the Amalekits contrary to GOD's command pretending that he did so For the good purpose of Sacrificeing 1 Sam. 15.21.22 Neither should Books be approven in which Errours are mixed with Verities since evil is through any defect but good from the intire cause So I distinguish this Rule if a Writter having a good design mistake in a few things of no great moment and upon sound Advice will revoke his Errours I grant this should be favourably interpreted but if the Errours be gross and many and the Author boasting of being Divinely inspired in writting them and to have had more Light and Piety then all men in that case I deny that such mistakes should pass uncensured Lastly as to the first of the four Pre-concessions for disputing that we should be well acquainted with what we censure that is a very good Rule and by it the Ap. seems to insult his Opponents that either they did not well know the French Language in which A. B. wrote or had not read all her Twenty two Books So not only the Ap. but likewise all that own A. B. whensoever her Errours are mentioned they answer warmly that whatsoever seemeth hard in some of her Writtings is explained in others which the censurers either have not read or will not be at the pains to compare places together Now to ward of this thrust the Reader shall be judge if I censure any thing of A. Bs. Writtings but what I understand well enough having had sufficient means for it by reading sundry of her writtings and particularly The Light of the World which is held for the chiefest of them all and the standard of all both be herself and Poiret see the admonition prefaced thereto by P. P. p. 36. And now I have read the Ap. which is aequivalent to the reading of all her Books since the Author hath read them all and defends all and if I quarrel nothing but what he mantains it were a frivolous shift to bid me go and search any of A. Bs. Books for any explication of her Opinions And if there be reall Errours and Contradictions found in her writtings what explications can remove them To conclude this Section I shall to the foresaid four add other three rules of arguing and especially anent Points of Divinity 1. To explain the Termes and state the Question aright 2. To reason and answer candidly without Sophistry or Deceit 3. To seek Verity rather than victory and therefore though we may justly commend some good things in any Person or his writtings not to mantain their Errours and Evtravagancies which if through fondness we have failed in upon second thoughts to do so no more SECTION III. If A. B. was Divinely inspired A. THis Question cannot be well resolved untill the Terms thereof be cleared in the first place and the Question be rightly stated according to my first Rule for unless this be done all abrupt disputs turn to a meer Logomachie or a proud and ignorant doting about Questions and strife of words which God expresly forbids 1 Tim. 6.4 Divine Inspiration is taken in very different Senses for First in a large sense every man may be said to be Divinely Inspired because of his Rational Soul which was made after the Image of God Gen. 2.7 God breathed into Mans Nosethirls the Breath of Life and Gods breathing into Man is a Divine Inspiration 2ly One is said to be Divinely Inspired to whom God giveth a capacity Genius or fitness for an Office or Imployment as it is written Judg. 3.10 The Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel and he judged Israel and went out to Warre so it is a necessary Qualification of a Bishop that he be Apt to teach 1. Tim. 3 2. and the Holy Ghost maketh Bishops Acts 20.28 Yea this is ascribed to men of Manuary Callings as to Bezalcel and with him Aholiab Exod. 31.3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God in Wisdom and in all manner of workmanship for the tabernacle 3ly A Spiritual man judgeth not of Divine things by carnal reason Church Authority only Tradition or Custom but according to the Truth and Minde of God revealed in the Scriptures 1 Cor. 2.14.15 But the Spiritual man judgeth all things c. Job 32.8 The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth man Knowledge Which Apothegme may also be referred to the former sense that God qualifies and fitteth every person whom he commissioneth for any Imployment as to teach others Yea persons unregenerated may have something like to this Orthodoxie as that understanding Scribe who in Conference with the Lord did give the true and Spiritual sense of the Law upon whom it was accordingly pronounced That he was not far from the Kingdom of God Mark 12.34 Yet being at a distance from true Conversion all the knowledge he had was only by the common illumination of the Spirit which and other common gifts of the unconverted whether they differ specifically or gradually only from the saving knowledge and graces of the Godly I shall not here abide to determine 4ly Every Pious Person is led by the Spirit of God both in his Conversion when Gods Spirit enlightneth the Understanding and reneweth their Will and likewise afterwards directing and quickning to all Duty which Light and Grace he bestows in such measures as fitteth the work wherein He in his Infinite Wisdom imployes them as reading the Scriptures Praying Preaching Writting doing of good Works and suffering when called thereto Of this the