the Father the word and the spirit and those three are one Then we own what the Scriptures assert of the Deity oâ— the Father Word and the Spirit which are one this is no blasphemy no fancies as malitiously we are accused Except ye call all the words of Scriptures clearly confered together a cavilling Viz. touching three distinct Persons in the Deity c. Although the Scriptures do not in so many words make mention of the three Persons c. who are one God we disalow all Traditions or any unwritten Rule which is not Scripture Then three dictinct Persons in the Deity distinct in the personal Subsistance are not the words of the Scriptures but a Tradition and why do you then alow of that which is not Scripture but that There are three that bear record in heaven and these three are one is Scripture The Apostles telleth that the Corinthians were to shew forth Christs death till he came again The Bread spoken of to them behoved to be this of outward Bread c. It behoved to be such a coming againe as was yet future and unaccomplished in the Corinthians time Were the Corinthians then to eat and drink outwardly after their time or so long after their deceases What absurdity and grosness is here Infants Baptism was approved by the Orthodox Church and the Renouned Teachers and Guides thereof and sound Father as Tertullian Ciprian Lactant Augustine Jerom Basil c. It s derived from the Church when pure We disallow all Traditions or any un-written Rule which is not Scripture whether they be under pretence of Revelation which Enthusiasts hold or Traditions as Papists in this agree Then Infants Baptisme not being Scripture but a popish Tradition is therefore to be disalowed of Children of believers should be under the Initial Seal of the Covenant as Abrahams were Circumcision was the Seal of the old Covenant and it was administered on Males onely page 35. Circumcision of the Males onely was in its time Commanded of God which is no proof of sprinkling Infants both Males and Females which was never cammanded of God pa. 38. The Fathers or Isralites who fell into gross sins professed the same Doctrine of Salvation to profess Christ is called a drinking of Chrâ—st c Abraham and his Seed under the old Covenant had the same Mediator which is Jesus Christ he was the same yester-day to them that he is to day to believers Their having the same Mediaâ—or Jesus Christ the same c. And drinking of Christ was more then to profess him or the Doctrine of Salvation And Did such fall into gross sins What fell they from if not from Grace Ye say thereis no express command for sprinkling of the Infants of believers pa. 36 But we disalow all Traditions or any unwritten Rule which is not Scripture pa. 35. You ' have confest what I said that there is no express command for sprinkling Infants therefore in alowing of it you contradict your selves Though there be no express command yet it s of Divine Institution and Warrant if it be drawn by good consequence from the Scriptures Truths and Doctrines is to be tried by the Scriptures so far as can be found in the Scriptures page 29. Christ bid search the Scriptures they reveal the Misteries page 27. I deny any immediate teaching by God page 14. Although a great stress and necessity is laid upon the Scriptures and immediate teaching so confidently denied yet no Sprinkling Infants to be found or required in Scripture and whilst any imediate teaching is denied How is it of Divine Institution Surely Edward Jamisons consequence herein is not Divine who denies any immediate teaching pa. 37. If I had said it Viz. Infants Baptism brought them to the Church those places and many others do hold it as Gal. 3.27 it s the ordinary way of putting on Christ c. I said not that it did bring them into the Church but that it is a Seal of our entry into the Church page 26. sprinkling of water is enough to signify inward washing If it doth not bring into the Church it is but a signe of inward washing it s not a putting on Christ neither can the Scripture prove it when there is no Scripture for it and were the Scriptures deemed the ordinary way and means but now sprinkling Infants What ignorant and gross contradictions are these Ye say Baptisme doth not bring them into the Church it s a bold Sacrilegious usurpation in detracting from the words of the Book of God which shall be punished with all the curses of that Book Though there be no express command for sprinâ—ling Infants yet it s of Divine Institution if it be drawn by good consequence pa. 36. See what Curses these Priests have laid upon them that deny the Infants Baptisme their Scripturles Tradition to bring into the Church and are not they herein evidently Guilty of Sacrilegious usurpation and adding to the words of the Book of God by their false consequence Baptizing of Children or others a standing Ordinance of Christ which he hath appointed to continue to the end of the world Mat. 28. and ordinary means for Salvation Maâ— 16.16 There be no express commands for sprinkling Infants Act. 2.38 repent and be baptized Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved They to whom Repentance and Faith was preached were not Infants such as the Priests sprinkle of a few dayes old which is not the Baptisme that saveth but that of the Spirit or the answer of a good conscience is saving Page 37. That many Ministers baptize the