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
this is that other saying of the same Apostle Gal. 4.19 My little Children of whom I travel in Birth again until Christ be formed in you and therefore the Apostle terms this Christ within the Hope of Glory Col. 1.27 28. Now that which is the hope of glory can be no other than that which we immediately and most nearly Rely upon for our Justification and that whereby we are really and truly made Just. And as we do not hereby deny but the Original and Fundamental Cause of our Justification is the love of God manifested in the Appearance of Jesus Christ in the flesh who by his life death Christ by his Death and Sufferings has open'd a way for our Reconciliation sufferings and obedience made a way for our Reconciliation and became a Sacrifice for the Remission of sins that are past and purchased unto us this Seed and Grace from which this Birth arises and in which Jesus Christ is inwardly Received formed and brought forth in us in his own pure and holy Image of Righteousness by which our Souls live unto God and are cloathed with him and have put him on even as the Scripture speaks Eph. 4.23 24 Gal. 3.27 We stand Justified and Saved in and by him and by his Spirit and Grace Rom. 3.24 1 Cor. 6.11 Tit. 3.7 So again reciprocally we are hereby made partakers of the fulness of his Merits and his cleansing Blood is near to wash away every Sin and Infirmity and to heal all our back-slidings as often as we turn towards him by unfeigned Repentance and become Renewed by his Spirit Those then that find him thus Raised and Ruling in them have a true ground of Hope to believe that they are Justified by his Blood But let not any deceive themselves so as to foster themselves in a vain Hope and Confidence that by the Death and Sufferings of Christ they are Justified so long as sin lies at their door Gen. 4.7 Iniquity prevails and they remain yet Vnrenewed and Vnregenerate lest it be said unto them I know you not Let that saying of Christ be remembred Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter but he that doth the Will of my Father Matth. 7.21 To which let these excellent sayings of the beloved Disciple be added Little Children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous He that committeth sin is of the Devil because if our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things 1 John 3.7 and 20. Many famous Protestants bear witness to this inward Justification by Christ inwardly Revealed and Formed in man Borhaeus in Gen. pag. 162. As 1. M. Borhaeus In the Imputation saith he wherein Christ is Ascribed and Imputed to believers for Righteousness the Merit of his Blood and the Holy Ghost given unto us by virtue of his Merits are equally Included And so it shall be Confessed The Testimonies of Famous Protestants of Inward Justification that Christ is our Righteousness as well from his Merit Satisfaction and Remission of sins obtained by him as from the Gifts of the Spirit of Righteousness And if we do this we shall consider the whole Christ proposed to us for our Salvation and not any single part of him The same man p. 169. In our Justification then Christ is considered who breaths and lives in us to wit by his Spirit put-on by us concerning which putting-on the Apostle saith Ye have put on Christ. And again p. 171. We endeavour to Treat in Justification not of part of Christ but him wholly in so far as he is our Righteousness every way And a little after As then blessed Paul in our Justification when he saith Whom he Justified them he Glorified comprehends all things which pertain to our being Reconciled to God the Father and our Renewing which fits us for attaining unto Glory such as Faith Righteousness Christ and the Gift of Righteousness exhibited by him whereby we are Regenerated to the fulfilling of the Justification which the Law requires so we also will have all things comprehended in this cause which are contained in the Recovery of Righteousness and and Innocency And p. 181. The Form saith he of our Justification is the Divine Righteousness it self by which we are formed just and good This is Jesus Christ who is esteemed our Righteousness partly from the Forgiveness of sins and partly from the Renewing and the Restoring of that Integrity which was lost by the fault of the first Adam so that this New and Heavenly Adam being put-on by us of which the Apostle saith Ye have put on Christ ye have put him on I say as the Form so the Righteousness Wisdom and Life of God So also affirmeth Claudius Alberius Inuncunanus Inuncunanus see his Orat. Apodict Lausaniae Excus 1587. Orat. 2. p. 86 87. Zuinglius also in his Epistle to the Princes of Germany as cited by Himmelius Zuinglius c. 7. p. 60. saith That the Sanctification of the Spirit is true Justification Essius which alone suffices to Justify Essius upon 1 Cor. 6.11 saith Lest Christian Righteousness should be thought to consist in the Washing alone that is in the Remission of Sins he addeth the other Degree or part but ye are sanctified that is Ye have attain'd to Purity so that ye are now truly holy before God Lastly expressing the sum of the Benefit received in one word which includes both the parts But ye are Justified the Apostle adds in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that is by his Merits and in the Spirit of our God that is the Holy Spirit proceeding from God and communicated to us by Christ. And lastly R. Baxter R. Baxter a famous English Preacher who yet liveth in his Book called Aphorisms of Justification p. 80. saith That some ignorant Wretches gnash their Teeth at this Doctrine as if it were flat Popery not understanding the nature of the Righteousness of the New Covenant which is all out of Christ in our selves thô wrought by the Power of the Spirit of Christ in us § IX The Third thing proposed to be considered is Concerning Good Position III Works their necessity to Justification I suppose there is enough said before to clear us from any Imputation of being Popish in this matter Good Works But if it be queried Whether we have not said or will not affirm Quest. that a man is Justified by Works I answer I hope none need neither ought to take Offence Answ. if in this matter we use the plain language of the Holy Scripture which saith expresly in Answer hereunto James 2.24 Ye see then That Works are necessary to Justification how that by Works a man is Justified and not by Faith only I shall not offer to prove the Truth of this saying since what is said in this Chapter by the Apostle is sufficient to Convince any man that will read and
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
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
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
had the thing declared unto them retiring to the inward Testimony of the same Spirit in themselves did feel Vnion therewith and such as went along did not only find a true liberty which might have sufficed but some of them a necessity to Concur with it And as for the carrying of the Hat and Cloak it was altogether Extrinsick being neither Essential nor Circumstantial to the thing nor so looked upon by these who did it Yet the Carping thereat shews in the Proposer a Critical mind very void of seriousness which the Lord as of purpose to starve hath permitted him to build that part of the Query in relation to A. H's Wife upon a false Report the thing being a manifest Vntruth And in Answer to the second Proposition of the Premisses it 's the alone immediate Testimony of the Spirit of God that can truly discover all false Pretenders and Delusions which if any can let them deny without overturning the Basis of all Christian Religion and rendering the Faith of the Saints in all Ages Vncertain R. B. A CATECHISM AND Confession of Faith Approved of and Agreed unto by the GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PATRIARCHS PROPHETS and APOSTLES CHRIST himself CHIEF SPEAKER In and Among them Which containeth A True and Faithful Account of the Principles and Doctrines which are most surely believed by the Churches of Christ in Great Britain and Ireland who are reproachfully called by the Name of Quakers yet are found in the one Faith with the Primitive Church and Saints as is most clearly demonstrated by some plain Scripture-Testimonies without Consequences or Commentaries which are here Collected and Inserted by way of Answer to a Few Weighty yet Easie and Familiar Questions fitted as well for the Wisest and Largest as for the Weakest and Lowest Capacities To which is added An EXPOSTVLATION with and APPEAL to all other Professors By R B. a Servant of the Church of Christ. JOHN 5.39 40. Search the Scriptures or Ye search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me that ye might have Life LONDON Printed for Thomas Northcott in George-Yard in Lumbard-Street 1691. THE PREFACE TO THE READER READER SInce first that great Apostacy took place in the Hearts and Heads of those who began even in the Apostles days to depart from the Simplicity and Purity of the Gospel as it was then delivered in its Primitive Splendor and Integrity innumerable have been the manifold Inventions and Traditions the different and various Notions and Opinions wherewith Man by giving way to the vain and airy Imaginations of his own unstable Mind hath burdened the Christian Faith So that indeed first by adding these things and afterwards by equalling them if not exalting them above the Truth they have at last come to be substitute in the stead of it so that in process in time Truth came to be shut out of doors and another thing placed in the room thereof having a Shew and a Name but wanting the Substance and Thing it self Nevertheless it pleased God to raise up Witnesses for himself almost in every Age and Generation who according to the Discoveries they received bore some Testimony less or more against the Superstition and Apostacy of the time and in special manner through the appearing of that Light which first broke forth in Germany about One hundred and fifty years ago and afterwards reached divers other Nations the Beast received a deadly Wound and a very great Number did at one time Protest against and Rescind from the Church of Rome in divers of their most gross and sensual Doctrines and superstitious Traditions But alas It is for matter of lamentation that the Successors of these Protestants are Establishing and Building up in themselves that which their Fathers were pulling down instead of prosecuting and going on with so Good and Honourable a Work which will easily appear The generality of all Protestants though in many other things miserably Rent and Shattered among themselves do agree in dividing from the Church of Rome in these two particulars First That every Principle and Doctrine of the Christian Faith is and ought to be founded upon the Scripture and that whatsoever Principles or Doctrines are not only not contrary but even not according thereto ought to be denied as Antichristian Secondly That the Scriptures themselves are Plain and Easie to be understood and that every private Christian and Member of the Church ought to read and peruse them that they may know their Faith and Belief founded upon them and receive them for that Cause alone and not because any Church or Assembly has Compounded and Recommended them the Choicest and Most-pure of which they are obliged to look upon as Fallible Now contrary to this their known and acknowledged Principle they do most vigorously prosecute and persecute others with the like Severity the Papists did their Fathers for believing things that are plainly set down in the Scriptures and for not believing divers Principles for which themseves are forc'd to recur to Tradition and can by no means prove from Scripture To shew which I shall not here insist having alotted a Chapter for it in the Book it self because to put it here would swell beyond the bounds of a Preface Oh! How like do they shew themselves I mention it with Regret to the Scribes and Pharisees of Old who of all men most cried up and exalted Moses and the Prophets boasting greatly of being Abraham's Children And yet those were they that were the greatest Opposers and Vilifiers of Christ to whom Moses and all the Prophets gave Witness yea their chief Accusations and Exceptions against Christ was as being a Breaker of the Law and a Blasphemer Can there any Comparison run more parallel seeing there is now found a People who are greatly Persecuted and bitterly Reviled and Accused as Hereticks by a Generation that cry up and exalt the Scriptures And yet this Peoples Principles are found in Scripture Word by Word though the most grievous and indeed the greatest Calumny cast upon them is that they Vilifie and Deny the Scriptures and set up their own Imaginations instead of them To disprove which this Catechism and Confession of Faith is Compiled and presented to thy Serious and Impartial View If thou lovest the Scripture indeed and desirest to hold the plain Doctrines there delivered and not these Strained and Far-fetch'd Consequences which Men have invented thou shalt easily observe the whole Principles of the People called QUAKERS plainly couched in Scripture-Words without Addition or Commentary especially in those things their Adversaries Oppose them in where the Scripture plainly decideth the Controversie for them without Nicities and School-Distinctions which have been the Wisdom by which the World hath not known God and the Words which have been multiplied without knowledge by which Counsel hath been darkned In the Answers to the Questions there is not one Word that I know of placed but the
