did work as it were a striâ—e against Sathan because he did strive against himself he said these things As for his false Insinuation of my calling Prayers Charms and Spells it â—â— easily discovered I own all true Prayer both Vocal and Mental that cometh in the least degree from the inbreathing i.e. Inspiration of Gods Spirit and have through Mercy found the unspeakable advantage of it to my Soul and do earnestly recommend true Prayer in the Spirit of God to all and so do all true Quakers so called In his Third Argument p. 34. wherein he giveth many supposed Contradictions that I give to myself in my former Books and upon that false Supposition as on a false Foundation raiseth his Argument against me I think not to spend Time nor Paper to answer them all in particular for let but the Reader see my own words in my printed Books and well consider them and if he have but a little sound Judgment he will easily find I have not contradicted my self in any thing though I could easily discover many Contradictions of C.M. to himself But to make me seem to contradict my self he has no better way but to wrest and pervert my words as in the very first instance he alledgeth he perverteth my words grosly as if by their Fathers whom I did acknowledge to â—ave had some measure of Tenderness Sobriety and Simplicity in a printed Paper of mine some time a go I did mean these who near â—orty Years a go did put our Friends to Death at Boston Which is a manifest Perversion enough to Discredit all he saith having as little Truth against me Whereas by their Fathers I did not mean the present Generation that taketh in forty Years commonly at least in vulgar sense but these that lived sixty or near seventy Years past that had some measure of Tenderness and Sincerity and were not of a persecuting Spirit as these who put our Friends to Death nor had the generality of the People in New-â—â—â—â—â—nd a hand in our Friends Death for many of them disliked it 〈◊〉 â—ave been credibly informed and some have acknowledged the hand of God against the Land ever since for those Murders and I wish many might see it and repent of it that they might be forgiven and Gods anger quenched towards them that hath been and remaineth to be kindled against them And he is as impertinent in labouring to reconcile his own Contradiction that John Delavall charged upon him as if it were no Contradiction either because the Assertions are thirty pages distant or because he did query and not affirm whereas the manner of his Querying showeth a plain Affirmation in calling or bringing in their deceased Fathers to expostulate with them for their Degeneration And this is all the Answer he giveth to John Delavall's sollied and weighty Appendix with a scoffing airy Spirit as his manner is he compareth to a Dutch Womans unintelligible Babbling And no less doth he bely me to accuse me as if I said or suggested in my Book called The Presbyterian Independent Churches brought to the Test c. That these Churches of Presbyterians and Independents were false upon all accounts beyond that of Rome it self Than which there can be no greater Perversion and Belying of a mans words I said no such thing nor do I think any such thing I have alwayes judgded and do still judge that all these Churches called Protestant Churches whether Episcopal Presbyterian Independent or Baptists in many yea very many things hold better Doctrine than the Church of Rome and in many things are nearer to the Letter of the Scripture and to the Truth and I have Charity that some may belong to Christ as his Members among them all even the Church of Rome not excepted yet all this will not prove that any one of them all is the true visible Church restored to that purity of Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government as was in the Apostles dayes and was before the Church fled into the Wilderness and as will be at her full Return which is approaching He is as weak and impertinent to charge it on me as a Contradiction to my self to say That in some things in speaking or writing we may err if we be not duely watchful And yet That in many things we have been taught infallibly by the Infallible Spirit of God to believe them as to believe That God is and hath given his dear Son for us and many such precious Truths and if he hath no infallible Belief and Knowledge of these things and other Fundamental Truths he is neither Ministâ—◠〈◊〉 Christ nor a true Christian but a meer Sceptick Any Colledge Scâ—â—â—â— Boy knoweth that Contradictions lie not betwixt two Particuâ—â—â—â— nor two Universals but one Particular and another Universal as if one should say That he is in all things taught infallibly and yet again say That in some things he might or did err it would be a Contradiction but this I have not said Nor is a Contradiction betwixt two Positives but the one Positive the other Negative and therefore it is no â—ontradiction to say Some are Elected in Christ Jesus before the Foundation of the World to be Holy c. and yet to deny That others are eternally or absolutely Reprobated for Elected and Reprobated are both Positives and therefore not Contradictory no more than White and Black as it is no Contradiction to say Some Colours are White and therefore all other Colours that are not White are Black It seemeth that Cotton Mather whom some as he telleth us have called The Colledge Boy of New-England hath not well learned his Logick or at least doth not well remember it since he was a Colledge-Boy for he bewrayeth shameful Ignorance in the way of right Dispute that Colledge Boyes might be ashamed of Nor is it any Contradiction to say That the Lord Jesus Christ is the alone and sure Foundation and Ground of Justification and yet to assert That Faith Repentance and sincere Obedience are necessary Conditions and Instruments thereunto required and if he will not believe me let him ask his admired and revereâ—d Baxter as he calleth him who will tell him the same But whereas he alledgeth I say A true Believer may be only in the first Covenant citing my Book pag. 147. But this is no Contradiction when by Believers I mean such as may have a true Belief that God is from some true and real inward Conviction and Sense and yet not have the true Faith in Christ Jesus as he dyed and rose again for such a Faith Cornelius had before Peter preached Christ to him also according to Christs Doctrine in the Parable of the four Grounds some may believe in Christ for a time and yet fall away and that Faith is not a false Faith but true in some sort Thus I have given a short hint to demonstrate how groundlesly he would charge Contradictions on me the other being more obvious to the weakest