Holy Spirit is the efficient cause he bids us do well Yet it is God who worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2.12.13 so 1 John 2.20 Ye have an unction from the Holy One and ye know all things And this Illumination is by Divines called Subjective Revelation because of the agreement betwixt our Souls and the Divine assistance and to distinguish it from the pretended Enthusiasm of deluded Persons who boast of new Revelations as the chief Rule of their Faith and Manners And in this sense Luther Zuinglius and other Divines who are cited in Quakerism no Popery from pag. 19. are to be understood when they write that the inward word of God and the dictats of the Holy Spirit are the true word of God which profit unto Salvation which is also the Sense and meaning of the ancient Holy Fathers when they speak of the leading of the Spirit of God as S. Chrys upon John 6.63 Christs words are to be heard according to the Spirit And whoso heareth them after a carnal manner profiteth nothing And S. Cypr. de S. sancto p. 485. edit Par. cum Annot. Ja. Pamel Suspiration Inspiration and Aspiration in the Godly they have from the Holy Spirit the cause and effect Matter and Increase 5ly The Prophets and Penmen of the Holy Scriptures were in a strict sense Divinely inspired 2 Pet. 1.21 They spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2. Tim. 16.17 All Scriptures is given by the Inspiration
are all His Works from the beginning of the World Eph. 1.4 Having chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the World Vers 5. Having Predestinated us to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of His Will and Verse 11. Who worketh all things after the Counsell of His own Will Again A. B. writes that man hath liberty to resist the Will of GOD L. W. pt 1. p. 192. which plainly contradicteth the Divine Oracle Rom. 9.19 Who hath resisted His Will And linked with these Tenets she asserts that gracious persons may apostatise and be eternally damned L. W. pt 3. p. 136. 137. which assertion is inconsistent with our LORD 's most gracious promise John 10.28 My Sheep shall never perish In fine There are disseminated throughout all her Books the whole Arminian Tenets concerning the Quin quarticular Question excepting that of universal Redemption which why she omitted imbracing all the rest it is not easie to conjecture unless it be for her want of Charity to the generality of Christians And as A. Bs. Doctrine in the foresaid Tenets is contrary to the Scriptures so it is contrary to the Exposition of these and the parallell Texts of Scripture received in the Orthodox Church For it was condemned by the Synod of Dort Anno 1618 both in the complex and in all the 5 heads thereof Which Councill was conveened purposely to put a Stop to the contagious Errours which were spread abroad in the Belgick-neather-lands by Episcopius Corvinus Grevinchovius and other followers of Jacobus Arminius Unto which chosen men were delegated from many reformed Churches who were well versed in the Doctrine of the Primitive Church and every way able Ministers of the Gospel who also after conference with the offending Party upon mature debate and deliberation finding the Arminian Doctrine inconsistent with the Holy Scriptures and the Confessions of Faith of the Respective Churches and tending to the reviving of the Pelagian and Semi Pelagian Heresies and not a little symbolizing with the pestiferous Socinians did condemn it altogether as said is Neither can it be justly thought that these worthy men were ignorant of the sense of the Confessions of Faith of the Respective Churches to which they belonged who were all approved and commended at their return home both by their Constituents and the King Princes and States which sent them for their actings in that Assembly Nor have the representatives of any Protestant Church ever since disallowed the Acts of the Synod at Dort and altho some particular men have vented some flights and fancies too favourable to the Doctrine of the Remonstrants that is not to be imputed to any National Church which by their publick Doctrine and Actings rather disapproves than allowes the samen Scotland had only at that Synod Mr. Bacanquell a Pious and Learned Man to represent it but England had four at first George Bishop of Landaff Joseph Hall Dean of Worcester and John Davenant afterwards Bishops who are and will be still famous in the Church of Christ for their labours in the work of the Gospel and particularly for their excellent writtings Dr. Ward was the fourth and Dr. Goad was sent over in stead of Joseph Hall when he came home sick Yet I own that it was both Piously and Prudently done by the Church of England with the consent and authority of our Wise and Learned King James the 6. to prohibite all rash Preaching or Writting excepting such as should be authorised thereto on these abstruse and intricat questions raised be the Arminians upon the heads aforesaid and whensoever they might be obliedged to touch upon them in explaining a Text of Scripture to a popular auditory to hold to Scripture language and the words of the 39 Articles and the approved homilies of the Church Many judicious People marvel how any man could have been at the pains to write so large a Book being tedious to be read as the Ap. for A. B. is but I finde that his plea for Arminianism in sundry parts thereof hath very much conduced to swell it to the bigness that it hath accresced to under his pen as pt 2. from p. 104. to 127. and pt 4. p. 386. 