us § III. First then as by the Explanation of the former Thesis appears Expl. 1 we Renounce all Natural Power and Ability in our selves in order to bring us out of our lost and fallâ—n Condition and first Nature Justification springs of and from the Love of God and Confess that as of our selves we are able to do nothing that is good so neither can we procure Remission of Sins or Justification by any Act of our own so as to merit it or draw it as a Debt from God due unto us but we acknowledge all to be of and from his Love which is the Original and Fundamental Cause of our Acceptance Secondly God manifested this love towards us in the sending of his Expl. 2 Beloved Son the Lord Jesus Christ into the World who gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling Savour Christ giveing himself a Sacrifice for us and having made peace through the blood of his Cross that he might Reconcile us unto himself and by the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot unto God and suffered for our Sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us unto God Thirdly then Forasmuch as all men who have come to man's Estate the Man Jesus only Excepted have sinned therefore all have need of Expl. 3 this Saviour to remove the Wrath of God from them due to their Offences in this respect he is truly said to have born the Iniquities of us all in his Body on the Tree and therefore is the Only Mediator having qualified the Wrath of God towards us so that our former sins stand not in our way being by virtue of his most satisfactory Sacrifice Removed and pardoned To Remission of Sins Neither do we think that Remission of Sins is to be expected sought or obtained any other way or by any Works or Sacrifice whatsoever though as has been said formerly they may come to partake of this Remission that are Ignorant of the History So then Christ by his Death and Sufferings hath Reconciled us to God The only Mediator betwixt God and Man even while we are Enemies that is he offers Reconciliation unto us we are put into a Capacity of being Reconciled God is willing to forgive us our Iniquities and to accept us as is well expressed by the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them and hath put in us the Word of Reconciliation And therefore the Apostle in the next verses intreats them in Christ's stead to be Reconciled to God intimating that the Wrath of God being removed by the Obedience of Christ Jesus he is willing to be Reconciled unto them and ready to Remit the sins that are past if they Repent A Twofold Redemption We Consider then our Redemption in a twofold Respect or State both which in their own nature are perfect though in their Application to us the one is not nor cannot be without respect to the other I. The Redemption of Christ without us The first is the Redemption performed and accomplished by Christ for us in his Crucified Body without us The other is the Redemption wrought by Christ in us which no less properly is called and accounted a Redemption than the former The first then is that whereby man as he stands in the Fall is put into a Capacity of Salvation and hath conveyed unto him a measure of that Power Virtue Spirit Life and Grace that was in Christ Jesus which as the Free Gift of God is able to Counter-ballance Overcome and Root-out the Evil Seed wherewith we are naturally as in the Fall leavened II. The Redemption wrought by Christ in us The second is that whereby we Witness and Know this pure and perfect Redemption in our selves purifying cleansing and redeeming us from the power of Corruption and bringing us into Vnity Favour and Friendship with God By the first of these two we that were lost in Adam plunged in the bitter and Corrupt Seed unable of our selves to do any good thing but naturally joined and united to Evil forward and propense to all Iniquity Servants and Slaves to the power and spirit of Darkness are notwithstanding all this so far Reconciled to God by the death of his Son while Enemies that we are put into a Capacity of Salvation having the glad Tidings of the Gospel of Peace offered unto us and God is Reconciled unto us in Christ calls and invites us to himself in which respect we understand these Scriptures * Eph. 2.15 1 John 4.10 Ezech. 16.6 1 Pet. 2.22 24. and 3.18 He slew the Enmity in himself He loved us first seeing us in our blood he said unto us live he who did not sin his own self bare our sins in his own body on the Tree and he died for our sins the Just for the Vnjust By the second we witness this Capacity brought into Act whereby receiving and not resisting the purchase of his death to wit the Light Spirit and Grace of Christ Revealed to us we witness and possess a real true and inward Redemption from the power and prevalency of sin and so come to be truly and really Redeemed Justified and made Righteous and to a sensible Union and Friendship with God Thus he died * Tit. 2.14 Phil. 3.10 for us that he might Redeem us from all Iniquity and thus we know him and the Power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable to us This last follows the first in order and is a Consequence of it proceeding from it as an Effect from its Cause So as none could have enjoyed the last without the first had been such being the Will of God so also can none now partake of the first but as he witnesseth the last Wherefore as to us they are both Causes of our Justification The first the Procuring Efficient the other the Formal Cause Fourthly We understand not by this Justification by Christ barely the Expl. 4 good works even as wrought by the Spirit of Christ for they as Protestants truly affirm are rather an Effect of Justification than the Cause of it The Formation of Christ in us begets Good Works But we understand the Formation of Christ in us Christ born and brought forth in us from which good Works as naturally proceed as Fruit from a fruitful Tree It is this Inward Birth in us bringing forth Righteousness and Holiness in us that doth Justify us which having removed and done away the Contrary Nature and Spirit that did bear Rule and bring Condemnation now is in Dominion over all in our hearts Those then that come to know Christ thus formed in them do enjoy him wholly and undivided who is the LORD our RIGHTEOVSNESS Jer. 23.6 This is to be Cloathed with Christ and to have put him on whom God therefore truly accounteth Righteous and Just. This is so far from being the
express Words of Scripture and if in some of the Questions there be somewhat Subsumed of what in my Judgment is the plain and naked Import of the Words it is not to Impose my Sense upon the Reader but to make way for the next Question for the dependence of the Matter 's sake I shall leave it to the reason of any Vnderstanding and Judicious Man who is not byassed by Self-Interest that great Enemy to true Equity and who in the least measure is willing to give way to the Light of Christ in his Conscience if the Scriptures do not pertinently and aptly Answer to the Questions As I have upon serious Grounds Separated from most of the Confessions and Catechisms heretofore published so not without Cause I have now taken another Method They usually place their Confession of Faith before the Catechism I judge it ought to be otherwise in regard that which is Easiest and is Composed for Children or such as are Weak ought in my Judgment to be placed first it being most Regular to Begin with things that are Easie and Familiar and lead on to things that are more Hard and Intricate Besides that things be more largely opened in the Catechism and divers Objections Answered which are proposed in the Questions the Reader having past through that first will more perfectly understand the Confession which consisteth mainly in positive Assertions Not long after I had received and believed the Testimony I now bear I had in my view both the possibility and facility of such a Work and now after a more large and perfect acquaintance with the Holy Scripture I found Access to allow some time to set about it and have also been helped to accomplish the same I doubt not but it might be enlarged by divers Citations which are here omitted as not being at present brought to my Remembrance Yet I find Cause to be contented in that God hath so far assisted me in this Work by his Spirit that good Remembrancer the Manifestation of which as it is minded will help such as Seriously and Conscientiously Read this to find out and cleave to the Truth and also Establish and Confirm those who have already believed Which of all things is most earnestly desired and daily prayed for By FromVrie the Place of my Being in my Native Country of Scotland the 11th of the 6th Month 1673. ROBERT BARCLAY A Servant of the Church of CHRIST THE CONTENTS Chap. 1. OF God and the true and saving Knowledge of him Chap. 2. Of the Rule and Guide of Christians and of the Scriptures Chap. 3. Of Jesus Christ's being manifest in the Flesh the Use and End of it Chap. 4. Of the New Birth the Inward Appearance of Christ in Spirit and the Unity of the Saints with him Chap. 5. Concerning the Light wherewith Jesus Christ hath enlightned every Man the Universality and Sufficiency of God's Grace to all the World made manifest therein Chap. 6. Concerning Faith Justification and Works Chap. 7. Concerning Perfection or Freedom from Sin Chap. 8. Concerning Perseverance and falling from Grace Chap. 9. Concerning the Church and Ministry Chap. 10. Concerning Worship Chap. 11. Concerning Baptism and Bread and Wine Chap. 12. Concerning the Life of a Christian in general what and how it ought to be in this World Chap. 13. Concerning Magistracy Chap. 14. Concerning the Resurrection Chap. 15. A short Introduction to the Confession of Faith Chap. 16. A Confession of Faith containing Twenty Three Articles Article 1. Concerning God and the True and Saving Knowledge of him Art 2. Concerning the Guide and Rule of Christians Art 3. Concerning the Scriptures Art 4 Concerning the Divinity of Christ and his being from the Beginning Art 5. Concerning his Appearance in the Flesh. Art 6. Concerning the End and Use of that Appearance Art 7. Concerning the Inward Manifestation of Christ. Art 8. Concerning the New Birth Art 9. Concerning the Unity of the Saints with Christ. Art 10. Concerning the Universal Love and Grace of God to all Art 11. Concerning the Light that enlightneth every Man Art 12. Concerning Faith and Justification Art 13. Concerning Good Works Art 14. Concerning Perfection Art 15. Concerning Perseverance and Falling from Grace Art 16. Concerning the Church and Ministry Art 17. Concerning Worship Art 18. Concerning Baptism Art 19. Concerning Eating of Bread and Wine Washing of one anothers Feet abstaining from things strangled and from Blood and Anointing of the Sick with Oil. Art 20. Concerning the Liberty of such Christians as are come to know the Substance as to the using or not using of these Rites and of the Observation of Days Art 21. Concerning Swearing Fighting and Persecution Art 22. Concerning Magistracy Art 23. Concerning the Resurrection Chap. 17. A short Expostulation with and Appeal to all other Professors Chap. 18. A short Examination of some of the Scripture-Proofs alledged by the Divines at Westminster to prove divers Articles in their Confession of Faith and Catechism A CATECHISM c. year 1673 CHAP. I. Of GOD and the True and Saving Knowledge of Him Question SEeing it is a thing Vnquestioned by all sorts of Christians that the Hight of Happiness consisteth in coming to know and enjoy Eternal Life what is it in the Sense and Judgment of Christ Answer This is Life Eternal that they might know thee John 17.3 the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Q. How doth God Reveal this Knowledge A. For God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness 2 Cor. 4.6 hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. Q. How many Gods are there A. One God We know that an Idol is nothing in the World Ephes. 4.9 1 Cor. 8.4 6. and that there is none other God but one But to us there is but one God Q. What is God A. God is a Spirit John 4.24 Q. Among all the Blessed Glorious and Divine Excellencies of God which are ascribed and given to him in the Scriptures what is that which is most needful for us to take notice of as being the Message which the Apostles Recorded in special manner to declare of him now under the Gospel A. This then is the Message which we have heard of him and declare unto you That God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all 1 John 1.5 Q. What are they that bear Record in Heaven A. There are Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father 1 John 5.7 the Word and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One. Q. How cometh any Man to know God the Father according to Christ's Words A. All things are delivered to me of my Father and no Man knows who the Son is but the Father and who the Father is Luke 10.22 Mal. 11.27 John 14.6 but the Son and he to whom the Son will Reveal him Jesus saith unto him I am the Way the Truth and
Doctrine of Papists that as the generality of them do not Vnderstand it so the Learned among them oppose it and dispute against it and particularly Bellarmine Thus then as I may say the formal Cause of Justification is not the Works to speak properly they being but an Effect of it but this Inward Birth this Jesus brought forth in the heart who is the Well-beloved whom the Father cannot but Accept and all those who thus are sprinkled with the blood of Jesus and washed with it By this also comes that Communication of the goods of Christ unto us by which we come to be made partakers of the Divine Nature as saith Peter 2 Pet. 1.4 and are made one with him as the Branches with the Vine and have a Title and Right to what he hath done and suffered for us Christ's Obedience Righteousness Death and Sufferings are ours So that his Obedience becomes Ours his Righteousness ours his Death and Sufferings ours And by this Nearness we come to have a Sense of his Sufferings and to suffer with his Seed that yet lies pressed and crucified in the hearts of the ungodly and so travel with it and for its Redemption and for the Repentance of those Souls that in it are Crucifying as yet the Lord of Glory Even as the Apostle Paul who by his Sufferings is said to fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ for his Body which is the Church Though this be a Mystery sealed up from all the Wise men that are yet Ignorant of this Seed in themselves and oppose it nevertheless some Protestants speak of this Justification by Christ inwardly put-on as shall hereafter be recited in its place Lastly Though we place Remission of Sins in the Righteousness and Expl. 5 Obedience of Christ performed by him in the flesh as to what pertains to the Remote procuring Cause and that we hold our selves formally Justified by Christ Jesus formed and brought forth in us yet can we not as some Protestants have unwarily done Exclude Works from Justification Good Works are not excluded Justification for though properly we be not Justified for them yet are we Justified in them and they are necessary even as Causa sine quâ non i. e. the Cause without which none are justified For the denying of this as it 's contrary to the Scriptures Testimony so it hath brought a great Scandal to the ProProtestant Religion opened the mouths of Papists and made many too secure while they have believed to be justified without good works Moreover though it be not safe to say They