as this man putteth beyond all debate in his writings and others clearly demonstrate by their books containing such positions as overturn and destroy the Gospel Mr Norton teacher of the Church at Boston in New England being appointed to write against the Quakers by order of the General Court tels us in his Tractat printed A. 1660. Pag. 6.7 c. that the Quakers deny that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are three distinct Persons that Christ is God and Man in one Person that Christ is a distinct person from the person of the Father that Christ is a distinct person from any of His Members And so their Christ doth unchrist Christ. He tels us moreover that they deny the Scriptures or written word to be the Rule of life and that they make the light within them and the Spirit without the Scriptures to be their guide that they owne none as lawful magistrats who are not of their way that they assert an infallible light within them above the trial of the Scriptures that they will not acknowledge that they sinne but professe perfection of degrees in his life Mr Stalham in his Epistle to the Reader prefixed to his Reviler rebuiked sheweth us that they make nothing of the historical letter of Christ's Death Resurrection c. but turne all into allegories And that they are with H. N. in his joyful message of the Kingdom Pag. 170. ready to call these things meer lies which the Scripture-learned through the knowledge which they get out of the Scriptures bring-in institute preach teach As also how they joine with Iacob Behme who slighted the imputed righteousness from without and magnified the little spark within whereby the Father draweth them all to Christ and teacheth all within them and say further that in Adam stood the Covenant of grace that there is no certaine Ordination from eternity upon any soul particularly which is yet to be borne but only a common universal foreseeing of grace He sheweth us also how Will. Erbury in his Call to the Churches Pag. 4. said what Gospel or glade tideings is it to tell the world that none shall be saved but the elect and believers and that the Gospel which Christ taught was but in part that which was proper only to the Iewish Church not that to be preached to the world And moreover Pag. 6. he telleth us that he said the Gospel which the Apostles preached to the world was not that which they wrote to the Churches nor yet what they read in the Scriptures of the Prophets but the Gospel was a mystery which in the light of God they could manifest to men and make all men see themselves in God that 's in Christ. And Pag. 9. that God is in our flesh as in Christ's for the mystery of faith was more than men imagine and it may be more than Paul wrote to the Romans and Churches of Galatia And Pag. 37. that Christ's coming againe promised Act. 1 11. was nothing but his coming in Spirit and power in the Saints and in their flesh when they are most confused and dark Further the same Mr Stalham in the book cited sheweth how they contradict Scriptures in several points as concerning Scriptures Trinity the Light within the Law Sin Iustification Regeneration Sanctification and its Perfection Christian warfare Repentance Meanes of grace Baptisme Lord's Supper Prayer Singing Elders and Ordination Ministers maintainance Immediat calling Immediat teaching Civil honour Swearing unto which might be added several things brought out of their writings by Mr Hicks beside what we shall have occasion to remark in this Author with whom we now deal By all which we may conjecture what a Gospel this is which they teach even another than we have in the Scriptures and than that which the Apostle taught And what welcome such as come with another Gospel were their credentials angelical unto which these men are strangers should have Paul hath taught us Gal. 1 8 9. as was mentioned above which is a sufficient warning for all that fear God to beware of these men 20. This man hath an high and mighty conceit of his Theses calling them though short yet ponderous and saying that they comprehend many things and denote the true original of knowledge of that knowledge which leadeth to life eternal And I do indeed conceive that they containe much though I dar not say the whole of the marrow of that Gospel whereof he is a dispensator we may look upon ourselves therefore as called more narrowly to consider and examine them If the matter contained in them were good I should not quarrel at their brevity but I see what they want in length the Apology hath Ponderous he calleth them but we know wet sand though of smal value is more ponderous than what is more worth and indeed so ponderous are they that they will sinke the poor soul that embraceth them without any other super added weight into the bottomless pit His saying that they pointe forth the true original of saving knowledg will never perswade me that they do so How defective they are as to this we may shew in the next Chapter Nay rather I dar say that they discover the true original of that science falsly so called which leadeth to the bottomless pit and this I hope to make appeare ere all be done 21. He tels us that he beareth witness to this truth in this his work But he must hold us excused to seek for a more sure ground to our faith and perswasion than his bare testimony especially when he speaketh not only not consonant to Scripture but so manifestly contrary thereto Indeed if we were called to rest upon his and his co-partners bare testimony all further dispute were at an end and we might cast our bibles at our heels and learn all our divinity at their mouth or at the light with in us rest thereupon notwithstanding it contradict sound reason and experience let be Scripture But through grace we have not yeâ— drunk-in that principle and therefore must stand upon our old bottome and go to the Law and to the Testimony 22. In fine he tels us that he leaveth this his testimony unto the light of Christ illuminating every one of our consciences which words may have a double sense as expressed in his latine and either import that he leaveth this his testimony as a confirmation of that light of Christ which illuminateth every man and if this be his meaning the preaching up of this light must be the whole of his Gospel worâ— and the whole Intent and designe of his writting and publishing these Theses yea if so these Propositions of his must serve for no other end but to confirme the truth and reality of this light of Christ But then I think They or He by them should have given us some clear discovery and explication of the nature of that light of Christ which is as he saith within every man which I finde
Concupiscence was sin Rom 7 7. And when they did the things contained in the Law they did them not perfectly nor doth the Apostle say this but the contrary for he addeth that their consciences did accuse them 2. Though we should suppose that they both could and did fulfil the Law against all Reason Scripture and Experience yet we who do not with this man deny Original sin might assert a necessity of Christ's coming for all their future obedience make it never so perfect being but their duty could make no satisfaction to divine justice for Adams sin whereof they were guilty 3. Hence he may see that we need not say that any can or could be saved without Christ. 4. Nor need we say that such should have been damned for being ignorant of Christ to come but for their transgression But absurdities deduced from an impossible supposition are but absurd probations fit only for Quakers 27. What he saith § 3. to the vindicating of 1 Cor 2 14. from the exception of such as would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaned of a Brutish man an animal not of a Natural man doth not concerne us but therein unawars he contradicteth himself for if man now in his fallen condition can know nothing of God of his Being Nature or Government of the world nor nothing of the Principles of common Honesty Morality nor nothing of the things of the Law as he went about to prove as we heard then let him tell me wherein a man in his Natural state differeth from a Brute And how he can then make use of this answere Againe when he sayeth that the Apostle doth demonstrate through that whole chapter he should have added the first Chapter too how the wisdom of Man is an uncapable judge of the things of God Let him tell me if he thinketh that the wise men such as the Grecians of old were as he granteth here could not judge of any of these particulars held forth in the Law of God If not wherein appeared their Wisdome Or wherein were they to be called Wise If they could judge in some matters of the Law which was written in their heart then let him reconcile this if he can with what he said above But as we have frequently alreaâ—y observed this Man regairdeth so little what he sayeth that may he but have occasion to contradict Truth he cares not how often he contradict himself as is usual with such who are carryed away with a prejudice against Truth and know not well as yet were to settle 28 Thus have we examined what this Quaker saith upon this Head and because he alleiged we spoke without Reaâ—on when we said that there were some reliques of the image of God left in the natural man whereby he may know some things concerning God's Being and Nature and Government of the world his duty towards God his Neghbour and Himself we shall shortly manifest the truth of this to the end that it may the better appeare that this Quakers Theology which he pleadeth for and driveth at is but Paganical borne with every corrupt son of Adam and far different from that which is Saving and is manifest by the Gospel which hath brought life and immortality to light The Socinians deny that there is any inuate knowledge of God in man or that by nature he knoweth any thing of God so Socinus himself praelect cap 11 So Ostorodus Institut P. 1. 10. Smalcius contra Frantzium disp 8. though others as Crellius and Schlichtingius be of another judgment our Divines on the contrare Maintaine that there is some Imperfect and as to Salvation Insufficient though sufficient for Instruction as to several duties and to render the transgressours Unexcusable knowledge of God implanted in corrupt nature so that man even in his natural condition coming to the use and exercise of Reason by a natural instinct sense and force cometh to know that there is a God that is Optimus Maximus Powerfull Good Wise c. Governeth all the world that we ought to Worshipe Serve him that we ought to do Right to all that Punishment abideth evil doers and several things of this nature and what our Divines say they confirme by Scripture and Reason passages of Scripture are these Rom. 1 19. because that which may be knâ—wn of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was not manifested unto some few of them as to their chiefe Philosophers but in all who were ungodly and unrighteous and held the truth in unrighteouâ—ness vers 18. So vers 21. it is said that they knew God even they who did not glorify him as God neither were thankful but became vaine in their imaginations c. So vers 23. They changed the glory of the incorruptible God And therefore had some notions of this incorruptible and glorious majesty And vers 25. they changed the truth of God into a lie So vers 32. They knew the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death And so could noâ— be ignorant of God of his Law of the Equity thereof of their Obligation to obedience and of God's Righteousnes in Iudging and Punishing transgressours So Rom 2 14 15. of which we spoke above The Gentiles who had not the written law did by nature the things contained in the Law and did shew the work of the law written in their hearts having their consciences bearing them witness and their thoughts accusing or excusing according as they observed or transgressed the said law So that having this law implanted in their hearts they could not be ignorant of God whose law this is and in whose name it calleth for Obedience nor of their own Obligation to obedience and their Consciences did preach forth the same for it judgeth and accuseth as God's Deputy See likewise Act. 14 15 16 17. 17 24 25 26 27. As for Reasons evinceing this They adduce the Workings and Stirrings of the Conscience which natural men have and which they cannot get shaken off which manifestly evince to them That there is a Supream Judge God in whose name Conscience giveth sentence and vexeth and tormenteth evil doers night and day for as Menander said conscience is a God to all mortals And this took vengeance on that monster of men Caligula and so haunteth evil doers that they alwayes think they see their Punishment before their eyes hence some Great persons without the reach of Inferiours have been made to tremble and quake at thunder claps yea and put violent hands in themselves Philosophers Historians and Poets declare this at large yea common sense and experience confirmeth it so that every rational person cannot but assent to the truth of this so soon as he heareth it and knoweth what is said That God is It carryeth alongs with it such rayes of light that without any difficulty it is seen and understood and mans Minde and Judgment of