have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come If they shall fall away to renew them again unto Repentance seeing they Crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open Shame Looking diligently lest any Man fail of the Grace of God Hebr. 12.15 lest any Root of Bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled Q Doth he speak this only by Supposition or doth he assert it not only possible but certain A. For the time will come 2 Tim. 4 3 4. when they will not endure sound Doctrine but after their own Lusts shall they heap to themselves Teachers having itching Ears and they shall turn away their Ears from the Truth and shall be turned unto Fables Q. Doth the Apostle even judge it necessary to guard such a one as his beloved Son Timothy against this Hazzard A. This Charge I commit unto thee Son Timothy 1 Tim. 1.18 19. according to the Prophecies which went before on thee that thou by them mightest war the good Warfare Holding Faith in a good Conscience which some having put away concerning Faith have made Shipwrack For the Love of Money is the Root of all Evil 2 Tim. 4.10 which while some coveted after they have erred from the Faith and pierced themselves through with many Sorrows 2 Tim. 17.17 18. And their Word will eat as doth a Canker of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus who concerning the true Faith have erred saying That the Resurrection is past already and overthrown the Faith of some Q. Doth the Apostle any where express his Fears of this as a thing that may happen to any number of People who once truly received the Faith of Christ A. Well because of Unbelief they were broken off Rom. 11.20 and thou standest by Faith be not High-minded but fear Now the Spirit speaketh expresly 1 Tim. 4.1 that in the latter times some shall depart from the Faith c. For this Cause 1 Thess. 3.5 when I could no longer forbear I sent to know your Faith lest by some means the Tempter have Tempted you and our Labour be in vain Q. What is the Apostle Peter's Mind does he judge that such as have known the right Way may forsake it A. * 2 Pet. 2.14 15 18 20 21 22. Cursed Children which have forsaken the Righteous Way and are gone astray following the Way of Balaam the Son of Bezor who loved the Ways of Unrighteousness but was rebuked for his Iniquity the dumb Ass speaking with Man's Voice forbad the Madness of the Prophet These are Wells without Water Clouds that are carried with a Tempest to whom the Mist of Darkness is reserved for ever For when they speak great swelling Words of Vanity they allure through the Lust of the Flesh through much Wantonness those that were clean escaped from them who live in Error For if after they have escaped the Pollutions of the World through the Knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again Entangled therein and Overcome the latter End is worse with them than the Beginning for it had been better for them not to have known the Way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered unto them But it is happened to them according to the true Proverb The Dog is turned to his Vomit and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire Q. Gives he any Cautions to them that stand as supposing they may also fall 2 Pet. 3.17 A. Ye therefore Beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the Error of the Wicked fall from your own Stedfastness Q. May a Man be truly a Branch in Christ or a real Member of his Body and afterwards be Cut off John 15.6 A. If any Man abide not in me he is Cast forth as a Branch and is Withered Q May a Righteous Man then depart from his Righteousness Ezâ—k 18.26 and 33.13 A. But when the Righteous Man turneth away from his Righteousness and commits Iniquity and dieth in them for his Iniquity that he hath done shall he die Q. May a Believer come to such a Condition in this Life from which he cannot fall away Rev. 3.12 A. Him that Overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the Name of my God which is New Jerusalem who cometh down out of Heaven from my God and will write upon him my New Name Q. May such an one come to be assured that he is in this Condition Rom. 8.38 39. A. For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor Things present nor Things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. CHAP. IX Concerning the Church and Ministry Question WHat is the Church Answer But if I tarry long 1 Tim. 3 15. that thou may'st know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the House of God which is the Church of the Living God the Pillar and Ground of Truth Q. Who is the Head of the Church A. Who hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness Col. 113. and 2.19 and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son and he is the Head of the Body the Church from which all the Body by Joints and Bands having Nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the Increase of God Q. What kind of Persons make the Church A. Them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1.2 Acts 2.47 And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved Q. Hath not Christ appointed any Officers in the Church for the Work of the Ministry A. Wherefore he saith when he Ascended up on High Ephes. 4.8 11.12 he led Captivity Captive and gave Gifts unto Men and he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and some Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry for the Edification of the Body of Christ. Q. What kind of Men should such as are Teachers and Overseers of the Church be A. A Bishop then must be Blameless the Husband of one Wife 1 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5 6 7. Vigilant Sober of good Behaviour given to Hospitality apt to Teach not given to Wine no Striker not greedy of filthy Lucre but Patient not a Brawler not Covetous one that ruleth well his own House having his Children in Subjection with all Gravity for if a Man know not how to rule his own House how shall he take Care of the Church of God not a Novice lest being lifted up with Pride he fall into the
and that must be in some certain Place where all must know where to find it having herein a regard to the Conveniencies and Occasions of such as Meet Were it fit that those of the Church of Corinth should go do their Business at Antioch or the Church of Jerusalem at Rome Nay surely God hath not given us our Reasons to no Purpose but that we should make use of them for his Glory and the good of our Brethren yet always in Subjection to his Power and Spirit and therefore we have respect to these Things in the appointing of our Meetings and do it not without a regard to the Lord but in a Sense of his Fear And so the like as to Times And Convenient Set-Times appointed which is no contradicting of the inward Leading of the Spirit Else how came the Apostle to Appoint a Time to the Corinthians in their Contributions desiring them 1 Cor. 16.2 To lay by them in store upon the first Day of the Week yea saith he not that he gave the same Order to the Church of Galatia I know not how any in reason can quarrel Set Times for outward Business it being done in a Subjection to God's Will as all things ought to be or else how can such as so do but quarrel the Apostle for this Imposition at that Rate upon the Churches of Corinth and Galatia We appoint no Set-Times for the Performance of the Worship of God so as to appoint Men to preach and pray at such and such Set-Times though we appoint Times to Meet together in the Name of the Lord that we may feel his Presence and he may move in and through whom he pleaseth without Limitation Reasons for the Continuance of our said Practice Which Practice of Meeting together we are greatly encouraged to by the Promise of Christ and our own blessed Experience and also we are severely prohibited to lay it aside by the holy Apostle and also on the other Hand by the sad Experience of such as by Negligence or Prejudice forsake the Assemblies of God's People upon many of which is already fulfilled and upon others daily fulfilling the Judgments threatned upon such Transgressors read Hebr. 10. from vers 23. to the End where that Duty is so seriously exhorted to and the Contempt of it reckoned a Wilful Sin almost if not altogether unpardonable yea a Treading under Foot the Son of God and a Doing Despite to the Spirit of Grace which is fulfilled in our Day and proves the lamentable Fruits of such as have so back-slidden among us And therefore having so much good and real Ground for what we do herein together with the Approbation and Encouragement of Christ and his Apostles both by Command and Practice we can as that both the Alpha and Omega the Foundation and Cap-stone required faithfully affirm in good Conscience That God hath led us by his Spirit both to Appoint Places and Times where we may see the Faces one of another and to take Care one for another provoking one another to Love and good Works And our Faith and Confidence herein cannot be staggered by a meer Denial in our Opposers which no Man of Conscience and Reason will say it ought seeing the Thing it self hath such a solid and real Cause and Foundation so good and suitable a Patern and Example and that it is constantly Confirmed to us both by the Testimony of God's Spirit in our Hearts and by the good Fruits and Effects which we daily reap thereby as a Seal and Confirmation that God is well-pleased therewith and approveth us in it Having thus far proceeded to shew that there ought to be Order and Government among the People of God and that that which we plead for is that there may be Certain Meetings set apart for that End It is next to be considered In what Cases and how far it may Extend SECTION V. In what Cases and how far this Government Extends and first as to Outwards and Temporals I Shall begin with that which gave the First Rise for this Order among the Apostles The Occasion of those Meetings about Business and I do verily believe might have been among the first Occasions that gave the like among us and that is The Care of the Poor of Widows and Orphans Love and Compassion are the great yea and the chiefest Marks of Christianity Hereby shall it be known saith Christ that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another And James the Apostle places Religion herein in the first place 1. To take Care for the Poor Widows and Orphans Pure Religion saith he and Vndefiled before God and the Father is to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Afflictions c. For this then as one main End do we Meet together that Inquiry may be made if there be any poor of the Houshold of Faith that need that they may be supplied that the Widows may be taken Care of that the Orphans and Fatherless may be bred up and Educated Who will be so Vnchristian as to reprove this good Order and Government and to say it is needless But if any will thus Object May not the Spirit lead every one of you to give to them that need What needs meeting about it and such Formalities I answer The Spirit of God leads us so to do what can they say to the contrary Nor is this a Practice any ways Inconsistent with being inwardly and immediately led by the Spirit for the Spirit of God doth now as well as in the Days of Old lead his People into those Things which are orderly and of a good Report for he is the God of Order The Example of the Apostles and not of Confusion and therefore the Holy Apostles judged it no Inconsistency with their being led by the Spirit to appoint Men full of the Holy Ghost and of Wisdom over the Business of the Poor Now if to be full of the Holy Ghost be a Qualification needful for this Imployment surely the Nature of their Imployment was not to render this so needful a Qualification useless and ineffectual as if they were not to be led by it Moreover we see though they were at that Time all filled with the Spirit yet there was something wanting before this good Order was Established There was a Murmuring that some Widows were neglected in the daily Ministration and we must not suppose the Apostles went about to remedy this Evil that was creeping into the Church without the Counsel of God by his Spirit or that this Remedy they were led to was stepping into Apostacy neither can it be so said of us we proceeding upon the like Occasion Contributions for the Poor If then it be thus needful and suitable to the Gospel to Relieve the Necessities of the Poor that as there was No Beggar to be among Israel of Old so far less now must there not be Meetings to appoint Contribution in Order to the performing these