of his Learning would not suffer him to understand And what H. Moore saith of the spiritual or heavenly Life lying for a while closed or shut up at rest in its own Principle is but the same in other Terms with what we say That the Life of Christ is crucified in Vnbelievers viz. not in it self but to them And why should C.M. find so great fault with this manner of Expression that is according to Scripture when his reverend Baxter as he designeth him writeth in a phrase that must have a charitable Construction put upon it otherwise it would look as odd as any thing C.M has quoted out of any of the Quakers for R. Baxter â—aiâ—h concerning God in his Treatise above-said called Directions to the Converted motive 12. pag. 34. Doth it not wound you to think that even there He viz. God should be so straitned and tâ— râ—st into Corners by a 〈◊〉 Enâ—my as if that simple Habitation were too much for him and 〈…〉 were too good for him meaning the heart defiled with sin Now if any should accuse Baxter with Blasphemy heâ—e in saying 〈◊〉 câ—n be straitned thrust into Corners by a hellish Enemy would noâ— C.M. excuse him and say it is a Catachrestical or improper manner of Speech and is not to be strictly taken and then if he were not very partial why doth he not excuse such Expressions in the Quakers Writings that are capable of the same charitable Construction And it were an easie thing to gather may Phrases and Expressions out of Presbyterian Independent Books that might seem very offensive to a degree of Blasphemy if they were not charitably consâ—rued yea I find an Expression in Calvin which if C.M. could have found in a Quakers Book we should have had him cry out aloud Blasphemy for he saith expresly lib. 3. cap. 2. n. 24. Quia Christus non extra nos est sed in nobis habitat In English thus Because Christ is not without us but dwelleth in us but if Cotton Mather say Calviâ—s 〈◊〉 is That Christ is not only or wholly without us but also dwelleth in 〈◊〉 as this is a charitable Construction so let it be given to such or the like words that may be found in the Quakers Books unless he could find that their words could not bear such a favourable Construcâ—ion But since C. M. findeth so much fault with me for saying That not only Conscientious Gentiles but 〈…〉 Chriâ—tians shall know more of 〈◊〉 and Christ after Death which is the general Expectation and Consolation of all Saints who know now but in part but then shall know fully and thereupon suâ—mizeth That a Quâ—kers new Purgatory 〈…〉 be erected what saith he to his much esteemed Calvin 〈◊〉 on these words of Peter 1 Pet. 3.19 By which also he went and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spiâ—iâ—s in Prison c. plainly affirmeth concerning the Souls of the deceased before the Death of Christ Indeed I willingly grant saith Calvin that Christ did shine unto them by the Virtue of his Spirt that they might know that the Grace which oft they had only tasted was then given unto the World and by a probable Reason that place of Peter 1 Pet. 3.19 may be applyed to this where it saith That Christ came and preached to the Spirits which were in Custody or place of Expectation the commonly translate it Prison for even the Context leadeth us thither that the faithful who before that time were deceased were made partakers of the same Grace with us because he doth amplifie the Power of the Death oâ— Christ from thence that it â—id penetrate even to the dead while pious Soâ—Iâ— did enjoy the present sight of that Grace which they earnestly expected and on the other hand it was made more manifest to the Reprobate â—â—at they were excluded from all Salvation But if C.M. think that Calvin words doth not infer a Purgatory why should he surmize any such thing from mine And though C.M. ignorantly in his airy fantastical Mind mocked at some called Quakers for calling the Flesh by way of Allegory the Woman that should not speak in the Church although we deny not but Women are there also to be understood litterally but yet not all Women nor in all respects alledging That the Devil is the Fleshes Husband yet if he had been well read in Origine or Augustine he might have found a better account but not to go so far backward let his Reverend Baxter answer him who saith in the Preface to his Directions to the Converted In a weak Christian the Spirit is Master but the Flesh is Mistriss And notwithstanding that the said R. Baxter is too uncharitable to the People called Quakers yet I find in the said Book he is much more charitable to them than C.M. is who will not allow them the lowest degree among true Christians Because as he will have it they deny almost all the Fundamentals of the Christian Faith for thus Rich. Baxter expresly writeth concerning Quakers Bâ—hmenists and some of the Religious Orders of the Papist in his 23d Character of a confirmed Christian pag. 66. But those of them that place their chiefest Happiness in the Love of God and the eternal Fruition of him in Heaven and seek this sincerely according to their Helps and Power though they are misled into some superstitious Errors I hope I may number with those that are sincere for all their Errors and the ill Effects of them And truly I have that Charity for Rich. Baxter that if he had known the Quakers better and had had that occasion of some more inward acquaintances with them he would have been still more charitable to them in his judgment of them for the things he hath judged to be Errors in them either they do not hold them or they are not Errors but sound things of Truth and many of them possibly owned by himself but in other Terms It is the great Calamity of these Age that men are oft confounded in their Languages and contradict one another in Words and Terms when they agree in one Sense of the same things It may be hoped and is earnestly to be prayed for unto Almighty God that all that are sincere Lovers of the Truth in all Societies in Christendom may have more Charity one towards another and they may acknowledge whatever is of Truth and Virtue one in another and this would prepare the way to bring them all to one Sheep sold and to have one Shepherd as the Lord hath promised and which he will in due time fullfill and that Time is at hand Amen CHAP. IV. ANd thus having sufficiently answered what was needful to the First Part of his Address which is the largest I shall answer some things but very briefly to his latter part partly because almost the whole of it is answered in my former printed Books directed to the People in New-England and partly because very much of it is answered in the fore going Sheets In
acknowledged 〈◊〉 us though denyed by C.M. and his Brethren of New-England 〈◊〉 yet I suppose R. Baxter will not call this a Fundamental Error in 〈◊〉 People called Quakers seeing it contradicts none of the Fundameâ—â—â—â— Articles delivered by him in his said Treatise And if any say or object That if the Spirit worketh by way of 〈◊〉 sensible Object upon the inward and spiritual Senses of Believers 〈◊〉 would make void all use of the Scriptures as being so much as the Instrument or Instrumental to our Faith But I Answer denying this Consequence and by distinguishing the Object of our Faith to wit that the Scriptures are the Instrumental and secondary Object of our Faith and the holy Spirit the principal and primary Object of our Faith as it is sensibly felt to work upon our inward and spiritual Senses together with the Father and the Son Even as in outward and natural Objects that work upon our outward and natural Senses some are principal and others are instrumental as in our natural sight of visible Things on Earth as Horses Woods Trees Beasts the Sun's Light is the principal Object of our sight but the things are at least the secondary and instrumental Object thereof or as when we read on a Book the Light that we read with is the principal Object and the Letters of the book are the secondary and instrumental and though we cannot see the Letters of the Book without some light yet we may see light yea the Sun himself if we have good Eyes without the Book and so God and Christ and the Spirit may be inwardly seen felt and known and is frequently seen felt known and enjoyed by the inward and spiritual