â—onveyed to beleevers by this Light and it is this light that is given for a witness to the people for a leader and a commander and so this â—ight is our prophet priest and king and then we have nothing to do with that Iesus of Nazareth of whom the Gospel speaketh whom the Apostles preached Thus the whole Gospel is overturned at one blow and all the New Testament is to be looked upon as a cunningly devised fable or must all be understood allegorically as speaking of this Light within which is Gospel Bible Saviour and all to the Quakers and of no other Christ of no other Saviour and Redeemer What a fundamental and antievangelick errour this of the Quakers is no man needeth now to doubt nor fear to call them pagan Preachers 40. Faith cometh by hearing saith he and hearing by the Word of God which is placed in every mans heart to be a witness for God and à medium by which they may be brought unto God through Faith and Repentance And because mans heart is naturally hard as yron God hath put this word in it to be as a fire and as an hammer Ier. 23 29. by whose strength and vertue if it be not resisted the cold and hard heart of man is warmed and made soft and receiveth an heavenly image and impression Ans. Here is a further confirmation of the desperate designe of these Quakers to overturne the foundations of Christian Religion for 1. The word of God by which Faith is wrought in souls is not with them the word of God which is preached or the Gospel which Christ his Apostles preached but a thing in every mans heart Heathen as well as Christian which they nickname blasphemously call the word of God Did Paul preach this word which is in every mans heart Or did any of the Apostles make this their theme text Did they ever say that by this word Faith was wrought in the heart Was this the Christ crucified that Paul spoke so much of Sure faith cometh by the hearing of that word which is outwardly preached by such as are sent and whose feet are bautiful upon the mountains bringing glade tideings Rom. 10 15. Esai 52 7. Nah. 1 15. and by such as was Esaias whose report was not beleeved Rom. 10 16. Esai 53 1. Hear what Peter said Act. 15 7. Men and brethrâ—n Ye know how that a good while agoe God made choise among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the Word of the Gospel and beleeve And what that word of the Gospel was which Peter preached to Cornelius to which passage this relateth see Act. 10 34. to 43. What meaneth Paul by the foolishness of preaching whereby such as beleeve are saved 1 Cor. 1 21. was that the preaching of a Light within Why doth he then call it the crosse vers 18. and Christ crucified vers 23 would the crying up of the light within be a stumbling block to the Jewes and foolishness to the Greeks No certainly But because the Apostles doctrine did lye so crosse hereunto neither Iewes nor Greeks could relish it except those who were the called and they indeed and they only saw Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God vers 24. What need is there that we should insist in disproving of this which overturneth the whole doctrine of the Gospel and rendereth all the administrations thereof useless and ridiculous 2. What Faith I wonder can be produced by this Light within It cannot be the Faith of God's elect for the mighty operation of the Spirit is required thereunto and as an external mean the out ward preaching of the Gospel which is called the word of Faith Rom. 10 8. and the hearing of faith Gal. 3 2. And Paul tels us Rom. 1 5. That he and others received grace and Apostleshipe for obedience to the Faith among all nations The Gospel and the preaching of Iesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was keept secret since the world began but now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of â—he Prophets according to the commandement of the everlasting God made known to all nations for the obedience of faith Rom. 16 25 26. Through the Gospel did the Apostle beget the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4 15. The Thessalonians were called to the beleefe of the truth by the Gospel 2 Thes. 2 14. It must thâ—n be the faith of Heathens or rather the faith of Devils for they beleeve and tremble and Nature can produce no other faith but a natural faith founded upon nature which is of the same kinde with the faith of devils Is not the Quakers Religion a noble Religion which would bring us the length of Devils 3. That which is left in every man to be a witness for God is nothing but a Natural Conscience witnessing according to the Law of Nature and the dim light thereof that is not yet extinct and will this Natural Conscience produce saving faith in a heathen Sure the devil hath a conscience as an intellectual creature witnessing that there is a God and so witnessing for God Shall we call this conscience the word of God the hearing of which will produce faith Then the Quakers Gospel is a Gospel for the Devils giving them ground of hope of Faith and Repentance if they will but obey that Gospel which is preached within them 4. What a bold and manifest perversion of Scripture is it to apply that Word Ier. 23 29. which is express of the word spoken by the true and faithful Prophets of God unto this dumb preacher in every mans bosome 5 We see then that the softening and warming Spirit of God who by his power and efficacy melteth the heart is in every man by nature in every Turk Tartar Barbarian c. And whatever the Scripture speaketh of this work of the mighty Spirit of God must all be understood of this Light within every man O desperat souls O wretched errour Will not the Lords hand be seen against these impudent audacious perverters of the right wayes of the Lord 6. This fire and hammer will do wonders if it be not resisted But when fire worketh upon water and a hammer beateth upon hard yron or stone can it but meet with resistence At length we see all the operation of grace which he talketh of is the sufficient grace that Pelagians Iesuites Arminians plead for which must have no more efficacy anâ— power ascribed to it whatever great names it get than may salve the honour and consist with the glory of Free will which must weare the crowne and have all the praise for this grace must not entrench upon the Lordly liberty of mans will but must stand off and petition Lord Free will to consent and yeeld if it will but if not it can do no more And so it shall be of him that willeth and runneth and not of God that sheweth mercy contrare to Rom. 9 16. And it is not
17 12 16 17 Neh. 13 15 17 21 22 25 30 2 King 23 5 6 9 20 21. 2 Chron. 34 31. 15 12 13 16. Dan. 3 29. 1 Tim 2 2. Esai 49 v. 2. Zech. 13 23. 3. Our Quaker premitteth some things for clearing of the question and first he tels us that by Conscience as he said before he understandeth that perswasion of soul which ariseth from the Intellect with the truth or falshood of a thing Anâ—w 1. How this description can agree to a scrupulous or to a doubting Conscience I see not for neither of these have attained to any perswasion though I know a blinded conscience or an erroneous conscience can have a sort of perswasion 2. Before to wit Pag. 89. he told us that some of the Quakers did fitly compare the Conscience unto a lanterne and the light of Christ to a candle burning in it And compareing this with what is here said we may see that in the Quakers judgment the light of Christ whereof they talk so much is nothing but the light of the understanding for it is this light of the understanding that causeth the perswasion which he calleth Conscience here and it is that which shineth in the dark lanterne of conscience as they speak there But 3. How can Conscience be compared to a lanterne seing a lanterne is a dark thing having no light in it self only it hath an aptitude to transmit the light that shineth in it but Conscience is a lump of light and is either an act of the practical understanding as some or rather as others a power of the practical understanding is not a distinct faculty from the understanding but the very understanding judging of and giving sentence upon the mans State Wayes and Actions And the very name Conscience importeth a knowing power and faculty con scientia or co-knowledge to it belongeth the Synteresis the intellectual store-house and magazine of truthes the Register of common notions left in us by nature whether as to things concerning God or as to things concerning Ourselves and our Nieghbour in respect of which the conscience is said to be a Law or Light and this belike is all the Light of Christ which our Quakers understand And the judgment of Conscience being discursive to it belongeth also the knowledge of all the mans actions in which respect it is called a Book or Witness or an Indiâ—ement as it bringeth forth these actions to light and compareth them with the Law To it also belongeth the judgment or sentence passed upon the actions as conforme or disconforme to the Law of God 4. Conscience then cannot properly be called a perswasion for this resulteth from the clear apprehensions dictats witnessing and judgment of the Conscience and so is but a consequent of Conscience acting that not of every conscience either as not of a doubâ—ing nor of a scrupling conscience but of a clear and sound conscience or of a deluded one 4. What saith he further which to wit the thing presented by the intellect thâ—ugh it be false and evil in it self yet as long as the man is perswaded to wit that it is true and â—ood he should sin if he did contrary to that perswasion for saith the Apostle whatever is not of faith is sin and he that doubteth is damned if he eat And Ames saith a conscience erring tyeth c Answ. It is true whatever the Conscience dictateth or enjoyneth it doth it in the name and authority of God whose Deputy and vicegerent it is yet it is but an underjudge and is not the supream Law but regula regulata so that though its dictats even when erroneous and contrary to the Law of God do so binde as that the man who doth contrary cannot but sin for though upon the maâ—er he doth nothing contrary to the Law of God yet formally and interpretatively he transgresseth that which is represented to him by Conscience as the Law of God and he knoweth no better but it is in very deed the Law of God which he transgresseth Yet for all this the erroneous conscience layeth on no formal obligation as the same D. Ames telleth us for it cannot oblige us to do that which is a transgression of the Law of God our supream Lawgiver It is true which the Apostle saith Rom. 14. last that whatever is not of faith is sin c. because when we do any thing not knowing certainly but in so doing we sin against God we shake off the awe and fâ—ar of God and have not a sufficient abhorrence at sin 5. He proposeth the question thus Whether the Civil Magistrat hath power to compel men against their conscience in maters of Religion And if they will not obey to punish them in their goods liberty and lives And he holdeth the negative I Answere This is a most perverse stateing of the question For 1. He distinguisheth not the Elicite and Imperat acts of the Conscience but confoundeth them As if the Magistrates power were said equally to reach both whereas we do not say that the Magistrate can compel men as to the inward liberty of the soul and conscience that is to Thiâ—k Judge Understand and Conclude in their mindes as he will as if he could force and compell any to Believe and Assent unto this or that opinion in the matters of God We say no such thing the Conscience as to these inward acts is far beyond the reach of his Sword But the question is concerning Outward and Imperated acts such as Speaking Preaching Writing Printing Open Profession and Perswading of others which are visible and audible dishonourable to God and noxious to men to wit Whether the Magistrate may punish such by the Sword who in maters of Religion Teach Speak and Printe blasphemies against God doctrines overturning Religion perverting souls c. And other things of that nature that men can pretend conscience for or not If he hold the Negative here as he must if he speak to the point we shall consider his arguments 2. Upon the other hand Though the Magistrate cannot enforce a Religion upon men Yet he may force them to the use of publick meanes whereby they may be brought to the knowledge and conviction of the truth As to hear sound Instruction and Information and to attend the meanes whereby light is usually conveyed into the soul and this is no force upon conscience but a putting of people to duty 3. So then the question is not whether the sword be a meanes of conversion of men to the true faith nor whether heathens are to be compelled by the magistrates sword to embrace the truth Nor yet whether the Inward Opinions of the minde can be punished by the Magistrate But the only question lyeth here Whether the Magistrate can by his power punish and restraine Open Idolaters false Worshipers false Teachers Perverters of the right wayes of the Lord Seducers of souls Corrupters or Deniers of the true worship of God open