So I say it is after the Rejecting of the Day of Visitation that the Judgment of Obduration is inflicted upon men and women as Christ pronounceth it upon the Jews out of Isa. 6.9 which all the Four Evangelists make mention of Matth. 13.14 Mark 4.12 Luke 8.10 John 12.40 And last of all the Apostle Paul after he had made offer of the Gospel of Salvation to the Jews at Rome pronounceth the same Acts 28.26 after that some believed not Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the Prophet unto our Fathers saying Go unto this people and say hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive For the Heart of this people is waxed gross and their Ears are dull of hearing and their Eyes have they closed lest they should see with their Eyes and hear with their Ears and understand with their Heart and should be Converted and I should heal them So it appears that God would have them to see but they closed their Eyes and therefore they are justly hardned Cyrill Alex. Of this matter Cyrillus Alexandrinus upon John l. 6. c. 21. speaks well answering to this Objection But some may say if Christ be come into the World that those that see may be blinded their blindness is not to be Imputed unto them but it rather seems that Christ is the Cause of their blindness who saith he is come into the World that those that see may be blinded But saith he they speak not rationally who object these things unto God and are not affraid to call him the Author of Evil For as the sensible Sun is carried upon our Horizon that it may Communicate the gift of its Clearness unto All and make its Light shine upon all but if any one Close his Eye-lids The Cause of Man's Remaining in Darkness the Closing his Eyes or willingly turn himself from the Sun refusing the benefit of its light he wants its Illumination and remains in Darkness not through defect of the Sun but through his own Fault So that the true Sun who came to Inlighten those that sate in Darkness and in the region of the shadow of death visited the Earth for this cause that he might Communicate unto all the gift of Knowledge and Grace and illuminate the inward Eyes of all by a peculiar splendor but many reject this Gift of the Heavenly Light freely given to them and have closed the Eyes of their minds lest so excellent an Illumination or Irradiation of the Eternal Light should shine unto them It is not then through defect of the true Sun but only through their own Iniquity and Hardness for as the wise man saith Wisdom 2. Their Wickedness hath blinded them From all which I thus argue If there was a Day The Obstinate Jews had a Day wherein the Obstinate Jews might have known the things that belonged to their Peace which because they Rejected it was hid from their Eyes If there was a time wherein Christ would have gathered them who because they Refused could not be Gathered Then such as might have been saved do actually perish that slighted the Day of God's Visitation towards them wherein they might have been Converted and Saved But the First is true Therefore also the Last § XXI Secondly That which comes in the Second Place to be proved Prop. II is Proved That whereby God offers to work this Salvation during the day of every man's Visitation and that is That he hath given to every man a measure of saving sufficient and supernatural Light and Grace This I shall do by God's Assistance by some plain and clear Testimonies of the Scripture First From that of John 1.9 That was the true Light which Inlightneth Proof I every man that cometh into the World The Light enlightning every Man c. This place doth so clearly favour us that by some it is called The Quakers Text for it doth evidently Demonstrate our Assertion so that it scarce needs either Consequence or Deduction seeing it self is as a Consequence of two Propositions Asserted in the former verses from which it followeth as a Conclusion in the very Terms of our Faith The first of these Propositions is The Life that is in him is the Light of men the second The Light shineth in the darkness And from these two he Infers And he is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World From whence I do in short Observe that this Divine Apostle calls Observ. 1 Christ the Light of men and giveth us this as one of the Chief Properties at least considerably and especially to be Observed by us seeing hereby as he is the Light and as we walk with him in that Light which he Communicates to us we come to have Fellowship and Communion with him as the same Apostle saith elsewhere 1 Joh. 1.7 Secondly that this Light shineth in darkness though the darkness comprehend it not Thirdly that this true Light inlightneth every man Not but a certain Number of men but every man that cometh into the world Where the Apostle being directed by God's Spirit hath carefully avoided their Captiousness that would have Restricted this to any certain Number Where Every one is there is None Excluded Next should they be so obstinate as sometimes they are as to say That this Every man is only Every one of the Elect these words following Every man that cometh into the world would obviate that Objection So that it is plain there comes no man into the World whom Christ hath not Inlightned in some measure and in whose dark heart this Light doth not shine though the darkness Comprehend it not yet it shineth there and the Nature thereof is to dispell the Darkness The Light dispelling Darkness begets Faith where men shut not their Eyes upon it Now for what End this Light is given is Expressed vers 7. where John is said to Come for a Witness to bear witness to the Light that all men through it might believe to wit through the Light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth very well Agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being the nearest Antecedent though most Translators have to make it sute with their own Doctrine made it Relate to John as if all men were to believe through John For which as there is nothing directly in the Text so it is Contrary to the very Strain of the Context For seeing Christ hath lighted Every man with this Light is it not that they may come to believe through it All could not believe through John because all men could not know of John's Testimony whereas Every man being Lighted by this may come there-through to believe John shined not in the Darkness but this Light shineth in the Darkness that having dispelled the Darkness it may produce and beget Faith And lastly We must believe through That and become believers through That by Walking in which Fellowship with God is known
and enjoyed but as hath been above observed it is by Walking in this Light that we have this Communion and Fellowship not by Walking in John which were Non-sense So that this Relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must needs be Referr'd to the Light whereof John bears Witness that through that Light wherewith Christ hath lighted every man all men might come to believe Seeing then this Light is the Light of Jesus Christ The Light is Supernatural Saving and Sufficient and the Light through which men come to believe I think it needs not be doubted but that it is a supernatural saving and sufficient Light If it were not Supernatural it could not be properly called the Light of Jesus for though all things be his and of him and from him yet those things which are Common and Peculiar to our Nature as being a part of them we are not said in so special a manner to have from Christ. Moreover the Evangelist is holding out to us here the Office of Christ as Mediator and the Benefits which from him as such do Redound unto us Observ. 2 Secondly It cannot be any of the Natural Gifts or Faculties of our Soul whereby we are said here to be Inlightned because this Light is said to shine in the Darkness and cannot be Comprehended by it Now this Darkness is no other The Darkness is Man's Natural State and Condition but man's Natural Condition and State in which Natural State he can easily Comprehend and doth Comprehend those things that are peculiar and common to him as such That Man in his Natural Condition is called Darkness see Eph. 5.8 For ye were sometimes Darkness but now are ye Light in the Lord. And in other places as Acts 26.18 Col. 1.13 1 Thess. 5.5 where the Condition of man in his Natural State is termed Darkness Therefore I say this Light cannot be any natural property or faculty of man's Soul but a Supernatural Gift and Grace of Christ. Observ. 3 Thirdly It is Sufficient and Saving Arg. 1 That which is given That all men through it may believe must needs be Saving and Sufficient That by Walking in which Fellowship with the Saints and the Blood of Christ which cleanseth from all sin is possessed must be Sufficient But such is the LIGHT 1 Joh. 1.7 Therefore c. Moreover That which we are Commanded to believe in that we may become Arg. 2 the Children of the Light must be a Supernatural Sufficient and Saving Principle But we are Commanded to believe in this Light Therefore c. The Proposition cannot be denied The Assumption is Christ's own words Joh. 12.36 While ye have the Light believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of the Light To this they Object Object That by Light here is understood Christ's outward Person in whom he would have them believe That they ought to have believed in Christ that is Answ. that he was the MESSIAH that was to come is not denied but how they Evince that Christ intended that here I see not nay Whether Christ's ouâ—ward Person was the Light the place it self shews the Contrary by these words While ye have the Light and by the verse going before Walk while ye have the Light lest darkness come upon you Which words Import that when that Light in which they were to Believe was Removed then they should lose the Capacity or Season of Believing Now this could not be understood of Christ's Person else the Jews might have believed in him and many did savingly believe in him as all Christians do at this day when the person to wit his bodily Presence or outward man is far removed from them So that this Light The Light of Christ is not Christ's outward Man or Person in which they were commanded to believe must be that Inward Spiritual Light that shines in their hearts for a season even during the Day oâ— man's Visitation which while it continueth to Call Invite and Exhort men are said to have it and may believe in it but when men refuse to believe in it and Reject it then it ceaseth to be a Light to shew them the Way but leaves the sense of their Vnfaithfulness as a Sting in their Conscience which is a Terror and Darkness unto them and upon them in which they cannot know where to go neither can work any ways profitably in order to their Salvation And therefore to such Rebellious ones the Day of the Lord is said to be Darkness and not Light Amos 5.18 From whence it appears that though many Receive not the Light as the Darkness comprehends it not nevertheless this Saving Light shines in all