'itli a juji Indignation, Tiiac a Man who had been fo verv zealous for thefe Matters, ihould noWj r.ot only change his Mind ! That is no ftrange Thing ( xia ) Thing in our Day ; nor is This of any great Moment : But, fhould reprefent Things fo igndrantly^ ox falfcly ; fpeak of ma- ny of them, without all Difcretion and Modefty, e\Tn, as they thought, ogainft his Confcience ; dictate, throughout^ fo magifterially^ without any, even the leaft Proof \ and, without any Shame^ and little Appearance of Griefs give fuch zfcandalous Account of hi?nfelf and of his Jhufiing with God and Man for fo ?nany 7'ears, &c. &;c. I mull confefs, he has done his Bufi- nefs to Purpofe ! Many others of his Way, have thought it bert, to be at firft fomewhat upon the Referve, to open them- felves by little and little, to give thofe they would catch their Doubts and fly Objeilions, and, by a Thoufand mean Ways, to infmuate, Tnift, pretend, beguile, iffc. till they had under- mined their Faith^ and fiole them into their Opinions I But, VLx. Gibbs is fo full of his New Light, that all Doubts are wholly removed at once ! Yea, he is fo thoroughly en- lightned^ " That he is now convinced. That to fay there are " two dijlin^t Natures in Chrift, ^c. is introducing an Ima- *' aginary Chriff, in the room of the real One * ! '* And, by Confequence, that Ninety-nine of every Hundred, of ali the Protejiant Churches^ of all Denominations, to go no far- ther back than the Reformation^ have believed in, yea, as learned, religious, and fober Men as ever lived, have conjiantly wor/hipped^ and loved^ and died in Peace and Jcy^ committiilg their Souls into the Hands of an Imaginary Christ, /. e. an Ens Rationis, a Figment of their Brains^ a Being which had no Exijience but in their own Heads ! and fo, lived and died Guilty of horrid Blafphetny and Idolatry ! Sec. &c. He therefore fcorns all thofe fneaking Methods , nor will he give us fo much as fair Words ; but boldly rides through thick and thin ! The IVord of God^ the Confejftons of the Churches, the Experiences of Believers, &c. ^c. ar^ all nothing to him ! and, if we'll take his AfTertions, " I now think^ I cannot hut *' think ^ I am now convinced^ &c." for Proofs ; he'll make us all as wife as himfelf in a Trice. Verily, were the wretched Socinus^ and fome others, I could name, alive, I hm apt to think, they would ftroke his Head, as a promifing Lad of prodigious Hopes, and befpeak him in Solomon's Encomium of the virtuous Woman, only changing the Gender, Many Sons have done virtuoujly^ but THOU, my Child, excellejl them all / But, tho' his new Friends fneer and banter, it is their Way 1 and moft of his old Friends think him beneath Regard ; while others fpeak of him and his Performance, as they fee they deferve : Tho', it is not eafy to read his Letter v^^ith Patience ; yet, becaufe, calling Names, does feldom any Good,— I have ht^n on my Guard, as much as I lawfully * Pref.^, 3. could. { XIV ) could, /. e. as I thought confiftent with my Duty, to Truth, my fellow Chriftians, and him. His renouncing the Principles of the A[fe7nhlys Catcchifm, and \\\ the Manner he has done it, brings his Letter within my Province : For which caufe, I have confidered it very par- ticularly. ' What he has faid, comes naturally, in almoft every Tittle of it, to be confidered in the Rescue. So that I could do it more eafily, now my Hand was in, than another. Had it been puhliihed a Month fooner, every Thing he has faid, fliould have been tefuted, under the Anfwcrs to which they refer. But hnce it was not, I have been obliged to r^- ^]y to t\\\s nnaccc,untable 'btu^^ in a Postscript ; wdierein, I have very parcicularly confidered every Article^ of his pre- fent Faith, as he ridiculoufly calls it ; very freely expoi'ed his unparalled Confidence ; and very carefully endeavoured to con- vince^ and undeceive him, by many clear, full, and exprefs Teflimonies of Scripture, and obvious, undeniable Reafon, frequently referring to the Pages of the Rescue, where many of them are handled more at large. The Postscript I have directed, To the Congregation of Protestant Dissenters at Hackney^ under the Pafloral Care of the Reverend Mr. Barker. This worthy Gentleman I never once fpoke to, nor was I ever in Hackney but once, and once that I walk'd through it \ fo that \ am an utter Stranger, to the beft of my Knowledge, to them all, but one or two. I there- fore beg their Pardon for this Trouble, and hope it will be as kindly accepted as it was intended. Such as search the Scriptures, carefully, and in the Fear of God^ and will take his Word for what is revealed, fiall be kept., during this Hour Temptation^ which is come upon thefe Nations^ notwith- ftanding all the cunfiing Craftinefs of thofe that lie in wait to deceive; the fliameicfs AiFu ranee of fuch, as would have them embrace their dangerous Notions, merely becaufe they have the Front to fay, tliey arc fully perfuaded of them ; or, the more daring Attempts of fuch, as would y^^rr, and baiiter them out of tlnir Faiih^ and a good Confcience. the The A S S E M B L Y s Shorter Catechifm R E S G U ' D, ^c. tT^tH W W 'J^ ■>•< 'l^ 'f^ W 'fvC m W fT< ►K iTc fh W w Vvt W r.i w tT< tW m in m fj'^ ♦« W' ♦T< ■>T< ')T< ')!< JK WW f|< ♦(< '>U '^TT<'">p"'W^|t W'?K Q^U E S T I O N I*^ iy^T* /^ f/:?^ chief End of Man ? Anfw, Man s chief End is to glorify God ^, and to enjoy him for ever b. ttProv. xvi. 4. Mat. V. 16. Rom. xi. 36,' i Cor. x. 31. i Pet. iVo II, &c. b Pfal. Ixxiii. 25, 26. Lam. iii. 24. John xvii. 21—. 23. I ThefT. ivi 17. i John iii. 2, &c* 2 Queft. #^)6i3:/ Rule hath God given to dire5t us bow we may glorify and enjoy him ? Anf The Word of God (which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament c) is the only Rule to direft us how we may glorify d^ and enjoy him e. f Eph. ii. 20. I Their, ii. 13. 2 Tim. iii. 16. 2 Pet. i. 19--^ i,' // Ifa. viii. 20. Luke xvi. "29, 30. John xvii. 17. Gal. i. 8,9. 2 Tim. iii. 15, 16, 17, Pfal. cxlvii. 19,20, e i Johri i. 3. I Petii..8,9, &G. - B The I 2 j The Word of God (which is contain'd in the Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament c) is not only afufficicnt d., hut the principal KuIq to dired us how we may glorify and enjoy him e. c 2pet. i. ±\. ch. iii. 15,16. iThelT. ii. 13. d zTim. iii. 15. e Pfal. cxlvii. 19, 20. Againft this Alteration it was alledged, and with good Rea- fon, " That it left Room for a Thought as if there were *• fome other yz/^aV«/ Rule, even to us^ of glorifying and en- ^' joying God, l^c, * " To which our Author replies ; <' As to Things which are to be judg'd of by Reafon, for the *' Purpofe of anfwering the high End of our Being, with Re- *' gard to thefe, Reafon is a Rule ; and therefore, it feems, it *' did not appear, to the Revifer, fo accurate and fafe, to «' fay that Scripture is the only Rule^ exclufive of natural Rea- " fon f .'' In which he would fay fomething, but is afhamed to fpeak out. Under the Terms Reafon^ and natural Reafon^ I fuppofe he comprehends what is commonly called TheLight, and THE Law of Nature, if they are not much the fame : Now, as to thefe, fo far was the AfTembly from ex- cluding them from being a Ride, in many Cafes, and for various ^nd manifold Ends and Purpofes, that, in the very firft Words -of their Confejfion^ and in the fecond Anfwer of their Larger Catcchlfm^ they have freely own'd both its Obligation and Vfe, The Laiv of Nature^ which the Apoftle fays is written in the Hearts cf Mcn^^ and whatever right Reafon di6lates, is the Law of God^ as well as the ivritten Word : Nor did any of us ever entertain the Icaft Doubt of it. But the prefent Enquiry is. Whether any, or all of thefe together, be fuch a Rule as can direSi us, Sinners, fo to glorify God, as that zve ?nay enjoy him for ever. This the AfTembly denied, as the Generality of Chriftians harv-e done In all Ages, and will do to the End of Time. And the Vindicator himfelf, whatver his Mind is, dare not, we fee, plainly affirm it. However, iie either really thinks, that it is, or is not. If, that it is not ; he ought n^^orfhip and ferve him acceptably, without fuch Knowledge and Belief: Such as the Dodlrine of the Trinity, and of the Perfon and Oifices of Chrift, to name no more.' This is Life eternal, that they MIGHT KNOW T fl E E THE ONLY TRUE GoD, AND Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent p. If it is Life eternal to know this, how can they have this Life eternal, who know it not? No Man knoweth the Son but tHe Fa- ther; neither knoweth any Man the Fa- ther SAVE THE Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal himi. How then can Reafon poffibly be Tifufficient Rule, when it teaches nothing of the Son at all ; and confequently, as little of the Father, as fuch *" ? And as the Knowledge of Chrifi's Perfon appears abfolutely ne- ceffary, fo does the Knowledge of his Offices -, and in parti- cular his prophetic Office, which, if this wicked Notion does not overturn, it evidently renders fuperfluous, and confe- quently needlefs. To name but two Texts 5 I am the Light of the World: He that followeth me, Jhall not walk in Darknefs, but Jhall have the Light of Life f . If he is the Light of the World, then is it in Darknels without him : If o?ily he that followeth him, fhall not walk in Darknefs, what fhall we think of thofe that follow ^ Rom.iii. 22. ch. iv. 6. Phil. iii. 9, ^c. ^ Johnxvii. 3. ^ Mat, xi. 27, «■ See John i, i8« f* John viii, 12. him ( 9 ) him not ; and indeed are utterly ignorant of his Perfon, Doc- rine, and Example, and confequently cannot^ in any Senfe, follow him? I AM THE Way, and the Truth, AND THE Life. No Man cometh unto the Fa- TH'ER, BUT BY ME *. Now, no Man can poffibly be faved, who cometh not to the Father ; whether to the Knowledge of his Will ; or to fear, ferve, and worjQiip him acceptably in this Life ; or to the Enjoyment of him hereafter 3 for one, or more, or all of thefe mufi: be intended : And, if no Man can coTue to the Father^ any of thefe Ways^ BUT BY Christ j How can that Rule h^fufficient^ which gives no manner of Ac- count, no not the leaft, of either his Perfon or Offices ? I have chofen to give all thefe in our Lord's own Words ; and we need offer iio more, tho' there are not a few in other Places. Thefe are too plain, ever to be evaded by Wriggling, or Cri- ticifm. They are too full and clear, to be denied by any who have a due Reverence for his Word. He himfelf h^s then de- termin'd this Matter : And they that will npt believe him^ would not believe, tho* one Jhould rife from the dead^. What do I fay ; Thofe two great Truths, Tl:)at there is n God, and That he is a Rewarder of them thai diligently fe^k hiff^y the Knowledge, or Perfuafion of which, is abfolutely neceffary, to every Thing called Religion, are not fufficientlv known but hy Faith. For without Faith it is impojihle to pleafe him : For he that cometh to God, viz. in any religious Adl, muji BELIEVE that he is, and that he is a Rewarder"", Sic, Now, what Reafon dictates, or the Light or Law of Nature teaches, is not properly the Obje6l of Faith ; nor is the AlTent we give to them, properly or truly called believing : And there- fore, fo far is Reafon from being a fufficient Rule to us, that, in thofe very Things, which are molt evidently difcovered by it, and without which there can be no Religion, Revelation is neceflary, and Faith in it, to all the acceptable Worfhip of God. I doubt not but this will raife a mighty Outcry, and that we fhall hear of many tragical Exclamations, concerning the Heathen Philofophers, the virtuous Gentiles^ and our learned and moral Deifts. What then (hall become of them ? Muft they be all damned ? We anfwer. That tho' fecret Things belong to God ; yet, as for thofe who have the Bible at Hand, but negleft, defpife, deny or viiify it, and the great Salvation propofed in it, as well as the Eternal Son of God the Author of that Salvation j the Cafe is plain : Let them be what, or who they will, if they continue in this State, They Jha II die in their Sins"^ : There remaineth nothing for fuch, but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment, and of fiery Indignation, which jhall de- '^- John xiv, 6. I Luke xvi, 31, ^ Heb. xi, 6. ^ John viii. 24. C vour ( lO ) vour thofe Aduerjarles Y; And all who fincerely love our Saviour^ Avill fay v/ith the ApolHe, If any Man love not the Lord J ejus Chrtji^ . let him he Ana t h e m a Ma r a n- a t h a^. As for the Heathens, who are utterly ignorant of every Thing, but what mere Reafon teaches, we dare not determine, where God has not determined : Nor is it any Bufmefs of ours. To their own Majler thejftand orfalh. A?, on the one Hand, it is a certain Truth, That the Man that doth the Law^ i. e. the w^hole Law, and as it reqimesjjhall live in it^: So, on the other, we are affured. That as many as have sinned zvithoiit Lau\ i. e. the Law written in Tables of Stone, and, by Confequence, all divine Revelation, ftriftly fo called, /W/^^ perish wzV/;^??/? Law ^. This, I think, is all in general, which we can learn, either from the Word of God, or from the Light and Law of Nature, concerning their Future State. And yet Matters are, no doubt, {cj ordered, in the Covenant of Redemption, that God can fave as many of them, as he will. All lam pleading is, That Reafon^ or the Light and Law of Nature, is not a fufficient^\i\e^ for the Salvation of Sinners j That the Bible teaches every Thing v/hich they teach, and that far more eafily, perfpicuoufly and fully ; and, at the fame time,' not only fupplies all their Defe6ts, but alone does thoroughly and authentically reveal the great Salvatic?i : And therefore. That the AITembly fpake hoth accurately zndfafely^ when they faid, That the Word of God^ which is contained in the Scriptures ef the Old and New Tejlament^ (which muft, fome way or other, come to cur Knowledge,) is the only Rule to dire£f us, how we may glorify God^ and enjoy him for ever. And this, I perfuade myfelf,. I have done to the full. But that you may haAT fome 7"afte, both of our Author's Senfe and Spirit, 'I fhall, for once only, tranfcribe an entire Paragraph, on this Anfwer, and remark freely upon it. *' But obferve the Sagacity of this Gentleman ; the Altera- ^' tion leaves R.oom (fays he) for a Tloought^ that there was <^ fome other fiifficient Rule, even to us. Let us try the fame ** Reafon in another Inftance : In Anf 6th the Afiembly fay, '^ There are Three Perfons in the Godhead, &c. Now accord- *' ing to this Writer, may it not be "obje6i:ed, this Anfwer ^' leaves Room for a Thought, that there may be Threefcore *' Perfons in the Godhead ? Since the Authors don't declare ^' that there are no more than Three ; though in the former *' Anfwer concerning the Unity of God they aflert that there ^' is hut one only, the living and the true God." * Here is Sagacity for you ; yea, and Piety too ! Had the AfTembly left any Room for any fuch wicked Thought, the Revifer fure-, V He'p. \'. 27. ^ 5 Cor. xvi. 22. ^ Rom. xiv. 4. ^ Gal. iii. iz. p Rom. il 12. * P^hd.p. 343. - if ( " ) if he had any Fear bf God ■ before his Eyes^ ought to have guarded againft it ; which yet he has not done : But indeed, this is a falfe Charge ; and the Cafe is no way ahke. They, ifi their 5th Anfwer, ufe the exclufive Particles but and only^ a- greeably to the Qiieftion, Are there more Gods than One ? be- cauf^, there had not only been, almoft in all iVges, a num- berlefs Number of Polytheifts in the World ; but there were, at that very Time, as they well knew, fome who who were not afhamed to call themfelves Chriftians, that not only worjh'ipped One^ if not more, whom they would have to be Creatures, but appear'd vehemently to plead. That there are more Gods than one ', yea, more living and true Gods : But wave the Particles, as needlefs, in the 8th Anfwer, becaufe they knew of none that believed there were more than Three Fcrfcns in the Godhead 5 befides, that the Queftion requir'd them not. He who is ask'd. How many ? fhould, if he anfwers honeftly, give the full Number : And the Words, There are Three Per- fons, are, to all Men of Integrity, fufficiently reftri(?cive and exclufive : But fo are not his, as is manifeft to every one. Had the Affembly faid, There are Three Principal Ferjons, Szc every honeft Man would, yea muft have thought, either that they fpake Nonfenfe, or that they left Room to think, that there are ?nore than Three, tho' not principal ; as every one of them will judge our Author has done, in the prefent Cafe, when he talks of a Rule, which is not only a /undent, but the principal one. Befides, notv/ithftanding this acute Obfcrvation, that he might fhew the Remarker was not miftaken, himfelf has now told us of another Rule, viz. Reafon -, which muft either be fufficient for the End enquired after, (tho' he dare not fay that it is,) or it is very impertinently brought in here, and is really no Anfv/er to the Queftion : For, a Rule not fuf- ficient to anfwer the End, if it is not a Contradiction, does not furely deferve that Name. His Levity alfo in talking of Three- fcore Perfons, in fo awful a Cafe, tho' we have often heard it or the like before, to our great Sorrow, bewrays a great deal of that want of Reverence for Sacred and Tj-emendous Things, which is but too general among thofe, who love not the Af- fembly's Catechifm. And now we might have here infulted, after his very civil Example, (as indeed we might throughout) and turned his ov/n lovely Flings and Flirts, his fine Witti- cifms, and beautiful Strokes of Rhethorick, i^c, upon himfelf. But I have fome thing elfe to do with precious Time ; and tho' there is not a Page, in which he does not difplay fome of thefe Qualities, I ftiall leave them to thofe that can pleafe them- felves with them ; verily believing, that the fuppofed Author of the R<:?narkSy will envy no Man this polite Eritertainm^ent ! C 2 3 Qi'-eft. (12) 3 Queft. What do the Scriptures prhicipally teach ? Anf, The Scriptures principally teach, what Man is to believe concerning God f^ and what Duty God requires of Man g. / Deut. iv. 5, 14. John XX. 31. 2 Tim. i. 13. Heb, xi. 6. g Exod. xxxiv. 27. Deut. xii. 32. Mat. v. 17—21. 2 Tim. iii. 15-17, es-v. In this Anfwer^ the AfTembly diftinguifh between the Doc- trinal and the Praftical Part of the Scriptures : The Truths reveal'd as the OhjeSl^ or if you will, Articles of Faith^ and the Duties required in a Way of Obedience. This Dill:in6lion they keep up quite throughout, not mingling them together any where ; and beginning with the former, at the 4th Quef- tion, they go on to Queftion 39th. and from thence to the End they treat of the latter. Had our Author minded this, -feveral more of the Queftions and Anfwers had flood as they were, and he had waved fome other Additions, which, how innocent foever in themfelves, come often out of their proper Place, as we fhall fee. 4 Queft. What is God ? Anf, God is a Spirit h^ infinite /, eternal k, un- changeable /, in his Being m^ Wifdom n. Power Oy Holinefs /, Juftice q^ Goodnefs r, and Truth s. h John iv. 24. z Job xi. 7. Pfa. cxxxix. 7 — 1 1. k Pfa. xc. 2- ^c. Rev. i. 4, 8. /James i. 17. /wExod. iii. 14. n Pfa. civ. 24- Dan. ii.'20. Pfa. cxlvii. 5. p Rev. iv. 8. Ifa. vi. 3. q Deut. xxxii. 4. r Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. s Pfa. cxlvi. 6. ^c. 5 Queft. Are there more Gods than one ? Anf, There is but one only /, the living and the true God u, t Deut. vi. 4. Mark xii. 29, ^c. u Jer. x. 10. Pfa. cxv. 3 — 9, ^c. 6 Queft. How many Perfons are there in the Godhead ? Anf. There are TWee Perfons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and theHoly-Ghoft w, and thefe ( 13 ) thefe Three are one Go3, the fame in SubftanCe, equal in Power and Glory x, fwGtn. i. 1-3. Pfa. xxxiii 6. Ifa. Ixi. i. and Ixiii. 9, 10. Mat. lii*. 16, 17 and xxviii. 19. 2 Cor. xiii. 14. x Ifa. vi, i — 1 1. compared with John xii. xli. and Afts xxviii. 25 — 28. John v. 17 — 40. and viii. 58.and X. 30. Adsiv. 24, 25, and v. 3, 4. Pfa. cxxxix. 7- - 14. I Cor. ii to. Rom. i. 7. compar'd with the Salutations in moft of theEpillles. i Cor. xii. 4—12. i John v. 7. Rev. i. 4, 5. and iii. 21. and V. 6-14, ^V. This Queftion and Anfwer the Revifer has given thus. 6 Q. Do not the Scriptures give us an Account of more divine Perfons than one ? Anf. The Scriptures give an Account of Father, Son, and Holy-Gholt f , and that this ever blefled Trinity were entirely united in compleating the moll glorious of all God's Works J. r Mat. xxviii. 19. si Cor. xii. 4, 5, 6. i John v. 7. Here the Revifer has altered both Queftion and Anfw^er, and has given us no Reafon to thank him for the Change. The AfTembly enquired about Perfons in the Gcdhead^ or Deity ; he cnly, about divine Perfons in general, without any Explication of the Word divine^ which is fufficiently ambiguous, or ac- quainting us at all, with the Relation they have to the Deity r They having named them, inform us, That they are one God ; whereas for aught he fays, they may be diftin61: Gods, or fome of them not truly God: They have hinted, that as each of them are God, and can do v/hat none but God can, fo we are obliged to give them that Glory which is due to God alone ; /. e. they tell us not only who, but what they " are, plainly enough infmuating what they can do for us, and what they expert from us 'y but he gives no Intimation of either what they are, but very generally ; or what they can do for us, or what Duty they require of us : They guard againft all Danger, both of Idolatry and Polytheifm \ he, for aught appears, leaves us much expofed to both. So that, perhaps, he had done full as well, .had he fkipt over this Queftion, as he does the next. Verily, in a Matter of this Moment, as Ignorance muft be dangerous, Errcur cannot be innocent. The Man who is for concealing his Faith in the Trinity, or expreffing it loofely, in uncouth, new fangled, or equivocal Words, as he is not far from denying it, or the Importance of it, himfelf, he fhould be fufpeded as lying in Wait to deceive others. la thii Do^rim^ if in any, he that is not with us^ is againjl us, "The ( H) The Author of the Remarks "has made feveral very jufl Ob- fervations upon this *, and our Vindicator has faid fomething by- way of Reply, which is really little better than trifling, to fay no worfe of it. " He is perfuaded of the diftin6l Perfonallty *' of the Three Divine Perfons '' f j which many of the Anti- trinitarians are not : But whether they are alfo Three Gods, or one only, he faith not. He is fo modeft, as not to offer <' at an Explication of this Do6lrine J ". And no more have the AlTembly. The Do6Lrine, and the Explanation of the Do6irine, are two very different Things. They have given their Names : and fo has he. They declare they are one God ; and lefs they couid not do, to be confiftent with themfelves, in the former Anfwer ; and if they are, they muft be the fame in Subjiance^ equal in Power ^ and Glory : He leaves us in the Dark, as to this mofl important Point, and gives us the pooreft and darkeft Account of them, I ever heard. But, perhaps, we muft not call it an Explication of the Do6lrine ! What does he mean by " the moft glorious of all God's Works ? " What by '' compleating them ? '' What by " being entirely united in this ? § " Let him not fay. That fome of the Affembly's Words are ambiguous alfo : For it is not fo. And if it v/ere, they have been ufed in the Church, at leaft for many Ages, are familiar to Chriftians, and of a determinate Signification : Whereas, his are new, uncouth, and of fo very uncertain a Senfe, that it is hard to guefs at their Meaning. " He does *' not fee that this Anfwer excludes their being concerned in this «' TVork of Creation: || " And yet for all he has faid, fome of them might not have been fo early created themfelves. But feeing, it feems, he dare not upon fecond Thoughts, deny their being concerned in the Work of Creation^ I v/ould afk him, I. How were they concerned ? The Scriptures reprefent them as one joint- Creator i Pfa. xxxiii. 6. Gen. i. 1—4. John i, 1—'^. Job. xxxiii. 4, ^c. or, as it is in the Hebrew pretty fre- quently, as Our Creators, Remember now thy Crea- tors, ^^r. Eccl. xii. I. Let l{r3.e\ rejoyce in his Makers, ^c. Pfa. cxlix. 2. Where is God ?ny Makers ? Job xxxv. 10. For //?;; Makers, /Z';' Husbands, Ifa. liv. 5. 11. In what Senfe he ufes the Word Creation ? Were they concerned in " making all Things of Nothing, in the Beginning ft " or only " in making this World of ours out of a confufed « Mafs, in the Space of fix Days." III. Which of " thefe *' introduces the Chriflian Scheme of Principles to the greateft << Advantage." " He queflions if it can be a fuitable Entertainment for ^ Children to explain this Dodrine to them +J." But furely, * Rem. p. 21, 22. t Vind. p. 35- t ^^^^' ^ ^^^^' H ^^^^' ff Vind. p. 36, 37. XX ibid, nothing ( 15) nothins; can be more fultable, than to teach them the Faith, into which they were baptized : Nothing can be more necef- farv for them, than to know Who and TVhat^ the BlefTed Three are ; whether they are to believe in One Gody or in Two, if not Three ; whether they are to ferve, adore, pray to, and truft in any one who is not God by Nature^ has not infinite Perfec- tions, and fo can neither know their Hearts, nor Wants, ^c. Well, but " the Explication of it hath diftraded the Church, id* J ihid» PEE ME? (i6) PREME ? J^nf. Yes. The Son at Isafi^ is a living and trtit God ; but when became to be fo, we are not as yet- agreed \ &c. And as for the Third Divine Perfon, we can hardly tell what to make of him. y Queft. What are the Decrees of God? Anf, The Decrees of God are his eternal Pur- pofe y\ according to the Counfel of his own Will Zy whereby for his own Glory a, he hath fore-ordain- ed whatfoever comes to pafs b. y Rom. viii. 28. and ix. 1 1. Eph. iii. 1 1. 2 Tim. i. 9, &'c. 2;Eph. i. 1 1. Afts iv. 28. Heb. vi. 17. Deut. vii. 7, 8, ^c. a Rom. ix. 22, 23. Eph. i. 4-8, and ver. 12 — 14. Exod. xxi. 13. h Ads xv. 28. Eph. i. n. Ifa. xxvi. 12. Prov. xvi. 4, l^c. This Queftion and Anfwer, he has entirely omitted ; and indeed, the whole Party, with all our New-Scheme and New- Light Men, feem to have a peculiar Qiiarrel with it. Do but venture to mention the Words God's Decrees^ and they have no Patience ! the Cry is then Fate^ Fate ! the Stoical fate ! then are Men no better then Stocks and Stones^ and God the Au- thor of Sin, &c. But, if one, tho' never fo calmly and fe- rioufly happens, to ufe the Scripture Words, predejiinatedy or- dained to eternal Life, EleSiion, &c. or prefume to fav with the Apoftle, That God hath Mercy, on whom he WILL have Mercy, an^d whom he will he HARDNETH ; we all know what follows. In the very next Anfwer the AfTembly tell us, That God executeth his Decrees in the Works of Creation and Providence ; and our Author a- grees perfectly with them in their Anfwers to, Hovj did God create Man ? and what are Gods Works of Providence ? Seeing then, God executes \\\sT)'&crtQs,all of them, as he decreed them, in his Works ; and they both agree in thefe Works, and in the Manner, in which he does them ; it may feem ftrange, that he who appears to be of the fame Mind with the AfTembly, as to God's Works, ftiould be fo much offended with his Decrees, which are neither more nor lefs than his eternal Purpofe, to do what he does in Ti?ne. The Works of God necefTarily pr^-fuppofe his Purpofe. ^A rational Agent cannot aft reafonably, but for fome End : The infinitely Perfect cannot then be fuppofed, to have created the World, without fome great End, worthy of Himfelf. No End can be attain'd without the Means to accomplifti it : He then who propofes an End, chufes the Means to reach it. An Infi^ |iite Being, who has all Events in his Qwn Handsj as he can nevqr ( 17 ) never be St a Lofs for Means, fo he will certainly chufe fuch as are wife, holy, juft and good. It is no way unbecoming him^ to permit many Things which he does not approve, that he may take Occafion from thence, to difplay thofe Perfe£lions, which, without them, would never have fhone with fuch divine Splendor. The PermifTion, and confequently the Decree to permit, might be in all refpecls good, tho' the Things permitted might be wholly evil. As the Omniscient could not but know all Pojftb'ilities ; and the Om n i pot e N t could not but be able to do, caufe, further, permit, or hinder, whatever he would ; fo the Su P R E M E Lor d might chufe what he would do, caufe, further, permit, or hinder, in all Cafes, according to his own good Pleafiire. What he dciiially does in Time, could be no blemifh to him to decree from Eternity. Here then, we have the Decrees of God^ all that the Aflembly meant by their Anfwer, in a few Proportions that carry their own Evidence with them. Let us however, confider what they have faid. That there are Decrees in God, is not only fuper-abundantly clear from Scripture, which, in many Places, fpeaks of his ■Purpofey Eph. i. II. his determinate Coiinfel, ASts ii. 23. his fore-ordaining, I Pet. i. 20. ordaining, Adis xiii. 48. the P lea- fur e of his Will, &c. Eph. i. 5, ^c : But evident beyond Con- tradition from Reafon, and the Nature of Things. It is Fore-knowledge does irrefiftably prove this Truth : The De- pendance of all the Creatures upon the Creator, and of all Events upon the Supreme Ruler, confirm it : His Works de- monflrate it. He actually worketh many Things himfelf : He a6lually caufeth, or furthereth, or permitteth fome Events, and obftruiSleth others, l^c. Therefore he purpofed to do all this. That they are Et e rn a l, is not only undeniable, from many of the Texts quoted j but from the moft manifeft Reafon. He that chofe the great End, if knowi?ig, wife, and potverful^ muft needs have chofen all the Means necefTary ; and have pur- pofed to permit, dire£i and order, all Occafions conducive to it. Temporal Decrees, do manifeftly imply Ignorance, Weak- nefs, Uncertainty, Change, Want of Wifdcm, a Defeft of Happinefs and manifold Imperfedtion. That they are ac- cording TO Counsel, is plainly expreffed in many of the Paflages before us ; and is evident in it felf. The Author of all our Reafon, who is Infinite in all Perfe£l:ions, can- hot but a6t like himfelf: All his Decrees therefore are wife; ^nd all his Works, holy, right, juft, and good. The Moft High indeed needs not, does not deliberate, and confult as Crea- tures ; but he always a6ts, and therefore purpofed to a61:, ac- cording to eternal Reafon, i.e. withWifdom and Defign. That they are according to the Counfel of his own Will, is not only plain from the Scriptures cited, but many Ways clear* They are iiernal-, and therefore independent on any Thing in D Time. V ; Time. Nothing without himfelf, could poflibly be the Canje of his Will. He has Compajfion on whom he zvill have Com- pajfio?!^ and zuhom he will he hardneth ; Rom. ix. i8* He loves^ becaufe he would love^ &c. Deut. vii. 7, 8. And yet, in all thefe, His Will is neceflarily holy, wife, and rood. To be wilful and arbitrary^ is fcolifh and fmful, and often mifchiev- ous, in ignorant, humourfome, vicious Creatures, who are alfo under a Law to the contrary : But, to a61: according to Plea^ fure^ is becoming in the Almighty; and no Wrong can be done by the infinitely F erf eel. That His own Glo- ry, is his principal and ultimate End, is not only manifeft from the Places referred to; but alfo clear to all who confider it. It is the cHief Good ; and therefore his laft End. Any other would not only have been beneath him, but unworthy of him. Had he primarily, and ultimately, intended the Good and Happinefs of his Creatures, he would have kept them from Sinning, if he could have hindered them ; atleall, would have been equally kind to thofe, who had finned, and done all he could to recover them all ; which, we are fure he does not, l^c. That they extend to whatsoever comes to pass, to all Events of all Sorts, is not only obvious from the Scrip- tures adduced, and many others ; but is as evident, as that his Providence does. All that he does in Time, he purpofed to do before it : And to doubt of, deny, quarrel with, or blafpheme his Decrees^ is to doubt of, A^iiy^ quarrel with, or blafpheme his Providence. His Decrees have been properly enough called his eternal Providence^ as his Providence in Time, is but the Execution of his Decrees. All Things above or below, great and little, good and evil, of all Sorts, neceflary, free, contin- gent, cafual, are fubjecSt to his Providence, and therefore are, one way or another, the Objenly the Parties contrafting, and all the Eflentials of a Covenant, but the very Form of it alfo. The Parties vjqxq, God, the Creator and Governour of his Creatures, who is alfo a Re- warder of all them that diligently feek him, Heb. xi. 6. as they could not but know, by whatpafied between them; and Man,, his Creature, made after his Image, qualified for yielding him the Reafonable Service of a knowing, righteous, and holy Subje6l, under all Obligations to him, formed with innate Defires after endlefs Felicity, and capable of enjoying ever- lafting Communion with him. The Effential Parts of the Covenant were ; GoD, on his Part, gave him a Law, ever/ way holy, juft, and good, with a Promise of Life, ^^vfe have ihewn, if he ihould prove obedient, and a Sanation, with a ThreatninG of Dsathy Gen ii. 17. in eafe of Failure j K 31 ; Failure ; fo that here was Life and Death fet before him, the JulHce of the Threatning being no more to be doubted, than the Goodnefs of the Promife: On the other, was Man's Acceptance, which was evidently his Wifdom and Inte- reft, as well as his Duty ; his Acceptance^ I fay, of the LaWy^ as the Rule of his Obedience, and of the Promife as his En- couragement, and his Acquiefcence in the Equity and Juftice of the Curfe threatned. That God^ on his part, propofed all thefe Things, is, I think, plain beyond ^11 modeft doubt : That Man, on his Part, accepted them, feems many ways evident. The Propofal was certainly an Honour to him, and was vifibly his Intereft ; he could not refufe it in Duty or Wifdom ; had he refufed, it had been his Sin, and fmce we know this was not the firft Sin, we gather, that he was fo far from demurring to the Overture, that he thankfully and joyfully accepted it. And now, as for the Form^ what, I pray, was wanting to a perfedt, a folemn Covenant ? At leaft, of fuch a Covenant, as could be made between the MOST High and the Work of his Hands? A Law^ with a Promife and Threatning annexed, -propofed by the su- preme Governor, and accepted hy h\s Vaffa I ^ his Crea^ ture^ is undeniably, is evidently a Covenant. Should it be alledged. That this great TranfacSlion, is no where exprefsly called a Covenant ; and that it may feem ftrange, that, fince fo much depended upon It, the Scripture is not much more particular, and exprefs, and full about it : We anfwer, I. That Text, Hof vi. 7. But they like Men^ (Heb. like Adam) have tranfgreffed the Covenant^ has been thought by many a pretty clear Proof, that it is exprefsly called a Cove-^ nant. 2. It may be doubted, whether what thofe Men call the Covenant of Grace, be ever exprefsly called a Covenant, 3. The Apoftle ufes the very fame Word to fignify the Cove~ nant of Works, which he does to fignify the Covenant of Grace -, which we think fufficient. Where is Boajiiiig then ? h is excluded. By what Law ? Of Works ? Nay : but by the Law of Faith, Rom. iii. 27. If after all, our Author (hall infift upon it, " that this is not plainly faid in Scripture ; " we mult tell him, 'tis as plainly faid, and as clearly Intimated, as the Refurre6tion was in thofe Words, / am the God of Ahra^ ham, Ifaac, and facob ; which even the wicked Sadduces, could not deny to be certainly, yea neceflarily implied in them, 5ut more of thefe, under ^eji, 16. 13 Queft. Did our firfi Parents continue in the Eft ate wherein they were created? Anf, Our firft Parents being left to the Free- dom of their own Will, fell from the Eftate wherein ( 32 ) wherein they were created, by finning againfl God 5. s Gen. iii. i — 15. Eccl. vii, 29. Rom. v. 14. 2 Cor. xi. 3. I Tim. ii. 14, cfff. From this Anfwer it is manifeft. That the AfTembly care- fitlly guard againfl every Infinuation, as if T h e most holy was, any hov/, the Caufe, or Author, of this Sin : That they •were far from thinking, That his fore-ordaining zvhatfoever csmss to pafs^ did, in the leaft, abridge our firft Parents Li- berty, or offer any manner of Violence to their Wills ; and much lefs, that it dragged, or co?npelled them to eat the for- bidden Fruit, whether they would or no : And that, in this at leaft, they were not for the Phyfical Pre-determination^ which fome fo zealoufly maintain. 14 Queft. What is Sin? ^ A?7f. Sin is any Want of Conformity unto, or Tranigreffipn of the Law of God /. f Gal. iii. 10. i John Iii. 4. i John v. 17, ^c. To the fame Q^ieftion the Revifer replies thus, Sin is any -voluntary want of Conformity untOj or Tranfgreflion of the Law ef God h. h I John iii. 4. Here the Word voluntary is foifted in, and to fupport it, the Vindicator " appeals to all Men of Senfe, whether the «*^ Idea, exprefTed by the word voluntary^ be not intimated in «' that Text, i John iii. 4. * " Now fuppofmg this, for the prefent ; What then .? Will it follow, That any Want of Con- formity to the Law of God, is not Sin ? By no means. I there- fore, in my turn, appeal to them alfo, whether the Idea, ex- preffed by thofe Words " a voluntary Want of Conformity to the Law of God," be not intimated in that Phrafe, a Tranf- gfsffian of It, /. e, whether any voluntary Want of Confor- mity to the Law of God, be not a TranfgreJJlon of It? An4 if fo ; whether this is not as ridiculous a Tautology, as If he had. faid. Sin is' any voluntary Want of Conformity, or any * find. p. 37. vo un tary ( 33 ) voluntary Want of Conformity unto the Law of God 5 or, Sin is any TranfgrefTion, or any Tranfgreffion of the Law of God f But thus it will fometimes fall out, when even fuch Perfons as the Revifer and Vindicator, will « continue the Aflembly's Method and Language," but drop their Senfe and Principles ! I appeal to them alfo, whethfe- any tuant of Conformity to the Law of God, be not Unrigh- teoufnefs \ And if it is, that Text, i Johnw. 