to the excluding of Christ and that in the New Test. there is a clearer Manifestation of Christ as the End of the Law and as Life than was under the Law and we know that Christ by his Spirit writteth his Law in the hearts of his children by giving them a Spiritual Principle of Obedience and this he did also to his owne under the Law and all this without annulling the Letter of the Law as a Rule as we have showne elsewhere abundantly against the Antinomians 6. will he say that all the Scripture is written in tables of stone and yet of that doth the Apostle speak 2 Cor. 3. v. 7. the place he hath in his eye But saith he Gracâ— and not the external law is Christians Rule Rom. 6 14. And yet the External Law taught him this otherwise he citeth this passage with an evil conscience but Grace there is not taken for a Rule but for that Spiritual Assistence whereby we are enabled to withstand Corruption and so to be more conformed Outwardly and Inwardly unto the Law and for the Gospel dispensation wherein grace is promised and secured in and through the Mediator to help in time of need to more Conformity unto the revealed will of God But by what authority can he take Grace here and Act. 20 32. for Immediat Revelations The grace of Christ and the power of his Spirit in regard of that Efficacy it hath to Restraine from sin and to Constraine sweetly unto duty is assimulated unto a Law the native End and Designe whereof is this Rom 8 2. for thereby his children are Effectually and Efficiently delivered from the Tyranny and Power of Sin and Death So that this man knoweth not what he saith when he would reason thus against the Scriptures as our Rule for the Apostle in that same Epistle Chap. 13.9 urgeth the very decalogue as a binding Law and in several other places of the same Epistle citeth passages out of the old Test. not only to Confirme his Doctrine but to Enforce Duty yea he expresly tels us that the very Scriptures of the Old Test. are of this use unto us Chap. 15 4. 25. Before we proceed and examine what he saith against the Perfection of the Scriptures in the following Pages we would first vindicate some Grounds of our owneing of it as our Rule which he mentioneth afterward and also in the first place clear it to be so from other Grounds which he taketh no notice of And in all this we have this Advantage that he hath already granted the Scriptures to be of divine Inspiration and of Immediat Revelation and to be the Scriptures of Truth and so without manifest Retracting of what he hath said and Contradicting of what he hath granted he cannot but assent to all which these Scriptures of truth say as truth and as unquestionable truth wherefore if they shall give testimony to their being our Rule above any thing that men may fancie as a Rule the testimony must be true and we must without further debate Acquiesce therein and while he doth dispute to the contrary he calleth in question their Truth and in effect controleth their Truth and Authority Let us see then what they say of themselves as to this That parable which Christ adduceth Luk. 16. speaketh faire for what we say for who would not think that one riseing from the dead should be hearkened to and beleeved above all who would doubt of the divine authority of his Message especially when calling for Repentance who could think that such an One so comeing and that with such a message were not to be received as cloathed with divine authority And yet we see by Abraham's answere in the parable that Moses and the Prophets are to be preferred so that if the testimony of Moses and the Prophets that is of the writings of Moses and the Prophets could not to bâ— Beleeved such a testimony with a miracle would be Ineffectual Shall we then think that this word preferable to such a testimony as every one would think were unquestionable should not be rested upon as our Supream Rule will any think it reasonable that we leave this and betake ourselves to private Inspirations and Revelations as a Superiour more Sure and Full Rule and Declaration of the Minde of God concerning Faith and Manners when all men must see that they come far short in point of Light and Certainty unto the testimony of One risen from the dead beside that we know not by any infallible toaken out of what airth they come Sure this should be Madness and Folly 26. Further when the Apostle is pressing Timothy 2 Tim. 3 16 c. to stedfastness in the truth and to a progress and continuance in the work of the Gospel he assureth him that the Scriptuâ—es which he had been acquanted with from his child hood and was the sure ground and rule of his doctrine would beare him thorow without mentioning any superiour yea or collateral Rule as requisite in this case saying they were able to make wise unto Salvation and to make the man of God perfect and further as a confirmation hereof he tels him that the whole Scripture was of divine Inspiration superiour to which as a Rule nothing is imaginable unless we blasphemously imagine some thing above God or some manner of Revelation of God's minde superiour and preferable unto that which is by his Immediat Speaking and Inspiration As also he tels him that the Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect throughly fournished unto all good works and so he denyeth the Use and Necessity of the auxiliary supply of any other whether collateral or superiour Rule Sure had the Spirit been in his judgment a Superiour and more adequate Rule he had never attributed all this unto the Scriptures and that without all exeption of one thing or other So that place of Peter 2 Pet. 1 18 19 20 21. evinceth the matter beyond a contradiction for what can be more ceâ—taine as to its divine Authority than a voice from heaven and that from the excellent glory Dar this man his fellow-confidents Averre that their private Revelations whether Dreames Visions or Inspirations are to be preferred to such a Voice from heaven from the Excellent glory saying This is my beloved Son which Peter Iames and Iohn did hear If modesty will not suffer them to be so bold let them then forbeare to preferre their Fancies in point of Rule unto the Scriptures When Peter saith we have a more sure word of Prophecie a light that shineth in a dark place and what was this word of Prophecy even that which holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost shall we not then look upon that as our supreame Rule which God hâ—th given out with more evidence as to us than a very Voice from heaven and a Voice which had full Certainty in its selfe And shall we be so sottish as to preferre to
and so he confirmeth what other Quakers mentioned above § 9. say viz. That there are no commands there for them because given to particular persons and Churches upon particular occasions And thus the very Law of the Ten Commandements which I have vindicated sufficiently elsewhere which Christ himself did interpret and confirme is laid aside as having no power over us Thus the Quakers join hands with the Antinomians that they may become a perfect Sinke of all errours I am sure the Church of Corinth might with greater shew of reason have rejected that Law which Paul urgeth them with 1 Cor. 9 9 10. and Timothy also 1 Tim. 5 18. what shall we say to these Old Testament Lawes and Scriptures pressed in the New Rom. 13 8 9.10 Ephes. 6 2. 2 Cor. 6 17. 1 Pet. 2 13 14. 1 Cor. 14 v. 34. What have we to do with all Christ's commands the Apostles their injunctions 2 Thess. 3 v. 4 6 10 12. 1 Tim. 4 v. 11. 1 Cor. 7 10. Mat. 28 20. 1 Thess. 4 11. Mat. 15 4. Ioh. 15 12. 1 Ioh. 3 23. Rom. 7 10 12. 16 26 1 Tim. 1 5. Tit. 1 3. 2 Pet. 2 21. 3 2. 1 Ioh. 2 7. 3 11. 2 Ioh. 4 6. Ioh. 13 34. 1 Ioh. 2 8. Ioh. 14 21. 1 Cor. 7 19. 14 37. Revel 22 14. Act. 17 30. Rom. 2 12 13 23 25 26 27. 3 31. 4 15. 7 14 16 18 22. 1 Tim. 1 8. Gal. 3 19 21. 5 14. 6 2. Iam. 1 25. 2 8 9 10 11 12. 4 11. 1 Ioh. 3 4. Rom. 1 5. 16 19 26. 2 Cor. 7 15. 10 5 6. 1 Pet. 1 vers 2 Ephes. 6 5. Tit. 2 9. 1 Pet. 1 14. 2 Cor. 2 9. Not to mention his Ordinances of which afterward and all the examples set downe to us for Imitation and Instruction By this argueing the whole Historical part of the Bible is laid aside Further by this Mans doctrine no man is a Man of God but they All others are Natural They are Spiritual and Holy and the Scriptures are only for such and some might think that others had as much need of them But the designe is That all others besides themselves may look upon them selves as not concerned in them and so may lay them aside as useless and when the Quakers are once become the sole keepers of these Oracles we shall quickly know what shall be come of them But blessed be God they are under another eye and under a surer key Beside that by the Apostles doctrine Rom. 15. Every one that is to please his Nieghbour for good to edification vers 2. is to look on the Scriptures as written for his use and learning vers 4. and 2 Tim. 3 15 16. every one that standeth in need of Salvation and hath need to be made wise thereunto must plye the Scriptures for this end We see also that the Scripturs have attained their full end in the Quakers and therefore they have no more do to with them but to observe to their Confirmation the samenes◠of Spirit speaking in them speaking in the Scripture so we must look upon them all as Perfected throughly furnished for every good work That which he addeth in end out of the Ap. Peter is with a witness verified in them 2 Pet. 3 16. 43. Thereafter § 6. He seemeth to grant much concerning the Scriptures when he saith They account them the most fit outward judge of controversies among Christians and what ever doctrine is contrary to them should be accounted heresie c. But howbeit we accept what is granted and are content to try their doctrine by this judge have done so hithertill accordingly must reject their doctrine as damnable heresie and will finde more cause hereafter to continue in this our judgment yet we cannot but take notice That they are driven to this necessity by urgency of their Adversaries and that they know of a refuge for themselves for they are perswaded as we may suppose the Spirit within them is the very same with the Spirit speaking in the Scriptures and he cannot in them contradict what he hath said in the Scriptures And if any discrepancy or contradiction be it is but in appearance and that unto the blinde Understanding of a Natural Man as he speaketh afterward that is it but seemeth so to all that are not Quakers and so notwithstanding of this it is no real contradiction let the appearance be never so great So that it is not possible to convince them of any mistake out of the Scriptures for the Spirit speaking within them cannot speak contrary thereto And further this is to be observed that for all this the Scriptures are no Rule no Law having any force upon our Consciences to Obedience No man is to learne any Truth or Doctrine out of them And thus they take away both Law and Gospel the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament as a Law upon which we are to meditate day and night and which we are to make the men of our counsel and to propose to ourselves as a copy unto which we are to conforme our way and walk and this is to destroy their main end which is to make us wise unto Salvation to convert the soul and to hold forth to us the whole counsel of God concerning Faith and Manners 44. In end § 9. Pag 50. He frameth an Objection against his owne doctrine to this purpose If the Scriptures be not our chiefe only and adequate Rule it is no compleet canon and men who pretend to be acted by the Spirit may adde new Scriptures and so incurre the curse denunced against such they may introduce a new Gospel I should rather have framed the Objection thus If his doctrine be true the Scriptures are no Rule or canon at all and we are as much obliged to beleeve and Obey the dreames and dictats of phantastick Quakers as the Scriptures And how absurd this is every one may judge But let us see what he Replieth He granteth that all false Revelations which are contrary to the Scriptures are to be disclamed This is well and therefore we reject with his warrand his Revelations as false But he will deny that his Revelations are false because the Spirit within him which is the Spirit of Truth and the same Spirit that inspired the Prophets and Apostles saith they are true yea they cannot but be true because proceeding from that Spirit that can reveal nothing but truth and thus we are no more secured then we were yea as I said we are obliged to beleeve all that they say and rather to lay aside our Iudgment and all Sense of Scripture truths than once doubt or question the truth of what they deliver Next he saith The doctrine he hath delivered is true and therefore who adduce such consequences accuse Christ and his Apostles This is but a manifest declaration of his Pride