that it may save them Cyrill Alex. Upon Joh. lib 1. cap. 11. Concerning which also Cyrillus Alexandrinus saith well and defends our Principle With great Diligence and Watchfulness saith he doth the Apostle John Endeavour to Anticipate and Prevent the vain Thoughts of men for there is here a wonderful Method of sublime things and Overturning of Objections He had just now called the Son the true Light by whom he Affirmed that every man coming into the world was Inlightned yea that he was in the World and the World was made by him One may then Object If the Word of God be the Light and if this Light Inlighten the hearts of men and suggest unto men piety and the understanding of things if he was always in the World and was the Creator or Builder of the World why was he so long unknown unto the World It seems rather to follow because he was unknown to the World therefore the World was not Inlightned by him nor he totally Light The World knew him not Lest any should so Object he divinely infers and the World knew him not Let not the World saith he Accuse the Word of God and his Eternal Light but it s own Weakness for the Son Inlightens but the Creature Rejects the Grace that 's given unto it and abuseth the sharpness of Understanding granted it by which it might have naturally known God and as a Prodigal hath turned its sight to the Creatures neglected to go forward and through Laziness and Negligence buried the Illumination and despised this Grace Which that the Disciple of Paul might not do he was Commanded to Watch therefore it is to be imputed to their Wickedness The Son Inlightens but Man through Negligence buries Illumination who are Illuminated and not unto the Light For as albeit the Sun riseth upon all yet he that is blind receiveth no benefit thereby none thence can justly accuse the brightness of the Sun but will ascribe the Cause of not seeing to the Blindness So I judge it is to be understood of the Only Begotten Son of God for he is the true Light and sendeth forth his brightness upon all but the God of this World as Paul saith hath blinded the minds of those that believe not 2 Cor. 4.4 that the Light of the
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
are Men that solemnly profess they have abstained from Personal Criminations but seeing they have belied the Apostle Paul as is above observed G. K. may take it patiently to be treated at this Rate by Men of such Circumstances But if they think to infer it because G. K. doth plead for the Liberty and Priviledge of Women they might as well plead That G. K. is too much addicted to a Perfect Holiness because he doth plead for it or that the Students are too much addicted to sin since they plead for the Continuance of it for Term of Life They are little less than inraged that G. K. should have alledged the Testimony of Augustine and Bernard interpreting this Place of the Flesh and therefore they labour like Men in a Sweat for a whole Page against this to no purpose the only Reason of G. K's citing them being because some of their Preachers cried out against this Allegory as a horrid abusive thing in some Quakers to shew them it is none of the Quakers Coining but already used by Men by themselves applauded and commended Upon this they ask Have not some of our Antagonists been observed to make a Welchman's hose of the first Chapter of Genesis If they mean us let them prove we have so done as we have already proved they have again they ask Have not some Quakers been bold to aver that there was never any such real Tree as the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil If they have let them instance and prove by whom it was spoken and writ and then they shall have an Answer As they proceed they give an egregious Specimen of their Folly alledging That if it did hold Womens Speaking in the Church Lawful as G. K. affirms that Women are not allowed to speak by Permission then a fortiori it is unlawful for them to speak by Commandment Who but the Students would talk at this rate As if a Commandment might not authorise a Man to do that which a bare Permission will not G. K's Arguments drawn from their own allowing Whores to speak and Women to sing they call Quibbles because they cannot answer which they Reply to only by Questions Do they allow Whores Authoritative Preaching affirming Women may sing Very well whether it be Authoritative or not whatsoever way they speak they keep not Silence and so the Apostle's Words are not taken strictly and literally which gains us the Cause and shews our Doctrine is no more directly against the Apostle's Words than their own Besides from this it followeth by the Students Confession that Women may as lawfully speak in the Church as the Licentiate Students whom the Presbytery permits to speak in the Church before they are Ordained They pass our chief Objection very overly drawn from 1 Cor. 11.5 where the Apostle gives direct Rules how Women should behave themselves in their publick Praying and Preaching alledging There are Rules given in Scripture concerning things that were never lawful but only permitted c. as of Polygamy under the Law But they should have remembred that these are Rules given by the Apostle to the Christian Church of Corinth And seeing the Students suppose That the Apostle gave directions to the Church of Corinth not only of things that belong not to them now but which are not lawful for them a Doctrine we question if their Masters will approve of or of the Consequence of which themselves are aware it remains for them to prove That these Two Rules forbidding Womens Speaking belong to us or is not of the number of these useless Rules more than that other concerning the manner of their Preaching So we hope this Solution it Impugned and desire they may be sure not to forget to bring us this Reason when they write next SECTION IV. Concerning the Necessity of Immediate Revelations to the Building up of True Faith containing an Answer to the Students second Section from pag. 78. to pag. 92. IN their stating the Controversy they say These Inward Revelations are not subjective Revelations or Divine Illuminations This is false for as we have above shewed one and the same Illumination that is Effective or Subjective is also Objective and the Objective is Effective Again they say The Question is not if Immediate Objective Revelations be possible or be sometimes made to some de facto This Concession will overthrow much of all their own Work For if they admit that any Person in our Time hath Immediate Objective Revelations admit Peter or John their former Argument will as much militate against this Real Immediate Immediate Objective Revelation asserted Objective Revelation granted by them as against those which they do not grant Seeing pag. 7. at the Letter A they say Suppose that the Spirit Reveal the Objects of Faith immediately none will deny that he is a Rule or rather Ruler to them who have him so A good Concession but which quite undoes their own Cause For now let us apply their former Argument against this Real Objective Revelation granted by them as thus We ought to believe That as the Rule of Faith of which there can be no Evidence given But There can be no Evidence in the World given of the Spirit that is in Peter and John Therefore c. Again if Peter and John say they can give an Evidence of the Spirit of God in them to wit their own Declaration in Life and Power as also the Immediate Testimony of the Spirit or the Scriptures-Testimony let us Apply in the last place their Argument used against us and see if it will not be as good against Peter and John whom they grant de facto according to their Hypothesis to have Immediate Objective Revelation The Argument is this That which as really agrees to Enthusiast Hereticks as to them can be no Evidence But That Evidence to wit their own Declaration and Saying that both they and their Adversaries have the Immediate Testimony of the Spirit witnessing to the Truth of it would as really agree to Enthusiast Hereticks Therefore c. Yea not only might they thus Argue against any Mens having Immediate Objective Revelation in our days but against the Prophets and Apostles having it seeing the Argument might every way be as strong against their having it as against our having it especially at such times as they wrought no outward Miracles in the sight of the People to whom they were sent as oft they did not When the Lord sent Jonas to preach to the Ninivites he wrought no Miracle in their sight Now let us put the Students in the Ninivites place and we shall find they could Argue as stoutly and hardily against Jonas as now they do against any Quaker They could tell him He could give no Evidence of the Spirit of God in him giving any such Message as for his Declaration it would not suffice because his saying he had the Spirit would be as good a ground for any other Enthusiast Heretick
how they Refute this Distinction of General and Particular Inspirations or Influences First they say He shall never be able to produce a Ground for this Distinction out of Scripture A learned Refutation indeed and like unto their old way of putting us to prove what they cannot disprove May it not as well suffice us to say They shall never be able to produce a Ground out of Scripture against it Inspirations General or Particular and the rather since we are Defendents Secondly That which is called a general Inspiration could not put us out to any particular thing say they Answer If by putting us out they mean determine us insuperably or irresistibly thereunto we grant but this is no Absurdity Thirdly They would always leave us undetermined Answer Nor is this Absurd For in things that are permissive and left to our Freedom in the Lord to do them or not to do them we need not any thing to determine us as to the partiticular Act but may determine our selves being free Agents although as to the Nature and Kind of the Act in General that it be in true Love to God and to his Glory we are determined by the Lord. Pag. 100. They are no less unsuccessful in managing their other Argument in Comparing Inward Duties with outward For whereas they alledge for a Proof of their Minor That if we were not to go about Inward Duties without a previous sensible Inspiration there would be a progressus in Infinitum This hath been sufficiently an-answered above in the Dispute that as to that Inward Duty of Waiting we cannot suppose that ever at any time an Influence or Inspiration can be wanting And this we say still we mean to true Christians who are faithful unto God and do faithfully improve his Influences As for others Vnfaithfulness wants Influences to Duties if they want Influences either to Inward or outward Duties the Cause is their Vnfaithfulness And so the Way to have them upon all Occasions is to be Faithful to answer God's Call who doth oft invite and call upon them who are Vnfaithful But if they mean All Inward Duties as Meditation in many Cases upon particular Subjects we deny that even true Christians have always particular Inspirations thereunto Nor is there any necessity to assert them Now let us take notice how they refute the Distinction of General and Particular Inspirations First say they There are no General Inspirations as we have shewed already But that they have shewed no such thing is already made apparent Secondly Supposing them yet they being but General would not be a sufficient Ground for the particular Inward Duties of waiting desiring But how Prove they this No wise but meerly Affirm it only they confound Waiting Desiring and Meditating together whereas Meditating is of a larger extent and sometimes yea oft-times requireth a Special Inspiration Thirdly say they The Scriptures produced by the Quakers prove alike as to outward and inward Duties To this we answer That as to some outward Duties it is true as to others false As for Example To be clear in all outward Conversation is a Continual Duty and therefore we can never want an Influence thereunto if we be faithful Preaching and Praying audibly is from a particular Influence But to Preach and Pray in the Church or Assembly with audible Words is not a continual Duty nor yet a General to all Christians and therefore it hath not always an Influence to assist thereunto And here let the Reader note That by a General Influence or Inspiration we mean only such an Influence as serveth in general for all