are Meritorious yet seeing they Prop. 5 6 are Rewarded many of those called the Fathers have not spared to use the word Merit which some of us have perhaps also done in a qualified Sense but no ways to infer the Popish Abuses above-mentioned And lastly If we had that notion of good works which most Protestants have we could freely agree to make them not only not necessary but Reject them as hurtful viz. That the best works even of the Saints are defiled and polluted For though we judge so of the best Works performed by man endeavouring a Conformity to the outward Law by his own strength and in his own will yet we believe that such works as naturally proceed from this Spiritual Birth and Formation of Christ in us are pure and holy even as the Root from which they come and therefore God Accepts them Justifies us in them and Rewards us for them of his own Free Grace The State of the Controversy being thus stated these following Positions do hencefrom arise in the next place to be proved Position I § IV. First That the Obedience Sufferings and Death of Christ is that by which the Soul obtains Remission of Sins and is the procuring Cause of that Grace by whose inward workings Christ comes to be formed inwardly and the Soul to be made Conformable unto him and so just and justified And that therefore in respect of this Capacity and Offer of Grace God is said to be Reconciled not as if he were actually Reconciled or did actually Justify or account any Just so long as they remain in their Sins really Impure and Vnjust Position II Secondly That it is by this Inward Birth of Christ in man that man is made Just and therefore so accounted by God Wherefore to be plain we are thereby and not till that be brought forth in us formally if we must use that word Justified in the sight of God because Justification is both more properly and frequently in Scripture taken in its proper signification for making one Just and not reputing one meerly such and is all one with Sanctification Position III Thirdly That since good Works as naturally follow from this Birth as heat from fire therefore are they of Absolute Necessity to Justification as Causa sine quâ non i. e. though not as the Cause for which yet as that Good Works are Causa sine quâ non of Justification in which we are and without which we cannot be Justified And though they be not Meritorious and draw no Debt upon God yet he cannot but Accept and Reward them for it is contrary to his Nature to deny his own since they may be perfect in their kind as proceeding from a Pure Holy Birth and Root Wherefore their Judgment is false and against the Truth that say That the holiest Works of the Saints are defiled and sinful in the sight of God for those Good Works are not the Works of the Law excluded by the Apostle from Justification Position I § V. As to the first I prove it from Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his blood Proof I to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of Sins that are past through the forbearance of God Here the Apostle holds forth the Extent and Efficacy of Christ's Death The Efficacy of Christ's Death to Redeem man out of Evil. shewing that thereby and by Faith therein Remission of sins that are past is obtained as being that wherein the forbearance of God is exercised towards Mankind So that though men for the Sins they daily Commit deserve Eternal Death and that the Wrath of God should lay hold upon them yet by virtue of that most-satisfactory Sacrifice of Christ Jesus the Grace and Seed of God moves in love towards them during the day of their Visitation yet not so as not to strike against the Evil for that must be burned-up and destroyed but to Redeem man out of the Evil. Prop. 7 Secondly If God were perfectly Reconciled with men Proof II and did esteem them Just while they are actually Vnjust and do Continue in their Sins then should God have no Controversy with them * I do not only speak concerning men before Conversion who afterwards are Converted whom yet some of our Antagonists called Antinomians do aver were Justified from the beginning but also
by our selves For should we so Conclude then it would follow that we should throw away all Holiness and Righteousness since that which is filthy Rags and as a menstruous Garment ought to be thrown away yea it would follow that all the fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 4. were as filthy Rags whereas on the contrary some of the Works of the Saints are said to have a Sweat savour in the nostrils of the Lord are said to be an Ornament of great price in the sight of God are said to Prevail with him and to be Acceptable to him which filthy Rags and a menstruous Garment cannot be Yea many famous Protestants have acknowledged that this place is not therefore so to be understood Calvin's and others their sense concerning Isa. 64 6. of our Righteousness Calvin upon this place saith That it is used to be cited by some that they may prove there is so little Merit in our Works that they are before God filthy and defiled but this seems to me to be different from the Prophet's Mind saith he seeing he speaks not here of all Mankind Musculus upon this place saith Musculus That it was usual for this people to presume much of their legal Righteousness as if thereby they were made Clean nevertheless they had no more Cleanness than the unclean Garment of a man Others expone this place concerning all the Righteousness of our flesh that Opinion indeed is true Yet I think that the Prophet did rather accommodate these sayings to the Impurity of that people in legal Terms The Author commonly supposed Bertius speaking concerning the True Sense of Chap. 7. of the Epistle to the Romans Bertius Epistolae praefixae dissert ann hath a Digression touching this of Isaiah saying This place is commonly corrupted by a pernicious wresting for it is still alledged as if the meaning thereof inferred the most Excellent Works of the best Christians c. Ja. Coret Apolog. Impress Paris ann 1597· pag. 78. James Coret a French Minister in the Church of Basil in his Apology concerning Justification against Alescales saith Nevertheless according to the Counsel of certain good men I must admonish the Reader that it never come into our minds to abuse that saying of Isa. 64.6 against good Works in which it is said that all our Righteousness are as filthy Rags as if we would have that which is good in our good Works and proceedeth from the Holy Spirit to be esteemed as a filthy and unclean thing § XII As to the other part That seeing the best of men are still Impure and Imperfect therefore their Works must be so It is to beg the Answ. 2 question and depends upon a Proposition denied and which is to be discussed at further length in the next Proposition But though we should suppose a man not throughly perfect in all respects yet will not that hinder but good and perfect Works in their kind may be brought forth in them by the Spirit of Christ Neither doth the Example of Water going through an unclean Pipe hit the matter because though Water may be capable to be tinctured with Vncleanness yet the Spirit of God cannot whom we assert to be the Immediate Author of those Works that avail in Justification and therefore Jesus Christ his Works in his Children are pure and perfect and he worketh in and through that pure thing of his own forming and creating in them Moreover if this did hold according to our Adversaries supposition That no man ever was or can be perfect it would follow that the very Miracles and Works of the Apostles which Christ wrought in them Were the Miracles and Works of the Apostles wrought by the power of Christ in them Impure and Imperfect and they wrought in and by the Power Spirit and Grace of Christ were also Impure and Imperfect such as their Converting of the Nations to the Christian Faith their gathering of the Churches their writing of the Holy Scriptures yea and their Offering up and Sacrificing of their Lives for the Testimony of Jesus What may our Adversaries think of this Argument whereby it will follow that the Holy Scriptures whose Perfection and Excellency they seem so much to magnify are proved to be Impure and Imperfect because they came through Impure and Imperfect Vessels It appears by the Confessions of Protestants that the Fathers did frequently attribute unto Works of this kind that Instrumental Work which we have spoken of in Justification albeit some ignorant persons cry out that it is Popery and also divers and that famous Protestants do of themselves Confess it Amandus Polanus in his Symphonia Catholica Am. Polanus c. 27. de Remissione Peccatorum Our Doctrine of Justification and Works is not Popery p. 651. places this These as the Common Opinion of Protestants most agreeable to the Doctrine of the Fathers We obtain the Remission of Sins by Repentance Confession Prayers and Tears proceeding from Faith but do not Merit to speak properly and therefore we obtain Remission of Sins not by the Merit of our Repentance and Prayers but by the Mercy and Goodness of God Gentiletus Ex. Impressi Genev. 151◠Innocentius Gentiletus a Lawyer of great fame among Protestants in his Examen of the Council of Trent p. 66 67. of Justification having before spoken of Faith and Works adds these words But seeing the one cannot be without the other we call them both conjunctly Instrumental Causes Zanchius Zanchius in his 5. Book de Naturâ Dei saith We do not simply deny that good Works are the Cause of Salvation to wit the Instrumental rather than the Efficient Cause which they call sine quâ non And afterwards Good Works are the Instrumental Cause of the possession of Life Eternal for by these as by a means and a lawful way G. Ames in Medullâ S. Theologiae l. 2. c. 1. Thes. 30. God leads unto the possession of Life Eternal G. Amesius saith That our Obedience albeit it be not the Principal and Meritorious Cause of Life Eternal is nevertheless a Cause in some respect administring helping and advancing towards the possession of the Life R. Baxter Also R. Baxter in the Book above cited p. 155. saith That we are Justified by Works in the same kind of Causality as by Faith to wit as being both Causes sine quâ non or Conditions of the New Covenant on our part requisite to Justification And p. 195. he saith It is needless to teach any Scholar who hath read the writings of Papists how this Doctrine differs from them Of the Merit and Reward of Works But lastly because it is fit here to say something of the Merit and Reward of Works I shall add something in this place of our Sense and Belief concerning that matter We are far from thinking or believing that man Merits any thing by his Works from God all being of Free Grace and therefore do we
in Doctrine or Practice to be refused and disowned 218. its Operations c. 601 607. Spiritual Iniquities 428 429. Spiritual Discerning 519 Stephen spake by the Spirit 282 Study the Priests Study and Premeditation to Preach by the hourglass 431 454 848 850. Suffering how Paul filled up that which was behind of the Afflictions of Christ how any is made partaker of the Sufferings of Christ and conformeth to his Death 394 Superstition 440 441. whence Superstition sprung 450 475 492 Supper see Communion Bread it was of old administred even to little Children and Infants 512. Arguments concerning the Supper answered c. 615 618 160 865 T. Tables 508. Talent One Talent is not at all insufficient of it self the Parable of the Talents 344 345 349. those that improved their Talents well are called Good and Faithful Servants 382. he that improved well his two Talents was nothing less accepted than he that improved his five 388. Talk see Plays Taulerus was instructed by the poor Laick 417 he tasted of the Love of God 444. Testimony see Spirit The Four Students Testimonies against their Fellow Students 674. Thee and Thou see Number Theseus his Boat 431. Thomas a Kempis 444. Tithes were assigned to the Levites but not to the Ministers of this Day 432 433 Titles It is not at all lawful for the Christians to use those Titles of Honour Majesty c. 533 535 540 564 565. Tongue The knowledge of Tongues is laudable 421 422. Tradition how unsufficient it is to decide 277. it is not a sufficient ground for Faith 513 Transâ—ations see Bible Interpreters Truth There is a Difference what one saith of the Truth and that which the Truth it self interpreting it self saith 271. Truth is not hard to be arrived at but is most nigh ibid. Turks among them there may be Members of the Church 404 405. V. Vespers 443 Vnderstanding None understandeth why they turn not to the Light that gives an Vnderstanding 8. see Intellect Voices Outward Voices see Faith Miracles W. Waiting in Silence 13 War That it is not lawful for Christians to Resist Evil nor wage War 533. the National Preachers and Professors the chief Promoters of War 709 who account it lawful to Revenge every Injury are no favourers of Vniversal Love nor true Followers of Patient Jesus 704 705. the Devil the primary Cause of all the Confusion and Wars in Christendom so called 707. unless this be foreseen and this evil Guest turned out no effectual Remedy can be applied ibid. Worldly and Carnal Wisdom the Cause of Wars 711. Washing of Feet 426 427. Water some Water so clean and pure that passing through an Unclean Pipe cannot be defiled by it 25. Westminster Confession of Faith saith expresly ch 3. that God ordained such as are not Elected for Dishonour and Wrath to the Praise of his Glorious Justice 775. the same Confession saith That nothing future or what was to come even as foreseen by God was the Cause of God's Decree ibid. the Westminster Confession of Faith hath long lain under the Censure of an Examen not yet Answered 726. the Confession weakly confirmed and the Scriptures perverted to make them serve for a Proof 726 727. the Scriptures are made to serve this Confession of Faith and not it to Answer the Scriptures 727 William Barclay 524. Woman a Woman can preach 427 432. Luther affirmed that a Woman might be a Preacher 410. Arguments against Womens Preaching answered 621 622 Word The Eternal Word is the Son it was in the beginning with God and was God It is Jesus Christ by whom God created all things 274 334 747. what Augustin read in the Writings of the Platonists concerning this Word 377. that more sure Word of Prophecy is not the Scriptures 17. the Life and virtue of Words is a distinct thing from the Words 644. The Word of God is ascribed to Christ 747. Works are either of the Law or of the Gospel 382. see Justification Good Works the Instrumental Cause of Justification 817. the Merit and Worth of good Works is from Christ 20. in what sense Good Works are reckoned meritorious 79. Worship What the true and acceptable Worship of God is and how it is offered and what the Superstitious and Abominable is 440. the true Worship was soon corrupted and lost 440 441. concerning the Worship done in the time of the Apostasy 443 467. Of what Worship is here handled and of the difference of the Woship of the Old and new Covenant 441 242 455 457. the true Worship is neither limited to Times Places or Persons and it is Explained how this is to be understood 440 442 450 451 466 467 483 484. Concerning the Lord's Day and the Days upon which Worship is performed 442 443. of the Publick and Silent Worship and its Excellency 444 452. of Preaching 452 465. of Prayer 465 472. what sort of Worship the Quakers are for and what sort their Adversaries 474. the Definition of Civil and Religious Worship defended by a wrong Translation 59 60. concerning Worship 745 746 169 634 603. X. Xaverius his Testimony concerning the Inward Innate Light in the Soul 701 702. Z. Zeal having a right Bottom and Foundation proceeding purely from the Love of God is a great virtue and greatly to be commended and pressed after 680. false Zeal and the several kinds thereof 681 682. ERRATA pag. li. Errors Corrected 3 45 say to say so 38 21 we keep ye keep 89 34 gave gave some Apostles 92 15 and 42 dele 92 33 and 65 dele 150 5 unto unto me 347 21 else dele 508 28 Act. 6.26 Act. 6.2 6. 6â—8 44 Arminian Armenian 704 49 such dele 766 37 should I I should 833 47 Af After In the Margent pag. li. Errors Corrected 122 2 Gal. 41.9 Gal. 4.19 137 36 2 Tim. 17 2 Tim. 2. 367 16 English dele In the Table at the end of the Letter B. after the Words Super-substantial Bread put 499. FINIS