Senses of Believers without all present use of Letters or Books when the Knowledge is Intuitive and Sensible But as for the Doctrinal Knowledge as we acknowledge it is requisite in order to bring us to so high an enjoyment of God and Christ as Vision or Intuitive Knowledge or Intuition so we grant it is commonly wrought in us and increased by means of the holy Scriptures instrumentally working with the holy Spirit and that therefore the holâ— Scriptures are of great profit and service to all Ranks and Conditions of People yea to such of the highest spiritual Attainments while remaining in the mortal Body I 〈…〉 therefore with and in behalf of my Friends and Brethren of 〈…〉 Faith and Perswasion with me in all parts of the World 〈◊〉 this Solemn Appeal to you the more Sober impartial and Judiâ—â—â—â—â— People in Boston and else-where in New-England to whose 〈◊〉 this may come Whether Cotton Mather is not extreamly Unâ—â—â—â—â—itable and possessed with a Spirit of Prejudice and envious Zeal 〈…〉 R. Baxters phrase against the Quakers in general and me in â—â—â—â—â—cular as guilty of manifold Heresies Blasphemies and strong 〈◊〉 to the rendering us No Christians in the lowest degree or 〈◊〉 while I suppose he hath som Charity to some in the Church of 〈◊〉 called Papists and to Lutherans Aâ—minians and divers others 〈◊〉 differ widely from him yet agreeing in the afore-said Fundamentals when we hold the same Fundamentals of Christian Doctrine 〈◊〉 Faith both with Rich. Baxter and many others as so declared by â—hem And notwithstanding of Cotton Mathers strong Asseverations â—gainst us as if we denyed almost all or most of the Fundamental Articles 〈◊〉 the Christian and Protestant Faith yet he shall never be able to prove it That we are guilty of this his so extreamly rash and uncharitable Charge either as in respect of the Body of that People called in scorn Quakers or in respect of any particular Writers or Publishers of our Doctrines and Principles and Preachers among us generally owned and approved by us as men of a sound Judgment and Understanding And as for his Citations out of the Quakers printed Books Treatises I would have you to consider that most of them all are borrowed and taken not from our own Books but from our professed Adversaries men known well enough to be possessed with Prejudice against us such as Thomas Hicks and John Faldo and others whoâ— our Friends in Old-England and particularly George Whitehead and William Penn have largely answered yea I do here solemnly charge Cotton Mather to give us but one single instance of any one Fundamenâ—al Article of Christian Faith denyed by us as a People or by any one of our Writers or Preachers generally owned and approved by us And if perhaps there be any Citations that C.M. cites out of our Books that he hath read that seem to confirm his Charge in one or two particulars against us I do sincerely answer that I am at a loss to find them in these Books partly because divers of these Books cited by him I am altogether a stranger to them and know not where to find them in all America and partly because he not citing the Chapters Sections Parts or Pages of them that may be 〈…〉 here in America I cannot but with great pains and expence of 〈…〉 find them out and I judge I can much better spend my precious 〈…〉 than in searching of them and it sufficeth to me and I hope dot◠〈◊〉 many others that according to the best Knowledge I have of 〈◊〉 People called Quakers and these most generally owned by them 〈◊〉 Preachers and Publishers of their Faith of unquestioned estâ—â—â— among them and worthy of double Honour as many such there 〈◊〉 I know none that are guilty of any one of such Heresies and Blaspâ—â—mies as he accuseth them Yet we deny not but as it hath happeâ—ed and doth daily happen to Writers and Preachers belonging to 〈◊〉 other Societies so it may have happened to some among us to havâ— at times in writing or speaking delivered things not so warily and cautiously worded in every respect as need were But in this case all but prejudiced Persons will say If it can be found by comparing their words one with another that their sence or meaning is found though not so altogether safely or cautiously worded in every respect Charity is to be allowed and the best Construction ought to be given to their words or they themselves or their Friends for them in respect of their absence or decease who did best know them ought to be allowed to give their sence of them as I have done in the sincerity of my heart according to my best understanding and knowledge of them and I think I should know and do know these called Quakers and their Principles far better than Cotton Mather or any or all his Brethren having been conversant with them in publick Meetings as well as in private Discourses with the most noted and esteemed among them for about Twenty Eight Years past and that in may places of the World in Europe and for these divers Years in America And I further say That if any things through inadvertency have been said or writ by any of us and that it can be found
so to be and that a charitable Construction cannot be safely and sincerely put upon them but that they do contradict the holy Scriptures and the wholsom Doctrine therein delivered by the holy Prophets and Apostles we do sincerely deny and disown them and declare our being ready with all possible sincerity to disown them upon due notice and advertisment for though we affirm That the Spirit of God in us and all Belieâ—ers in every discovery it gives is infallible yet we have never judged our selves absolutely infallible nor did we ever place or fix an absolute Infallibility upon any Man or Number of â—â—â—iety of Men since the Apostles dayes but through Gods mercy 〈◊〉 are sensible of our danger of being liable to Mistakes as well as â—â—her men if we be not duely humble watchful and careful to keep â—lose and chaste to the pure openings teachings and leadings of the infallible Spirit of Truth And we readily grant the great benefit we have by the holy Scriptures as being instrumental by and with â—he immediate working of the Spirit to preserve us from Error or if any be overtaken in an Error and beguiled by the Enemy to Recover and Restore them there-from therefore it is that in all respects we prefer the Scriptures both to our own and all other Writings and if any Doctrine or Practice be found contrary thereunto upon due and impartial Examination we say it ought to be disowned and denyed for the Scriptures of Truth and the Spirit of Truth that gave them forth can never contradict the one to the other CHAP. II. IT cannot with any colour of Justice be expected by Cot. Mather that I should give a particular Reply to all things in his Book called An Address said or alledged against the People called Quakers in general or me in particular until such time that he give a distinct particular Answer to my former Book called The pretended Antidote proved Poyson c. particularly directed to him and his Brethren and to the several Chapters and Sections thereof which he hath not so much as essayed wherein notwithstanding almost the whole matter he doth muster up against us in his late Address is sufficiently and solidly answered and therefore until he give a full and distinct particular Answer to the said Book I judge not my self obliged so much as to notice many things contained in his said Address being filled with manifest falshoods perversions and abuses sufficiently