What may farther be draw^n forth of the same kind with what is in these Catechisms delivered, with an imposition of it upon the Scripture, as though any occasion were thence administered thereunto, I know not, but yet do suppose that Satan himself is scarce able to furnish the thoughts of men with many more abominations of the like length and breadth with those here endeavoured to be imposed on simple, unstable souls, unless he should engage them into downright atheism and professed contempt of God.
Of what tendency these doctrines of Mr B. are unto godliness, which he next mentioneth, will in its proper place fall under consideration. It is true, the gospel is a " doctrine according to godliness," and aims at the promotion of it in the hearts and lives of men, in order to the ex- altation of the glory of God; and hence it is that so soon as any poor deluded soul falls into the snare of Satan, and is taken captive under the power of any error whatever, the first sleight he puts in practice for the promotion of it is to declaim about its excellency and useful- ness for the furtherance of godliness, though himself in the meantime be under the power of darkness, and knows not in the least what belongs to the godliness which he professeth to promote. As to what Mr B. here draws forth to that purpose, I shall be bold to tell him that to the accom- plishment of a godliness amongst men (since the fall of Adam) that hath not its rise and foundation in the eftectual, powerful changing of the whole man from death to life, darkness to light, etc., in the washing off the pollutions of nature by the blood of Christ; that is not wrought in us and carried on by the efficacy of the Spirit of grace, taking away the heart of stone and giving a new heart circumcised to fear the Lord; that is not jnirchased and procured for us by the oblation and intercession of the Lord Jesus; a godliness that is not promoted by the consideration of the viciousness and corruption of our hearts by nature, and their alienation from God, and that doth not in a good part of it consist in the mortifying-, killing, slaying of the sin of natin-e that dwelleth in us, and in an opposition to all the actings and workings of it; a godliness that is j^erformed by
84 PREFACE OF MR BIDDLE TO HIS CATECHISM EXAMINED.
our own strength in yielding obedience to the precepts of the word, that by that obedience we may be justified before God. and for it accepted, etc., — there is not one tittle, letter, nor iota, in the whole book of God tending.
Mr B. closeth his preface Avith a commendation of the Scriptures, their excellency and divinity, with the eminent success that they shall find who yield obedience to them, in that they shall be, " even in this life, equal unto angels." His expressions, at first view, seem to separate him from his companions in his body of divinity, which he pretends to collect from the Scriptures, whose low thoughts and bold expressions concerning the con- tradictions in them shall afterward be pointed unto; but 1 fear "latet anguis in herba:" and in this kiss of the Scriptures, with "hail" unto them, there is vile treachery intended, and the betraying of them into the hands of men, to be dealt withal at their pleasure. I desire not to entertain evil surmises of any (what just occasion soever be given on any other account) concern- ing things that have not their evidence and conviction in themselves. The bleating of that expression, "The Scriptures are the exactest rule of a holy life," evidently allowing other rules of a holy life, though they be the ex- actest, and admitting other things or books into a copartnership with them in that their use and service, though the pre-eminence be given to them, sounds as much to their dishonour as any thing spoken of them by any who ever owned them to have proceeded from God. It is the glory of the Scriptures, not only to be the rule, but the only one, of w^alking with God. If you take any others into comparison with it, and allow them in the trial to be rules indeed, though not so exact as the Scripture, you do no less cast down the Scripture from its excellency than if you denied it to be any rule at all. It will not lie as one of the many, though you say never so often that it is the best. What issues there will be of the en- deavour to give reason the absolute sovereignty in judging of rules of holiness, allowing others, but preferring the Scripture, and therein, with- out other assistance, determining of all the contents of it, in order to its utmost end, God in due time will manifest. We confess (to close with Mr B.) that true obedience to the Scriptures makes men, even in this life, equal in some sense unto angels ; not upon the account of their perform- ance of that obedience merely, as though there could be an equality be- tween the obedience yielded by us Avhilst we are yet sinners, and continue so (for "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves"), and the exact obedience of them who never sinned, but abide in doing the will of God: but the principal and main work of God required in them, and which is the root of all other obedience whatever, being to " believe on him whom he hath sent," to " as many as so believe on him and so receive him power is given to become the sons of God ;" who being so adopted into the great family of heaven and earth, which is called after God's name, and in- vested with all the privileges thereof, having fellowship with the Father and the Son, they are in that regard, even in this life, equal to angels.