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christian_n	church_n	faith_n	unity_n	2,037	5	9.1432	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47744	Five discourses by the author of The snake in the grass viz. On water baptism, episcopacy, primitive heresie of the Quakers, reflections on the Quakers, a brief account of the Socinian trinity ; to which is added a preface to the whole.; Selections. 1700	Leslie, Charles, 1650-1722.	1700 (1700)	Wing L1133; ESTC R1214	55,897	120

Extravagant as to set up such a Notion what Method except that of Bedlam which in that Case wou'd be most proper cou'd be taken to convince me And suppose I shou'd gain as many Proselytes as G. Fox has done And we shou'd boast our Numbers and Light within c. wou'd not this following Method be taken with us 1st To see how Sacrifices are actually us'd now in those Parts of the World where they do Sacrifice And being convinc'd that these do use outward Sacrifices and understand the first Command to Sacrifice in that sense to inquire 2dly Whether they did not receive this from their Fathers so upward to the first Institution And is not this the surest Rule to find out the meaning of the first Command viz. How it was understood and practis'd by those to whom the Command was first given and from them through all Ages since Upon all which Topicks the present Water-baptism now us'd may be as much demonstrated to be the same which was practis'd by the Apostles and consequently which was commanded by Christ as the outward Sacrifices can be shewn to have been at first commanded to the Jews and practis'd by them XI And as for that precarious Plea before confuted of the Baptism which the Apostles practis'd being only a Complyance with the Jews there is more Pretence to say that the Jewish Sacrifices were in Complyance with the Heathen Sacrifices which were long before the Levitical Law I say there is more Pretence for this but not more Truth More Pretence because it has been advanced of late by Men of greater Figure than Quakers That the Levitical Sacrifices were commanded by God in Complyance with the Gentile Sacrifices which were before used But this is a Subject by it self I now only shew the Quakers that there is more ground to spiritualize away Sacrifices from the Letter than Baptism more Pretence for it from Texts of Scripture and from some odd Opinions of some Learned Men. And if the Denial of OUTWARD Sacrifices wou'd be counted as the like of Baptism was when first started to be nothing short of Madness the continuance of that Distraction for 46 Years together as in the Case of Baptism might make it more familiar to us but would abate nothing of the Vnreasonableness XII I believe the Reader by this time cannot but think that I have taken too much needless Pains in Answer to that Objection of St. Paul's saying that he was not sent to Baptize but to Preach But I speak to a sort of Men who are us'd to Repetitions and will not take a Hint unless it be on their side and therefore I enlarge more than I wou'd do if I were writing to any others But I think I have said enough even to them to shew that the Meaning of the Apostle in this Text was only to prefer the Office of Preaching before that of Baptizing But I must withal desire them to take notice that the Preaching that is Publishing of the Gospel at first to Heathens was a very different thing and of much greater Necessity than those set Discourses which we now call Preaching in Christian Auditories XIII Let me to conclude add one Argument more from this Text 1 Cor. i. 17. why that Baptism mention'd Matth. xxviii 19. cannot be meant of the Baptism with the Holy Ghost Because if when Christ sent his Apostles to Baptize the meaning was as the Quakers wou'd have it to Baptize with the Holy Ghost then the Apostle Paul said in this Text 1 Cor. i. 17. That he was not sent to Baptize with the Holy Ghost Which sense since the Quakers will not own they cannot reconcile these Texts without confessing That that Text Matth. xxviii 19. was not meant of the Baptism with the Holy Ghost and then it must be meant of the Water-baptism SECT VIII Objection from 1 Pet. iii. 21. THE Words of the Text are these The like Figure whereunto i. e. the Ark even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away of the Filth of the Flesh but the Answer of a Good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ From whence the Quakers argue thus That Baptism doth not consist in the outward Washing but the inward And so far they argue right That the inward is the chief and principal part and therefore that if any regard only the outward Washing of the Skin in Baptism they are indeed frustrated of the whole Benefit of it which is altogether Spiritual And it has been observ'd Sect. VII latter part of Numb vii That if only the outward Part of the Sacrifices or Circumcision and other Institutions under the Law were regarded they were hateful to God and he rejected them tho' at the same time he commanded the Performance of them under the Penalty of Death Thus it is in the Institutions of the Gospel The