Children of those who are prophane and drunkards and so not believers They that profess the Gospel though they be not sincere believers yet they are in this sence accounted belivers Page 85. The Children of believers should be under the Initial Seal of the Covenant to believers and their Seed that promise belongeth those to whom that promise That God would be their God and the God of their Seed should be baptized Viz. Infants who are in the Covenant with God Page 36. It seems these Priests can make believers at an easie rate whilst they can take the prophane drunkards for believers upon their professing the Gospel but surely God is not the God of the prophane and drunkards nor are they in Gods Covenant as true believers are but under Satans power and their taking it for granted that the sprinkling Infants is the Initial Seal of the Covenant is false and but a beging the question Those who are under the profession of the Gospel are to be reputed as in Covenant pa. 39. Unbelievers who have a profession and yet have not sincere faith c. are not Righteous nor Holy c. Then it is not the profession of the Gospel that makes them believers or in Covenant with God An Arminion and Popish Doctrine that believers may fall from Grace The Fathers many of them fell into gross sins as is cleared from the Histories of
which gave them forth and to him whom they testify of to wit Christ by whom they are to be fulfilled unto the true believer that reads them in a right mind and Spirit Secondly But where having Life in them Viz. in the Scriptures is laid down as following believing This is an error depending upon the former and a contradiction to the Scripture that saith That believing ye might have Life through his name he doth not say in the Scriptures nor by searching them but through his name of whom they testify and those to whom these things were written that they might beleive that Jesus is the Christ c. and have Life through his name They were in some measure prepared by the Spirit or Light of Christ allready manifested to receive those things which tendâ—d to the furtherance of their Faith and confirmation of their Belief concerning Christ that they might have life through his name Pr Whoso holdeth this denieth them really and interpretatively Answ. Is this thy proof of thy false accusation against us of denying the Scriptures that we deny them interpretatively so then our denying the Priests Interpretations upon Scripture which are not Scripture must be deemed a denial of Scriptures as if they were either the same or of equall authority with Scripture or when they tell us of finding Life in the Scriptures we must take it for granâ—ed that they mean in their Interpretations upon them whereby in many things they contradict plain Scripture as hath been proved any times so however when they bid People search the Scriptures for Life Eternal in them they intend they should take their meanings along with them and believe as they say and so people must run into an implicite Faith if they take things on their Authority and Credit for by their meanings and Interpretations they can sit as Judges over Scriptures and tell people they must give the sence and reconcile them and over the Ligâ—t and Spirit within and tell them its but an Enthusiastick Fancy but who are not so Ignâ—ble as to receive a Belief or Faith from them on such a dark implicite and slender account as this of Priests But wait in the Light of Christ within for a right understanding of things that are Spiritual relating to Faith and Salvation Such find they have cause from the certain demonstration and testimony of the Spirit of Truth within to believe Christs Light and Spirit rather then the Priests meanings and private Interpretations wrestings and perverting of Scriptures Priest It is not about the expression of the Word of God that debate should be kept up if in a sound sence granted that they are called the Words of God Answ. So Then the Scriptures are granted to be words of God why then holdst thou debate against us but to shew thy cavilling Spirit For the Word was that from whence words and Scriptures procâ—eded and came to the Prophets and Messengers of God before they spoke the words to Write them Priest Ye deny that Faith cometh by hearing of the Scriptures which is the Word of God for that we receiving them by Faith are saved which is plainly asserted Joh. 5.39 Answ. We deny that Faith comes barely by hearing the Scriptures for if it did so come then all that hear or read Scriptures must have Faith and hear the Word but we see the contrary and Christ told the Jewes they could not understand what he said because they could not hear his words and yet they could hear Scriptures and him speak outwardly to them But this is a mistery hid from such as thou art and there were those whom the Word Preached did not profit bâ—cause it was not mixt with Faith in them Priest Your selves acknowledg that they are the words of God then this or that perticular saying is the Word of God seeing there is a singular where there is a plural Answ. But Singular and Plural differs and though there be a Singular included where there is a Plural is it therefore good Logick to say that Singular includes Plural or they are both one Or to saâ— that because there are Words of God in the Scriptures and where there are words in the Plural there