17. affures us. That all Vnrighteoufnejs ?j SiN. I further appeal to them, whether the great Sanation of the Law, Curfe'd is every one that CONTINUETH NOT IN ALL Things, which are written in the Book of the Law to do them^ -Gal. iii. 10. does not extend to a corrupt Nature, and to vicious Motions and Inclinations, even tho' they are not, in a ftri6l fenfe, volun- tary, " The Revifer will not deny that there is a Diforder " in human Nature, occafioned by the Fall f ." A mighty Conceflion ! That there is an miiverfal Diforder in human Nature, is perceived, is feen, is felt, by all Men. The poor Heathens were fenfible of it ; fome of them fadly lamented it, and feem to have had truer Notions of it, than our Author. They could not indeed trace its Source ; but neither could they bring themfelves to think, that Man was originally cre- ated with it ; and therefore attributed it, to fome fatal Cata- ftrophe or another, they knew not what. As for us, the Scriptures have fully informed us of this Diforder, its Nature, Original, and all its melancholy EfFetSls; witnefling, That the Fall ftript Man of his Innocence and Righteoufnefs ; that his whole Nature became corrupted \ that all his Faculties were impaired and vitiated by it ; and, that qyqv fmce, all Mankind have in them, a Body of Sin and Death. Notwith- ftanding all which, it does hot appear that the Vindicator thinks this Diforder moral ; nor will he allow it to be called Sin, for this wife Reafon, *' Becaufe the divine Law did not " require that we fliouldbeborn with other Conftitutions than " we are J." Why, the divine Law was, at firft, given to Man in Innocence ; and had he kept his firrt State, his Pofte- rity had been born fmlefs, and pure, with fuch Conftitu- tions as he had. It is evident at firft View, That it fpeaks to all Men, as if they were ftill iimocent, pure, and perfeSl ; that it fuppofes, and requires, a holy Nature, as well as a holy Life, of all that are under it ; commanding us to love the Lord our God with all our Hearts ; Mat. xxii. 37. To he holy, be- caufe God is holy, i Pet. i. 15, 16. To he perfeSf, even as our Father which is in Heaven is perfeli ; Mat. v. 48. But to be holy, fo as to be perfeSl, is to be without any fuch Diforder. It e.xprefsly condemns all moral Imperfe^fions, even the leaj^^ in X ^ind. p. '?7. f ih'd, ' F fo ( 34 ) ^o many Words, curfmg every one that cont 'ntieth not in a L L- Things, &c. If then it forbids every Failure, every De- feat, even the leafl, and that both as to the Matter, Manner, Principle, and End of our Obedience, it is felf-evident, it forbids every Want of Conformity to it : But, every Thing for- bidden in the Law, is Sin ; and therefore, every Defe6l of what it requires, every fwerving from it, even the leaft, every Incongruity, if I may ufe the Word, every Want of Confor- 2Tiity to it, is Sin. Let me add, there could have been no Sort of Diforder in human Nature, had it not h^^n for Sin; for God created Man perfeti in his kind, without any Sort of Diforder ; and therefore all manner of natural Diforders, even the leaft, are not only merely the Confequences of Sin^ but the natural EfFeds, as well as the proper Defert, and the juft Punifti- jnent of it : And confequently, wherever there is any Sort of natural Diforder, there is, and cannot but be, fome moral Diforders alfo. For, as there could have been no natural Dif- order, without fome moral T^KoxAqx as the Caufe of if, fo every natural Diforder will, one way or another, occafion, caufe, or produce, fome moral Diforder. Befides, the Laiu of God required Adam to preferve that innocent, holy, and perfe6t Conditution, in which he was created, not only for himfelf, but for all thofe that were in him, as a natural, or repre- fented by him, as a federal Head : It was his Sin that he fell from it; and, in his Sin, all his natural Pofterity, and all whofc-federal Head he was, sinned, as we fhall prove by and by ; and from him we derive that Corruption, that Dif- order^ which then became, and has ever fmce been, natural to us all. When the Aflembly, In their Anfwer, tell us, " That *' Sin is a7iy Want of Conformity unto, or TranfgrefTion of the *' Law of God," they intended to teach us. That the Cor- . ruption of our Nature^ with all the irregular Motions proceeding from it, whether they be in a ^nSt Senfe voluntary or not, are Sins, as well as wihat we commonly call actual Tranfgref- fion ; in Oppofition to the Council of Trent, the old PelagiatiSy and fuch as our Author, who will have nothing to be Sin, at leaft properly fo, but what is voluntary. Now, becaufe this is a Point of the greateft Concern to all Mankind, we fhall put it beyond all Doubt, with thofe who believe the Scriptures, and are fatisfied that the facred Penman knew what they faid, and could exprefs their Sentiments properly ; or, that the Holy Ghoft who infpired them, could neither be miftaken himfelf, nor deceive them, in a Matter of fuch Moment. And, i. The Apoftle calls the depraved Bent of the Soul, the Corruption of our Nature, Sin, when he fays, But Sin, tahng Occafion by ■ the Commandment^ wrought in 7ne all Manner of Concupif-* cence\"'^om. vii. 8, FgrwithQut th^ Law^lH was dead ; —ibid. ver. ( 35 ) ver. II. For Si^ taking Occafion by the Commandment^ deceived ;;2^._._ver. 13, and 17. But Sin ^ that it might appear SiN, workin 16, 17. i Cor. xv. 45. a* Rom. v. 12-21,' I Cor. XV. 21, 2z, Eph, ii, 3, ^f. 15 Qiieft, ( 37 ) ' 15 QP^^' ^^^ M Mankind jail through Adam'^ fir ft T^ranfrfeffion ? Anf. Adam being the Head and Father of Mankind ^, all who defcended from him by ordinary Generation, fell with him through his firil Tranfgreffion /. k I Cor. XV. 45. Gen. i. 28. /Rom. v. 18. Here the Revifer, in the Qiieftion, has put through inftead of in, as he has done aifo in the Anfwer, dropping entirely the Covenant that was made with Man, without fome Know^ ledge of which, it will not be fo ealy, if at all poffible, to ac- count for many of the wofulEffeasof theFall He grants, that " Adam was the Head and Father of Mankind , but if by Head he does not mean a federal Head, this is juft fuch a Tautology, as if he had fald, " ^^^;7z being the Head and - Head, or the Father and Father of Mankind/' He alfo allows, " that all his natural Defcendents fe with hm thro « his firft Tranfgrefrion." But, if they fell wtth him thp certainly ftood while he ftcod, and fell when he fell : If lo, they are fuppofed to have been interefted in all the Happinefs of his firft Eftate, to have loft all that he loft, and to have been plunged into all the Mlferies into which he fell Now, i cannot conceive how they could fall with him, and not fall £«him; or why our Author* fo vehemently pleads, for the Change of the Piepofition in into through: Nor can 1 con- ceive how they could fall with him, if they did not fin with him ; for it is only hy Sin, they could fall. If they had not finned, they certainly ihould not, could not have fallen ; and if they had not finned in- him, they could not \i-:xvq fallen with him And therefore, if he (hould laugh never fo long, at "our '' falling in Adam's Sin, and call it Nonfenief" never fo often, wemufttell him, that in what Senfe foever we/.// with him,, we alfo finned with him-, nor could we have " fallen with '' him thro" his firft Tranfgreffion," if we had not linned with him IN it. The Scriptures not only confirm this impor- tant Truth, but eftablifti the Phrafeology. In Ad am a l l DIE, I Cor. XV. 22. (I hope he will not call this Non- fenfe,) therefore in Adam all have finned. The Confequence is undeniable; for Death is the Wages of Sin, Rom. vi. 23. If therefore all die in him, all finned in him. By Man CAME Death, i Cor. xv. 21. therefore it was not natu-. ral, but penal: And confequendy, all that fall under the Fu- niftiment, are interefted in the Sin. The Apoftle does elfe- where eftablifti all this, in fo many Words, wherefore:, as by * Find, p, 39. t ^^i*^' (38) ONE Man Sin entered into the IVorldy and T> eat n BY Sin ; a?id fo Death pajfed upon all Men^ for that, or IN WHOM, \ip%, all have finned. If all this is true' 'tis evident. That Sin entered into the World before De«th ; that Death entered by Sin ; that all that die are Sinners ; and therefore, that fince Infants die, they alfo have finned : But be- caufe they are not capable of adual Sin, it is manifeft, that as they die in Adam, they finned i^^ him, and fell with him. Hov^^ever, fmce the Vindicator " humbly conceives, the Re- " marker fliould have proved that Adam vfzsfuch a covenant- ^« ing Reprefentative^ &c. and adds. As foon as he fhall " prove fuch a Conftitution with Adafn in Paradife, and that " he was fuch a covenanting Reprefentative, I fhall think " the Revifer a moft unreafonable Man, if he does not re- " traa and mend his Anfwer if" And becaufe a great deal more depends upon this, than is generally thought, we fhall try what may be done for his Satisfadion. We have fhewn, with irrefiflible Evidence, when we were upon ^^efi. I2th. That a Promife of Life and everlafling Happinefs was made to Adam^ upon Condition of perfect Obedience. We alfo there made it evident, beyond all mo- deft Doubt, That the Law given him, was in the Nature of a Covenant. And indeed a Law, with a Promife and Threat- ning annexed, propofed by God, and accepted by Man, has not only the Effentials, but the very Form of a Covenant. What is there wanting to one ? What more could there be, in a^ Covenant, between the Moft High and innocent perfecSt Creatures ? God never px-opofed the Promife of Eternal Life to Man, or any of the Sons of Men, but in the Way of a Covenant. Our good Fathers thought, That Do and live, the Man that doth them Jhall live in them., Gal. iii. 12. was to all Intents and Purpofes, the Tenor of a Covenant. Thus far then, we have done our Bufmefs. It remains only to prove, " That the Cov^enant was made with Adam^ not only " for himfelf, but for his Pofterity, b'f ." That as he was the natural Father, he was alfo fuch a covenanting Reprefentative^ of all that fhould naturally defcend from him, that if he pro- ved faithful, he fhould tranfmit to them all the BlefTmgs of the Covenant as he himfelf enjoyed them, with fufficient Power to fulfil all the Conditions of it : But, if otherwife, he fhould forfeit them for himfelf and them, and bring both himfelf and them under its Threatning and Curfe : Which will thus appear. We cannot think that the Covenant was made with him- felf only, and that his Pofterity were not confidered in it ; nor, to the befl of our Knowledge, do any, who believe t Vhd, p. j8. ( 39 ) there was a Covenant made with him, doubt that all Mankind were included. Why fhould it have been only with hiin ; or why fhould they have been excluded ? l^he Law that was gi- ven him, plainlijp, yea neceflarily, imples the Covenant : But the Law that zuas given him, was written in his Heart, and is ftill, at leaft as to the principal Things in it, written in the Hearts of all Aden \ and therefore, it was to be conveyed, or tranfmitted to all his Pofterity ; and by Confequence, they were all concerned in it. As the Law, fo the Promife gra- cioufly added, was given not only to and for himielf, but for his Defcendants ; for it is llill an infallible Truth, and a Truth, in which all Mankind are highly concerned. That the Man that doth the Things of the Law, Jhall live in thefn. Indeed, this is manifeftly, the very, the only Foundation of NATURAL Religion. We have already proved, That this was the Law given to Jdam ; and, in Reality, it could be no other, becaufe it is written in the Hearts of all Men ; and that the Promife was a Promife of eternal Lifo and Hap- pinefs : Now, if thefe were given to Adam, not only for himfelf, but his Progeny; it will follow undeniably, that they were all comprehended in the Covenant alfo. Admn, 'tis true, was the natural Head of all the human Race ; and, by the Law of Generation, was to communicate the fame Nature he had himfelf, with all its natural Qualities, to all who fhould defcend from him : Now, tho' we fhould upon this Confi- deratipn, be able to account for the Conveyance of a diforder^ ed Mechanifm, corporal Infirmities, and many other Evils ; yet, without the Suppofition o^ fuch a Covenant, it will be very- hard, if not impojfTible, to account for our Lofs of Original Righ- teoufnefs, and the Corruption of Nature which ail find in them- felves ; and abfolutely fo, to account for that Wrath, under which all are born. We, fays the Apoftle fpeaking of himfelf and the believing Ephefians, were by Nature Chil- dren OF Wrath, even as others, Eph. ii. 3. If fo, this is the Cafe of all Men. But, if Adam zvas not fuch a covenanting Reprefentative ; how could this be ? Upon this Suppofition, They were not, upon any Account, guilty ; but fhould have been born as abfolutely innocent, and as free from the Curfe, as Adam was created : Whence then this Wrath ? Yea, How came all to be Children of Wrath ? Again, we cannot fee how it could confift with Juftice, that in Adam all died, if in Adam they had not all fmnned, and been all con- demned alfo: For Death is penal ; but there can be no Pu- nifhment, where there is no Sin, as is felf-evident ; and there- fore, all that die are Sinners. It is a mod certain Truth ; No Guilt, no Death : But all died in Adam, therefore all fin- ned in him. Infants die, therefore they have fmned : But XXit^ have ng gtherwiie iinftedj than in him j and they could not ( 40 ) not have finned in him, or have been any how guilty of his Sin, if there had not been fuch a Covenant ; and if he had not been /uch acovefianting Reprejentative. Which Way foever thefe Things are confidered, they will fatisfy all that believe the Scriptures, of this moft Important Point ; and the more thoroughly we examine them., the more we fhall be confirmed in it. But that which will put it beyond all Doubt, is this. The firft Adam is called a Figure of him that was to comey Rom. V. 14. who is alfo called the fecond, or laft Adam^ I Cor. XV. 45. and they are confidered as two pubiick Per- fons ; one the natural Father of all his Pofterity, and Head of the firll Covenant} the other the fupernatural Father of all his fpi ritual Progeny, and Head of the fecond or new Covenant. The Apolile, in a long and clofe Chain of Reafoning, com- pares them together, and oppofes the one to the other, Kom. v. 12 20. fhewing, That as Adam was the federal Head of all his natural Defcendents, Chriji is the federal Head of all the Elect: That as ^i^w, by the Breach of the firft Covenant, involved all whom he reprefented, in the Guilt and Punijh- ment of it, and conveyed Guilt and Corruption to all his Po- fterity, who came into this World under Sentence of Death, as Children of Wrath \ {oChriJl^ by his Obedience, i. e. his ful- filling the Conditions of the Covenant of Redemption, pur- chafed Right eoiifnefs and £//>, for all for whom he was Surety, which, in his own Time and Way, he acStually applies to them, and beftows upon them : And, That as it was ly one Man Sin entered^ ver. 12. and by one offence, of that one Man^ that Death reigned^ and judgment came upon a 1.1. Men to Condemnation^ ver. 17, 18. and, ashy one Man's Difohe- dience many were made Sinners, ver. 19. which they could not have been, if that one Man's Difobedience had not been theirs^ which neceflarily implies his being fuch a covenanting Rcprefcntative ; fo it was by the Right eovfjiefs of o'NE^ even ChriJl^ that the free Gift came upon all Men unto Jujii^ fication of Life^ and by the Obedience (j/^one, that many shall be made righteous; ver. 17 — 19. How many Truths may we learn from thefe PalTages ! And how do thefe Things, thus oppofed, fet off each other ! The one Of- fence of one Man^ could not have been actually committed by the Perfons of all his Pofterity ; and yet could not have been accounted theirs, if he had not been fuch a covenanting Repre- fentative, that his Offence (hould be juftly reckoned their Of- fence ^ and be actually imputed to them as the Ground, the righteous Caufe, of the Condemnation which came upon them. And the Right eoufnefs^ the Obedience of Chrifl^ upon the Ac- count ofzvhich^ ail that derive fpi ritual Life from him, are juftified^ was not, could not poflibly be the perfonal Obedience of his People, and confequ-ently could no otherwife be their Righte- (41 ) Ri^hteoufnefs, but by gracious Imputation : But, there could have been no Ground for this Imputation^ if -he had not been fuch a covenanting Reprefentative^ as to have been inade under the Law for them, and to have fulfilled all Right eoujiiefs^ Mat. iii. 15.- in their Name and Stead. Many niore Things might be offered from this glorious Context, and from i Cor, XV. ver. 21, 22. and ver. 45 — 50. Royn. iii. 21 — 29. Rhil. iii. y II. Rom. viii. ver. l — 5, ^6". But, the fe may fuf- fice for our prefent Purpofe, to confirm this momentous Truth, upon v/hich fo much depends. Every one may fee from thefe Hints, Thnt the Conftitution of the New Cove- venant, verv much illuftrates this Point ; that it cannot be fo well conce'ved, without confidering That 5 and, thai: each fets ofF the other. But nothing will pleafe our Author, if it is not proved,. « That Adam was fuch a covenanting Reprefentative of all « that fhould at any Time be born into the World, that, in " Cafe he tranfgrefled ,the divine Law, {hrcke the Covenant) « every one 0/ them fhould thereby be under Guilt, liable to <« be tortured for the Sin of Adam^ by their own Confciences, ^' and the Wrath of God exerting itfelf upon them, to all •< Eternity." That every one of them fnould be, and indeed was, brought under Guilt for the Sin of Adam., is as certain, as That Death paji upon the?n all for it. That they not only fhould be, but aaually were brought under JVrath for it, is as fure as the Apoflle's Words can make it, We were by Na- ture Children of JVrath, as well as others. That none of them could have poflibly redeemed themfelves from this Wrath, is evident ; for, the Redemption of the Soul is precious, and it ceafethfor ever. That Adam loft his original Right eoufnejs, is manifeftj and he could not tranfmit that to his Pofterity, which himfelf had loft : That his whole Nature was corrupted, cannot be denied ; and confequently, he could con^^ey no other Na- ture to his Defcendants, than what himfelf had : And hence we conclude. That the Lofs of original Righteotfiefe, and the Corruption of our whole Nature, are Punilhments of the firft: Sin; and the fad Evidences, as well as juft EfFedls, of God's Wrath for it. None of us, could ever, by any Efforts of our own, regain this original Righteorfnefs ; nor have done any Thing acceptable to God, had it not been in fome Meafure, re- Jiored: None of us, could have ever poflibly purified our Natures from this Corruption ; nor can any Punifijment, how • great, or long foever, cleanfe the Sinner from any Sin, and the Defilement that attends it : And therefore, had not Mercy interpofed, Adam, and every one of his Race, had lain under this Wrath for ever. But how, or how far farther, God's Wrath would ha\e exerted itfelf, upon the Suppofitions, That any of his Progeny had died in Infancy, and we were furc G ' tliey ( 42 ) they could have never polTibly contraded any more GiXilt, and God had not entered into a new Covenant with them, we know not : Nor need we enquire. But now, that we know of another Covenant, none {hall be faved, whofe Sins are not pardoned^ and whofe Natures are not renewed and fanSfified^ according to the Tenor of it. Adult Sinners ftiall fufFer the Wrath of God, to all Eternity, not only for the Sin of Adam^ but for their own aSiual^ perfonal Sins; and that, according to their Number, Nature, and Aggravations. As for Infants dying fuch, many have thought that they are all faved through Chriji \ and they plead for themfelves, That there is nothing in Scripture dire<3:ly againft it. As for the Children of Believers, I conceive, we have fufficient Satis- f26i:ion from the Scriptures, as to their Happinefs : But, if any of the Children of the Heathen, or of thofe who are only Chriftians in Name, fhall not be faved, their Punifhment in another World, will be inconceivably lefs than theirs, who linned againft all the Means ufed to • lead them to Repentance, St. Jujlin himfelf, the Durus Pater Infantum (as many very iuftly called him, for his harfh Opinion of the unhaptized In- fant, Seed, even of the Faithful, into which he was drawn by miftaking that famous Text, John iii. 5.) thought the State of non-eleSf Children^ in a future Life, would be much prefer- able to Annihilation; fo that they fhould have no Reafon to complain of any Injuftice. As for the Torture of Confcience^ he fpeaks of, I hum.bly conceive none are liable to it, but for iheir own Ferfonal Sins. It is no Part of the Puniftiment threatned in the Law, and inflicted by God : But arifes, from the natural Conftitution of the Sinner, and his reflecting upon his own Crimes and Folly, which have made him not only guilty, and fo expofed him, and that juftly, to Punifhment, but vile and odious, wholly unworthy of the Favour of God, and altogether unmeet for the Enjoyment of That, which alone can aiake him happy j fo that he can neither enjoy God nor him- felf. And we know. That the Guilt of Sin has been imputed^ and the Funij%nent of it infiSfed, to the very uttermofi of what it deferves^ where there was not, could not, be any Liablenefsy to any Torture of Confcience. After all, I would ask our Au- thors, *' as in the Profpe6t of the awful Day of Judgment, *' Whether they themfelves believe. That any one Sinner y even ** the vilejly is fo under Guilty as to be liable to be tortured • ^' by their own Confciences, and the Wrath of God exerting ^^ itfelf upon them, to all Eternity^'' 17 Queft. Into what EJiate did the Fall bring Mmkindi 4nl (43 ) Anf, The Fall brought Mankind into an Eftat^ of Sin and Mifery y. ^ Rom. V. 1 2-— 20. I Cor. xv. 21, 22; Eph. ii. 3, t^c. 1 8 Queft. Wherein conjijis the Sinfulnefs of that Eft ate whereinto Man fell? Anf The Sinfulnefs of that Eftate whereinto Man fell, confifts in the Guilt of Adam'^ firft Sin 2;, the want of original Righteoufnefs a^ and the Corruption of his whole Nature, which is commonly called original Sin b^ together with all aftual Tranfgreffions which proceed from it c. % Rom. V. 12. and 17--20. i Cor. xv. 21, 22. l^c. a kom. iii. 10. Job. xiv. 4. ch. XV. 14. ch. xxv. 4, ^c. b Gen. viii. 2t* Pfal. li. 5. John iii. 5, 6. Eph. ii. 1—3. Rom. vii. 17, ^d r Rom. vii. 8, 11, 13. and 17—24. Jer. xvii. 9. Mat. xv. 19, 20. James i. 15, i^c. In this Anfwer, the Aflembly begin with, " THE Guilt* OF Adam's first Sin," which being the Sin of our /f- deral Head, was indeed the Sin, not of one Perfon only, but of the whole human Nature ; and is therefore imputed to all his natural Defcendants, as their Sin. In whom all have finned. In Adam all die. It is appointed unto Men once to die* Death therefore came not as a Confequent of Nature, but by the judicial Appointment of Heaven. By Man, and by Man only^ came Death. All die; therefore all are Guilty, They then mention, "the want of original Righte- ousness," i, e. that Innocence, Purity and Uprightnefs, wherewith Adam was created. That this is loft, is many Ways undeniable.— The Scriptures every where teftify it, uni- verfal Experience confirms it, and the Necefllty of bcirig horn again., created again., renewed after the Image of God., &c. de-* monftrate it. As this was natural to Man in his firft State, and abfolutely neceflary towards anfwering the End of his Creation, we cannot but look upon the want of it, as the Fruit of our Guilt, and a Part of the Puniftiment of the firft Sin. Had not this Righteoufrefs been loft, we ftiould never have died j had not been Children of Wrath ; and had never tafted the Miferies, to which we are now liable., even before! we are capable oi' ^ doing either Good or Evil. "From it we «« fell thro' Adcm'^ firft TranfgreiTion* ." But we had ne- f R(v. p. 8. G 2 vet ( 44 ) ver fallen, If we had never finned ; and therefore, it is upcrii the Account of our being Partners in his Guilt, that God in Judgment withholds it from us. As for "the Cor- " RUPTION OF OUR WHOLE NaTURE," It is One of thofe melancholy Truths, which is fuppofed and witneiTed unto, in innumerable PafTages of the Bible : It is a Funda- mental in Chriftianity ; and is obferved, feen, and felt, in and ^ all Men. The Scriptures alTure us, not only, that in nsy that is in cur Flejh^ dwells no good Thing; Rom. vii. 1 8. that we are by Nature void of all fpiritnal Good, and every Thing pleafmg and acceptable to God ; but, that we are blind, impotent, perverfe, guilty ; yea, unclean and loathfome in his Sight. More particularly, That our Under/landings are na- turally darknedy and our JEyesJIrut ; yea, that we love Dark- nejs : Eph. iv. i8. Acts xxvi. i8. John iii. 19, ^f. That our Mearts, are hard and Jlony^ deceitful above all Things^ and def- perately wicked: Ezek. xxxvi. 20. Jer. xvii. 9, ^c. That our fVills are perverfe, rebellious, obftinate, untraftable, and un- governable, refufmg and kicking againft the Yoke of God's Commandments, and impatient and reftlefs under the Yoke of his Providence : Pfal. Ixxxi. 11. Ezek, ii. 3—8. John V. 40. Jer. xxxi. i8,^r. That oux Affe^ions are difordered, de- bafed, polluted, and carnal, alienated from the Love of God, and wholly deprefled and imm.erged in Senfe, plunged and funk in the Love of Self 2Xi^ the Creature: If. Iv. 2. Jer. xliv. 15—26. Eph. ii. 2, 3. Phil. iii. 19, ^c. That our Co-nfciences, are not only neither fo tender, nor (o faithful, as they would have been, had we been innocent; but very liable to miihke, too eafily brib'd and hufliM, and apt to grow fenfelefs and pajl feelings till they become at laft quite feared: Jer. vi. 15. Eph. iv, 19. I Tim. iv. 2, ^c. That our Pajftons and Appetites are not only irregular, but clamorous, impetuous, and infati- able: Ro7n. i. ver. 24—32. Deut, xxix. 19. Rom. xiii. 13. ^c. And in a Word, That we are not fufficient of our felves^ to think any Tlnng as ofourfelves^ 2 Cor. iii. 5. So far from it. That eve- ry Imagination^ every Defire, Purpofe, Motion, of our Hearts^ is only evil continually . Gen. vi. 5. If. Ixiv. 6. Every Incli?iation evil! only evil! continually evil ! Yea, fo univerfally depraved are we. That the Prophet laments even over the Church, We are all as an unclean "Things aud all our Righteoifneffes^ our beft Things, our belt Services, are asfilthy Rags, &c. The Car- iSTAL A^iND, and there is no other Mind in Sinners, by Na- ture, but the carnal Mindy is not only an Enemy, but Enmi- ty AGAINST God: Fcr it is not fuh}s5l to the Law of God! neither indeed can be. This, ah This, is the hum- bling Account, the Bible gives us, of the Corruption of our whole Nature ! There is no need of Exaggeration here : Indeed it is hardly polfibk, And were it not iQX rejiraining Grace, (45 ) Grace, this World, as to Wickednefs, would be but little better than Hell. It is true, all thefe horrible Things, do not appear as foon as we are born ; we are not then capable of them : But as foon as we give any Signs of Reafon, this univerfal Corruption foon difcovers itfelf, many Ways, to the Amazement, the Sorrow and Humiliation, of all that feri- oufly obferve them. How foon do Infants appear to be vain, proud, revengeful ! ^c. How foon, alas ! even under all the Ad- vantages of the moft prudent Education, and moft pious Ex- amples, do they learn to deceive, cover their Faults, lay the Blame of them upon others, lie ! ^r. How foon, alas ! do many of them fhew the Averfion that is in them to every Thing that is Good, and a melancholy indelible Propenfion to Evil ! And, were it not for the Interpofition of Providence and Grace, every fuch Creature, we may be fure, would grow worfe and worfe, to the laft Moment of their Exiftence. Let Pelagiamzers now go, and deny, or extenuate, or fmother, all this ', and, by fo doing, give the Lie to the only true Gcd^ and confront their own Senfe and Experience, and that of all Mankind. Their Softenings and Wrigglings, do but the more confirm thefe affe^iing Truths. This Corruption the AfTem- bly tells us, " is commonly cAlled original SiNj'' not that it was originally in Man in his firft Eftate, but becaufe it is conveyed to us with our Natures, from our firft Conception. Behold^ I was Jhapen in Iniquity : and in Sin did my Mother conceive me^ Pfal. li. 5. See Gen. v. iii. They add, "together with all actual Trans- gressions WHICH proceed from it." That thefc make up a great Part of the Sinfulnefs of our Ejiate^ will be eafily granted -, and that they all proceed from it, is evident of itfelf. As is the Fountain, fo are the Streams. As is the Tree, fo is the Fruit. As is the Nature, fo are the AcSls. But, notwithftanding thefe copious and evident Proofs, the Revifer is not pleafed with thefe Things, but gives quite ano- ther Queftion, and as different an Anfwer, thus. 17 Qiiefl. How did the Fall bring Mankind, into a State of Sin ? An/. The Fall brought Mankind into a State of Sin, as in Confequence of the Fall, Men were born with lefs perfed Conftitutions then Adam was created with^ were more llrongly inclined to Evil, as alfo lefs able and difpofed to Good;^, which became an unhappy In- lett to aduai TranfgrefTions (?, and Habits of Wick- ednefs p. If Jobxiv. 4, James i, 15, p B.om. vii, 25, Here (46 ) Here is a great deal of F elagianifm^ fomewhat too barefaced, which yet the Vindicator fets himfelf to fupport, without mincing a Title. I want to know v/hat he means by, " in «' Confequence of the Fall." ^c. We have proved, that all Men finned in Adam^ and, as an irrefragable Evidence of this, that they all died in him. If he means any Thing lefs, he con- ceals from his Pupils a moft neceffary Truth. He grants <' that the Fall gave Occafion to our Sin*," but not that Adairi^ Sin is ours. He allows " that Men were born with «' lefs perfe61: Conftitutions," ^c. V/hen God created Man, *' he was certainly perfe6l in his Kind ; God f aw every Tiding he had made^ and behold it was very good^ Gen. i. 31. " He was not however fo perfe6l, but there was Occafion for the . *' Tree of Life' ^ He might juft as well have faid, that he had need of Meat and Drink. Had he fpoken like a Chriftian, he had plainly told us, that all Men are now by Nature Chil- dren of JVrath^ Eph. ii. 3. that they have in them Bodies of Sin and Deathy Rom. vii. 24, ^c. But we are fure, that was not the Cafe with Adam^ before the Fall. To go on, *' were more ftrongly inclined to Evil." He allowed, Anf. 9, *' That Man was created after God's own hnage^ in Kmw- *' ledge^ Right eoufnefsy and Holinefs : " And if fo, he could not then be any how inclined to any Evil. Let him reconcile thefe, if he can. He will however fupport this, and asks, " Was " it not always naturpJ to Man, as Man, to have fenfitive *' Appetites and Inclinationsf ? " Yes, Ada?n had a Body, as well as Soul. It v/as no Evil to be hungry or thirfty ; or to eat when he was hungry, or drink when he was a dry ; or, if it had, our Lord Jefus Chrift himfelf had been guilty ; for even He was hungry and thirfly. " And would not thefe, if not *' reftrained by Reafon, have naturally led him to Actions *' forbidden by the Law ofGod+?" Why truly this deftroys his own Caufe. If he had not had Reafon, he would have na- turally followed his fenfitive Appetites, as other fenfitive Ani- mals do. But he had Reafon, upright fanSfified Reafon^ and his fenfitive Nature being alfo holy, and wholly fubjedl: to his Reafon, he was no Way, could be no Way, inclined to Evil. It was no Sin to defire to eat of the Tree of Knowledge, had it not been forbidden^ any more than of any other Tree of the Garden: But being forbidden, there was fuch 2i happy Order in him, and his fenfitive Nature was fo thoroughly fubjeSl to his Willy and his IVill fo innocent and pure^ well difpofed, and fo ready to follow his enlightJied^ upright Reafon^ that he was no Way inclined to tranfgrefs the Law of God ; and might have given perfeSJ Obedience^ to the Covenant he was under. Mr. Baxters Authority, is of no Weight againft * Find, p. 39, f ibid, p. 40. J ibid, what 1 ( 47 ) what has been fald ; and, as he quotes him, his Words are manifeftly falfe*. " That Adam had an Appetite to the for- <^ bidden Fruit, was not his Sin ; but that his Will obeyed *' his Appetite, ^f." Had not the Tree of Knowledge been forbidden^ he might, no doubt, have innocently defired it, as well as the Fruit of any other Tree ; but fuppofing it forbid^ den^ an Appetite to it could not but be Evil. Every Mo- tion, Inclination, or Appetite, after v/hat is forbidden^ is, and cannot but be Sin. Withal, if he was, by Nature,' 2Lny how inclined to SiN, then God muft have been the Author of it, who was the Author of his Nature, and made him with fuch Inclinations ; but this is fhocking Blafphemy. Here he turns quick upon us, " If this be to caft a hard Reflexion upon the *' Holy God his Maker, then our Doctrines of Men, being *' wholly corrupt by Nature, muft alfo bear hard upon him^ " for God is the Maker- of all Menf." But the Cafe is no Way alike. God does not make Man now, as he did Adam, Him he made, immediately ; and confequently, whatever Flaw, Imperfedtion, or Evil, was in his Nature, was undeniably from the Maker : But he makes other Men, by the Interven- tion of their Parents ; and their Imperfections and Evils they have from them, even as they have Difeafes and Infirmities from them. Reafon may convince us. That the firft of every Species, muft have been perfe20. And were hy Nature Children of Wrath ^ even as ethers^ he. "It fubjeded us to the Difeafes and Pains at- <' tending it." Yes furely! If to Mortality.^ to all that is implied in it. " And as it gave Occafion to more numerous " Temptations." But how could it do this, if by the Fall, they ar€ not become unclean and corrupt, and if o/« did not dwell in them ? And how could we derive ^in from our fir^ Parents, and not derive Guilt from them ? " By yielding to '' which, they loft Communion with God." Why, then it feems they did not lofe it before. But what Communion hath Light ivith Darknefs ? 2 Cor. vl. 14. The Vindicator's ftudied Shinefs, or fcrmething elfe, is here very obfervable. '' What, could we have no Communication of Afliftance " from Godf ? " Yes ; but this is not Communion. He com- municates many AUiftances to Thoufiinds, who never had any Communion ivith him. " But the Remarker cavils becaufe '' God's Wrath and Curfe are not mentioned." And if thefe are the principal Ingredients in the Mifery, .into which the Fall and our other Sins have brought us ; why are they not mentioned ? If they are not ; why did he not plainly tell him as much ? The Sanction of the Law is, Curfcd is everyone^ &c. We are hy Nature Children of Wrath. "And " to eternal Death, as the Confequence of all." The Word Confequence., is too loofe, ambiguous, and low, to exprefs the Defert of Sin : And, Eternal Death is a fufpicious Phrafe, in one, who prides himfelf, (tho' without the leaft Appear- ance of Truth) in being for " a fcriptural Religion." In the Bible we find the ExpreiTions, Eternal fudgment^ Heb. vi. 2. Eternal Damnation^ Mark ili. 29. Eternal Fire^ Jude vii. but no where the Words, Eternal Death. I know they are very fairly implied in Rom. vi. 23. But, from him, a Phrafe literally found in Scripture, and ufed in the fame Senfe the Scripture ufes it, would have done better. The Aflembly exprefs their Scnfs fully, and in Terms apt to excite Horror : But this Author, I am afraid, gave it thus, to oblige Jiis Friends the SocinianSy who by the Words Eternal Death, do not mean Eternal Life in Misery, as one of them loved to fpeak, but a State of Infenfibility, or Aftni- hilatlon, or a ceasing to be^ for ever. This I This is the Notion that has fo much corrupted the World of late ! * /'W. p. 43. i" ih'd. And ( 57 ) And no wonder. The poor Heathen had not got this Knack of quieting their awakened Confciences. The inextinguifhable Fears, which feem natural to Sinners, utterly confute it. Our blefled Saviour every where taught the contrary. He fpeaks frequently of utter Darknejsy where there is weep* ING, WAILING, and GNASHING ofTeeth; Mat, viii. 12. of EVERLASTING FiRE prepared fir the Devil and his Angels-, ch. xxv. 41. of a Worm that dieth NOT, and of a Fire that is not quenched: Mark ix. 44. &c. &c. But let him fay what he will, fome Men, We know, will defire to be excufed. 20 Queft. Did God league all Mankind td pe^ rijh in the EJlate of Sin and Mifery ? Anf, God having out of his mere good Plea^ fure, from all Eternity eleded fome to everlafting Life^, did enter into a Covenant of Grace to de- liver them out of the Eftate of Sin and Mifery /&, and to bring them into an Eftate of Salvation. by a Redeemer/, g Eph. 1. 4. 2 Tim. i. 9. A£ls xiii. 48. Rom. viii. 29, 30. 2 Their, ii. 13. h Ifa. liii. 5—12. John iii. 16. 2 Rom. iii, 21—27. If. xlix. 6. ^r. 19 Qiieft. Did God league Mankind to perifh in the EJlate of Sin and Mifery ? Anf. God having out of his mere good Pleafiire piirpofed from Eternity to fhevv fpecial Favour to Man- kind "m;, did enter into a Covenant of Grace, to de- liver them out of a State of Sin and Mifery, and to bring them into an Eftate of Salvation by a Re- deemer x, nv I Pet. 1. 19, 20. X Gen. iii. 15. Gen. xxvi. 4. John iii. 16^ Upon this, the Remarker * obferved, *' that the Revifer ha- *' ving left out the Word all^ and fhut out every Apprehen- '^ fiqn of particular EleSlion^ left Room to fuppofe, that' *' (jr|^ purpofed to {he-w fpecial Favour to every Individual,—^ *' anoP entered into a Covenant of Grace with them all, and *f equally alike, i^fc" To which the Vindicator replies, * Rm> p' 22. I *' Her§ (58 ) <6 Here is no Intimation that all are to be faved^ but only tc that all are brought into a State of Salvation ; '' and lell this fhould be thought too much, he adds, " or into a fal- cc rjahle State.— T\\2it Mr. Baxter has efFe^ually proved it-— <« That it is fpecial Favour to make their Salvation pojfible^ <« it being more than is given to fallen Angek. If the «' Doctrine of univerfal Redemption be right, all muft be «' included in the Covenant, yet they may not be included <« alike^ fo as to be equally favoured in this World *." In which, every Word fhould have been explained. Many have been apt to think, That all the Redeemed, fliall be 'faved ', that the Redemption purchafed by Chrift^ clearly implies Eter- nal Salvation in it ; that to be redeemed^ is undoubtedly more than to be in a falvable State; that it is a very low Appre- henfion of the Undertaking of Chrift, That it was to make the Salvation of Mankind poffihle ; that it was certainly pof- ftble^ in order of Nature, before the very Purpofe of Re- demption ; that Chrift equally redeems all vjhom he redeems^ 5cc. They will be apt to enquire, what he means by being included in the Covenant, and what Covenant he intends ? How all can be included, and not all alih. And whether the Covenant made v^ith all Men, is only for Favours in this IVorld, equal or unequal ? ^c. They will perhaps ima- gine. That the four Texts quoted, are fo far from proving any of the Points they are cited for, that they rather over- throw them. In the firft, i Pet. i. 19, 20. the very Words, and the whole Context, feem direftly againft thefe Notions, without any even the moft diftant Hint, of univerfal Re- demption : The fecond. Gen. iii. 6. I will put Enmity between thee arid the TVoman^ between thy Seed and her Seed, is evidently and abfolutely inconfiftent with them: The third. Gen. xxvi. 4. If it proves any Thing to his Purpofe, it proves too much, even that all Mankind fhall be faved ; at leaft, that all Nations fhould be equally blejfed ; whereas, it is evident, they are not; but indeed, the four living Crea- tures^ and the four and twenty Elders explain it, in their Song, Rev. v. 9. Thou haji redeemed vs to God by thy Bloody OUT OF EVERY Kindred^ and Tongue., and People^ und Nation : The fourth, John iii. 16. God fo loved the World, i^c. is to much the fame Purpofe; He loved the JVorld^ i. e. fallen Man, not fallen Angels ; the Gentiles as well as the Jezvs ; or, fome of all Nations. The Bl.e.ffing promifed is exprefly limited to them that believe on him : But the greateft Part never heard of him^ and none can believe on hi/n, of whom they never heard; Rom. x. 17. and therefore it is evident, that this Text does any Thing r^ither than * T/W. p. 43, & 44, prove (59) prove tinlverfal Redemption. Many will naturally believe. That if God Jo .loved all, and every Man, that he gave his only-begotten Son, either for them, or to them, he would with him alfo freely give them all Thitigs ; which we are fare he does not. But, becaufe this is a very tender Point, and v/hat many, who truly fear God, and love the Lord Jefus Chriji in Sincerity^ cannot bear, inftcad of pufhing thefe Things, and many the Jike, any farther ; or alledging that Dr. Owen did as eftedu- ally difprove all this, as ever Mr. Baxter proved it ; we fhall only add, in our Author's own Words : " If the Scripture *' had plainly faid any fuch Thing, the AfTembly would *' doubtlefs have inferted it.— If the Vindicator or Revifer, is *' for being wife, beyond what is written, and will take it " upon him to fay,. That this was God's Defign in fending " a Redee?ner into the World, to bring every natural Son of '^ Adam, into a falvahle State,— to make their Salvation /)5y^ '« fible, — and that all are included in the Covenant, hut not <' alike, kc. Yet unlefs he had proved himfelf, or his " Voucher infpired, this can be no Rule to the Remarker, *' or to any one elfe. And as foon as he fhall prove all *' he has faid, I fhall think the Remarker a moft unrea- *' fonable Man, if he does not retrad, and mend his «« Opinion *. " But when he has done all this as effectually, and more fo than ever Mr. Baxter did, we muft Itill infill upon it. That the AfTembly's Anfwer bd continued in the Catechifm ; be- caufe. All that they have in it, even t^e Election offo?ne par- ticular Perfons, to everlafiing Life, &c. was Ten Thoufand Times more effectually proved, by the very fame Mr. Baxter ; and is, to fpeak modeftly, as neceffary upon many Accounts to be taught, and inculcated upon Children, as their beloved -Notion of univerjal Redemption, (or, as I think they fhould rather fay, the univerfal Ranfom) with all that is prefuppofed to, implied in, or confequent upon it, could they make them never fo evident. There is not any one Point more clearly, fully, nor frequently found in the Bible than This, Indeed one 'cannot read that holy Book, but he mufl fee it, whether he will or no ; and hence, all Parties are forced to have an Election, of one Sort or other, in their Scheme : Nor can we think it polTible, to preach the Gofpel, without it. That there are foine only that ivere given to Chrijly ALL OF WHOM Jhall come to hi?n, John vi. 37—39. That fome were chosen in him before the Foundation of the World, and that not becaufe God forefaw they would hi holy, hut THAT THEY SHOULD ^^ ^i?/^ .* — Eph. i. 4, 5. \['hat there are fome particular Perfons, that were foreknown^ * Find. p. 38. ( 6o ) predeflinaied^ ordained TO eternal Life :-- Rom. viii. 29, 30. Afts xiii. 48. That there were fome Individuals, de- figned for Chrijf s Sheep^ his Children^ his People^ the living Members of his Body, his Church, &c. John x. 11-31. Heb. ii. 13, 14. Mat. i. 21. i Cor. xii. 27. That fome, even a certain Number, are predejiinated according to the Purpofe^ which he purpofed in hi?nfelf Eph. i. 9. if^c. Some who are Caved and called, not according to their Works, hut accor- ding TO HIS OWN Purpose and Grace, which was given them in Chriji before the World began 2 Tim. i. 9. 2 Thef. ii. 13. ^c. and many other Things might have been added : That all thefe, we fay, are as true as the Word of God can make them, is fo manifeft, that it is impoffible to read and believe the Bible, but we muft take thefe along with us. That Chrift was fent to fave all thefe Perfons, /. e, to give his Life for them, to hear their Sins, to be made a Sin- Off ering for them, to redeem them from the Curfe, to call, to lead, to be their Head and Prince, their Surety, Peace, In- ierceffor, &c. in a Word, to fave them from their Sins, from Satan, the World, Death, and Hell, he. and that he ai^u- ally does all this, cannot be doubted by any, who believe. That the Scriptures are not only a fufficient, but our principal Kule. Seeing then. This is fo effential a Part of the Gofpel ; that the Aflembly have no more in their Anfwer ; and that many cannot help wondring, with what Face, or upon what Account, particular E legion could be wholly dropt, in a Revifal of any Thing that was theirs : When he has proved his own Opinion, we muft ftand to it. That he reftore it to us, as a Treafure, yea, the Source, and Foundation of all our Hope J which he may eafily do, only altering the Queftion thus. But did not God chufe a certain Number, purpofmg in himfelf, to bring them to Eternal Life? To which, the Afi'em- bly's Words will be a very natural Reply. If he does not, ^' he v/ill do well to confider, that God has appointed a Day « in the which he will judge the Secrets of Men, and that ^' in the awful Time of Judgment, Chriftian Simplicity and *' Integrity will turn to much better Account, than walking in ?' Craftinefs, and uftng the Words, (and let me add Things) «' which Man's Wtfdom ieacheth *." 