Ordinary Actions that are to be generally performed in an acceptable Manner As the same Spiritual Influence that sufficeth me to Eat in Faith Fear and Love sufficeth me also to Plow or do any other Mechanical Work But the same doth not suffice me to preach or expound Scripture otherwise any ordinary Christian might do so at any Time Which our Adversaries will not acknowledge Now that Preaching and Praying in particular require a Super-added Spiritual Influence and Inspiration we prove thus If Men may have an Influence or Inspiration of the Spirit to wait fear and love God and yet want an Influence or Inspiration to Preach or Pray Vocally Then the Influence and Inspiration to Preach and Pray vocally is a distinct superadded Influence c. But the first is true Therefore the Second The Consequence of the first Proposition is clear from that Maxime Quorum unum potest esse absque alio c. When of two things the one can be without the other the two are really distinguished The Second Proposition is proved 1. Because all true Christians have an Influence and Inspiration to Wait Fear and Love God but all true Christians have not an Influence and Inspiration to Preach and Pray Vocally in the Church This our Adversaries cannot deny 2. Even a true Gospel-Minister may at times want a Door of Vtterance when in the Time of this Want he hath an Influence or Inspiration to Wait Fear and Love God Therefore these Two are distinct The Antecedent is clear in the Case of Ezekiel Chap. 3.15 Ezekiel sate seven Days with the Elders in silence 16. who sate seven Days with the Elders having nothing to speak unto them from the Lord until at the end of the seven Days the Word of the Lord came unto him And Ezra sate silent till the Evening-Sacrifice And Ezra sate silent c. and then he kneeled down and prayed Ezra 9.5 Also Paul desired the Colossians to pray for him that Vtterance might be given him Which clearly imports That he had it not at all Times although at all Times he had an Influence or Inspiration to Wait Fear and Love God And David prayed That God would open his Mouth and his Lips should shew forth his Praise Isaiah said That God had given him the Tongue of the Learned c. Christ promised That he would give his Apostles a Mouth and Wisdom which all their Adversaries should not be able to Resist All this signifieth an Influence of the Spirit to speak which was not general to all nor permanent or perpetual with them who had it As is clear in the Case of David who declared That he was silent and held his Tongue even from good until the Fire kindled in him and then he spake with his Tongue Psal. 39.3 Yea what signifieth the Coal wherewith Isaiah his Mouth was touched but an Inspiration or Influence of Life superadded unto that General Influence which he had before Now if our Adversaries say This was given unto those Men in an extra-ordinary way as being Prophets and Apostles but is now ceased since the Apostles Days To this we Answer 1. This is a plain Acknowledgment That general Influences common to all Christians are one thing and particular Influences given to holy Men to Preach and Pray Vocally Inspirations to Preach and Pray vocally not ceased are
another But 2. That all Influences and Inspirations or Motions of the Spirit to enable Ministers to Preach and Pray Vocally are not Ceased since the Apostles Days is clear from Rev. 11.3 And I will give Power unto my two Witnesses and they shall Prophesy And it is said That if any Man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth which must needs signifie a Special Influence of the Spirit given them to prophesy or preach which is not common to all Christians Also what are these Gifts given unto Ministers for the perfecting of the Saints but such special Influences to enable them to Preach which are not given to all Yea do not the National Preachers desire in their publick Prayers some special Assistance and Help of the Spirit to carry them forth in their Ministry which they have not before For if they had it before why do they seek it From all which it is manifest that as there are general Influences given to all and at all times so there are particular and special given only to some and but at some times Moreover that there is a greater Influence of Life required to Vocal Prayer when it is acceptable Mental Prayer the Cause and Spring of Vocal Prayer than unto some meer Mental Prayer a thing expresly denied by the Students pag. 100. § 16. is clear because all true and acceptable Vocal Prayer hath Mental Prayer going along with it as its Cause and Spring And so when any Man prays Vocally if his Prayer be True and Acceptable he prayeth also mentally and so he doth two things together Whereas when he prayeth but mentally he doth but one thing Now common Reason teacheth us that more Strength is required to do two things together than to do but one of them And seeing the Vocal Prayer hath not any Life or Vertue in it to reach unto God's Throne or yet unto the Hearts of his People to quicken and refresh them but as it receiveth that Life from the Life that is in the Mental Prayer it is clear that a greater Measure is required to both than simply to the one Now although Mental Prayer as to the Disposition and Frame of the Soul at least be always in and with Good Christians and hath always some Measure of Life in it yet that Measure is sometimes so Weak and Low that it cannot go forth into the Words without Hurt or Prejudice And at other times although it be able and strong yet it will not answer the Motion of Man's Will so as to be drawn forth thereby but it only abideth or goeth forth into the Vocal Prayer according to the Will of God as he pleaseth to move it Therefore the Free Motion of the Life it self as it pleaseth God to bring it forth is to be attended in all Outward Spiritual Performances But here let the Reader note That we have said Vocal Prayer requires more Life than some Mental Prayer we do not say than all For some Mental Prayer may be stronger than that which is a Complex of Mental and Vocal as gathering the whole Strength of the Complex into that which is solely and intirely Mental According unto that common saying abundantly confirmed by Experience Vis unita fortior united Strength is the stronger As when the Beams of the Sun are united into a small Point they have more Force than when they are diffused and for this Cause it is that we are so much for Mental Prayer as knowing the great Good of it in our Experience And from what is above said it is clear that we need another Influence wherewith to pray vocally than to Eat Plow Walk c. because these natural Actions may be done sufficiently in a Spiritual Manner by the help of that General Influence which doth always attend Good Men to Fear and Love God For the Principle of Divine Life which is the Living and Powerful Word of God in Men's Hearts is never idle The Principle of Divine Life is never Idle but is always Operative and at Work especially more abundantly in them who joyn with it being as a most Rich and Living Spring that is continually flowing and sending forth its Streams according to Joh. 4.14 But to pray Vocally requireth an Influence of Life to flow forth into the Words that it may in a Living and Powerful way reach the Hearers but that Plowing Eating Walking c. need no such Emanating Influence is certain and will be acknowledged by our Adversaries But perhaps also they will deny that any Life or Vertue doth flow forth into Mental Praying and Preaching even when these Duties are acceptably performed but this is contrary both to the certain Experience of many Thousands and also to the Scriptures-Testimony in many Places I. It is Contrary to the Experience of many Thousands who can declare whereof we are some that the Declarations Testimonies and Words of the Servants of God in Preaching and Praying have a real Life and Living Vertue in them The Life in the Words of the Servants of God witnessed by Experience whereby their Souls are exceedingly Refreshed Quickened and Stengthened which Life and Living Vertue is a thing as distinct from the bare outward Words which the natural Ear can hear as Wine is distinct from the Vessel that carrieth it Therefore if another Man that hath not this Spiritual Ability should pronounce the same Words they have not any Life or Vertue at all And that God had given this Spiritual Discerning to many before the People called Quakers were raised up is manifest from divers in our own Nation who cared not to hear Men who could speak never so good Words if they wanted Life and in that day they could and did distinguish betwixt dead and living Preachers as also betwixt a Living Testimony and Preaching and a Dry Discourse See for this the Book called The fulfilling of the Scriptures And this was the express Testimony of that Philosopher who was Converted by the means of a few Words spoke by a certain Old Man who was a Christian at the Council of Nice Out of the Mouth of that old Man said he there went forth a Vertue which I could not Resist These were his very Words as Lucas Osiander relates them in his Epitome of the Church-History Cent. 4. lin 2. cap. 5. II. It is Contrary to the Scriptures-Testimony in many Places The Mouth of the Righteous is a Well of Life Prov. 10.11 This must be understood in respect of the Influence of Life that cometh out of his Mouth And testified unto by Scripture as Water doth out of a Well and not barely in respect of the good Words which a Wicked Man may speak According to this Christ said to his Disciples The Words that I speak unto you are Spirit and Life and as it was then so it is now for at this day he speaketh in his Servants and will to the end of the World and it is He only who hath
the Words of Eternal Life which he speaketh in his Servants And as in the Days of his Flesh he was said to speak with Authority or Power and not as the Scribes and the People wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth all which import a living Influence and Vertue in the Words of Christ which the Words of the Scribes and Pharisees had not so it is at this Day For Christ doth as really speak by his Spirit in his Servants as he did in his Body of Flesh So that Paul said he spake in him and therefore his Preaching was in demonstration of the Spirit and Power And for this cause true Preachers and Prophets are called good Trees of which Men gather good Fruit whereas bad Men or evil Trees have no good Fruit True Prophets and Preachers distinguished from the fals although they have the Prophets and Apostles Words Also they are compared to wit the False Prophets to Clouds without Rain and Wells without Water although they have good Words yet they have no Rain nor Water Their whole Ministry is dry and empty of Life and Vertue But the True Prophets Ministry is as a Shower of Rain Deut. 32.2 And sometimes it is compared unto Fire as it is said in the Psalm He maketh his Angels or Messengers Spirits and his Ministers a Flame of Fire And Fire was said to go out of the Mouths of the two Witnesses Also the Influences of Life that go forth through the true Prophets in their Ministry are compared to Golden Oil and the Men are compared unto Golden Pipes Zech. 4.12 And therefore the Apostle Peter exhorted the Ministers in his Day To minister of the ability which God giveth as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God so they ministred not only Words but Grace Many other Testimonies might be cited to prove this Truth Another Instance brought by the Students is That an Heretick forbearing Prayer a Year or two or his whole Life-time may justify himself by this Doctrine To this it was answered That though he may pretend yet he hath no just Ground from our Principle All Men are bound to pray often For we believe That all Men are bound to pray often unto God yea daily and that God doth inwardly call and move all Men often unto Prayer during the Day of their Visitation And when that is Expired or when at any other Time they want that Inward Call or Influence through Vnfaithfulness they are still bound And if they pray not they sin because they ought to have an Influence But that our Account saith All have not Vtterance to pray in Words Vtterance of Words in Prayer is no Excuse for Hereticks For they must needs acknowledge as well as we that all have not Vtterance who may be good Christians seeing some that are naturally dumb may be