Inward and Spiritual Part is the chief and for the sake of which only the Outward is commanded But this makes the Outward necessary instead of throwing it off because as it was under the Law the Outward was ordained as a Means whereby we are made Partakers of the Inward And therefore if we neglect and despise the Outward when we may have it we have no Promise in the Gospel to Intitle us to the Inward As he that neglects the Means has no Reason to expect the End It is true a Miracle may do it but it is Presumption and Tempting of God to neglect the Outward Means of God's Appointment in expectation of his Miraculus Interposition against the Method which he has commanded As if provoking of God did Intitle us the more to his Protection Or as if we were Wiser than He to mend and alter his Institutions and dispense with them at our Pleasure Here let it be minded that the Ark is put only as a Type of Baptism Therefore Baptism is the more worthy and more necessary And to neglect Baptism is to venture swimming in the Deluge without the Ark. SECT IX The Quaker-Objection from Eph. iv 5. I. THE Words of the Text are these One Lord one Faith one Baptism whence the Quakers argue thus That Water-baptism is one Baptism and the Baptism with the Holy Ghost is another Baptism because the one is the Outward and the other the Inward Baptism and outward and inward are two Things Therefore that these must be two Baptisms which they say is contrary to this Text that says the Christians have but ONE Baptism as they have but ONE Lord and ONE Faith II. I Answer Outward and Inward are two Things but yet they hinder not the Vnity of that which is compos'd of Both. Thus Soul and Body are two Things and of Natures the most different of any two Things in the World yet they hinder not the Vnity of the Man who is compos'd of Both. Nay it is the Composition of these Two that makes up the One MAN insomuch that when these Two are Divided the MAN is no

the Jews writing against some Dissenters amongst the Quakers asserts the Authority of the Church very high and the Power of the Elders in the Church p. 13. and presses that Text Matth. xviii 17. Tell it unto the Church to extend to Matters of Faith and Worship as well as to Private Injuries or Offences amongst Christians That Christ says he as well gave His Church Power to Reject as to Try Spirits is not hard to prove That notable Passage Go tell the Church does it to our hand For if in case of private Offences betwixt Brethren the Church is made Absolute Judge from whom there is no Appeal in this World how much more in any the least case that concerns the NATURE BEING FAITH and WORSHIP of the Church her self But the Case was quite alter'd when he came to Answer that same Text as urged against the Quakers by the Church which he does in his Address to Protestants p. 152 153 154. of the Second Edition in Octavo printed 1692. And then that Text does not relate at all to Faith or Worship but only to private Injuries For having deny'd the Authority of the Church in Matters of Faith he puts the Objection thus against himself But what then can be the meaning of Christ's Words Go tell the Church Very well I Answer says he p. 153. 'T is not about Faith but Injury that Christ speaks and the place explains it self which is this Moreover if thy Brother shall TRESPASS against THEE go and tell him his FAULT between thee and him alone Here is Wrong not Religion Injustice not Faith or Conscience concern'd as some would have it to maintain their Church-Power The words TRESPASS and FAULT prove abundantly that He only meant Private and Personal Injuries and that not only from the common and undeniable signification and use of the words TRESPASS and FAULT but from the way Christ directs and commands for Accommodation viz. That the Person wronged speak to him that commits the Injury alone if that will not do that he take one or two with him But no Man can think that if it related to FAITH or WORSHIP I ought to Receive the Judgment of one or two or three for a sufficient Rule Therefore it cannot relate to Matters of FAITH and Scruples of CONSCIENCE but PERSONAL and PRIVATE INJURIES Thus he But tho' the Judgment of one two or three is not of it self a sufficient Rule none ever said it was yet may not one two or three ADMONISH one another even in Matters of Faith and Worship as well as of Private Injuries and in case of Refractoriness and Obstinacy bring the Cause before the Church Lev. xix 17. Thou shalt in any wise Rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer Sin upon him Yet was not the Judgment of every Man a sufficient Rule to his Neighbour And our Saviour's commanding to bring the Cause finally before the Church shews plainly that the Judgment of the one two or three was not meant for a sufficient Rule that is the ultimate Decision But in Answer to Mr. Penn's Argument That this Text Tell it unto the Church was meant only of Private Injuries I shall repeat but his own words before quoted and grant that as it was meant of Private Injuries so as Mr. Penn very well infers How much more in any the least