21 Queft. Who is the Redeemer of God's EM? Anf. The only Redeemer of God's Eled:/^, is the Lord Jefus Chrift i, who being the eternal Son of God m^ became Man ;?, and fo was, and ^ Find. p. 42, (6i ) contlnueth to be God and Man ^, in two diftlnd Natures/, and one Perfonj', for everr. ^Aas iv. 12. I Tim. ii. 5. 1 Pet. i. 18—22. Rev. v. 3. ^fr. /Aasxv. II. I Cor. viii. 6. i^c. m]Q\m\. 18. ch. iii. 16. ch. V. I7»..*2' ch. xvii. 5. Rom. viii. 32. ^V. n John i. 14. 01 Tim. iii. 16. ^c, /» Rom. ix. 5. Heb. iii. 3 — 7. ^Aftsxx. 28. Eph. iv. 5. rHeb. vii. 25. (s'c, to Qiief!:. /^/70 is the Redeemer cf Mankind ? Anf, The only Redeemer of Mankind is the Lord Jefus Chriftj^', who being the eternal Son of God 5;, afllimed the human Nature, or became Man a^ and fo was, and continues to be, both God and Man b^ per- fectly qualified to be a proper and all-fufficient Sa- viour c. y I Tim. ii. 5, 6. % John i. i8. ch. xvii. 5, ' a John i. 14^ b Rom. ix. 5. c Heb. iv. 24. This Anfwer, and the very next, had we no more of the AfTembly's, are fufficient to conciliate Regard to that venera- ble Body ; if we confider, how fhort they are, and yet how full ; how clear and eafy, and yet how very comprehenfivc. In this, we have the Refolutions, of three of the firft four famous General Councils^ very fLiccin61:ly and clearly propofed, and feveral other points of Faith, fairly and briefly declared, in Oppofition to a great Variety, of the moft pernicious and damnable Errors. It determines for the eternal Gene- ration of the Son, and confequently for his Coessen- T I A L I T Y with the F A T H E R , againft the Anti-Trinitarians of all forts : FortheUNiTY of the Person of our Sa- viour, againft the Error imputed to Nejlorius^ who was charged with making two P e r so n s,'and, confequently, two Christs : For- the everlasting Distinction of the two Natures in the one Perfon^ againft EutycheSy and his Followers, who, fome way or other, confounded and blended them together, or dreamed that one was swallow'd UP of the 'd, to " {zy undergoing the Wrath of God; that it was not according '' to the flricftefi; Senfe of. Mat. xxvii. 46. and did not agree " with our Lord's own Words, Johnx. 17. Therefore ^dotb *' my Father love me^ becaufe I lay down my Life^ that I may *' take it again *." In which, there is a great deal of Socinian Poifbn, vented in foft Terms, and with a crafty Air ! The Words of the Law are exprefs. He that is hanged is ac- cursed OF God, Heb. the Curse of God, Deut. xxf. 23. That this was fpoken with refpect to Chrift, w'ho was to undergo this execrable Punifhment, is as plain as Words can pofTibly make it, from that mofl comfortable Text, Chriji hath redeeirixdiisfrom /^^ Curse of the Laiv^ i. e. the wdiole that the Law threatened againfl all our Breaches of it : But how did he this, why, being made a Curse, i.e. underging all that the Law threatened ; for us, in our Name and Place, that we might never bear it ourfelves. How did this appear ? For it is written^ curfed is every one that hang£th on a Tree^ Gal. iii. 13. ^ Now, where there is a Curfe^ there is necefia- rily Wrath : And he that was made a Curfe for us, did of Ne- ceiTitj undergo that Wrath, which would have waxed hot againll: us for ever. Tl^e Wrath of God is revealed fro7n Heaven againjl allUngodlinefs, and Unrighteoufnefs of Men ; Rom. i. 18, And if fo, he that took our Sins, aud bear them in his own Body on the Treei I Pet. ii. 24. did, moft certainly, undergo that Wrath., which was due to them. Chrifl, as a Priefl, fays the Revifer, '' offered himfelf once a Sacrifice, to fatisfy for our Sins '.'^ But to fatisfy for Sin, in the Language of Heathens, Jews, and Chriffians, of all Sorts, antient and modern, /'. e. in the Language of all Mankind, except the wretched Socinians, is X.O fiiffer, hear, and undergo, what is due to it: And Sin, he himlelf confelTeth, deferves God's Wrath and Curfe j where- fore, if Chrifl did indeed fatisfy for our Sins, he mofl certainly underwent the Wrath of God. All Sacrifices for 'Sin, were devofcd tQ Deitrudlion, and confequently accurfed j and there- * ^•«^. p. 46. fore (72) fdre Chrift, who was a Sin-OfFering, was undoubtedly ?nade a Ciirfe for us. This is indeed a very emphatic Phrafe, which we fhould not have dared to ufe, had we not found it in our Bi- bles ; but it is neither more ftrong, nor more ftrange, than that, HE MADE HIM TO beSin FOR US. The Nature and End of all the atoning Sacrifices of old, efpecially if we take in the vifible Way of God's teftifying his Acceptance of them, viz. hy Fire from Heaven., which confumed them, clearly and evidently pointed out thefe Things, i. That Sin deferved God's Wrath, and that the Offerers acknowledged as much. 2. That God would neither pardon Sin, nor accept of the Sinner, without a Satisfaftion. Without fhedding of Blood, there ivas no Remijfion^ Heb. ix. 22. 3. That, becaufe the Sinner himfelf could make no Satisfaction 3 and if the Wrath he deferved, had been poured out upon him, it would have burnt for ever ; and becaufe God intended Favour for him : He was pleafed to accept of a vicarious Punifhment, and to order a Sacrifice to be offered inffead of the Offender, which was evidently a Type of Chrift, ' T H E great atoning Sa- crifice. 4. That the Sacrifice was offered, not only for the Sinners good., but in his Name, and Place., and Stead : And therefore, the Offerer was to lay his Hand upon the Head of the Sacrifice., Lev. i. 4. 8. chap. iii. 2. thereby fubftituting it in his room ; and confefs his Sin, or Sins, over it, chap. iv. 4. and fo putting them upon its Head, chap. xvi. 21, l^c. thereby t ran f- ferring them to, and laying them upon it. And now the Sa- crifice, being thus charged, was reputed guilty, and the Of- ferer thus far innocent, as being cleared of them. Indeed, in the very Nature of Things, there can be no Sin-Offeririg, or no fathfying for Sin, but by a true aud proper, Siihftitution, 5. The Creature to be facrificed, though innocent in itfelf, yet being now charged zvith the Sins of the Offerer, was devo- ted to DeJtru5lion, and typically the Object of God's wrath, 6. That the holy and righteous God, would never pour out that Wrath upon the Offerer, which was typically poured out upon the Sacrifice. The Death of the Sacrifice, was then the Sinner's Life. And therefore, 7. That when the Fire of God fell from Heaven, and confumed the Sacrifice, he thereby fignihed, that he \\2A poured upon it his fierce Anger, and that being now appeafed, he would pardon, accept, and blefs the Offerer. Now, fince all thefe Things were typical of the great Sacrifice, i. e. of Chriji's offering himfelf a Sacrifice ; feeing they all pointed to him, and were moft evidently fulfilled in him, when God laid the Iniquities of us all upon him, made him to he Sin, and made him a Curfe for us, it is manifeft, beyond all Contradic- tion, That as a Sin-Offering, he was charged with all the Guilt of his People ; was juhjlitute, in their Naine, and ffead ; was devoted to fuffer what they ought tQ have fuffered 3 and confe- quentl^, (73 ) ^H6ntly, that he aSiually underwent the V/r a T h OF God, and the Curfe of the Lawy i. e, whatfoever all your Sins deferved, or that his holy Law had threatned againft them. But, becaufe this is a Matter of the greateft Importance, coniider, That the Punifhment of Sin has been frequently di- vided into. The Pain or Punljhment of Lojs^ and the Pain of Senfe ; both of them necefTarily imply Wrath ; and Chrift fuf- fered them both. As to the former, the Revifer grants, ** that hewasdefertedofGodfor a Seafon^'^ quoting that Text^ and about the ninth Hour^ y^fa^ cried with a loud Voice ^ Mir God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me*. Now, who can ufe, who can conceive our Lord's Thoughts^ or defcribe his State, when thofe moft moving, dreadful Words were forced from him, after he had hardly fpoke a Syllable for three Hours ? And did he not then undergo the Wrath of Godf For a divine Perfon^ as our Author allows him to be, to be de^ fertedy in fuch a Cafe, to fuch a Degree, and in fuch Circum- ftances, where there was no Wrath, is impoilible. What fhould be the Reafon of it ? What End could it anfwer, upon the Suppofition that he was not fuffering for our Sins, and bearing that Wrath they deferved ? But if we confider him as the eternal Son of God, John i. l. his daily Delight before the Foundation of the World, Prov.viii. 29. the Brightnefs of his Glory, and the exprefs Image of his Perfon, Heb. i. 2. ano- ther Self, in whom he was well pleafed, in whom bis Soul delighted,l{a.. xlii.i. whom he heard always, tjohn xi. 42. and re- member, that we go no farther back, his Heavinefs, his Griefs his being fore arnaz^d, his Tears, his Cries, his Fears, ' his Prayers, his Agonies in the Garden, and what, even we may conceive, was the Cafe, when he cried that doleful Cry, we cannot, I fhould think, but be fatisfied, That he underwent the Wrath of God, in an infinite Degree and Manner, if I may fo fpeak. To be fenfibly deferted of God is, to an holy Creature, the greateft Afflitflion ; and for fuch an one to be de- ferted, even when fuffering for his fake, and in obedience to his Will, when cleaving to him by faith, and pouring out his Soul in Prayer for fome Tokens of Love ; were there no Wrath upon him, or Caufe of Wrath in him, would appear to all, to be inconfiftent with God's Faithfulnefs and Good- nefs : But to fuppofe all this of Chrift, is contrary to paternal Love, is clearly inconfiftent with all the divine Attributes ; and therefore in itfelf, abfolutely impoftible. As to the Pain of Senfe, the Revifer grants a great deal in the Anfwer; but whether he looks upon them all, as the Punijhment of our Sins^ and as fufFered to redeem us from them, I know not. Chrift was a Sufferer betimes, and continued in a fuffering State, from his Cradle to his Gravg. He fufFered from Heaven, Earth, and L Hell, (74) Hell, from Friends and Foes, fo as no one ever did, or can do. But to confine ourlelves to his laft Paffion ; confider his Trou- bles with and for his Difciples, before he went to the Garden, his Fears, andhis Agonies in it, with all that followed. The Pains of his Body, not to mention the Shame, &€, were va- rious and. numberlefs, and confidering his Conftitution, exqui- fitely and inconceivably painful. And yet all thefe were no- thing to the Pains of his Soul. Many of our Adverfaries, we know, cannot endure to hear this ; but, becaufethe Glory of God, the Truth of our Pvcdemption, our prefent Peace, and eternal Salvation, are fo deeply concerned in it, we muft proclaim it, and they muft hear it. The Evangelifts tell us of his being forrowfiil and heavy ; His Sou l's being exceeding for- rowful even unto Death : Mat. xxvi. 37, 38. of his being fore amazedy and very heavy^ Mark xiv. 33. of his prayings again and again^ with unexprejjible Fervency and hnportunity^ Mat. xxvi. 39. 45. of his being in an Agony, andhis Sweat being as great Drops of Blood falling down to the Ground^ Luke xxii. . 44. of HIS Soul being troubled, ^r. John xii. 27. and that, in Terms the moft ftrong and emphatic, to give us the moft fenfible Apprehenfions of the Depth of our Lord's Humiliation, and of the unconceivable Sufferings of his Soul^ we are capable of, as well as the full Affurance, both of the Truth and Importance of them. And was there no Wrath^ nothing of the Curfe in all this ? Whence then, thofe Fears and Prayers, and Cries ? Where his Agony in the Garden, when there was no fudas^ no Perfecutors, betraying, infult- ing, abufmg him ? When all thefe only, or chiefly from his Conflict with Satan^ whom he had long before baffled and ut- terly defeated ? Mat. iv. I — 10. or,' with the Prince of this World and his Angels, who had nothing in him^ John xiv. 30. whom he could, as formerly have commanded out of his Pre-- fence ; and whom, through Deaths he knew, he was to de- Jiroy? Heb. ii. 14. Can Men wickedly furmife this without- blufliing ? or was all this Perplexity and Amazement, all this Heavincfs and Sorrow of Soul even unto De^ith^ Mat. xjcvi. 37, 38. from the near Profpect of his Wi/j; Sufferings ? And' dare any think fo . meanly of our Lord, that he would fear, and cry, and be in an Agony, from any poftible View of his Sufferings from Men ; and that even before any Enemy ap- peared ? Dare they fo blafphemouHy degtade him, fo very far below many of the Martyrs, who, tho' they were but mere Creatures, yea. Sinners like other Men, were yet {ojlrong in Fatthy that they not only fung and rejoiced in Prifons and Dungeons, but leapt in the Flames, and triumphed over all that Hell and Men could do f Dare they imagine fuch things of him, who had Power to lay down his Life, and Power to take it up Ggain^ and frotn whgm mMm mid M^ it away, againfthis Will? {7S ) Will? JohniL, 18. The wretched Sociniam may talk fo wickedly ; but furely, he who allows him to be a divi?7e Perfon^ and calls him the Son of God, cannot, dare not think, that any pofTible Apprehenfions or Oppofition from Hell and Men^ could caufe all this, in a Perfon infinitely above them. Since then, thefe could not poiTibly proceed, from any thing that Hell ^nd Men.didoxcould do; it follows, and that with irrefiflible Evi- dence, That all was occafioned by his undergoing the Wrath of God^ and the Curje of the Law in his vjhole human Nature y and that to the very uttermoft ; from his fufFermg and bearing that^ v/hich would have crufh'd ttxx thoufand Worlds, and funk them into the lowefl, into endlefs Mifery ; his undergoing that, which no finite Being, even the higheil poflible, could have born for a Moment, and which could not poflibiy have been done by the Man Chriji Jefus, had not his human Nature SUBSISTED IN the fecond Perfon of the eternal Trinity ^ and been supported by him, who thought it no Robbery /; BE EQJJAL WITH GoD, Phil. ii. 6. No Other poflible Caufe of all this can be affigned ; and this does eafily account for all. Our Lord bore our Iniquities., Ifa. liii. li, ^r. and the Punijhment of them. Hence thofe Fears, and Tears, and Prayers, and Cries. Hence his Agony. Here was no Collufion. We were not redeemed by an Acceptilation, as fome fcandaloufly fpeak: No, no; but with the precious Blood of Christ, Pet. i. ig. God pur chafed us with His own" Blood, Ac^s xx. 28. Jufticehad no Pity : The Father fpa red him not^ Rom. viii. 32. The Debt of his People was exa6led, and he paid it to the uttermoft Farthing : TI?eir Sins ivere laid on him., and he fufFered all that the Law had threatned againft them: He tvas wounded for our Tr ansgressions, he zuas bruisedforourIni qjj i t i e s, &c. it pleafed the Lord /o bruise him, to put him to Grief he. Ifa. \ui. 4.- — 12. fo that our glorious Redeemer, might havefaid upon the Crofs,iii the ftricleft Propriety of the Words, what the weeping Pro- phet fmgs, in his Lamentations, in the Name of the Church - in Captivity -, Is it nothing to you, all ye thatpafs by ! behold and fee, if there be any Sorrow like unto my Sorrow zvhich is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath AFF LlCT et) me in the Day of his FIERCE An g e r , Lam. i. 1 2. It muft then be paft all doubt, with them Vv^ho believe the Scriptures, that Chrift underwent the Wrath of God : And if fo, our Au- thor, who acknowledges him to be his eternal Son, muft be forced to grant. That he had alfo a reafonable Soul diftin6t from his Divinity ; and confequently, that he took more of our Nature than our Flefh. The only Thing the Vindicator offers againft all this, and that very flily, is ; " Our Lord himfelf exprefly faith, There^ <* fors dotb my Father love me, becaufe J lay down ?ny life, that L 2 «« / (76) « I might tah it again *." John x. 17. But he could not have faid fo, had' he undergone the IVrath of God \ and therefore, fince his own Words are true, this muft needs be falfe. A true Socinian Argument ! and like the reft of them. Nineteen of every Twenty of them, are either mer€ fhuffling, wholly impertinent, vifibly inconclufive, or prove more than they fhould, and therefore prove nothing ; as is manifeft in this before us. For, i. Our Lord's Words, are as evidently in- confiftent, with his being " deferted of God for a Seafon^'' as with his undergoing his Wrath for a Seafon, There could not poiTibly be any fuch Defertion^ where there was no Wrath : For, befertion of all Sorts neceflarily fuppofes 5/«, and con- fequently Wrath. 2. Thefe Words of our Lord, are as clear- ly inconfiftent, with his heing made a Cu R s E for us^ as the Apoftle affures us he was. Gal. iii. 13. as with his undergoing the Wrath of God for us. This is felf-evident : For, if thefe are not much the fame, it is plain, he could not poffibly have heen made a Curfe for us., without undergoing his Wrath. 3, Our Lord's Words in that Text, are as manifeftly inconfi- ^ent, with his heing made Sin for us., which we are ex- prelly told he was, 2 Cor. v. 21. as with his undergoing God's Wrath for us. To be made Sin., or a Sin-Ofering^ or to have Iniquity laid upon one., was to be epcecrable^ Anathema., devo- ted to the Curfe., which neceflarily implies Wrath. 4. So far is it from being true. That his undergoing the Wrath of God is inconfiftent, with the Father's Love to him., hecaufe he was to lay dozvn his Life., that he might take it again ; that the con- trary is manifeftly true : Therefore did the Father love him., he- caufe he was to lay down his Life ; and, by fo doing, to under- go his Wrath. Our Saviour's Sufferings and Deaths confidered in themfelves, and abftraded from the weighty Caufes, the glorious Ends, and happy Fruits of them, could not poffibly be, any how, p leafing to God, or any Reafon for the Father's loving him ; as is felf-evident : But, no weighty Caufes of his jnoft bitter Paflion, Defertion, and Death, can be afligned, if it was not that he might be a Sin-Offering., &c. nor could the glorious Ends propofed have been attained, nor had we ever tafted the blefTed Fruits of them, had he not heen made a Curfe for us ; and therefore did the Father love him^ hecaufe he was to lay down his Life., as one devoted to undergo his Wrath. The Caufes and Ends of Chrift's Sufferings, alledged fcy the Socinians^ are many of them fo very abfurd, yea ridicu- lous, that it is hard to think them in earneft, when they fi\k of them ; and, as for the reft, there is not one of them, but might have been more eafily, and as effectually anfwered, with- out fo much ado, r. e. without his Deaths as with it > as Ihall * Vind. p.. 46. (77) be fhewn to a Demonftration, in every Particular, whenever the Vindicator fhall think fit to propofe them. So that ac- cording to them, Christ died in vain! Gal. li. 21, But, his faking upon him our Nature^ Heh. W. 16. that fo he might become, our Goel, Redeemer, near Kins- man, be made Sin for us^ a Curfe for us^ by bearing o:ir Sins in his own Body on the Tree^ I Pet. ii. 24, &c. his doing, and fubmitting to all, which could be required of a Surety^ to fa- tisfy Juftice, and make an End of Sins ; Dan. ix. 27. that fb the divine Attributes might be infinitely glorified, the Honour of his Government advanced, and for ever fecured, and fuch poor Creatures as we might not only efcape Wrath, but be reconciled, accepted and faved, John iii. 18. which, it would feem could no otherwife be brought about ; Heb. x. i— 14, and all this, in Obedience and Love to his Father : Thefe, Thefe, I fay, clearly (hew us the Reafons why he loved him^ lecaufe he laid down his Life. Here were Defigns worthy of the Father to propofe, and of the Son to execute 1 Here were weighty Caufes of this amazing Difpenfation, glorious Ends intended and anfwered, and many blefled Effects flowing from it. Thus did God difplay, and that to the uttermoft, his tinparaleW d Love to the JVorld^ John/ni. 16. his unfearchablc Wifdom, Epk. iii. 9. and inexorable Juftice, Prov. xv. 5, ^c. Thus did our Redeemer, in the higheft polTible Manner, fliew forth his Love to his Father, his Concern for the Honour of the Deity, Pfal. xl. 5—10. that his Delights were with the Sons of Afen, Prov. viii. 31. that his Love was Jirong as Deaths and that many Waters could not quench it^ Cant, viii, 6, 7, ^f. And therefore, to conclude, when the Prophet tells us. That it pleased the Lord to bruise him^ the Reafon is added, that he ftiould thereby purchafe the Redemp- tion of his People ; Hejhall fee his Seed^—he Jhall fee of the travel of his Soul. — But how could thefe be the Effects of the Lord's bruiftng him ? Why, He shall bear their Iniquities, Ifa. xxxiii, 10, 11. The honeft Chriftian would not have forgiven me, if I had not enlarged a little upon this Head, which is the great Foun- dation of our Faith and Hope ; and fhewp fome Zeal, for the Truth cf our Redemption^ againft those Enemies of the Cross of Christ. And, when the Vindicator ani- madverts upon this, I defire him only to give a cates^orical Anfwer, to thefe two ftiort, plain Queftions. i. What does he mean when he fays, " Chrift offered himfelf a Sacrifice " TO satisfy for our Sins?" 2. Whether it be poflible, to fatisfy for our Sins, and not undergo the Wr>vth of God ? g8. Quell, (78) 28. Queft. Wherein confijieth Chriji's exalt a-* tion ? Anfw, Chrift's Exaltation conlifteth in hi$ riling again from the dead g on the third Day h^ in afcending up into Heaven /, in fitting at the right Hand of God the Father -k^ and in coming to judge the World at the laft Day /. g Pfal. xvl. 9, 10. John ii. 19. Rom. i. 4, .^Matth. xvi. zi. Luke xxiv. 46. 1 Cor. x^^ 4. z Luke xxiv. 51. Ads i. 9 — ii. il'Pfal. ex. I. Mark xvi. 19. Eph. i. 20---22. Heb. i. 3 — 13, / Johnv. 22 — 27. Ads x. 42. Ads xvii. 31. Rom. xiv. 9 — 10, Here the Revlfer, after the Words, tjod the Father^ has ad- ded, " having the kingdom over all, conferring the holy Ghoft on his Followers," and then goes on as the AfTembly. Thefe are great Truths, and the AfTembly have el few here en- numerated feveral others to this Purpofc, but omitted the for- mer, and the reft in this Anfwer, for brevity ; and becaufe they are evidently implied, in his fitting at the right Hand of God^ As for " his conferring the Holy Ghoft upon his Followers,'* though the AfTembly have fome ExprefHons in their Confeffiori, and larger Catechifm, which plainly enough fuppofe or imply it, yet their not mentioning it particularly, muil: be owned to be an Overfight, and confiderable Defe6l ; occafioned, per- haps, by their too clofely following the comm.on Syflems, which have but too little of this ; it not being, to the beft of my Knowledge, controverted fmce the Reformation, if ever before it. But when the Remarker obje£t3 " to the Revifer's *' mentioning only tv/o Particulars, as if there were no more, «' ^V.^ and the Vindicator turns it ofT fo very fuperficially, without any of his ufual civilities, it is a ^ very fhrewd Sign, that there is more in it than he would have his Readers ohferve. 29. Queft. How are we made Partakers oftht Redemption purchafed by Chriji ? Anf. We are made Partakers of the Redemp- tion purchafed by Chrift, by the eflea;ual Appli- cation- of it to us m^ by his Holy Spirit ;z. m John i. 12, 13. Rcv. i. 5> 6. chap. v. 10, i^c^ n Jolin.iii, 3—5. Tit. iii. 5—12. ^8. Qtieft. (79) !i8. Qtiefl. Hon^o doth God afftji towards our partaking cf the Redemption piirchafed by Chriji ?' Anf God doth afliit towards our partaking of the Redemption piirchafed by Chrift chiefly in giving his Spirit for the Application of it to us^. g Tit.iii. 3—5. 30. Queft. How doth the Spirit apply to its the Redemption pur chafed by Chriji ? Anf, The Spirit applieth to us the Redemp- tion purchafed by Chrift, by working Faith in us Oy and thereby uniting us to Chrift in our efFeftual Calling p. Eph. ii. 8. Phil. i. 29. John vl. 44, 45 » pi Cor. i. 9. Gal. i. 20. Eph. iii. 17, ^c. To the fame Queftion the Revifer anfwers thus. The Spirit applieth to us the Redemption purchafed by Chrift, by enabling us to attain that Faith hy which unites us to Chrift in our effedlual Calling /". ^ 2 Theff. i. II. z Eph. Iii. 17. i Cor i, 9. 3 1 . Queft. What is effeBual Calling ? ■ Anf Effedtual Calling is the Work of Go'd's Spirit y, whereby convincing us of our Sin and Mifery r, enlightening our Minds in the Know- ledge of Chrift yj and renewing our Wills ty he doth perfuade and enable us to embrace Jefus Chrift, Uy freely offered to us in the Gofpel w. q zThef. ii. 13, 14. 2 Tim. i. 9. i Pet.i. 2. r Afls ii. 37. chap, xvi. 27 — 30, ^c. /Johnvi. 45. Ads xxvi. 18. Eph. i. 18. Col. i. 13* chap. iii. 10. Pfal. cxix. 18, ^c t Ezek. xxxvi. 26. Pfal. ex. 3. Jer. xxxi. 18, i^c. alf. xliv. 3 — 5. chap. xlix. 6-12. Mai. iv. 2— 6. John«vi. 44, 45. chap. xii. 32, ^V. mo Matth. xi. 28, 29, and 30. Luke xxiv. 47. John vii. 37. Rev. iii. \%, Uc. To the Queftion the Revifer replies thus, Anf Effe(^ual Calling is the WorJk; of God's Spirit,, " " ' '■" ■ bv (8o) by v^hich k, m Concurrence with his Word /, and Provi- dence m, and our own (incere Endeavours, he fo convinces US of our Sin and Mifery n, and enlightens our Minds in the Kaowledr^e of Chrift c?, and renews our Wills/?, as to perfuade and enable us to embrace Jefus Chriit, freely oiFered to us in the Gofpei q. k 2 Cor. iii. 9. / i Cor. iv. 15. m Rom. ii. 4, John xxxviif. 8, 9, 10. n Afts ii. 37. " A6ls xxvi. 18. p Ezek. xxxvi. 26. q Pfal. ii. 12, 13. Ihave given thefe three Queftions and Anfwers together', becaufe the two former lead to the third ; nor can any one of them be fo well underftood, without the other two. The Af- fembly having confidered the Perfon of our glorious Redeemer ; what he did, and does, as our Redeemer ; and the glorious Redemption, pur chafed by him ; very naturally enquire next, how his People come to be Partakers of it; And remember- ing, as we obferved on the fecond Anfwer, they were yet pro- posing what we are to believe concerning God, they tell us only of his JVork^ referving our Duty to its proper Place. They there- fore inform us. That the Spirit eftedually applies it, by work- ing Faith in us, and thereby uniting us 'to Chrift in our effec- tual Callings which is th^jirji faving Benefit flowing, to the Eka^ from the Mediation of Chrift ; and the fecond Link in th-^it Golden Chain of Salvation; moreo^er^ whom he did PREDESTINATE, THEM HE ALSO CALLED: AND WHOM HE CALLED, THEM HE ALSO JUSTIFIED, Rom. viii. 30. That it is God, who gives his Spirit to his People, for Chrift's fake, cannot be denied : That the Spirit EFFECTUALLY APPLIES this Redemption, to all to whom it is applied, is clear from the whole Current of Scripture ; which teftifies, that he convinces, illuminates, humbles, re- news and fanclifies the People of God : That thofe who are faved, are called, called according to his Purpofe^ is the exprefs Language of the New Teftament: That they are UNITED TO Christ in their effectual Calling, is not de- nied: That it is FAITH, that is the uniting Grace ^ needs no Proof: That Faith is the Gift of God, and that it is given to them, is in fo many Words aflerted, and cannot, one would think, be doubted, by one who remem- bers, that it is God which worketh in them both to will and to do of his good Pleafure^ i. e. not for any thing in tbem, but of his own fovereign Grace : That effectual Call- ing is the Work of God's Spirit^ is acknowledged by the Revi- fer, l5^c. What is it then difpleafes him ? The Aflembly nei- ther exclude, nor forget, our own Endeavours and Duties., the Means we are called to ufe, nor our Diligence in the Ufe of them, in the Affair ^f ow 9Wn S^lv^tbli i as i§ ckar from the latter ( Si ) latter Part of the Catechifm : only they do not impertrnently bring them in here, where they are fpeaking of the Operations of God in and upon his People^ and not of the Duty which he requires of them. But the Revifer alters both the firft Qiieftion and Anfvver, owning indeed, " God's Affiftance towards our partaking of " this Redemption, and that chiefly in giving his Spirit for '' the Application of it to us ; " but whether this Ajftfiance fhall be effeSiual^ or not^ he leaves in the dark. Upon this, I would ask only thefe two fhort Queftions. i. Can any be a Partaker of this Redemption, if this Affiftance is net effectual? 2. Shall not God's Affiftance be as effectual in every one, as he intends it fliould ? A fhort Anfvver to thefe, would make our way eafy. Well, but the Revifer would not, " have God *' reprefented z% doing all*." To which we reply, i. That the Affembly in this Place, are fpeaking, only of what God does in the Affair of our Salvation ; and therefore, whatever be fuppofed to be our Duty^ it had no Place here. 2. God's doing a 11^ as the firft Caufe, is no way inconfiflent, with our doing whatever we are enabled to do^ as fecond Caufes. He works in us^ both TO WILL AND TO DO J not Only affijls^ but WORKS IN us, fo as to CAUSE US aSlually to will AND do: And yet we areto^'o^Yi out our own Salva- , tion, Phil. ii. I2, 13. 3. God is the fole Efficient in giving his Spirit, Ezek, xxxvi. 27. the fole Efficient in our effe^ual Callings till we are quickened, enabled, and actually Inclined and brought, to anfwer his Call \ as we fhall fee prefently. " Would this Gentleman, fays he, have God's Alfiflance to *-' be neceffarily effectual, fo as to deflroy the free Agency of '' Man f." In efFe£iual Calling, God fpeaks to thofe that are dead in Sins and Trefpajfes, Eph. ii. i. and fo, neither difpofedy nor able to hear : But when he renews^ Col. iii. 10. begets them again to a lively Hope^ I Pet. i. 3. and when they are born of the Spirit^ John iii. 5. they are made willing in a Day of bis Power^ Pf^^- ex. 3. So that Grace neceffarily effectual, does not defiroy the Liberty of the Creature, but reflores, heightens, and improves it. " Were this Affiffance prevalent^ or '' did it carry in it an irrefiflable Compulfion, it would very '« improperly be called Affiflance |." Indeed, the Grace of effectual Callings is very improperly called Affiflance^ and a great deal more is implied in it 5 becaufe, in and by it, God rdifes the Dead^ CoL ii. 13. creates a neiv Life^ 2 Cor. v. if. giving Being to that which was not : Eph. iv. 24. But, though we never talk fo fillily, as to fpeak of irreftflible Compulfion^ when the Ele£t are born again^ the Grace of God may afterwards h^ prevalent in them, and yet be very properly called * Vind, p. 47. + ibid. X Ibid. M Affijlanc$, ( 82 ) Jfftjlame, " If he does not think there is fomething in Man- <' kind, by which God's AfTiftance becomes effe(3:ual to Sal- " vation, he mufl: make Men in the Affair of Salvation to be *' very different from Free- Agents ; as no more indeed than *' mere Machines and Clock-work, moving no farther than << they are impelled." Tho' this llrange Stuff needs Expli- cation, yet we may guefs what he would be at. If he means, that there is any thing in the Unregenerate^ whereby ihey themfehes make God's Grace effe^lual^ it is the very Dregs of the Pelagian Herefy, contrary to the whole Tenor of Scrip- ture, and utterly everfive of the New Covenant. It is to fay, *That we make ourf elves to differ^ I Cor. iv. 7. but if fo, WE HAVE WHEREOF TO BOAST, Eph.W. 9. ^and SAL- VATION IS NOT OF Grace, but of Debt, Rom. xi. 6, ^c. all zuhich are exprefsly condemned in Scripture ; and confequently, fo mufl every thing be, which is fuppofed to, im- plied in them, or would follow from them. But, when his . People are born again^ then, indeed, they have a Principle of Grace and fpiritual Life put into them, which, tho' perhaps it doth not make God's After-afTiflance effectual to Salvation, that being the Prerogative of his Spirit^ yet difpofes them, when he excites it and operates upon it, to work with and under his Grace. Clocks never acSl, nor can a6t j they are merely, wholly, and only palTive : But, when Believers are a(Sted upon, they themfelves do alfo aft and exert their own Powers. Yea, the very w^orfl of the Unregenerate are reafonable Crea- tures, capable of being raifed up to Things above themfelves, by common Grace, of receiving the Spirit ^ and of being renewed by fovereign, diflinguifhing Grace ! But fo are not Machines and Clocks. What need then of all this wretched Rant ? or how come they to imagine fuch things .? Why truly, the Scriptures produced againfl them, gall them to the Quick, they have no Way to anfwer them, they will not underfland them, and therefore mufl mifreprefent them ; and, lefl their Party fhould be convinced, they find themfelves obliged to blufler without all Decency. Hinc ilia Ira ! In the fecond Anfwer, we are told, " That the Spirit en- *' ables us to attain that Faith, ^c" Now, I want fadly to know, what he intends by " attaining that Faith ?" what by being '' enabled" to attain it, and how, '' the Spirit en- *' ables us ?" /. e, what he does for us, or in us ; or what it is, he gives uSy when he thus enables ? I am very glad however, to hear of the Spirit's enabling us ; and that he allows, he both pcrfuades and enables us. What; and do Men then want Power! and mufl they be enabled to believe \ and can- not ^jey indeed EMBRACE Christ, if they are not thus * rjnl p, 47. ( 83 ) enabled \ I thought moral Suasion had been fufficient ; and that any thing more, would have been inconliftent, with that Indifferency and felf-determimng Power of Fr e £ ^ WILL, which his Friends contend for, with fo much Animofuy. I am verily afraid, this Persuasion and Ability, which he grants, is the Work of the Spirit of God, will fmite Pelagianifm and Semlpdagianifm too, under xhQ ffth Rib ! What ; does it not fuppofe us little better than Clocks and Ma-- chines ? And yet, notwithftanding this, he falls foul on the Remarker, for no other Reafon in the World, than quoting two PafTages of Scripture [buried with him in Baptifm^ ivherein aljo you are rifen with him^ ^ta. tm< ^Wicd^ tJi? hipf&ict^ t» 0g«, which is Utterally tranflated, through the Faith of the- Operation of God, Col.'n. 12. and, zvherefore alfo we pray always for you^ that our God^ 'wK^fu Prov. iv. 18. And holy y*?^ was of the fame Mind, the Righteous alfo shall hold ou his way, and he that hath clean Hands shall he Jlronger and Jironger, Job xvii. 9. His third Text, i Cor. x. 12. wherefore let him that think- £th he Jlandeth, take heed leji he fall, is as little to his Pur- pofe. It is really ftrange- he fhould quote it. The Apoftle exhorts us to be humble, felf-denied, ferious, and circum- rpe6t ; to beware of being lifted up, conceited of our own Abilities or Attainments, fecure as if there were no Danger, * Vind, p. 50> 51.' Or ( 99 ) or indolent as If we had nothing to do ; therefore, the Perfe- verance of the Saints is uncertain. Is not this now a goodly Argument ! But, I am pretty fure, the Calvinijls fliall never meet with any ftronger, more proper, or conclufive, when their Adverfaries attack them from the Scriptures of Truth. Such Cautions as thefe, are Means which God blefles to awaken his People to Humility, Diftruftof themfelves, Watch- ful nefs and Diligence, i^c. that fo they may never fall away j and, in the right Ufe of fuch Means, he caufes them actually t(f perfevere. Having demolifhed all his Arguments, we (ball only add a few Confiderations, upon this important Point. The Revifer and Vindicator have both told us, in the AfTembly's Words, That Faith in Jefus Chr'ijl is a faving Grace ; but how any Grace can be called saving, that leaves thofe who have it without Salvation^ no Man can (hew. The great Promife of the Covenant, I will be their God, l^c. neceiTarily carries in it, both tHe eventual Perfverance^ and the ever- lafting Happinefs of the Souls and Bodies, of all thofe, to whom he is a God. This comfortable Do6lrine, is fo clearly and fre- quently found in the Bible, and in fuch a Variety of the ftrongeft Expreflions, that he who runs may read them. The Apoflles golden Chain of Salvation, [nioreover whom he did pre- dejiinate^ them he alfo called; and whom he called, them he alfo justified.; and whom he justified, them he alfo GLORIFIED, Rom. viii. 30.] has in it, the Strength of a Thoufand Arguments. He who breaks one Link., breaks the whole Chain ! But this can never be done, while God is faithful and almighty. In a Word., the Attributes of God, the Covenant between the Father and the Mediator, the Satis- faction and Interceflion of Chrift, the efficacious Operations of the Holy Spirit, do all confirm this moft comfortable Doctrine : So that, while God's Covenant, Promife, and Oath, ftand fure ; while Chrift has either Grace and Merit to apply, or any Intereft with the Father ; while the Holy Spirit can fanc- tify, and eftablifh thofe that are effeSlually-called^ jujlified., &c. Their adtual Perfeverance ftands unfhaken ; and ftiail remain, firmer than the Foundations of the Heavens and of the Earth, in fpite of all the impotent and wicked Oppofition, of Hell and Men : Nor, Jhall any of them ever perijh^ till one or more are found, able to pluck them out of the Hands of the Father and of the Son^ John x. 28, 29. 37. Queft. What Benefits do Believers receive from Chrift at Death ? Anf, The Souls of Believers are at their Death made perfed: in Holinefs o, do immediately O 2 pafs ( loo ) pafs into Glory p ; and their Bodies being ftill united to Chrifl q^ do reft in their Graves r, till tlie Refurreftion yj o Heb. xii. 23./ 2 Cor. v. i — 3. Luke xxiii. 43. Phil. i. 23, ^c. q I Theff. iv. 14. Rev. xiv. 13. i Cor. xv. 18. r If. Ivii. 2. Job jii. 17, 18. Job xix. 26. Dan. xii. 2, 13. / John xi. 24 — 26, I Cor. XV. 12—57. 2 Cor. iv. 14. Rev. xx. 12—15, ^c. 3(5 Qtieft. r-Fi?^^ Benefits, do the Faithful receive fro^n Chrtfi at Death ? Anfw. The Souls of the Faithful are at their Death made perfeft in Holinefs i, and do immediately pafs in- to a State of great Felicity k, their Bodies relting in their Graves /^ until the Refurredion m, i Heb. xii. 23. k Phil. i. 23. / i ThefT. iv. 14. m 2 Cor, iv. Here we have three Alterations, i. The Word, ^^//Vwrjj is changed into " the Faithfuly without any Thing likeRea- ion : For, the AfTembly fo evidently meant, juch Believers as were eff equally- called^ &c. and had perfevered unto the End^ that no Body could miftake them : But Juch, are all Faithful, even in his Senfe of the Word ; and therefore, there was no manner of Caufe for the Change. '' It is as old-fajhion'd as Believers." Granted ; but not older. " It was as much u- f fed by the Primitive Chriftians *." Should this be denied, he would find it hard to prove. But is it as much ufed by mo- dern Chriftians ? If it is not 5 it is evidently not fo proper for a Catechifm. After all, this is but trilling : There is ano- ther fort of Reafon may be given for the Change, which when we hear, I'll undertake to juflify the Aflembly. 2. The Term, Glory, is turned into, " a State of great Felicity," and the Vindicator gives a Reafon for it 5 " when it is applied '' to the Rewards of good Men, it is conftantly ufed in the f Scripture to denote that confummate Felicity, which the f: Saints will enjoy after the Refurre£lion f ." Now, fuppofmg this, for it is not worth w^hile to look over every Text, or conteft about them ; why did not thefe Men, who pretend to be fo much for " Scriptural Divinity," give us a Scripture Word, or Phrafe, in the ftead of that they difcarded .? Why might they not have faid, " do immediately pafs into Para- i' dife, or are immediately with Chriji^ or prefent with the ( loi ) « Z^r^," which are all Scripture Phrafes ? Whyj if they had ; every Child would have known. That to be i?i Faradife^ is to be in Heaven ; Luke xxiii. 43. 2 Cor. xii. 2, 3. and to be with Chriji^ Phil. i. 23. or prefent with the Lord^ 2 Cor. V. 8, is to be in that State, which we commonly call Glory, That fweet Expreflion, " their Bodies being ftill united to *« Chrift," is Ikipt over, as not fit for this Catechifm. But why ? That there is a real, clofe, and vital Union, between Chrift and his People, which is the great Foundation of their Happinefs, cannot be denied. This Union is with, their whole Perfons, their Bodies as well as their Souls : They are Members of his Body^ his Flejh, and his Bones : Eph. v. 30, Their Bodies are the Members of Christ : I Cor. vi. 15. The Union between Chriit and his Members, fhall not, cannot, in any Part of it, be diiTolved : Nor ihall any of the true Members^ ever be cut off from his Body. They are faid tojleep in him^ i ThefT. iv. 14. to intimate, among other Things, that this Union remains with their whole Per- fons, even in Deaths as well as in Sleep. They fhall be raifed up, by Virtue of this Union, Rc?n. viii. 11. They often re- joice in this. That their vile Bodies^ even when dead^ are precious in his Sight ; and are ftill reckoned Parts of his My- Jiical Body ; and, that they fhall be raifed up by Chrifl their Head, and Saviour. And therefore, if he fhould fneer at *' thefe figniiicant Words," never fo long ; he will but fo much the more oJ^e?2d againjl the Generation of his Children, 38. Queft. What Benefits do Believers receive from Chriji at the RefurreBion ? Anf. At the Refurrecftion, Believers being raifed up in Glory /, fhall be openly acknowledged, and acquitted in the Day of judgment u, and made perfectly blelTed in the full Enjoyment of God w^ to all Eternity x. i I Cor. XV. 43. Phil. iii. 21. u Mat. x. 32. Rev. iii. 5, ^c: w 1 John iii. 2. Mat. v. 8, ^r. x John xiv. ^. i ThelT. iv. 17. ^^. Here alfo, as in the former, the Revifer has tfie Words, the Faithful, inftead of Believers, and for the fame concealed Rea- fon : But has fulFered the reft of the Anfwer to fland as it was. And thus, we have done with the Credenda, what we are to believe concerning God, We now go on to the Jgenda, the Duties required in a way of Obedience, which will not de- tain us fg long as the other, 39. Queft. ( 102 ) 39- Qil?ft- ff^hat is the Duty which God re- quireth of Man ? Anf, The Duty which God requireth of Man, is Obedience to his revealed Will y. jr Deut. xxviii. 