as a Foundation of which Christ the VVord was the Corner-stone succeeding Believers were to be built And I challenge all the Disaffected Societies and Forms without Distinction or these Vniversalists I am upon to shew any other manner of God's Appearing to Men in any Age or that in the same Age or by the Primitive or first Instruments of such Appearance there was a Change of Dispensation or a Justifiable Declension from what they testified of and were the Instruments to gather and settle People in so that to Conclude Vniversal Love is a blessed Truth but with the Degrees Limitations and Distinctions that the Spirit of God sets and gives us whose Fruit it is and unto which we shall do well to take heed Gal. 5.22 that we at all times Love truly and rightly not too little nor too much but Consider the Object and Motive of our Love and we cannot fail in that great Duty of Love to all This Treatise of Vniversal Love is followed by another styled An Epistle of Love published at the End of the same Year Writ and sent by our Author as A Friendly Advice to the Ambassadours of the Several Princes of Europe met at Nimmegen to Consult of the Peace of Christendom shewing the True Cause of War and proposing the best Means of Peace To each of whom also was given one of his Apologies which were all received with Respect This Epistle has Edification in it to our present Times The Original Cause of VVar is not hard to Assign the Apostle James has told it us long ago He asks and Answers the Question thus From whence come Wars and Fightings among you Jam. 1.1 Come they not hence even from your Lusts that War in your Members It is what every one feels in himself that has not Overcome those Lusts or whose Consciences are not seared with an hot Iron though it is also what very few make their due Reflections upon else we should hear of less Blood and Misery But if Lust be the Ground of War what is become of the Doctrine of Christianity among those supposed Christians and what are they that shew a Pleasure in the Accounts of the bloodiest Battles Can a Christian of Christ's making look upon the Blood of Men or hear of it without horror and distress of Spirit Less surely can they shed it or encourage those that have a Delight or Part in that Man-slaying Work But how low and grosly are some Professed Christians fallen from the Nature of true Religion and the purity and Power of the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints through Sufferings by them to us Jud. 3. that hang their Religion and Gospel upon their Swords and Guns and pin it upon an Arm of Flesh as if the Gospel could be Overcome of that which cannot Touch it But how I pray did the Primitive Christians maintain their Ground yea grew upon their Adversaries Poor Naked Men and not of the greatest Quality or Capacity and finally Vanquish Cruelty it self but by Faith and Patience Hebr. 11.33 42. Thus they Converted Executioners Overcame Emperours and Armies and by a Successive Course of Meek and Suffering Integrity turned the Edge of the Sword quenched the Flames of Fire with their own Blood not the Blood of their Enemies and finally this Holy Constancy translated them from the Theatre of Slaughter to the Palaces and Diadems of Princes This brings to my Remembrance a Passage our Author has in this Book to this Effect That there is nothing a Greater Tarnish and Withering to the Protestant Cause than the Professors of it betaking themselves and that early to Earthly Powers and Weapons to preserve and promote it which are not the Weapons of the Apostolical Warfare and Inconsistant with the Nature Power and Glory of Christ's Kingdom For the Preservation of the Protestant Religion stands in a Spirit of true Reformation as well in Life as Doctrine as plainly decayed if not lost and it is to be feared for that Reason that God will blow upon all other Ways of supporting it especially such as we thought a Fault in our Enemies in Wordly Arts and Force If we would be Zealous to purpose for the Protestant Cause let us look to God and not Man Examine our selves Try our selves 2 Cor. 13.5 Luke 15.8 9. see what is wanting in us both to God and Man Let us Return Home Light our own Candle and sweep our own House and we shall find the Silver we have lost the Zeal Power and Purity of Soul that make our Worship acceptable our Prayers prevalent our Lives Blameless and an Ornament to Religion This Faith this Holiness this Reformation is the Cause of God and the rest is our own though we Gild the Pill flatter our selves and deceive others This Spirit of Reformation knows no Man no People no Church after the Flesh This goes on Overturning Overturning all Will-worship Man-made Faiths Humane Inventions and Traditions of Men about Religion till he Reigns in the Soul whose Right it is to Rule It is an Holy Leaven O Reader that leavens the whole Lump into its own Nature and makes fallen Matt. 13.33 2 Pet. 1.4 degenerate earthly-minded Man that receives it a Partaker of the Divine Nature This the earliest and purest Protestants aimed at Heb. 11. that had their Eye to an Eternal Country the City whose Builder and Maker is God Free of Humane Considerations and the Mixture of Worldly Interests and Advantages And to Evidence the Truth of what I say Read the Accounts that the Faithfullest Writers of those Times have obliged us with and you shall Taste the same thing even among the Martyrs themselves where the Country and Mechanical People those of least Account out-do those of Title Learning and Preferment among Church-men themselves as to the Life and Purity of Reformation and Zeal and Courage for it as occasion offered to shew both Wherefore O ye Protestants of all sorts Return Return Return to your First Love and Works before it be too late Hos. 12.6 Rev. 2.5 Joel 2. Zach. 1.3 Rend your Hearts and not your Garments and turn to the Lord your God you have but a little Time and a great Account to give Think not to be long safe from your Enemies without while you Entertain your greatest Enemy within in despight of God his Spirit and Scripture and your own Pretensions to Reformation While you have so many Sins on your Enemy's Side to fight against you they will ever have Power to Vex you if not to Destroy you And if in some Evils your Enemies Exceed yet in Moral Ones you are not a Jot behind them And Remember they have their Beads but you have your Bibles in your Hands when you Transgress God Almighty make you sensible with True and Godly Sorrow a Repentance never to be repented of that you may Overcome your Enemies by your Faith 2 Cor. 7.9 10. Prayers and Love and by the Power of your Example Recommend your Religion
making it his Rule he signifies his desire not so much to Square his Practices to the Scripture as by twining it like a Nose of Wax to make it Square to them He Superscribeth his Third Head An Undertaking to prove That our Departing from them is not to be Justified by their departing from Papists Wherein is to be observed his manifest Omissions which the Reader will see by comparing the 12 13 and 14 th pages of my last with this his Third Head Next I Observe the weakness of his Arguing in what he hath mentioned wherein he concludes That because we grant we had a measure of Integrity while among them that therefore it was begot by their Ordinances so called But doth not the same recur in the Case of the Primitive Protestants or will he say that all of them were void of any measure of Integrity while they were among the Papists Moreover whereas he Objects Papists not Converted by Popish Traditions c. that though God visited some among Papists it was not by Popish Traditions alledging Luther had the benefit of the Copy of a Latin Bible whereby he was Instructed For Answer The same recurs in our Case for whatever Advantages Luther had either by the use of the Bible or otherways had not we the same And therefore in the Third place is to be Observed that he hath altered the State of the Question alledging it to be Incumbent upon me to prove that they were Converted by the Popish Traditions Which is a wilful mistake for the Question as may be seen in the pages above-mentioned was Whether God might not countenance us with a regard to that measure of Integrity he hath begot in our Hearts though we are indeed wrong as to our walking with them in their Way And this I did Illustrate by the Example of the Disciples of Cornelius and of Luther who though he came but Gradually to his Discoveries yet was Countenanced in the first as well as last steps yea notwithstanding of his erring grosly in the matter of Transubstantiation All this he hath wholly omitted closing up this Head by endeavouring to draw from my words a reflection upon P.L. as if I accounted an Objection coming from him weak but it is ill Inferred to conclude P. L. from thence a feeble Person For though P.L. as well as I might reckon it weak comparatively in respect of others more strong yet he might judge it strong enough for such faint Disputers as W.M. or his Brethren at Aberdeen to Answer as that which he reckoned would put the Quakers to a great Nonplus he proposed in his Dialogue upon this occasion a Query viz. Whether it was safe to lean to the Guidance of that Light which one while says This is the Way of God walk in it another while Come out of it for it is Babylon To which beside the general Answer above-mentioned I shew him how easily it might be Retorted upon most of all the National Ministry of Scotland who now are gainsaying and contradicting that which they had formerly pleaded for as the Cause and Work of God even then as this their Changableness cannot be ascribed to the Scripture which they pretend to be their Rule neither will any man's Instability who pretends to be guided by the Light prove the Light ought not to be followed This because he felt might touch him and his Brethren too near therefore he hath wholly omitted it His Fourth Head is concerning the Light containing five Sections from Page 9. to the 25. wherein is to be observed First How he has gone from the State of the Question as it is in his Dialogue page 5. where he denies Christ to be in the Wicked or Unconverted in any other manner then as he is in the very Bruits and unsensible Creatures But now he grants Christ to be in such as to common Operations and page 22. he says That the Light is in all men and that Christ is in all men in so far as his Light is in all men And thus he overthrows his chief Argument used against us in his Dialogue page 5. where he says That Christ is in none but in such with whom He is in Vnion For here he grants Christ's Light to be in all men even such as are not in Vnion with him adding that Where the Light of Christ is there is Christ the Donator of it Which is all we say so then the Controversy is no more if Christ or his Light be in all men But after what manner He is in them and whether this Light be Saving yea or nay And here in the second place I Observe his shameless Dis-ingenuity and Omission in saying It remains for me to prove that this Light in all is Saving Whereby he would make the Reader believe that I had never offered to prove this For clearing of which I desire he may look into page 23. of my last where from Rom. 5.8 Joh. 3.16 19. Hebr. 2. Tit. 2.11 Col. 1.23 I did prove that the Universal Grace of God given to all men is Saving in its Nature and in order to Save And now though no Rules of strict Debate could require me to proceed further yet I shall go on to Examine the Question as he hath now stated it viz. That such as are not in Vnion with Christ have not Saving Grace To prove this he produceth some Scriptures where such as have Saving Grace and Light are said to be in Union with Christ which is not in the least denied But the Question is Whether all that have Saving Light are in Vnion with Christ which he hath not so much as offered to prove And therefore it is here to be Observed how he hath not so much as mentioned far less medled with my Arguments proving Saving Light and Grace to be in men before they be Converted or in Vnion with Christ shewing He must needs be in them before He be in Vnion with them that he may work the Faith by which He may be united unto them seeing without Him the Scripture saith we can do nothing Joh. 15.5 as it is more amply contained in page 15. of my last Page 14. he seems to take some notice of an Example brought by me to shew That Saving Grace presupposes not Conversion It is from the Instance of a Plaister and a Wound the being healed of a Wound presupposeth a Plaister but the Application of the Plaister presupposeth not the being healed this he Rejects as not to the Purpose because as he saith Who have Saving Grace are in part healed cured of the Reigning Power of Sin but for this he brings no Proof nor hath not shewn us wherein the Comparison Answereth not after the like manner In the same page he addeth That the difference betwixt having of Saving Grace and being in a State of Grace is but the Figment of the Quaker 's own Brain Without giving any cause for it either from Scripture or Reason but only he