387. and often in other places thereof Wherein he hath studied to represent the positions and Arguments of the Arminians in behalf of A. B. in a taking popular dress yet in all his pleadings to that purpose I have not been able to discover any Argument which is new but what hath been often tossed heretofore and solidly answered and discussed by the Orthodox Writters which to repeat from them consists not with my Scope in this place But to shew that his arguing can be rationally answered I shall only at this time deal with one of his most plausible Topicks which pt 2. p. 112. is propounded thus GOD knoweth all things only according to their nature but the Will of Man being made a free faculty to chuse or not to chuse or to reject any object propounded unto it by the Understanding GOD doth not foreknow what it shall determine ever as a man who giveth the power of his goods to his Wife cannot fore-know how she will dispose of them This is but a meer fallacie from the homonomie or different significations of the words Knowing and Nature For GOD seeth not as Man seeth 1 Sam. 16.7 And He is Nature natureing Mans Knowledge of things is but finite and limited as himself is apprehending things to be of such and such a nature by the properties figure habitudes and effects which he discerneth them to have and were it not for these means of Knowledge they would define things otherwise whereas the omniscient GOD in whose eternal Idea all things had their first determinations knoweth all things comprehensively even all the possible causes effects and contrariety of things so of all Agents whether necessary or free HE knoweth our thoughts afar off Ps 139.2 GOD who Inspired the Prophet Elisha to tell Hazael what his free will would determine long ere he knew so much himself 2 Kings 8.12.13 He that teacheth man knowledge shall he not know Ps 94.10 Neither doth his simile hold for a wife is her Husbands equal to whom he may give power of his goods either prudently or imprudently but the alwise GOD hath not exempted any of His Creatures from the reach of His Omnipotencie or Omniscience The due consideration of the infinite difference between GODS Omniscience and Omnipotence and the Faculties of sinfull man serves also to disclose the grand Arminian Errour in suspending his Grace upon Mans free Will against the Essentials of Religion POINT II. Of the Image of GOD in Man A. B. asserts that the Image of GOD after which Man was created consists only in Mans free will and nothing else L. W. pt 1. p. 42. which is contrary both to Scripture and Reason for the Soul of Man being Spiritual and immortall imports as much of the Image
Sacraments have we not as luculent Precepts for the constant use of them as of any other duties Mat. 28.19 Go teach all Nations baptising them c. 1 Cor. 11.23 I have received of the LORD that which also I delivered unto you and V. 26. As often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup c. A. B did snatch the Objection against the baptising of Infants from the Socinians and Anabaptists which is most frivolous that it is not commanded in express terms in the Scriptures Origen who lived in the second Centurie writting on Mat. 6.5.6.7 Assureth us that the Church had it always and that by tradition from the Apostles Yet are we more sure that it is a clear consequence from the Scriptures which being natural from the Text and undistorted doth ever import a Scriptural truth As we read Mat. 22.29 Our Saviour charged the Saducees anent the great Article of the Resurrection That they did err not knowing the Scriptures albeit not the express words of the Text Exod. 3.6 which he cited were directly against them but the consequence thereof so upon this sound foundation Infant Baptism is firmly grounded for the Sacraments are not only Signs but likewise Seals of the New Covenant and they to whom the gracious promises and conditions of the Heavenly Charter belong have a right also to the Seals appended thereunto Gen. 17.7.10 The Promise is to Thee and thy Children said GOD to Abraham Baptism comes in the place of Circumcision which was administred to Children when eight days old The right Preaching of the Word and Administration of the Sacraments are the ordinary means of our Salvation and undoubted marks of the true Church The Ap. pt 2 p. 154. to 159. Alleadgeth what he can to justifie A. B. in this which doth not satisfie 1 That she was above Ordinances Which is a vain boasting and contrary to GODS direction Gant 1.8 2 That she durst not go to the Popish Churches for fear of her life She could not be in alike hazard every where and how doth that excuse her for teaching that no Bodie needs go to Church or partake of the Sacraments 3 That she wrote a Book in defence of the Sacraments against the Quakers The Quaker who offended her was rebuked therefore by his Partie and they were reconciled with A. B. And at the best she contradicteth her self in this Point POINT VII Of Pastors and Church Government THe supposed Gentle-woman and pretended Illuminated A. B. and her Defender or Ap. transforming themselves into Angels