must needs be a word in the Singular therefore these words are the Word and so are the Scriptures Is this thy Lâ—arning and Logick Surely thou art so far from knowing the Word which lives for ever and was before either the Scriptures or words in it were given out that thou art yet as one senceless and confounded in thy expressions and cavilling against â—ruth Priest The Scriptures in the Bible are called the Word of God Mark 7.13 Answ. This is a very general expression of the Scriptures in the Bible being the Word of God when they do not say so of themselves whereas all the Scriptures in the Bible are so far from terming themselves the Word of God in such an eminent expression that they cannot all be truely termed his Words there being in many places Recorded both words of Wicked men and Devils though the Historical part that relates these things be true as to the narration of them And they Mark 7.13 that made the word of God of none effect by their Tradition and rejected his Commandment did really act contrary to the Word within which Moses preached and against the Law of God without so that 's no proof of the Scriptures in the Bible being called the Word Priest That which maketh wise to Salvation or maketh the man of God perfect c. is inspired of God that is the Word of God which maketh wise profiteth 2 Tim. 3.15 Answ. Here again hast thou fallen short of proof of thy matter for where it is said All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God c. Is is added So it 's All Scripture given by inspiration But if that must be called the Word of God in thy sence then it may be read All the Word of God is given by Inspiration of God How will that sound and signify Or All the Word of God given by inspiration of God c. See thy ignorance and impertinency for though we grant that all Scripture given by Divine Inspiration is profitable to the man of God for the making Wise to Salvation but it is through Faith which words through Faith I find theâ— to have taken little notice of if any or of his being the man of God first that knows the profit of the Scriptures which are given by Inspiration that he may be Perfect which the Priests deny in denying Perfection and that he may be thorowly furnished And many things were written and directed to the Saints and not to the world c. But what thou concludest from hence doth not follow Priest Is there any Prophesie almost or Book of the Scripture but it calleth the things contained in them the Word of God Thus saith the Lord c. Answ. For as was hinted there are many things written in the Scripture
from good consequence from the Scripture indeed I have seldom met with any that have appeared so Impertinent and Ridiculous in their consequences as thou hast done in this matter though thou countest thy consequence of Divine Authority as well as express commands But they bear no such Authority with us who see thy perverting and abusing Scriptures to maintain and patch up a popish tradition and humane invention which thou hast no express command for and then thou hast in this doubly confuted thy self for is there some command of Divine Authority now which is not Scripture when before thou laid such a great stress upon Scripture and deniedst Revelation Immediate teaching c. from the Light within and hast dirided it under the name of Enthusiasme when now thou pleads for something being of Divine Authority which is not Scripture viz your sprinkling Infants which in Page 37. thou sayest brought to the Church is the ordinary way of putting on Christ and ordinary means for Salvation and sayest we are Baptized into Jesus Christ and his death from Rom. 6. and 3. whereas before the Scriptures were cryed up as the ordinary way and meanes c. But now that which no where the Scriptures repuires and that of Rom. 6 and 3. So many of us as where baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death how impertinent is this for thy turn as if sprinkling did Baptize Infants into the death of Christ or as if the Apostles and Believers then were so baptized when Infants as thou pleadest which is absurd to imagine and I should think thou canst not really intend such a thing in this proof as sprinkling Infants which thou wouldest also make us believe is a standing Ordinance of Christ to continue till the end of the world from Mat. 28. and Mar. 16.16 where they are commanded To teach all Nations baptizing them And He that believes and is baptized shall be saved But did thâ—y go to teach Infants of a week old Or Were such the Believers that were Baptized How blind sottish and ridiculous hast thou appeared in this matter as also in counting it one while the ordinary meanes for Salvation or that which Baptizeth into the death of Christ another while as in the thirty eight Page that which signifies our putting on Christ inward washing c. so here it doth but signify inward washing and therefore is not the putting on Christ not that which brings into the Church neither doth it really signify inward washing for thou speakest as that being washed all over best signifies our inward Renovation and one while pleads for this thy pretended great Ordinance as belonging to the Seed of Believers and of such as have received the Spirit another while the Children of which are prophane and drunkards that profess the Gospel whom thou sayest are in this sence