good Christians and yet they must confess these have not Vtterance Also many good Christians who have no Natural Impediment do want Vtterance in a Spiritual Way to speak or pray vocally in the hearing of others at some times although we believe it is given at times to all that are faithful who have no Natural Defect that they may pray vocally or in the Hearing of others But how oft it is more than we can determine seeing it is not Revealed But if any fail of this Vtterance through Vnfaithfulness their sin is nothing the less if they omit Prayer And thus their last two Instances are also Answered For we do affirm with great Freedom That all who are faithful to the Lord never want sufficient Inspiration or Influence to wait upon God fear him love him desire his Grace and divers other Inward Duties We say not All For some Inward Duties such as Meditation on a particular Subject or Place of Scripture are not always required more than it is always required to speak but if they be unfaithful we deny not but they may and will want them and in that case although they want Inspirations and Influences they are bound to pray yet not without them but with them As a Man that wanteth both Money and Goods to pay his Debt yet is bound to pay his Debt yet he must not nor ought to pay it without Money or Goods The Example is clear and the Application is easie As for that Story they bring in concerning T. M. which that their Deceit may be the more hid they do not positively affirm but only propose by way of Question Have not Quakers declared to People c. To which we Answer That we know not that any Quaker ever declared any such thing and we believe divers things in the Story are utterly false The Story about T. M. Answered for not praying in the Family as pretended If T. M. or any other of our Profession having none in the Family that can join with them in the true Spirit of Prayer but are professed Opposers of the Quakers Way be not so frequently heard pray by them is excusable by your own Way who will not readily pray in our Hearing when they have none to join with them And indeed the want of that true Vnity on the part of those who are not of our Faith doth oft hinder our Freedom to pray in their Hearing unless we have some of our Faith present to join with us We may pray for them as it pleaseth God to move us in their hearing but we cannot so properly pray with them as not being in Vnity with them Where two or three said Christ agree together to seek any thing in my name But let our Adversaries if they can shew us where in the Scripture it is commanded for any Man to pray in the Hearing of others where all present have no Agreement with him Yet we deny not but that God upon some solemn Occasion may move to such a thing especially when a publick Testimony is required as in the Case of Stephen who prayed audibly in the Hearing of others all which were so far from having any Agreement with him that they were at that time stoning him to Death Acts 7. Moreover we could easily upon a more just Ground Retort the Question upon your own Church-Members How many of your own Church-Members were not only for a Twelve month but for many twelve months never heard pray and yet they pass among you for good Christians It is well known that although ye hold Family-Prayer Morning and Evening to be a Duty and the want of it a great sin that yet many thousand Families in the Nation who belong to your Church want it and many whole Families are so grosly Ignorant that none in the Family can go about it even in that Natural Way which ye plead for As for us it doth suffice unto us God heareth Prayer in secret that God heareth us in secret although Men do not so frequently hear us Yet we own with all our Hearts publick Expressive Prayer as it is
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
Nimeguen to Consult the Peace of Christendom so far as they are concerned Wherein the true Cause of the present War is discovered and the Right Remedy and Means for a firm and settled Peace is Proposed By R. Barclay a Lover and Travailer for the Peace of Christendom Which was delivered to them in Latin the 23 d. and 24 th days of the Month called February 1677 8. and now published in English for the satisfaction of such as understand not the Language Psal. 2.10 Be wise therefore ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the Earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with Trembling Kiss the Son least he be Angry and ye perish from the Way when his Wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their Trust in him To the Embassadors and Deputies of the Christian Princes and States met at Nimeguen to Consult the Peace of Christendom R. B. a Servant of Jesus Christ and hearty Wel-wisher to the Christian World Wishes Increase of Grace and Peace and the Spirit of sound Judgment with hearts Inclined and willing to Receive and Obey the Counsel of God LET it not seem Strange unto you who are Men Chosen and Authorized by the Great Monarchs and States of Europe to find out a Speedy Remedy for the present Great Trouble under which many of her Inhabitants do groan as such whose Wisdom and Prudence and Abilities have so Recommended them to the World as to be Judged fit for so Great and Difficult a Work To be Addressed unto by one who by the World may be esteemed Weak and Foolish whose Advice is not Ushered unto you by the Commission of any of the Princes of this World nor Seconded by the Recommendation of any Earthly State For since your Work is that which concerns all Christians why may not every Christian who feels himself stir'd up of the Lord thereunto Contribute therein And if they have place to be heard in this Affair who come in the name of Kings and Princes let it not seem heavy unto you to hear him that comes in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ who in the truest sense is the Head and Governour and Chief Bishop of the Church the Most-truly-Christian and Catholick King Many of whose Subjects are Concerned in this matter and the Blood of many in Hazzard for whom he hath shed his precious Blood And yet who shall not seek to Obtrude upon you the Belief of the Truth or Certainty of his Commission because of his own Testimony but leave it as well as the things he therein delivereth to the holy and pure Witness of God in all your Consciences to be Received or Rejected by you as it shall there be Approved or not Approved Know then My Friends that many and often times my Soul has been deeply bowed down under the weighty Sense of the present State of Christendom and in secret before the Lord I have mourned and bitterly lamented because thereof And as I was Crossing the Sea and being the last Summer in Holland The Burthen that was upon the Author in this Matter and some parts of Germany the Burthen thereof fell often upon me and it several times came before me to Write unto you what I then saw and felt from God of these things while I was in those parts But I Waited and was not willing to be Hasty and now being Returned to my own Country and at my own Home I cheerfully accept the fit Season which the Lord has put in my hand and called me to therein to signify unto you those things which in his Name and Authority I am Commanded to do And for this End the Lord has shewn me what the Causes are of all this Mischief and Confusion and Desolation which are necessary to be made known unto you and deeply and seriously to be Considered by you Else ye can never be able to Apply the Right Remedies I speak of the Primary and Original Cause The Primary Cause of Mischief first to be Removed as it proceeds from him and is hatched by him who is the Author of all Mischief and the great Enemy to as well as Envyer of the true Peace and Prosperity of all good Christians and who sows in Mens hearts that Evil Seed and fomenteth that bad Ground from which all Evil Riseth For unless this be seen discovered and removed in the Ground although the secondary and more immediate Causes be seen to wit the Projects Designs and Councils of Men and in part be answered and removed by giving way to some and taking from others according as they are more or less formidable and considerable measuring these things by the Rules of Humane Wisdom and Carnal Prudence and Policy yet that is not sufficient That may Allay the Heat for a Time but will not Remove the Evil and You in so doing will prove but like those Physitians that do Mitigate the pain and violence of a Disease for a Time but do not take away the Ground and Cause of it so that it shortly again Returns and in the End Destroys him that is Afflicted with it The Chief Ground Cause and Root then of all this Misery among all those called Christians is because they are only such in Name Christians in Name and not in Nature and not in Nature having only a form and profession of Christianity in shew and words but are still Strangers yea and Enemies to the life and vertue of it owning God and Christ in words but denying them in works and therefore the Lord Jesus Christ will not own them as his Children nor Disciples For while they say they are his Followers while they Preach and Exalt his Precepts while they Extoll his Life Patience and Meekness his Self denying perfect Resignation and Obedience to the Will of his Father yet themselves are out of it and so bring Shame and Reproach to that Honourable Name which they Assume to themselves in the face of the Nations and give an occasion for Infidels Turks Jews and Atheists to profane and blaspheme the holy Name of Jesus Is it not so While so much Ambition Pride Vanity Wantonness and Malice Murder Cruelty and Oppression Abominations abounding in the Courts of Christian Princes yea and all manner of Abominations abounds and is openly practised yea while those that should be Patterns and Examples of Justice Vertue and Sobriety to others do for the most part Exceed most in those things So that the Courts of Christian Princes who while in words seem more to Glory in being Professors and Protectors of Christianity than in their outward Crowns which should be Colledges of Vertue and Piety are mostly Scenes of greatest Wickedness and Nests and Receptacles of all the Baffoons Stage-players and other vilest Vermin not fit to be mentioned I say Is it not so While upon every slender Praetext such as Their own small Discontents or That they judge the present Peace they have with their Neighbour cannot sute
with their Grandeur and Worldly Glory War's Calamities They sheath their Swords in one another's Bowels Ruin waste and destroy whole Countreys Expose to the greatest misery many Thousand Families Make Thousands of Widows and ten Thousands of Orphans Cause the Banks to over-flow with the Blood of those for whom the Lord Jesus Christ shed his precious Blood and Spend and Destroy many of the good Creatures of God And all this while they pretend to be Followers of the Lamb like Jesus who came not to destroy Mens lives but to save them The Song of whose Appearance to the World was Luk. 2.14 Glory to God in the highest and Good Will and Peace to all Men Not to Kill Murder and Destroy Men not to hire and force poor Men to Run upon and Murder one another meerly to satisfy the Lust and Ambition of Great Men they being oftentimes Ignorant of the Ground of the Quarrel The Warriours are forced to Kill of their fellow Christians whom they never had Evil Will against and not having the least Occasion of Evil Will or Prejudice against those their Fellow-Christians whom they thus Kill amongst whom not one of a Thousand perhaps ever saw one another before Yea is it not so that there is only a Name and nothing of the true Nature of Christians especially manifest in the Clergy who pretend not only to be Professors but Preachers Promoters and Exhorters of others to Christianity who for the most part are the greatest Promoters and Advancers of those Wars and by whom upon all such Occasions the Name of God and Jesus Christ is most horribly abused profaned and blasphemed While they dare Pray to God Preachers the War's Promoters and Thank him for the Destruction of their Brethren Christians and that for and against according to the Changeable Wills of their several Princes Yea so that some will Join in their Prayers with and for the Prosperity of such The Priests Confusion and Instability in their Prayers as their Profession obliges them to believe to be Heretical and