Case that concerns the Nature Being Faith and Worship of the Church her self But to return The fifth Article in that Enumeration of Fundamentals Heb. vi 1 2. is The Resurrection of the Dead which the Quakers do likewise deny as it is fully prov'd in The Snake in the Grass Par. 2. Sect. 13. The last is that of Eternal Judgment which depends upon the former and may be made one with it and is likewise deny'd by the Quakers that is turn'd into Hymeneus and Philetus's Sense of an Inward only and Spiritual Resurrection or Judgment perform'd within us I have frequently heard Quakers say that they expected no other Resurrection or future Judgment than what they had attain'd already that is the Resurrection of Christ or the Light and the Judgment or Condemnation of Sin in their Hearts George Whitehead in his Book call'd The Nature of Christianity c. printed 1671 p. 29 thus ridicules it Dost thou says he to his Opponent look for Christ as the Son of Mary to Appear outwardly in a Bodily Existence to save thee if thou dost thou mayst look until thy Eyes drop out before thou wilt see such an Appearance of him And now what Wonder is it that these should throw off Baptism who have likewise thrown off all the other Fundamentals which are reckon'd with it in this Text VII But let us hence observe and beware of Neglecting or Despising the Outward Institutions of God because these depending upon the Authority of God no less than the Inward and Spiritual rejecting of the one overthrows the Obligation and Sanction of the whole and is a rejecting of God the Institutor who in His just Judgment suffers those to lose the one that think themselves too good for the other Men were made Partakers of Christ to come by the Sacrifices which were appointed as Types of Him under the Law So now are we Partakers of Him who is come by the Sacraments which He has appointed in Remembrance of Him under the Gospel And as those who neglected or despis'd the Sacrifices when they might be had from the Legal Priests according to God's Institution were made liable to Death and did forfeit their Title to the Participation of Christ the Archi-Type So those who neglect or despise the Sacraments which he has commanded as the Means of Grace and of our Inward Participation of Him under the Gospel do thereby justly forfeit their Title to such Participation For if we will not take God's Way we have no Promise nor Reason to secure us in the following of our own Inventions SECT XI The Quaker-Objection That there are no Signs under the Gospel I. THE Quakers throw off all Outward Institutions as not only Vseless but Hurtful to the Christian Religion which they pretend consists not only chiefly which is granted to them but solely in the Inward and Spiritual Part. They say That all Figures and Signs are Shadows and that when Christ who is the Substance is come the others cease of course That they have attain'd to Christ the Substance and therefore these Shadows are of no use to them That Baptism and the Lord's Supper are some of these Shadows and these were Indulging to the Early and Weak Christians but that the Quakers who have stronger Participations of the Spirit are got beyond these Beggarly Elements c. II. A Key c. by W. P. Printed 1694. C. 10. of Water-Baptism and the Supper P. 24. This is settl'd as a Foundation-Principle That no Figures or Signs are perpetual or of Institution under the Gospel-Administration when Christ who is the Substance is come though their Vse might

have been Indulged to young Converts in Primitive Times Ans 1. To say they were not Perpetual is one thing but to say That they were not so much as of Institution under the Gospel seems a strange Assertion when Christ gave the Institution out of his own Mouth Matth. xxviii 19. Go Baptize And of his Supper said This do Luk. xxii 19. 2. The Reason why this shou'd not be Perpetual is very Precarious to suppose that the Holiness of any Person shou'd exempt him from observing the Institutions of God whereas Christ himself submitted to them and said That it became him to fulfil all Righteousness Mat. iii. 15 i. e. all the Righteous Institutions of God This is the Reason which Christ gave for his Baptism yet the Quakers think that their Holiness will excuse them from Baptism Christ submitted to John's Baptism saying That we ought to fulfil all God's Institutions Yet the Quakers will not submit to Christ's Baptism saying That they are got beyond it All were required to submit to John's Baptism during his Ministry because he was sent from God to Baptize therefore Christ also submitted unto it and did receive his own Commission to Baptize by the visible Descent of the Holy Ghost upon his receiving the Baptism of John All are yet more expresly commanded to receive the Baptism of Christ. Go Baptize ALL NATIONS Go ye into ALL THE WORLD Matth. xxviii 19. Mar. xvi 15. and Preach the Gospel to EVERY CREATURE He that Believeth and is BAPTIZED shall be saved But the Quakers and Muggletonians excuse themselves as being too Good for it They truly feeling in themselves as it is expressed in the Key before