proof Doth he take us all for credulous Quakers 22. But what can be this mans designe in all this It is indeed a most desperat designe for it is no lesse upon the matter than to Overturne the whole Gospel of the grace of God why so You will say Because as we will see more fully afterward his maine designe in this is to Evince that all the good that is found or heard of to have been or yet to be among Heathens Turks or Barbarians who never heard of the Gospel or of Christ revealed therein was as much of the Grace of God in Christ and the fruit of Christ's merite and intercession and the Blessing of the New Coveâ—ant of Grace as the Holiness of such as are united by faith unto Christ. and crucified with Him and have Him living and working in them by his Spirit So that if we come the length of some Heathens who have walked more closely to the Principles of Nature than others and have bin more Moral as to some things in their outward carriage than the common rabble of Men we have attained the Gospel Holiness and Sanctification at least as to kinde which these men intend and to that measure thereof which will ensure our Salvation Now what a desperat designe this is to bring us no further length than to polished Heathenisme let every Christian judge and see if the title of my book be not true that Quakerisme is the path way to Paganisme But the sequel will more confirme this 23. For further manifesting of this wickedness let us consider what he sayeth further Pag. 56. toward the end He bringeth-in this Objection That the Apostle sayeth Rom. 2 14. that the Gentiles who had not the Law did by nature the things contained in the Law the meaning of which words as we adduce them is not to prove as he falsely here insinuateth and expresseth that such by nature can do that which is good and acceptable in the sight of God but to prove as shall be made manifest afterward That there are some Notions of God and of Moral honesty as relicques of that noble image of God with which man was endued at the beginning left in corrupt man whereby he through the dim light of nature may see something of the Law of nature pointing out his duty to God to man and to himself and may do upon the matter something of that which the Law of nature requireth and yet when he hath improven Nature to its yondmost shall never do that which is well pleasing in the sight of God who since the fall only accepteth of that which is done in the strength and grace of Jesus Christ and by one reconciled unto Him in and through Christ. Let us now see what he Answereth This nature sayeth he neither may nor can be understood of mans proper nature which is corrupt and fallen but of spiritual nature which proceeds from the seed of God as he hath received a new visitation of divine love and is thereby quickened For answere I would know whether he understandeth this Spiritual Nature of that which is common to all the Gentiles or of that which was peculiar to some If he understand that which is common to all then according to his divinity every heathen let be every Christian hath this Spiritual Nature and Seed of God in him and what good they do in Natural or Moral actions proceeth from this seed of God and spiritual nature And consequently the thoughts of their heart concerning the being of God which is good because true and according to the Law writen in every mans heart must flow from this Principle and from no other and so the devils who beleeve that there is a God Iam. 2 19. must be partaker of this Spiritual Nature and Seed of God Observe Reader whither this Mans Religion will bring us and what the Grace of God and that Spiritual Nature is which this man would lead us unto Even that which is common to devils If he meane that which is peculiar to some I would enquire who these some are Doth he meane the Gentiles who were converted by the Gospel and become Christians These we grant have a spiritual Nature but sure the Apostle is not speaking of such as the whole scope of his discourse cleareth If he understand this of the Heathens who did better improve the light of nature than others we know no spiritual Nature that such have for all their advancement in Nature because they are yet out of Christ whose members only are made partakers of this new spiritual Nature according to that Gospel which we hope to be saved by And his contrary opinion confirmeth us of their anti-evangelick Principles and paganish designe 24. He addeth a reason from vers 15. where the Apostle saith that they shew the work of the Law written in their hearts and this says he the Scripture witneseth to be a great part of the dispensation of the New Covenant Wherein the Man who would faine make us beleeve he had no fellowshipe with the Socinians joineth with Smalcius the Socinian writing against Frantzius disp S Pag. 419. who upon this same ground alledgeth that Paul speaketh here of Gentiles who were under the New Covenant and not of such who lived before Christ came while as it is manifest from vers 10. that Paul is speaking of the Gentiles in the general in opposition to the Jewes who made their boast of the Law and is hereby shewing that they will be without excuse in the day of judgment of which he speaketh vers 16. howbeit they wanted that Law which the Jewes had because they had the Law of nature which they transgressed ingraven in their mindes and consciences as he further cleareth by their consciences bearing witness and their thoughts accusing or excusing c. 2. Where read we that any do by nature the things declared in the New Covenant 3. How can such as are under the New Covenant be said to be without a Law as these here 4. Is not the New Covenant alwayes opposed to the Law See Gal. 2 16. Rom. 3 27 28. and several other places 5. How can such as are under and within the New Covenant be said to sin and to perish without Law as here vers 12â— 6. How can such as are under the New Covenant be a Law unto themselves as here 7. Where in all the Scripture is the matter of the New Covenant called the work of the Law He would do well if he thought good to consult Calvin Pareus and other Commentators on the place 8. This Man told us above homologating with the Socinians that the New Covenant had no place under the Law and yet even then we hear of the Law in hearts Psal. 40 9 37 31. Esa. 51 7. 9. Had not Adam even after the fall the Law in some measure fixed and written in his hâ—aâ—t when his conscience accused him of his transgression and he did run to hide
its own accord by a natural Impulse an Instinct imbraceth it The constant practice of all Nations setting up and maintaining some kinde of Religion confirmeth this whence was this that they thought Religion so necessary that there could be no Common wealth established without it but from the innate Apprehensions of God and of their Obligation to serve and honour Him How this is further confirmed by the testimonies or Heathens themselves and of the ancient Fathers see Hoornbeek against the Socinians lib. 1. cap. 7. Pag. 142. c. and D Owen de Natura c. Verae Theologiae Pag. 23 24. c. 29. There is another debate with the Socinians to wit with Socinus himself Ostorodiuâ— though â—thers of them are of another mind who deny that any knowledge of God can be acquired by considering the works of Creation and Providence and so they deny that persons strangers to the Gospel living in Nature can attaine to any knowledge of God by the contemplation of nature But our divines manifest the contrary from Psal. 19 1 2. where the Psalmist tels us that the heavens declare the glory of God c. That magnificent workman shipe preacheth forth the Wisdome Power Goodness and Glory of thâ— great Maker and that to all Nations so as they cannot be ignorant thereof So from Rom. 1 19 20. we see that God manifested to the Heathens that which might be known of him the invisible things his eternal Power and God head by the Creation of the world and things that are made The fonde imagination of Socinus dreaming that the Gospel is here to be understood is abundantly confuted by D. Hoornbeek in the forecited book Pag. 157. c. The same is proved also from the forecited places Act. 14 15 16 17. and 17 24 25 26 27. And likewise from Psal. 8. throughout 104. throughout and 145 4 5 6 7. 147 7 8 9 Esa 40 12. Iob. 12 7 8 9 10. 38. 39. 40. Chapters Psal. 69 35. 103 22. 107. 104. throughout Other arguments to this purpoâ—e may be seen in the forecited book of D Hoornbeek Pag. 164-172 which for brevities sake I passe by 30. Our divines likewise in dealing with such as would assert that there are some formal and direct speculative Atheists are careful to assert and maintaine these Innate and Fixed Notions of a Deity and particularly the learned D. Voetius de Atheismo Pag. 140 c. where he asserts that there is an Innate Theology Innate Notions or a latent Natural Seed of Reason and Religion that is like the habite of principles that in adults is brought forth into act without any previous demonstration by the very perception of the words and termes without labour or study or the force of arguments and that the most flagitious person that is can not come to think and be perswaded directly that there is not a God though he could wish there were not a God or that he himself had no sense or perception of a God and that by these reasons for 1 Then it would follow that there were no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing which might be known of God imprinted in the heart of every man that cometh into the world and that by nature contrare to Rom. 1 18 19. 2.14 15. that Conuate and Congenite Divinity can no more be separated from man than his rational Intellect 2. Then some men should be without the Law of Nature a natural conscience which cannot be 3. Then Men should be Inferiour to devils in whom these sparks are not exstinct Iam. 2 19. 4. This were against the universal Experience and Consent of all Nations 5. Then some should really have some excuse contrary to Rom. 1 19 20. 6. This would much confirme Atheists and weaken our arguments against them 7. It would also gratifie Socinians By all which this our Quaker may if he will open his eyes see how dangerous his opinion is who denyâ—th these Inbred Innate and Imprinted Notions of a Deity and of his Nature and Attributes and of his Relations to the world and to each in particular as their Creator Conservator and Benefactor and of our Obligation to Love Worshipe Serve Obey Him Though hereafter we will finde him after his usual manner againe contradicting himself in this 31. However this Quaker say and unsay the same thing yet we stand here and maintaine these Natural Anticipations as Cicero calleth them and Inbred Notions of what is naturally gooâ— anâ— honest manifested by the very Lawes of Nature anâ— Nations and the Natural Notions of the being of God that being true which Cicero saith 1. Tuscul. quaest For there is no Nation so barbarous as not to confess there is a God so that men would rather have and owne a false God than none at all so deeply doth the sense of a Deity sinck into our hearts It is true there was much difference among the Nations concerning the nature and number of the Gods and concerning the way of Worship yet all agreed in this that there was a God and that he was to be Worshiped Withall let the Reader observe that we are far from asserting that all this knowledge improven to the highest pitch that the primest of Natural Philosophers after all their study and diveing into Nature could reach unto can prove saving to any soul whatever discoveries may be thereby made of God's Nature and Attributes or of Moral Honesty and such things as belong to the humane and bodily good of Mankinde within or without societies and these lesser or greater Yet hereby no discoveries can be made of that which floweth solely from the will and good plasure of God and dependeth upon Immediat Revelation of which kinde is the mystery which was hid from generations and ages Col. 1 26 and keeped secret since the world began Rom. 16 25. but now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the commandement of the everlasting God made known unto all Nations for the obedience of faith Rom. 1â— 26. The mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in himself Ephes. 1 9. Even the mystery of Christ Ephes. 3 4. the mystery of the Gospel by which Life and Immortality is brought to light But of this we will have occasion to speak more hereafter when we come to see what use this Quaker maketh of these Natural Notions common to Heathens CHAP. VI. Of Original sin 1. THat Man is now fallen and lying into a State of Sin and Misery until he be delivered there from cannot by any rational man be denyed The very Heathen Philosophers have complained as sensible of this vented many strange uncouth Notions thereanent But as to the Rise Cause of this Disorder Confusion Misery which was every where obvious they remained blinde the wisest of them only were brought to say that there was some hidden cause of all these