29. Micah vi. 8. Mat. vii. 21, l^c. In the Anfwer to this Queftion, the Revifer has dropt the Word, revealed j and the Remarker and Vindicator have ibme Scuffle about it, which, on both fides, is founded on an obvious Miftake. The Aflembly ufe the Terms revealed Will in this Place, only in contra-diftincStion to the fecret Willoi God ; to teach Learners, That the Commands of God, which are, or have been, one way or another, made known to us, are our only Rule^ and not his Decrees and Purpofes^ which are kept fecret from us, in his own Counfels. If therefore the Revifer had faid, " Obedience to his Laws^ or Commands,^* he had cut ofF all Occafion of Contention ; and I, for my Part, fhould have been pleafed with the Alteration. 40. Queft. What did God at jirjl reveal to Man for the Rule of his Obedience ? Anf The Rule which God at firft revealed to Man for his Obedience, was the moral Law z. «. Rom. ii. 14, 15. Chap. x. 5, i^c. 3 p. Queft. What is thefrft and univ erf al Law ^ which God has given to. Man^ for the Rule of\ his Obedience, Anf. The firit and iiniverfal Law, which God has given to Man for the Rule of his Obedience, is the Law of Nature, commonly called the moral Law ». » Rom. ii. 14, 15. Tho* I have nothing to obje6l to this ; yet, fmce the Af- fembly's Anfwer is fhorter, and vifibly comprehends it all ; and their Meaning is the fame, as is clear from the Proofs j he. muft be vary fond of revifing, who had no better Reafons for doing it. Tht firjl Law being written in the Hearty and fo defigned to be tranfmitted to all Mankind, muft needs have been both univerfal and moral. 41. Qoeft. WherS is the moral Law fummarily comprehended ? Anf. ( 1^3 ) Anf. The moral Law is fummarily compre- hended in the Ten Commandments a. a Deut. X. 4. Mat. xix. 1 7, ^r. 42. Queft. What is the Sum of the "Ten Com^ mandments ? Anf, The Sum of the Ten Commandments, is, 7d? love the Lord our God with all our Hearty with all our Soul, with aU our Strength, and with all our Mind , and our Neighbour as ourfehes b. b Mai. xxii. 27 — 39. Luke x. 27, ^c. 43' Queft. What is the Preface to the T!en Com- mandments ? Anf The Preface to the. Ten Commandments is in thefe Words, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the Houfe of Bondage c. c Exod. XX. 2. Deut. v. 6. 44. Queft. What doth the Preface to the Ten Commandments teach us ? Anf The Preface to the Ten Commandments teacheth us, That becaufe God is the Lord, and our God d, and Redeemer, therefore we are bound to keep all his Commandments e. d Deut. vi. 20- — 24. chap. iv. 32- — 40. e Luke i. 74; 1 Pet. i. 15 — 2^, ^c. To the fame Queftion the Revifer anfwers, Anf. It teacheth us, that all they to whom God is related as the Lord their God w and Redeemer, are therefore under peculiar Obligations to keep all his Commandments ^. w Deut. xi. I, flf Luke i. 74, ']^. Tliefe ( 104 ) There i% no doubt, this Anfwer is true ; but, why fhould If be fo much limited, fmce the Queftion is, " What doth it «' teTich us P" Why, the Vindicator thinks " it cannot be *' juftly faid of all vicious Perfons, who name the Name of *' Chrift, that the Lord is their God and Redeemer, in fuch a *^ Manner as he was to his antient chofen People */' Anfwer. God has not indeed, in a literal Senfe, brought the vicious amongft us out of the Land of Egypt : But furely every one of us are bound to believe, That tht' true God is Jehovah. Every baptized Perfon, is externally brought under the Cove- nant of Grace, a better Difpenfation of it than the vicious Jeius were j and therefore, is equally, if not more related to him as his God; and confequently, is under equal or greater Obligations, to Obedience. Yea, he has, in the Remem- brance of many, redeemed us, when we were juft upon the Brink of a Slavery, ten Thoufand Times v/orfe than the Egyptian Bondage ; and that in a Way, wherein his own Hand was as vifible, as it was in that. " Our Author feems to allow, that God is not thus related to the wicked nor to Lifidels f." In- fidels never heard of the Preface to the Ten Commandments \ and fo, are out of the Queftion ; unlefs he means our Jpojiates from Chriftianity ; and, as for them, God is as much related to them, as he was to the Apojiate Ifraelites^ and they are un- der the fame, or greater Obligations, and fliall fare accor- dingly. As to the vicious^ among us, who have not renoun- ced their Profeffion, God is as much their God, as he was of the vicious Ifraelites ; and every individual Catechumen a- jnong us, how wicked foever he be, may be taught to fay, *' That God is Jehovah, and his God, and Redeemer " and that with as much Propriety and Truth, as the vicious a- mong them were taught it. The Chrijiian Church are his chofen People now, as thofe were of old. They are called out of the World, delivered from Darknefs and Ignorance, and brought under federal Obligations, as well as the Ifraelites. Yea, they are redeemed from the Yoke of the cerem.onial Law^ and the Terrors and Fears of that Difpenfation : They are tlot come unto the Mount that burned ivith Fire, nor unto Blacks nefs, and Darkjiefs, and Teinpefl ; But unto Mount Zion, the City of the Living God', To the general Affembly and Church of the Firji-born, &c. Heb. xii. 1 8 — 26. And there- fore, are under Obligations inconceivably ftronger than theirs. A wicked Catechumen, is not indeed redeemed from the Power of Satan, the Guilt of Sin, kc. &c. But no more were the wicked Ifraelites. So tliat " he has fuggefted no fuffi- " cient Reafon for an Alteration % ; " and I have fuggefted fe- veral againft one. After all, had an over- rigid Predeftina- * Vind.^. 53. t Ibid.^. 53. % Ibid. p. 53< ■( I05 ) rian talkt at this rate, we might have gUefsM fome Thing of other, that led him into fuch a Fancy : But, how a ftrenuous XJni-verfaVift^ and Free-Willer^ fhould doubt, whether every ^^//>//z^i Catechumen might be taught to fay, Ti)at God is the Lord^ mnd his God^ and Redeemer, as well as the If- raelites of old, I profefs I cannot imagine. • 45. Queft. Which is the Jirji Commandmeiit ? Anf. The firft Commandment is, [Thou fhalt have no other Gods before mef] f Exod. XX. 3, 6'f. 46. Queft. What is required in the jirfi Com- mandinent ? Anf. The firft Commandment requireth us to know gj and acknowledge God to be the only true God h^ and our God /, and to worfliip and glorify him accordingly k, g I Chron. xxviii. 9, dffr. h Jar. x. 10. i iCings xviii. 39. i Deut. xxvi. 17. Jofh. xxiv. 16 — 24. k Mat. iv. 10. Deut. x, 1 2. Mai. i. 6, &c. 47. Queft. What is forbidden in the firjl Coni'^ mandfnent ? Anf The firft Commandment forbiddeth the denying /, or not worfliiping m^ and glorifying the true God, as God ;/, and our God 0^ and the giving that Worftiip and Glory to any other, which is due to him alone j&. / Pfal. xiv. 1. m Rom. i. 20, 21, 23. Jofh. xxiv. 7,7. PfaL Jxxxi. II. « Rorh, i. 22—25. Deut. iv. 14 — 25. p i 3am. vii. 3. Luke iv. 8. If xiii. 8. Chap, xlviii. 11, ^c. 48. Queft. What are we efpeci ally taught by the Words ^ [before me] in the firft Command-- ment? Anf Thefe Words [before me] in the firft Com- mandment, teach us. That God, who feeth all P ^ Things y^ ( io6 ) ^Things 5', taketh notice of r, and is much dif- pleafed with, the Sin of having any other Godf. q Prov. XV. 3. Heb. iv. 13, i^c. r Ezek. viii. 5~»i8. /Pfal xliv. 20, 21. Pfal, Ixxviii. 55—65, 6fZ^Q^^^Which is the Fifth Commandment^ Anf, The Fifth Commandment is, \Ho7iour thy Father and thy Mother, that thy Days may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God g^iveth thee) f.l /Exod. XX. 12. Eph. vi. I— 3, ^^; 64. Queft. What is reqnired in the Fifth Com^ tnandment ? Anf The Fifth Commandment requireth the preferving the Honour, and performing the Du- ties, belonging to every one in their feveral Pla- ces and Relations, as Superiors :§-, Inferiors /a or -bquals /. ^ ^P^'J:.' ^^ ^^- '^ Col. iii. ,8-25. Ch. iv. I. I Pet ii, 1 7, I »• 1 It. 11. I — 1 1 . i Rom. xii. I o. Ch. xiii, 7, 8, dsfc The Revifer gives it thus. The Fifth Commandment requireth the preferving the Honour, and performing the Duties belonging' to our natural Parents r, and (by Parity of Reafon) to every one in their feveral Places and Relations/, as bupenors t. Inferiors u, or Equals w. r Eph. vi. I, /Eph. V. 21. / ver. 22. i Pet. ii. 17, 1%: u Col. J. 4. ov Rom. xii. 10. Tho' this Addition hath nothing in it, but what is true % yet. It feems^ wholly needlefs. If the Command requires ^^ tfie preferving the Honour, and performing the Duties be- ionging to mry m, ^c," Sm]y, the Huam ^ Du^ ties ( I2i ) tiss belonging to mr natural Parents^ are not only required^, but exprefsly, and in the firft Plate, required. Or, if he would needs infert fuch art Addition here, why did he not infert fome fuch like, among the Duties required in the other Commands ? There are fome Things chiefly required, in each of the other Commands, as well as this ; but he has mention'd none of them. If the fpecial Scope of any of the Commands, is carefully adverted to, we may eafily perceive the principal Duties required in it, and Sins forbidden by it. Now the diredl, the chief Scope of this, is, to preferve that. Order, which God and Nature have eftabliflied in thd World, without which, there can be no Peace^ nor Lovey no nor Safety^ among Men : And, for this End, to require us, to treat every Man, as refpeclfuliy and dutifully, as we would have him treat us, were he in our Cafe, and we in his< If this is adverted to, we muft own. That though ciir Fa- thers and Mothers, and they only, are literally mentioned, yet the Duties which Subjects owe to their lawful Princes, and Servants to their Matters, and Orphans to thoie that take Care of them, and the like, are as neceffarily required in the Fifth Commandment, as the Duties we owe to our natural Parents. So that, whatever he means, " by Parity of Rea- *^ fon," the Duties which belong to every one, in their feveral Places and Relations, are as undeniably and neceffarily re-^ quired, in this Commandment 5 as thofe, which belong to our natural Parents, 65 Queft, What is forbidden in the ffth Cotn^ mandment ? Anf, The fifth Commandment forbiddeth the negledling of, or doing any Thing againft, the Honour and Duty which belongeth to every one^ in their feveral Places and Relations k, k Deut. xxvii. 16. Rom. xlii. i — 9. Eph. vi, i — 10. Col. lii. 18—25, ^^• 66. Queft. What is the Reafon annexed to the ffth Commandment ? Anf. The Reafon annexed to the fifth Com-* mandment is, a Promife of long Life and Prof- perity (as far as it fhall ferve for God's Glory, and their own Good) to all fuch as keep the Com- mandment /. /fixod. XX. 12, Eph. vl. I "-3, ^f, R Left ( 122 ; Led the Vindicator fhould apprehend, that thefe Word Q^ieft, What is required in the nijith Com- mandment ? Anf, The ninth Commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of Truth between Man and Man r, and of our own and our Neigh- bours good Name /, efpecially in Witnefs-bear-f e Pfal. XV. 2—4. Zech. viii. 16. Eph. iv. 25, ^c. f Job xxvii. 5, ^c. Pfal. ci. 5. Prov. x. 18. 3 John 12, ^c. Prov. vi. 1^, J9. ^ chap. xiv. 5, 25, i5c. 78. Quefl. What is forbidden in the ninth Com- viandment ? Anf. The nmth Commandment forbiddeth whatfoever is prejudicial to Truth h^ or injurious to our own /, or our Neighbours good Name h /; Exod. xxiii. i. Lev. xix. 16. Prov. xii. 19, l3c. i Phil. \\. 15. I Tim. v. 4. I Pet. ii. 12. ^ Tit. iii. 2. James iv. 11, 1 Pet.ii. I, K^c. 79' QiJ?ft» Which is the tenth Commandment ? Anf, The tenth Commandment is, \ThouJhaU not co-vet thy Neighbour s Houfe^ thou Jhalt not covet thy Neighbour' s Wife^ nor his Maji^Servant ^ nor his Maid-Servant^ nor his 0^, nor his Afs^ nor any Thing that is thy Neighbour's L] / Exod, XX. 1 7 3o. Queft. ( 125 ) 80. Queft. What is required in the tenth Com- mandment? Anf, The- tenth Commandment requlreth full Contentment with our own Condition m, with a right and charitable Frame of Spirit toward our Neighbour, and all that is his n, mV\i\[, iv. II, 12. I Tim. vi. 6. Heb. xiii. 5, ^V. « Job xxxi. 29. Pfal. XXXV. 13 — 15. Prov. xxiv. 17. Rom, xii. 10 — 15. I Cor. xiii. 3—7. i Tim. i. 5, ^c. 81. Queft. What is forbidden in the tenth Com- mandment ? Anf The tenth Commandment forbiddeth all Difcontentment with our own Eftate^, envying or grieving at the Good of our Neighbour/*, and all inordinate Motions and Affedlions to any Thing that is his q, I Kingsxxi. 4. Efth. V. 13. i Cor. x. 10. ^Pfal. xxxvii. i. \ Cor. xiii. 4. Gal. v. 26. James iii. 14, l^c. q Deut v. 21. Rom. vii. 7. chap. xiii. 9, 10, bfc. Our Author, I fuppofe, will allow, that whatever this Com- mand requires is our Duty^ and whatever it forbids is Sin : but to that Queft. What is Sin P The Anfwer was, " Sin is any voluntary Want of Conformity to the Law of God ; " let me therefore ask him, and every Man in the World ; Whe- ther there may not be fome Defeat of this full Contentment with our own Condition, i^c. Some Difcontentment with our own Ejiate^ and fome ^ yea many^ inordinate Motions and Affec- tions^ to fo?ne Things of our Neighbours, which preceed all Choice, and all a^iial Confent of the Will ; and confequently, are not, in his Senfe, voluntary ? If there are, as every Man muft know there are \ then the AfTembly were in the right, when they faid, " Sin is any Want of Conformity to the '< Law of God '^^^ whether it he JiriSily voluntary, or not. Indeed, the principal Scope of this Command is, to be a Guard upon the Heart ; to fhew. That God requires of us perfeSi LoVe, as to himfelf fo to our Neighbour, &c. an abfo^ lute Contentment with, and under, all his providential Difpenfa- tions, &c. and. That he forbids the very firji Stirrings, Mo- tions, Inclinations, which are inconfiftent with thefe, even though they furprize us, and preceded not only our deliberate Choice^ but all Confent of the Will 3 yea, and though many of ( 126 ) of them, In this corrupt State, are unavoidable. This Com^ jmn6. h^ishtQii C2^[Q<^, vinculum Legisy the Bond of the WHOLE Law; and it feems to have been added, more clearly and fully to explain, that fpirltual Obedience which God requires. The other Commands forbid, not only the adual TranfgreiHons themfelves, but all Occafions and Temptations to them, and all Thoughts of committing them : But this forbids th^firji corrupt Motions^ th.Q firji Stirrings of SiN in the Soul, Rom. Mil. 7—24. even though they fhould die^ before they are fully conceived^ James i. 15. or formed Into Thought, &c, > Oh what an humbling Confideration is this! Oh the defperate Wickednefs of the Heart of Man ! How miferable are they, who neither fee nor feel their own Corruption ? What a Delufion are thofe under, who dream. That our evil Thoughts^ at leaft the firjl inordinate Motions of our Hearts, pafs for nought ! Oh what abfolute NecelTity is there, for renewing Grace \ BlefTed, blcfled be God, {01 that Blood zvhich cleanfeth his People from all Sin! i John i. 7. If thou^ Lord., jhouldfl mark Iniquities! O Lorcl^ ivho Jhall fiand? Pfal. cxxx. 3. Enter not into Judgment with thy Servants : For in thy Sight Jhall no Man living be jujiified. Thanks be to God for Jefus Chriji^ in whom we have Redemption through his Blood. Having done with the Ten Commandments, the Revifer propofes a Queftion of his own, which we may well wonder how it came into his Head ; and yet, the Vindicator will needs, as ufual, trifle about that too. 81. Qiieft. What good Re afon can he given why the Duties we owe to oiirfehes are not oip'efsly mentioned in any of the ten Commafjdments ? Anf There was no need of exprefsly mentioning the Duties we owe to ourfelves in any of the ten Command- ments; becaufe they are implied, and virtually enjoined, in thofe Precepts concerning our Behaviour towards God and our Neighbour e-, inafmuch as the Negled of rhefe Duties will unfit us for the Service of our Maker/, and difpofe us to be injurious to Men g, ^ Mat. xxii. 37---40. /^Tim. iii. 4. Rom. viil. 8. James iv. 1. Prov. xxxl. 4, 5. When I read this, I could hardly believe my own Eyes. Ha ! thought T, we need nor be furprized, that the Man, who ^wiQi ^xq^q{q fuch a ^ejlion^ thought it was neceflary to re- vise the Afleiftbly's Catechifm. ^What room was there for it, after he had inferted what they have faid, upon each of the Commands ? The fixth CgmmaAdmenI; requireth, all lawful Bnd^avQurs ( 1^7 ) Endeavours to preferve ourownlife: The feventh, The Prefervation of ovK own Chastity: The eighth. The lawful procurmg mid furthering our own Wealth, l^c. In all which, they give the Preference to the Duties we owe to ourfelve'Sy as being, in the firfi PJace^ and principally required. Indeed, there is not fo much as one Jingle Duty^ which we owe either to God, ourfelves, or our Neighbour, expressly mentioned in any of the ten Commandments, excepting only in the fourth and fifth. And, in the fourth, the Duty we owe to ourjelves^ even To reji after fix Days Labour^ Sec, feems as exprefsly mentioned as it well could be. There is not, I fay, fo vn.\XQh2iS 07ieftngle Duty , expressly mention- ed, in any one of the Ten Commandments^ fa ve only in thefe Two! All the reft are Negative^ expressly mention- ing forne Sin ; but not a Syllable^ of any Duty. Now, fhould I take it in my Head to ask ; What good Reafon can be given. Why not fo much as one of the Duties, which we owe either to God^ ourfelves^ or our Neighbour .^ (excepting only thofe that relate to tht fanSfifying of the Sabbath ^ and thofe we owe to our Fathers and Mothers) is exprefsly mentioned^ in any of the ten Commandments ? I am afraid all the World would think, *' That none, but a Mad-man, could have ask'd fo wild a « Queftion." But, if the Queftion is ridiculous, the Anfwer is more fo. For, (i.) Whereas it runs, " becauie they are implied, !; *' inafmuch as the Negled of thefe Duties, ^cj" I would ask the Meaning ; and defire, he would fhew me the Propriety of this Way of Speaking. I would alfo know, i . AVhether they are not immediately^ and neceffarily implied j or only, in " as " much as the Negledt of them will unfit us, ^c." 2. Are they not all of them, as expressly mentioned, as ANY of the Duties we owe to God, or our Neighbour ; favino- only in the two above-mentioned Exceptions ? 3. Are the Duties we owe to our Neighbour^ any otherwife taught us, in the ten Commandments, than as they are implied in the Sins forbidden in them ? 4. Does not the fame Command, in which* it is i?nplied^ That we fhould ufe all lawful Endeavours to pre- ferve the Life of others, imply alfo, yea chiefly, and in the firfl Place, that we fhould ufe them to preferve our own ; and fo of the reft? (2.) The Words, " inafmuch as the Neglecft of thefe '' Duties will unfit us, &c.'^ are fo far, one would think, from being a Reafon, That it was needlefs to mention them expressly; that on the contrary, if any fuch Thing had been needful, they feem to be a ftrong Reafon, for their being VERY expressly mentioned. The End, the Subftance, of ail the Commandments, is Love i and furely, the lawful Love of ourfelves, is as immediately required, as the Love of our Neighbour, The Sum of ihe fecond Tabic runs thus, Thoufhalt • lovg (128) love thy Neighbour AS thy self. The Love then that we owe to ourfelves^ as it is the Standard of ourjLove to our Neigh- hour^ fo it is in the iirft Place required j becaufe, thole that do not love themfelves as the Law diredts, come not up to, do not obferve the Standard \ and confequently, cannot poflibly love their Neighbours^ as they are commanded. It is needlefs to ipend any more Time in examining, either this ttrange An- fwer, or the Proofs brought to fupport it, fome of which feem to be very far fetched, &c. let the Reader look back to the Rules of Explication, and the Affemblys Anfwers on each of the Commands, and he will be able to judge of our Author's ex-< traordinary Supple?tient to their Catechifm. But, left he fhould take a Fancy to propofe it the other way ; What good Reafon can be given, why the Sins which we commit against ourselves, are not expressly MENTIONED in any of the ten Commandments? We muft tell him. They are as expref sly mentioned^ as the Sins which we commit againft our Neighbour. Thtfixth Commandment does not run, Thou Jhalt not kill thy Neighbour ; but fimply, Thoujhalt not kill: If not thy Neighbour, much lefs thy f elf. Th^Jcvcnth cannot be tranfgrefled, in the Letter of it, and hardly any other way, but by a Sin againft ourfelves.- The eighth forbiddeth us, fmfully, to fquander away what is eur oivn^ as well as to take^ by Violence, or Fraud, what is not our own. The ninth relates to the Government of the Tongue, and forbids us to lie to., ' or deceive ourfelves^ &c. as well as cur Neighbours. The tenth Commandment refpefting chiefly, if not only, the Fra?ne., and Motions of our Hearts, doth no way relate to our Neighbour, but at fecond hand, as our Lujis may prove, or end in his Prejudice. In a Word, Sobriety, Meekyiefs., Temperance., Chajiity, Frugality ., Contentment.^ &c. are as necelTarily required in the fecond Table, as Murder, Adultery, Stealing, Sec. are forbidden in it ; and the fame Law that forbids us to fay, or do, any Thing obfcene, immo- deft, injurious, ^c. &c. to or of our Neighbour, does equally, yea, and in the firft Place, forbid us to fay, or do, any fuch Thing, to, of, againfi, or by ourfelves, 82. Queft. Is any Man able perfedlly to keep the Commandments of God'? Anf. No mere Man, fince the fall, Is able, in this Life, perfedly to keep the Commandments of God r, but doth daily break them, in Thoughts, Word t, and Deed u, r I Kings viii. 46. Eccl. vii. 20. Gal. v. 17. 1 Johni. 8, i^c. J Gen vi. 5. chap. viii. 21. Prov. xx. 9. /James ill. 2— 8. u Job ix. 2,3. PfaLxix, n. Pfal, xl, 12^ i John v. 9^ ^V. The ( 129 ) The only Alteration here is, " doth daily break one or othet'^ «' of them, in Thought, Wordj or Deed/' Now, tho' he feems, in this, to have given up th& Pelagian Impeccabi- lity ; yet is he for making as little of it, as he well can* He will not fay, " doth daily break them^ but only, one oj* '^^ other of the?n ; " nor rrtuft it be, in Thought, 'Word, and Deed ; but or Deed. The Vindicator is of the fame Mind, and, as his Cuftom is, when he has little to fay, grows angry. But furely they have forgotten. That every Imagination of the I'houghts of Mayi^s Heart was only eml continually^ Gen. vi. 5. That the Heart is deceitful above all Things^ &c. Jer. xvii. 9, That in uSy that is^ in our Flejh^ dwells no good Things Rom* vii. 18. That the Carnal Mind is Enmity againji God^ &c. &c. Chap. viii. 7. That the Tree mufl he made good^ before the Fruit can he good^ &c. They have forgotten, Thar the Law requires perfeSf Obedience^ Mat. v. 48. and curfcs every one that continueth not, i^c. Gal. iii. 10. That it requires the whole Man to be wholly and continually holy : That if there is any Failure^ either in the Matter, Manner, Principle, or End of our Adtions, this is Sin ; and a great many other Things formerly hinted. Yea, as for the Re- newed^ and San£iified^ our Authors can*t but know. That even they are but renewed in Part ; that the Flejh lujieth againji the Spirit ; that Sin dwellethy even in them^ Rom. vii. 17. that this Sin will be naturally ftirring and moving, Rom. vii. 2;|. that none of their A6lions, even the heft, are perfectly good \ that all their Right eoufneffes are as filtlyy Rags., Ifa. Ixiv. 6. that the Principle of Adion in them, being ftill, in fome Meafure, corrupted, every one of their Actions muft be, in lefs or more, defiled ; that the Law is tranfgrefled by Omijfionsy as well as Commijftons ; that there are numberlefs inordinate Motions and Ajfetlions^ in the holieft Man upon Earth ; that the very beft cannot underjiand their ErrorSy Pfal. xix, il. that there are fuch Things as Sins of Ignorance, fee Lev. iv. fo that the ve- ry beft of Men may, yea, do often Sin^ and not know it ; and that, even for fuch Sins, Sacrifices were of old to be of- fered 5 That every idle Word that Men Jhall fpeak, they Jhalt give Account thereof in the Day of Judg?nenty Mat. xii. 36, and a great many other Confiderations might be added. As all the Motions and A£lions of a Nature, or Agent, perfe^ly holy^ continuing in that State, are naturally, yea necenarily holy: So all ths Motions and Anions of an imperfeSl Na- ture^ or Agent^ are naturally imperf&Sf, in foilie Degree of other, according to the Imperfe&ion of it ; and all the Mo- tions, Appetites, Taftes, and A6t4ons of 2,fiyfuly impure^ cor* rupt Nature, or Agent, continuing io, do naturally partake of the ^infulnefs^ are tainted with the hnpurity, and have fome Meafur« of the Corruptign of the ^'itiated Agent S cleaving ( 13° ) ^leaving to them ; in Proportion to the Nature of the Mo- tion or A£tion, and the Impurity and Sinfulnefs of the Agent. As is thei^rinciple, fo is the AS: ; as is the Nature^, fo are the Motions ; as is the Fountain, fo are the Streams I Thefe are felf- evident. From all which it is plain, That £heSan/W, or only hinted, as if they were afraid of it; \^ true : And to be, anyhow, infmuated ; xi falfe. *' Per- *' haps, the Re\afer was againft faying only [That outward *' Means are made effectual to the Ele£i^^ left thofe that *' doubted of their being eleifted, fliould be difcouraged from *' Reading, Praying, and other Duties. * " But, what Rea- fon have thofe, v/ho are fo well difpofed, to doubt of their Eleciion f How come they, or any other, to begin with Elec- tion ? Their Duty is plainly revealed ; let them beg Grace, to incline and enable them for that : And, when th?y fhall make their Calling fiire, they may, they ftiall alfo, make their EleSfion fure, 2 Pet. I. lO. But, I am pretty well fatisfied. That concealing the Do6trines of Ele£iion, 2L\\d fpecial Grace, never did, nor ever will, encourage any Man, to the Practice of any Evangelical Duty : And that this Notion, that Men may believe and repent, when they have a Mind ; at leaft, may have Grace to incline and enable them to do fo, whenever they pleafe, will, and that very naturally, tempt them to delay thofe great Duties, even to the laft ; which cannot fail, of being very hazardous ; and, in the Opinion of thefe Men, rend ring their Salvation, within a Hair's Breadth at leaft, of being quite defperate, if not altogether impojfible. 89. Queft. How is the Word made effeSlual to Salvation ? Anf. The Spirit of God maketh the Reading, but efpecially the Preaching of the Word m, an efFedual Means of convincing, and converting *Binners n, and of Building them up in Holinefs o^ and Comfort ^, thro' Faith unto Salvation q. m Neh. viii. 8. Ads viii. 30—39. i Cor. iii. 7. i Cor. xiv. 24, 25. « Pfal. xix. 7 — 10, Ads xxvi. 18. ^Eph. iv. 11, 12. Afts XX. 32. Tit. ii. 12, \^c. p Ads 9. 31. Rom. xv. 4. i Theff. ii. 6, dffc. ^Rom. i. 16. i Cor. i. i8. Here the Revifer has dropt the Word, efpecially ; and when the Remarker objected, " That by fo doing, the Ordinance *' of Preaching is put upon a Level with the bare reading of *' the Word, as if the Influence of the Spirit to all the Pur- *' pofes of Salvation, were as much to be expelled in the one, '' as in the other. And that this is not very friendly to pub- * Find, p. 59, <« lick ( 137 ) <« lick Worfhlp, nor to 'the exprefs Inftitiition of Preaching *' the Gofpel." The Vindicator, with his ui'ual Veracity, re- plies, as if he had been difpleafed, * " that the infpired Word " of God was made equal with the Sermons of uninfpired, *' weak, and fallible Men." If he means equal in Authority ; neither the AlFembly, nor the Remarker, make theih eguaL Reading and Preaching are both, according to them, Means^ which the Spirit makes cffeSliial^ for the Purpofes mentioned ; but they think, that Preaching the Word^ is commonly made morecffcttual for thofe happy Ends, than hare Reading it : And the Texts quoted, the Nature and Defign of the Inltitution of Preachings and xS\^ Experience of the Saints^ in all Ages, con-^ firm, and put it beyond all rational Doubt. Withal, the IVord preached^ and the Word ready is the fame infalUhh IVordy even tho' fallible Men are the Preachers. Thofe that preach not the IVord, but their own Fancies, Errors, or Blaf- phemies, never did, nor can do any Good, by fo doing. They are the Enemies of Chrift, and the Deftroyers of the Souls of Men. " But he does not think that our Lord was unfriend- *' ly, either to the Miniftry, to the Apoftolical Order, ba *' fwift to hear^ James i. 19. nor yet to publick Worfhip, *' by faying. Search the Scriptures^ John v. 39." Very true. But, Is it not pofTible, to fearch the Scriptures^ I N and b y* hearing the Word, as well as reading it ? Are the Labours, of a ferious, diligent, godly Minifter, no Help towsLvdsfearch- ing the Scriptures f Or, is it likely, that the greateft Part of Chriftians, fhould fo eafily, fo fuccefsfully fearch ; or {o clear- ly, fo thoroughly underjland them, without the Minifiry I After all, it is neither their Reading nor Hearing the Word, that will make it ejfeSiual for Salvation ; but the powerful working o{ the Holy Spirit, with either, or both : And there- fore, the only Queftion here is, To which of thefe, he has promifed a more efpecial Blefling ; or, which of them, does he, moft ufually and effectually, make fuccefsful, for the con- ilincing and converting Sinners, and the buildiyig up Believers in Kno'wledge, Holinefs, and Comfort ? And as to thefe. Let him ask thofe that Fear God. But we know that the A4eii who are fo full of themf elves, their oivn Endeavours, good Dif- pofitions, amd Abilities, have feldom been very fond of Chrijfs Injlitutions ; and have been too apt to negleft, undervalue, or (defpife, the prmmfed Infiiiences of the Spirit of God. 90. Queft. How is the Word to be read a?id hcard^ that it may beco?ne effcBual to Sahafion ? * Fi;id.,p. 59, T Jnf. ( 138 ) Anf, That the Word may become effedual to Salvation, we muft attend thereunto with Dili- gence r, Preparation /,' and Prayer t^ receive it with Faith u^ and Love w, lay it up in our Hearts x^ and pradife it in our Lives y, r Prov. viii. 34. A6ls xvii. i\,l^c. James i. 19. / James i. 21. I Pet. ii. I, 2, ^c. t Pfal. cxix-^8 and 27. u Heb. iv. 2. nv Pfal. cxix. 97. 2 Theff. ii. 10. x Pfal. cxix. 1 1. Lukexi. 28. y Mat. vii. 24. James i. 25, ^c, 91. Queft. How do the Sacraments become ef- fedlual Means of Salvation ? Anf. The Sacraments become effeftual Means of Salvation, not from any Virtue in them, or in him that doth adminifter them 2;, but only by the Bleffing of Chrift, ' and the working of his Spirit a^ in them that by Faith receive them b. z Mat. ill. II. I Cor. iii. 6, 7, i^c. a A6ls xi. 21. Ch. xvi. 14, 15, ^*c. h I Cor. xii. 13. Tit. iii. ^. i Pet. iii. 2 1 , ^r. The Revifer's Anfwer to the fame Qiieftion is. The Sacraments become effedual Means of Salvati- on, by the working of the Spirit on thofe that with a right Difpolition receive them r, r Tit. iii. 5. i Pet. iii. 21. To this it was obje£led, " that by leaving out thofe Wor^s, *' not from any Virtue^ &c. the Popifo Do<5lririe of the good *' Intention, and Authority of the Prieft, for the VaHdity of '^ the Sacraments, is to be indulged, or not guarded againft in a " Protejiant Catechifm, tsfc. * " The Aflembly, in their Anfwer, oppofe, and guard againft, two very dangerous popijb Tenets, (i.) That wicked Notion, of the Sacraments work^ ing or conferring Grace, ex Opere operate^ by the Deed done, i, e. by ?nere receiving them, as if they wrought phyfically, whether the Receivers, in receivings exercife Faith, or any other Grace, or no. This they declare againft in thofe Words, *' Not from any Virtue in them, viz. the SacramentsJ'* And, * Rem. p. 43, (2O That ( 139 ) (2.) That odious, devillfh Tenet, That the Intention of the Prieji^ in the Confecration and Adminiftration, is necefiary to the Efficacy of^ the Sacraments ; thereby placing all the Ef- ficacy of them, in that of which the People can never be fure, ^r. This they oppofe, in thofe Words, *' Not from any '« Virtue in him that doth adminifter them." Both thefe are exprefled more clearly, in their larger Caiechifm^ thus, " The *' Sacraments become efFe(5lual Means of Salvation, not by '' any Power in the7nfek)es^ or any Virtue derived from the *^' Fiety and Intention of them^ by v/hom they are adminiftred/* And, confidering the monflrous Folly, as well as Iniquity, of thefe Notions, they had good Reafon, fo exprefsly to declare againft them. Now, the Remarker having only obferved con- cerning the latter of thefe, the Vindicator replies, i. " Some '' are difpofed to think that the moral Character of a Mi- *^ nifter contributes to the the Efficacy of his Ser?fions^ &c,.''''" But the Qiieftion was not, about the Efficacy^ of a Mini- fter*s Sermons^ but o£ the Sacraments. And, fuppofmg there is fomething in this, it is not becaufe they think, that this Efficacy proceeds from any Virtue in the Minijler^ ns if there were any Thing in him which gives it thi^t Power ; but, be- caufe they prefume, a pious Preacher, will be more careful to ftudy, or more cautious of what he delivers.^ and more fedu- ]ous in Prayer for Affiftance and Succefs, ^c. and therefore^ that they may more reafonably expect, rhe Bleffmg of God to accompany the Ordinances fo difpenfed. 2. " Not one Child of " a Thoufand would, as I fuppofe, underftand that thefe *« Words do make againft the Popiflj Dodlrine of the Inten- « tion of the Prieft, &c. \ '* Why then, he that catechifes them, may eafily give them the Hint ; and they'll remem- ber it the better, having thefe Words for a Meimrajidtmi. 3. " If it was underftood, yet, if it be not pertinently and '^ efFe6tually fupported, it can never be any Prefervative a- *' gainft Popery'' Why then did he not thus pertinentlv, and effectually, fupport it ? The Apoftle's Words do it to the full. I have planted^ Apollos watered^ but God gave the In-^ creafe. So then, neither is he that Plant eth any Thing, neither he that water eth ; hut Go D that giveth THE Increase, i Cor. iii. 6, 7. It is impofTible for Words, to fupport it more effectually. So far is there from being any Virtue in the Adminiftrator, That neither was Paul any Thing, wor Apollos. And, were there 2iny inherent Virtue^ in the Ordinances themselves, 'twould, one way or another, appear, at all Times ; at leaft, upon Perfons e- i\M2\\Y judicious, attentive, and well-difpofed ', which yet, the Experience of all Ages afTures us, it does not. The Inftitu- * Vind, p. ()0, f ibid, p. 60, T z tioiis ( I40 ) tions of the Gofpel, are Means ; and, as fuch, have a Sutta hlenefs in them, to anfwer the End propofed by them : Bu all the Efficacy, Power, and Virtue of them, depends wholly upon the Blejfmg of God. Were there any Virtue in the Mi- nifter, the moft ferious, diligent, learned, and accomplifhed, would, in all Cafes, be ever moji fuccefsful : But, univerfal Experience thoroughly confutes this. Even cur Lord himfelf^ was notyi fuccefsful a Minijler^ as might have been expe&ed. Ifaiah xlix. 4. Mat. xxiii. 37, i^c. 92. Queft. What is a Sacrament ? Anf. A Sacrament is an holy Ordinance infti- tuted by Chrift ^ wherein, by fenfible Signs, Chrift and the Benefits of the New Covenant are reprefent- ed g, fealed h^ and applied to Believers /. g Gen. xvii. 10, 11 — 14. ;^ Rom. iv. 11. i Exod. xii. /^' ^^' Mark x. 13—16. I Cor. vii. 14, 96. Queft. ( H2 ) 9 6- Qu?ft. What is the Lord'sSupper ? Anf, The Lcrd's-Supper is a Sacrament, where- in, by giving and receiving Bread and Wine ac- cording to Chrift's Appointment f^ his Death is fliewed forth t ; and the vs^orthy Receivers are u^ not after a corporal and carnal Manner, but by Faith, made Partakers of his Body and Blood it;, with all his Benefits x^ to their fpiritual Nouriflv ment, and Growth in Grace y. / Mat. xxvi. 26—29. Mark xiv. 22—25: Luke xxii. 19, 20. / I Cor. xi. 26. u I Cor. xi. 27— -29. i Cor. x. 16. iv John vi. 35. ver. 50—63. X John vi. 27. 2 Cor. iii, 6, ^c. j Pfal. Ixiii. 5. Ifa. XXV. 6. John vi. 54, i^c. The Revifal hath the Letter Part of it thus, — And the worthy Receivers declaring their Thank- Eilnefs to God for redeeming Love h^ and renewing 'their Obligations to own and obey the Gofpel c^ are aflured of partaking in the Benefits obtained by a cru- cified Saviour d. h Adsii. 46. c I Cor. x. 16. d Luke xxii. 20. Here the iRemarker objects, " That thefe Alterations have *' a very popijh Caft, and are fuch, as one might expert a *' Papiji to make, dffc. * " To which the Vindicator ; " The AfTembly's Guard againft Tranfubjiantiatton, in the <' Words mentioned, was ib exprefTed, that Children had *' need of a Monitor, to fhew them what is really oppofed *' in this PalTage f. " The Words are as plain, as any can well be, againft Believers receiving, in their Hands, or eating with their Mouths, the very Body and Blood of Chriji : And, whenever Children hear of Tran- fuhflantiation, or what the Papijis mean by it, the Words are To dired and ftrong, as tp be a very fufficient Guard againft \t : Nor h^e they any more need of a Monitor here, than in other Cafes. But, " the Catechift may inftru6l and con- ** firm them in the Proteftant (he Ihould have faid Chri- ^' stian) Dodrine, by a fuitable Explication of that Part " of the Anfwer [his Death his (hewed forth] % • " ^^ re- ply, I. Tlie Papifts may readily grant, That his Death is * F.e;jt.-p. 45. f Fifid. p. 61, 1 /^'W. Jhnvcd ( H3 ) Jhewed forth ; even tho' the Subjiance of the Bread and Wine, were really changed into his Body and Blood. 2. Every honeft, plain Chriftian, may not be qualified to inftru6t, and confirm their Children, in the Do^rine of Chriftj without fo7ne fuch Words in the Catechifm. Withal, 3. May we not have Rea- fon to fear, that not a few, who have loft their Love, of the Principles contained in the Aflembly's Catechifm, are very indifferent about thefe Matters ; will never be at the Trouble to explain fuch Things to their Families ; and are, perhaps, not very forry, to hear of a Catechifm, wherein this, as well as fome other Points, are left " in] the general, and inde e>- <' minate." For all which Reafons, we beg leave the An- fwer may ftand as it was. " What fignifies the oppofing of «' Popery, by Expreflions that are not underftood ? " Why- then did not he make them plainer ? " And which, if never <' fo plain, are no way proved * ? " A worthy Protejiant indeed ! Why then, did not he prove them ? Or, does he think, they cannot be proved ? " If it be not Popery, 'tis " fomewhat akin to it, for any, in a religious way, to put <« Children both upon learning they know not what, and up- *' believing they know notwiiy f." [Witnefs their 8th Que- ftion, and feveral others.] More Protejiantijrn ftill ! And what is it, in the Aflembly's Anfwer, that Children may not know? Or, have we no Reafon to believe, " That the worthy Re- " ceivers are not after a corporal and carnal Manner, but by* " Faith, made Partakers of his Body and Blood ? " Why ; the Apoftle calls the Breads even .after Confecration, Bread, no lefs than three Times in three Verfes. As often as ye eat THIS Bread, ^c. i Cor. xi. 26— 28, ^c. And our Lord^ in fo many Wordsj afiures us, it was the Fruit of the Vine^ and not his very Blood, (of which there was not, at that Time, fo much as one T>vo^ Jhed for thern^) zvhich he and his Difciples had drunk^ in the Sacrament, Matt. xxvi. 8. " Be- " fides, as llraining the Scripture Metaphor about* the Body *' of Chrift, was the Foundation of the monftroully abfurd '' Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation \ fo the avoiding every *' Thing of Metaphor, in defcribing of the Sacramental " Supper, feems to be a better way of guarding againft that '' ridiculous Popifh Notion, than faying. That by Faith we " are made Partakers of his Body and Blood. \ " Is it fo ? Then our Lord, in the Inftitution, did not take this better Way. But how is it poffible to fpeak of a Sacrament, with- out a Metaphor ? Sacraments are prefent^ vifiblq Sigfu, of fomething abfent, fpiritml, and invifible : Can any of them then be defcribed, but in a figurative way ? Or, adminijlred., but m figurative Words ^ Why; to do fo, is to dcflroy their Jhid. iihid. Xibid. very ( 144 ) very Nature. It v/ould be indeed, to make them no Sacra^ rnents. This do the Papijzs, in the prefent Cafe ; and whe- ther thefe Men do not (o too, fhall be left to God and the World. The poor StuiF that follows is not only ftrained, but falfe ; and wholly beneath Confideration. Had I Time, or were it worth while, to criticize after this Manner, I could fet fome of his beautiful Periods, in a very ridiculous Light. But now, as to the Revifer's Alterations, we - fay^ That the worthy Recei\'ers cannot but " declare their Thankfulnefs to *' Ooii^ [and to Chr'iji too) for.Redeeming-Love.'* This is clearly implied in their worthy receiving. Their appearing at the Lord's Table, is the moft folemn owning the Gofpel ; and, in their partaking of the Ordinance, they cannot but " re- *' new their Obligations to obey it ! " Nor could they zvorihily receive-^ if they did not. And " are alTured of partaking in the Benefits obtained by a crucified Saviour." Why " aflured *' of partaking ? ** Do not worthy Receivers o5lually partake? Ay, and fometimes, when they are far from being allured they do ? Why might he not have faid />«;y/?