those that Exalt a natural Power or Light in man and how our Principle leads above all others to attribute our whole Salvation to the meer Power Spirit and Grace of God To them then that ask us after this matter How do ye differ from the Pelagians and Arminians For if two men have equal sufficient Light and Grace and the one be saved by it and the other not is it not because the one improves it the other not Is not then the Will of man the Cause of the one's Salvation beyond the other I say to such we thus Answer That as the Grace and Light in all is sufficient to save all and of its own nature would save all so it strives and wrestles with all for to save them he that Resists its strivings is the Cause of his own Condemnation The Light 's Operation in order to Salvation he that Resists it not it becomes his Salvation So that in him that is saved the working is of the Grace and not of the Man and it 's a Passiveness rather than an Act though afterwards as man is wrought upon there is a Will raised in him by which he comes to be a Co-worker with the Grace for according to that of Augustine He that made us without us will not save us without us So that the first step is not by Man's Working but by his not Contrary Working And we believe that at these singular seasons of every man's Visitation above-mentioned as man is wholly unable of himself to work with the Grace neither can he move one step out of the natural Condition until the Grace lay hold upon him so it is possible to him to be passive and not to Resist it as it is also possible for him to Resist it So we say The Grace of God works in and upon man's Nature which though of it self wholly corrupted and defiled and prone to evil yet is capable to be wrought upon by the Grace of God Even as Iron though a hard and cold Metal of it self may we warm'd and softned by the heat of the fire and Wax melted by the Sun And as Iron or Wax when removed from the Fire or Sun returneth to its former Condition of Coldness and Hardness so man's Heart as it Resists or retires from the Grace of God returns to its former Condition again I have often had the manner of God's working in order to Salvation towards all men illustrated to my mind by one or two clear Examples which I shall here Add for the Information of others The First is Of a man heavily diseased to whom I Compare Man in his fall'n and natural Condition I suppose God who is the great Physician not only to give this man Physick after he hath used all the Industry he can for his own Health by any skill or knowledge he hath of his own As those that say If a man Improve his Reason or natural Faculties God will superadd Grace Or as others say That he cometh and maketh Offer of a Remedy to this man outwardly The Example of a Diseased Man and the Physician leaving it to the liberty of Man 's Will either to receive it or reject it But He even the Lord this great Physician cometh and poureth the Remedy into his mouth and as it were layeth him in his bed so that if the sick man be but passive it will necessarily work the Effect but if he be stubborn and untoward and will needs rise up and go forth into the Cold or Eat such fruits as are hurtful to him while the Medicine should Operate then though of its Nature it tendeth to cure him yet it will prove Destructive to him because of those Obstructions which it meeteth with Now as the Man that should thus undo himself would certainly be the Cause of his own Death so who will say that if Cured he owes not his Health wholly to the Physician and not to any Deed of his own seeing his part was not any Action but a Passiveness The Example of Men lying stupified in a dark pit and their Deliverer The Second Example is of divers men lying in a dark pit together where all their senses are so stupified that they are scarce sensible of their own misery To this I Compare Man in his natural corrupt fall'n Coâ—â—dition I suppose not that any of these men wrestling to deliver themselves do thereby stir up or engage one able to deliver them to give them his help saying with himself I see one of these men willing to be deliver'd and doing what in him lies therefore he deserves to be assisted as say the Socinians Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians Neither do I suppose that this deliverer comes to the top of the pit and puts down a ladder desiring them that will to come up and so puts them upon using their own Strength and Will to come up as do the Jesuites and Arminians yet as they say such are not delivered without the Grace seeing the Grace is that Ladder by which they were delivered But I suppose that the Deliverer comes at certain times and fully Discovers and Informs them of the great Misery and Hazzard they are in if they continue in that Noisom and Pestiferous Place yea forces them to a certain sense of their Misery for the wickedest men at times are made sensible of their Misery by God's Visitation and not only so but lays hold upon them and gives them a Pull in order to lift them out of their Misery which if they Resist not will save them only they may Resist it This being Applied as the former doth the same way Illustrate the matter Neither is the Grace of God frustrated though the Effect of it be divers according to its Object being the Ministration of Mercy and Love in those that Reject it not but receive it Joh. 1.12 but the Ministration of Wrath and Condemnation in those A Simile of the Sun 's Melting and Hardening c. power that do Reject it Joh. 3.19 Even as the Sun by one Act or Operation melteth and softeneth the Wax and hardeneth the Clay the Nature of the Sun is to Cherish the Creation and therefore the Living are Refreshed by it and the flowers send forth a good Savour as it shines upon them and the Fruits of the Trees are ripened yet cast forth a Dead Carcase a thing without Life and the same Reflexion of the Sun will cause it to stink and putrify it yet is not the Sun said thereby frustrate of its proper Effect So every man during the day of his Visitation is shined upon by the Sun of Righteousness and capable of being Influenced by it so as to send forth good Fruit and a good Savour and to be melted by it but when he has sinned out his day then the same Sun hardneth him as it doth the Clay and makes his Wickedness more to appear and putrify and send forth an Evil Savour § XVIII Lastly As we
then makes just he adds But let them have a care lest by too great and empty subtilty unknown both to the Scriptures and the Fathers they lessen and diminish the weight and dignity of so great and Divine a Benefit so much celebrated in the Scripture to wit Justification of the Wicked For if to the formal Reason of Justification of the Ungodly doth not at all belong his Justification so to speak i. e. his being made Righteous then in the Justification of a sinner although he be justified yet the stain of sin is not taken away but remains the same in his Soul as before Justification And so notwithstanding the benefit of Justification he remains as before Unjust and a Sinner and nothing is taken away but the Guilt and obligation to Pain and the Offence and Enmity of God through non-Imputation But both the Scriptures and Fathers do affirm that in the Justification of a sinner their sins are not only remitted forgiven covered not imputed but also taken away blotted out cleansed washed purged and very far removed from us as appears from many places of the Holy Scriptures The same Forbes shews us at length in the following Chapter that this was the Confessed Judgment of the Fathers out of the Writings of those who hold the contrary Opinion some whereof out of him I shall note Calvin Inst. l. 3. c. 11. § 15. As First Calvin saith That the Judgment of Augustine or at lest his manner of speaking is not throughout to be received who although he took from man all praise of Righteousness and ascribed all to the Grace of God yet he refers Grace to Sanctification by which we are Regenerate through the Spirit unto newness of life Chemnitius saith That they do not deny but that the Fathers take the word Justify for Renewing Chemnitius in Exam. Concil Trid. de Just. p. 129. by which works of Righteousness are wrooght in us by the Spirit And p. 130. I am not ignorant that the Fathers indeed often use the word Justify in this signification to wit of making just Zanchius saith That the Fathers and chiefly Augustine interpret the word Justify according to this signification Zanchius in cap. 2. ad Eph. ver 4. loc de Just. Thes. 1.5 to wit of making Just so that according to them to be Justified was no other than of Unjust to be made Just through the Grace of God for Christ. He mentioneth more but this may suffice to our purpose Assert I § VIII Having thus sufficently proved that by Justification is to be understood a really being made Righteous I do boldly affirm and that not only from a Notional Knowledge Christ revealed and formed in the Soul of a man is the formal Cause of man's Justification but from a real inward experimental Feeling of the thing that the Immediate Nearest or Formal Cause if we must in Condescendence to some use this word of a man's Justification in the sight of God is the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the Soul changing altering and renewing the mind by whom even the Author of this inward Work thus formed and revealed we are truly justified and accepted Proof I in the sight of God For it is as we are thus covered and cloathed with him in whom the Father is always well-pleased that we may draw near to God and stand with Confidence before his Throne being purged by the blood of Jesus inwardly poured into our Souls and cloathed with his life and righteousness therein revealed And this is that Order and Method of Salvation held forth by the Apostle in that Divine saying Rom. 5.10 For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more being Reconciled we shall be saved by his Life For the Apostle first holding forth the Reconciliation wrought by the Death of Christ wherein God is near to receive and redeem man holds forth his Salvation and Justification to be by the Life of Jesus Now that this Life is an Inward Spiritual thing revealed in the Soul whereby it is renewed and brought forth out of Death where it naturally has been by the Fall and so quickned and made alive unto God the same Apostle shews Eph. 2.5 Even when we were dead in Sins and Trespasses he hath quickned us together in Christ by whose Grace ye are saved and hath raised us up together Now this none will deny to be the Inward Work of Renovation and therefore the Apostle gives that Reason of their being saved by Grace which is the inward Vertue and Power of Christ in the Soul but of this place more hereafter Of the Revelation of this Inward Life the Apostle also speaketh 2 Cor. 4.10 That the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies and v. 11. That the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh Now this inward Life of Jesus is that whereby as is before observed he saith We are saved Secondly That it is by this Revelation of Jesus Christ and the New Proof II Creation in Vs that we are Justified doth evidently appear from that Excellent Saying of the Apostle included in the Proposition it self Tit. 3.5 According to his mercy he hath saved us by the washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost c. Now that whereby we are saved that we are also no doubt Justified by which words are in this respect Synonymous The Immediate Cause of Justification is the inward Work of Regeneration Here the Apostle clearly ascribes the Immediate Cause of Justification to this inward work of Regeneration which is Jesus Christ Revealed in the Soul as being that which formally states us in a capacity of being Reconciled with God the Washing or Regeneration being that inward Power and Vertue whereby the Soul is cleansed and cloathed with the Righteousness of Christ so as to be made fit to appear before God Thirdly This Doctrine is manifest from 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your own Proof III selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates First It appears here how earnest the Apostle was that they should know Christ in them so that he presses this Exhortation upon them and inculcates it three times Secondly The Cause of Reprobation is Christ not known by Inward Revelation he makes the Cause of Reprobation or Not-justification the Want of Christ thus Revealed and known in the Soul whereby it necessarily follows by the Rule of Contraries where the parity is alike as in this case it is evident that Where Christ is inwardly known there the persons subjected to him are Approved and Justified For there can be nothing more plain than this that if we must know Christ in us except we be Reprobates or Vnjustified persons that if we do know him in us we are not Reprobates and consequently Justified ones Like unto
believe it I shall only from this derive this one Argument If no man can be Justified without Faith and no Faith be living Arg. nor yet available to Justification without Works Then Works are necessary to Justification But the First is true Therefore also the Last For this Truth is so apparent and evident in the Scriptures that for the proof of it we might transcribe most of the Precepts of the Gospel I shall Instance a few which of themselves do so clearly Assert the thing in Question that they need no Commentary nor further Demonstration And then I shall answer the Objections made against this which indeed are the Arguments used for the Contrary Opinion Hebr. 12.14 Not the Sayers but the Doers are blessed Without holiness no man shall see God Matth. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in heaven Joh. 13.17 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and Vncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life and through the Gates may enter into the City And many more that might be Instanced From all which I thus Argue If those only can Enter into the Kingdom Arg. that do the Will of the Father If those be accounted only the Wise builders and happy that do the sayings of Christ If no Observations avail but only the keeping of the Commandments and if they be blessed that do the Commandments and thereby have right to the Tree of Life and Entrance through the Gate into the City Then Works are absolutely necessary to Salvation and Justification But the First is true And therefore also the Last The Consequence of the Antecedent is so clear and evident that I think no man of sound Reason will call for a proof of it § X. * Object 1. But they Object that Works are not necessary to Justification First Because of that saying of Christ Luke 17.10 When ye shall have done all these things that are Commanded you say We are unprofitable servants c. Answer As to God we are indeed Vnprofitable for he needeth nothing neither can we Add any thing unto him Unprofitable Servants but as to our selves we are not Vnprofitable else it might be said that it is not profitable for a man to keep God's Commandments Answ. which is most Absurd and would Contradict Christ's Doctrine throughout God needeth nothing Doth not Christ Matth. 5. through all those Beatitudes pronounce men blessed for their purity for their meekness for their peaceableness c And is not then that for which Christ pronounceth men blessed profitable unto them Moreover Matth. 25.21 23. doth not Christ pronounce the men good and faithful servants Those that had improved their Talents were called Good and Faithful Servants that Improved their Talents Was not their doing of that then profitable unto them And vers 30. it is said of him that hid his Talent and did not Improve it Cast ye the Vnprofitable servant into utter darkness If then their not improving of the Talent made the man Vnprofitable and he was therefore cast into utter darkness it will follow by the Rule of Contraries so far at least that the Improving made the other profitable seeing if our Adversaries will allow us to believe Christ's words this is made a Reason and so at least a Cause Instrumental of their Acceptance Well done good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. Object 2 Secondly They object those sayings of the Apostle where he excludes the deeds of the Law from Justification as first Rom. 3.20 Because by the deeds of the Law there shall be no flesh justified in his sight and v. 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is Justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law Answ. We have shewn already what place we give to Works even to Answ. 1 the best of Works in Justification and how we ascribe its Immediate and Formal Cause to the Worker brought forth in us The Works of the Gospel or Grace distinguish't from the Works of the Law but not to the Works But in answer to this Objection I say There is a great difference betwixt the works of the Law and those of Grace or of the Gospel The first are excluded the second not but are necessary The first are those which are performed in man's own will and by his strength in a conformity to the outward Law and Letter and therefore are man's own Imperfect Works or works of the Law which makes nothing perfect And to this belong all the Ceremonies Purifications Washings and Traditions of the Jews The second are the works of the Spirit of Grace in the heart wrought in Conformity to the Inward and Spiritual Law which Works are not wrought in man's Will nor by his power and ability but in and by the Power and Spirit of Christ in us and therefore are pure and perfect in their kind as shall hereafter be proved and may be called Christ's Works for that he is the Immediate Author and Worker of them Such Works we affirm absolutely Necessary to Justification so that a man cannot be Justified without them and all Faith without them is dead and useless as the Apostle James saith Now that such a Distinction is to be admitted and that the Works excluded by the Apostle in the matter of Justification are of the first kind will appear if we consider the Occasion of the Apostle mentioning this as well here as throughout in his Epistle to the Galatians where he speaks of this matter and to this purpose at large which was this That whereas many of the Gentiles that were not of the Race nor Seed of Abraham as concerning the flesh were come to be Converted to the Christian Faith and believe in him some of those that were of the Jewish Proselytes thought to subject the faithful and believing Gentiles to the Legal Ceremonies and Observations as necessary to their Justification The Occasion of the Apostles speaking of the Works of the Law which are Excluded This gave the Apostle Paul occasion at length in his Epistle to the Romans Galatians and elsewhere to shew the Vse and Tendency of the Law and of its Works and to Contradistinguish them from the Faith of Christ and Righteousness thereof shewing how the former was Ceased and become Ineffectual the other Remaining and yet Necessary And that the Works excluded by the Apostle are of this kind of Works of the Law appears by the whole strain of his Epistle to the Galatians Chap. 1 2 3 4. For after in Chap. 4. he upbraideth them for their returning unto the Observation of days