by the Covenant of works for that is broken and all are become heires of hell wrath because of the violation of that Covenant Not by the Covenant of Grace for that requireth faith before persons be interessed in these special favoures privileges And the Scripture tels us that all men have not faith how then come all men to share of these highest privileges or of this divine and glorious life which are promised in the Covenant of grace through Jesus Christ by whom they are purchased Is this divine and glorious life so meane and common a thing that even Heathens and Reprobats share of it Sure the divine and glorious life pointed forth in the Scriptures is a rare thing and is the privilege of very few and even of few of those that are members of the visible Church Will this Quaker tell me if this â—ivine and glorious life whereof all Iaponians Brasilians Cannibals are made partakers be distinguished from the divine and glorious life peculiar to the Saints And if it be distinguished how Or if it be the same in kinde why Regeneration Union with Iesus Christ by faith the Effectual Working of the grace of God and a through Renovation is requisite to the enjoyning of that in some greater measure which all have Naturally in some measure 8. He saith this measure of the divine and glorious life is a seed But whereof Is it the seed of the Eternal weight of glory that the Saints live in the hope of Wherever that seed is it cometh at length to the harvest of glory as the Scripture teacheth us and if this seed be sowne in all all shall at length be saved If it be not the seed of Glory whereof I pray is it the seed Is it the seed of Grace This seed abideth 1 Ioh. 3 9. and is incorruptible and is by the Word of God even that Word of God which is preached by the gospel 1 Pet. 1 23 25. So that this seed is no common thing but peculiar to such as are borne againe who by Christ do believe in God who raised him up from the dead and who have purified their souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit 1 Pet. 1 21 22. 9. He saith this seed inviteth and inclineth all men to good But doth it invite and incline the Iaponians Braâ—ilians Artigovanteans and such Heathens who never heard of Christ nor had any shew of Religion to faith in Christ Or even to all that is enjoyned by the Law of Nature or the Law of the two Tables How cometh it then that Paul who was far better versed in the Law than Heathens are saith he would not have known concupiscence unless the Law had said thou shall not covet And how can this consist with the sinful state of every natural person whose thoughts and imaginations incline and invite to evil Read Rom 3 10 to 20. All are under sin vers 9. all have sinned and come short of the glory of God vers 23. Nay how can this be seing the carnal minde is enmity against God and is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom 8 7 Is not the heart of every man by nature deceitful above all things and desperatly wicked Ier. 17 9. is not their very minde and conscience defiled Tit. 1 15. Where then can this good seed lodge It lodgeth neither in Heart Minde nor Conscience And shall it lodge in the Flesh It is true there is left in every Man a bit of a Natural Conscience informing concerning some Natural good requisite for self-preservation and for the preservation of Societies and inclineing thereunto but what is this to that Spiritual good required now by the Gospel and discovered by its Light Alas I see the hieght of the Quakers divinity is what a Natural Conscience can teach a Man-eater and this is their Gospel and this is their divine and glorious life O poor wretches 10. This seed he calleth the Vehicle of God A wonderful expression savouring more of a distracted braine and of an audacious blasphemous spirit than of a sober Christian fearing God 11. He calleth it the Spiritual body of Christ But by what Scripture I know not Christ is called the Saviour of the body Ephes. 1 23. Is Christ the Saviour of this seed The spiritual and mystical body of Christ is the Church Ephes 4 4. 1 Cor. 10.17 12 12 13 20. Rom. 12 4 5. Col. 1 24. Ephes. 2 23. Râ—m 12 27. Ephes. 3 6. 4 12 16. Col. 1 18. 2 19 What are the members of this body the body is not one member but many 1 Cor. 12.14 12. He saith it is the flesh and bloud of Christ that came out of heaven But had Christ no other flesh and blood than this Then the whole Incarnation of Christ is denyed And where is our Christian Religion then where is the Death of Christ where is his Resurrection where is his Ascension where is all the History of his life Is all that but dreames and lies whither will the Quakers lead us Christ gave his flesh for the life of the world Ioh. 6 51. did he give this seed for the life of the world was this seed a sacrifice to satisfie the justice of God what foolries be these Now the man in deed appeareth in his colours a Quaker in graine speaking non-sense at random and hereby evidencing what Spirit acteth him But one word more where readeth he that Christ's flesh and bloud came out of heaven They mean that Christ had the same Spiritual flesh and blood within his carnal flesh and blood which they have and so they are as much the Christ's of God as he was O dreadful blasphemy 13. He saith all the Saints eat of this What do only the saints eat of this while it is in every Man Every man by this mans doctrine is partaker of Christ's Spiritual body and hath Christ's flesh and bloud in him but they do not all eat thereof a strange phancy that persons have food in their belly before they eate it that persons are partakers of Christ's flesh and blood before they eat him by faith what wilde Notions be these Men are partakers of a glorious and divine life by having the spiritual body of Christ in them and the flesh and bloud of Christ that came out of heaven and that before they make any application of him to themselves by faith where read we of such things Christ tels us the contrary that except we eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood we have no life in us Ioh 6 53. and that with a doubled asseveration verily verily And he tels us moreover that he dwelleth in such as eate his flesh that is in beleevers vers 56. and not in others and vers 57. that he that eateth him even he shall live by him But these Impudent Quakers whose work is as it seemeth to câ—ntradict Christ and all the Gospel tell us that even
Heathens and all before they come to eat Christ by faith have Christ dwelling in them have a divine and glorious life are partakers of the body and blood of Christ and of that bread that came down from heaven What more contradictory to Christ's express sayings 14. He tels us that all the Saints are nourished by this unto life eternal Is not this doctrine of the Quakers a rare Gospel wherein that whereby the choisest of Mankinde the people of God the Saints and Renewed ones live and are nourished unto life eternal is nothing but what is common to Turks and pagans 15. It is true they give this common thing which is nothing but Nature many goodly names and titles wherein they outvye that cheating enemie of the grace of God Pelagius and are greater and more blasphâ—mous cheaters and deceivers than he was for he gave the goodly name of Grace unto corrupt Nature which he pleaded for but they adde That it is a Spiritual Celestial and Inâ—isible Principle and Organ the dwelling place of God as Father as Son and as holy Ghost the Vehicle of God the Spiritual bâ—dy of Christ the Body and bloud of Christ the Food of the Saints and their Nourishment to life eternal And when all is done it is nothing but Nature if we believe the Scriptures What manifest absurd and impudent deceivers must they then be who thus think to deceive the world with new coined brainesick and non-sensicall titles and notions with which they guilde the poisonous pile of Pelagianisme yea the very dregs thereof which they would have us swallow over and thereby make us good Heathens but no Christians Is their Religion any thing but meer paganisme under Christian abused expressions 7. We must have patience and heare more for he addeth And as this Light and seed beareth witness against all evil deeds so is it crucified extinguished killed by them and it fleeth from evil abhâ—rreth it as mans flesh fleeth from and abhorreth that which is noxious and contrary to it Answ. 1. doth this Light and Seed bear witness against all evil deeds How or what way doth it bear witnese in the Heathens against their not believing in Iesus Christ the Son of God that was Crucified at Ierusalem or is that no evil deed against their not Mortifying the deads of the body through the Spirit Rom. 8 1â— But not to mention the duties which are revealed to us only by the Gâ—spel How came it that this Light and Seed did not bear witness against the Cilicians who lived upon thifâ— and against the Messagetians Who used their wives in common and against the Persians who of old maryed their own daughters Nay it is observeâ— that there is hardly any one point of the law of nature which some Nations have not violated not only by their Customâ—s and constant Carriage but by their very Lawes Did this Seed then and Light bear witness in them against these evil deeds what thinks he â—f the Achaeans and Heniochians of whom Aristotle reporteth that they used to kill men and eat them and we hear of such to day in New England commonly called Men eaters What saith their Light and Seed to this What thinks he of Zenon Chrysippus and the magi of Persia who allowed the Son to lye with his owne Mother and Brethren and Sisters to lye together and of those who approve Sodomy and of Theodorus Phylosophus who thought Theft Sacrilege Adultery lawful How came it that this Seed did not bear witness against the people of Derbe and Lystra when they went about to sacrifice unto Paul and Barnabas and had followed vanities so long and did not turne unto the living God Act. 14 13 15 why did it not bear witness against the people of Athens for thinking that God could be worshiped with mens hands and that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver or stone graven by art and mans device Act. 17 25 29 As also for their mocking at the Resurrection vers 32 But enough of this notorious falshood 2. He saith this Seed is killed c. but tels us not by whom and the last persons mentioned were the Saints 3. He saith it fleeth from evil c. It cannot then be the Grace of God which opposeth resisteth anâ— fighteth against evil The Spirit lusteth against the flesh Gal 5 17. The work of the Grace of God in souls is to work out sin to root it out kill it and mortifie it and crucifie it But this great Nothing of theirs hath no affinity with Grace 8. He addeth And seing it is never separated from God and Christ but where it is there is God and there is Christ involved therefore in that respect when it is resisted God is said to be resisted and Christ is said to be crucified and killed Ans. 1. We know there is in every man a Natural Conscience which as God's deputy and vicegerent in the soul pleadeth and testifieth for Him and his Law according to its light and information which in some is more and in some less more in such as live under the Gospel than in such as live without that light and in those that have but the light of nature it testifieth for the God of Nature according to the relicques of the Law of Nature in some more and in some less but in all these because of the darkness of their Mindes and the corruption of their Hearts whereby they are subject unto sin and to the Prince of the Powers of the aire the Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience it giveth not full testimony for God and his Law but partial and in some more grosse abominations 2. We deny that where this Natural conscience is there Christ as mediator betwixt God and man can be said to be that is It is not true that this Light in Heathens without the Church declarâ—th any thing of Christ and of the Gospel of Salvation in and through Him or that Christ as Mediator can be said to be crucified and killed when this is resisted or disobeyed by them for the great things of the grace of God revealed in and brought to light by the Gospel are not to be read upon the works of Nature but are of pure Revelation and have had their different measures of Revelation and now the greatest under the Gospel dispensation whence it is called a mystery which from the beginning of the world hath bin hid in God Ephes. 3 â— and hid from ages and from generations but now is made manifest to his saints Col. 1 26. And all the various and gradual manifestations thereof have been in all ages the peculiar privilege of the Church and not common to all so that others without the Church remained without Christ being aliens from the Common wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world Ephes. 2 vers 12. Never read we that the Heathens without the Church