^^, as well as obtained? And why is there not fo much as a Syllable " of their Spiri- | *' tual Nourlfhrnent, and Growth in Grace ? " As one of the thief Things fignified and fealed in Baptifm^ is, even accord- ing to him, " our Ingrafting into Chrift : " fome of the Things fignified and fealed In the Lord's-Supper^ muft needs be our continuing in, living by and upon, and deriving every Thing fro?n him. Is not the Lord's Supper a Feajl ; the Gofpel Feail: ? and can it be defcribed, without mentioning the Nature, Ufe, End, and EffecSls of it ? Was not this Feaji in- tended, for the Nourlfhrnent, Refrelhment, Vigour, and Comfort, of the Souls of Believers ? Why then is there not a Syllable of this ? How can this Supper be defcribed without it 97- Qiipft- ^J^hat is required to the worthy re- ceiving of the Lord's Supper ? AnJ\ It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord's- Supper, that they examine themfelves, of their Knowledge to difcern the Lord's Body 2:, of their Faith to feed upon him a^ of their Repentance b^ Love r, and new Obe- dience d, -left coming unworthily, they eat and drink Judgment to themfelves e. ^ « I Cor. xi. 28, 29. a 2 Cor. xiii. ^. ^ i Cor, xi. 31- 1 c I Cor. xi, 18, 20. di Cor. v. 7, 8< e 1 Cor.xi. 27. 1 ^ In ( H5) In this, the Revifer ftrikes out thefe Words, " to feed upcn him 3 " and, when the Remarker objected to it, the Vindica- tor trifles enormoufly, for a whole Page together, by way of Defence ; or I do not know what to call it. The only Thinp- worth Notice is, " That it was reckoned by the Revifer as too *' metaphorical for a Catechifm, " ^c. But how can we fpeak of thefe Things, without a Metaphore ? Is it odd, to. fpeak of FEEDING, 2it s. Feaji ? And is notour co?nmnmcat^ ing^ a Feafting ? Is not ChrijTs Flefi Meat indeed^ his Blood drink indeed? John vi. 55. and can we any other way feed upon Chriji^ i. e. receive, digeft, and be nourifhed by his Be- nefits^ but BY Faith ? Is not this the immediate, the direct, the principal Work of Fa i t h, at his Table. And is it not fit to teach Children their chief, and proper Work, when they fhall approach this Ordinance ? What need is there of Knowledge to difcern the Lord^ s Body^ which evidently fuppofes it, one way or another, /)r^y^«/ ; if there is not need of faith, to feed upon him ? Do we not read of the Soul's being fati s fed ^ as with MarroTiJo and Fatnefs ; Pfal. Ixiii. 5. of buying IVtne and Milk^ without Money and without Price^ and of eating that ivhich is good; If. Iv. I, 2. of coming to Chrf/l, and drinking j John vii. 37. of eating his Flejh^ and Drinking his Blood; that the Flejh profit eth mthitig, and that it is the Spirit that qui ckeneth? John vi. 53— 63, ^c, tffc. Now, in what Senfe foever thefe are true. Believers find them as true at the Sacrament, as ever they do in this World. I hope thefe Men, ^' by avoiding every Thing of Metaphore, in the Sacramental Supper f ,'' would not have us give up, with a late Writer, the very Nature, Ufe, and End, of this Inftitution. 98. Queft. What is Prayer? Anf, Prayer is an Offering up of our Defires to GodJ^ for Things agreeable to his Will g^ in the Name of Chrift /?, with Confeffion of our Sins /, and thankful Acknowledgement of his Mercies k, f ?{. XXV. I, 2, Pfal.lxii. 8, ^'c. ^ Rom. viii. 27. i John V. 14, 15, iffc. h John xiv. 13, 14. chap. xvi. 23, &'c. i Ezra ix. 6--15. Neh. ix. 3. Dan. ix. 4—16, b'c. /JEph,v. 20. Phil, iv. 6, i^c. Since thefe Words, in the Name of Chrifi^ make it evident. That this is a Defcription only of Chriftian Prayer ; becaufe no Man zf ///, or can pray, in his Name^ v/ho never heard of, and dw§ not believe in him ': I fliould have been gbd^ if the * Find. p. 62. f find. p. 61, U Affcmbly ( 146 ) Aficmbly had added, as they do in their larger Catechifm, thefe Words, " by the Help of his Spirit ; " and that, for thefe Reafons, i. Becaufe no Man can fay that J ejus is the Lordy I. e. make Profeflion of his Name, and put hisTruJi in him^ fo as to addrefs the Father through him^ &c. but by the Holy Ghost, i Cor. xii. 3. his Influence and Condudl. 2. Becaufe, The Spirit also helpeth our Infirmi- ties: Forive know not what we Jhould pray for ^ as we ought: But the spirit himself maketh Intercession for us, with Groanings which cannot he uttered^ Rom. viii. 26. So that, as Chrift intercecds for us in Heaven, the Spirit intercceds in our Hearts on Earth. And therefore, 3. As w« have no Reafon to expe6l to be heard, if w^e ask not in the Name of Chrijl ; we have as Httle, if we are not affijled and quickned by the Spirit. And, 4. Thus, Children might have been clearly mftrucled, in the common and gene- ral Method of ChriJIian IVorJhip^ efpecially in Prayer-, That it is, to the Father, through, i.e. in the Name of the ScN, and by the Holy Spip.it, enlight- ning, exciting, fan6tifying, and, interceeding in us. I fay, general; becaufe, we are not tied down to this Method. Nor is it, nor ought it to be always followed : So far from it, That both in our Prayers and Praifes, whether fecret, private, or publick, we not only may., but ought fometimes, and on ibme Occafions, to dire^ them immediately, to our lleffed Saviour the Lordjefus; but ftill, through the Influence, and Help of the Holy Spirit. And this fuggefts the true Rea- jony why we have not fo many Injiances^ efpecially of Prayer, dire(5^ed ifnmediately to the Perfon of the Holy Ghofl: : Becaufe, it is the Office he has undertaken in the Covenant of Redemption, to excite the Ele(ft to aflifl: and quicken, and make them importunate in their Prayers, by fuggefting Matter, furnifliing them zvith Arguments, teaching them how, and for what to pray, and ftirring them up to Zeal, Fervour, Afliduity, and Perfeverance, in this great Duty. I faid, not Jo inany Injiances ; becaufe, notwithltanding Mr. Gibbs's bold Afl'ertion to the contrary, we \a^^fome, not only of Prayer, but of all Parts of Divine Worjhip, directed im- mediately to hiMj and that both in Heaven and in Earth 3 as we fhall fee. 99, Queft. What Ride hath God given for oiir DireStmi in Prayer ? Anf. The whole Word of God is of Ufe to di- recft us in Prayer /, but the fpecial Rule of Direc- tion is, that Form of Prayer which Chrift taught his ( H7 ) his Dirciples, commonly called the Lord's Prayer;^/. /Matrxxi. 2 2, I Johniii. 22, i John v. 14, ^c. m Mat. vi. 9 — 13. Luke xi. 2—4, l5c. To the fame Queftion the Revifer replies thus, The whole facred Scripture is of Ufe to direct us la praying to God _p, the Gofpel teaches us to pray in the Mediator's Name q^ and in other Particulars we have fpecial Direction in that Pattern of Prayer which Chriil gave to his Difciples, commonly called the Lord's Prayer r. p I John V, 14. q John xvi. 24. r Mat. vi. 9—13. Here are feveral Alterations and Additions. I. The Ex- preflion, the whole Word of Gocly is judicioujly changed into, " the whole facred Scripture ? "' And is not the whole Word of God contained in the facred Scriptures ? Or, does he know any other facred Scriptures, but his written Word ? Or, is not every Part of his Word, facred? 2. In Prayer^ is turned to, " in praying to God!^ And feeing, there is but one God, when Believers />r^)' to Christ, as the Difclples did, Luke xvii. 5. Mat, vlii. 25, ^c. and tlie whole hundred and twenty, A6is i. 15, ver. 24. and the Apoftles frequently, In their Epiltles, fee 2 Cor. xli. 8, 9, ^c. &c. they prayed unto God ; and therefore. He, with the Father, is the one God. He adds, 3. The Gofpel teaches us to pray In the Mediator's Name." But this Is a mere Tautology, having had the fame in the former Anfwer. 4. " And in other Particulars, we '« have fpecial DIredion." Let the Reader judge, whether the Aflembly's Manner of exprefling tnemfelves, or this, be moft fuccln6t and clear. 5. What they alfo call "a Form, '* he calls, *' a Pattern of Prayer." And here, the Vin- dicator brings In the moft learned and pious Dr. Watts, in his Note upon this Anfwer, faying; " It were to be wifhed, that ''^ the reverend Authors had declared this Form of Prayer, " not to be fo complete a Pattern for Chriftlans, in all Ages ; '' fince Chrlft did not teach his Difclples to pray in his Name, '' as he did afterwards." As high an Efteem I have for this great and good Man, I muft beg leave to obferve, i. The wor- thy Dr. calls it a Form, which thefe Men feem to deny. 2. The AfTembly do not call it a Pattern, or fay that it "^ was fo " complete a Pattern for Chrittians^ in all Ages s " No, they * Fifid. p, 63, U 2 call ( 148 ) call it a Form ; and fay, it is " the fpec'ial Rule of Direc- tion \ "' which it may be, and which it moft certainly /j, whe- ther it be " fo complete a Pattern for Chriftians,' in all Ages," or no. 3. Though, I believe, moft of the Members of that venerable Body, thought it was, and did themfelves ufe it as a Form; yet, they do not, in this Anfwer, impofe it, as fuch, upon others. If it was intended, as a Form to the Difciples, Luke xi, 12. when it was firji given-, and, if it is the fpecial Rule of Diredion, to this Day ; this is all the Allembly aifirm. They do not fay. That it is a Form to us; or to be conti- nually ufed as a Forjn^ in all Ages. 4. I do not love to hear any Thing, that feems but remotely ' to infmuate. That this was not a moft complete Pattern^ &;c. By fome of the very fame Rules, which we offered for explaining the Ten Com- mandmentSy and, which muft be admitted, in the Exphcation of all fuch fnort^ fignijicmit^ and ?noJl comprehenjive Summa- ries ; it will ealily appear, that this Pattern is most com- plete. Let any Man but read the great Archbifhop Ufiers Expofition of the Lord's Prayer, in his Sum and SuhJIance of the Chrijlian Religion, p. 342 — top. 381. and he'll be abun- dantly fatisfied. If this is too much, the Affembly's Anfwers, relating to this Prayer, in their larger and fhorter Catechifms, may convince him to. the full. 5. The very firft Words, Our Father, plainly imply the Mediation of Chrift : For, God is no Man's Father, except as his Creator and Preferver, but in, and through, and fir Christ. The "Words have nn Evangelical Air, and are almoft- appropriated to the New Teftament Difpenfation : For, we never find them any where in the Old Teftament, but once in a Thanks- giving of the royal Pfalmift, 2 Chron, xxix. 10. and twice, in the Evangelical Prophet, If. Ixiii. 16. and chap. Ixiv. ver. 8. pointing perhaps, chiefly, if not only, at Gofpel- times. However, the Vindicator is fo difpleafed, that " its being *' termed a Pattern, muft not be allowed to be any Improvc- *' ment:" That hp cries out, " fo great is the Power of Pre- *« judice 1 " A glorious Improvement indeed ! Which moft old Women, among the Diflenters, could have made, at leaft feventy Years ago : And yet, if it either now is, or ever was a Form, the Ailembly might furely call it fo ; and then, it will be hard to fliew where this Improvement is ; for it is evi- dent they propofe it as alfo a Pattern, or fpecial Rule of Di- re(Si:ion. That the Lord's Prayer was defigned for a Pa T t E R N, ap- pears very evident to me, from Mat. vi. 9. after this -MANNER therefore, pray ye \ o u r Fa T h E R , ^c. That it was alfo given as a Form, at leaft to the Difciples, many dare not A^m^ \i\i^n they read thofe Words, when ye pray^ * Findij^. 63. ( 149 ) 5AY, OUR Father, ^c and upon this, I offer thefe Thoughts, I. It is allowed by all, and is evident in itfelf. That it never v/2isfo a For m, as that Chriftians wxre tied down to it, and forbidden ever to ufe any other Words in Prayer, but thefe only. 2. It was n^v^r fo^i Form, as that they were never to pray, zulthout iifing It^ either as a diftin6t Prayer, or at the Cojiclufion of their other Prayers : For ^ye have many Prayers in the New Teltament, in which, there is not fo much as one Plij^afe of this Prayer found. 3. It is very obfervable. That though in all the Prayers recorded in the Bible, the Saints al- was prayied, for the very sameThings which are con - tained in this Prayer 5 yet there is not fo much as oneftngle Sentence of this found any where, in the fu/nc precife Wordsy from the Beginning of the Scriptures to the End of them. And this gives jnc full Conviction, not only, That the "J ewsh-^id. no such form, before Chrilt : But, That the fever at Sentences of this Prayer, in the very fame precife JVords^ were feldom, if ever, ufed by them. 4. What the Opinion of the firft Ages, as to this Matter was, I fnall not now enquire: This only I feem fure of, that, the conjlant Ufe of this Prayer, as A Form, was not thought nccejfary^ and was not univcrjal, even mpublick Worffnp^ till the middle A2;e3 : For, v/e know when, and where, the Council met, who decreed. That it fliould be ufed in the publick Aflemblys, at leaft once every Lord's Day. And yet, 5. Becaufe our pious Reformers, and all. the Proteftant Churches, till about a Century ago, did, and molf of them, to this Day, do univerfally ufe it, as A Form, both in private and publick Worfnip-, though I very feldom do fo myfelf, I fhall not be fond of blaming thofe that do. Though I cannot bring myfelf, in any Thing, to believe or do what others do, merely for that Reafbn ; yet in Things cf this kind, and where fo much may be faid for their Practice, I Ihall always modejlly exprefs my DifTent, and claim my Liberty. 100. Queft. What doth the Preface of the Lord's; Prayer teaeh us ? Anf The Preface of the Lord's Prayer, which is, \Oiir Father., which art in Heaveji ?2.] teacheth us, to draw near to God, v/ith all holy Reve- rence (?, and Confidence /», as Children to a Fa-* ther q, able and ready to help us r, and that we fliould pray withy,' and for others /. n Mat. vi. 9, i^c. Ifa. Ixiv. 9. Ch. Ixiii. 16, &c. p Rom, viii. 15. Heb. iv. 16, ^c. ^Gal. iv. 6. Eph. i. 5, ^c. rLuke xi. 13. Mat. vi. 7—12, ^c. /Ads xii, 5. Chap. xx. 36. /Eph. vi. J 8. iTim. ii. j, 2, ^c, joi. Queft, ( ^5o ) 10 1. Queft. What do we pray for, in the firji Fctition ? Anf. Ifi the firft Petition, v/hich is, [Hallowed be thy Namet /,] we pray, That Gcwi would en- able us and others u, to glorify him in all Things whereby he maketh himfelf known w\ and that he would difpofe all Things to his own Glory x, / Mat. vi, 9, i^c. u Pfal. Ixxxvi, 11. ,n,v Pfal. Ixvli, 2, 3, ^c X Jolmxii. 28. Chap. xiv. 13. Chap. xvii. i — 6. Pfal. Ixxxiii, 18, i^c. 102. Queft. What do we pray for, in the fecond Petition ? Anf, In the fecond Petition, which is, [7y^ Kingdom come y^ we pray, That Satan's King- dom may be deftroyed 2;, and that the Kingdom of Grace may be advanced a, ourfelves and others brought into it b, and kept in it c, and that the Kingdom of Glory may be haftned d, jp'Mat. vi. 10. % Pfal Ixviii. i — 18. a Ifa. Ixii. 6, 7. Pfal.li. 18." Pfal. cxxii. 6, 7, 8. Pfal. ii. 8, Rev. xii. 10, t i. h Qc^. i. 12,13. c z Their, jii. i. Rom. x. i. John xvii. 9 and 20. d 2 Pet, iii. 12. Rev. xxii. 20, ^V. Here the Revlfer, inftead of ourfelves^ has lue ; and of the laft Claiife, has //, " and be haftening in Preparation for the *•' Kingdom of Glory." But not a Word of praying for its coming ; even tho' it ought to be one of the chief Defires, and is indeed, the Great Things which all Chriftians are fup- jx)fed, to hope and pray for ! This Alteration feems alfo' to be implied, in the Words immediately preceeding. For, " thofe ** that are brought into the Kingdom of Grace," /. e. renew- ed by the Holy^Ghoft, united to Chrift, and turned to God ; *' and kept in it^^ i. e. are daily enlightened, ftrengthened, fancSlified, and more and more changed into the hnage of God, one would think, cannot but be " haftening in their Pre- «' paration for the Kingdom of Glory : " At leaft, as this is their chief Preparation, fo, when they pray for this, they pray, that they may " be haftning in Preparation for it.'* But the Vindicator, who will have fomething to fay, be it never fo {Illy, alleges, " That the Revifer did jump in OpI- '•« nion v,'ith an ingenious QciUkman^ that, whatever thq *« Meaning ( 151 ) '' Meaning of thefe Words, Surely I come quickly. Amn. '' Even fo come Lordjefus^ Rev. xxii. 26. was, 'tis liard to ^' fuppofe, that prefently after the Gofpel Difpenfation was " begun, there faould be an earneft Requeft for a fpeedy End " to it. * " This, it muft be owned, is a very ingenious Thought, and very ingeniouily brought in ! But, to what Pur- pofe ; did the AfTembly fay any fach Thing ? No. They were far from thinking we fhould pray. That the Kingdom of Glory might come before the appointed Time ; till all the Ele5i fhould be gathered in ; and the Myftery of God he finlficd^ Rev. x. 7, &c. i^c. All they would teach us is, That true Chriftians fhould heartily expert, moft earneftly defire, and moji fervent- ly p' ay for the coming of that Khigdotn^ according to, Rev. xxii. 20. and the Exhortation of the Apoftle Peter^ in his fecond Epiftle, ch. iii. 12. Looking for^ and hajlening untOy or, as it is in the Original, yi^ (TTnvS'orrci^ rtiv 'v^ct^miitv-Tm i^ Gi^ yifjiipct^, HASTING THE COMING of the Day of God^ Here, the firft Word, which calls for the Exercife of Pa- tience^ plainly infinuates, it v^as not to come foon : And yet, the other, ftrongly requires our ardent Defires of, and Fer- vent Importunate Prayers for its coming : As if it would not cotne fo foon^ if Chriliians did not thus defire it ; or, as if their vehement^ coyit'lnual praying for it, woul^d hajlen it. Indeed, fuch a Temper, does, in a Senfe, put them in the Poflefiion of all the Joys and Glory of ity before it comes., 103. Quell. What do we pray for^ in the third Petition ? Anf, In the third Petition, which is, \T!hy Will be done on Earth., as it is in Heaven e.] We pray, that God would make us able and willing to knowy^, obey g, and lubmit to his will in all Things h, as the Angels do in Heaven /. e Mat. vi. 10, ^c. f Pfal. cxix, ver. 18. Eph. i. 18. CoL i. 9. 2 Tim. ii. 7, &c. g Pfal. cxix. 34—36. Jer. xxxi. 18, &"€. h Judges XV. 10. 2 Sam. x. 12. Luke xxii. 40. Afis xxi. 14, l^c, Pfal. ciii. 21, 22, ^V, 104. Queft. What do we. pray for in the fourth Petition ? Anf In the fourth Petition, which is, \Give us this I) ay our daily Bread k^ we pray, that, of * Vind. p. 63. , " God's (152) God's free Gift, we may receive a competent Por- tion of the good Things of this Life /, and enjoy his Bleffing with them m, /^ Mat. vi. II, ^f. /Prov. XXX. 8. Pfal. xxxiv. 8— lo. Pfal. Ixxxiv. II. Phil. iv. 19, i:^c m. Deut. xxvi. 15. chap, xxviii. 105. Queft. What do we pray for ^ in the fftb Petition ? A?2f. In the fifth Petition, which Is, [Forgive us our Debts, as we forgive our Debtors ?i,] We pray, that God, for Chrift's fake, would freely pardon all our SinS 0, which we are the rather en- couraged to ask, becaufe, by his Grace, we are enabled from the Heart to forgive others p. » Mat. vi. 12, ^f. Dan. ix. 16, 17. Ifa. xliii. 25. John XV. 16. Eph. iv. 32. /Mat. vi. 14, 15. Markxi. 25. Col. iii. 13. Mat. v. 7. James ii. 13, 6fr. Here inftead of, " becaufe by his Grace we are enabled,'^ the Revifer has given it, " i f by his Grace we are difpofed.'''' The la ft of thefe, the Vindicator has reftored ; and, when the Remarker " could not imagine a Reafon for the other little *' Alteration," he tells us, " there is one obvious Reafon for *' it, fince manv Children may be of to malicious a Spirit, *' as not to be able to keep to the old P'orm, without fpeaking " a grofs Untruth : " If fo, he might have faid, without a grofs, diredt Lie. " And the lefs there is of that Practice, "the better. * " Anf. i. I fancy fuch Children, " arcTw^ *' Jlrongly Inclined to Evil, and, very little, if at all, difpofed " to Good, f " 2. Such cannot be able to keep to the Words of the Prayer itf elf, AS WE FORGIVE, ^c. nor to any of thefe Anfwers, " without fpeaking grofs Untruths : " And therefore, ought to be taught, not to prefume to pray to God at ail, if it is not to remove that tnalicious Spirit, till they are enabled heartily to forgive others ; becaufe, thofe that cannot, or WILL NOT, forgive others, cannot expert Forgivenefs of God. Mat. xviii. 35. James ii. 13. 3. I am afraid, that the little Particle if may lead fome to fancy, That their forgiving ing others, may biijd God to forgive them j which would agree well enough with a Pelagian Spirit. 4. The change of the Word, becaufe, drops the principal Encouragement * Vind, p. ^4, f Ibid, p- 39. (- ^53 ) Couch'd In the next Verfes, Mat. vi. 14, 15. of our being heardy according to God's gracious Promife. 106. Quefl. What do we pray for in the jixth Petition ? Anf In the fixth Petition, which is, S^And lead ns not into T^emptation^ hut deliver us from 'Evil ^ q\ we pray, That God would either keep us from being tempted to Sin r, or fupport f and deliver us when we are tempted /. q Mat. vi. 13, l3c. r Mat. xxvi. 41. John xvii. 15. i Pet; V. 8,9, ^c, /Luke xxii. 31, 32. John xvii. 20. Heb. iv. i6» James i. 2, 4, ^r. / Plal. xix. 13. Pfal. II. 12. i Cor. x. 13. 2 Cor. xii. 9, ^c, 107. Queft. What doth the Conclufion of the Lord's Prayer teach us ? Anf, The Conclufion of the Lord's Prayer," which is, \For thine is the Kingdom^ the Power y and the Glory ^ for ever. Amen u.] teacheth us, to take our Encouragement in Prayer from God on^ ly w ; and, in our Prayers, to praife him, afcrib- ing Kingdom, Power, and Glory to him x: And, in Teftimony of our Defire and Affurance to be heard, we fay, Amen y, u Mat. vi. 14, cff. tv Ifa. Ixiii. 7, 15 — 19. Jer. xlv, 7. Dan. ix. 18, 19. Mat. vii. 11, ^c. x i Chron. xxix. 11- -13. Rev. V. 12, 13. I Tim. i. 17, if^c. y 2 Pet. iii. 20. Rev.xxii. 20. The laft Claufe, the Revifer gives thus, " In Teftimony of <' our fine ere and fervent Defires, Iffc." juft as if we could i?i^ deed defire any Thing, and not be fmcere in it ; or, as if any Defires, which are not fmcere and fervent^ could be join- ed with the Affurance which immediately follows : And, the Vindicator " imagines, it would not be much amifs if, in an- *^ other Edition, (inftead of the Words, " and AfTorance to *' be heard,, we fay. Amen") " it did run thus, and Affu- *^ ranee of EElbJG heard, to fay. Amen.* ^^ And thefe now, are the admirable Improvements of the AfTembly's Ca- * Find. p. 64. 'X techifml ( i54 ) techifm ! And fuch as we might expe£l:, from Gentlemen of their uncommon Abihties ! " Upon a ReviewT of the whole, the Vindicator thinks, << there is great Caufe to complain to the World, of the *' Remarker's angry and fevere Refledions, &c. +" And, if there is, he has complain'dy and revenged -liimfelf too, with a Witnefs. " He is loth to hj all he might, particularly <' about the Popifh Biafs. || " And, good now ! I want to know, what he could fay P Let any one read thj Vindication, and he'll fee what he has /aid ! If the Remarker has any where miftaken him, the avowed Defign of the Remfal^ " That *' the Ufe of it may be fcrupled by none, or by as few as <' poiUble, dff^." may well be fuppofed to have led him into them. So that the Vindicator could hardly have faid more, if he had not proceeded to Curfes and Imprecations. But, in- ilead of this, we have a very charitable and folemn Prayer ; <' I pray God to forgive him ; and wifh, that for Time to *« come, he may write more like a Chriftian ! " And has he ftiewn himfelf, to have either the Manners of a Gentleman, the Difcretion and Gravity of a Scholar, or any Thing that looks like the Temper and Spirit of a ChrilHan, in any one Page of his Book ! If he has, thefe are glorious Demonftra- tions of it ! " Confufed Head, blundering Faculty, fitted for «' underflanding Nonfenfe, this poor Man's Head, his own <' Weaknefs and Bigottry, his ftrange Faculty for confounding, «' a Mad-man, Sic." which lam afhamed to ftain Paper with ; not to mention thofe Infults, and that fupercilious Contem.pt, i5fc. ^c. which may be obferved, almoft in. every Paragraph. With what a Spirit then, could this meek Gentleman put up fuch a Prayer ? Out of the fame Mouth proceedeth Bleffing andC'urfing, My Brethren., thefe Tlnngs ought not fo to be, James iii. lO. Perhaps, he may think it expedient, to pray for me alfo : But, if he does, I would defire him, for his own fake, to put it up in Secret ; becaufe it has been an old, and fad Obfervation, That thofe who love to pray in the Corners of the Street, that they may he feen of Men, are feldom fond of Clofet-tuork. And I myfelf have known feveral, who would readily cry out, God forgive their Antagonifts, who, by their whole Carriage, made it but too evident, that they had never forgiven tliem themfelves. He then curforily runs over the Work, telling us both what the Revifer has not done, and what he has done. And, as if it were fo very meritorious, to have done no more Harm ; he begins with what he has not done. " There is not one Pillar «' of the Reformation at all fhaken by the Revifal. f " What he means by this, I know not : But he has eredted the chief X Vind. p. 64. II Ihid. t Ihid, Pillar ( ^55 ) Pillar of Deif?n^ in Competition with them ; or, has no way- improved the fecond Anfwer of the Catechifm. " That im- *' portant Principle of the Scripture^ being a fiifficient Ruhj '' is particularly ailerted and maintained." Many of the better fort of Papijlsy are afhamed to deny this ; nor is there an honeft Deiji in the World, but ?nay do the fame as well as he. " It has not one Word about the Rule of Faith that «' is, in the leaft, favourable to Popery." It has not one Word about this Rule^ which many Papijis do not believe as well as himfelf. " There is nothing faid about the Grace of *« God that can give any Advantage to the Church of Rojue.'^'* Indeed, he has not faid very much of the Grace of God^ any where ! and what he has faid, about " our own good Dif- *' pofitions, and fmcere Endeavours," without fo much as a Syllable of restraining and preventing Grace ^ is not only contrary to the whole Tenure of Scripture, as we have feen ; but leaves room for hoajiing^ that we may MAKE OURSELVES TO DIFFER J that it is NOT Grace, but we, and that or ourselves, who ufe thofe excellent Endeavours, ^c, which is the vtvy fiffi Foun- dation^ upon v/hich the wretched Papijisy have rear'd their monftrous Doclrines of Satisfactions, Merit, and Supererogation. *' Nothing that overturns or oppo- '' fes the Protejiant Do£lrine about the Sacraments.''* And » yet he has concealed feveral Things about them, in which lie fhould have been open and plain : And, by leaving out thefe Claufes, " not from any Viitue in them, (/. e. the Sacraments) '' nor in him that doth adminifter them," has left 7io Guard againft the wicked, ridiculous Doctrines of the Papijis^ which feem to have been invented by Sat an, to render Chriftians abfolutely uncertain, as to all the Benefit they can hope for, by receiving the Sacraments ; and to puzzle, confound, and deftroy the Souls of Men : I mean. That the Intention of the Priejiy (which none of the People can ever be poflibly fure of,) is necefjary to the Effence and Efficacy of a Sacrament ; and, that the Sacraments work Grace'^ ex opere operato^ by THE Deed do-ne^ fo that all who receive them, receive THE Grace of them, whether they have Faith, or be devout, or no. Doctrines ! fit only for the Devil to teach ! and the Slaves of the Antichrist to learn ! " Not one " Syllable that favours the Notion of venial Sins,'' And yet he has not one Syllable, relating to this, which every Papifi in the World will not fay, as well as he. *' The Revifer '^ allows that fome Things are decreed." But where ? And why might not he have told us^ what Things are decreed, and what not. «< He has left out that AfTertion of God's fore- 5 Vind. p. 64. • X 2 " ordaining ( 156 ) « ordaining whatfoever shall come to pafs.'' But there is no fiHzh Aflcrtion in the Aifembly's Catechifm ! what they have aflerted, is exprefled much more cautioufly, wifely, and moderately. As the well known Sentiments, of a great Ma- jority of that venerable Body, lead to the foft and prudent Interpretation, the pious Dr. Watts has put upon the Word fore-ordained^ fo their Expreflion will well bear it ; " Fore- '^' ordained whatfoever co7nes to pafs^ i. e. appointed to bring to '' pafs all that isgood^ and to permit what is evil.''^ What do I fav, bear it : If we confider the Importance of the Word, the Proofs offered, and what the AfTembly have faid of the Decrees^ and Providence of God^ it can hardly bear any other ? And now, I defire to know, how thefe Gentlemen C2.n fupporty or whether they c?in believe a Providence, without admitting fome fuch Account of God's Decrees ? " He no way oppofes the common Do61:rine of the Trinity'^ And is there any Do6trine of the Trinity^ but one ? Even the Scripture-Do£irine of it ? No, no. The Anti-trinitdrians^ of all forts, are fo far from believing the Do61:rine of the Tri- 7tiiy^ that they malicioufly oppofe and deride it, and wickedly blafpheme it ! However, if it be fuch a Piece of Merit, that he has " no way oppofed it ; " he muft furdy be praifed, for jiot propofing it neither ! ." Nor the common Doctrine of «' Original Sin. * " He has not, 'tis true, mentioned the Words, Original Sin ; but, he either does not know what is £077imonly meant by thofe Words, or has utterly denied the T^hing. " 'Nor of fpecial Grace.'' And this is the fir ft Ca- techifm I ever faw, which did not take fpecial Notice of it ! How is it poflible to read the Bible, and not fee special Grace ihining, everywhere through it ? From the very firft Promife after the Fall, to the laft Verfe of the Bible, there are but very few, if fo much as one fingle Promife of Grace in it, but what is, one way or another, special. The zvhole Hijlory^ the whole Revelation^ almoft all^ if not every one of the Promifes of Grace., clearly point at special Gr AC e. Nor is there fo much as one Paflage, in the Bible, v/hich gives any Hint of the univerfcll sufficient Grace^ thefe Men plead for ; and we can give many which dire6lly, clearly, fully, and unanfwerably, confute and overthrow that Fancy. ^' Nor of fpecial Election." And is there any Elec- tion^ rnentioned in Scripture, or any where elfe, which is not Special f Pray, where is it ? The very Idea of Ele6lion, is a chufing fome, more or fewer, out of any Number or Num- bers, leaving or pajjing by the re/l. So that an Election, which is not fpecial, is a palpable Contradiction in Terms. The Proofs, of ^N^jLECTioN of a certain Number both 5 Had. p. 64. to ( ^57 ) to Grace and Glory, are fo numerous, clear, fuU, and home to the Purpofe, that he who runs may read thtrk : Nor is it pofTible to read the Scriptures, and not fee them. ^' Or of *' Perfeverance. * '' I grant the Revifer, if we may judge of his Meaning, by his Scripture-Proof, " has no way op- <' pofed Perfeverance'' But, the Vindicator is for leaving it, «' uncertain and indeterminate, f " and we have feen, how nobly he has defended this Uncertainty ? And now, I muft ask the intelligent Reader, Whether that can be called a Ch Ri- STIAN Catechifm, which does not give us fome true and plain Account, of the Scripture Do£lrme of T h E Tr in it Y ; of the Depth of our Mifery by Sin ; of what Chrift did, and fuffered for our Redemption-, and, of the Application of the Redemption pur chafed, to all those, for whom he undertook to he aSvRETY and Sacrifice ? ^c. ^c. _ ^c. Having done with his glorious Negatives, for which all Chriftians ought heartily to thank him ; he comes to his extra- ordinary' Pofitives, in which he has acquitted himfelf, with equal Dexterity and Honour ! " He fpeaks of Sins deferving God's Wrath and Curfe, in this, and the future Life." He fpeaks of it ! What, is that too much ? and yet, neither of them will own, That every Sin deferves this ; though we have fully proved it. " He fpeaks of the kind Profpeft of Happi- " nefs God gave to Adcan in as high Terms as the Scripture doth." And we have fhewn, this is a Miftake. But, if he has. Why will he not call it a Promife ? We have as plain and clear a Promife to this Purpofe, as can well be made ? Why will he not allow of T HE Covenant of Wo Rks, when of all Chriftians, Gentlemen fuch as thefe, fliould plead moft ftrenuoufly for it; becaufe. It is the only Founda- tion of natural Religion, to this Day. This Thought, may well make us wonder at thefe Men. «' He " fets the Covenant of Grace in the moft amiable Light." But, Which muft we think, the moft amiable Light ? That, in which fome Men affeft to fet it': Or, That, in which the Bible has fet it ? And yet, I would know what they mean by the Covenant of Grace ? According to them, a Covenant is a Compact between two or more Parties. If fo, none are with- in the Covenant of Grace, but thofe who have given their Hearty Confent to it : And, as for all fuch, we believe, That He who has brought them into the Bond of the Covenant, Ezek. XX. 37. will keeep them in it by his Power, through Faith, unto Salvation, i Pet. i. 5. And is not this to fet the Covenant in a much more amiable Light, than thofe Men do, who tell us, That they who are brought into the Bond of it, may in- deed have Strength to perfevere, but it is left to themfelves. * Find. p. 64. f Jbid,^, 5^, 51. X I^V' ^5- " whether C 158 ) «' timcther they will make ufe of it fo as eventually to per/ever c *' unto the End^ or no.* *' Would they therefore ipeak clearly and properly, they iliould not talk of the Covenant^ but of the Propofal of Grace : And then, in what an amiable Light can they fet this Propofal^ which we cannot alfo ? Can they tell us. That God now comrnandeth all Men every luhcre to repent^ AcSts ■xvn. 30. That they are to preach the Gofpel to every Creature^ Mark xvl. 15. and the like. So can, fo do we. We can affure ail Men, That Chrifc is an All-fufficient Saviour \ That there is Merit and Grace enough^ in him, for the whole WoE-LD; That him tha'T cometh unto him, he will in no wife caji out : l^hat he that believeth shall be saved ; yea, hathLife, i^c. And, all this, in as full a Confiftency with ©ur Principles, as they can with theirs. So that we fet the Proposal of Grace, in ^s ajniable a Lights as they can do for their Hearts ; and, the Covenant of Grace, in a Ten-Thoufand times 7nore amiable Light. Yea, we believe. That God gives tht Non-EleSf., as much Grace, and of THE SAME Kind too, as they believe he gives his ch of en. Wherein then, do we differ ? Why, in thefe following Points, chiefly. We kt fallen^ corrupted Man, in a much tnore humb- ling and affccling Lights tlian they do : We plead, The Lord 4tlone fnoiild be exalted in the Covenant of Grace : That without Christ, even the bejl of the Saints can do nothing; and the like: But, they will have their own good Difpofitions anh Endeavours^ to be confidcred ; and will be the frjl^ if not the chief Movers^ in their own Sal- vation ! We are for ftaining the Pride of all Flejh : But they cannot bear this ! Thcv TiYcJhy of fuch Speeches ! We fay, That God's Grace is as effectual^ in every one^ and that at all Times, as he intended it flioiild : That no Man can come to Chriji^ except /Z^^ F^f/6t-r DRAW //^^w, John vi. 45. And, that every Man that hath heard., and hath learned of the Father., COM e T H u N T o H I M ; and the like : But, though the for- mer of thefe they dare not deny, and the two latter are the jclcmn Affirmations of our Lord himfelf ; yet, they not only defire to be excufed, but fall foul upon us ! To go on, '^ He fpeaks of Chrili: as a divine Perfon^ as ^' both God and Man,f " l5c. and yet, he fpeaks thefe Things, and fome others, in fuch a way, as to leave us in fome Doubt, whether they think him, either God or Man, ^' He has not at all diminifhed the ** Gofpel-Account of the Nature and Deftgn of his Suffer- ^^ ings. I " The Gofpel-Account of the Nature and Deftgn of his Sufferings is. That he was to bear our sins, to be a Curse for us, ^c. ^c. Now it was abfolutely impolTible he could hear our Sins^ or be a Curfe for us, without under- * Plnd. p. 65. t Ibid, p, 50. ^ Ibid. p. 65. GOING ( 159 ) coiN'G THE Wrath of- God ; which yet he denies, and fneers at. " He fpeaks as highly of the Operation of the Spi- " rit as he could, confiftently with the Suppofitlon of Man's <<^ free Agency." But he forgot, that Men are dead m Shis cndTrefpafeSj Eph. ii. I. That they muft behornagain^ ra'ifed from the Death of Sin, kc. and that, if the Son shall MAKE. THEM FREE, they SHALL BE FREE INDEED, John viii. 36, &c. &c. " His Account of Jufiification is owned " by his Adverfary tobe fcriptural." But, the Texts himfelf has quoted, being Judges, I have proved, it is not fo. " He <« appears to be as much for the extenfive Obligation of the jno- *' ral Law, and for the religious Obfervation of the Lcrd*s- *' Day, as the Remarker himfelf ; * " and I have Ihewn the contrary, feveral ways. " He has made fome Improvements <' with regard to Chrlft's Offices,'* i, e. he has mentioned, " his Example^'' which we have confidered j and changed thofe Words, " to fatisfy divine Juftice," into a much more fufpicious, and undeterminate Phrafe, " to fatisfy for our *« Sins." A bleffed Improvement ! And yet, how he could fatisfy for our Sins, and not undergo the Wrath of God, hecaft- not fhew. " And with regard to his Humiliation," i, e. he has added fome Phrafes, v/hich the Aflcmbly have elfewhere ; and has not only dropp'd the Word cursed, which the Apo- ftle has in the prefent Cafe ; but the Vindicator difputes againffc the mofi neceffary and ejfential Part of his Humiliation, his UNDERGOING THE WraTH OF GoD. " And with '^ regard to his Exaltation." Here I owned the Improvement, and made the beft Excufe I could for the Omiflion. " And <« the Means of our effeftual Calling, and the confequent Be- " nefits of it." The Aflembly have upon that SubjecSt, fuffi- ciently hinted. That God calls us by his Word ; and if he makes ufe of his Providence as another Mean, it is onlv a re- mote one, to awaken us toconfider his Word, or the like : But, That our own fincere Endeavours concur w\\}l\ God, in his CAL'LING us EFFECTUALLY, IS neither proper, nor true: And, '' as to the Benefits confequent upon it^^ he has been fo far from pretending to improve any of them, that he ha^ given us an imperfect, and fufpicious Defer iption of "Jufiifica- tion \ the Vindicator has contended for leaving them ^// f/;^- certain, by pleading for the Uncertainty of our Perseve- rance : And one of them has dropt thofe fweet, fignifi- cant Words, " their Bodies bsing fiill united to Chrifl,"" and the other laughs at them ! " He has improved the Explica- «« tion of fome of the Commandments ; " Let the Reader judge, whether he has or no. '' And given a nev/ A'nfwer " at the End of them : " And a moft fagacious, extraordl- * Vind. p. 6^. narv nary QueiHon it is ! And as judicious and improving an An- fwer ! " by which the Truth of the Aflembly's 41ft Anfwer " is lecured. * " But this, we have (hewn, they did much letter fecure themfelves. " Not to mention any Thing of fe- *' veral other advantagious Alterations." What thofe other are, fhall be left to himfelf. I can obferve none of them, if it is not fome Scripture Proofs. As to which, I grant that fome few of them are very proper : But, fome of them I have examined, and proved that they deftroy his Caufe ; and had it been worth while, I might have convinced him, that feveral more were no way to his Purpofe. I muft alfo put him in Mind, That, there are fome Texts, which all Chriftians ftiould have always upon their Hearts, and which Ihould be carefully taught Children, fuch as, God faw thai EVERY Imagination of the Tlooughts of Man! s Heart was ONLY EVIL CONTINUALLY, Gen. v\, ^. Behold I ivas SHAPEN IN Iniquity : and in Sin did my Mo- ther CONCEIVE ME., Pfal.W. 3. Except a Man BE BORN again, he cannot fee the Kingdofn of God^ John iii. 3. No Man CAN COME unto me, except it were given him of my Father^ ]o\\n vi. 69. Not that we are sufficient of OURSELVES to THINK any Things as of ourselves: 2 Cor. iii. 5. And zuere, hy Nature, the Children OF Wrath, even as other 5.,^."