not difrobed themfelves of their old garments, but are ftill inmantled with the corruptions of the old man.

Confequences irreligious and irrational.

1. It makes God guilty of what the fcriptures fay is an abomination, to wit, that he justifieth the wicked.

2. It makes him look upon perfons as they are not, or with respect, which is unworthy of his most equal

nature.

3. He is hereby at peace with the wicked, (if justified whilft finners) who faid "there is no peace to "the wicked."

4. It does not only imply communion with them here, in an imperfect ftate, but fo to all eternity, "for "whom he juftified, them he also glorified.P" Therefore whom he juftified, whilft finners, them he also glorified, whilft finners.

5. It only fecures from the wages, not the dominion of fin, whereby fomething that is finful comes to be justified, and that which defileth, to enter God's kingdom.

6. It renders a man juftified and condemned, dead and alive, redeemed and not redeemed, at the same time, the one by an imputative righteousness, the other a perfonal unrighteoufnefs.

7. It flatters men, whilft fubject to the world's luft, with a state of juftification, and thereby invalidates the very end of Christ's appearance, which was to destroy the works of the devil, and take away the fins of the world; a quite contrary purpose than what the fatisfactionists, and imputarians of our times have imagined, viz. to fatisfy for their fins, and by his imputed righteoufnefs, to reprefent them holy in him, whilft unholy in themselves; therefore fince it was to take away fin, and deftroy the devil's works, which were not in himself, for that Holy One faw no cor

P. Rom. viii. 30.

ruption,

ruption, confequently in mankind; what can therefore be concluded more evidently true, than that fuch in whom fin is not taken away, and the devil's works undestroyed, are strangers (notwithstanding their conceits) to the very end and purpose of Christ's manifestation,

Conclufion, by way of caution.

THUS, reader, have I led thee through thofe three fo generally applauded doctrines, whofe confutation I hope, though thou haft run, thou haft read; and now I call the righteous God of heaven to bear me record, that I haye herein fought nothing below the defence of his unity, mercy, and purity, against the rude and impetuous affaults of tradition, prefs and pulpit, from whence I daily hear, what rationally induceth me to believe a confpiracy is held by counter-plots, to obftruct the exaltation of truth, and to betray evangelical doctrines, to idle traditions: but God will rebuke the winds, and deftruction fhall attend the enemies of his anointed.--Miftake me not, we never have difowned a Father, Word, and Spirit, which are One, but mens inventions: for, 1. Their trinity has not fo much as a foundation in the fcriptures. 2. Its original was three hundred years after Chriftianity was in the world. 3. It having coft much blood; in the council of Sirmium, anno 335, it was decreed,‹ that thenceforth the controverfy fhould not be remembered, because the fcriptures of God made no men'tion thereof." Why then should it be mentioned now, with a maranatha on all that will not bow to this abftruse opinion. 4. And it doubtless hath occafioned idolatry, witnefs the popifh images of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. It fcandalizeth Turks, Jews, and Infidels, and palpably obftructs their reception of the Chriftian doctrine.Nor is there more to be faid on the behalf of the other two; for I can boldly challenge any person to give me one fcrip

9 Socrat. Schol. An, 355.

5.

ture phrafe which does approach the doctrine of fatiffaction, (much less the name) confidering to what degree it is ftretched; not that we do deny, but really confefs, that Jesus Christ, in life, doctrine, and death, fulfilled his Father's will, and offered up a most satisfactory facrifice, but not to pay God, or help him, (as otherwife being unable) to fave men; and for a juftification by an imputative righteoufnefs, whilft not real, it is merely an imagination, not a reality, and therefore rejected; otherwife confeffed and known to be juftifying before God, because "there is no abid"ing in Chrift's love without keeping his command"ments." I therefore caution thee in love, of whatfoever tribe, or family of religion thou mayest be, not longer to deceive thyfelf, by the over-fond embraces of human apprehenfions, for divine mysteries; but rather be informed that God hath, beftowed" a "measure of his grace on thee and me, to fhew us "what is good, that we may obey and do it," which if thou diligently wilt obferve, thou shalt be led out of all unrighteoufnefs, and in thy obedience fhalt thou "receive power to become a fon of God;" in which happy eftate God only can be known by men, and they know themselves to be juftified before him, whom experimentally to know, by Jefus Chrift, is life eternal.

A poftcript of animadverfions, upon T. V.'s contradictions, delivered in his fermon from 1 John v. 4. at the evening lecture in Spital-yard: "For what"foever is born of God, overcometh the world.”

This is as well a contradiction to his text and doctrine, as to common fenfe; for befides that they neither of them fay, He that is born of God, cannot 'perfectly overcome the world,' but much the con

trary,

trary, I fain would understand his intention by an incomplete victory: if he means not fuch a one as is obtained by the flaughter of every individual, but that which only does fubdue the force, and lead captive their enemies, yet will the victory prove complete; for if they be fo far overcome as to be difarmed of farther power to mifchieve, the difpute is properly determined but whatfoever is incomplete, is but overcoming, or in the way to victory, and victory is the completing of what was before imperfect.

If fin must have a place in them, how can they be born of God, and have a place in Chrift, or caft off the old man, and know a change altogether new?

What strange divinity is this! that God's people fhould be conquerors, and yet captives; overcome the world, and yet be overcome thereby.

Sin may tyrannize over

' believers.

< But not have dominion; it is in captivity; it is in chains,'

Who is so abfolutely injurious, and incontroulable, as a tyrant? and notwithstanding that he should have no dominion, but be in captivity, and in chains, at best are Bedlam-diftinctions, and confequently unworthy of any man's mouth that has a fhare of commonfenfe.

To kill, or be killed, admits no middle way to efcape; yet that both fin and God's children should lead one another captive; and that he which fights fhall overcome, and yet be in danger of being led captive, because completely a conqueror, to me feems very ftrange doctrine.

However, he goes on to tell them, Whofoever is born of God, overcometh the lufts of the world, ⚫ and he that oyercometh the lufts of the world, overcomes the devils of hell; God's children have to do with a conquered enemy.' Yet he would all this while be understood in an incomplete fenfe; and to excite all to fight for this incomplete victory, he recommended to their confideration, the excellent rewards of conquerors, that is, " to him that overcom"eth, will I give to eat of the tree of life, the hid"den manna. I will give him a white ftone, a new "name, power over nations, white raiment: yea, I "will make him a pillar in the temple of my God; "he fhall go no more out, and I will grant him to "fit with me in my throne." Admirable privileges, I acknowledge! but are they promifed to incomplete conquerors? I judge not.

Reader, by this thou mayeft be able to give a probable conjecture of the reft; and as I have begun with him and his co-difputants, with them I will end; who, notwithstanding all their boasts and calumnies against us, have fo evaded thofe many opportunities we have offered them by letters, verbal meffages, and personal vifits, that had they any zeal for their principles, love for their reputation, or confcience in their promises,