him is the love of God truely and really and not feignedly or by mere profession See Beza on the place As also 1 Ioh. 4 12. where the word hath the same import And the ground is clear because obedience to God's command must flow from love and love to God and our neighbours is the summe of all the commands Hence love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13 10. So Iames 3 2. the same is a perfect man who showeth by bridling his tongue that he offends not in word that he is a real Christian For the Apostle is here in the first verse meaning men like our Quakers of a supercilious spirit masterly quarreling with and superciliously inveighing against all though it be a certain truth that we offend all in many things And therefore he saith to such that if they would shew themselves good and excellent Christians who are so ready to be masters in their reprehensions of others they would first bridle their owne tongues I wish Quakers would learne this See Calv. on the place 3. They may be called Perfect in regard of the Uprightness Sincerity Honesty godly Simplicity and Singleness that is in their way thus the word frequently signifieth as we saw above and is rendered bâ— the Dutch and in the margine of our Bibles Vpright Gen. 6 9. 17 1 Deut. 18 13. Iob 2 3. and in several places it is rendered so in the text Ps. 18 23 25. 2 Sam. 22 vers 24 26. Iob 1 vers 1 8. 12 4. Psal. 19 v. 13. 37 18 37 and elsewhere Hence oft Perfect and upright are joined together as Iob 1 1 8. 2 2. 4 They may be and are called Perfect in regaird of Perfection of Parts as being compleet and wanting nothing of the integral parts of Christianity thus a childe may be called a perfect man as having all the Essential and Integral parts of a man though but in their infant and tender grouth The saints are thus perfect as having the Spirit and thereby the seeds and beginnings of all grace In regeneration the whole man is changed so that he is new borne a new creature sanctified wholly in Minde Heart Spirit Affections Conscience Memory and Body though but in a small degree and measure See 1 Thes. 5 23. 5. They may be called Perfect because Respecting all the commands of God Ps. 119 6. and yeelding impartial obedience through the grace of God unto all God's precepts waving none 6. In that their good works have all the Essential Parts requisite as proceeding from a right principle done for a right end c. though not in the degree called for by the Law 7. They may be called Perfect in regard that the state whereinto they are is a state that certainly tendeth to perfection they are advancing thereunto and shall certainly reach that top of perfection in end which they look for and strive to attaine Ephes. 4 13. Phil 3 15. For as the several lusts of the body of death are more more weakened and mortified dayly so they are more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces Rom. 6 6 14. Gal. 5 14. Rom. 8 13. Ephes. 3 16 17 18 19. And so are perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7 1. and advanceing Phil. 3 12 13 14. 8. They may be called Perfect Comparatively in respect of others who are yet lying in nature And they may be so called in comparison of what sometimes they were themselves while Blinde Ignorant Dead and Lifeless lying in the state of nature which is indeed a fearful state of imperfection misery and woe 9. So in respect of young believers weak in knowledge and babes in Christ Others who are further avanced may be and are called Perfect as having attained an higher degree and measure of grouth in grace Thus Beza thinketh the word is taken Phil. 3 15. 1 Cor. 2 6. And it is clearly so taken 1 Cor. 14 20. Heb. 5 14. Ephes. 4 13. where each hath his owne stature according to the measure of the gift of Christ vers 7. Rom. 12 3 6. and its meaning and import we may see 1 Cor. 3 1. where such an one is only called spiritual 1 Cor. 13 11. where such is called a man 10. Why may they not also be called perfect in regard of Justification seing the Righteousness wherewith they are cloathed which is imputed unto them upon the account of which thâ—y are justified is a Perfect Righteousness being the Rghteousness of Jesus Christ And seing the sentence pronunced upon them to wit of Absolution in their Justification shall never be recalled they brought againe into Condemnation Rom 8 1. As also seing the state they are brought into thereby is an unchangeable state so that once in a justified state alwayes in a justified state 7. But all this will not satisfie our Quakers who with Familists Antinomians and Libertines will have this to be the privilege of all Christians after their Mode that they be as Perfect as Adam was in the state of innocency free of all sin and from yeelding to Temptation or Corruption and this taketh-in much if not a Perfection of parts and degrees Now to assert this Perfection which even Papists are ashamed of and to assert this as common to all them in whom this new birth is fully produced as it must be in all Justified and Sanctified Persons according to his owne principles is false and dangerous For 1. There are in Christ's house diverse syzes and degrees of persons some babes 1 Cor. 3 1. Heb. 5 13. or children or little children 1 Ioh. 2 12 13. and others young men and old men or Fathers 1 Ioh. 2 13 14. 2. Christians are exhorted to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. last and to put off the old man which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts and to put on the new man Epes 4 22 23 24. And to mortifie their members which are upon the earth Col. 3 5. But to cry up this perfection is to render all Gospel commanâ—s useless whereof we have abundance in the Epistles 3. This takes away the exercise of Repentance for where there is no sin there can be no sense of nor sorrow for sin and the exercise of Faith in running to the fountain for washing and the exercise of Prayer in seeking grace to withstand Temptations to strive against Corruption in seeking for pardon in the bloud of Christ. And 4. So this maketh these petitions in the Lords prayer useless forgive us our sins and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil 5. This saith that either beleevers are fully freed from an indwelling body of death contrary to Rom. 7 11 17 18 23 24. or that the motions of this body of death are not sin or sinful contrary to Rom. 7 5 7 8 15. Gal. 5 v. 17. Iam. 1 ver 14 15. 6 This tendeth to foment Pride and Security
peopleâ— of God from the wicked that do not call upon him Ier. 10 25. Psal. 10 4. 14 4. and the neglect thereof hath been charged by the Lord upon his owne people Esa. 43 22 Hos. 7 7. and acknowledged by them as their sin Esai 64 7. Dan. 9.13 4. Yet he granteth that prayer is Profitable and necessary a duty commanded of God frequently to be gone about by Christians What would he then be at But sayes he as without Christ we can do nothing so neither can we pray without the help of the Spirit And this is very true But will this say any thing against what we hold Or make any thing for his way Knoweth he no difference betwixt the ordinary and usual Assistance of the Spirit without which we can do nothing aright and that extraordinary Impulse of the Spirit which he would be at and supposeth to be the only lawful call unto this duty and really taketh away all conscience of duty or obligation to it Nay doth he think that that more ordinary assistance of the Spirit Prepareing Disposeing and Frameing the heart for the work by blowing away the ashes from the coal of grace within stirring up the graces of his Spirit enlarging the heart giving a deep sense of unworthiness and necessities setting faith love zeal and fervency a work and so putting the soul in case to sail faire before the winde doth he think I say that this work of the Spirit is the only ground and call to the performance of this duty and that till this be once there is no warrand to set about it or attempt it When we heare his proofs for this we shall consider them At present I shall only say That as there is nothing in all the word giving ground for this conjecture so the frequently reiterated command of God which himself acknowledgeth and which we finde not qualified and restricted as some commands are laying on an obligation taketh all coloure for such a pretence quite away the word of command being our rule the obligation to duty flowing therefrom is not enfringed by the Lords free not-blowings or restrainings of the Influences of his Spirit wherein he acteth according to the good pleasure of his will sometimes out of meer soveraignity because so it seemeth good in his eyes sometimes in way of holy Justice punishing for misimproving his former breathings for not watching over the heart nor guarding against such sinnes as grieve the Spirit These motions of the Spirit are no rule to us being the free and arbitrary actings of the Lord who giveth an account of his matters to none The Law is our fixed rule and by this opinion the Law and Command of God is made of none effect for to all injunctions this shifting returne might be given Let the command be never so peremptour and pressing Yet till the Spirit breath first and act upon me I can do nothing and therefore am under no obligation And thus all conscience of and mourning for sin all godly sorrow for our indisposition for neglect of the duty and all serious and earnest prayer and wrestling with God for his breathing and gracious quickenings are taken away and a plaine path made for Neligence Security Indifferency and Deadness And if this hold as to prayer it will hold also as to all other Christian duties Yea and to all duties enjoyned by the law and light of nature for neither can we performe these acceptably and in a gracious manner without the special Breathings and Communications of divine Influence and Assistance and so until such quickning upstirring breathings gales of the Spirit come we are not to love God nor our neighbour to eate drink and sleep nor may the labouring man plow or sowe nay nor must we abstaine from murther adultery incest and other wickednesses that the very light of a natural conscience condemneth as if all those commands were not given to us as rational creatures under subjection or as Christians under the law and command of the Gospel but only as creatures and Christians so and so spiritually qualified and disposed and as if the Lord 's gracious communications which are acts of soveraigne grace let out freely according to his owne will and pleasure without the least of our deservings were to restrick and limite the obligation of his lawes and as if his free restrainings and withdrawings of these qualifying and disposeing influences did put a check unto and controle his Authority as King Lawgiver Whatever this man may think of this I can put no other construction upon it than that it is a turning of the grace of God unto lasciviousness This same was the opinion of Swenckfeldus H. Nicholas the Father of the Family of love Iohn Waldesse the Antinomians of N. England of Del Saltmarsh 5. He tels us next in order to the clearing of the question Pag. 253. That there is an inward and an outward Prayer Answ. We know there is a speaking to God in the heart when the voice is not heard 1 Sam 1 13. Neh. 2 4. there are ejaculatory Prayers swift postes sent to heaven in thoughts sighes and groanes Rom. 8 26. Psal. 6 6. 