of Light S. V. pt 1. p. 112 in all their writtings about Religion have indulged the swing of their absolut and independent free will in nothing more than in their ranting and railing at the Pastors of CHRISTS Flock and the Church Government For thus they write that it is unlawful for any to make it a trade or office to teach others S. V. pt 1. p. 115. L. W. pt 3 p. 90. The office of a Priest is an enemie to the resignation of Souls to GOD and Ap. pt 1. p. 53. All the evils of Christendom comes from the Pastors and all the Peoples degeneracie from their Guides I could adduce many more passages to the purpose but it is needless when the Ap. pt 2. p. 158. declares that the L. W. which is the chief of A. Bs. Books the Key and Rule of all the rest was written on purpose against the Pastors because of the degeneracie of the Roman Church Hereupon it may be reflected without debaiting if she was not injurious to write so against all the Pastors of the Church of Rome without exception of any how can it be thought true that she wrote against the Pastors of that Church only since she declares the Pastoral-Office it self to be unlawful and declaims as much against Protestants as Papists and besides them all Pastors in Christendom not excepting any either in the Greek or Abassine Churches or any where else in the World But on the matter it self how contrary is their Doctrine to the Holy Scriptures Whereby we are well instructed that the Alwise GOD who made Man a social Creature naturally inclined to society and thereby needing both Laws and Government did always prescribe Laws to Mankind and for the benefite thereof positively appointed the Government both Civil and Ecclesiastick and by a special designation Pastors and Church-Officers for his own immediat service and the Salvation of Peoples Souls Eph. 4.11.12.13 He gave Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of CHRIST till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the SON of GOD unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of CHRIST Heb 5.4 No man taketh this honour upon himself but he that iâ— called of GOD as was Aaron Where the true Pastor is there the true Church is and when the Shepherd is smitten the Sheep are scattered abroad Mat. 26.31 So it is one of the main Policies of Satan for destroying the Church altogether to endeavour to bring all the Pastors under contempt as a fit mean for subverting the office it self and consequently to ruin the Church of CHRIST Such railing against all Pastors and the Sacred Function it self is as A flood of water cast out of the mouth of the Old Serpent the accuser of the Brethren for To drown if he could the Woman who is cloathed with the Sun that is the Church of GOD. Rev. 12.9.10.15 The accute Ap. when he readeth this part of the Advertisement may possibly say that the language savours of too much passion and the inference is too hard for may not A. Bs. words bear a more favourable interpretation such as that of the Disc Academ p. 16. 23. That Pastors and Church Government Sacraments and the publick Worship of GOD have no certain connexion with Mans Salvation nor are they certain necessary and infallible means of recovering the love of GOD and A. B. one where or another of her writtings mentioneth the Office of Pastors as a thing that may be reformed and to say that Sacred Offices or means ordained by GOD for his own Glory and Mans Salvation may be reformed is a more moderat Sentiment to hold their phrase than that they are simply unlawful and should be quite abolished Hereto it is answered that I designed in this Censure to evite all hard words as much as possible could be without prejudice of truth which is herein defended yet it is allowed as a maxime among moralists either in speaking writting or other actions to sharpen reason not by our own passions or affections but by these which the cause requireth I called her writting on this point against the Pastoral Office Ranting because her language to that purpose is the same with that of the wild Sect of the Ranters and railing which is calumniating or a wrongous caracterising and ascribing undue epithites to
D. D. AN ADVERTISEMENT Anent the Reading of the Books of Antonia Borignion By GEORGE WHITE Minister at Mary-Culter near ABERDEEN They have a Zeal of GOD but not according to Knowledge Rom. 10.2 All Hereticks diminish the Authority of the Holy Scriptures Tert. de praesc c. 49. Enthusiasm is an Impiety whereby a Person hardily bent for the Inward Worship of GOD doth boldly violat and despise His Commands as to outwards Mr. Henry Scougall P D in Aeth l 4 c 8 de justitia ABERDEEN Printed by JOHN FORBES Printer to the TOWN and UNIVERSITY Anno Dom. 1700. The TABLE or INDEX SECTIONS SUBSECTION 1. NUM POINTS SUBS. 2. SECTIONS Sect. 1. The Occasion and Purpose of the Advertisement page 1 Sect. 2. How I have read her Books and the Rules of Arguing p. 3 Sect. 3. Q. If A. B. was Divinely Inspired p. 7 and Sect. 4. Subs 2. N. 2. p. 83 Sect. 4. Q. If her Doctrine be conform to the Holy Scriptures p. 23 Subs 1. Of the Essentials of Religion p. 24 N. 1. Concerning GOD and the Blessed Trinity p. 25 N. 2. Of CHRIST and his Satisfaction for Us. p. 31 N. 3. Of Mans future State p. 40 N. 4. Anent the Love of GOD. p. 45 N. 5. Of the Holy Scriptures p. 51 N. 