already Replyed unto partly by others and partly by me but containing no new matter against us excepting his Personal Reflections against me which yet I think not to spend much Time or Paper to answer most of them being so manifestly false and foolish that of themselves they fall and evanish only I intend to give a short glance or hint at some of the most considerable Abuses and Perversions he musteret◠〈◊〉 against us Pag. 3. He saith If I have one spark of Light in me Quakerism 〈◊〉 but a profound and deadly pit of Darkness Answ This Assertion doâ—â— not come from any true Light in him but from his Darkness Pag. 4. Quakerism under pretence of advancing the spiritual Objeâ—â— of Religion goes to annihilate all the Sensible Ans False Again pag. 4. There is hardly any one Fundamental Article of thâ— reformed Religion whereby we look to be saved that is not undermined by Quakerism Ans But of this he has not given one true instance And as to what he alledgeth that some of us have said The Letter is not the Word of God to wit properly and without a figure he himself hath said as much see pag. 59. And that some of us have call'd their Books Light risen out of Darkness Shields of Truth c. they understood it not but metaphorically or figuratively by some Metonymy as is common in all Titles of Books but we have alwayes preferred the Scriptures to our Writings And that the Scriptures may be call'd the Word of God in a figurative Speech and also that the True Sense signified in them is the Word of God I have acknowledged and so I do still but that the inward Testimony of God in our Hearts is more properly and immediately the Word of God than the outward Testimony of the Scripture I still affirm with Augustine and other antient Writers As for his citing William Penn's words agruing against that same Numerical Body its rising at the Resurrection it is clear that he understandeth the same exact Number of the small Particles or Dusts neither more nor less than what is commonly buried and what hurt is there in that doth not C.M. and his Brethren generally say as well as W. Penn That at the Resurrection all shall rise Men and not Infants nor lame nor defective in any part and yet how many Thousands dye Infants and defective in some Bodily Members That some have denyed the Saints as such to be miserable Sinners it ought to be considered that according to the common stile of Scripture Saints and Sinners are distinguished and the unconverted are called Sinners for the denomination of a thing is taken chiefly from that which is the greatest part but â—ecause in all Saints even the weakeâ—â— Grace and Holiness is the chief and gâ—eatest part therefore from that they receive their Denomination and are said to â—e righteous and clean and not to do Iniquity That one said The Scripâ—â—â—â—â—s not the means by which Faith is wrought it can receive a candid â—â—â—â—â—pretation as to say the only means excluding the inward Grace 〈◊〉 Operation of the Spirit as some say Medicine is not the means of 〈◊〉 Cure though a Means it is understood not the only means â—nd whereas he querieth If their Primmer hath yet been corrected 〈◊〉 they read False Teachers preach Christ without and bid People 〈◊〉 in him as he is in Heaven If he mean William Smith's Primmer 〈◊〉 I believe he doth I Answer Yea it hath been Corrected in the 〈◊〉 Edition of his other Treatises joyned with it as is plainly to be 〈◊〉 thus That false Teachers preach Christ only without but true â—â—eachers preach Christ both without us and also within us And what William Penn argueth as concerning Three Persons he â—nly argueth against the invented Names Persons as Calvin doth â—cknowledge them as above-said which in all proper Language doth signifie Substances and not meer Properties or relative Attributes which W.P. will not deny to be in God Nor are W. P's words so to be understood concerning Justification as if he excluded Christ's Righteousness which he fulfilled in his own Person but only he denyeth that any can be justified by that alone without Faith and Repentance c. As for Bodily Tremblings that they are not so common among these called Quakers as formerly as good or better Reason can be given as that these or the like unusual Motions that seized on the Bodies of some Presbyterians in Scotland about fifty Years ago are not now so common among them
show according to that Latine Verse Fabula narratur mutato Nomine de te i.e. Change the Name and the Tale is told truly of thy thy self CHAP. III. IN his first Argument he accuseth me to be guilty of a Lye in matter of Fact and that I pretend to an assurance for it from the Spirit of God and the Lye he alledgeth in matter of Fact is That I charge their Confession of Faith for holding that the Scriptures ought to be believed for their own outward Evidence and Testimony and not for the inward Evidence and Testimony of the holy Spirit in mens Hearts And to prove this to be a Lye he citeth some words of that Confession which saith Our full perswasion and assurance of the infallible Truth and divine Authority of the holy Scriptures is from the Inward Work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our Hearts And for a further Confirmation he alledgeth John Owen saying That the Scripture be received as the Word of God there is a twofold Efficacy of the Spirit c. withal affirming That I cover Lye with Lye To which I Answer Cotton Mather and not I is guilty of two gross Lyes or Falshoods in this Charge first That I pretend to an assurance from the Spirit in matter of Fact concerning what they hold is a manifest Perversion for I bring my assurance in matter of Fact not from the Spirit but from their Confession of Faith which I have diligently examined but the knowledge I have that their Doctrine in that particular is false I bring from the Spirit of God that hath given me the understanding thereof and is Truth and no Lye 2 dly That he saith Their Confession doth grant that the Scriptures are to be believed for the inward Evidence and Testimony of the holy Spirit in mens hearts but this it doth not say nor can it be gathered by any just consequence to be their sence seeing they deny with C.M. and his Brethren all inward objective immediate Testimony and Revelation of the Spirit And whereas the Confession mentioneth the inward Work of the holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word viz. the Scripture in our Hearts This doth sufficiently prove That their Confession doth not mean or intend any inward Testimony of the Spirit reallâ— and properly so called as having a standing Evidence of its own bâ—â— only borrowed from the Scripture and therefore is no true and proper Evidence at all but only and altogether improper yea as improper as if I should say when I hear but one man give Evidence to the Truth of a thing and that I read it also in wâ—it from his hand that three Evidences or Witnesses have given their Evidence to that Truth as 1 st the Maâ— â— dly my Ear that heard him 3 dly my Eye that hath reâ—d his writ But what sober Man will say these are three Witnesses or Evidences And would it not be a great Cheat to say That whereas the Law requireth two Witnesses and there is but one man that giveth witness to Cotton Mathers hearing that C.M. should alledge his Ears are other two Witnesses because they have heard him and so they are three in all And as great a Cheat and Fallacy is it to call the witness of the Scripture the inward Witness