of Drums Standards and other military Attire And lastly because we could not hold our Doors Windows and Shops close for Conscience sake upon such Days as Fasts and Prayers were appointed for to desire a blessing upon and success for the Arms of that Kingdom or Common Wealth under which we live neither give thanks for the Victories acquired by the effusion of much blood By which forcing of the Conscience they would have constrained our Brethren living in divers Kingdoms at War together to have implored our God for contrary and contradictory things and consequently impossible for it is impossible that two Parties fighting together should both obtain the Victory And because we cannot concur with them in this Confusion therefore are we subiect to Persecution Yea and others who with us do witness that the use of Arms is unlawful to Christians do look a-squint upon us But which of us two do most faithfully observe this testimony against Arms Either they who at certain times at the Magistrates order do close up their Shops and Houses and meet in their Assembly praying for the prosperity of their Arms or giving thanks for some Victory or other whereby they make themselves like to those that approve Wars and Fighting Or we which cannot do these things for the same cause of Conscience lest we should destroy by our Works what we establish in Words We shall leave to the judgment of all prudent men Fifthly They object Object That Christ Luke 22.36 speaking to his Disciples commands them that he that then had not a Sword should sell his Coat and buy a Sword Therefore say they Arms are lawful I answer Some indeed understand this of the Outward Sword Answ. nevertheless regarding only that occasion otherwise judging that Christians are prohibited Wars under the Gospel Among which is Ambrose who upon this place speaks thus 0 Lord Why commandest thou me to buy a Sword who forbid'st me to smite with it Why commandest thou me to have it whom thou prohibitest to draw it Vnless perhaps a Defence be prepared not a necessary Revenge and that I may seem to have been able to Revenge but that I would not For the Law forbids me to smite again Peter offered Two Swords And therefore perhaps he said to Peter offering two Swords It is enough as if it had been lawful until the Gospel time that in the Law there might be a Learning of Equity but in the Gospel a perfection of goodness Others judge Christ to have spoken here Mystically and not according to the Letter as Origen upon Matth. 19. saying If any looking to the Letter and not understanding the Will of the Words shall sell his bodily Garment and buy a Sword taking the words of Christ contrary to his will he shall Perish But concerning which Sword he speaks is not proper here to mention And truly when we consider the answer of the Disciples Master behold here are two Swords understanding it of outward Swords and again Christ's answer It is enough it seems that Christ would not that the rest who had not Swords for they had only two Swords should sell their Coats and buy an outward Sword Who can think that matters standing thus he should have said Two was enough But however it is sufficient that the use of Arms is unlawful under the Gospel Sixthly they object Object That the Scriptures and old Fathers so called did only prohibit private Revenge not the use of Arms for the defence of our Country Body Wives Children and Goods when the Magistrate commands it seeing the Magistrates ought to be obeyed Therefore albeit it be not lawful for private men to do it of themselves nevertheless they are bound to do it by the Command of the Magistrate I answer If the Magistrate be truly a Christian Answ. or desires to be so he ought himself in the first place to Obey the Command of his Master saying Love your Enemies c. and then he could not Command us to kill them But if he be not a true Christian Christian Magistrates to obey the Command of their Master Christ. then ought we to obey our Lord and King Jesus Christ to whom he ought also to obey For in the Kingdom of Christ all ought to submit to his Laws from the highest to the lowest that is from the King to the Beggar and from Caesar to the Clown But alas where shall we find such an Obedience O deplorable Fall Concerning which Ludov. Viv. writes well lib. de con vit Christ. sub Turc by relation of Fredericus Sylvius Disc. de Revol Belg. p. 85. The Prince entred into the Church not as a true and plain Christian which had indeed been most happy and desirable but he brought in with him his Nobility Lud. Vives against Arms. his Honors his ARMS his Ensigns his Triumphs his Haughtiness his Pride his Superciliousness that is He came into the house of Christ accompanied with the Devil and which could no ways be done he would have joyned two Houses and two Cities together God's and the Devil 's which could not more be done than Rome and Constantinople which are distant by so long a Tract both of Sea and Land What Communion saith Paul is there betwixt Christ and Belial Their Zeal cooled by degrees their Faith decreased their whole Piety degenerated instead whereof we make now use of Shadows and Images and as he saith I would we could but retain these Thus far Vives But lastly as to what relates to this thing since nothing seems more contrary to man's nature and seeing of all things the defence of ones Self seems most tolerable as it is most hard to men so it is the most perfect part of the Christian Religion as that wherein the Denial of Self and Intire Confidence in God doth most appear and therefore Christ and his Apostles left us hereof a most perfect Example As to what relates to the present Magistrates of the Christian World Concerning the present Magistrates of the Christian World albeit we deny them not altogether the name of Christians because of the publick Profession they make of Christ's Name yet we may boldly affirm that they are far from the perfection of the Christian Religion Because in the state in which they are as in many places before I have largely observed they have not come to the pure Dispensation of the Gospel And therefore while they are in that condition we shall not say that War undertaken upon a just Occasion is altogether unlawful to them For even as Circumcision and the other Ceremonies were for a season permitted to the Jews not because they were either necessary or of themselves or lawful at that time after the Resurrection of Christ but because that Spirit was not yet raised up in them whereby they could be delivered from such Rudiments So the present Confessors of the Christian name who are yet in the mixture and not in the patient suffering Spirit
bring them down to it also For seeing it is a Truth acknowledged both by them and us The Spiriâ— 's working in us as an efficient Cause That all true Christians and Children of God have the Spirit of God working in them at least as an Efficient Cause from this we urge them thus Either they have the Spirit of God working in them as an Efficient Cause or they have not If they say they have not they confess They are not true Christians or Children of God which we suppose they will be loth to say If they say They have the Spirit of God as an Efficient Cause of Faith working in them and subjectively inlightening them let them prove it or give us an Evidence of it Who doth not see that Poor Men they are taken in their own Snare We know all Rational and Sober Men will acknowledge that we are not bound tb receive their Affirmations without Proof more than they are bound to receive ours nor indeed so much we being as the Case stands but Defendents As touching their Answer to R. B. his Retortions about an Evidence it shall be examined in the Next Section In pag. 60. they tell That we assign them at last some Shadows of Evidence namely 1. our own Declaration 2. The Scriptures 3. The immediate Testimony of the Spirit But that these are not Shadows will appear to the Judicious and well-disposed if they consider these two things 1. That by our Declaration we mean not a bare verbal Declaration having no Vertue or Manifestation of Life in it for we confess such might be as good a Ground for an Heretick in way of Evidence A Declaration proceeding from the Spirit no Heretick has it but by our Declaration we mean such a Declaration as doth really proceed from the Spirit of God in us and is therefore a living Declaration having a Manifestation of Life in it and with it and which is not only in Words of Life or Living Words uttered through us from the Spirit of Life but also in Works of Life or Living Works which are the Fruits of the Spirit as said Christ By their fruits shall ye know them Now such a Declaration can no Heretick have however he may pretend to it If our Adversaries say That we only pretend to such a thing We answer them with their own Rule Affirmanti incumbit probatio i. e. The Affirmer ought to prove Let them prove us only to be Pretenders which yet they have not done nor can do And indeed such a Declaration from the Spirit of God in the Apostles as when John said We are of God c. was an Evidence That no Heretick could justly pretend to 2. It is a most Unjust and Unreasonable thing to require of us any other Evidence of our having the Spirit than that which every true Christian may and ought to give seeing we pretend to no other Spirit but that which every true Christian hath nor to any Revelations but these which are the Priviledges of all true Christians nor to any Doctrines which are not conform to the Scriptures of Truth As we are ready to prove and as G. K. hath already shewed in his Book of Immediate Revelation which neither the Students nor their Masters have given us any Refutation of Now have not all Good Christians these three Evidences for them year 1675 And we can prove by the help of the Lord that they are as applicable to us as to any upon Earth And here note that when we say The Scripture is the best outward Evidence that can be given We mean it not as a particular Evidence but as a general Common to all good Christians The Scripture an Evidence For we grant That the Scripture cannot prove that any particular Man hath the Spirit of God in such a way as true Christians have it but it proves in general that all true Christians have it yea and all Men to Convince them at least In pag. 61 62. They reject the Scriptures-Testimony as an Evidence to us Because according to us the Scriptures Testimony hath no Evidence without the Spirit In answer to which we say But it hath an Evidence with the Spirit his Inward Evidence going along with it which Inward Evidence we say doth go along with it sufficiently to Convince every well-disposed Intellect And this we can prove from the Scriptures-Testimony Nor is this to commit an Unlawful Circle as they foolishly alledge which is but an old thread-bare alledgance of Papists against the Protestants as Turnbull alledged on Paraeus That he proved the Spirit by the Scripture and the Scripture by the Spirit Some Protestants in our Days do miserably seek to extricate themselves of that Circle that they know the Spirit by the Scriptures Objectively and they know the Scriptures by the Spirit Effectively and so indeed they get free of the Circle as not being in eodem genere i. e. in the same kind But they affirm a gross Untruth That the Spirit 's Influence is only Effective and ex parte subjecti whereas we know it is Objective and can prove both from Scripture and Primitive Protestants see G. K. his Book of Immediate Revelation and Quakerism no Popery where the same is at length proved But we have a most clear way to extricate our selves of that Circle imposed on us by Papists and these Students The Scriptures Testimony known by the Spirit c. to wit That we know the Scriptures Testimony by the Spirit tanquam a priori as we know the Effect by the Cause and we know the Spirit 's Testimony by the Scriptures tanquam a posteriori as we know the Cause by the Effect and so both are Objective and yet in a divers kind because the Objective Evidence of the Spirit is a self-Evidence and primary the Objective Evidence of the Scripture is but derived and secondary In their answer to G. K. his Retortion from the Practice of Christ who though his own immediate Testimony was to be received referred them unto the Testimony of the Scriptures They most miserably betake themselves to their Old Trade of Affirming Things without any Proof and yet on the Proof of these Things the whole Stress of their Answer lieth As 1. they say The Jews rejected only the outward immediate Testimony of Christ However dare they say but that the Outward Immediate Testimony of Christ was to be believed and yet he referred them unto the Testimony of the Scriptures 2. They say They have no such Testimony themselves as the Inward Objective Testimony of the Spirit 3. They say According to Christ the Scriptures were the Rule meaning the Primary Rule and so they set the Scripture above Christ his own immediate outward Testimony a most gross Disorder year 1676 All which we reject as meer Affirmations without any Proof Their Insinuation That G. K. acted the Part of a cunning Sophist when he spake these Words repeated by them pag. 4. Is no less