6. Miscelanies relating to the Essentials of Religion p. 53 Whereof the 1. Point is Of GOD'S Decrees and the Doctrines depending thereupon p. 54 2. Of the Image of GOD in Man p. 60 3. If Man sinned before he sinned p. 61 4. Of Perfection p. 62 5. Of Perseverance p. 64 6. Anent the Sacraments p. 66 7. Of Pastors and Church Government p. 69 N. 1. Of Accessories in the general p. 73 N. 2. Of A. Bs. Accessories in particular p. 77 N. 3. Of her Contradictions p. 89 Sect. 5. How Errours in Books shall be discerned p. 92 Sect. 6. If any should read the Books of A. B. p. 94 Sect. 7. If Borignianists be a New Sect. p. 96 Information to the Reader LEt the Reader of this little Book remember that for brevities sake the two Letters A. B. Signisie Antonia Borignion Ap. the Apologie for her S. V. Solid Vertue L. W. Light of the World Pt. the Part of the Book that is cited P. the Page thereof And according to the Table Sect. the Section Subs the Subsection N. the Number of the Subsection And Po. the Point of it Q. Question A. Answer Obj. Objection SECTION I. The Occasion and Purpose of this Advertisement HAving observed with Regrate for several Years bygone sundry well-meaning Persons and some of them not Unlearned to have vented many Errours concerning the Holy Scriptures the Gospell-Sacraments Church-Government the Pastorall-Office and other most Sacred Establishments of the Christian Religion which they had pick't out of the Pamphlets that are said to be written be A. B. a Flandrian Yea some young men of good expectation by reading these books inadvertently had their Melancholy height'ned to an excessive degree therefore it seemed good for the Truths sake which we ought to contend for Jude 3 and for preventing by the LORD's Blessing further inconvenience that way to write a seasonable Advertisement in meekness and love Eph. 4.14 That we be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive That Christian People may not through blind zeal snatch up any pretence of piety without due examination and it often fals out that some out of a Capricious fancie of defending Innovations leave the high and troden way to Heaven so wander in a Wilderness of Errours It is here proposed that all who tender their Souls Interest may in this case observe the Divine Oracle Rom. 16.17 18. To mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which they have received and avoid them who with good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the Simple This Tractat shall be short and so not tedious to any Reader because in a late Apologie for A. B. printed at London Anno 1699 two pious and learned men to wit Dr. John Cockburn and the Author of the Snake in the Grass and the History of Sin and Herefie are fiercely attaucked for writting against her who doubtless if alive will answer for themselves which yet will require a considerable time for them to answer all the Defences which the Ap. hath alleadged for A. B. and her Abetters her whole Life Actions and Writtings So my present undertaking is only to act the pairt of their fore-runner as one who doth what he can to stop the progress of devouring Fire till greater power arrive to extinguish it SECTION II. How I have read her Books and the Rules of Arguing BEfore I come to adduce the Rules of Disputing it is to be noticed how the Ap. in his Preface declares that he is perswaded in his Conscience that the Writtings of A. B. tend to the reviving of the Spirit of Christianity Which can have no more force to perswade others to be of his Opinion than the Canting Insinuations of the Bygots of all Parties declaring assevering and swearing that themselves only are in the Right and their Opposites in the wrong A mans erring Conscience cannot oblidge himself to believe a Lye or to do ill things it only binds him for to use the means to get it better informed and far less should such a vehement Protestation of his Conscientious Perswasion of the goodness of such rare Teneds as are here questioned procure the Assent of Rational men but the solidity of his Reasons if he hath any according to the Scripture 1 Pet. 3.15.16 There are four Rules of reading Books aright and judging of the Authors Sentiments or there are so many Postulats pre-required to the right disputing of any matter as they are set down in the Ap. Pt. 4 p. 334. 1 To be well acquainted with what we censure 2. If the Scope of A. Bs. Writtings be good and agreeable to the main end of Religion in that case to bear with litle escapes 3. To read her Books without prejudice or an evil eye 4. To narrate and interpret faithfully All which Rules he alleadgeth these gentlmen have transgressed who did write against A. B. And to obviat such an Objection against my self I have observed and shall firmly adhere unto the third and fourth of these Rules without exception being so far from having a Prejudice against A. B. and her Abetters that I wish with meek Moses Numb 11.29 That all the Lords People were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them And the Teneds or Sentiments which I intend to examine shall be truly narrated either in the express words of A. B. and her Ap. or the import thereof without distortion The second Rule needs some Qualifications for a good Purpose doth not justifie an evil Action no more than Sauls sparing the Cattel of