quoted p. 26. the very Thing which outward Water Bread and Wine do signifie they leave them off But were they as Holy as they pretend yet wou'd not this excuse them from observing the Institutions of Christ nay the greatest Sign of Holiness and true Humility is not to think our selves above his Institutions but obediently to observe them after the Blessed Example of Christ our Lord. And it is the greatest Instance of Spiritual Pride and the most Fatal Deception in the World thus to over-value our selves it betrays the grossest Ignorance of Spiritual things For the more a Man knows of himself and of God the more he discovers of his own Weakness and Vnworthiness he appears less in his own sight and frames himself the more Obsequiously with the most profound Humility and Resignation Dutifully and Zealously to observe every the least Command of God They are Novices in the Knowledge of God who are lifted up with Pride and these fall into the Condemnation of the Devil 1 Tim. iii. 6. And what can be greater Pride than to think our selves in an higher Condition of Perfection than the Holy Apostles and all those Glorious Saints and Martyrs who were the First-fruits of the Gospel called in the Key above quoted by the Lessening Stile of Young Converts in Primitive Times St. Paul though IMMEDIATELY Converted and Enlightned MIRACULOUSLY from HEAVEN was commanded to go to Annanias to be Baptized But our Quakers pass him off as a Young Convert they have got beyond him and think themselves more HIGHLY Enlightned than he was And for that Reason only not to need that Baptism which was thought necessary for him And all the other Christians from Christ to George Fox were Young Converts Then it was that a greater Light was given than ever was known in the Church of Christ before to make the Outward Baptism cease as of no longer use to those who had attain'd the Substance Or otherwise none of the Primitive Christians knew their own Holiness or were so Humble as not to own it to that Degree as to place themselves above all outward Ordinances These are the Grounds and Reasons of the Quakers why Baptism and the Lord's Supper were not Perpetual Which in the mildest word that I cou'd frame I have call'd Precarious And they must appear to be such till the Quakers can give some other Proof besides their own saying so either that the Holiness of any Person can excuse him from the Observance of Christ's Institution Or that they have a greater Degree of Holiness than all others since Christ who have been Baptized 3. But the Perpetuity of Baptism and the Lord's Supper are fully expressed in the Words of the Scripture When Christ gave Commission to his Disciples to Baptize he promised to be with them in the Execution of that Commission even unto the End of the World Matth. xxviii 20. which shews that the Commission was to descend after the Death of the Apostles to whom it was given And it tells how long Alway even unto the End of the World The like Perpetuity is annexed to the Institution of the Lord's Supper 1 Cor. xi 26. Till Christ come again It was Instituted in Remembrance of him and therefore to be continu'd till his Coming again III. I know the Quakers do Interpret this not of Christ's Outward and Personal Coming at the Resurrection which after Hymeneus and Philetus 2 Tim. ii 18. they say is past already that is Inwardly perform'd by the Spiritual Resurrection of Christ or the Light in their Hearts And they say That the Institution of the Lord's Supper was only to continue till that Inward Coming or forming of Christ in our Hearts which they having obtain'd as they presume therefore they throw off the Outward Supper But was not Christ formed in the Hearts of the Apostles to whom Christ gave his Holy Supper as much as in the Hearts of the Quakers now Was he not Come SPIRITUALLY to Paul after his Conversion And before his Command above quoted of continuing the Practice of the Lord's Supper till his Coming If they say That this was only to have it continu'd to those weaker Christians who had not Christ thoroughly formed in their Hearts First Who can say That Christ is thoroughly formed in his Heart May there not be greater and greater Degrees of the Inspiration of Christ in our Hearts And can we ever come to the End of it so as to need no further Inspiration or Coming of Christ within us Therefore Christ 's Inward Coming is always to be expected His further and further Coming and Inspiration But if that Coming which the Quakers wou'd make to be the Determination of the Outward Institutiom of the Lord's Supper be the Least Degree of his Coming then every Christian nay according to the Quakers every Man in the World not only is but always was exempted from the Observation of that Institution because the Quakers do own That every Man in the World has and ever had the Light within which they make to be Christ at least an Influence and Inspiration from Christ and so to be a Coming or Presence of his in the Heart And therefore by this Rule Christ is Come to every Man in some Degree or other And if there be not some stinting or ascertaining of