12 5. 79 11. And there is a speaking to God with words a glorifying of him with our glory and tongue Psal. 57 8. 108 1. which we are here mainly to consider being speaking of solemne worshipe but this though outwardly as to the expressions differenced from the other yet not rightly separated for in all Prayer the heart must speak to God for Prayer is an offering up of our desires to God Psal 62 8. and in publick and solemne Prayer the heart must so speak as the tongue must speak also and the gift of Prayer be imployed for the solemne and professed glorifying of God and for the edifying of others who must hear and concurre 1 Cor. 14 14 15 16 17. Let us hear how he explaineth these Inward Prayer sayes he is that secret introversion of soul which being secretly done and the Light of Christ being wakened in the conscience and so being humbled in the sense of sin and unworthiness breaths to God and sendeth up constantly secret desires unto Him and to this he applyeth Luk. 18 v. 1. 1 Thes. 5 v. 17. Ephes. 6 18. Luk. 21 v. 36. Answ. That there are secrete groanings and breathings unto God I have showne That to these sense of sin and unworthiness as also sense of want and dependence on God is requisite with Faith Love Zeal Submission and other graces I teadily grant and hence inferre that if the places by him cited command this as I think they do and also a constant habitual frame and disposition for Prayer with a readiness to go about it on all occasions offered without disputing or delay and that with constancy and perseverance we cannot shift this inward Prayer upon pretence of the want either of a gracious frame through the breathing of the
any thing in the matters of God 7. If he had spoken here as he speaketh a little afterward of the Lords powring forth a Spirit of Prayer and exciteing his people to it he had been better understood for we acknowledge with thankfulness the Lord hath made such a promise and doth performe it unto his owne by his Spirit moveth and exciteth their drouzie and sleeping souls to a serious calling upon him Cant. 5 4 6. But that this is common to all as well without as within the Church as well such as never heard of Christ as those who are truely unite unto him by faith or to all who can make this Introversion is a quakeristick antiscriptural dream And beside what will this contribute unto the maine business to wit to prove that there ought to be no prayer in publick or in private till this sensible Impulsion Excitation and Influence with liberty come anâ— set the soul and all its wheels agoing And what will this say against calling upon God at times and seasons by him appointed His saying Pag 254. that praying to God without the feeling of the Influences of the Spirit were a coming unto God without due preparation and so a tempting of him Is but a groundless imagination and is ill helped by his Introversion for the Lord no where requireth such a preparation in us before we pray He no where saith that we must not praâ— but when we feel his influences yea the sense of the want of them is ground and warrand for his children to go and seek to him for them Hence we finde David so oft Psal. 119. crying for quickening vers 25 40 88 107 154 159. See also the Church crying for this preparation Psal. 80 vers 18. quicken us and we will call upon thy name as also Psal. 143 vers 11. But this mans preparation is a meer Pelagian preparation wrought by the strength of nature and which a Pagan may attaine unto by his owne industry and paines Nay if this were true all the commands to pray which are innumerable in Scripture were useless and might be eluded by this we dar not pray till we feel the influences of the Spirit and when they come to excite us and drive us to the duty then we shall goe but then where would obeâ—ience appear for to goe when the Spirit driveth is not filial obedience for then nothing is done out of conscience to a command This way is the loose way of Libertines making the law of God of none effect taking away all conscience of sin in this matter looseing the wicked from obedience to the Law putting the blame of all not-praying on the Spirit who breatheth not and breatheth not so as we may feel it This excuse of the Quaker to wit fear of tempting God is like Ahaz's colouring his disobedience to the command of God with this I will not ask neither will I tempt the Lord Iesa 7 12. The ground of all this is the Pelagian maxime which this man hath laid downe as a principal ground of all his Religion to wit That God requireth no duty of us but what we have full and compleat strength to do if we will use it Yet he tels us afterward that they sin who neglect to pray But wherein lyeth their sin In this sayes he that they turne not into that place where they may feel that whereby they may be led to pray Ans. Though I plead not for rash and inconsideraâ— rushing into the presence of God knowing that this is another extremity to be shunned yet there is a midst betwixt this and a waiting till extraordinary Impulses come or till we feel the Influences of the Spirit And as for that Introversion or turning-in to that place which he speaketh of he must cleare it and prove it better to me than he hath done before I can say that it is any mans duty to do so and that in order to prayer or any other commanded duty And then seing he told us before that they may be long Introverted and yet the Spirit not suffer them to pray the duty is not done and they want not the preparation and so are guiltles How then can all the non-performance of this duty be charged on this He saith afterward God may ofttimes call and invite to prayer anâ— thâ—y through negligence do not heare Which is very true whether we speak of the call and invitation of his word or by passages of his providence clearing up the present exigent but will he say that this was all which he meaned by the inspiration superadded motion and influence powerfully inflowing strength and liberty to pray given by the Spirit to the soul sisted in this Introversion And is this the exciteing with the poureing out the Spirit of prayer which he talketh of Is this the drawing of the Spirit which he spoke of in this same Pag What inconsâ—stancies are theâ—e 8. After this confused and inconsistent yea self-destroying stating of the question he cometh Pag. 225. § 22. to prove their method in praying And first he citeth these passages where watching is joyned with prayer such as Mat. 2 42. Mark 13 33. 14 38. Luk. 21 36 Ans. Put Mat 24 42. maketh no mention of prayer We willingly grant that Watching and Prayer should go together and that we shâ—uld watch in prayer Col. 4 vers 2. and unto prayer 1 Pet. 4 7. But this waching is not Introversion but quite opposite thereunto This watching is an exerciseing of all the sanctified powers and faculties of the soul to keep the heart in a right frame to guard against all temptations tending to slacken diligence in this duty or to marre the right discharge of it and a watching unto all opportunities of setting about this duty and so a plaine careful circumspection and eyeing of adversaries both within and without And so hath no affinity with their abstracting from all Exercises Thoughts and Motions of soul aâ—d minde and going in to consult we know not well what No sayes he this watching can be nothing but the souls attending on the Spirit that it may feel him leading unto prayers and so watch that opportunity Ans. This is the thing which he should prove and not poorly beg Though we willingly grant there are kindly motions of the Spirit fixing the heart and oyling it for this duty and stirring up the leazie sleeping soul through preventing grace and such sweet opportunities should not be carelesly looked to but the thing which he should prove is that the soul should never set about this duty of Prayer till it feel all this and be sure of it and that this may be attained and felt the soul is to go in by his Introversion to natures light or to common â—ifts within which Pagans have as well as Christians or to some Demon. And when he shall bring some Scripture evidence to prove this we shall consider it 9. He citeth next Rom. 8 26 27. by which
Blasphemers of God and his wayes declared and open Atheists who deny there is a God the like whose doctrine eateth like a canker 2 Tim. 2 17. and who Apostatize from the truth received professed and teach rebellion against God though they pretend conscience in all this and say their conscience dictateth such things unto them and commandeth them in the name of the Lord to do such things and teach such doctrine or not 6. He will not extend this liberty of conscience unto practices that are hurtful unto our Neighbour or unto humane society as Libertines do but only to those things which are immediatly betwixt Men and God or men and men of the same perswasion Ans. But 1. â—roaching of errours is noxious to our neighbour eating as doth a canker 2 Tim. 2 17. subverting the hearers 2 Tim. 2 14. subverting whole houses Tit. 1 11. subverting souls Act. 15 24. it is a work of the flesh Gal. 5 vers 20. 2. Broaching and propagating of superstition and idolatry cannot but be noxious both to our neighbour and to humane society in that it ushereth-in and tendeth to the bringing-on of the wrath and judgments of God by which he punisheth such courses And therefore evil must be put away from the Society Deut. 13 5. 17 7. Levit. 20 vers 2 3 4 5. 3. Let us take these hurtful things to be mâ—aned of transgressions against the second table of the Law I would know why the Magistrate can more punish for these than for violations of the first table He is a keeper in his place and according to his power of both tables of the Law and so can punish open transgressions of both But the maiâ—e ground of my question is How the Quaker can yeeld this and not the other seing Conscience may be pretended in the one as well as in the other And the Conscience can be misinformed and when misinformed can binde as well in the one as in the other Either then his ground which he layeth downe to wit that an erroneous conscience bindeth so as the man â—ar â—ot act contrary to its dictates is not good and sufficient in this mater or by â—his his concession he yeelds the cause and undermineth his own Assertion 4. What meaneth he by that betwixt men and men of the same perswasion Do all maters of question and debate betwixt men of the same perswasion belong otherwise to conscience than maters of debate betwixt men of contrary perswaâ—â—ons May the Magistrate medole with no mater of debate or question even about civil maters that is betwixt men not of the same perswasion Then they must not meddle with the Quakers if they wrong the persons and gooâ—s of any of another perswasion This is enough to expose all true Christians to the fury and malice of the Quakers whence we see his Concession is not for nothing 7. But he explaineth himself better in the following words saying to wit to meet together and worship God that way which they judge will be most acceptable to him but not to urge their neighbours save by perswasion and reason and other means which Christ and his Apâ—â—tles used as of preaching and instructing and not at all under pretext of conscience to do any thing against the moral and perpetual statutes which all Christians commonly acknowledge Ans. But 1. Then the Magistrate may not hinder persons to meet together to worship a stock or a stone Yea or to offer up their children to Moloch to sacrifâ—ce beasts crocodiles birds c. to Iupiter Mars Vulcan or to prostitute their wives and daughters or commit sodomie in honour of Venus as Heathens have done because their Consciences judge that this way of worship is most acceptable to God 2. To urge Neighbours by perswasion to embrace Errour and to follow Idolatry Superstition and false wayes of Worshipe is a most noxious and hurtful thing destroying their souls subverting their faith and exposeing them to the wrath and indignation of God and so of far worse consequence than the wronging them in their Names Goods and Bodies and therefore requireth much more the Magistrates sword of justice to punish such noxious soul ruining Teachers 3. Still the doubt remaineth why the pretext of conscience cannot warde off the Magistrates