^. ii. 3. XJntoyouit is given in the Behalf of Chriji, not only to believe on him^ &c. Phil, u 29. By Grace ye are faved^ through Faith ; and that not of yourselves: It is the Gift of God, Eph. ii. 8. Cursed is every one that continueth not in ALL Things, which are written in the Book of the Lavj to do them., Gal. Iii. 10. Chriji hath redeemed us from the Curfe of the Law., being made a curse for us: ver. 13, and the like ; which thefe Gentlemen, with all their Improve- ments, thought unfit for a Place in their Catechifm. Suffer me, once more, to ask the impartial and judicious Chriftian, whether thefe be not, Scriptural Divinity ? And, whether any Doctrines can be fcriptural., which are not confiftent with them ? Notwithftanding all thefe, he is fo very fond of this Work, *' That he will have it to be the moft Gomprehenfive and ca- *' tholick Catechifm that has been publifhed f." Glorious Encomiums! But, how that can be tYiQ moji comprehen- sive, which drops entirely fome of the principal Things in our Religion, or fpeaks of them darkly, or leaves them inde- terminate : Or, how that can be moft Catholick^ which oppofes many of them, I earneftly defire he would tell me. However, if it '* has met with the moft difmgenuous and -fcurrilous * Find' p- 65. " Treat-- ( i6i ) " Treatment," I am very forry for it. Difingcnv.lty can ferve no Caufev but fuch as need it ; as, blefied be God, thefe Sheets will prove, our's does not. As for Scurrility^ the Com- plaint would have come with a better Grace, if our Author had not egregioufly out-done the Remarker, in every Thing '« which can deferve to be fo called." How 7nelanchoh is the Profpedl^ as he difcourages the making a fair " Enquiry, them all. So that it is fufficient, if the sense and meaning, of fueh Fropofitionsy may be evidently and certainly found in them, though the very Words of them, may not be literally met within Scripture. Or, if it is not; then farewel Preaching, and ex^ founding them \ &c. yea, farewel all private, and public Injirudionsy all religious Conferences about them ! &c. &c. And yet, this Propo- fition, THESE THREE ARE ONE j the Form of Bapti/m'y th» Form of Bleffing ; and many others to the fame purpofe, are literally written in //^^ Word of God. " The Apoftle tells us, there is one ^' Gody the Father y"* [k). (he does not add, njiz. as Mr Gibh ekes it out) " And one Lord J efus Chriji , &c. i Cor. viii. 6. And one God ** and Father of ally &c. Eph. iv. 6." What then ? Thefe pafTages fpeak, of the Perfons of the Trinity y according to the Difpenfation of Redemption, in which, the Father fuftains the Honour and Majefiy of the Deity, and the other two condefcend to aft Mini- Jlerially, one, as the Redeemer, the other, the SanStifer of his People. None of thefe Texts, nor any other, fay, That the Son and Blessed Spirit, are difiinEl Beings from, or not equal njjith the Father -y and much lefs, that either of them is another God, all which, and many fuch Ihocking Things, this Author, and his Friends doy and mufi fay. They could, neither of them, have adled the Part they have undertaken, for our Redemption, if they had not hetn God equal ivith the Father. " The Father is lliled God Ab- ** foktely, and by way of Eminence, and with peculiar high Ti- *' ties."' [I). Wherever the Words, God, Jehovah, Lord God, and the like, are found in Scripture, without fome perfonal Name, or fome Circumfancesy reftraining it to fome particular Perfon^ there all the three Perfons are fignified, and none of them is in thofe paflages more Abfolutely ftiled God than another. We no where deny, that the Father is Abfolutely lliled God in many hundred Places, The Reafon 1 have juft now fuggefted, may eafily account for it. And yet, the Sony in many other Places, is ftiled God Abfolutely,. as well zs the Father. The Name Jehovah is always ufed Ah- folutely y is religioufly and conftantly appropriated to God Most High j and more efpecially fignifies his necejfary Exijiencey Indepen- dence, eternal and unchangeable Effence : But, each of the BlelTed Three are called Jehovah, in a great number of Texts. As " For ** the peculiar high Titles and Epithets ;" I call upon him, to fhew me fo much as One, which is not either purely Perfonaly or given him with refpeft to the Difpenfation of Redemption. We all grant, the Father is the First in Ordery and Operation y many of us have cal- led him, the Fountain of the Trinity ; and I, for my Part, allow there is a Greatnefsy and Pre-eminence y in the Idea of Father, and Ihall readily yield him all Prerogatives, not everfive of the Co* essentiality and Coequality, of the 6'(9« and Spirit with him, *' Apd to make the Son and Spirit equal to himy is inconfillent with ** the numerous Texts which affirm them to be both of them, of and ^* from Him, and to aft: in all Things by his Million, and Authority, *' and Will." We never deny they are of Him and from Him \ What we plead is, that they are Hill with Him and in Him alfo, (^jlbid. (/} Ibid. ( s) Each of them, we know from Scripture, is God, Jehovah, th? Lord our God, ^c &c. But feeing there is but one Jehovah ; that the Lord our God, is one Lord; and that there can he hut eNE God, ^c. &c. We are fure, they are all the one God. Thus it is written, and thus we believe. If therefore, each i| God; and, there is but one God; the Son and Spirit are KQUAL with the Father : For, there is no Inequality in Jeho- vah; nothing higher ox lonmr, noxhmgmore or lefs Poiverful or Ghriousy in THE Divine\Be;Ing. And, ** As to their afting m, «' in all Things by his Mi^jpn; and Authority, and Will ;" It is neither true, nor to his purpofe. . Not true ; for it does not appear, that the Son and Spirit adled, in the Creation of all Things, by his Authority ; or, that either of them was fent, or were delegated to it ; and much lefs, that his Will, was the command of a Superior Being » or implied any proper Authority in Him, or ejfential Dependence, or $uhje^ion in them. Not to his purpofe j for if it were univerfally true, the Order of their Subfiftence and Operation, or the Difpenfation of Redemption, might eafily fatisfy us of the Reafon. The Queftion is not, whether the Son is of the Father, and the Spirit f ROM the Father cLXid the Son ; thefe we believe with the Scripture : Bat, whether the Son, be his oufn proper Son; fo his Son, as that he is equal nvith Him. Joh. v. 17, 18. i5'c. Or, he God of God, Very Goa OF Very God, as the A7c:^z?^ Creed has it : And, whether the ii/a- ly Spirit, so proceed eth/^oot the Father and the Son, as to be ftill in them, and to have the fame individual Effence they have; as we believe : Or, whether the Son, be not his Son in fome lower and general Senfe ; and whether the Spirit proceeded from them both, in fome fuch way as other Creatures did ; according to them ? Not, whe- ther they are diJiinSl Persons, and, as fuch, of the Father i which we grant; But, whether they are diJiinSl, and inferior Beings? which we di;ny. Not, whether the Son was from Eternity eegotte» of the Father, by a Communication of the fame undi'vided Essencr andPERFECTioNS, which is our Faith : But, whether he had a Be- ginning, was created, or made, and confequently, may be Annihi- lated, as all things, which were created and made, may ; as they muft believe, if they differ from us ? Not, whether the Blefjed Spi- rit, as a Perfon, did Eternally proceed from the Father and the Son^ fo as that He alfo enjoys the fame individual Nature, and Per- fections, with them ; which is our Opinion : But, whether he is the Creature of the Father, made by the Son, as many of the Arians fay ; or be, they know not what, an Attribute, or a fort of Vapour, See. according to the Socinians ? Not, whether in the Work of Creation, they adled according to the Order oi their Subf fence, which none of us deny : But, whether they were, with the Father the One Joint-Creator; or only, as Under -Agents, or Infru- ments, as fome Love to fpeak ? Not, whether in the work of Re^ 4emption, the Son was chofen, fent, zxidi furnifped for his Work, i^c. by the Father; and, in the whole of his Humiliation, a6led according to his Will, hy his Command, and for his Glory ; all which is freely granted : But, whether all this was the voluntary Condefcenfion of a Son, according to us; or only the Duty, to 3 which;^ (6) wliicli, as a Dependent, and as a Creature, he was obliged, according to them : And whether a Finite Per/on, as he muft be, if he is not God most High, could fatisfy for Sin, purchafe a Right to eter- nal Glory, be our Ad) j " Seethe Power of Error ! Now, tho' this be only Tautology, I muft be very particular in an- fwering it. And, not to conteft about the Propriety of Words, how can it be a Prejudice, to the Converfion of the fe-ivs P The Old Teftament is full of this Do8rine. We often read there, of a Plurality of Perfons in the Deity, and God faid. Let us make Man in OUR Image, and in our Likenefs % and therefore, the Image and Likenefs of them all, is one and the same. Gen. i. 26. Behold the Man is become like one of vs, chap. iii. 22. And the Lord [aid. Let v% go dovnn^ chap. xi. 7. Whom Jhall I fend, and who 'will go for ' (•} Ibid. pag. 6, (/.) Ibid, b US? us ? Ifa. vi. 8. &c. Sec. We read of Jeho'vah raining Fire and Brimjlone from Jehovah, Gen. xix. 24. 0^ God faying to another, ^hy Throne, O God, is for eojer and ever,Fia.\. xlv. 6. i^c Here then is Jehovah and Jehovah, God and God ; but the yexi^s well knew, that there are not tnvo Jehovahs, Kor tvjo Gods ; and that Jehovah is a name appropriate to the one God. We read of one, who appeared as a Man, is called the Angel of the Lord ; and yet is alfo called Jehovah, God, God Almighty, tffc. who alTumed the Names, didi t\iQ VForks., and accepted theWorJhipQ^ God most High. See Gen. xvii. throughout, chap, xviii. i, 13, 17, ^0—33. €hap.xix. 17 — 24. chap. xxii. Ii~l8. chap. xxvi. 24, 25. chap. xxviii. 12 — 17. chap, jftcxii. 24 — 30. compared with Hof. xii. 3 — 5. Gen. XXXV. 9 — 13- &c. &c. The two iirft Verfes of the Bible men- tion, at leaft, tojijo Di'vine Perfons, employed in the Work of Crea- tion ; and we hear of OUR Creators, Makers, &c. See above, page 1 4. We find a// the Three Perfons mentioned together, in the fame manner they are in the New Teflament, Pfal. xxxv. 6. Ifa. Ixi. I. chap. Ixiii. 9;io. chap, xlviii. i6,ij,i^c. As for the promifed Messiah, we find him called the Angel of the Co'venant, the Angel of hisPrefence^ or Face, &c. But this Perfon, is often defcribed, by the Names and Titles, and as having the Perfe£lions, doing the Works, and receiving the Worfoip, of God most High. Thus, in the fore- cited Places, he that is called the Angel, is called God, Jeho- vah, l^c. ^ffc. See alfo thefe Texts, Behold, your God nvill come nxiith Vengeance, — Then the Eyes of the Blind, Jhall he opened, Ifa. XXXV. 4, 5. Behold, the Lord God xi^ Meaji- nefs of our blelTed Lord, in the Days of his Flejh, which was fo con- trary, to the millaken Notions they had^ jmbibed, concerning the Mejjiah and his Kingdom, was the chief Stumbling-block, on which they Humbled ; can it be thought, that the infinite Dignity of his Perfon, ihould ever be a Prejudice to their Converfion ? 4. Since Mr Gibbs, and all his Brethren, mufc own, that Christ is God ; and confequently a li-ving and true God ; and therefore, that there are, at leaft. Two Gods; which is evidently contrary to the whole Scriptures, and abfolutely inconfifient with natural Religion : Dare any of them fay, that this Dodrine will fornjoard the Conver- fion of the Jeivs? No ; they dare not. Or, if any of them fnould ; let an honeil Man afk any Jenv, what he thinks of Polytheifm ; of his being baptized in the Name of two Gods, one Supreme, ano- ther made fo, but lately, &c. and he will hear his Judgment of the Matter. Whoever then fhall be inftrumental in their Converfion, thefe Gentlemen ihall not ; for the very Thoughts of any fuch Things, would fill them with more Rage, than they were at the fuppofed Carpenter's Son. And if Mr Gibbs had had either a few more Grains of Senfe, or a little more of the Candour^ he experts from you, he would have been afhamed of luch a vile Iniinua- tion. *' It will alfo be a Prejudice to the Converfion of the Mahome- *' tans[q)y But how? Had not thofe, who were called Chri- flians, fallen from their Faith, not one of them could ever have been brought, to embrace the Raveries of that Impoiior Mahomet : And what is there in thefe Mens Scheme, which ihould induce them to change their Religion ? The Mahometans fpeak, almoit; as ho- nourably of Chriil, as thefe Men do : and Mr Gibbs , and his Friends, [q) Ibid. pag. 6, b 2 cxpeft ( 12 ) cxpefl little more from him, they call their Sa^viour, than thofe do from their Prophet : they believe, that Mahomet coming laft, put the finiihing Stroke to the Religion of Mofes and Chriji : and will they change their Religion tor nothing ? No, no. If they do change, they muH hope for fomething in and from Christ, which Ma HOM£T never promifed them. But, what can thefe Men pro- mife them^? Mr Gii6s denies, that they have Righteoufnefs in Chrift, or that they, excepting a very few, need renen.mng Grace, Sec. &c. and he that could net brifig in e'verlajling Righteoufnefs, we know, could rot make an end of Sins : kz. &c. What then (hall they get, by chang- ing their Religion ? Will they quit a later Prophet, for a more gncient one ? A mighty Conqueror, for one whom, out of Refpeft, they deny to have been crucified? No. If ever they are converted, jt mull be in Expedation, of having Wifdom, Righteoufnefs, San^i- fication and Redemption in Chrift Jefus, which they can have in no other ; and which this Man fays they cannot have in his Sanjiour, but we know they may in ours. So that, if ever they turn, it mufl be to Christianity, not Bocinianifm. Withal, if he had read the bed Authors on our Side, he muft have known of what Principles the Monk was, who ^fiifted in compofing that miferable Hotch-potch, THE Alcoran; muft have heard, that Socinus was in Africa, among the Moors ; was fufpeded to have learned Moha- medifm among them ; charged with corrupting Chrifianity, by bringing the Tenets of that Religion into it, changing only Maho- ^V(?/ for Jesus ; that his Principles and thofe of the Alcoran, have been compared, and ..... I fhall wave the reft ; and, to name no more, that there was a Talk, not very long ago, even in England, about a Sort of a Coalition or Agreement, between thofe refined Chriftians the Englif? Unitarians, and the Orthodox Churches in Mo- rocco ! If then, thefe Men have a mind, to convert the Mahometans to their Notions, by moulding their Dreams, as near as they can, to Mahomet^ s Ra^jeries ; who can but praife and admire their Piety, and C a tholicifm f As for us, we cannot think of converting them, at fo dear a rate, as to compliment them with our Faith ; leaft, by thus trying to bring them over to us, we be found apofatizing to- wards them. No, no : Let them return unto us ; for God has faid, return ye not unto them, Jer. xv. 19. One Thiiig I muft only whif- per them in the Ear, That, if they would reduce the Mahometans, thev muft give up their beloved Notion of tv/o Gods, and learn to believe Predestination ; becaufe, the Mahometans are as much Unitarians, and more rigid Predestinarians than WE, *' It will be a prejudice to the Converfion of Heathens (r).'* But how ? The Nations were originally converted from Po^- theifm and Idolatry, to the Faith of the Trinity, juft as we believe it. How then fhould it nov/ prejudice their Converfion ? Have any of this Man's Party ever converted Ruy ■ Heathens } Or, have they not rather made many nominal Chriftians half Heathens ? 'Jh.Q only thing, I can imagine, which occaftoned this Objeflion, is, {fj Ibid, pg. 6r ( 13 ) the Accounts we have of our MiJJionaries in Foreign Parts: And, at to this, we Anfwer, (i.) The JefuitSy it is plain, go not abroad, to make Converts to Chrijitanity ; for, if they did, they durll not conceal the Principles of it, from thofe among whom they execute their Miffion : But, to make Men Papijis, Slaves to Rome and them- fel-ves. Sec. T/pus, like their Fathers of old, t^ey compa/s Sea and Land to make one Profelyte^ and n.vhen he is made, they make him tn.vofoId more a child of Hell than themfehes. Mat. xxiii. 15. (2.) As to the Proteftant Miflionaries, I hope their Defign is good ; that God will in time give them Succefs j and verily believe, that what they are now doing, may have the fame Effedl the SepHiagint Tran- Jlation had among the Nations, to remove Prejudices, and gradual- ly difpofe thofe Countries where they are, to receive and believe the' Gofpel, n.vhen the Spirit from on High Jh all be poured out upon them: But, it may be juftly queftioned, whether hitherto, they have takea the proper Methods. I have often thought of the Apoftle's Words, when reading thofe Accounts, and my fpeech, and my preach- ing f>^ a Being, is to do fer^ice /ff one, who, by Nature is not God; and confequently, is ridiculous Folly, and manifeft Idolatry. As for us, we believe the bleffed Three have each the fame numerical EJ/ence, diftinguifhed only, by their perfonal Subfiftence and Properties ; and therefore, when we fpeak of Goo, without the Confideration of any perfonal CharaBers or ABs, we would be underflood, to fpeak of that o- fitite Being, wsich subsists in three P£RSQNs : When 2 WC ( 17 ) we Prah we f^^wWv do it, to the Father, through the Son, dc- pending on the afiftance of the Spirit ; or, if we ^x:.y irnmediatdy to the Ion, or Spirit, it is efpecially for thofe Things, which either of them have, in the OEconomy of Redemption, p.rchajed for, or does ^Jjork in, the People of God : And in our Praifes W8 praifethemas thu one Joint-Creator ^nd Prefer'ver of all Ihings. Iwhofe we are, and ^hom we ought to ferve, and as all concurring in the Work of Redemption ; and then we remember, we are under as great Obligations to the Spirit, for his ftri-ving n^ith us, his a'wakenin^, illumining, hu?nhling, rene-xving, quickening Influences, ^c, as to THE Son, for all he did, fufered, and pur chafed^ for us, ^c. or to THE Father, iov gi'ving the Son, accepting a vicarious Fu- niftiment, ^c. and fending the holy Spirit, &c. firmly beheojing, that neither could have aded what they have done, had not each been God most High. Againft all which, Mv Gibbs " cannot help ** fignifying his great Diffatisfaaion with, and, from this Time, " entering a ferious Protefli" juft as 'li ihtProteJiation of one, who has been ftifling his own Conviaions in thefe Matters, and impofing fo long upon the World, could be any how regarded, by any but thofe like himfelf; or deferved any Treatment, but to be laught at! The only Thing upon this Head, worth obfervmg upon, is, " That tho' there may feem to be Foundation in the OEconomy of " the Gofpel, for putting up Prayers directly and exprefsly to the " Perfon of the Holy Spirit, yet there cannot fo much as one dear ** Command orExample of this be produced."* Now here obferve. He dares not deny this, with refpea to the Son. As for him, he is fo frequently called Jehovah, the Lord God, Cf. C3>. that there is no evading it. He is called, the mighty God, Ifa. ix. 6. Godo^er all, Rom. ix. 5. rhe great God, Tit. ii. 13. Ue true^ God I Johnv. 21. (and all thefe with the Article) But, if he is the true God,Scc. he is the only God; for there is but one. He is called the e-verlajiing Father, Ifa. ix. 6. The Father of Believers, i Jotm ui 1—3. The Redeemer, [Goel, near Kin/man) Uufband, ^.na Shepherd oi his Church, Ifa. xliv. 6. chap. liv. and in the fame Verfes, Jeho- 'vah, the God of the -whole Earth, Sec. &c. &c. What do I fay, all theeJentialFerkaions, all the di. However, it is evident and certain from the firft of thefe, that he is Jehovah j and if fo, that he is the direa Ohjea of Worfiip ; and that all the Precepts and Precedents we have of worfiiipping Jehovah, are fo many Precepts to require, and Examples to encourage and direct us, to nvorjhip him : For furely , when vve worihip Jehovah, the only TRUE God, we are to vvorfnip all that is Jehovah; and are not to negled to pay our Duty, to every one Is it not a Solecifm in Keligion, to imagine fuch a Thing ? More particularly, 'Obferve I. We are baptized into the one Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft. But, Baptifm is a Seal of the new Covenant ^ and in it, we are dedicated to the Bleffed Three, as the one God, and our God; vit profefs, or are laid under Obligations to profefs, our Faith and Dependence upon each, promifing that Service, Obedience, Worihip, and Love to them, which we owe to the one God, who i§ cur Createry Redeemer, and Sanaifer^ ( 21 ) SanSlifer, Here is no note of any Inferiority^ or Jneq^uality ; not the lead. We are as much baptized, into the Name of the Holy Ghost, as into the Name of any of the other t-ujo. We are equally dedicated to them all ; and are to depend upon them equally^ for all promifed Bleffings. This is enough, to bear the Weight of the whole Controverfy. It will for ever determine it. Here is a Com- pend, a Jhort Form, of the Christian Faith. And while there is a ferious Chriftian in the World, one would think, he jhould never forget it. Our Adverfaries would do well confider, whether their denying, that'//^ or into the Name o^the ONE God the Father; of the Son, a Creature who had no Exijience i 800 Years ago, who, when on Earth, was no more than a Man, but has fince ceafed to be a Man and become a God; and of the Holy Ghost, who is not aPerfon, but fomething we know not what ? What a horrible, fhocking, Antichriilian account is this ? There is fomething dreadful in the Sound ! Oh ! that all fe- rious Chriilians would confider thefe Things. 2. We are blessed in the Name of the Holy Ghost, as well as in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, z Cor. xiii. 14. I call it Blessing, becaufe it is, to me, evident, That that Verfe is neither more nor lefs, than that Blessing, Ttf Xe-frK, and into the Patience of Chriji. This is the Spirit's particular Work, and to him the Petition is plainly put up. Thefe, I hope may be fufficient, and more are ready, to convince Mr Gihbs, that his bold AfTertion is groundlefs and falfe. We might have offered iev^ral other Things, to juftify our Faith and Practice in this Matter ; and might have reafoned from fuch Expreffions as beiiig born of God, which is the fame Thing as being born of Water and of the Spirit, yohn iii. 5, &c. l^c. But, as important as the Subjedl is, you may, perhaps, think I grow tedious. I fhall therefore difpatch what remains much more briefly, and conclude this, when I obferved thefe three or four Things. I. Tho' Mr Gibbs has, without all Decency, fet himfelf to op- pofe, and blafpheme this great fundamental in our Religion ; and ■ioid you, very bluntly, ** What he does no longer believe ;" .(tho' it is, with me, a Queftion, if he ever believed it I) Yet, he has not fold you what he no^jj bdienjesy in this • Matter. He has no v^^here declared, Whether he believes there is onfy one God, or whether t\itxc2xt more then One ', whether the Son and Spirit, be 7nade or unmade, created in fijne or before it ; what EJfence and what Per- feBiom they have, l^c. cfr. And is not he then a proper Perfon, to ' build you up in your 7noft holy Faith ? 2. What an Abfurdity thefe Men run themfelves upon, and v/hat Confufion they would ft retch over the « the Serpent did becowe a Rod in his band; how could this be? A great many more Queflions concern- ing thefe, may be propofed, v/hich are uuerly unaufwerable bv us. Now, ( 24) Now, when our Adverfaries can reply to all thefe, and pretend to have c/ear and diflina Ideas of them, I will undertake to anfwer all they can objeft againft the Doarine of the Tkii^ity, and pretend to have clear and diJlinSi Ideasy of it too. I can as firmly aflent to the fadl, in one cafe, as in the other : and have as clear and diftinH Ideas, of the manner oi the one, as of the other. And, let thefe Men fay what they will, they may as reafonahly deny^ that the Rod became a Serpent ; and cry out Nonfenfe ! Impciribility ! ^c. As to deny, That there are Three Persons in the Godhead ; or, that the Dinjine Essence subsists, in Three Persons, tl^c. ^c, 4. It was a great pity, that, when fo many learned Men, were lately employed, and to fo good Purpofe, in defending this great Foundation of Chrijiianity, they did not more narrowly, fearch the 'whole Scriptures, from end to end. The old Arguments, I grant, are various, and not only fufficient, but full. And yet, had fome of them taken as much honeji Pains, to have gathered, and compared ^z// the Pa llages, which, one way or another, give Light to this Matter, and fo have fet it, in yet a fuller and clearer Light, as Dr Clarke, with cunning and flight enough, gathered thofe of the New Teflament, to darken, perplex, and dellroy it ; I am pretty fure of thefe four Things : (i.) That none would have had the Front to pretend. That this DoBrine is not found in the Old Tejlament, as well as the Nenv. (2.) That the mofl confident of them, would have been afhamed to plead. That each of the Three are not frequently called God, (in the only proper Senfe of that Word) Jehovah, the Lord God, i^c. tffc. (3.) That none of them, would have infifled upon it, that the Word, God, is, in Scripture, always, or even common- ly, a Word of Office ; or, if they fhould, they muft have feen, that it fignified the OfHce of Mediator ; and, by Confequence, that the highefl Things fpoken of God, in the Old Teflament, are fpoken of the fecond Perfon,'\v\iO \v3.s,from Eternity, fore-ordained to that OfHce, and aSlually undertook the Execution of it, immediately after the Fall. And, (4.) That very few, if any, could have been fo charitable, as to think, that /^f Deniers 0/ this Doctrine, of^rf Believers o/' their Bibles. A thorough Knowledge of the original Languages, a deep Acquaintance with the Manners and Ways of fpeaking among the eailern Nations, and jufl Criticifm, will be fo very far from doing Hurt, in this Cafe, that they can- not fail of doing much good. The Bible is a rich Mine-, there is no reaching the Bottom of it. The more ive dig in it, tho' we can never exped to find any nen.v DoSIrines there, the more we fhall be fure to find the old ones more fully confirmed, and more glorioufly difplayed. But, to go on. Mr Gibbs begins the next Head, thus, " Having thus — told ** you my prefent Faith," he fbould have faid his prefent Fancy! •* -With refpeft to the DoBrine of the Trinity (i)," Yes, if you will take his Negati'ves, for his prefent Faith. *' He next tells you, he *■'■ does not believe. That the Godhead and Manhood are united in the *' Ferfon {b\ Let. pag. S4 (25 ) *' Ferfon of Chrifi ; fo as that he is 'very and perfeB God [equal to ** the Father) and •very and perfeSi Man ; of a reafonahle Soul and " human Flejh fuhfifiing?' He dares not deny, that Chriil is called God, and adled as God, and confequently is God, it is fo ex- prefly, and frequently, found in Scripture. Well then, if he is Gody he is 'very God 3 or elfe, he is God SiXid not God. If he is fvery Gody he is certainly perfe5l God: For, it is felf-evident, if he is not perfeSi God, he is not God. An imperfeB God is no God: Yea, is a flaring Ccntradiftion. If he is very and perfect God, he is moft certainly equal to the Father : For, the Father is no more, can be no more. Thefe are felf-evident. But, Mr Gibbs, it feems, be- lieves him to be, not 'very but imperfeSi God! What horrid Non- fenfe is this ! The whole New Teftament affures us, He was Man, that he ivas born of a Woman , &c. &c. Well, if he was Man, he was h- vid's LoYNs, «ftw). " He ** now no longer believes they are abfolute Purpofes of thfe Dlvim " Will, converfant about all Futurities, and predetermining, (a ** Word feldom ufed among ug) or fore-ordaining ^whatever comes {0) Ibid. pag. 9. {p) This is a trite Subje£l. The fillieft Creatures pretend to ridicule the Decrees of God } and the wickedeft may he heard often curfiu^ them. There is not any Thing, againft which the Corruption of our Hearts are apt to rage, with mere unbridled Fury : and here alfo, Mr Gii>i>s has z^ed his Part, with as Kttle Mo- defry, Senfe, Regajd for Truth, or the Fear of God, as in the other Parts of his Letter. C 3 ** to ( 36 ) ** to pafs(y)." What are they then? Is not his Providence con- verfant about all Events? And are not his Works of Creation and Providence, the Execution of his Decrei.s } Can any Thing poffibly come to pafs, without him? Is not every Event ordained, to anfwer his own Purpofe ; and is there any Thing abfurd, in- credible, or that bears hard upon the Divine Perfeftions, in faying. That Godifore-ordainedy nvhate'ver he ordains ? " The Scripture I •' am now fatisfied knows no fueh Dodlrine." See what I have offered above, and judge. " The Texts that are wont to be •* brought in fupport of it are greatly mifunderftood (r)." Now, might we not have expelled, he would have named fome of thofe Texts, and taken fome Pains to fhew how they are mifunderftood ? In Reality, The ivhole Bible is one Proof of his Decrees. What are «///i'£' Prophecies, but fo many Demonftrations of them? If there is a God, there is a Providence: If there is a Providence, there inuft needs have been a Prejcience of all Events : There could not pof- iibly be a Prefcience, of any one Event, W\t.ho\xt fome Purpofe con- cerning it; nor of ALL Events, vfit\io\xt. 2. fore-ordaining of them all: The Prefcience of God is infallible, and therefore all Events are certain ; but they could not have been fo, without the Decree. It is abfolutely inconfiftent with infinite PerfeBion, to be learning that to Day, which he knevj not yeilerday ; to refolve upon uncertain Conditions ; to be changing zndi Jhifting Purpofes ; to be irrefolute,voa' Bering, undetermined, &c. Far be fuch Things from, the most High. ** Such a Scheme of Decrees feems to approach very near «* t\it Heathenijh Defiiny and Fate(f):' This is the firft modeft Expreffion in his Letter ! You fee, he dare not fay> it a^ually ap- proaches ; but it feems to approach. But how ; or wherein ? Had he known what the Heathens meant by Defiiny and Fate, he muft have known. That nothing can be more unlike. " For Events to •* be univerfally and abfolutely predetermined by God, will hardly «' confift, I think, with his moral Government of the World.'* However, if it can confift, tho' hardly, it is very well. And yet he cannot name one Man, who ever faid, That all Events were ab- folutely predetermined, in his Senfe of the Word abfolutely. " Will ** infer a Neceffity of Adion fubverfive of Virtue and Religion." How does he prove this ? Why, only by his thinking it. But it is fo far from being true. That it infers no Philofophical Necejfity of Adlion at all. Notwithflanding the Decree, God fuffers his Crea- tures, to follow their own Inclinations, Humours, and Interefts, FREELY. As for truc Virtue and Religion, he inclines, perfuades, and enables Men, to every Thing fo called : and all the Virtue and Religion now in the World, is owing to his abfolute Will and Plea- fure. ** Makes God the Author of Sin, decretively at leaft, and to ** fore-appoint Things which he abhors and detefis ;" the next Claufe, being neither Senfe nor Grammar, I muft wave. Nothing could pof- libly make him the Author of Sin, decretively, but a Decree,That he would be the Author of it ; which is horrid Blafphemy : Or, at leaft, a Decree to cause tht Creature Sin ; which is as fhocking Blafphemy (f) Ibid, (r) Ibid, pag, 10, ( f) Ibid. as ( 27) as the other. Now, I do not remember I ever read, and am fure I never met with any one Man, who faid, t\i2it God ^ecreeal,^ai Sin should BE ; and much lefs, that he decreed to tempt ^ or /educe ; and yet much lefs, to draw or force Men to Sjn. No. We abhor the Thoughts? And yet we know. That Sin could never ha've entred into the Worlds whether he nuould or no ; therefore, not ahfolutely againft his Will ; and confequently, fame Will or Decree of God, was converfant about IT ; even to permit y limit, over-rule it, and take Occafion from thence, to difplay his moft glorious Perfeftions. Thus he decreed to permit the Fall, which he might have, many Ways, hindered. Thus he decreed to send Jofeph to Egypt : And Jofeph himfelf iays, So now, it nxjas not you thai fent me hither, but God, Gen. xlv. 5, 7, 8. chap. 1. 20. Thus he fent the AJJyrian againji an hy- pocritical Nation, to ^0 HIS Will; tho' the AJJyrian meant to do his o",t;«,Ifa. x. 5 — 8. What do I fay ? In Scripture Language, every Thing is afcribed to God, one Way or another, upon the account of his Providence and Decrees. \i the Saheans and Chaldeans plun- der Job, the holy Man looks up to the frji Cauje ; the Lord HATH TAKEN AWAY, Job I. 20. Did Abjalom brutally dejile his Fathers Concubines, 2 Sam. xvi. 21, 22. The Lord had /aid long be- fore, I will take thy Wi'ves before thine Eyes, and gi-ve them unto thy Neighbour, and /^^ shall lie nxiith them, I will do this Thing before all If rati, chap. xii. 11, 12. Yea, when Herod, Pi- late, the Gentiles, and People of Ifrael '^vere gathered together againji Chriji, it was to do, neither more nor lefs, than God''s Hand and Counjel HAD determined before to he done, Afts iv. 27,28. The ftrange Rife and amazing Fall, of Empires, States, and Families, are all faid to have been the Works of God', as they were the Fulfil- ment of plain and diredl Prophecies. And, when we remember fuch Exprefiions as thefe, O Lord, 1 know the Way of Man is not in himfelf: it is not in Man that walks to direct his own Steps, Ter. X. 23. AMans Heart dewfeth his Way, but the Lord diredeth his Steps, Prov. xvi. i — 9. chap. xxi. i. Declaring the End from the beginning, faying. My Counjel Jhall Jiand, and I will do all my Plea- Jure, and the like ; 1 have often wondered, that Men could doubt, cither of his Providence or Decrees. In a Word, whatever Good, any of the Creatures did to, or for ; or, whatever Mijchiejs, they wickedly brought upon good Men, they every where looked up to God, as the Author of all, thanking him for the former, and complaining of the latter, even when they acknowledged the Equity of his Proceedings, in all. From his " difbelieving a Predeflination of «// Events in general,^* he goes on telling you, he " particularly difbelieves a Predeftina- *' tion of the Future, Eternal, States and Cwditions of Men, i. e. " — that he peremptorily and abfolutely decreed the _/5>za/ Condition of •* every one ; chofing a certain Number, — and palTmg by, yea, ** reprobating the reft, b'c." One would think, at firll View, That when the moji Blejfed made Man, he had Jome End in doing it ; that he knew what he did ; knew with what Dcftgn he made them ; and knew what would be their eternal Condition. But, ii that is not enough, when God confidered all Mankind as involved in Sin and (38 ) end Mifery » he could not bijt know, that if he fhould leave them in that State^ they would, of Neceflity, be helplefs and loft for ever. He could «ot but know, they would be neither ahle, nor and as peremp- iorily pafl by thofe whom he chofe not : for an unperemptory Choice, is no Choice. For one to chofe unper emptor ily^ is to be in fufpenfe, in a doubt, and unrefolved, which is neither confiHent with the Per- fedions. Glory, nor Happinefs of God. If he chofe them peremp- iorily f he certainly chofe them abfolutely : for thefe come much to one. " This alfo appears to me now to be an unfcriptural Do- ** 6lrine." See the Power of Delufion ! Why, the Scriptures are full of the former. *' The Bible nowhere teaches fuch Decrees." Surely he has loft his Eyes, or his Memory ! Do but look back tQ pag. 59, 60, 65, 68, 69, and 97 — 99. and judge between God and this Man. Indeed, he who was not afhamed to talk at this rate, may even boldly deny, that the Sun fhines at noon Day ! As for the Decree oi EleSiiony it is as plainly, clearly, and fully re- vealed, as it pofTibly can be, by Words ; and as frequently too, as anyone Dodlrine of our Religion. Now, if God chofe fome, he did not chofe the refl. What thofe were chofen to, the others woere not. It is true, the Doftrine of Freterition or Reprohation^ is nei- ther fo fully, nor fo frequently, found in the Bible, for many ob- vious Reafons. He knov/s, his old Friends were generally very fparing in mentioning it ; and when they did, they did it with Fear and Reverence, with Caution and Referve. But, it evidently follows from the other ; and is alfo found in more Places of Scripture than one or two. " On the contrary, I am perfuaded, they have been ** brought into Theology, for want of rightly underftanding the " Bible, particularly that noted Chapter Rem. xi. which has been " reckoned their Seat." See the Confidence of Error ! He is per- fuaded ! But what could perfuade him ? The Dodrine of Elettion runs through the Bible ; is not only exprelly, taught by the Pro- phets, Vfal. xxxiii. 12. Pfal. Ixv. 4. Ifa. xli. 9. chap.xlv. 25. chap. liii. 5 — 12, b'c. ^^. but plainly, fully, and frequently taught by ail (39 ) all the ApoHles, and dlpecially by our Lord himfelf, fee Mai. xx. l6. chap. xxii. 24- chap. xxiv. 14. John vi. 37 — 46. chap. x. 3 — 5. and 'ver. 11 and 14 — 30. f^^/*. xvii. 6, 20, b'r. dffr. The other Part of the Decree, is alfo the Doftrine of both Teflaments. The firft Vromiky I ivill put Enffiityt hetnxeen tky Seed and her Seed, plainly implies it. Gods halving the Nations, v/hen he chofs Ifraeh, his denying them the Means of Grace, Pfal. cxivii. 19, 20. fuffering them to lie in Ignorance, A6ls xvii. 30. and <^valk in their onvn Ways, Ads XV. 16, i^c, &c. have fuch Force in them, as to come but little fliort of Demonftration, to all who duly attend to them. Our Lord himfelf very plainly taught it. Mat. xi. 20 — 27. ^ohn vi. 44—46. chap. viii. 47. chap. x. 26. chap. xvii. 9, tlfc. 'i'his was alfo the Doilrine of the Apoftles, Paul, i The/, v. 9. P{/?• iv. 6. i^^-T;. xiii. 8. r^/?^, XX. 12, 15. fee alfo yo/'^ xii. 37—41. If you will read thefe care- fully, to name no more, you will find both Parts of this Decree, too vifible to be denied, by thofe who belie-ve the Scrij^ ture ; and too plain to be gloffed away, by wriggling or Criticifm. When we read oi Go^''s foj-e-knonving, predejiinating, eleSii'ng, and ordaining of SOME to eternal Life y &c. it is evident, the ref are not thus fore- known, predeilinated, C5^<-. When we find, that God ^^x^^ some to Chriji, n.vrote their Names in the Book of Life, saves and calls TKEM according to his Purpose, isc. nothing can be more un- deniable, than that the reft were not given, are not thus fanned and called, kz. &c. When we hear, cf Chriil's Spoufe, his Sheep, his Members, &c. and that they were chofen and gi-vi^n to him, to be redeemed by him ; it cannot be imagined, that thefe are not kno-j^M by the Father and the Son ; or that there was no Dijiin^ion made between thefe and others, in, and by, the Decree, i5\. nor caa thofe, who belie-ve the Word, deny, that none but thefe nvere thus chofen and given, &c. &c. Iiov%^ then, could this Man be perfuaded, of any Thing contrary to thefe ? Where did, where could, he find, thefe Dreams of his ? Do we ever read any where, That God loved ALL Men EQUALLY ; or, that he does as much for all, as he does for SOME? Do we ever find him faying, He did not fore- kno-iv, choofe, and ordain some Men to Grace and Glory, ^c. That he did vot give SOME to Chrift, does not call and fave some, according TO HIS Purpose, i^c. That he has not hid thofe Things, from the nvife and prudent, Tvhcn he revealed them to Babes : That he never appointed AJfiY ONE to Wrath: That no certain Men voere before of f>ld ordained to this Conde?nnation? &c. &c. Do we ever hear. That Men make themselves to differ j thit any Man hath first CIVEN to God, that it may be recompenfed unto him again', or, that the Salvation of Man, is of himfelf, or not vjholly owing to God ? £ffr. b'r. Will he fay, it is any where n.vritten. That Men CAN either believe or repent; begin to believe, or repent', or, iiny hovj, difpofe themfelves to thefe, or even fo much as dejtre, or vfe the Means appointed, in order to thefe, voithoui the Grace of God? Dare he deny this felf-evident Truth, That the Grace of God is as effeSlual, in every Man, as he intended it fhould? And, if fo, ^are he fay, TiHat it was either upon the Fore-ftiht of the Faith, or ' ^ , Works, (40) )Forks, or hot^, of any Man, that he e/e<^ed him ; when he was aftually chosen iothefe: Or, that any Man was /^ ^, upon the Fore-Jight of the Want of /i^^ ; when God faw that, without his Gracey fallen Man and all his Jlnful Poflerity were, and would for ever have been, abfolutely, deftitute of them ? It \% God alone who makes the Differ ence^ between Man and Man; and that, of his MERE GOOD PLEASURE. luto this, our Lord refolved it, Mai. xi. 25. Into this, the Apoftle refolves it, in many Places; fee Eph. i. 5, II. chap. ii. 8, 9. 2 Tim. i. 9. Tit. iii. 5. And this is all that Calvin pleads, in that long Quotation from him, pag, 29. His Words are far from proving, what he quotes them for, as mull be plain to every one that can tranflate them. Cahin was no Su- fralapfarian, as himfelf declares, in many Places, moft folemnly, and even when he was charged with being fo (/). " To exclude ** the Non-eleSl from the Inheritance which he predeftines to his " Children, as Dr Edwards tranflates his Words, ihid^'' is an Aft of me7-e Sovereignty ; and, when he does it, he does them ?io Wrong: But, this is far from, ** reprobating them abfolutely^ to their utter ** final Ruin,'* which he falfely charges upon that great Man, pag. 28. Caluin thought, that none could he reprobated^ but the Guilty. Now, when God was pleafed to choofe fame equally guilty, miferable, and helplefs, with thofe whom he paji by, he did not reprobate thefe abfolutely to their utter final Ruin ; but left them as he found them. He never decreed to pafs by, and much lefs to punij?? any of his Creatures, but for Sin ; and therefore, not abfo^ liitely, and of his mere fovereign Pleafure. His pafftng by, was in- deed the A61 of a fivereign Lord, who might jujily with-hold his Favour, from thofe who had not, could not deferve it ; and had no Claim to it : But, his decreeing or adjudgijtg to Ruin, and his aftual infiiding his Wrath upon them, are Adls of Judgment ; and Jhall not the Judge of all the Earth do right ? Yes, he Ihall. And 1)0 Man fhali ever be punijhed by him, who does not jullly deferve it. To return then to the eleventh of the Romans, or, as I think, he ihould rather have faid, the ninth, or, at leaft, the ninth and eleventh ; in which the Apoftle teaches, illuftrates, and confirms this Dodlrine, from the Examples, not only of J/hmael and Ifaacy the two Sons o^ Abraham the Father of the Faithful; but of Efau and Jacob two Ttvin-brothers, one of whom was chofen and the other rejeHed ; and that, before they ^ propofed, confidered, confuted, and exploded. If therefore, his Authority is decifi've ; if his Determination is infallible ; the Point is for ever gained, the Matter is fixed, there is no room for de- murring. All Objeftions are anfwered already. And, whether Men will or no, this is a Doftrine of the New Teftament. (2.) Since thefe very Ohje^ions, lie as direBly againft our DoSlrine, as againft any Thing the Apoftle had faid : Since they now are, and, in all Ages, have been, made, to our Opinion, with as much Affurance, as they were, or could be made to him : And, fince they cannot be oppofed to any other Scheme, but ours, as all Men know ; it is Denwnftration, that our DoBrine is, either prectfely the tveryfame njoith his ; or, differs hut very little from it. And there- fore, let Men's Pride fwell againft God, let Prejudice fret, let Un- belief ftubbornly rejeft it, we are fure it is the Doctrine of the Scriptures; and defire, without gain-faying, humbly to acquiefce in it. Even so Father, for so it seemed good in thy Sight, He that will ferioully confider the Bible, the Hiftory of Man- kind, and what he daily fees, may perceive enough to convince the greateft Unbeliever. When he remembers God's chufing Abra- ham and his Pofterity, though he faw and knew how ftiff-necked, rebellious, and obftinate, they would prove, Deut. ix.6— 13. Exod. xxxiii. 