of the Spirit when they confess the inward Work of the Spirit is only Effective to open the Ear to hear the outward Witness of the Scripture but not to speak by any distinct Witness to the inward Ear And it is like that other Fallacy as if James being required to give his Witness he giveth it not by himself but by John and John being required to give his Witness he giveth it by James but neither of them by himself or at least the one not by himself for when they are asked By what do they know the Scriptures to be the Word of God they answer By the Spirit And again By what do they know the Spirit they answer By the Scripture And thus the Fallacy and Falshood both of the Confession and of C.M. is detected and G.K. is cleared from being no wise guilty of any Lye in the case And what I said of John Owen is true for the Title and design of his Book is concerning The Self-Evidencing Authority of the holy Scriptures only he confesseth the Spirits inward Work is necessary to let men see or know it but that is no proper Witness more than a mans hearing is one Witness and the thing heard is another I do therefore Appeal to all sober impartial and judicious Readers Whether not I but Cotton Mather be not convicted of gross Lying or Falshood and whether the Society he belongs unto ought not to bring him to Repentance for such Crimes to use some of his own words His Second Argument is That I am guilty of having committed most horrible Blasphemy against the holy Spirit of God which is the unpardonable Sin And though he doth charge this one while positively yet another while If I have not the certain yet fearful Marks of it and my Sin is very like that Sin and yet again charging it positively on me That I have taken part with the Pharisees in dorg that impardonable Injury to the Eternal Spirit of God But how doth he prove any thing of this to have the lest show or shadow of truth Why because as he alledgeth I called his and his Brethrens Prayers more than once a Conjuring of the Devil and do put on them the stile of Charms and Spells by which Prayers he alledgeth he and his Brethren did cast out the Devil that did Bodily possess some Young People and that therefore their Prayers were the special Operations of the holy Ghost which I blaspheme and that therefore I have committed the Vnpardonable Sin But I Answer 1 st As I said in my Book called A Refutation c. I am little concerned whether or not these Young People were bewitched or had a Diabolical Possession further than to take notice That C.M. will have it to be so to make the simple believe that his and his Brethrens Prayers did conjure the Devil and cast him out by which it is most clearly apparent to every one of common sence that I did not mean that his or his Brethrens Prayers were done by any Diabolical Art or Craft of Conjuration for I do not think them to be Conjurers but that they would have People believe that by some divine Power of Exorcism as was frequent in the primitive Church they did conjure the Devil which is as widely different from his Perversion as East from West Now I cannot believe that they had this divine Gift of Exorcism which was a Miraculous Gift in those primitive Times that Popish Priests do also pretend to have and many strongly affirm they have cured many by their Prayers because they commonly say That Immediate Revelaiion with the Gifts of Miracles are ceased How then can
Capacities I shall let pass only minding the Reader That the nature of a Contradiction is difficult many times to understand even in Natural things so that it is reckoned the subtâ—lest part in Logick or Metaphyâ—â—â—â—â— to understand throughly what are alwayes Contradictions and 〈…〉 and therefore much more hard it is to understand in 〈…〉 that contain many seeming Contradictions for tho' 〈…〉 â—cripture containeth no real Contradiâ—â—ons coming from 〈…〉 Spirit of Truth yet it containeth 〈…〉 seeming which 〈…〉 and Scoffers use to object His comparing me to Julian the Apostate favoureth of the like Spirit of Envy as formerly when with no more ground he accused me of being guilty of the Vnpardonable Sin It is a part of my Blessing that being reviled and fully accused I can patiently bear it by the Grace of Christ in whom I believe and to whom I confess even to the Crucified Jesus that was nailed to the Cross for my Sins whom my Soul loveth and whom Julian openly denyed But Cotton Mather will gain no credit nor esteem either to himself or his Cause by 〈…〉 and Extraordinary Revilings rarely to be parallelled among the greatest Readers His Fourth Argument hath as weak and sandy Foundation as any of the rest as namely as he saith That I renounce both the Religion and the Saviour which the Saints have hitherto ventured their Souls upon c. to wit Christ Jesus And this he undertaketh to prove Sathan like by wresting my words and omitting some of them in the very Sentence he citeth that were altogether essential to make up the intire period and sence for I said in my Book Your Visible Churches 〈◊〉 true Churches of Christ for the Religion ye profess is not the true Religion of Christ Jesus yea in Fundamentals and in the very Foundation it self which is Christ Jesus on which the true Church is 〈◊〉 and every Member thereof but ye who say note my following words p. 137. all inward divine Revelation is ceased ye to wit your visible Church build not on Christ but on a meer Hear-say and Historical Report of him for how can ye build on him when ye have no belief that Christ is nearer unto you than in some remote place beyond the Skyes Where the Impartial Reader may see first That my words expresly mention their visible Church that doth not build really on Christ but on a Profession of him even by Cotton Mather's Confession 〈◊〉 nothing is required to make up the Members of a visible Church but a Profession of him and of the true Religion But every judicious leâ—son will say it is one thing to profess Christ in words or show and another thing really to build on Christ that everlasting Rock for by Christs Doctrine none buildeth on the Rock which is Christ 〈…〉 that heareth Christ's Sayings and doth them and that is much 〈◊〉 than barely to profess him But yet I did not question nor â—o but that according to my Christian Câ—arity moving me so to believe divers among all sorts Societies call'd Christian in Christendom that hold the Fundamentals as many do do really build on Châ—ist thâ—â—â—â—e Foundation and because they so do in due time the Wood Hay and Stubble of their Errors in other things while they build on the true Foundation will be burnt up by the divine Fire of the living Word and living Spirit of God in them and their Lord Jesus Christ iâ— mine and mine is theirs and I could be glad that I could entertain that Charity to C.M. but however I have not that uncharitable judgment of him as bad as he is that he hath committed that unpardonable Sin for though he hath reproached the precious workings and operations of the holy Spirit both in my faithful Brethren and me calling them Delâ—sions of Satan yet because I judge he doth it ignorantly therefore his sin is pardonable upon Repentance which I pray God may be given him for that and all his haâ—d Speechâ—â— and all other sins before it be too late But because he cannot fix his â—â—â—se Charge upon me of denying Christ he essayeth 〈◊〉 but with 〈…〉 success to fix it upon my Brethren as dear Isaac Pennington whom I well knew to be a true Believer in the Lord