accounted Believers and thirty ninth Page reckons it not needful for Ministers to be perswaded that they are Righteous so it appeares such Ministers as thou art will be easily satisfied for their own ends and upon slender grounds receive men as Believers if they do but profess the Gospel though they be drunkards and prophane and thus the Parish Priests of the Presbyterian gang have deceitfully daubed their hâ—arers and acted like hypocrites towards those whom they knew to be drunkards prophane and so really unbelivers unholy unrighteous c. yet if they will from their teeth outward say they believe and profess the Gospel though they be known to the contrary the Priest will not deny them their Seal of the Covenant to their Children though they deem them unholy also which other whiles they deem as such a sacred thing as onely belongs to the Seed of Believers and such as are within the Covenant And another sorry shift and come off in the thirty eight Page is concerning the Jewes that fell into gross sins who all drank of the Rock which was Christ from hence thou sayest that to profess Christ is called a drinking of Christ and where provest thou that Doctrine that to profess Christ is a drinking of Christ this is a very easie way thou hast prescribed for drinking of Christ if to profess him be it and then all that profess him drink of him by this Doctrine the falshood whereof we need not say much to But whereas thou sayest concerning those Israelites That ate the same spiritual bread and drank the same spiritual drink that drank of the Rock which was Christ how-be-it thou confessest they fell into gross sins as is cleared from the History of the Books of Exod. Levit. Numb Deuteronomy and 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4 5. and that many of them were Idolaters lusters after evill committed fornication tempters of God murtherers as thou sayest by all which thou hast sufficiently confuted thy self and given a deadly blow to thy own Cause and proved a falling away from Grace which before was an Arminian and Popish Doctrine with thee or Damnable Popery for Was not that spiritual meat and spiritual drink and that Rock spoken of saving Grace And thy saying for Infants Baptisme that it is the Seal of the Covenant and to be given to those that are within the Covenant but Are Drunkards prophane Persons and their Seed and whole Parishes within the Covenant Compare thy matter together Yet thou hast confessed the Spirit is the inward Seal but sayest Baptisme is the outward Seal and then instead of proof askest why may not the Covenant now have outward Seales joyned with the inward Seal of the Spirit How faintly comest thou off here And Where provest thou sprinkling Infants a Seal of the New Covenant or that the Covenant hath two such Seales as thou implyest and how knowest thou that its joyned with the inward Seal of the Spirit upon the Children of drunkards and prophane persons or on such as turn drunkards swearers c. who come under this thy Seal which hath no impression of Scripture or Divine Authority in it but now seeing that to gloss over thy groundless Tradition and Confusion uttered in mantaining it thou hast often made use of divers Scriptures which the Baptists were wont to bring for Baptizing or Plunging such as repent or believe I have not entered here into controversy with rhee about that point it being not thy own but onely thou wouldest make it serve for a cover yet when thou turnest Baptist and intendest to be real in pleading for Plunging believers thou mayest let me or us know and that point probably may be treated of as whether or no it be of necessity to Salvation and so of continuance to the true Church But however under the sence of the Baptisme of the Spirit which baptizeth into one body we do know present sattisfaction and do acquiess in our Spirits above the Traditions of men and Rudiments of the world E. J. Thy Book came but to my hands this summer it seems it was delayed in the hands of some otherwise I had answered it
long ago G. W. The DOCTRINES CONTRADICTIONS INCONSISTENCIES and VARIATIONS of the Presbiterian Priests of Scotland as they were collected in their own words out of the said bundle subscribed by Edward Jameson c. together with brief Observations and Notes upon them evidently shewing the confused body of their perverse work and babylonish structure to the discredit and overthrow of their own corrupt cause by their many and apparent Incosistencies and self Confutations which are here made obvious THere is no man free of sin in this life Christ is manifest to destroy the works of the Devil Then is Christ manifest to destroy sin and free from it which they that plead for know not his manifestation Christ doth not subdue sin totally in this life Whosoever is born of God sinneth not he that abides in him commits not sin Then he that 's born of God and abideth in Christ knowes him to subdue sin totally in this life That Christ is manifest to destroy the work of the devil if you take it so may as well prove that Satan shall not tempt a Child of God The evil one toucheth him not 1 Joh. 3. ch 5. but this doth not prove any thing the evil one toucheth them not To say these do not prove any thing is false and against plain Scripture and they whom the evil one cannot touch his tempting them hath not power to lead them into his work for