the National Teachers concerning Water-Baptism we mean the National Teachers into all the World and teach the Nations who do not so much as believe the Gospel historically If they say This was a Command to the Apostles and not to them Why are they so partial as to take one part to them and reject another But we shall now come to a more particular Examination of their Major We have told them That the Apostles baptized some with Water out of a Condescendency as Paul circumcised Timothy and not from that Command Matth. 28. which saith nothing of Water-Baptism Their First Reason against this is They should have Baptized with Water of their own Will and without any sufficient Authority But we deny this Consequence and they themselves have furnished us with a sufficient Answer where they say Paul Circumcised Timothy but not without a Command for the Law of Charity and other General Precepts obliged Paul so to do though it was a thing indifferent of itself The same we say as to their Baptizing with Water The Jews having so great an Esteem of Water-Baptism and thinking it necessary the Apostles used it although it was a thing indifferent of it self after Christ's Ascension and giving of the Holy Ghost the Law of Charity and other general Precepts obliging them But this proveth not That the Apostles had any Command from Matth. 28. or any such Command any where else that made Water-Baptism of it self to be a Necessary Duty to the End of the World And whereas they Query Will G. K. grant that it was once lively We answer Yes under John Yet it followeth not that it was to Continue because John had no Commssion to the Nations but only to the Jews And that the Apostles Baptized whole Families and Thousands if they so did will not prove that it was Necessary of it self more than that Circumcision was and yet even then many Thousands of believing Jews were Zealous for Circumcision see Act. 21.20 21. Yea many Bishops of Jerusalem were Circumcised after this as Eusebius relates A Condescension in the Apostles by Water-baptism The Reason therefore was That People were Zealous of Water-Baptism because of John and therefore the Apostles Condescended to it out of the Law of Charity Another Question they make Where is Water-Baptism buried We answer where the other Shadows are Buried For it was but a Shadow and Carnal Ordinance Heb. 9.10 the Greek Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again the true Water-Baptism hath been out of use all the Time of the Apostasy for the Apostate Church hath had no true Baptism and so in that respect it hath been Buried And being but a Shadow is not to be raised up again And it is observable That in the Revelation where it is prophesied of the Return and Restauration of the Church there is not any thing mentioned of the Restoring either Water-Baptism or the use of Bread and Wine as Signs c. And so their Second Reason is answered That Water-Baptism is no more to be used out of Condescendency to the Weak than Circumcision because both are long ago buried And what is buried is deadly to be raised up again as Augustin taught Their Third Reason is built on a Mistake That the Godhead of Christ or Names of Father Son and Holy Ghost were a stumbling-block to the believing Jews For of these only we are to be understood Also That the Apostles used the Words Father Son and Holy Ghost when they baptized cannot be proved far less used they the Word Trinity which was not invented long after the Apostles Days Their Second Argument That the Baptism Commanded in Matth. 28.16 is with Water resolves at last into this That it is God only and not Man who baptizes with the Holy Ghost because he is only the proper immediate efficient Cause of Baptism with the Holy Ghost But we deny the Consequence as Weak and False For there is nothing more usual The Effect ascribed unto the Instrumental Cause which is the Principal than to ascribe the Effect unto the Instrumental Cause as truly as unto the Principal Paul was sent to turn or convert the Gentiles from Darkness to Light and to open their Eyes and yet God only was the Proper and Immediate Efficient Cause of this Many more Examples could be given yea the same Reason of the Students would militate against Teaching For even outward Teaching which is by the Motion of the Holy Ghost hath a Power and Vertue in it whereof the Men who Teach are but the Instrumental Conveyers that is only from God as the Immediate Efficient Cause Another Reason they give to make all sure as they say is That it is only Christ as he is God and mightier than John who baptized with the holy Ghost Matth. 3.11 where Baptism with the Holy Ghost is peculiarly attributed to Christ. But this makes their Matter nothing more sure for although that Baptism with the Holy Ghost be peculiarly attributed to Christ as the principal Cause yet it hindereth not that Men are the Instrumental Even as Christ said It is not ye that speak and yet they also spake as Instruments It is true that John did not Baptize with the Holy Ghost as the Apostles did or rather Christ through them because John had not so powerful a Ministry given him as the Apostles of whom Christ said that they should not only do as great Works as he but greater to wit by his Power Again they Argue That giving and not granting that Baptism with the Holy Ghost could be administred by Men yet it is not Commanded here for the Words then would be full of needless Tautologies To this we Answer That this doth not follow For suppose That by Teaching and Baptizing were meant one thing how usual is it in Scripture to express one thing under divers Names without any Tautology However we believe That by Teaching and Baptizing are meant two several Things both which require the special Operation of the Holy Spirit For a Man through Teaching by the Concurrence of the Holy Ghost is first of all Convinced of the Truth and hath a ground laid in him to believe and then he is Baptized with the Holy Ghost upon his believing and obeying in what he is Convinced of Nor is this to confound the Command with the Promise for the Sense of it is this Go ye and Baptize with the Holy Ghost Instrumentally and I shall be with you as the Principal Cause to concur and assist you and thus there is no Tautology the Command and the Promise being in diverso genere id est in a different kind Their next Argument to prove John's Baptism ceased the Reason why That Water-Baptism is to continue to the End of the World is That God sent John to baptize with Water and Christ caused John to baptize him and commanded or causâ—ed his Apostles to Baptize with Water and these Commands were never formally Repealed nor
of his thus Contradicting himself is that albeit his Malice to the Truth and my self was such that he could not say enough to Render both it and me despicable yet forgetting himself at other times he was forced to Acknowledge what I say Considerable that he might render his own Work of some Value and himself a Champion Which he could never have done albeit he might be supposed to have Rebuked and Refuted a piece of pitiful Non-sense Thus the Man while he stretcheth to Exalt Himself and Abase me overturns on the one part what he affirms on the other But if he can have so far pity upon himself as to think in time of Repenting I do with my whole Heart freely forgive him and whether he do or not I can Assure him as I should never have Valued my self upon his Commendation so I am nothing moved by his Abuses save only to Pity and Commiserate him I must Intreat this of the Reader that if he desire to be fully Informed in this Controversy he will be pleased first to Read my Apology which for his Benefit will I hope be Extant in our own Language ere this comes to his Hands and then perhaps he will little need an Antidote against the pretended Confutation But if any Scruple there Remain it will easily be Removed by seriously perusing this Vindication And because before his Book he placeth a great List of that he accounts the Blasphemous Assertions of the Quakers that so he may prepossess his Reader with Prejudice at the very Entry to Remove them thou wilt find Inserted at the End a List of so many of them as are utterly false Besides many of them are Perversions and not owned in the Terms he Asserts them And yet a great part of them he pretends not so much as to Deduce from any Words written by me but has sished for them in the Writings of others of our Adversaries which piece of Injustice is in the last Section Demonstrated Not desiring to Detain thee any longer I shall only Wish The God of all Grace to Minister to thee such a Measure thereof and give thee such Light and Vnderstanding by the Holy Influence of his Divine Spirit that thou may'st for his Glory and thy Soul's Salvation make a Right Judgment of the present Controversy and come truly to Discern which Doctrine it is and Who that speaks most Consonantly to the Holy Scriptures So Wisheth he who is a Real Friend to all Men R. B. ADVERTISEMENT IT is hoped That the more Moderate Sober and Serious among the Presbyterian Preachers and who have a true Regard as well to the Peace of their own Consciences as to the Christian Reputation of their Cause and Interest among Sober and Honest Christians will shew their Readiness to do Justice to themselves as well as Right to the Injured Author of this Treatise not only in respect to the Appeal added to the End of the last Section but also to the many other gross Abuses Falshoods and Railings detected herein to be most Impudently Asserted by John Brown since he comes forth under no less Character than a Presbyterian David and that given him by so Eminent a Man as Robert Macquare is Reputed among them Which Justice is also the more hoped for since the more Moderate Presbyterians have themselves felt the Fruit of J. B. his Violent Furious and Unchristian Temper in his fomenting Divisions among them and encouraging Cameron by his Letter whom they repute an Heady Turbulent Incendiary and the Effects of whose Work strengthened by J. B. have produced no small Mischief both to the Cause in general and to many poor People who have been thereby Ruined if the Occasion some of themselves Represent of the late Rising in Scotland be true R. B.'s R. B's APOLOGY FOR THE True Christian Divinity VINDICATED FROM J. B's Examination and pretended Confutation thereof in his Book year 1679 called Quakerism the Path-way to Paganism SECT I. Containing the Introduction and the Method the Author proposeth to himself in this Treatise with the Reasons Wherefore Together with some general Considerations Relating to J. B's whole Book and Remarks on his Epistle to the Reader ¶ 1. AMONG the many Evils that abound amongst those that bear the Name of Christians this is a great One that in the Vnhappy difference they have among themselves there appears so much Malice Bitterness and Envy and so little of that Candor and Sincerity True and Vnmixed Zeal and of the Meekness Peceableness and Gentleness of Jesus so that there is often-times observed an Eager Willingness to Represent their Opposits other ways than they are But among all sorts of such as profess Christianity I know none have more Reason to Complain of this Abuse than we who albeit we have not a little laboured to make known to all the plain Truth held by us yet our words have been most miserably perverted upon many occasions and we most horribly Mis-represented As is abundantly manifest to many who are acquainted with the Books Writ against us and our Answers wherein many if not most of the Arguments used against us are not levelled at those things we truly hold Our sad Sufferings by our Adversaries mis-representing us and perverting our Principles and Doctrine but at the monstrous and horrid Conceptions which our Adversaries have framed to themselves and them would needs fasten upon us as our Principles and Doctrines Many of us have been thus exercised in the Controversys wherein we have been Concerned and I my self in some small Rencountres that have heretofore faln to my share have had my part but I Confess Inferiour to many of my Brethren But now that J. B's Work appears I think considering the Bulk and Nature of it hereafter more particularly to be viewed I may come up with most For I scarce think that ever a Man's words were so horridly and constantly throughout perverted or that ever a Book of Controversy of its Bulk to wit as I take it betwixt 70 and 80 Sheets of Paper was so stuffed with a Continual Strain of Railing from the very first Page unto the last Yet when we consider the Man's Design which appears from the Nature of his Work perhaps there will be less Occasion of Wonder ¶ For either he or some Brother of his abroad having without any Provocation from us the People called Quakers fallen into the most gross and vilest Sort of Railing against us in a Postcript to S. R ' s. Letters The Advantage J. B. has upon his Implicite Believers and that without the least Offer of Probation it seems they judged themselves concerned to give the People some Reason for their so doing And there could not be a finer Knack to Beguil the Credulous and Implicite Multitude than to Answer a Book writ in Latine and not Extant in their Mother-Tongue for there a Man as to them who cannot Read Vnderstand and Compare it with that to which it relates may pervert