Antichristian and for the Destruction of those whom the same Profession acknowledges to be good and Orthodox Christians Thus the French both Papists and Protestants Join in their Prayers and Rejoyce for the Destruction of the Spanish Papists and Dutch Protestants The like may be said of the Danish Swedish and German Protestants as respectively concerned in this matter Yea which is yet more strange if either Constraint or Interest do engage any Prince or State to Change his Party while the same War and Cause remains then will the Clergy presently accommodate their Prayers to the Case in praying for Prosperity to those to whom instantly before they wished Ruin and so on the Contrary As in this present War in the Case of the Bishop of Munster is manifest Was there ever or can there be any more horrible Profanation of the holy and pure Name of God especially to be done by those who pretend to be Worshipers of the true God and Disciples of Jesus Christ Worse than Heathens This not only Equals but far Exceeds the Wickedness of the Heathens for they only prayed such Gods to their Assistance as they fancied allow their Ambition and accounted their Warring a Vertue whom they judged Changeable like themselves and subject to such Quarrels among themselves as they that are their Worshippers But for those to be found in these things who believe there is but One only God and have or at least profess to have such Notions of his Justice Equity and Mercy and of the Certainty of his punishing the Transgressors of his Law is so horrible and abominable as cannot sufficiently be neither said nor written The Ground then of all this is the Want of True Christianity because the Nature of it is not begotten The Ground of VVar. nor brought forth in those called Christians and therefore they bear not the Image nor bring not forth the Fruits of it For albeit they have the Name yet the Nature they are Strangers to The Lamb's Nature is not in them but the Doggish Nature the Wolfish Nature that will still be quarrelling and destroying the Cunning Serpentine Subtile Nature and the proud ambitious Luciferian Nature that sets Princes and States a work to contrive and foment Wars and engages People to Fight together some for Ambition and vain Glory and some for Covetousness and Hope of Gain And the same Cause doth move the Clergy to Concur with their share in making their Prayers Turn and Twine The Clergy's Prayers turn and twine and so all are here out from the State of True Christianity And as they keep the Name of being Christians so also upon the same Pretext each will pretend to be for Peace while their Fruits manifestly declare the Contrary And how hath and doth Experience daily discover this Deceit For how is Peace brought about Is it not when the Weaker is forced to give way to the Stronger without respect to the Equity of the Cause Is it not Just so as among the wild and devouring Beasts who when they Fight together the Weaker is forced to give way to the Stronger and so Desist until another Occasion offer So who are found Weakest who are least Capable to hold out they must bear the Inconveniency and he gets the most Advantage however frivolous yea unjust his pretence be who is most Able to vindicate his claim and preserve it not by Equity but force of Arms So that the Peace-Contrivers Rule is not the Equity of the Cause but the Power of the Parties Is not this known and manifest in many if not most of the Pacifications that have been made in Christendom It is therefore in my heart in the Name and behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ to Warn you to Consider of those things And therefore be not unwilling to hear one that appears among you for the Interest of Christ his King and Master Not as it thereby he denied the Just Authority of Soveraign Princes or refused to acknowledge the Subjection himself owes to his lawful Prince and Superiour Which Calumny some have been apt to throw upon us by reason of some in those Countreys that have so Affirmed or were any ways inclined to favour the Dreams of such as under the pretence of Crying up King Jesus and the Kingdom of Christ either deny or seek to overturn all Civil Government Nay not at all But I am one who do Reverence and Honour Magistracy and acknowledge Subjection due unto them by their respective People in all things Just and Lawful knowing that Magistracy is an Ordinance of God * Rom. 13.1.4 and that Magistrates are his Ministers who bear not the Sword in vain Yet nevertheless I judge it no prejudice to Magistracy nor Injury to any for one that is Called of the Lord Jesus to appear for him in this Affair for he is not a little concerned as by all their Confession
World which for several Generations they have only had the Shadow of but have not enjoyed in the Substance And because many are the Calumnies that such are Reproached withal as holding forth Strange and Pernicious Doctrines therefore I have herewith sent you a large Apology for the true Christian Divinity held forth and preached by them That therein you may see how the truly Christian Principles which have been lost in the Apostacy while the Life of Christianity was not to be found is Restored by their Testimony Desiring you seriously to Read and Consider the same as well as Transmit it to the several Princes you are Employed by that both you and they may see That the Day of the Lord is dawned and may Learn to walk in the Light of it which would bring Peace and Quietness and felicity to all both outward and inward And thereby all may be stirred up to receive with Gladness such as the Lord will move to Preach and Declare this Day as it is dawned and made manifest in them following the Apostle's Rules In receiving Strangers willingly Heb. 13.2 for that some in so doing have entertained Angels unawares And that none of you may be like the Pharisees who Cried Crucify him Nor like those who intreated him to depart out of their Coasts and like those who would have none of him to Rule over them lest with them ye receive the like Condemnation However I shall be clear of all your Blood in so far as I have faithfully Answered what God Required of me towards you and Discharged my Conscience in Love to your Immortal Souls as well as to the Common Peace and Good of Christendom Whereof and of all those that profess the Name of Christ I am A True Friend and Hearty Well-wisher Robert Barclay This Came upon me from the Lord to Write unto You at Ury in my Native Country of Scotland the Second of the Month called November 1677. COpies of the foresaid Epistle in Latine were upon the 23 d and 24 th Days of the Month called February 1678. delivered at Nemeguen to the Ambassadors of the Emperor of the Kings of Great Britain Spain and France Sweden and Denmark of the Prince Elector Palatine as also of the States General and of the Duke of Lorain Holstain Lunenburg Osnabrug Hannover and the Pope's Nuncio to wit one to each Ambassador and one to each of their Principals together with so many Copies of the Book whereof the Author makes mention in the Letter the Title whereof is Roberti Barclaii Theologiae verae Christianae Apologia Carolo secundo Magnae Britanniae c. Regi oblata Robert Barclay his Apology for True Christian Divinity offered to Charles the Second King of Great Britain Typis Excusa 1676. pro Jacob Claus Bibliopola habitante Amstelodami Printed 1676. for Jacob Claus Bookseller at Amsterdam R. B.'s APOLOGY FOR THE True Christian Divinity VINDICATED FROM JOHN BROWN's Examination and pretended Confutation thereof in his Book called Quakerism the Path-Way to Paganism In which VINDICATION JOHN BROWN his many Gross Perversions and Abuses are Discovered and his Furious and Violent Railings and Revilings soberly Rebuked By ROBERT BARCLAY Whereunto is Added A Christian and Friendly Expostulation with ROBERT MACQVARE touching his Postscript to the said Book of J. B. written to him by LILLIAS SKEIN Wife of ALEXANDER SKEIN and delivered some Months since at his House in Roterdam Isaiah 51.7 Hearken unto me ye that know Righteousness the People in whose heart is my Law fear ye not the Reproach of Men neither be ye Affraid of their Revilings Matth. 5.11 Blessed are ye when men shall Revile you and persecute you and speak all manner of Evil falsly against you for my Name 's sake London Printed for Tho. Northcott 1691. THE Preface to the Reader Serious READER I Shall not need to trouble thee here with a Long Preface most of what is commonly Inserted in such Epistles being proposed to thee in the First Section only I will take occasion here Ingenuously and Solemnly to profess That no Delight in Controversy hath Induced me to undertake this Treatise but pure Necessity to Vindicate the Truth professed by me from the many gross Perversions wherewith this Author hath Abused it For as for his Personal Reflections at me which are very frequent and whereby he labours to Represent me to his Reader as the Veriest Fool Ignorant Sensless Non sensical and yet Proud Presumptuous and Blasphemous Miscreant for such are his Expressions that can be imagined I should not have troubled my self nor the World with a Vindication being perswaded none who truly knows me will believe him and that none of Solidity and Judgment who knows me not will so easily Agree to this Censure As for such Credulous Creatures if his Book find any such for I have heard of several of the same Faith with him who much Condemn his Railing Style who will judge of me upon so small and suspicious Evidence I must be Contented as many better Men have been before me to abide the Rash Judgment of those Inconsiderate Souls As for the Book from which he Assumes and Pronounces this Character of me thou wilt find it here Vindicated and see that hideous Mask wherewith he laboured to Vail it that he might Rail the more securely Taken off I could easily shew the Lightness of his Judgment by filling the other Scale with a pressed-down Measure of the Testimonies both by Word and Writ of several Persons at Home and Abroad who are not Quakers and yet such to whom without Disparagement he must give the Precedency both for Parts Piety and Learning but I desire not to Raise my Reputation that way it is his Work that needs a Postscript of that Nature And truly he hath saved me this Pains while at other times he manifestly Implies a Contradiction to this Character while he perswades the Reader of the Necessity he was under to write so great a Volumn as if the whole Christian Commonwealth had been in Danger to be Overturned and many Souls in Hazzard to be hurt by the Quakers among whom both he and his Brother R. M. C. give me and my Writings a Chief Place as their Goliah Patron Sharpest and Neatest Pen if not seasonably supplied by this his Antidote For sure had it been so Inconsistent and Contradictory a piece of Work as he sometimes Represents it to be as being written by so silly and pitiful an Ignoramus as he is sometimes pleased to term me there could not have been so great Cause of Fear nor such need of a great Volumn especially to such as could not understand mine being not yet Extant in a Language they skilled to whom he principally directs his and though they had could have no great Hurt if he speak true when he represents me frequently to write things Vnintelligible And yet he is so Wise as to Apprehend he has Refuted what he Confesses he doth not Vnderstand But the Reason
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