3-5. when he left the reft of the World in Darknefs and Sin, Pfal. cxlvii. 19, 20 : That he often fent the Prophets to thofe, vcho, he knew, vcould not hear ; and not to them, who were better difpofedy Ezek. iii. 5—7. Yea and That our Lord was fent to the fevos, and not to %re and Sidon, who ivould have done more than they did; Mat. xi. 21 — 26: That he fends the Gofpel to one Place, and not to another, not more Unworthy ; A^s xvi. 6—10 : That he had mmb Pio^k in One City, and not in another ; A^s xviii. (43 ) xviii. lo : That the Publicans and Harlots entered into the Kingdom tf Ueu'veny before the moralizing, civil, and fober Pharifeesy Mat. xxi. 31. Luke vii. 29, 30: That the molt promifmg Means, and bell accomplilhed Inllruments, have, in all Ages, been often un- fuccefsful ; when the ijueak, and the foolijh things have prevailed : That the Gofpel has been frequently continued, in Countries, where there has been an almoft general wearinefs and negleft of it ; and removed from thofe, who feemed more unwilling to part with it : That the moll unlikely Perfons, even the moll pervcrfc and wicked, are often, to the Alloniftiment of all, throughly wrought upon, and hold out to the End ; when many who fet out plaufibly, bid fair for Heaven, and were not far from it, have 'vtjibly dranxn back to Perdition : Whofoever, I fay, duly weighs thefe, and a great many Thoughts which offer themfelves from them, with the Scriptures I have quoted, will not find it eafy to refill the Convidion, were he never fo much prejudiced againft thefe Sublime, and much op- pofed Truths. I ftiall only add two or three Texts, which always removed all Scruples and Doubts about this Matter from me; And all that d^well upon the Earth Jhall m:orJhip him, whose Names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb flain from the Foundation of the World. Rev. xiii. 8. For God hath put IN THEIR Hearts to fulfil his Will, and to agree, and gi've their Kingdom unto the Beajl, until the Wordi of God Jhall be fulfilled, chap . x vii , 17. Jnd nuhofoe'ver vjai not found writ- ten in the Book of Life, was cast into the Lake of Fire. chap. xx. 15. Notwithllanding all this, Mr Gibbs boldly affirms, «* That he ** looks upon them to be no lefs hurtful and dangerous, than er- ** roneous and falfe (z/)." Avery deep Look! As if every erro- neous, or falfe Dodrine, were not hurtful and dangerous ; and that, in Proportion to the Nature of the Truth, about which they err, and their Deviation from it ! " That the teaching them has hi- ** therto been, and always will be, dijhonourahle to the bleffed God, ** dijfer^iceahle to the Interejis of Religion, and difcour aging to all ** Piety and Virtue. Efpecially as to Reprobation, unconditional *' and abfolute, l^c (at)." Thus, you fee, he retrafts in fome Meafure, by thefe laft Words, what he confidently declared in the former \ However j if this Charge is true, it falls not only upon the Prophets and Apollles, but our bleffed Lord himfelf as we have feen; Yea, upon the most high God ; For, it was he who faid, I will ha^ve Mercy on njohom I ixjill ha^ve Mercy, Thus does this Man charge God FooUply ! How can it be dijhon our able to the bleffed Gody to fay. That he bellows his Gx2iCt freely ; and does ^« Goodnefs, to fay. He has Mercy on whom he will HAVE Mercy; and onm other? He never made the Salvation of any of the fallen Angels fojjible to them ; and yet thefe Men dare not fay. That this highly afperfes both his Jufiice and Goodnefs. He dare not, we fee, affirm, that, 2ifuffident Remedy is provided for the Heathens. And is this alfo injurious to his moral CharaEier? Does he take, or with-hold, any Thing, from any of the Sons of Men, they have a Right to demand ? Does he not bellow many Things upon all of them, they do not deferve ? Does he not ^/a;^ every one Ahility, to ahjiain from numberlefs B'vils, which they commit ; and to do numberlefs Things materially Good, or kfi E'vil, which they do not ? What then does he mean ? Should I alfo afk him, or his Friends, What they mean by God's moral Cha- raaer? I am pretty fure, they would not find it fo eafy to anfwer, as they imagine. . i • ,Tr , r " He could not appeal to Men, as he does m his Word, tor «' the Righteoufnefs of his Proceedings, and the Equity of his IFays, « upon the contrary Suppofition («).'* The Lord is, moft undoubted- ly, RIGHTEOUS in all his Ways, and holy in all his Works y Pfal. cxlv. 17. He is a God of Truth f and without Iniquity, just AND right is he, Deut. xxxii. 4. Shall not the Judge of all tht Earth DO RIGHT? G^». xviii. 25. And yet it is as true. His Judgments are a great deep, P/2?/. xxxvi. 6. How un- searchable ARE his Judgments! Rom. xi. 33. There is no fathoming the Reafons, of his Purpofes and Ways. They may be, they often are, hidden, fuch as cannot he traced', but they always are, and cannot but be, just. The very Thing we are now upon, gaveOccafion to that Objeaion, Is there Unrighteousness with God ? Rom. ix. 14. And we have heard how the Apoflle anfwered it. After all, I do not remember, he ever condefcended to make fuch an Appeal, but twice ; Ezek, xviii. 25, 30. and chap. xxxiii. 1 7 and 20. and that, only to his own People, and on a very particular Occafion, and even then, when he was adling in a Way of fo'vereign Mercy, affuring them. That, in that Cafe, the Son fhould not die for the Iniquity of the Father. Now, Tho' he fhall be juftified, hereafter, 'when he fpeaketh, and clear tvhen he judgeth i Pfal. li. 4. Yet, at prefent, he gi'veth not account of any of his Matters, Job xxxiii. 13. and therefore, it is foolilh, it is finful, to (Iri've againft him, by fpeaking fo irreverently, fo profanely, of thefe his Ways. ** We hereby make him that hard Mailer, wha ** reaps where he has not fown, and gathers where he had not ** ftrawed (0)." Do we! Yes; if we dreamed, he expefts the fame, or as great Improvement from him, to whom he gives but one Talent, as from him, to whom he gives Ten: Or,That heexpefts Increafe, where he gives no Talent. If therefore, thefe Men, or any of them, dare fay before him. That they have made the heft of their one Talent ; have improved tvety Opportunity ; have done every Thing, they knew they might, and as they might ; and have done no E)." Only we would add, who ajks, feeks, and knocks, i. e. diligently, earneftly, and importunately defres him, ferfe'vering in it, and taking no Denial. In this we rejoice ; and, for it, we blefs God with all our Hearts. But, when he tells us, *' Nor muft it be pleaded that we want Ability thus to afk it; ** for doubtlefs (as one fays) we arc capable of fuch afking, as is ** pointed out to us, — otherwife here were a Promife, and no ** Promife, a Promife to mock us> and not to encourage us.". We muft reply. That as ^worthy as he that fays it is, it is neither true, (if applied to all) nor to his Purpofe, if it were true. Not true. For, (i.) The greateft Part of Men never fo much as heard of fuch a Promife y nor nvhether there be an Holy Ghojl ; and furely, none fuch can thus ajk him. (2.) How can the natural Man, twho recei'veth not the Things of the Spirit of God, &c. even when re- njealed'y how can the carnal Mind, nxihich is Enmity againf God', how can the Heart, njohich is deceitful abonje all Things, and defperately would be altogether ineffeSlual. All are unwilling: Of thefe, fame God makes nxnllingy but leaves others in the Hands of their onjon Comfel. And it will, hereafter, appear, but a jujl Judgment of God, to do fo by thofe, who are fo proud of their OWN GOOD Dispositions and Free-Will, as never to confefs, bewail, or lament their ozv« Deadnefsy Unnjjillingnefs, Fer'verfenefs ; and never to pray it may be remo'vedf or that God would power- fully draiv and ejfe6lually perfuade, incline, onjercome them, and give them a Heart, yea, and caufe them to fear and love him. " He is the more zealous againft this Doctrine, becaufe it ap- ** pears to be falfe and unworthy of God, and becaufe of its bad *' Tendency. It has, it /««/? do a great deal of Hurt, wherever it ** prevails {^)." If it is falfe, the God of Truth has revealed it! If unnvorthy of him, wc muft anfwer as before. If either, it muft be pernicious. Ifit^^j, and muf do Harm; who can help it? The beil Things have been abufed. The Gofpel is the Savour of Death unto Death, unto many, 2 Cor. iii. 16. Did it do Mr Gibhs harm ? If he fays it did. Let him aik his Confcience, whether it was his Skthfulnefs and Unvoillingnefs, or an afFefting Senfe of his natural Inability, that lay at the Bottom of it? " What more *' likely to difcourageMen from entering upon a religious Courfe,— ** than to be told, that they are become quite dead to it, — and ** that there is no Relief provided in Divine Aids, — whereupon *' they can with Aflurance depend (r) ? " But, who tells them all this, or ever did ? How came this into his Head ? That all Men are dead in TrefpaJJes and Sins ; That al/ who are converted, muft be raifed up, quickened, created again. Sec. is the exprefs Language of Scripture : But, that no Relief h provided, for this or the other Man, none can know. Our Duty is fet before all: Every one knows, that he has Grace enough to do fojnethi?ig: Let him then try, and do what he can. If he does not, he will be inexcufable. If any is difpofed to do any Thing, he may depend upon it, God fwill never leave him, in fuch Circumllances, if he leaves not him firjl. We muft therefore turn the Queftion upon him. What more certain, to every one^ who has made any honeji Attempts, as in the Sight of God, than, That he is quite dead to every Thing truly Spi- ritual F What more certain, and afFefting, to all fuch, than this. That they never n.verey never could have been, fo fenfible, of the Povjer of Corruption in them, and of the total and defperate Aliena- tion of their Hearts/row God, and true Holinefs, had it not been for the Refiflance, they perceived in themfelves, againjl thofe Inclinations^ which were vorought in them by the Holy Ghoft ? What more certain, and humbling, than. That Sin, the Corruption of their Na- tures, takes Occafion, even by the Commandment, to vjork in them all manner of Concupifcence \ Sec. and that they feel. That, till Almighty Pov}£r coNC^ER THEM, the more poiverfully they are dravjn, the more ftrongly and defperately they refufe, or delay, to yield (f) Ibid. {r) Ibid, pag, 15, 16. h 2 and (6o) and fubmit ? What more proper, than to try throughly to conn)ince Men, of the Depth of their Mifery ; that they may be ^wrought upon, to fee the ahfolute NeceJJity of the Remedy, to humble themfel'ves before God, and look up to him for Grace to help ? &c. And, to name no more. What more likely to dejircy the Souls of Men, than to tell them. That their 'Natures are not depraved: That Regenera- tion h not abfolutely z.Vi6. uni Ibid, pag, i2, {a) Ibid. {h) Ibid. ( fl«/Sr and 5«r^/y, and obliging himfelf to pay their " double Debt', a Debt of .SfrwVf,— and a Debt of SatisfaSlion, — " in ftiort, he and they coalefcing into one tnyjiical Perfon, to be " chimerical and imaginary (/)." See the aftonifliing Efficacy of Delujion ! He takes all this, to be chimerical and imaginary I He might as well have called, our Redemption fo ! His Brethren, the Socinians, fay, it is only Metaphorical, which, tho\ not far fhort of, is not quite fo fcandalous, and fhocking, as this. He juft now owned, " he might reap the ^^«£/f^ of what another does ** znd fuffersi" but furely, it is not by Accident, but with Delign, he may do fo. He is, in no Senfe. a Chriftian, who doubts that Be- lievers may and do reap the Benefit, of what Chrift did and fuffered: If fo, it could not poffibly be without Counfel, and Defign : But this neceflarily prefuppofes, ** a Covenant between the Father and ** the Son," as is felf-evident. Such a Covenant plainly implies. That he undertook to do and fuffer all he actually did 2iXidi fuffered ', for that very End, that they, for whom he was to do and fuffer^ might reap the Benefit of his Doings and Sufferings. From thefe, I will undertake, at any Time, to demonftrate all ive contend for, upon this Head : But, for the Sake of plain Chriftians, I fhall rather reafon from Scripture. That Chrift was fore-ordained before the foundation of the World, to be a Sacrifice for Sin, and to fave his People, by dying for them, Sec. is clearly and frequently revealed, Eph. i. 3—7. 2 Tim. i. 9. 1 Pet. i, 19, 20, &c. &c. That he, who was to be the Sacrifice, and by being Ji the Saviour of his People, vtzs fort-ordained to be thb (i) Ibid, page 19, 10. i ;» Kepeemer, (68 ) Redeemer, the Shepherd, the Husband of his People, fol- lows undeniably from the former ; and is alfo plainly, and often, found in Scripture, John x. 1 1 — 30. Ij'a. liv. 5— 1 1, ^r. That, as their Redeemer, he was to be their Prophet, Priest, and King, is felf-evident. See above, page 65, ^r. He could not poffibly hzvcfa^ved them from Sin and Satatiy the Worlds Deaths and Hell't fd'ved them from their Guilty Ignorance^ and Slwvety, if he had not. This alfo is teftified unto, by the whole Tenor of Scrip- ture. That he was, the Surety of a better Tejiament i Hth. vii. 22. The Mediator of a better Covenant ; chap. viii. 6. Gi'ven to be the Head o'ver all Things to the Church, njohich is his BoDYjj Eph. i. 22, 23. Is THE Head of the Church, and Sa- *viour 9?. THE Body ; chap. v. 23. and chap. iv. 15. And^ the Hea,d c/'the Body, the Church; Col. i. 18. are the exprcfs Words of God. The Covenant propofed in the Gofpel, evidently prefuppofes, " the Covenant between the Father and the Son,'* Upon which that is founded. If he is a Surety, then he cove- nanted with the Father, in the Names of « //, whofe Surety he is. If he is THE Head of his Body the Church, he is a federal Bead't for the Covenant, is the fole Foundation of that Relation. We have proven at large, That he was their co^jena7iting Reprefen- iaii'vei fee page /\.o, 41. The Father exprefly fays of him, / iviil gi've thee for a Covenant of the People i Ifa. xlii. 6. chap. xlix. which could not be true, were he not a federal Head. Now, He is not given to be a Head to any, but his Church, his Body, his Mem- hers; " which amounts to, his hoing their federal Head , exclufwehf ^* of the reft." Surely, he knew, who were given to him, to be redeemedy and fo to become his Spouse, his Members, i^c. Surely, he ivill uose none of them', for his Body cannot be im- ferfeB, Some would add, furely, none other (hall be fo united to him, as to be living Members in, or of him ; becaufe, there can be nothing fuperfluous, or redundant, in his Body. Seeing then, he actually y«'z;^^ his Body, and every Member of it j " his re- ** deeming Defgns for them, were- more than to reftore them to a ^* Capacity of Salvation, ^c" If he was their Surety, and Redeemer, he muft of Neceffity have paid their Debt, and redeemed them from THE Curse, and have alfo r^^a^^^w^^/ //^^ mortgaged, the forfeited In- heritance for them ; for other wife, he could not have redeemed and faved them. The former was, a Debt ofSatisfadion, which he paid to the full, when he bake their Sins in his ovjn Body on ike Tree, ixjas made Sin, and a Curse for them. Sec. kc. and thereby, fatisfied Jujiice, bore the Penalty of the Law, fecured and glorioufly difplayed the Divine Perfeftlons, and the Honour of his Government, i^c, The latter, could no otherwife be done, but by Obedience; i.e. a Righteousness every Way meritorious, 'oi fuch infinite Value, ^s, in ftrift Juftice, to deferve, and be voorth, and fo purchafe ^11 promifed Bleffings, Temporal, Spiritual, and Eter-^ nal \ and, thii Debt of Service, he paid, by the Obedience of his Life, viYiQrthy h^ fulfilled all P^ighteoufnefs, perfe^ly obeyed t\iQ Law, and became obedient even unto Death, Mat. iii. 15. chap. v. 17. Gal. iv. 4. Phil. ii. 7, 8. |lom. y. 15^20, k^c, t^<. He was their ^ Goth i ( 69 ) GoEL ; [near Kin/man, ^d Redeemer) but it was the near Klnfman'f Part, to redeem the Inheritancey taking it with all the Burdens upon it, paying and difcharging the Debt, and reftoring it, if not fooner, yet at the Year of Jubilee^ to the original Owner, or his Heirs. Judge then, my Brethren, whether thefe Things " are chimerical «* and imaginary." But, all that can be expeded from " an •' imaginary Chrift," for fo this Man was not afraid to call him, is. That he fhould do chimerical and imaginary Things ! I argue farther. If our Lord, was fuch a Surety and Redeemer, as to do and fuffer all thefe Things, in our Name, and Place, and Stead, becaufe we could not do or fuffer them ourfelves, and that it to Believers, and derides fuch Expreffioni, as God's vepng, and tlothing OS with it, l^c. I will prove this great Doftrine of the Gofpel, from many Scripture Paflages, where we find the cleareft, fiilleft, and ftrpngeft Phrafes to exprefs it, that can be imagined. ^e Name nvherehy our Lord was to be called is y The Lord our Righteousness, Jer. xxiii. 6. Is it poffible to ufe an Expreflion of greater Force, and more to the Purpofe ? Is his Righteoufnefs then perfoneil, and can it not be imputed to us ! Surely y Jhall one fay. In THE Lord HAVE I Righteousness; — In the Lord foall all the Seed of Ifrael he justified, Ifa. xlv. 24, 25. Have they Righteoufnefs in him I Surely his Righteoufnefs is not then ferjimal. Are they justified in him! Surely his Righteoufnefs IS then their Righteoufnefs. Let Mr Gibbs remember what follows, Bven to himfhall Men come, (i. e. in him fhall they believe y for Righ- teousness and Strength) and all that are incenfed againji him fhall he afhamed. He hath made him to be Sin for vSyivho kneiu no Sin; that 'we might be made the Righteousness of God in him, 2Cbr. V. 21. Were all the World to fit down and invent, how to exprefs this Doftrine, they could not exprefs our Minds more ftrongly ! Our Sins were made Christ's, that his Righte- ousness might be made ours. He could not poflibly have been made a Sin-offeringy if God had not laid the Iniquities of us ALL upon him, r. ^. had not transferred them to him, reckoned, and reputed them his, and placed them to his Account : We could not iave beenpoffibly made the Righteousness of God in him, •* were his Righteoufnefs personal," in his Senfe of that Word, or did it ** neceffarily inhere in him airways ;" and were it not ** made over to us, reckoned and reputed ours, transferred and placed ** to our Account."^ What can this Man fay to this? He is made OF God unto us, Righteousness, i Cor, i. 30. Can any Thing more be faid ? Can this be pofTibly true, if his Righteoufnefs is not imputed, made over, transferred to us ? The Apoftle's great Defire was, % be found in him not having his own Righteousness,-— whofethen? Why, the Righteoufnefs vohich is of God by Faith, Phil. iii. 9. The Righteoufnefs nvhich is of God, can pofTibly be no other, hut Chris's, who is made of God unto us, Righte- ousness. To be made unto us Righteoufnefs, is one of the moft forcible Phrafes that can be imagined. It is impoffible his Righte- Bufhefs can any other Way be made ours, but by Imputation. Here i;hen, is Righteoufnefs imputed, and received by Faith, and by that §niy. What need I tarry for any more particular Texts ? There is Ao other poffible Way of hting jujiifedy but by Works only, or or BY Faith onfy. They are never joined together, as having 4«r J oint-caufality in this Matter ; nor can they. If we zxz jufiified, «Y Faith* then, not by Works : If, by Works ; then, not :by Faith. Our Juftification is to us, abfolutely free and gra- tuitous J and therefore, by Taith, (not indeed a Faith, which is fo- htzry and alone ; fuch a Faith being dead, becaufe alone, but) by faith ONLY : For, to him that nvorketh, is the Revoard reckoned not «f Grace, hut of Debt? Rom. iv. 4. chap, xi; 6. Works are, every where, and wholly^ and in every Refpeft, excluded, Rsm, iii. 20, 27, I < 71 ) ay, 28. thap.iV, 2—6. Gal. ii. 16, 21, ^f. &^f. i?/»&. ii. 7— lO. Therefore, we muft be juftified by Faith. But, Faith itfelf^ is no more Righteoufnefs, than any other Grace. Our believing is as much a Work, as our hoping in, or lon)ing God. It is no more a Condition of the Covenant of Grace, than Repentance ; and yet, we are never faid to \x juftified hy, ox for, our Repentance, as we muft have been, had the Conditions of the Covenant being the Matter- of our Juftification. As it is a Work, it is as much required in the Law, as any other Duty we owe to God : But, we are not juftified hy the Works 0/ the Law. The Righteoufnefs of Chrift, is the Matter of our Juftification ; and therefore. Faith cannot he: For, were our Faith or Belief our Righteousness, it would juftle out his Righteoufnefs ; we ihould be declared, and treated as perfeSily righ- teous, upon the Account of a 'very imperfefl Righteoufnefs, Sec. which are palpably abfurd. Seeing then, it cannot poffiblyy«/?j^ us, any of thefe Ways, it remains. That Faith juftifies, only as it receives, applies, and depends upon, the Righteoufnefs of Chrift. This Righ- teoufnefs then, and this alone, makes us righteous in the Sight of God. It is this alone for, and upon the account of, which, we V[Q juftified before him. It is recei^ved by Faith only: Nor can any other Grace, have aty Agency in this Cafe. We are never faid to be juftified for it, but only by it, or through it. See Rom. iii. 20—23. chap. x. 3, 4. chap. xi. 6. Gal. iii. 11, ^r. &c. And now I fhall leave this chimerical Ma.n, to fay, and pleafe him- felf with the Fancy, That all this is imaginary too. Having thus renounced the Faith of the Gofpel, and looked to fome of his belonged Indexes, as in other Cafes, he acquaints us, *• what has increafed his diflike of it. It has done much harm " to the Peace oi the Church (/{)." Has it.? Then it is not its Fault. For, it is evidently a very peaceable Doi^rine ; and the only- Foundation of folid, faving ?E ACE, to the dejefted, abafed, felf- condemning, contrite Penitent. Their oivn Righteoufnefs, may afford fomething to Pharifaical Minds, wliich thofe of that Way may term Peace : But,they will find hereafter, that all their oiun Right eoufneffesy as much as they think of them, are hut as filthy Rags. Tho', I believe indeed, the Devil will never fuffer the Church, to keep this Dodlrine in Peace, if he can find fuch Men to deride, banter, or wrangle about it. ** Has been the Subjed of as angry intricate •* Difputes, as almoft any Thing in Religion." If it is io, the more*s the Pity. ' Tis plain enough of itfelf. The meaneft Crea- ture knows. That, when the Surety has paid the Debt, the Principal ought, of Courfe, to be difcharged: Thar, if a near Kinfman freely pays off the Mortgage upon his Friend's Eftate, the Mortgagee ought to deliver back the Writings, and put him into the PofTeflion of it : That, if onedoes any Thing/fiT flw/^^r, that other ought to have the Benefit of it,^c. There were indeed Difputes,angry and intricate Difputes raifed about it, in the Apoftles Days ; but, hy nuhom P Why chiefly by thofe, nvho being ignorant of God's Righteoufnefs, «««»/ about t« eftablijh their ovjn: Rom. x. 3. Perfons, who had as litde [k] Ibid, pag, 20« (70 Kitle RIghteoufnefs to plead, as moft Men I But, had they eithes' had right Apprehenfions of God, his Jujlice and Holinefs ; of the jpiritual Nature, and Extent y of his pure and righteous Law j of the Corruption of their Natures, the Deceitfulnefsy and defperate Wicked- nefs of their oivn Hearts j the Enmity that nuas in thtniy againji God i and the Imperfe£lions of their fvery beji Aftions, that they were all as an unclean Tlhingy and that all their Right eoufnejfes o;» the Curse of the Law, he has alfo delivered them from all Obligations to Holinefs and Obe- dience : What is that to the Dcftrine of J uf if cation ? What is it to us ? Is not San^ifcation as much a Part of our Religion, as Jufiif cation ? Do we not as unanimoufly teach, the abfolute Ne* ceffity of our Obedience and good Works to our Sahation ; as we ex- clude them, from all Place, in our Jufiification? Yes, we do. Tho' we cannot think fo much of our inherent Righteoufnefs, as to dream, it gives us any Title or Claim to the promifed Inheritance ; We know, that by it, wf are made meet to be Partakers of it ; and that, ^without Holinefs no Man /hall fee God. Cannot Anti?iomianifm be fairly confuted, unlefs our 6)." Now, jf Mr Gibbs will only make Senfe of this, I will anfwer him to his full content. In the mean Time, Obferve, i. Abraham was a jujlified Perfon, many Years before the. Scripture faid any fuch Thing of hini as that, 'uer. 3. He believed Qod, and it ^as counted to him for Righteoufnefs 5 and confequently, what he did after his Juftification, could have no cafual Influence upon it^ nor he imputed to him FOR IT. The fame Anfwer, will ferve to all that tfie Apoftle James has touching this Matter, in his fecond Chapter. So that this docs him no Service. 2. It is not faid, His Faith rwas counted to him for Justification, but for Righteoufnefs ^ i . e. it was reckoned a holy and righteous Adion, highly pleafmg and acceptable to God, juft as Fhinehas's "Leal 'was counted to him for Righteotfnefs, Pfal. cvi. 31. So that, if this ExprefGon proves any Thing for his Purpofe, it proves too much. 3. Some have que- ftioned, " Whether Jefus Chrift and the Revelation of the Gofpel,'* was the Objeft ofthisAdl of his Faith. 4. The other Inftance from the Pfalmift, ^ver. 6. E-ven as Da-vid alfo defcribeth the Blef- fednefs of the Man, unto luhom Gcd imputeth Rightioufnefs ^without iVorks, makes much for us. Here is Righteoufnefs imputed with- out Works. But to fay. That ^^ fine ere Faith, and unfeigned •• effe6iual^tX\tl of the Gofpel is imputed to Men for Juftification,** without Works, is a manifeft Contradidion. But I am afraid, brethren, you will think me tedious. As for what follows, Mr Gibbs knows in his Confcience, Wc all teach, •* That juftifying Faith hath real and fuitable Effeas " upon Perfons, ^c. (y)." That it always purifies the Heart within, and ^orks by Faith without. So that the Apoftle James\ Doftrine, is the very fame with ours. But, if he would, by his obfcure Expreflions, infinuate, what he is alhamed to fpeak out, ThatFi^zV^ does not juft ify^ till it hz.^ produced thofe E fleas i or, that thofe EiFefts have any Caufality in our Juftification, as his Brethren the Socinians do : It is a dire<^ Oppofition to the whole New Te- stament. It deftroys the Nature of Gofpel-juftiflcation i is incon- fiftent with, and quite alters the Nature of, the Covenant of Grace s It does, it cannot but mar, break, and obftrudl, the Peace and Comfort of Believers ; and juftles out the Righteoufnefs of Chrift^ out of its Place, yea leaves no Room for it in this Matter : And to fay no more, it renders our Juftification i?nperfea and incompletCy or rather, quite fufpends ity till we are dead. For, according to this Opinion, Juftification is not an Ja^ which is perfea at once ; but confifts of many Aas, fome more, fomc lefs perfed j and Believers arc fome- times more, fometimes lefs juftified ; and thofe that are juftifled f 0-day, may be unjuflified, if not condemned To-morrow, and ju- ftified {f) Ibid. pag. II, (^} Ibid. ( 78 ) ftified again, in more or lefs, next Day^nd fo. Ten thoufand Timei over, till we are either completely juftijied or condemned, at or after Death. But, Hovv/r Piety, and Reli- gion ; or we fhall fadly fail in the Performance. He begins with the former, " but means only facial and publick *' Prayer y not what is yS/Z/^ry and fecret (y ).'''' As to this laft, he fays nothing. And yet, many will think. That the Man who may be trufted, fo as to pray with, " Decency, Solemnity, and ** Profitablenefs," in his Clofet, without a Fornty may be alfo in- trufted to do it in his Family, which, I conceive, is focial Prayer s And that he, who, is thought, capable of ftudying a Sermon, and is apt to teach, fo that he may deliver it with, ** Decency, Solemn *• nity, and to the Profit (2;)" of his Hearers, may, if he has alfo the Gift of Prayer y be left to Jiir up, exercife, and impro've THAT Gift. His appearing in Publick, may well be thought to e.'uoaken him to more Attention, to fixy and keep his Thoughts upon what he is a doing, ^c. ** As for publick Prayer, he is far ** from thinking it at all unlawful, or finful, to pradlife the Ufe ** of Forms in it ;" and fo am I. "It appears to him now •* highly expedient and //, provided they are duly compofedy or re- irs the ^ated Ufe of Forms, fo far before /.£. Prayer; I ftiall offer my Opinion of 'this Matter, with ail Modefty I never knew nor heard of, one Man, who thought, that the Ufe of Forms of Prayer was in itfelf »/: Or, that pious, devout Perfons, were not ac- {d) Ibid. ?ag, 14, (0 Ibid, pag. 20. (f) Ibid, m^ 6, 7- ^^^^^^ ( 82 ) f^^/e-^of God, in tlie Ufe of them. Tho' it does not appear the Primiti've Churches had, all the Reformed Churches beyond Sea have. Forms of Prayer ; and generally ufe them, without fcruple. The old Puritans y even the ftrifteft, did not fimply condemn them : Nor did they refufe many of the Prayers of the Church of England. Not a few of them, were not fo much difpleafed with the Prayers themfehes, as with the Impofition of them. The Wejlminjier Affem- bly, have left us an excellent Directory for pub lick Prayer, whfch may eafily be turned into a Form. Many of the Non- Conformifsf after the A61 of Uniformity, would have readily ac- cepted o{ the Book of Common Prayer f had there been but fome Al- terations made in it ; and had the Ufe of it been left, a little more free. I have been often highly pleafed, to fee fo much Devotion in the Churches, when they were reading Common Prayer: And think it a very great Mercy, they have fuch a Set of Prayers, at this Time of Day. All Things neceffary for Salvation are plainly and clearly in them ; and many of the chief DoSlrines of the Gof- pel, may be better learned among our Brethren, from the Dejk, than from the Pulpit. I heartily wiih them more and more of the Afliftance of the Spirit of God, in all their Prayers and Service : And, when the DiJ/enters fhall comply with Mr Gibhs''5 Motion, I hope they will not altogether forget, the Service Book. On the other hand. Such as chufe free Prayer, do not, upon every Occalion, hunt for new Words. There is fuch a Thing as a Gift of Prayer ; and the ferious, daily Exercife of any Gift, will in Time turn it to a fettled Hahit. As the fame Neceffities and Wants, &c. daily occur ; and the fame Confejfions and Petitions, Sec. will be daily requifite ; thofe who pray freely, will have proper ExpreJJhns ready at Hand for all ordinary Occafions. In this Way, they are not tied down to Words ; but may enlarge, in Confeffion, Petition, Supplication, or Thankfgiving, or be Ihorter in either, as their Hearts are afFefted, or as the Circumftances of the Con- gregation, or the Providence of God calls them. By fuch Means, with fome ferious Premeditation, they may reap the great eji Ad- ^vantages of Forms, and avoid the Inconnjeniencies of them ; and may reach all the Ends of free Prayer, without the Sin and Danger, of rafh, unbecoming, incoherent EfFufions. It is the Heart, and the AffeSlions, in Prayer, which God requires : And a ferious, well difpofed Mind, truly fenfihle of its State and Wants, with a moderate Share of Parts, through the promifed AJJtfance of the Spirit, will not often be ataLofs, for z grave and natural Way of exprefling them. If F^rwj have their /^ much i and yet, baptized Infants ! But, the Apoftle, in a Cafe not vtry unlike, is very plain. He that DOUBTETH IS DAMNED if he eat, Rom. xiv. 23. Mr Gihbs is therefore, by his own Confeffion, Self condemned. However, he is more modeft here, than hitherto! He is not, ** now fully " convinced, well fatisiied, djV." but only " doubts, and la- ** bours under too many Doubts, C5fr." See how natural it is, for fome Men, to ftrain at Gnats and fvoallovo Camels ! He doubts, as to " the Subjects, and the Mode of Baptifm ;" whether Children are to he baptized, and which is the " true Way of baptizing ?'* But, What can be the Reafon of all thefe Doubts ? If Infants are innocent, not guilty of any Sin ; clean and pure, fo as not to need Wajhing [h) ', there is no Caufe iox baptizing them, no room for any fuch Thing. We are baptized for the Remifton of Sim and that which is clean, needs no Wajhing. Were I therefore, but half fo confident, in denying Original Sin, both imputed and in- herent, I Ihould, I fancy, be very confident,That Children ought not to he baptized. The conflant, and almoft general, Cullom of the Church of Chrift, in all Ages, to baptize Infants, is, to me, De- monftration, what their Faith has been of thefe Matters. Baptifm is A Sign of Regeneration : But thofe who have no Need of, THE Thing signified, can have no Claim to, nor any Bufmefs with, THE Sign. Were I an Antitrinitarian, I think, I Ihould never care to hear oi the Form of Baptifm-, but Ihould try, by all prudent Means, to lay it afide, and worm it quite out of the Church, as foon as might be, as the great Socinus did long ago ; leaft thofe who, one Day faw, or heard me, baptize either young QV old, in THE Name of the Father, of the Son, and of THE Holy Ghost, and heard me declaiming againll the Dodrine of the 1'rinity, the next, Ihould Hone me as a Self condemned Deceiver. 'Tis to me llrange, thofe folemn Words do not make them tremble : For, it is plain, .they do, they will for ever, de- termine the Controverfy. The Renjifer having left the Anfwers, in the Catechifm, which relate to this Matter, as he found them, I was very glad, to be under no Neceffity of faying any Thing upon it ', having no Inclination to offend thofe of that Perfuafion, who agree with us, almoft in every Thing elfe but thefe ; many of whom, I know to be ferious, grave, humble Chriftians. Bur, fmce Mr Gihbs is turned alfo an Antipedobaptijl, I muft crave their Excufe, To plead for thofe, 'vjho camiot plead for themfehes. •* A very weighty, material Objeftion, now with me, urged " againft Infant Baptifm is, xk^ utter Silence of Scripture in. Relation II to it, and that no fingle exprefs* Precept, nor clear Precedent (f) Ibid, pag, 23, [h) Ibid, pag, iz, 13. 1 2 " for ( 84) «' for it is to be produced out of the whole New Teftament (0^** This laft mull be true, if the Scripture is utterly filent about it ! But, what need he fpeak of this, as but one Argument ; when it is indeed, 1 think, the only Argument, which can be urged, with any Shew of Reafon. And, Is this a neiu Argument ? Or, has any Thing, of late, been faid to inforce it, more flrongly ? Was it hot as ^weighty and material heretofore, as mvj? Why, there are, or have been, Ten thoufand old Women in England, who could propofe this Objeftion, as flrongly as he. *' Or, if Infants ^* were intended to be baptized, it is queftionable whether they *« were not only fuch Infants whofe Parents became Profelytes to <* the Chriftian Religion from a State of Infidelity, not the Infants '^'- of Parent? already cy^rz/^/^z^/z^^ (/J).'* Now, if you are not al- ready convinced, he knows not what he is a faying, this will do it effeaually. What dees he mean by, " Infants were nitended ** to be baptized,— Profelytes to the Chriftian Religion,— already «« chrijiianized P '' - If thofe Profelytes had not been baptized them- f elves, :x.\idi' Children could have had no Right to be baptized ; arid, if they were baptized, they were furely, chrijiianizedy as he ridiculoufly phrafes it. Sappofmg then, Mr Gihbs had been born of Heathen Parents, bred up in the Religion of Heathens, and had afterwards been converted to the Faith of Chrift, and baptized in, or M/o THE Name, of the ever blessed Trinity; What Right would his Children have to Baptifm, more than his Grand- children, or Great-grandchildren will have ; or, Why Ihould thofe be baptized more than thefe ? What Difference is there between them? What need, what Occafion, to baptize the one, more than the other, feeing, by the Suppofition, they are all the Chil- dren, " of Parents already chriftianized? '' Verily, this Man, «« has not made his laft Underftanding in thefe Matters ? '* To return then, to this very weighty, and material Objeftion. The Antipedohaptiftsy do not pretend there is any exprefs Pro- hibition in Scripture, forbidding Infa?its to be baptized. When God entered into Covenant with Abraham, the Command was very pofitive and folemn, That his Male-feed fhould he circumcifed, on the eighth Day i Gen. xvii. 9 — 13. and that, under a very terrible Penalty, 'ver. 1 4. Circumcifion was a foken, a Seal of the Cove- nant ; and confequently, a fpiritual Bleffing or Privilege. This Covenant, \^z.% the Con^enant of Grace \ I will be a God unto thee, and to thy Seed after thee, njer. 7. The Apoftle jP^/^r affured the y^'u;/, Afts ii. 39. The Promife is unto you, and TO YOUR Children, (as much now, under the nenx> Difpenfa- tion, as formerly ; and if the Promife, fo alfo the Token of it ;) and to all that are afar off, i5c. to wit, and their Children alfo; if this comprehenfive Promife, is not limited in the New Teftament, more than it was under the Old ; which can- not be.- The Privileges of the Covenant are now, moft certainly, more enlarged : And, if fo," it is certain, this Privilege cannot (0 Ibid, pag, 23, (^) Ibi4. (85) be denied Infants, unlefs fomething greater, at leall equl'vaient, be fubftituted in its room ; which is not here alledged. Chriji came to confirm the Promifes made to the fathers ; Rom. xv. 8. And the Blessing af Abraham is nonu come upon the Gentiles, through him : But, to Abraham and his Seed nvere the Promifes made ; — C'ven his Seed, ivhich is Chriji, Gal. iii. 15, 16. i. e. Chrift myftical, his Church. If Chrift then confirmed the Promifes made to Abraham i and, if thefe Promifes were made alfo to his Seed, i. e. the believing Gentiles as well as the Ifraelites j then he confirmed this^ That his Seedjhould receive the Neiv Tejiament Seal of the Co'venant, in their Infancy, even as thofe were to receive the Old Teftament Seal of it. If he had not, he had not confirmed the Promifes made to the fathers ; for then, a very material Promife, had been left uncon- firmed : Nor had the Blejing of Abraham come upon the Gentiles^ and their Seed, as it did on the Ifraelites and theirs ; as is felf- evident. This, to me, has an irrefiftible Evidence, The Cove- nant of Grace was, as to the Subftance of it, always the fame : It has Seals under the New Teftament, as well as the Old : Why then, are Children more improper Suhjeds of this Seal, Baptism, than they were of. Circumcision ? Baptifm fucceeds to Cir- cumcifion ; the fame Things are fignified and fealed, in the one as in the other ; the End of both is the fame : Why then, fhould our Seed be excluded from the one, any more than thofe of the Ifraelites, were from the other ? What would the believing Jenxis have faid, had they been told, their Seed were no longer to be circumcifed, nor to have any other Token of the Covenant, in the Place of it ? There was no Need of an exprefs Command, to baptize Infants^ when the Apoftles knew fo well, there was a very folemn one, to circumcife them. And yet, the Command, Go ye therefore /t/fit0jiT5i/VctT« disciple all Nations, bap- tizing THEM, ^c. Mat. xxviii. 19. Not, go ye teach or difciple^ and then baptize all Nations: '^\it, go ye therefore (xsLBnTivJArt 'TTcivTct Tct kQpHj BctTrrii^ovr'Hy &c. disciple all Nations, baptizing them, ^f. fo that, they were to difciple them, in„ and BY, their baptizing them', and their being baptized^ was in- deed a difcipling them : This Command, 1 fay, appears, to me, very plain, for our Purpofe. Infants, or Children under five Years old, are perhaps near Two Fifths of all Nations ; and it would be hard to exclude them all, when they are fo great a Part. All Nations are here oppofed to the Jenvs^ among whom. Chil- dren of Profelytes were entered as Difciples with their Parents ; and why then ftiould not our Infants have the fame Privilege ? Be- iides, after they were baptized, they were to teach them to ohfewe (ill Things, &c. ver. 20. which feems to confirm our Senfe of the Verb, p.tt^imxjddi'Tei. True Parents were to be difcipled firft, tCD which fome prenjious Teaching was requifite : But, no fooner were they baptized, than their Infant-Seed were to be difcipled with them ; difcipled by being baptized. Infants are reckoned to their Parents, are as it were Parts, a fecond Edition of them, their Parents mui- tipli«d ; But, the Promife of the Covenant is, / imll he a God to ihee^ ( 86 ) thse, and fo THY Sled i therefore, their Seed ztc ^^Mhr the Co* venant : But all nvif^in the Covenant, have a Right to ihe Toien of it; and confequently, are to be difcipled in, and by Baptifm. Upon the whole, it appears to me with an Evidence I cannot leiift. That if God does not require the Infant-Seed of Believers to Be baptized, as he did of old to be circumeifedi he is not nonv the God of his People and their Seed, as he was then ; he denies them that fri'uilege he granted them formerly, and has given them nothing in the Room of it ; l^c. But, all thefe are abfurd, inconfiftent with the Goodnefs of God, and contrary to the Nature of the New Teftament Difpenfation : And, That if Believers now difcipk -not their Infant-Seed, they fail, in their Part of the Covenant, and in their Duty both to God and them; in as much, ^as they do not thus dedicate their Seed to the Lord, who requires they Ihould h& thus dedicated ', and, tho' they have given themfelves to him, delay to gi^e him their Children alfo. Infants are capable of be- ing regenerated, born of the Spirit, or they cannot fee the Kingdom of God, i. e. cannot be faved, John iii. 5 . Why then fiiould we deny them the Sign ; or fancy they are not capable of heing born of Water, i, e. are not proper Subjedls of Baptifm ? The Children of Believers are not, unclean, but holy, i Cor. vii. 1 4. i. e. within the Covenant, federally holy : But, if within the Co- venant, Who can deny them, the Sign and Seal of it ? Little Chil- dren fwere brought unto our Lord^ nvho receiJeighbours, no fooner fall under the Power of it, but they be- come relllefs, and impatient, to vent their Notions, and cannot be eafy, or fleep quiet, till they make others as vile as themfelves. ?