Jesuâ— Christ and a sincere Lover of him even the crucified Jesus and whose Souâ— I believe is in test in Christ in heavenly Glory And as to his words We can never eat the Bodily Garment Christ but that wâ—ich appeaâ—ed and dwelt in â—he Body it is easie to put a fair and charitable construction on it as wâ—â—l as on Christs words when he said He that 〈…〉 seen 〈◊〉 hath seeâ— the Father and yet many saw Christ's body of Flesh that never saw the Father But to clear the thing I 〈◊〉 speaâ—eâ—h â—hâ—s in opposition to Socinians and oâ—hers tincturâ—d with 〈…〉 as if â—he Manhood of Christ that was born of the Viâ—gin exâ—â—ndâ—â—g the 〈◊〉 Word was the only and whole Christ whereas 〈◊〉 was 〈…〉 his Body of Flesh therefore he is said to have come in the Flesh and to have taken Flesh And if we consider Christ as he was before the World was by whom all things were created and in respect of his Godhead the Body was not that but the Garment of it when he assumed it But when we consider Christ as Man as every other man 〈◊〉 both Soul body belonging to his essential Constitution as Man 〈◊〉 and Christ and still hath a moâ—â— gâ—orious Soul and Body and we 〈◊〉 not but according to Scripture 〈◊〉 Christ Manhood yea and his Body iâ— called Christ as when the Scripture saith that he was buried nailed to the Cross buâ—â—ited and even his Body was and is a part of his Manhood and his Soul the other and more Noble part most wonderfully and incomparably united with the Godhead and most incomparably filled with all fullness of the Godhead and of Grace and Truth out of whose fullness we all receive and Grace foâ— Grace and yet we do not judge that the Godhead is circumscribed within the Body of Christ for the Godhead is Omnipresent as well as Omnipotent and Omniscient And whereas he querieth saying Let Keith tell us honestly whether he does not count his own Body to be the Body of Christ in the same sence that the visible tangible Flesh which hung upon the Cross was the Body of our Lord I Answer honestly Nay by no means as I have sufficiently formerly declared in my printed Books and Testimonies on all occasions for as the Body of the Head is of far more Dignity than the Body of the inferiour Members and hath the Soul or Spirit and Life of man otherwise dwelling in it than the inferiour Members so much more the Soul and Body of Christ hath the eternal Word living and dwelling in the same than any other and that incomparably as Augustine well demonstrateth lib. de agonâ— Christianâ— cap. 20. thus concluding And therefoâ—e tâ—e Word doth not
so assume that Man to wit the Seed of Abraham as the rest of the Saints but much more excellently and sublimely and God dwelleth in the Man Christ so as there is no Mediator betwixt God and Christ but God dwelleth in us by and through Christ our alone Mediator and foâ— hiâ—â—ake receiveth us to be so 〈…〉 him that both the Fatâ—er and the Son and also the holy Spirit dwelleth in all the Saints yet the matter of Union caâ—led by sâ—me of the Antients the Hypostatical or 〈◊〉 Vnion and manner of Inhâ—bitation in the Manhood of Christ 〈…〉 and bâ—yond all humane unâ—erâ—â—anding excelling the maâ—â—er of Gods dwelling in all the Saints 〈…〉 the Man Christ only and none other Man nor Creatur is both God and Man and is the Object of divine Worship and Adoration together with the Father and the Spirit and none else And for Hicks quoting some words of mine out of my Book of Immediate Revelation recited by C.M. p. 44. on James 5.6 〈◊〉 have killed the just One that is Christ Jesus in their Hearts him they crucified To this I answer This I never understood otherwise but figuratively as when the Scripture saith That Apostates and Wicked Men crucifie◠〈◊〉 Son of God afresh for I affirm expresly in my said Book of Immediaâ—â— Revelation That the Life of Christ in mens hearts can never be kâ—lled or crucified in it self see my Book of Immed Rev. 2d Edition pag. 75 â—â— pag 253 254 255. at great length but men by Disobedience may deprive themselves of the Comfort and Benefit of it as well as of Christs Sufferings on the Tree of the Cross and so in that figurative sence according to Scripture stile may be said to kill him even as we are all to look to him whom we have pierced according to Zachariah's Prophecy concerning Christs outward Suffering on the Crosâ— and to mourn bitterly because of our sins which he did bearâ—â— on him when he was pierced and because Christ cannot as to himself properly and strictly in a strict litteral sence be killed nor crucified in men therefore I do not believe that he can be said to be in us that Sacrifice of Attonement and Propitiatâ—on that was necessary to be offered up for the Remission of our sins and appeasing the Wrath of God to us and if any think so I am far otherwise â—inded for it derogates from the great worth and value of Christs Sacrifice without us upon the Tree of the Cross for the Body that Christ was to suffer in as a Sacrifice for the sins of the World behoved to 〈…〉 and holy Body as it was as a Lamb without Sâ—ot and the Death behoved to be a real Death and not metaphorical or figurative and therefore Christ as in us could not be that Sacrifice oâ— Attoâ—â—mâ—â—â— for at this rate not only Christ had outwardly dyed in vain 〈…〉 had offered up himself for a Sacrifice of Attonement as 〈…〉 were Saints to live in the World and as many Saints as many 〈◊〉 all which is most absurd to imagine But yet it mâ—st 〈…〉 that the Life of Christ in the Saints is as sweet 〈…〉 God and is a Sacrifice in another sence seeing even th◠〈…〉 said to offer up themselves through 〈◊〉 a 〈…〉 God and also the Life and Spirit of Christ 〈…〉 Saints to apply Christ's Suffering Death and â—â—ood 〈…〉 on that outward Cross to them doth bring them into perfect Peace with God so that his Wrath is wholly appeased quenched towards them only for the sake and in virtue of the great Sufferings of Christ on the outward Cross and if this be the sence of W.S. his words and that they can be so construed it is well for that is my upright 〈◊〉 and is of many hundreds more yea of all my faithful Breâ—â—â—â—â— call'd Quakers And concerning what I.P. and some others 〈◊〉 writ of Christs heavenly Flesh and Blood and how the Saints fed upon it in all Ages Christ being that noble Vine Tree unto them that yeilded them his Grapes for Meat and the Blood of them for Drink as Wine is called the Blood of the Grape and being their Apple Tree their Fig Tree yea their Corn Bread Milk and Wine their Wool and Flax their Feast of fat things full of Marrow c. All these are highly Mystical and Figurative or Metaphorical Expressions and are not to be litterally or carnally understood yet so as the Metaphors hold forth that these outward things by which these inward Mysteries are signified are but the Figures and the spiritual things are not the Figures of the natural but the natural are Figures of the spiritual as the outward Light is bu the Figure of Christ the spiritual Light the true Light of the Soul but the spiritual Light is not the Figure of the natural which is quite otherwise than in vulgar Metaphors and Figures and therefore by Christs heavenly Flesh and Blood that he had from the beginning is not to be understood any created material Body but the living Word it self according to its divine Emanations metaphorically only so called according to Scripture stile feeding and refreshing the Souls of the Saints in all ages with unspeakable Refreshment And