Words as he will draw Consequences at pleasure and make to himself what Monsters best please his Fancy or like his Humour best to batter And yet he cannot find in it by all his Perverting enough to make us so black as he would have us so that he is often times Constrain'd to Fish for this by citing the Writings of some that have writ against us and brings us up some of their Old Thread bare Calumnys long ago answered by us In which his Injustice shall be afterwards observed And so he being thus furnished can the more easily Abuse especially while he is almost secure that the generality of those he writes to are such as will not Call in Question as to the Truth of it what is said by one Esteemed by them A pretious and gracious Minister and Sufferer for the good Cause to boot But blessed be God! the Number of such Implicite Believers groweth daily less and many that had wont to do other-wise begin to love to see with their own Eyes and not to pin their Faith so much upon the Clergy's Sleeve as they had used formerly to do For this cause had I had to do only with the more Judicious and Learned who could have well understood the Latine Edition I should have thought my self the less Concerned to have said any thing to this Answer But knowing that his may come to the hands of many and may be Read by them who do not understand Latine and that not a few who do understand it love rather to Read and Consider things in their own Language this made me hasten an English Edition not one Sheet whereof was Committed to the Press several weeks after J. B's Book came out And now it being abroad as to those who are diligent and judicious and willing seriously to Compare as to the Argumentative part I should not to be much concerned to Answer him judging the English Edition with all such a sufficient Reply to this pretended Examination However J. B's singing a Triumph before the Conquest he often times sings a Triumph to himself saying in many places What will our Quaker say now Contrary to the Rules of Sobriety and to what the Scripture teaches him saying Let not him boast that puts on his Armour but he that takes it off besides what his Brother in a most fawning flattering manner adds in his Postscript To which something may be said hereafter But because too many out of Malice Prejudice and Ignorance may be too apt to Credit him I resolve here to take notice of his gross Perversions and Abuses upon every Thesis and of his most Vnreasonable and Brutish Railing Which being subjected to the Reader 's View will give him a great In-sight in the matter and let him see what kind of Man this is and what kind of Work it is that comes from him And likewise in respect he Insults very much I may labour to Allay it in taking notice of his Chiefest Arguments that are any ways to the purpose This I know will satisfy the Moderate and Judicious who bring not along with them an Vnderstanding already Prepossessed but are willing patiently to hear both Parties and then make a Judgment accordingly And as for others who are wholly prepossessed with Malice and Prejudice and have no Ears to hear but according to the Author of the Postscript his Advice Avoid the least of that kind as Poison I say as for such I wish the Lord open their Eyes and give them a Heart more Just and Equal I shall not be much concerned if my Writing have no great Influence upon them at present ¶ 3. But if any Strange that so small a Treatise as this may seem to be should Answer so great a Bulk the considering of these particulars following will easily remove that Wonder 1. If we Consider how much is taken up in meer Railing The Railing Expressions of J. B's a great part of his Book of which few Pages are found free and sometimes takes up near the whole Page besides that almost every Paragraph ends with a Dish of this Desert saying O what Hell-hatched Heresies these abominable Quakers maintain And the like Besides many little Sentences such as This is an Answer fit for a Quaker This is like the Quakers Non-sense I see the Quakers can dream waking and such like Stuff I need not set down Pages to prove this for as thou wilt find a Specimen of it in the first half side to the Reader so indeed thou'lt scarce open the Book but thou wilt meet with it So that I may safely say to speak within bounds there are 20 Sheets if it were all put together that are meer Railing either by way of Admiration Detestation or Execration which have nothing of Argumentation neither from Scripture nor Reason but the meer strong Affirmo of the Assertor All which albeit I may Remark it as I go on I think not my self concerned to Answer nor do I Conceive will any sober Man judge I am and my Answer thereto as now to the Bulk of it so may perhaps prove not much more all along than The Lord Rebuke that Railing Spirit in thee J. B. and if it may stand with his Will Redeem thee from it that thou mayst learn Sobriety of that Grace of God thou so much Fightest against It is a Trade I love not nor do I skill or think to learn it I will readily grant him both the Preference and Victory in this Art of Billings-gate Rhetorick or to speak yet more plain to all our Scots Capacities of Rail-Wives Oratory So I say Let all this Railing in his Book be laid aside And whereas he would Insinuate in several places as if there were much Railing in my Apology saying I Rage and such like Expressions How great an Abuse this is I leave to the Judgment of the Intelligent Reader 2. If all his Excursions be laid aside wherein he runneth out often times into long Homilies by way of Explanation of their Judgment J. B. 's Excursions and tedious Preachments descanting upon the several Opinions of their Divines as he calls them in which he often-times not only bestows several Pages but sometimes divers Sheets as in its place may be observed In all which Tedious Preachments some whereof are may be Shives of Old Rusty Sermons that have been lying by him I think my self no more concerned than if the Man had writ a great Volumn of their Divinity which I should not perhaps have bestowed the pains to Read far less lookt upon it as my business to Answer it 3. If all his Citations out of Hicks Faldo and others that have written against us all which are long ago Answered His other Helps and Irrational Proofs though not heeded by him were laid aside which is not only most Impertinent but likewise Vnjust as shall be after more particularly observed and likewise his long Citations out of the Westminster Confession of Faith and larger
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
26. It is absurd to affirm Christ is in none but those with whom he is united 6 63. Christ's praying to save him from this Hour explained 783. what the Flesh and Blood of Christ is 861 901. Christian how he is a Christian and when he ceaseth so to be 269 270 273 281 282 283 285 394 410 412 418. the foundation of his Faith 294 295. his Priviledge ibid. when men are made Christians by Birth and not by conversion 405 406. they have borrowed many things from Jews and Gentiles 475 476. they recoil by little and little from their first Purity 486 509. the Primitive Christians for some ages said We are Christians we Swear not 555. and We are the Soldiers of Christ it is not lawful for us to Fight 562. Concerning the Life of a Christian what and how it ought to be 149 157. Every Christian ought to be concerned in the Work of the Lord 707 a Judgment of several sorts of Christians must be made from their respective Principles and not from the Practice of particular Persons 684. the Gathering of the Primitive Christians was an uniting of Hearts and not of Hands only 697 709. Christianity is made as an Art 273. It is not Christianity without the Spirit 281 283 296 297. It would be turned into Scepticism 423 424 484 491 492. It is placed chiefly in the renewing of the Heart 407. Wherein it consists not 450. what is and is not the mark thereof 484 486 492. why it is Odious to Jews Turks and Heathens 498. what would contribute to its Commendation 534. What the Cause is of all the Mischief in Christendom 711 713. the Essence or Being of Christianity placed in the true and real Conversion of the heart by vertue of the operation of the Light Seed and Grace of God 700. that there is nothing but the Name and nothing of the Nature of true Christianity among Christians is manifest in the Clergy 708 709 27. the Call of God to blinded Christendom 356. CHVRCH without which there is no Salvation what she is concerning her Members Visibility Profession Degeneration Succession 403 to 417. whatsoever is done in the Church without the instinct of the Holy Spirit is vain and impious 419. the same may be said of her that in the Schools is Disputed of Theseus's Boat 431. in her Corrections ought to be Exercised and against whom 508. she is more Corrupted by the Accession of Hypocrites 521. the Contentions of the Greek and Latine Churches about Leavened or Vnleavened Bread in the Supper 506. the Luke-warmness of the Church of Laodicea 411. there are Introduced into the Roman Church no less Superstitions and Ceremonies than among the Heathens and Jews 406. The Church of Rome's pretended Charity 688 689. the Church of Rome no Church 647. the Basis and Foundation of that Church stands in Confessing the Superiority and Precedency of Peter and his Successors and in believing that Infallibility is annexed thereunto 688. the True Church is distinguished from the False by its real Sanctification and true Holiness 203. what a Church is defined 208. the Notion and Definition of a Church which arises from the Universal Principle of Light and Grace doth Establish Universal Love 702. the Cause of the True Church's gathering to a Body was a Sense of their Want 697. such as are sanctified properly constitute the Church 226. who is the Head and who the Ministers thereof 139 144 167 168. God's Care over his Church and Heritage 191 192. Men may be said to be within the Church who want outward Preaching 805 807. the great property of the Church of Christ is pure Vnity in Spirit 217. The Ground of Division Separation and Schism in the Church 188. In the Primitive Church Condescension was practised in case of Weakness though those weak ones were not suffered to propagate their Scruples 223 224 In what Cases the Church of Christ may pronounce a positive Sentence and Judgment without the hazzard of Imposition upon either of the Parties Controverting 216 867. Circumcision a Seal of the Old Covenant 490 586. Clergy 428 430 433 436 437 507. The Clergy the greatest Promoters of Wars 708 709. they are so Impudent as to thank God for the Destruction of their Fellow-Creatures 709. upon the Charge of a Prince or State they will pray for those to whom before they wished Ruin and Destruction ibid. They cloud the Truth that the Common People might Maintain and Admire them 731. they acted the Mad Pranks of John of Leyden in the Civil Wars of England 668. See Protestants Clothes That it is not Lawful for Christians to use things superfluous in Cloaths 543 545 564 565. Comforter for what end he was sent 271 272. Commission The Commission of the Disciples of Christ before the Work was finished was more Legal than Evangelical 419. Communion the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ is a Spiritual and inward thing 148 149. that Body that Blood is a Spiritual Thing and that it is that heavenly Seed whereby Life and Salvation was of old and is now Communicated 593 594. how any become partakers thereof 496 497 498. it is not tied to the Ceremony of breaking Bread and drinking Wine which Christ used with his Disciples this was only a Figure 494 497 to 503. whether that Ceremony be a necessary part of the New Covenant and whether it is to be continued 504 to 515. Spiritual Communion with God through Christ is obtained 311. they that Witness Christ come need not Bread and Wine to put them in Remembrance of him 35 see Supper Community of Goods is not brought in by the Quakers 516 533 534. Complements see Titles Conscience see Magistrate Its Definition what it is it is distinguished from the saving Light 366 337 338 515 516. the good Conscience and the hypocritical 400. he that acteth contrary to his Conscience sinneth and concerning an Erring Conscience 516. what things appertain to Conscience ibid what sort of Liberty of Conscience is defended 517. it is the Throne of God ibid. it is free from the Power of all Men 527. Conscience and Reason are distinguished from the Saving Light of Christ in all Men 603. Clem. Alex. his Testimony 579. God alone can Inform and Inlighten the Conscience 704. Conversion what is Man's therein is rather a Passion than an Action 331. Augustin's Saying ibid. this is Cleared by two Examples 339 340. Conversion presupposeth having Light and Grace 8. Controversy Solid Controversies may be entertained for Clearing and Maintaining the Truth 730. Correction how and against whom it ought to be exercised 517. Covenant The Difference betwixt the New and Old Covenant-Worship 286 287 441 442 456 458 484. See also Gospel Law Courts see Princes Cross the Sign of the Cross 492. D. Dancing see Plays Day whether any be Holy and concerning the Day commonly called the Lord's Day 442 503. Whether the First Day of the Week has any more Inherent Holiness than any other Days
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