Section 1183
An Answer To The Birmingham Dialogue-Writer, Second Part Upon The Following Subjects
The Divinity Of Christ, Irresistible Grace, Election, Imputed Righteousness, Original Sin, Perseverance, Free-Will, Baptism
THE Birmingham Dialogue-writer has, at length, thought fit to publish the second part of his Dialogue between a Baptist and a Churchman. Never was such a medley of things, such a parcel of rambling stuff, collected together; he is resolved to be voluminous at any rate: If he thus proceeds, we may indeed expect to see the works of the Consistent Christian in folio. I could wish he had answered to his motto in the title-page, taken from an apocryphal writer, (Ecclesiasticus 14:20) Blessed is the man that doth meditate honest (good) things by (in) his wisdom, and that reasoneth of holy things by his understanding; for the things he has meditated are neither good, nor honest, nor holy; unless things contrary to the divine perfections, to the honor and dignity of Christ, and the doctrine of the inspired writings; unless to misrepresent an argument, which he frequently does, and misquote an author, as he has Mr. Millar [5512] particularly, can be thought to be so. I shall not disturb him in his vain mirth, but let him have his laugh out, at the theatrical behavior, as he calls it, and gestures of preachers, and at mysteries in religion; only let him take care, lest he should find by experience the truth of that saying of the wise man, As the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 7:6) A man of no faith, or whose faith is worse than none, or good for nothing, may go on to despise Creeds, Catechisms, Confessions and Articles of Faith: the Right of private Judgment will not be disputed; both ministers and people have undoubtedly a liberty of speaking and writing what they believe to be truth, provided they do not abuse this liberty to the dishonor of God, the gratification of their own passions, and the injury of their neighbors.
What I shall attend unto, will be the following things; the Divinity of Christ, Election, Original Sin, Free-will, and Free grace, Imputed Righteousness, Perseverance, and Baptism; things that were the subjects of the former part, and are now brought on the carpet again, and re-considered in this. I begin,