therefore by Metaphors and Allegories they have given it such Names according to its various Operations But that Christ is as much or after the same manner in the Quakers or any Saints as in the Manhood and Body of Christ that suffered on the Cross or that Christ hath left behind him thâ—t Body that suffered on the Cross was buried as if that were the Quakers Doctrine as Faldo alledgeth and C.M. from him is aâ—ominably false I am sure no Quaker that doth rightly understand the Quakers Principles and Doctrine will ever say so or ever did although I shall not deny but some ignorant Persons that may go under the designation of a Quaker may have at times spoke very ignorantly and offensively in that and other 〈◊〉 to the Scandal of our holy Profession and to the stumbling of the weak that could not rightly discern betwixt our true and faithful Brethren and others falsly so called but such there are among all Societies and Professions that do not rightly understand the Principles of that Profession they pretend to belong unto yea how many Presbyterians and Independents so called to my certain knowledge understand not their own Principles notwithstanding of their publick Confessions and so possibly some among uâ— notwithstanding our publick Confessions well owned by the generality of our Friends as especially that noted Treatise by John Crook called Truths Principles c. that hath had a very general Reception by us and with which my Doctrine in all particulars doth well agree so far as I know as also with other faithful and sound Friends and Brethren In his Fifth Argument which he grounds upon my supposed marvelous Giddyness Ignorance and Falshood he sheweth himself marvelously not only ignorant but perverse and after he
Jesus Christ imputed unto us but we also say It is imputed to none but such who have Faith Repentance and sincere Obedience and that is true inward Righteousness wrought in them by the Spirit of Christ and though Faith and Repentance and Obedience are not the Foundation of our Justification yet they are the Terms and Condition of it as I have sufficiently showed in my former printed Treatises nor doth Edward Burrough and VV. Penn if their words be duely construed contradict what I have affirmed But the true state of the Question is VVhether men are justâ—â—â—â—d by Christs Righteousness imputed to them without any inward Righteousness as the requisite Condition and Terms in order to that imputation And whether David lying in his sins of Adultery Murder remained Justified Which we deny In his 11 th Assertion although he states the Question in the Title so as we can own it to wit That a sinless Perfection is not attainable in this VVorld as their Principle but not ours yet he miserably wresteth perverteth and mis-applyeth and jumbleth things in the Explication for that Scripture in Philip cap. 3 v. 12. doth nothing contradict our Assertion who affirm no such degree of Perfection as wherein a man may sit down and make no furder progress which Paul 〈◊〉 not to do but still to go on more and more to Perfection And for that place in Rom. 7.19 c. it is not to be understood of the best Condition of the Saints when they are farthest advanced but of their struggling Time and State before they obtain the Victory and Freedom which Paul doth acknowledge in the same Epistle And for any of the Quakers saying They have no sin in them I know not any that is generally owned and approved by us that have said so it is common to Ranters and such as Tho. Cases Crew that say so but for the honest and sober People called Quakers they do not boast of their Perfection but had rather by their innocent Walk and Conversation demonstrate their growth and progress in Sanctification than by a Talking of it CHAP. V. IN his 12 th Assertion he doth not fairly state the Question especially in the Explanation of it for he should have distinguished betwixt the state of Servants and Sons of the Free Woman and so betwixt Saints by way of Inchoation or Initiation and Saints by way of Confirmation as betwixt Corn in the Bud or Blade or green Ear when it is in danger of blasting and ripe Corn that is past all danger of blasting for as to this latter I did grant in my former printed Treatises in unity with my faithful Brethren that there is a confirmed state in Faith and Sanctification wherein the Saints persevere to the end of all Tryals and from which they cannot fall away and the Faith of such is more precious than Gold that perisheth endureth all Tryals and Tentations even as true Gold endureth the Fire and looseth nothing in it but all have not attained to this State which is indeed the only proper state of Salvation that is as the Harbour or Port of Safety to the tossed Marriner and till the Soul arrive to this state it is but as a Ship exposed to the Waves of the Tempestuous Sea Also I readily grant that none of Gods elect can finally fall away for his 〈◊〉 is over them so to preserve them as that they do not fall or if they do fall as in the case of David to restore and renew them again by Repentance And C M. and his Brethren have granted in that Book call'd their Antidote or The Principles of the Protestant Religion 〈◊〉 That the temporary Faith that may be lost is not false and if not false then true after a sort although I grant it is not that Faith of Gods Elect that 's more precious than Gold that endureth all fiery Tryals yet is of a saving tendency and such who have it it they did well and duely improve it might in due time arrive to that Confirmation in Faith and Holiness that cannot be totally finally lost But whether the Faith that may be lost and the Faith that cannot be lost differ in Kind or Specie or only in Degree it being too Nice and rather Philosophical and too Logical I did not as I said in my former printed Book see cause to enquire seeing it is a very great dispute among Schollars what maketh a Distinction of things in Kind or Specie some affirming That the Mettles and Elements differ not in Specie others contradicting and saying they do In his 13 th Assertion concerning Infant Baptism or rather Rantism or Sprinkling and in his 14 th Assertion concerning the Supper he bringeth no new matter but what I have sufficiently answered in my former Books and therefore shall say no more here as to them But that he chargeth it upon us as if we did not believe Christs coming again and appearance without us in his glorified Body to judge the quick and the dead is that he cannot prove any of us guilty that is generally own'd and received to be of our Faith only we have denyed the gross and caâ—nal Imaginations that some have vented as concerning Christs â—â—dy câ—lling it Natural and Earthly which we believe is spiritual and heavenly and if any call it spiritual and heavenly glorified Flesh as well as Body we shall not contend against them for we do acknowledge it is the same in Being and Essence that it was on Earth but wonderfully changed in Manner and Condition see our printed Sheet called The Christian Faith c. In his 15 th Assertion he doth most grosly prevaricate abusing and â—eâ—verting our words as because we own an inward quickening and 〈◊〉 â—aised with Christ in our Souls and inward Man that therefore we deny any future Resurrection of the Body aâ—ter Death which we deny noâ— but affirm against Ranters and vain Norionists and we believe Tâ—â—t the Resurrection of the Body is not attained immediately after Death altho' the Souls of the faithful immediately after Death go into Heaven or Paradise but at Christs coming and Appearance to judge the quick and the dead and the same Body that dyeth is raised in 〈◊〉 true sense being freed and refined from all Dross of Corruption even as Gold is the same when it lieth in the course Oar or Miniral and when it is refined but wonderfully changed in Manner and Condition In his essaying to prove his 16 th Assertion he showeth himself extreamly weak as if because God commanded the Jews to keep the Seventh Day for a Sabbath from the beginning of the World in the fourth Commandment therefore he commandeth the Christians in the same fourth Commandment to keep the first Day But I need say no more on this Head but refer him to his much esteemed Calvin for his Refutation who in that doth fully agree with us as generally do all the Protestants in France and the Low Countries and