* Thefe Reafons appear fufficient to him to juftify the Declara- ** tion." What ; fuch a Declaration f Surely, he might have fdifcharged his Confcience,and told you he had changed his Opinions, with Ifl Ibid, pag. 25. (r) Ifeid. pag. 26. (/) Ibid, ft J Ibid. ( 91 ) tvith Decency. There was no need, of fo many Falfhoods : So often to tell you, he does tiot fee nouo what he fo clearly yaw he- Jore ; one or other of which, muft be falfe : To affert, that fuch or fuch Things are not to be found in one fingle Text, when they are clearly, and feme of them almoft literally, recorded in a great many : To declare, 1 am fully perfuadedy nvell fatisfedy Sec. upon fuch flight Grounds ; when, did we not know the EffeSis of Er- ror, it is hard to believe he is, or can be fo ; &c. tffc. Surely^ he ought to have conferred with fome of his Brethren, who are as capable of affilling him, and more fo, than fome of thofe he has quoted. Surely, A Man who came to tell his Hearers, he had been Jo long, and fo far miftaken, l^c. fhould have fpoken^ with Modefty, and Diffidence, as being//// fallible* After all his fearching and praying, Socinians are as li4pely to be miftaken, as «// the 7?^r/cf^ Churches. Ajjuming Confidence, In fuch a Cafe,_ mufl: not only be highly provoking, • but can hardly fail of leaving us to think, fomething is the Matter. He could not, furely, dream, That his folemn AlTeveration could prevail with them, who knew he had fo long juggled with the World. If his Hearers, were, at once, to take a great deal of what they had heard him fay, for many Years, for Nothing ; How could they now believe his bare Word; for he has not pretended, to offer a Proof. What fatisfying Reafon have I to think, That he who has impofed fo long upon the World, is not deceiving himfelf now. The Propheis of old begun with a. Thus saith the Lord : But Mr Gibbs, with a, / am no^ con'vinced, 1 am fully perfuaded I Sec. &c. In one Thing I can eafily believe him, ** That this Declaration was drawn up without acquainting a ** fingle Perfon with it, b'f ." Thofe of his Party Were too wife, to have advifed him to any Thing, fo rafh and ridiculous. The Reviier and Vindicator were much more prudent : They knew. That this Method would have fomething fhocking in it ;. that^ inftead of ferving the Intereft, it would very much baulk it, &c. Is it to bethought, that ferious Christians, can turn Socinians^ at once, and fo eaiily ? When honeft Luther heard of the mad Pranks, of that diftradled, pofleffed Grew of Anahaptijis at Mun- fter, in a Book publilhed upon that Occafon, among other Things, he thus gives his Opinion, " That Devils dwell in them in ** Abundance is beyond all Queftion ; — -Yet, if God had not •* reftrained fuch a fubtile Spirit as he is, he would have gone ** another Way to Work; But, fuch Pranks as thefe Men do, ** muft be the Contrivance of fame rarey unexperienced Devil i-^ — *' I wilh with all my Heart, there were never a fubtler Devil ** in the World, than this of ik/«;?/?y jhomas wadfieLd, m, jj. To which are annexed, Th^ Confeflions of Faith then delivered by Mr Hoive and Mr Murray. XII. A complete Concordance to the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Teflaments : In two Parts. Containing, i . The Apellative or Common Words in fo full and large a manner, that any Verfe may be readily found by looking for any material Word in it. In this Part the various Significations of the principal Words are given, by which the plain Meaning of many Paffages of Scripture is Ihewn : And alfo an Account of feveral Jewiih Cuftoms and Ceremonies is added, which may ferve to illuftrate many Parts of Scripture. 2. The Proper Names in the Scriptures. To this Part is prefixed . a Table, containing the Significations of the Words in the Original Languages from which they are derived. To which is added, A Concordaace to the Books, called Apocrypha. The whole dfgelled in an eafy and regular Method, which, together with the various Significations and other Improvements now added, renders it more ufeful than any Book of this kind hitherto publifhed. By Alex- ander Cruden, M. A. John v. 39. Search the Scriptures^ for in them ye think ye ha I.] His w^fwm/ Government; mtwo contrary Kindsof providential Operations, viz, I. In bringing p;rievous Droughts on a Land. Ver. 33,34, He turneth Rivers into a IVildernefs, and the Wa- ter-Springsinto dry Ground: A fruitful Land into Barrennefs. i. e. By drying up the Brooks and Rivers, he turns the Channels v/here they flowed, into filent, folitary, and empty Spaces, like a IVildnernefs : By exhaufting the Springs ofJVater, he turns their Places into Ground en- tirely dry \ and by fuch a Drought, he i\ixns> a fruitful Land into a State o'i Barrennefs. 2. In changing his providential Operation to quite the contrary, by giving plenteous and reviving Rains, Ver. 35. He turneth the IVildernefs into ajlanding Water, and dry Ground into Water-Springs* i. e. By bringing on abun- dant Showers, and therevi^ith filling every vacant Place, and covering the lower Grounds, he turns a great Part of the Land which was like a parched IVildernefs, into the Appearance of Pools of Water ; and the Ground which was entirely dry, he fills again with rifing and overflowing Springs. 2.] We have then his 7/2(5r^/ Government in the former affllBive Difpenfation to a Land or People, fignified by this Exp rcflion in Ver, 34.- for the IVickednefs of the?n that dwell therein, i. e. As he continually exercifcs a 7;^- /f^*-^/ Government among the Elements, and wifely brings a great Drought on a Land, and knows this Drought is very grievous ; fo he brings ity^r the Wickednefs of the People that dxv ell therein', and this he would have thera know by fuch an afflidive andcorrecflive Workof his, and fo be excited to humble themfelves before him, to repent of their Ofl^ences, return in their Subrniffion to him, and implore his Mercy \ efpecially feek him to forgive them, to change the Courfe ^yi his Difpenfations, and to grant them needful and fuflicient Showers. And though, in the following Verfe, v/e have mentioned only the contrary Inftance of his meer natural Govern- ment in turning the Wildernefs into a Jlanding Water, and dry Ground into Water-Springs', yet 1 think we muft needs fuppofe that this Change of Difpenfation was an Inflance of his 7noral Government alfo, as well as the other : i.e. as he had brought on them an affli£live Drought for thei^ B 2 S.n^ 4 i'he Natural and Moral Agency of GOD^ Sins againft him ; fo thereby he brou2;ht them to fome ConfelTion of their Sins, fome Humiliation for them, Witli folemn Prayers for Deliverance, and Rain ; and then, as a Token of his approving their Confeffions, Humilia- tions and Prayers, or that juft Homage they therein had paid him ; he changes the Courfe of his providential Ope- rations, and gives them Shivers in /undent Plenty, For there feems to be the fame Reafon, why in thepre- fent probationary State, he fhould exercife a w^r^?/ Go- vernment in one Cafe as in the other.— z'.^. When he had fignified his Difpleafure by bringing on them a diftreffing Drought for their Sins againft him, which would have a Tendency to lead them to Humiliations and Prayers j and when they humble themfelves and cry for Mercy, he lliould equally fignify the Removal or Abatement of his Difpleafure, at lead in fuch a Degree as to change the Courfe of his Difpenfation, take off his chaflizing Hand, and give them the implored Mercy. And this feems therefore to be implied alfo, though not expreffed in the Text before us. But for further Illuflration, I fhall endeavour as the Hour allows, to confider briefly thefc two generalHeads: I. 7^^ natural Government, «>r Agency ^ God, in bringing grievous Droughts and plenteous Rains on a Land, II. His moral Government, or the moral Ends ofthefe his various providential Operations. I. The natural Government^ or Agency of God, in bringmg grievous Droughts and plenteous Rains on a Land. And here I defire you not to think, I am going to give you a Leaure oi 7neer Philo/ophy ; unlefs you call the won- drous Government :ind. Agency of God, to accomplifh his holy, righteous, kind and wife Defi^ns, for his Glory and the Good of M^n-~-PhiIofophy, No\' I am going to treat on a noble Subjed o^ Divinity, viz. on the wife, mighty, and conflant Operations of GoD—to refcue fome of'' you from that Branch of Atheifm we are exceedingly inclined to by Nature, in limiting our Views to the meer Opera- Hon o^ created Injiruments-^^ndh2.d you to fee the glorious C^OD Himfelf ?.t\ing in them ; and that you may be moved to Icme becoming Adorations of him, and to^yield him his in Droughts and Rains. 5 his due Returns of Glory. Yea, as all Things were made both by and for the Son of G O D, confift^in him, and are governed by him, I would have you raife your Views to him as Lord of Nature in thefe various A6tions and Difpenfations. [i.] In hring\ng grievous Droughts on a Land. And that we may more clearly fee the Government and Agency of GoD therein, we may (i.j Obferve the prin- cipal Injlruments he ufes ; and then (2.) The Operation of God in thefe various Inftruments. I. The principal Inftruments he ufes. And they feem to be thefe Four ; (i.) The Defcent of the Waters into the Sea ; (2.) The Jfce?it of many into the Canals of Vigeta- hles ; (3.) The Beams and Atoms from the Sun ; (4.^ and laftly, the Courfe of the Winds, carrying the watery Vapour from us. I. The Defcent of the Waters into the Sea, And as the want of Water is the main immediate Caufe of Droughts^ it may be convenient to obferve; that the Creator of all Things did at firft from nothing bring into Being a great Variety of material Subftances for various Ends and Ufes in this lower World. Some tlxq fxed ; as all Sorts of earthy Subftances, Metals, Minerals, Stones, Salts, ^c. Oihtxsjiuid ; as Quickfilver, Water, Oil, Jir^ &c. And 'tis likely, that by various PrefTures, Fradures, Divifions, or Coalitions, every kind of material Thing may, feemingly at leaft, be changed into any other. Water is a great Part of the material Subflance God has made for various Ufes in this lower World. And this wife and almighty Being has created every Particle fo folid, round and fmooth, as eafily to Aide by each other, and by other Subftances ; fo exceeding fmall as to efcape the Sight by the fineft Glafl'es (a) : And yet 'tis found, there are forty Times more Vacuity in a Drop of Water than of fo- lid {h) Matter. By thefe Properties, and the various O- perations of the God of Nature in and by them, he has moft wifely fitted them to roll along, and carry all other Sorts of material Subftances through the Channels he forms inPlantsand Animals to their proper Parts, both to en- creafe their Bulk, fupply the Places of thofe that fly off continually, (a) Tiv.Nteuwentyt fliews, that thirteen ^TboufandGhhuhs ofWater may ftick to the extream Point of a Needle fo fharp as to be juft vifible ; and that a Drop of Water contains above tiventy Million Globules ; yea, according to Mr. Leuioenhoek'' s Difcoveries, above a Thoufand Times a Thoitfand Million, (l>) So Sir Jfaac Newton fhsws in his Opticks, G "ih Natural and Moral Agency of GOD, continually, and form their various Sorts of Fruit and Seed ; yea, to make up a Part of their Confiflency, and keep them moifl and foft; or by the Beams of the Sun, and their Perfpirations only, they would foon grow dry^ and either hard or firm, or brittle and turn to Po\vder. Without this Sort of Subftance therefore, there could be nofuch Thing as Growth or Fruit either in Plants or Animals, nor Continuance neither ; but were they ever fo well formed in the prefent State of Nature here below, they would foon waile away, diflblve, and lofe all their Form and Ufefulnefs ; yea no living Creature could fub- fift, and 'twould not be wife to make them. But upon every Shower of Rain we fee a great Part of the Water haftily defcending to the lower Grounds, form- ing into Brooks, running into Rivers, and pouring into the Sea. And though a confiderable Part foaks into the Earth, and partly penetrates into the Roots of Vegetables, and rifes in their Stocks and Branches to promote their Nouriftiment ; and another Part appears to afcend in Va- pours ; yet it chiefly fmks into various Layers, Canals and Fountains, and thence breaks out in Springs, or runs through other Pafiages into the Sea, which fvvallows all. And by thisDefcent the Ground grows drier every Day ; Snd unlefs recruited with a frefli Supply of Rain, the Sur- face of the Earth would foon lofe its Moifture, the very Springs and P.ivers fail, and every Herb and Tree would wither. 2. The Jfcent of many into the Canals of VegetableSy partly adding to their Nourifhment, and partly perfpiring through them into the Air. Every green Leaf and Spire of every Tree and Plant is compofed mainly of Multitudes of little Bottles to re- ceive a Part of the Rain and Dews : and from thofe little Bottles are Canals difperfed into various Parts of the Plant, to convey a quick Refreftiment ; while a Part of the Rain defcending abroad and fmking to the Fibres of the Roots, it enters them, and then afcends in innumerable Veficles and Tubes through every Part of the Plant, to give a fur- ther Nouriiliment j and having done its Office, the reft perfpires into the Air and diiHpates ; and without a frefh Supply in the Summer, the Plant grows drier and drier, till it fades and dies. 3. The active, fwift^ pkrcing, rarifying 5^^/«x and Atoms of the Sun, The in Droughts mid Rains j The B^ams of the Sun are exceeding fubtil, n^^ive, piercing : They proceed with wondrous Swiftnefs, of above ten Million Miles in a Minute : they fly perpetually and penetrate the Plants and Surface of the Earth : They are ever making powerful Imprellions on every Particle, and giving additional Powers and Motions to every Atom of every Fluid they come to. They carry a wondrous re- pulfive Power with them, (c) and are of greater Force than both the Powers of Gravitation and Cohcefion in the watery Globules, in cafe there be any Cohccfion in them : And by ftriking on and in between them, and it may be forming into an Atmofphere round every Globule of Wa- ter, {d) divide and force them from the Sphere of ContaSf intothQ^^htxeo^ Repulfion ', and fo by expanding, rarify- ing, and raifmg them up into the Air, continually, leave the upper Parts of the Earth more and more dry aad parched. 4. And laftly. The Courfe of the /i^/Vz^j carrying the watery Vapours from us. For though the folar Rays and Atoms are continually raifmg vaft Quantities of Vapours from the Seas into the Air, fufficient to fupply the Earth, and ail the Vegeta- bles, Animals, Springs and Rivers thereon, with Water ; yet the Winds are needful to bring them over the Land, in order to their forming into Clouds above it, andihed- ding down in Rain upon it : Or they would chiefly form in Clouds above the Surface, whence they rife and fall down to the Seas again. The repulfive and expanfive Powers among them may be indeed fufficient to bring fo many over the neighbouring Shoars in the Day, as to come down in Dews at Night : But if the Winds either blow them not over us, or blow them quite beyond us be- fore they colle£l in Drops, and much more blow the Va- pours rifmg from our Land to the airy Regions over other Places ', no Supply of Rain will follow here, and the Drought (cj S\i Ifaac Nczvton oh^erviti^ the Rays of Light refle^TLing and bending when tliey ccme near the Surface of Bodies without touching them^'fuppoiss an invidble, extremely Jine aFii-ve and uni'verjal Fluid as the Caufe of this Re~ pulfion. But with the utmoll SubmJitibn to fo fuperior a Judgment, I would iiumbly fuggcft, whether it be not as probable that c'very 'Atom of Light and Heat, if not of Water and other Subjiances, may have an elafiical Atmof- phere about it, charged with a repulfive Power ; and v.'hetber this elaftical yh,):o('ihcrc may not be the main Source and Inftiqment cf Thunder, Light- ning, the Aurora Borealis, Eleilricity, and fome other Phenomena in Na- ture ? (d) I acki.owledge this is a Conjedure alfo of mine, which feen-s to folve many Difficulties. 8 The Natural and Moral Agency ofGOD^ Drought among us will increafe continually ; 'till, as the Scriptures reprefent it, the Heavens over us become as Brafsy the Earth beneath as Iron^ and the Rain of our Land only Duji and Powder. Deut. xxviii. 23,24. ^ Thefe feem to be th^ chief Means the Ruler of the World employs in bringing ana continuing Droughts on a Land. We go on to ccnfider, 2.] The Operation of God Himfclf in thefe various In- ftruments. And here, I. As to the Defcent of Waters into the Sea, This is done by what is called by fome the Power of Gravity^ by fome the Power of Attra6fion^ but by others, and I think more proper;; the Power of Prejfure^ from fome internal and invifible Agent ; whereby all^orts of material Subfiances in this Planetary Syjlem within the Sphere of Saturn^ above fifteen Hundred A4illion Miles Diameter, (e) are propelled towards all others with a juft Degree of Force in exa61: Proportion to their Quantities and Diftances j fo that every Particle, unlefs hindred by other Kinds of Powers, is always moved exactly as if it knew every other Particle within this mighty Sphere, and as if it always knew exadlly both where and how far off they are, and where and how they move , and as they all are ever changing their Situations, fo Q'VQvy Particle is prefTed accordingly ( f)» *Tis by this powerful Impetus^ that all the Waters in the Earth above the Level of the Sea defcend into it. But this Power can be no other than even the adual Power of God Hlmfelf moving them along to that great Foun- tain he has prepared for them. For material Subftances are plainly unintelligent, unvoluntary, unconfcious, iin- felf-adive, un-felf-moving Things, and are only fubjed to be moved by fome other Kind of Agent; and it appears moft clearly to e^ery careful Enquirer, that this Power which (e) Mr. Whijion computes the Dianuter above fiftten Hundred and fifty Millions J and Dr. G'-egory above eighteen Hundred and ninety Millions : But Mr. Whijicn intends the mean Diameter, and Dr. Gregory the kngeft. ( f ) Ifhould alfo mention what I call the Comet ary Sphere, of at leaft a Hundred tUrty-fwo Hundred Million Miles Diameter round about our Sun ^ and within theCompafs of his Atrrafiion ; S\t Jjaac Niivton, and Dr. Halley, having from Hiftory and Obfervation found therein about tiventy feveral Bia- sing Stars of different Magnitudes and Degrees of Motion, and in different Orbits and Diredions, by Virtue of the Suns AiiraHiony coming down to- wards and wheeling round him, and then by a projcding Force going up again, and fo revolving at their fevcial Pgriod*. : But the Learned are waiting for more clear Difcoveries. in Droughts and Rains. 9 which moves them, is both every where, always prefent throughout this vafl- planetary S)ftem, always adting oa every Particle therein, perfectly intelligent, wife and re- gular in all its A6tions, without the leaftMiftakeorlnter- miflion; and fuch a univerfal, powerful, all-knowing, wife and conftant Agent, can be none but GOD. Thus, as in Pfal. civ. 10. He Jendeth the Springs into the Val- leys^ which run among the Hills : ver. 6, — 8. The Waters go down by the Valleys unto the Place which Thou haji founded for them* 2. As to \.\\Q Jfcent of many Waters mio Plants — This is a Motion looking contrary to the former Power of Gravitation: and feems to be owing partly to the won- drous Forms of the feveral Fibres, Tubes, and other Parts of Vegetables ; partly to the Attraction between the Juices and the Sides, and upper Parts of their containing VelTels; partlv to the elajTical Air within them ever contra6ling and dilating ; and partly to the piercing and rarefying Heat of the Sun, which putting their Juices into a State of Repulfion, and altering the elaflical Confidence of the Air among them, or in their ne'ghbouring Veflels, forces the watery Particles upwards in their Veficles and Tubes to every Part, and through their Extremities into the Atmofphere. But fo curiouflv and wifely formed is every Vegetable for this and other Defigns, that none who nicely examines them, can think, that any other than a wife and univer- ial Agent, ever a working all over the Earth, can be their Former, which is none but GOD. And as to the Air's Elafiici,y ; it is that Sort of Power whereby it is capable of being comprcfled and dilated, and when forcibly comprefTed, as the PrefTure ceafes, the Air will ever immediately return to its natural Expanfion, till it comes at leaft to a Balance with the Power oi' Grazfita^ tion : And this expanlive Power is fo wonderful as to be dilateable to above j^/zy Thou/and times greater Extent of Space at fome times than at others (g). But though the Author of Nature, for various Ufes permits l-s to comprefs it to a" great Degree, and in fome Degree comprelles it himfelf (g) Mr. Boy k found ffty Thoujand times : Dr. Harris computes c? « Hundred and eighty Thoujavd timss : But, Mr. B. Martin fays, that by the bare Power of its Spring, it will dilate into thirteen Thoufand times greater Space than it poJJ'eJJh on the Surface of the Globe, and yet may be com- prefled by Force into f.xty times lefs Space than this : So that the Air n\?.y dilate itfelf to fe-ven Hundred and eighty Thoufand TimQS greater Extent than it may be compreflcd to, C I o fhe Natural and Moral Agency ofGoD, himfelf by his Power of Gravity ; yet in this he ever bounds our Power, as no Power of Man can fo coRiprefs it as to make its Particles touch, or unite into a compa6l Body. And as this irrefiftibie Power on the one Fland, and this expanfive Power on the other, is univerfally ex- ifting, and continually, and mofl regularly and wifely a(Sting; it is as evidently the ading Power of God, tho' a(9:ing in a different Manner, as is that of Gravitation. By fuch Means as thefe, the infpired Poet fmgs, in Pfal* civ. 1 6. The Trees of the Lord are full of Sap, the Cedars o/* Lebanon luhichhe hath planted : And Ver. 14. He cau- feih the Grajs and Herb to grow. 3. As to the active, fwift, piercing, rarifying Beams and Jto7ns of the Sun' Of thefe there are many wondrous Properties ; and every one difplays the univerfal Prcfence, Wifdom, Power, and Agency of God. But I would now only confider their fur prizing Force and Szviftnefs. And as from the Creation, they have been conflantly and dire£tly flying from that great central Source of Light and Heat, to its whole Syftem of Planets and Satellites, above a Mil- lion times fafter than a Ball out of a Cannon in its greatefl Celerity (h) ; who can imagine they could do lb with- out a perpetual Source and Exertion of Almighty Energy ? And who can imagine thefe Millions of Millions of Mil- lions of Rays, continually, and moft regularly, and wifely emitted and carried along dire6tly, without a divine Pre- fence, Knowledge, Wifdom and Power, in perpetual Concert and Operation ? For fuch a Being mufl be perpetually prefent and acSlive, not only with thefe innumerable Millions of Rays, but even with every one of the innumerable Millions of j^toms in every Ray ; giving this amazing Force to every Atom as it leaves the Sun, forcing it up from this vaft Body which has above two Hundred Thoufand iimQi more attractive Matter than our Earth, in oppofition to this other Power of Gravitation, perpetually moving and o:uiding them in fo quick and exaft a manner, that not a Ray or Atom fhould flide aflray ; and in fo vaft a Multi- tude and Progrefs, as continually to fill the Sphere of Sa- turn all round about che Sun, 2Lho\tffteen or eighteen Hun- dred Million Miles Diameter, as we obferved before : Yea, (h) Dr. Harris computes above a MiUiori, and B, Martin Cnce.. above Jifteen Hundred Ihoujand times falter. fa Droughts ^Kif Rains. h Yea were the whole concave Surface of this vaft Sphere of Saturn as folic! as the Surface of that Planet ; by the conftant flying of the Sun-Beams to .t, and refieamg frorni?tous,^fe ^vhole concave Surface oi that mighty Sphere all ar;und us would continually fli.ne as br.ght as be But how many MUlions of Miles the Sun Beams are continually flying further, even as far as fome of the W Stars, which appear alfo to be other Suns at .mmenfurab le D.ftances, isyet undifcovcred, and beyond Defcr,pt=onW But they all demonftrate the conftant Agency of God himfelf in thefe innumerable, mighty and ""^;^['"g A*- ons. Agreeable to this we read m >>'• l""'^- l°- ^*°« hajl prepared the Light r,nd the Sun : Matth. v- 45- J JaklthLsuntorife: Ifaiah xlv l-^'J^f'^.^f- And Tob XXV. % Upon whom doth not hn Light""] e f'. 4, and laftl^.^As to the C.«./. of the JVmds carrying the watery Vapours from u£ o j- Cr.r.c mndsl. only Air in Motion and d'reaed m a fenft- ble Current from one Part "f'he A tmofphere towards an- other. And their inftrumental Caufes fee m to be m ge nera partly the/afcr Beams and Atoms either d,rea or refi X, or difperfed, or all, making unequal Rfff-^ and partiv Partkls of Cold, making unequal Condenfa- Zns m th'e Atmofphere ; whereby either ^ g-ter expan- fwe Force, or a greater Power of ^'^^'^'f^^^J^^Cl than another, bears on the "^'ghbo^nnS ^^^^ jj^^f ^^'^ 1^ is the leaft Ref.ftance, and drives the Air be.ore it, tm the bearing and refifting Forces come to a Balance, Anfl the fame may be faid o{ Particles o'i Cc,y/, and tneir poweSl C^:de"nfltions. . For though /^..andC^ia^. onlv contrary Stnfations in us ; yet as fome Sort ot Atms, wtch may be called /./^W-, ftem to be pec"l^^^^^^ fitted toraVv, and give us theSenfation of Heat , lo lome otter SorTofp.r.V/l which r.ay be calW«,.^^^^^^^^^^ be fitted to condenfe, and give us the Senfat.on of C.«. C 2 0, Mr. Wtificn .nd o*«Aftronomerscon..p..= the mean Dift.^^^^^^^^^ rboujand times fai-lher than from the Sun to «*, 1 2 ne Natural and Moral Agency of GO D^ But they being alike material, muft needs derive their Force from God j and in all their Actions it muft be his continued Power exerted in them. So that all the Rife, Motions, Diredlions, Forces and EfFecSts of the Winds are juftly to be afcribed to him. But though he may commonly operate in thofe various Subftances according to the particular Methods he has feen fit to appoint for his ufual Jdiion in them ; yet for certain Reafons I cannot but apprehend, that the Cafe of Winds is one of thofe Cafes wherein he does not always confine himfelf to thofe ufual Methods, but has wifely referved his Liberty of varying from them., and often improves it when he fees proper {k) : So that unknown to us, he raifes, moves, directs, increafes and abates the Winds, both v/here and when, and in what Degree he pleafes, to ac- complifh his wife Defigns. Agreeable to this, Infpiration tells us, that ' He who crcateth the Wind — the Lord God of Hofts is his Name, Amos iv. 13. That He commandeth and raifeth the Jiormy Wind^ Pfal. cvii. 25. That He bringeth the Wind out of his Trea furies^ Pfal. cxxxv. 7. That He caufeth his Wind to blow, Pfal cxlvii. 18. That He ?noketh the Clouds his Chariot, and walketh upon the Wtngs of the Wtnd, Pfal. civ. 3. And th^t Fire and Hail, Snow and Vapoury Jlormy Wind 2X^ fulfilling his Word, Pfal. cxlviii. 8. Thus have we feen fomething of the natural Govern- ment and Agency of God, in bringing Droughts on a Land. And by fuch Means as thefe he puts forth his Power, and we may fay zs Job, in Chap. xii. 15. Be- held he wiih-holdeih the Waters, and they dry up: As Afaph, Pfal. Ixxiv. 15. Thou drieji up mighty Rivers : Or, as the Prophet Nahum i. 4, 5. He drieth up all the Rivers ; Ba- JJyan languijketh, and Carmel, and the Flower of Lebanon languijheth ; the Earth is burnt at his Prefence, yea the World and all that dwell therein^ We go on to confider, II. His natural Government, and Operation alfo in giv- ing plenteous Rains. And here we may obferve, that as the Injlruments and Operations in giving Rains are chiefly the fame he ufes in pro- (i) See fomething further of thefc referved Cafe: at the End of this firft General Head. " in Droughts and Rains. 15 producing Droughts^ tho' fome he employs in a different Way ; we may be therefore briefer in treating on them. And that thefe may be more diftindly viewed, we may likewife (i.) Obferve the principal InJIrumefiis he ufes'; and (2.) his powerful J^ings in thefe various Inftru- ments. I.] The principal Injiruments he ufes in this Affair : And thefe may be reduced to the following Articles ; (i.) The Seas ; (2.) The folar Beams and Jtoms ; (3.) The mutually attra^ive Powers between the Su7rAn<\ Moon with our ^z- mofphere and Waters -^ (4.) The Co urfe of the Winds in bringing the watery and nitrous Vapours over us ; (5.) The condenfmg and uniting them in Clouds and Drops by the Powers of Cold and AttraSiiony and their defcending by the latter of thefe two Powers. I, The Seas, Thefe are the great Refervatories and perpetual Foun- tains from whence the Rain is drawn : The watery Sub- ftance in their Surface, being firft divided from the Salts adhering to it, then raifed into the Atmofphere, expand- ed, carried about by Winds, formed into Clouds, joined in Drops, diftilled in Showers ; fome infufed and rifing into plants and perfpiring in the Air, the reft running in- to Springs and Rivers, then by conftant Circulations re- turning to the Seas again ; and from thence employed on the fame kinds of Circuits and Defigns, in perpetual Revolutions. So Solomon obferved above tweniy-feven Hundred Tears ago, Ecclef. i. 4. All the Rivers run into the Sea ; yet the Sea is not full \ unto the place from whence the Rivers come^ thither they return again. But as the Springs and Rivers run into the Seas^ and without a frefti Supply from thence would quickly fail, the Earth grow dry, and every Herb and Tree would wither ; the arduous Queftion is — How fhall the Water which is 800 Times heavier than Air in Winter, 850 in the Spring and Fall, and 900 in Summer ('/J, rife up againft all the Laws and Power of Gravity^ into this vaflly ligh|:er Medium, and form in Clouds, and there for a Time fufpend and float aloft on this thinner Element, till it unites in Drops and falls in Showers ? And efpe- cially how can thefe Waters rife, when twery fquare Foot Column of the Atmofphere is found to prefs with a Weight of (1) So Dr. Dejagulien in the TranJaEiions of the Royal Soddy. 14 "^he Natural and Moral Agency of GOD, of above two Thoufand Pounds on every Foot fquare of Water in the Surface of the Seas and Earth (m) ? One would be apt to think that here they would be bound down for ever. But, 2. The primary Means of their riring feem to be, the exceeding active, {\N\ix.^ piercing, feparating, rarefying Rays and Atoms from the Sun. How they operate we have confidered before: And fhall here only obferve, that as the Sun is computed about eighty- one Millions oi Miles from the Earth, they fly this Diftance in about eight Minutes ; and in a hot Summer's Day, they divide and raife a tenth Part of an Inch from the Surface of Water ; which from every four Foot fquare will make a Gallon, and from tvery fquare Mile 2ihovtJix ^hoifand Tons (n). And as thefe divided Globules xiity they are by the repulfiv^e and reflecSting Atoms of Heat, fo rarefied or driven fo far afunder from each other, as to extend to two Thoufand times greater Space than they did as they lay in the compadl Form of Water; till the rarefying Force diminifnes and comes to a Balance with the other Pczver of Gravitation. 3. The mutually attraSiive Powers between the Sun and Jidocn above, and our /Itmofphcre and Waters below. For, to fpeak in the ufual Style, as thofe great Bodies every Day pafs over the Seas^ the Waters nearly under them HTe up towards them : And tho' the Moon be abun- dantly lefs than the Sun, yet fhe is fo much nearer to us, being but about tivo Hundred and forty Thoufand Miles, that our Seas rife five times higher towards her, than towards thej;ther (0) ; and this higher Rife is called the Tides. And tho' the AttraSiion of the Sun and Moon con- jundly are infuiHcient to divide a {ingle Globule of Water from the Sea 3 yet as they either jointly or Separately go over (m) Mr. Boyle found the Atmojphere to prefs on a fquare Foot with a Weight of tnventy-one Hundred and Jixty. eight Pounds Averdupoife, or tiaenty. fix Hundred and ten Pounds Troy. (n) So Dr. Halley in the TranfaBions of the Royal Society. (0) Sir Jfaac Newton in his Principia fays, when the Sea rifes towards the Sun, one Foot eleven Inches and an Eighth of an Inch, it rifes to- wards the Moon eight Feet and eight Inches : which is a little above four and an half times more towards the Moon than towards the Sun : But Mr. B. Martin fays, Mr. Do7nkey has fmce found it to htfivc times more to the jTfo(j« than Sun. And yet both Computations may be right, according to the XTuxlons' 'Perigees, Apogees and Latitudes of thofe attradive Bodies: Yea, thefe two, Gentlemen may miftake Sir Jfaac ■, for he immediately adds, that Kvhent'KiMoon is in her ferigree, the Tide rifes 'tiv'O' Feet higher, and mere -^ which is'above five Times and an half higher, than towards the Sun, in Droughts ^«i Rains. 15 over it, the Force of Attra£lion in the Waters towards the Earth muft in proportion be abated, and therefore more eafily and plenteoully raifed by the folar Atoms; and the %vatery Globules being once divided, rarefied and raifed into the Air, the lefs is their Attra£ilon towards the Earthy and the greater in proportion towards thofe heavenly Bodies, And as the the ^un and Moon are every Day palling round our Globe ; even the whole Atmofphere nearly under them, unlefs prevented by other Powers, fucceffively rifes to- wards them, increafes its Extenfion, and helps the Vapours upward. Though after all, the fuperior Power of the Earth's Attra£lion, being fo near thefe Vapours, as long as it continues, will hinder every Atom of yfzV and Water^ though not of Lights from flying av*^ay. Thus we ia fome meafure fee how the Waters of the Sea are raifed into the Atmofphere in great Abundance, and thereby Preparations made for plenteous Showers. But how fhall they come over us and rain down upon us ? To this I anfwer, 4. The Courfe of the Winds are a principal Inftrument in bringing both the raifed Vapours and condenfmg Cold or Nitre over us. P'or tho' the rarefying Powers we mentioned before have a Tendency to fpread the Vapours raifed from the Sea into the Atmofphere over the Shears and Countries round about ; yet as fome particular Winds may either hinder their coming over us in plenty, or carry them av^'ay before they contract in Clouds and Drops, and thereby continue and increafe a Drought among us \ {o other Winds may both bring and make them meet and croud above us in great Abundance, and both drive the Atoms of Heat away, which kept up their Rarefaction and hindered their Condenfation, and may alfo bring a nitrous, cold, or lefs warm Air ; w^hich helps to condenfe the rarefied Vapours into Clouds and Drops. 5. And laftly, — The uniting them in Clouds and Drops by the Powers of Cold znd Attra^ion^ and their Dejcent in Rain by the latter of thefe two Powers. Whether the Particles caufing Cold be a peculiar Kind of Subftance, or are only without that Motion which caufes Heat ; it is enough that what we call the Particles of Cold help to contratSt the watery Vapours, or bring them fo near together as fenfibly to intercept fo great a Number of Rajs of Light, that we cannot fee the Sky, and then 1 6 Tfoe Natural and Moral Agency /i- and plenteous Rains on a Land. And yet after all our Searchings, his Ways of afting in thefe Matters are not fully difcovered to us. So Eliphaz feems to intimate, when he fpeaksof God in fucH Terms as thefe, Job v. 9, 10. TVhich doth great Things and m- fcarchable^ marvellous Things without Number , Who giveth Rain upon the Earth, hQ. But as we obferved under the Head oHFinds — In thefe (}nd other Cafes^ we ihould not dare to apprehend that the Sovereign God in governing this lower World intirely confines hinifelf to a61: according to his common Courfe of Nature -, but moft wifely and juflly referves the Liberty cf ailing otherwife on all Occafions when he fees moft fitting. Such like referved Cafes feem to be Earthquakes, Hurri- canes andTempefts3 Storms of Wind, Rain, Thunder, Lightning, Snow and Hail, with the raging of the Seas ; and indeed all Kinds of Weather, hot and dry, cold and wet; the Rifing of noxious Vapours out of the Earth, the Corruption of the Air, the Multiplicalon of Infe^ful the Dii^^leafur^ of God appeared ; > and how we humbled ourfelves before him, fafted, confelTed our Sins, and cried for Mercy. Thurfday June 15th was our Day of general Fa/iing and Prayer throughout the Province^ And now behold in what a wonderous Manner he has heard 2ind anfwered', given us gentle and moderate Showers^ almoft every other Day, with moft fuitable Intervals of warm Weather, revived many of thofe Fruits of the Earth which feemed irrecoverable, caufing them furprizingly to flourifli, that w^e are like them that dream ; dellroying the devouring InfeSlSy and even giving the Hopes of a plenteous Harveft ! V. And laftly, Let us now confider what great Ohl'iga- //V«j we are thereby under to this Sovereign Being, who has thus kindly anfwered us, even exceeded our Prayers and Hopes, and what are the Duties we indifpen- fibly owe him. And here we fhould fee — That this Kindnefs of his is not becaufe we have in the leaft Degree deferved it, but quite the contrary : That it therefore flows from his mere Sovereign Grace thro' Christ the Mediator : That it is to teflify his approving our paying a Part of our due Homage to him in our Humiliations and In- treatles in this probationary State ; and to fignify how much more acceptable would be our cordial, univerfal, and continual Homage, and how extremely to our Ad- vantage, Our firjl Duty then, even of every one among us, and of this whole obliged People, muft be to be ex- ceeding thankful to him, and moft heartily to blefs and praife him' -To fing, as David and his People in Pfal. Ixv. I, 2, 9, — t. Praife waiteth fir thee, OGod, Yea, our further Obligations — are moft highly and fer- vently to love him, to forfake every Sin, and avoid every Thing oiFenfive to him, efpecially the abufe of the Fruits of his Goodnefs — to devote ourfelves thro' Christ en- F tirely 34 ^^^^ Natural and Moral Agency of GOD , i^c. tirely to him for ever : and make it our Bufinefs and De- light to do whatever pleafes him, keeping in View his Glory as our higheft End, and his revealed Will as our unvaried Rule to value his Favour above every Crea- ture, and never reft 'till we know we have an Inte- reft in it as alfo to reverence, adore, feek and truft in him for the future. — Laftly, to confider our Mifery under the moral Drought or want of celeftial Influences ; to get a more afFe£ling Senfe of this far more great and fatal Calamity ; and to implore with unceafmg Importu- nity the Sovereign Grace of God to deliver us from it, by fhoweringdown the heavenly Rain^ or thofe efficacious Influences of his Holy Spirit, which will revive and wafti our Souls, and produce the Fruits of Holinefs and Righteoufnefs, and Joy abundantly throughout the Land. Hof, x. 12. It is Time to feek the Lord, till he come and rain Righteoufnefs upon you. And, to conclude^ — Let us long for, and joy in the Profpe£l of the moji happy and unwerfal Reign of Christ a-coming on this lower World : And whenever we feel a natural Drought, or fee a Shower, let us with Pleafure think on thofe reviving Predi^ions of Him in Pfal. Ixxii. 6, 7, — 16, 17. He Jhall come down like Rain upon the mown Grafs, or Showers that water the Earth : In his Days Jhall the Righteous jlourijh, and Abundance of Peace fo long as the Moon endureth : There Jhall he an Handful of Corn in the Earth, upon the Top of the Mountains ; the Fruit thereof Jhall Jhake Ike Lebanon, and they of the City Jhall flour ijh like Grafs of the Earth: His Name fhall endure for ever ; His Name Jhall he continued as long as the Sun ; and Men Jhall he hleffed in Him 3 all Nations Jhall call Him Blejfed* AMEN. TJje two following Sermons ^ by the fame Author, may he had of John Lewis in Pater-nofter-Row, mar Cheapfide, viz. I. On the taking of Cape-Britqn. The Fifth Edi- tion. Price 4 d, II. On the Glorious Victory near Culloden : Be- ing a clear and concife Hiflory of the late Rebellion in Scotland, Price 6 d. Note, Thefe three Difcourfes^ bound together y may be had for Two Shillings, Lately publifhed, neatly bound with gilt Leaves, and printed on as good Letter as any Field's Bible, Price 2 5. A Compendium of the H O L Y B I B L E. To which is prefixed, A Brief Account of the Hiftory and Excellency of the Scripture, By AL E X- AND ER C RUDE N, M. A. Author of the Concordance to the Bibk. Printed and Sold by y. Lewis in Pater-mJlir-Roiv, near Cheapfide. Note, This Compendium is curioufly adapted to the Conveniency of the Pocket, being but five Inches long, three broad, and about Half an Inch thick ; and yet fhevvS; in a fmall Compafs, the Particulars of all the Scriptures. J.W^3L^^^^_ ^ul 1 1 BS ^B*' ^H ^^^^^1 i^ft t