Which is granted but that proveth not that it is not therefore Vniversal Next he taketh notice of the Context where it is said It became him in bringing many Sons unto Glory c. and therefore these are the All for whom he died But this is strongly to affirm not to prove Albeit Christ brought many Sons unto Glory and called such Brethren it doth not follow he Tasted death only for such The Apostle sheweth us first the general Extent of Christ's Death in saying He tasted death for every Man and then sheweth us how it became Effectual to many And yet the Man is so confident albeit he has urged nothing but only affirmed that he adds If this Context do not sufficiently Confute this Conceit J. B. c. regard the Scriptures no farther than it favours their Opinion and Confutes their Adversaries we need Regard the Scriptures no more But here he has spoken-out the Truth as it is For this evidently shews that for all their pretence to Exalt the Scriptures yet they regard it no more than it favours their Opinion This is the Account for which they Regard the Scriptures if it favour their Opinion and Confute their Adversaries but if it do not They need no more regard it else surely he should have said If the Scriptures do not Confute that which he esteems an Error then he will not judge it so any more but regard the Scriptutes more than his own Judgment but on the contrary he is Resolved if the Scripture do not Confute what he thinks a Conceit that he need no more Regard them Likewise in the rest of this page he gives himself a notable stroke for to my saying That their Doctrine would infer that Christ came to Condemn the World contrary to his own words Joh. 3.17.12.47 he answereth That Prejudice has so blinded mine Eyes that I cannot see the Beam in mine Eye for in my opinion not one Man might have been saved because Christ only procured a meer possibility and no certainty for any one Man c. But as I have above observed I assert as my judgment the express Contrary that Christ has so died for some that they cannot miss of Salvation and this himself also noticeth afterwards p. 276. I would know then and let all honest Men judge if there be any spark of honesty left in him whether himself be not the Man whom prejudice has blinded Almost at the same rate p. 207. he asketh me if my Argument from 2. Pet. 3.9 the Lord is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come unto Repentance do hold What will I do with those that out-live the day of their Visitation is the Lord willing to give them Repentance I answer No and yet no overturning of my Argument For in respect All had a Day of Visitation wherein they might have Repented God may be said to be Long-suffering and not to have been Willing any should have Perished c. But this cannot be said if none ever had such a Day or Season as they affirm He would Insinuate as if This made all to depend upon Free-Will but how frivolous this Calumny is will after appear And whereas both in this and the following page he Rants at an high rate as if I did fight against God's Omnipotency saying God will be God whether I will or not and that Christ must turn a Petioner and supplicate Lord Free-Will exclaiming O cursed Religion The Man doth but shew his Malitiousness and Weakness For if God's Omnipotency because he doth whatsoever he Will God's Omnipotency willeth not Wicked Actions be Urged to prove that Men cannot Resist his Will and that therefore whatsoever Men do even the wickedest Actions are willed by God then Violence is offered to the Will of the Creatures and the Liberty and Contingency of second Causes are necessarily taken away Which yet is expresly denied by the Westminster-Confession Chap. 3. Nor will all his Distinctions far less Affirmations solve this that Peter speaketh only of the Elect because he mentioneth them elsewhere unless he prove All here to be Restricted is but a begging of the Question ¶ 8. Pag. 210. n. 65. Testimonies of Antiquity slighted by J. B. as not being for his Turn He quarreleth my bringing some Testimonies of Antiquity Agreeing with what I say which he termeth a Fouling of Fingers with humane Writings saying Himself layeth not so much Weight upon the Authority of Men in this matter and yet afterwards he Cites some as making for his purpose He may know I as little build upon the Testimony of the Ancients as he can for the bottoming of Faith and yet to shew their Agreement with us and against them is a good Check to their shameless Objection of Novelty considering how the same is Objected to them as strongly and with no less Reason by their Mother the Church of Rome whom when pinched by us they begin to Run to for the Ground of their Church Ministry and Maintenance That ever I said The Quakers whom he terms to be of Yesterday have only found the Truth is false albeit I say they have a more Clear and Full Discovery of it But one would think notwithstanding his pretending he lays little Weight upon the Authority of Antiquity in this matter that it is not so else why doth he so often in this matter Vpbraid us with the Heresy of Pelagius as Contradicting the Sense of the Ancient Church and their Doctors Who are those whose Testimony he calls the Authority of Men in this matter SECT VII Wherein his IX Chapter Of Universal Salvation Possible his X. Of Universal Grace and Light XI Of the Necessity of this Light to Salvation and his XII Of the Salvation of Heathens without hearing the Gospel are Considered ¶ 1. HE beginneth his 9th Chapter Of Vniversal Salvation Possible according to his Custom with Railing accusing me of Ignorance Folly Pride and Pedantry but he thinks it not worth his pains to spend words to discover it yet he gives a main Reason for all to wit I suppose our Opinions were never known in the World before we were raised up to declare them Which being a manifest Vntruth and never said by me the Reader may thence judge of the Grounds he has for this his Railing However he supposeth They are but Old Errors cloathed with New Notions and which himself has sufficiently enough Enervated in his former Chapter of Reprobation and Universal Redemption Which being the Basis of them is by him if he may be admitted Judge in his own Cause already overturned And then he thinks It was Impertinency to say That Quakers can by sensible Experience be Confirmed in their Doctrine and so brings to an end his first two Paragraphs J. B's Comment and false Insinution put upon our Doctrine of Grace and Salvation His next work is to play the Commentator and to tell his Reader my Meaning which to be sure is
Printer the Figures may be misplaced and so miss Truly they must be very happy that can secure themselves from this hazzard he has not been so happy who denied the Words to be in a place where the knowing of it depended not upon the diligence of others but of his own locking to it as I have just now shewen Pag. 315. to prove That Justified is not taken in the Epistles of the Apostle Paul to the Romans Corinthians Galatians for Making Just as I affirmed in the Passages cited by me he saith To take it so would make the Apostle Contradict himself But this he affirms upon the meer Supposition that the Apostle with him Excludes all Works from Justification which is but to beg the Question as will after appear What he adds here and in the following page in answer to the Citations I bring out of divers Protestant Authors I need not trouble the Reader with a Reply to it because he turns by the most material of them as not having the Authors by him to examin them Others he positively Rejects as not agreeing with them as Forbes and Baxter And at last Insinuates That the Trial is not to be by Humane Testimonies for such he accounts all the Writings of his Brethren whereunto I do very well agree Only I brought some of his own Folks not as if I needed them to Confirm me in my Opinion but as having Weight with those among whom they are esteemed Doctors In this page answering what I urge from Rom. 8.30 shewing how in that Golden Chain Sanctification must be excluded or Justification must be taken in its proper Sense he saith That Sanctification is comprehended under Vocation If this be true which he asserts then he gives again away his Cause for then no Man is sooner Called than he is Sanctified and since he will not say seeing he disclaims to be an Antinomian that any Man is Justified before he be Called it follows then necessarily That no Man is Justified No Man is justifed before he be Sanctified before he be Sanctified and then to what purpose has he been fighting and wrestling all this while Pag. 316. N. 33. he acccuses me of Vnparalleled Falshood Impudency and Boldness for saying That I have sufficiently proved that by Justification ought to be understood to be made really Just whereas I undertook only to prove that the Word might be so understood without Absurdity Adding I wonderfully conclude a must be from a may be c. But the best is his greatest Charges are built either upon forged Calumnies or his own pitiful Mistakes I never Concluded by Justification ought to be understood to be made really Just only upon that which I said from the Etymology of the Word nor by Justification there did I understand meerly the Word but I conclude from all my Scripture-Arguments of the thing as my following Words manifest where I say We know it from Sensible Experience But he may be sure it is not the Etymology of the Word we know so And if thence he urge That this falleth not under the inward Sensation of the Soul he but fights with his own Mistake For that the Real Justification of the Saints falleth under the Inward Sensation of the Soul I think no Man of Sense will deny for Christ is formed in the Mind where he is said to be Revealed Inwardly and that gives a Sense of Justification Albeit he seem to wonder at it asking What Scripture speaketh so He may read Gal. 1.16 Whether was not the Apostle here Justifyed and under the Sense of it He is angry p. 317. that I call the Life of Christ an Inward and Spiritual Thing but will he say it is an Outward and Carnal Thing The Life of Christ is an Inward and Spiritual thing But what thinks he of 2 Cor. 4.10 11 He Confesseth This Life of Christ supported and carried the persecuted Apostles through many Miseries and Deaths Will he say then it was not an Inward and Spiritual thing that carried them through these Trials But he addeth But who except a Quaker could say That the Apostle says We are Justified by this Life I answer All except such Absurd Men as will deny that where we are said to be Saved by a thing we are said to be Justified by it Rom. 5.10 Tit. 3.5 we are said to be saved by Regeneration And whereas he saith The Apostle saith not That this is the Formal Objective Cause of Justification These are Words the Apostle useth not at all and therefore no wonder there be no Word of it here He looks upon it as being Absurd for me to think that Reprobation is Non-justification but I would know of him if there be any Reprobates who are Justified That the Marks and Evidences are not always taken from the Immediate Nearest and Formal Cause I confess but that therefore the not having Christ revealed in the Soul is only a Sign and no Cause of Reprobation remains for him to prove The Cause Reprobation Wickedness is a Sign of Reprobation will he therefore affirm it is not the Immediate nor Formal Cause of it After the same manner he denieth p. 319. That we must lean to that which the Apostle calleth Col. 1.27 28. Christ within the Hope of Glory his Reason is because the Apostle saith Phil. 1.28 And in nothing terrified by your Adversaries which is to you an evident Token of Salvation asking Must we also lean to that in Justification But will he say there is no difference betwixt that which is only a Token and Christ within If there be his Reason concludes nothing ¶ 6. Lastly he comes to answer The Necessity of Good Works to Justification what I say of the Necessity of Good Works to Justification And what I urge from Isai 2. he confesseth that Good Works are an Instrumental Cause Which Concession doth prove all I Affirm If they be an Instrumental Cause they must be a Cause sine qua non and Necessary since the Instrumental Cause of a thing must be necessary towards its being What! though Abraham was Justified before he Offered up his Son it will not follow that he was Justified without Works His Absurdity as if it would thence follow That no Man is Justified when he sleeps or is not actually doing some Work looks liker the Objection of a Man Sleeping who knows not what he saith than of one Awake for by the same way it might be said that Faith is not Necessary since Men do no more actually believe than do Good Works when they are sleeping My Argument deduced from Heb. 12.14 Matth. 7.21 John 13.17 1 Cor. 7.19 Revel 22.14 he sayes proves the Necessity of Works unto final Salvation but not to Justification and if it do so it doth the business unless he will say that full and perfect Justification is not sufficient to Salvation My answer to their first Objection he observes but replies not To the second answering what
do as clearly perceive this Natural Idea of GOD as the most Holy Men or Angels If the Scripture then be true there is in Men a Supernatural Idea of GOD There is in all Men a Supernatural Idia of God which altogether differs from this Natural Idea I say in all Men because all Men are capable of Salvation and consequently of enjoying this Divine Vision Now this Capacity consisteth herein that they have such a Supernatural Idea in themselves For if there were no such Idea in them it were impossible they should so know God For whatsoever is clearly and distinctly known is known by its proper Idea neither can it other ways be clearly and distinctly known For the Idea's of all things are Divinely planted in our Souls for they are not begotten in us by outward Objects or outward Causes as the better Philosophy teacheth but only are by these outward things excited or stirred up And this is true not only in Supernatural Idea's of G0D and things Divine and in Natural Idea's of the Natural Principles of Humane Vnderstanding and Conclusions thence deduced by the strength of Human Reason but even in the Idea's of outward Objects which are perceived by the outward Senses As that Noble Christian Philosopher Boetius hath well observed Boetius a Christian Philosopher to which also the Cartesian Philophy agreeth For when I see any outward Object whether it be a Man or Horse or Bird the outward Object doâ— not treat in my Eye nor yet in my Mind the Idea of those things for the outward Object does nothing but Imprint in our sensible Organs a Corporal Motion Now there is nothing in a Corporal Motion that can form in us the Idea's of those things The Motions of the Body and Mind distinguisht for all Idea's are of a Spiritual Nature Now nothing that is Corporal can produce that which is Spiritual because The less Excellent cannot produce the more Excellent else the Effect would exceed its Cause which is against all sound Reason that it should bring forth what were of a higher and more Excellent kind Therefore all Idea's whether of Natural or Spiritual things are Divinely Implanted in our Minds Which nevertheless do not always appear but sometimes appear and sometimes are as it were hid in us and sometimes are stirred up in us by Causes outward or inward and again do as it were sleep and shun our observation and seem not to be otherways distinguished by our Minds but as Thoughts and Perceptions of the Mind from the Mind it self that is as the Mode from the Subject or as a Bodily Motion from the Body whereof it is the Motion For as is the Relation of a Bodily Motion to a Body so is the Relation of a Thought or Perception of the Mind to the Mind In this nevertheless they differ that the Mind can move it self and operate in it self which a Body cannot do but as a Body can be moved by another so also can the Mind after its manner be moved by another and that both by outward and inward Causes but Chiefly by GOD himself in whose Hand all Souls and Creatures are But of these things there is enough said at present and I hope I have not thus far Impertinently Philosophised To return again to the matter in Question It is already proved That there is in a Man a Supernatural Idea of GOD from whence it easily may be concluded There are other Supernatural Idea's in Man also to wit Concerning Divine and Supernatural Things Yea as the Saints Experience doth prove it neither doth sound Reason any ways Contradict it As there are then Natural Idea's concerning the things of the Natural World as for instance Idea's of Light and Colours Supernatural Idea's deducible from the Natural Idea's of Voice and Sounds Idea's of Savouring and Smelling Idea's of Tasting and Feeling as of Heat and Cold of Grief and Joy it follows also that there are Idea's of supernatural things concerning the Divine and Supernatural things of the Divine and Supernatural World as Idea's of those things above mentioned in the Spiritual World And as the Natural Idea's are stirred up in us by Outward and Natural Bodies so those Divine and Supernatural Idea's are stirred up in us by a certain Principle which is a Body in Naturals in Relation to the Spiritual World and therefore may be called a Divine Body Not as if it were a part of GOD who is a most pure Spirit but the Organ or Instrument of GOD The Flesh and Blood of Christ by which the Saints are nourished by which he worketh in us and stirreth up in us these Idea's of Divine things This is that Flesh and Blood of Christ by which the Saints are nourished which is a Mystery to all Vnregenerated and meer Natural Men never to be reached by them while they remain in that State Now if there be such Supernatural Idea's there are also Senses or Perceptive Faculties by which those Ideas are perceived for those are two Relatives that suppose and infer one another But in Wicked men those Senses or Faculties do as it were sleep as the Visive Faculty of a Blind man But in the Godly they are stirred up Now by these Divine and Spiritual Senses which are distinct and distinguishable from all the natural Faculties of the Soul whether of Imagination or natural Reason Spiritual-minded Men do behold the Glory and Beauty of GOD The Beauty of God makes the Glory of this World Despicable in respect whereof and for which all the Glory of this World is despicable to them yea even as dross and dung and tkey also hear GOD Inwardly speaking in their Souls words truly Divine and Heavenly full of Virtue and Divine Life and they savour and tast of Divine things and do as it were handle them with the hands of their Souls And those Heavenly Enjoiments do as really differ in their nature from all false Similitudes and fictitious Appearances of them which either the mind of Man by its own strength can Imitate or any evil Spirit to deceive Man can Counterfeit as a true Man differs from the dead Image of a Man or true Bread Honey Wine or Milk doth from the meer Picture of those things And albeit either the Imagination of Man or Subtilty of the Devil may Counterfeit false Likenesses of these Enjoiments by which Men may be deceived and no doubt many are deceived that doth not hinder but that those Divine Enjoiments are clearly perceived in such in whom the Divine and Spiritual Senses are truly opened The Cause of Mistakes by false Likenesses of Reason and the true Supernatural Idea's of those things truly raised up And if there be at any time a Mistake the Divine Illumination is not the cause of that Mistake but some evil disposition of the Mind as happeneth in those things relating to natural Reason For there are many false Appearances of Reason which differ as much from true