many in England and Scotland In his 17 th Assertion he is as weak and abusive as in any of the former That he his Brethren cannot own true Piety to be essential to a true Minister of Christ to make a necessary Provision for the everlasting Peace of renewed Souls which cannot be saved without their Assertion viz. That true Piety is not essential to a true Minister for this would make their Conversion or Peace wholly depend upon Grace in the heart of a Minister But this is a most gross Abuse and Pervertion and a most silly trick or cheat to palliate or excuse their absurd Doctrine which a Child may discover for the Contradictory Assertion viz. That true Piety is essential to a true Minister of Christ doth not make that the Conversion of the Souls dependeth on Grace in the Minister because many Thousands of Souls have been and are daily converted without any Minister good or bad by reading or hearing the holy Scriptures the holy Spirit aiding and concurring therein and this is generally confessed by all Protestants And if some think they were converted by means of some Ministers that were afterwards sound to be Hypocrites all that this can prove is not that they are not converted but that they are in some mistake about the man whom they thought was the Instrument of it and was not And for my saying It is no wonder that New-England abounds with such Impious Ministers I did argue ad hominem according to your Principle for to say True Piety is not essential to a true Minister of Christ openeth a door to let in a stood of Impious Ministers upon the People of New-England and it is to be feared this absurd Principle hath too much open'd a Door unto them And for all your strict pretended Tryal of men before they enter into the Ministry do ye try them concerning their Piety if nay then ye open a door to them who may be really Impious if they have but wit enough to be Hypocrites and only seemingly Pious if Yea this contradicts your Doctrine who say ye have no certain way to try whether men be really Pious or not for ye reject all pretence to a discerning of Spirits whereby to know who are really Pious and who not and the Marks given by Paul whereby to try men before they be owned to be either Bishops i. e. Overseers or Pastors or Deacons were not out-side Marks of Holyness only that Hypocrites may have but to be really sober just holy temperate Tit. 1.8 and where these Virtues are they do as certainly and infallibly discover themselves in words and works to the spiritual Discerners as Spices and precious Oyntments or Perfumes discover their sweet smell and odour to them who have the right use of their natural smelling And as to his Question How People may know whether we have an Immediate Call to the Ministry To this I Answer There must be some spiritual Ability or Gift of Discerning in such who are able to know such a thing for it is only the spiritual Man that is able to judge of spiritual things and whomsoever God calleth to the Ministry by his Power and Spirit inwardly revealed that is immediate his Power and Presence according to his faithful Promise doth go along with them so that some that hear them though not all are the Seal of their Ministry and the Blind are made to see the Deaf to hear the Lame to walk the Dumb to speak and the Dead to live to wit spiritually And as this was Luther's answer to the Papists that asked for some Signs to prove his and his Brethrens Call who did commonly upbraid them That they never so much as cured a Lame Horse so it may suffice for our Answer for whether C.M. believe it or not we have had the Seal of our Ministry that many by means of our Testimony have had their inward Eyes opened and have been turned from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Sathan unto God and this inward Change hath had its evident Effects of Christian Piety Sobriety and Justice in their outward Conversation But such who were blinded and hardned against the Spirit of Truth did not know Christ nor his Apostles and Ministers and therefore we cannot expect that such can know us And this Question of C.M. may be easily retorted upon him that doth so confidently affirm That there are so many Ministers in New-England that have and use all true Piety let him tell us how he or they can prove that they are really Holy and that their Holyness is not a meer outside Holiness that Hypocrites may have If he â—â—y they may be known by their Fruits I query again By what Fruits Are these Fruits only outward words and works that Hypocrites may have for there is nothing barely outward but Hypocrites may have But if by Fruits he mean that which hath some inward Virtue and savour of Life and Grace with them that do infallibly demonstrate themselves to be the Fruits of the Spirit to such as have a spiritual savour and discerning as this would contradict their Principle so it maketh for us to answer his Question Nor are there sufficient Testimonies of antient Christian Writers wanting who did agree with us in our Assertion viz. That Hypocrites and Vnholy Men who have not the Spirit of Christ are not true Ministers of Christ as not only Luther whom I cited in my former Book who calleth them Sectaries and Seducers who know to preach much of Christ but seeing they feel him not in their Hearts as to be sure such do not who have no true Piety they leave the right ground of the Mystery cap. 11. Luth. Mensal But of the Antients backwards of above 1200 Years ago I shall cite two short Testimonies for this Assertion held by us viz. Cyprian who lived about the middle of the 3d Century and Athanasius who lived in the 4th Century for Cyprian in his Epistle to Januarius saith How can he who is unclean himself and who hath not the holy Spirit cleanse or sanctifie the Water viz. in Baptism seeing the Lord saith Numb 19. All that the unclean toucheth shall be unclean And after What Prayer can a sacriligous Priest and who is a Sinner make for the Baptized seeing it is written God heareth not a sinner but he that worshippeth him and doth his Will him he heareth but who can give what he hath not or how can he do spiritual things who hath lost the holy Spirit And in his Epistle to Stephen Bishop of Rome he with his Collegues gathered in Council in Africa writeth saying It behoveth that Priests and Ministers who serve at the Altar and Sacrifices be sound and immaculate seeing the Lord saith in Levit. cap. 21. The man in whom there is any fault or vice shall not approach to offer Gifts to God and in Exodus the Priests who approach to God let them be sanctified lest the Lord forsake them Exod.