all are not evil doers whom Satan tempts This saying if we sin implies as much as when we sin We teach that Believers should be daily by the strength of the Spirit fighting against the flesh The strength of the Spirit of God is greater then the devil or sin either and they who truly war by it overcome and Johns words were not when we sin but if we sin which implies not the same We know in part is an imperfect degree of knowledg and so sinful There are promises of a growth unto Believers and of a fulness Which fulness is neither imperfect nor is any degree of true knowledg sinful David Job Daniel their failings are noted which I must cite David said cleanse me from my secret sins And surely then Davids prayers were heard and his requests granted and David Job Daniel and others their deliverances are noted as well as their failings and that in their life time For perfect Righteousness there is no promise in all the Scriptures to any Believer There are promises unto Believers of a fulness Gods everlasting Righteousness is promised which is perfect and the fulness of Christ Eph. 4.13 wherein is neither want nor imperfection Christ bad them search the Scriptures for in them they thought to have eternal life This thought could not be a delusion Preaching is Gods ordinary appointed way for begetting Faith not by immediate inward teaching alone without peaching See the confusion of these Priests one while with them the Scriptures are the ordinary way another while Preaching another while all immediate teaching by God is denyed but another while it s not by immediate inward teaching alone another while a supernatural influence shining on the understanding is owned We may find Eternal Life by searching the Scriptures You deny Learning study of Scriptures and deny them interpretatively Now the Priests interpretations are set for and over Scripture which come not from the true and spiritual learning and study but from Babel They must have the Scriptures who have the knowledge of Christ for without this they cannot be kept from Hell Gods absolute Soveranity in his dispensations of Grace is not to be tyed Then neither to be tyed to the Scriptures nor the Priests preaching nor yet to their confused meanings or uncertain interpretations The Light within is your Enthusiastick fancy Christ enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world has planted some Light in every man of the world It s no less then blasphemy to count Christs Light a fancy for his life is the light of men which we bear witness of I deny any immediate teaching by God Begetting faith is not by immediate inward teaching alone without preaching Then if immediate teaching be of use in part it is not all to be denied The Scripture maketh known inward sins thoughts maketh us wise to Salvation able to save us Christ is said alone to save us none have a sincere Supernatural Faith of the Scripture that are ignorant of Christ there is a faith of the Scriptures that is hystorical which is not sufficient And surely the Scriptures are not Christ without whose knowledg and Supernatural Faith in him the Scriptures are not rightly known and believed but hystorically Without this Viz the Scriptures they cannot be kept from Hell Christ as the principal cause of Salvation is said alone to save us And surely he that alone saves can alone keep man from Hell But the best of these nations and wisest were the greatest enemies to the Gospel All men have a Light of a natural conscience fâ—om him which tells that there is a God and somewhat of the nature of God that he is Eternal and of the morral Law The Light of Christ in all men is not natural but spiritual and those in all Nations that were led by it were not enemies to the Gospel We deny that the power of God is immediate Viz. in his people He told us he will exercise his power for and in us Then his power is immediate in us and works immediatly in us many times to our strengthening comfort and refreshments when we hear no man speak or preach to us Faith is a Habit and an imperfect Creature and it s as impossible it should be otherwise as that a man abiding a man should essentially be a beast Saving Supernatural Enlightning and Sanctifying Faith is the Gift of God What then Are men Saved Englightned and Sanctifyed by that which is imperfect What gross Ignorance and Contradiction is this The Grace of Hope is Imperfect Christ is the Hope of Glory The Grace of Christ is perfect and he is the Grace of all our Graces I call the Scriptures the Word of God and the Gospel the Word of Reconciliation which are distinguished The Gospel is the Scriptures written by the Prophets what Mark wrote is the Gospel the beginning of the Gospel the Gospel is a part of the Scriptures one with them conteined in them If the Scriptures and Gospel be one How are they distinguished And if the Gospel and Mynistry of Christ be one How is the Scripture it And if Marks declaration was the beginning of the Gospel How are the Prophets writings the Gospel Is not manifest confusion variation and inconsistencies in these passages That Christ was first known himself ere he gave the knowledg of the Scriptures the Apostle Paul denies your consequence It s false that any have a sincere Supernatural Faiâ—h of the Scriptures that are ignorant of Christ c. Then t is not false that there must in some degree be a