the Church of Christ is not to usurp Authority over their Fellow-Members 229. decisive Judgment explained 243. true and false Decision 244. unsettled Men Judging 683 684. Charitable and uncharitable Judgment 686. God the Judge of conscience 516 517. he that is Spiritual Judgeth all things 795 see Church Justification the Doctrine thereof is and hath been greatly vitiated among the Papists and wherein they place it 364 365 380 382 Luther and the Protestants with good Reason opposed this Doctrine though many of them ran soon into another Extream and wherein they place it and that they agree in one 366 387 370. it comes from the Love of God 367 379 380. to Justify signifies to to make really Just not to repute Just which many Protestants are also forced to acknowledge 370 371 374 377. The Revelation of Christ formed in the Heart is the formal Cause of Justification not Works to speak properly which are only an Effect and so also many Protestants have said 364 380. we are Justified in Works and how 364 370 371 380 387. this is so far from being Popish Doctrine that Bellarmine and others opposed it 365 369 385 386. We are Justified by Christ Jesus both as he appeared at Jerusalem and also as he was made manifest and revealed in us 19 20. Justification by the indwelling of Christ is denied by the Papists 78. Primitive Protestants Belief concerning Justification 79. concerning Faith and Justification 129 166. a twofold Justification 25. it is the making a Man just by an Inward Righteousness 77. 811. the Doers of the Law Justified 806. Antinomians Imputative Justification refuted 812. J. B's gross Opinion of it 814. no Man is Justified before he be sanctified 816 The real Justification falleth under the inward sensation of the Soul 817. K. Keith G. K. vindicated from our Adversaries malitious Insinuations against him 621. Kingdom of God 459 511 517. Christ's Kingdom needs no outward protection 846. the Kingdom of God is within you 803. the Kingdom of God is in the Seed in the Hearts of all Men 354. Kirk the Greedy Kirk become a Proverb 437. Knowledge the Heighth of Man's Happiness is placed in the true Knowledge of God 467. Error in the Entrance of this Knowledge is dangerous 267 268. Superstition Idolatry and thence Atheism hath proceeded from the False and Feigned Opinions concerning God and the Knowledge of him 269. the uncertain Knowledge of God is divers ways attained but the True and Certain only by the inward and immediate Revelation of the Holy Spirit 269 271. it hath been brought out of use and by what Devices 272 273. there is no Knowledge of the Father but by the Son nor of the Son but by the Spirit 268 274 275. the Knowledge of Christ which is not by the Revelation of his Spirit in the Heart is no more the Knowledge of Christ than the pratling of a Parret which hath been taught a few Words may be said to be the Voice of a Man 276 277. The Objection that the Apostle prefers the Knowledge of Christ as outwardly Crucified to all other Knowledge answered 9. his Inward Knowledge preferred 67. the true and saving Knowledge of God 115 161. the Knowledge of the History saves none 355. many by the Light may be saved that have not the outward Knowledge of christ 356 of the true Ground of Knowledge 728 733. the Difference between Head-Knowledge and the partaking of the Divine Nature 763 764. Monopolizers of Knowledge 889. 428 see Clergy The Christian Religion consists not in the Historical Knowledge of Christ 895. see Indians c L. Labour they wanted nothing whom God sent they labour'd with their Hands 435. Laces and Ribbonds 873. Laicks 429 432 433. Laity 433 507. Lake of Bethesda 338 339. Lamb see Paschal Lamb. Language the plain Language used in the Scriptures 58. concerning our using Thee and Thou which is the Singular Number to one person 61. to use the Plural instead of the Singular Number to one Person is no Indifferent thing 3 4. see Number the Singular Number to one person used in the Latine 539. how the Word You came to be used to a single person ibid. the Word Thou a greater Honour to one than You 540. Scripture-Dialect the plain Language 541. Law the Law is distinguished from the Gospel 287 384. the Difference thereof 287 493. see Gospel under the Law the People were not in any Doubt who should be Priests and Ministers 408. see Minister of the Law Worship The Testimony Law and Word is inward in the Heart 15 71. the ending of the Law and beginning of the Gospel 187. wherein the Law and Gospel differ 298 393 484. the outward and inward Law 286. the Law of Christ more perfect than of Moses 558. the Divine Law was implanted in Man's Nature before all Laws made by Man 701. J. B's Proof for what is meant by Law and Testimony 756. his Asserting the Law of Nature against his former Reason 793. Law of Moses see Legal Rites Lawyers by Tricks and Intricacies foment Controversies 209 Laying on of Hands 511. see Hands Learned the Lord is angering the Wise and Learned 885 Learning what true Learning is 421 422. Humane Learning is not the Qualification of a Minister 140 305 703 730. see Literature Schools of Learning Leaven J. B's Objection against the Word Fermentum Leaven or Fermentation a Leavening answered 855. Legal Rites had a Command as well as John's Baptism 857. Leonisis a Sect they have a great Shew of Truth 532. in the Margent Letter The Letter killeth quickneth not 393. like Pharisees the outward Law so now Professors plead the Letter 15. How the Letter killeth 18 76. Levi a Figure of Christ 655 Leyden John of Leyden and Ignatius Loyola their Practices resembled by W. M. and his Brethren 58 Liars their Punishment 557 Libertines see Ranters Liberty the true Liberty in the Church 222. breach of Liberty begets Jars ibid. a false Liberty 224. a wrong Spirit of Liberty 246. what Liberty we claim in things Religious 516 520 524 Lies 276. lying Titles 535. Christians not to speak a Lie 875. J. B s refuge of Lies 877. Light The innate Light is explained by Cicero 361 362. Light of Nature the Errors of the Socinians and Pelagians who exalt this Light are rejected 310 311. Saving Light see Redemption is universal it is in all 330 331. It is a Spiritual and Heavenly Principle 333 334. it is a Substance not an Accident 334 335. it is Supernatural and sufficient 346 348. It is the Gospel preached in every Creature 349 350. It is the Word nigh in the Mouth and in the Heart 350 351. it is the Ingrafted Word able to save the Soul 353. Testimonies of Augustin and Buchanan concerning this Light 363. it is not any part of Nature or Reliques of the Light remaing in Adam after the fall 337. it is distinguished from the Conscience 337 338. It is not a common Gift as the Heat of the
The worldly Peace-Contrivers Rule is not Equity but the power of Parties 610 711 712 Pelagians 311. how we differ from them 339 341 492. see Light of Nature Pelagius deemeth That no Man gets an evil Seed from Adam and ascribes all to the Will and Nature of Men He said that Man could attain unto a State of not sinning by his meer natural Strength without the Grace of God 398 Perfection Concerning Perfection or freedom from Sin 91 99 132 136 166 167. Perfection evicted 28 37 620. Persecution upon the account of Religion 523 529. see Magistrate Violent Persecutions upon the account of Religious Principles rather confirm than drive the persecuted from the Belief of those Principles 687. The Lutherans and Calvinists united in the Doctrine and Practice of Persecution even practise the same against one another 690. Pressing after and seeking to establish a National Church tends to promote Persecution 691. the Principle of Persecution preached up and practised by the Church of Rome 689. Severity see 865. Perseverance The Grace of God may be lost through Disobedience 388 401. yet such a stability may in this Life be attained from which there cannot be a total Apostasy 380 398 400 405 406. Concerning Perseverance or falling from Grace 136 138 167 Peter whether he was at Rome 289. he was ignorant of Aristotle's Logick 305. there were of old divers Opinions concerning his Second Epistle 297. Pharaoh 778 Pharisees 475. Philosopher an Heathen-Philosopher was brought to the Christian Faith by an Illiterate Rustick 424. a Philosopher converted his Testimony concerning the Old Man's Words 644. a Philosopher troubled for being Commended by a Profligate Person 672. Philosophers whence called 362. Philosophy 417 424 Phisicks ibid. Plays whether it be lawful to use them 531 533 545 548. 565 Polycarpus the Disciple or John 289 Power The Power of God being Inwardly felt to give Victory over Sin in some serious Inquirers was the Cause of their Uniting and agreeing unanimously to the universal Preaching up of this Power which is the True Church's first and chiefest Principle and most agreeable to the universal Love of God 697 Pray To pray for Remission of Sins 397 398. concerning the Lord's Prayer 450. to Pray without the Spirit is to offend God 453. concerning the Prayer of the Will in Silence 458 see Worship Prayer The Prayers of the People were in the Latine Tongue 422. Prayers performed without the Assistance of the Spirit are not acceptable to God 44 45. Mental Prayer the Cause and Spring of Vocal Prayer 643. is sometimes of more Force than Vocal Prayer 648 all that are Faithful who have no natural Defect may Pray Vocally at Times 645. Preacher see Minister Preaching what it is termed the Preaching of the Word 426 431. see Worship it is a permanent Institution 485. it is learned as another Trade 431. no Preaching is profitable but that which comes from the Immediate Teachings of God's Spirit 28 861 868 871 Predestinated God hath after a special manner Predestinated some to Salvation of whom the places of Scripture which some abuse be understood their Objections are easily solved 341. Presbyterians Scots Presbyterians the severest of that Sect they derive their Pedigree from Geneva but surpass it in Zeal 678. Presbyterians Complyance 758. a Presbyterian Preacher's Prayer to the Devil 708. a twofold Will in God vindicated by the Presbyterians 777. see 861 873 878 Priest Under the Law God spake immediately to the High-Priest 277 286 Priests see Minister of the Law 408 409 421 442 Pride 885 Princes the Courts of Princes the Scenes of greatest Wickedness 708 564. Principles Departing through Unbelief from the Fundamental Principles of a Society implieth self-ejection from being a Member of that Society whether in Spiritual or Temporal Matters 214. proved by Scripture ibid. that those that abide faithful in the firm Belief of those Principles and Doctrines upon which their Society was outwardly grounded have Power to exclude those that separate from them by asserting False and Contradictory Principles 215. The Doctrines and Principles which are the outward Bonds and Terms of Society are nothing else but the Product of Truth 's Power and Virtue upon the Heart 241. a good Principle is a ready way to lead People into good Practices 27 Profession An outward Profession is necessary that any be a Member of a particular Christian Church 404 Prophecy and to Prophesy what it signifies 416 417. of the Liberty of Prophesying 439. Prophecy 277 750 Prophets Some Prophets did not Miracles 416 417. Sam. Rutherford explains 1 Cor. 14.30 to be meant of Pastors and not extraordinary Prophets 104. J. Calvin affirms that in his Day God raised up Prophets and Evangelists 89. concerning Prophets 604 645 667. Protestants the Rule of their Faith 289. they are forced ultimately to recur unto the immediate inward Revelations of the Holy Spirit 293. what difference betwixt the execrable Deeds of those of Munster and theirs 288 290. they make Philosophy the Handmaid of Divinity 305. they affirm John Huss prophesied of the Reformation that was to be 309. whether they did not throw themselves into many Errors while they were expecting a greater Light 380. they opposed the Papists not without good Cause in the Doctrine of Justification but they soon ran into another Extream 365 366. they say that the best Works of the Saints are defiled 370. whether there be any difference betwixt them and the Papists in Superstitions and Manners and what it is 405 406. what they think of the Call of a Minister 409 416. it is lamentable that they betake themselves to Judas for a Patron to their Ministers and Ministry 421. their Zeal and Endeavours are praised 422. of their School-divinity 425. of the Apostles and Evangelists of this Time 430. whom they exclude from the Ministry 430 431. that they preach to none until they be first sure of so much a Year 433. the more moderate of them exclaim against the excessive Revenues of the Clergy 435. though they had forsaken the Bishop of Rome yet they would not part with old Benefices 436. they will not labour 437. whether they have made a perfect Reformation in Worship 440 441. their Worship can easily be stopped 455. they have given great Scandal to the Reformation 470 they deny Water Baptism to be absolutely necessary to Salvation 480. of Water-Baptism 491 392. of the Flesh and Blood of Christ 407 409. they use not Washing of Feet 489. how they did vindicate Liberty of Conscience 524. some affirm that wicked Kings and Magistrates ought to be deposed yea killed 5.24 how they Meet when they have not the Consent of the Magistrate 529 530. of Oaths and Swearing 550 551. according to the Episcopalian and Presbyterian Principles and Practices no Man can be a Member of the State but first they must be a Member of the Church 691. the Protestants to their Shame have recourse to their old Abdicated Father the Pope for a Title to their