sword in matters of the second table of the Law as well as in matters of the first seing conscience is God's deputy and only subject to him in the one as well as in the other 4. Moral and perpetual statuâ—es comprehend I suppose the commands of the first table as well as the commands of the second table and it is no matter whether all Christians commonly acknowledge them or not for God's moral Lawes borrow no force or strength from our acknowledging and receiving of them And thus we see this poor man destroyeth what he would be at And when he condemneth in the following words the Anabaptists at Munster he confirmeth wâ—at we say for they pretended conscience and though as he saith their deeds rather flowed from pride and avarice than purity and conscience Yet that helpeth not the mater for it is as apparent that the actions of our Quakers cannot flow from Purity and Conscience unless we understand a develish deluded conscience which hath no affinity with Purity whatever they pretend 8. He tels us next Pag. 316. that all the liberty which he pleadeth for is but that which the Primitive Christians required of the Heathen Emperours Ans. But he should first prove that the truth they profâ—ss is consonant to the truth which the Primitive Câ—ristians owned We say not that Magistrates whether Heathen or Christian should persecute the truth or hinder by Lawes or violence the Professours of truth to meet and worshipe God in tâ—e way by him appointed If his way be the way of truth he should not plead for toleration for toleratio semper est mali And if he can manifest it to be the way of truth I shall willingly grant that Magistrates should not only not trouble or tolerat him but should countenance and encourage him But we have heard enough already to demonstrate how dissonant that which they maintaine is to Scripture truth and to primitive truth and so we see no ground whereupon they can plead for the same liberty which the Primitive Christians did desire and plead for especially considering how they have Apostatized from the truth once by themselves professed and having renunced their baptâ—sme and the faith once delivered to the Saints would seduce all others to the same abomination 9. He sayes next he would not have men as men and members of the Common wealth molested in their temporals or privileges for their inward perswasion Answere And I say the same but publick meetings to the dishonour of God and scorne of Christianity And acts of preaching and seduceing by creeping into houses and loading captive silly women laden with sinnes and led away with diverse lusts is not a meer
are not pleading for the like of that to any man breathing But I see Quakers will give divine worship to one another though they will not allow to any others so much as civil honour 14. This is all that he saith to defend their rude practice And I judge as he saith that it floweth not from their rustick breeding for they have bin otherwayes educated but from a more corrupt spring And though he is pleased to call it Conscience and that therefore they would rather choose to die than do other wayes we look upon it as a small evidence of tenderness of conscience in them even suppose it were a thing not lawful and warranted seing they make so little bones of greater maters We know what Christ said Mat. 23 23. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye pay tithe of mint anise and cummin and have omitted the weightier maters of the Law judgment mercy faith We may know also what power a deluded conscience may have even in small matters But I am apt to think there is some other thing that lyeth here at the bottome when I consider what wide consciences these men have and how directly and avowedly they set themselves to cry downe all Religion and to cashier all Christianity and in a word to bring us back to Paganisme let them pretend what they will God may discover this in due time CHAP. XXXII A View of the Conclusion 1. HAving thus examined all the Principles of the Quakers if this Man hath given us a full sheme of their opinions and though it be the fullest that any of them have yet given so far as I know Yet there may be something latent which is to come out in due time And having considered all that he hath said in his large Apology for their defence I thought good not to let his conclusion passe without some due examination Thus then he beginneth to bespeak his Candide Reader If in the fear of God thou consider this Systeme of Religion delivered in these papers together with its consistency and harmony either as it standeth in it self or with the holy Scripture of truth I doubt not but thou wilt say with me many others that this is the spiritual day of the manifestation of Christ in which he revealeth againe his ancient pathes of truth and justice Answ. We have here a Systeme I confess not of Religion but of Pure Paganisme And a more compleat Systeme of abomination and contradiction to the truth of God revealed in the holy Scriptures I doubt was ever brought forth by any Instrument that ever Satan imployed to darken the truth of God And whatever consistence may be in it though we have found also some inconsistencies unto it self Yet I am sure there is nothing in the whole and in every part thereof but manifest and palpable inconsistency with and opposition to the Scriptures of truth And that this is so far as to them from being a spiritual day of the manifestation of Christ that it is a day of the dreadfulest delusion of Satan and of darkness caused by the Prince of darkness that ever was heard of in the Christian world there being nothing but a new broaching of all few excepted the old Pathes of errour heresie and abomination for verification of which I shall only referre the Reader in whom is the least graine of the true fear of God 〈◊〉 and faith to the Revelation of the minde of God in the Scriptures to what is said above 2. He goeth on and tels us that here his Reader may observe Christian Religion exhibited and vindicated in all its parts in so far as it is lively inward spiritual pure and substantial and not a meer forme shadow notion and opinion as many hitherto have held whose fruites declare that they wanted the inward power of that whereof they bore the name who yet adhere so to their formes and shadowes that they cease not to calumniat us as if because we commâ—nd unto them the substance call them thereunto we did deny or neglect the true forme and outward part of Christianity which God the searcher of hearts knoweth to be a horride lie Answ. The wise King or rather the Spirit of God by him Prov. 18 17. telleth us that he that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his nieghbour cometh and searcheth him If this cause be referred to this Quakers decision we know what will be the sentence but light discovereth darkness And if any Reader be he who he will who knoweth what true christian Religion meaneth shall finde the same in the Quakers doctrine and in this mans defence thereof I am deceived Nay if he shall not finde more direct plaine down-right opposition and contradiction to the whole of true christian Religion in their tenets thus explained and maintained than in the writings of the most notorious and branded hereticks that ever had a being since Christianity was heard of I am far mistaken Nay I am sure he shall finde nothing but an hotch-potch and mixture of almost all Errours Heresies damnable Opinions and Heterodoxies that have troubled the Church of Christ from the beginning together with something that smelleth more of Devilrie than of humanity let be of Religion I mean not here their pedantry and silly unmanlike rustick carriage but what is by this man expressed concerning their more solemne worshipe beside their quaking shivering or foaming like persons possessed of the Devil or under the bodily distemper of an Epilepsy It is true they talk of something Lively Inward Spiritual Pure and Substantial but when we have searched after it following this mans threed of explication we have found it nothing but a light within every man and in many things agreeing with the light which is in Devils and yet this is their all their God their Father Son and holy Ghost their Christ their Grace their Spirit their Scripture their Supream Leader Rule Teacher and judge their Jesus the only Saviour their Gospel their only way to the Father their Justification their Sanctification their Adoption their Perfection their Supream Caler the God which they consult and worshipe the Word in the beginning that made all things and what not And truely this being their all no wonder they be enemies to all outward Ordinances and account these meer shadowes notions and formes They talk of fruites and we shall willingly confess to our shame that our carriage is not so Christian as it ought to be but what their carriage is else then may be among Pagans we are yet to learne He saith we calumniate them when we say they are against all the ordinances of Christ for what he meaneth else by the true forme and outward part of Christianity I know not and I would faine know what ordinance of Christ it is which they owne Have we not heard enough of him against the Ministry Preaching Prayer Singing Baptisme the Lords Supper c And hear we
up and to the Creator againe that is infinite in it self which the hand goes against him that does evil in which hand the soul which is immortal and infinite which hand is infinite which brings it up to God is infinite Though little good sense can be made of this yet blasphemy enough is legible therein And G. Fox saith Is not the soul without beginning come from God It is not horride blasphemy to say the soul is a part of God for it came out of him and that which came out of him is of him Fisher in his Velata quaedam revelata Pag. 13 calleth that whereby man became a living soul and a soul that did partake something of Gods owne life a living principle of the divine nature And P. 17. He calleth the Spirit of man the immortal and incorruptible seed of God even something of the living word which is said to be made flesh Pennington Q. 27. calleth that which is in the saints that which the Lord from heaven begetteth of his owne image and likeness of his own NB. substance of his own Spirit and pure life Declaâ— against Popery queree 2. Whether do you waite and believe to have the same minde which was also in Christ Iesus who thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet he was no Pharisee though of the Pharisees judged a blasphemer and as be is so are we Is not this plaine enough 4. Hence also is it sayes he further that because we say that the inward light and Law and not the outward letter is that which can truely discover to them their state and bring them out of all evil they say that we vilify the Scriptures and honour our own imaginations more then them Answ. We would rather say upon this account that they vilifie the Spirit of God then the Scriptures for hereby these expressions it is manifest that they ascribe that unto the light within which only the Spirit of God and of Christ can do viz. truely and effectually which may be imported by his revera discover the state of a sinner to him and bring him out of all evil This last we do not ascribe unto the Scriptures But as to their vilifying of the Scriptures we have heard enough above from this mans own mouth and some others whose words we cited Mr Faldo in his book against the Quakers part 1. Ch. 3-12 helpeth me to much more Let us cull out of a great heap a few instances 1. Do not all the Quakers deny the Scriptures to be the word of God Do they not say that it is blasphemy to say the letter is the word of God and it is the Devil that contends for the Scriptures to be the word of God And what can more be spoken to the disparagment of the Scriptures than to deny them to be his word or the signification of his minde who spoke them and did indite them by his Spirit immediatly inspiring the Prophets and Apostles and other holy men of God in the writing of them Is not this directly to devest them of all that Authority which they have from God as his Law Is not this to render them contemptible when they are denied to be that which only maketh them have weight with consciences 2. Do not the Quakers deny the Scriptures to be the rule of faith and manners and the judge of Controversies in the maters of Religion We remember what himself aid above Hear Parnel in his shield of the truth p. 10. And he also that saith the letter is the rule and guide of the people of God is without feeding upon the husk and is ignorant of the true light which was before the letter was Hear Smith Prim. p. 10 And if thou lookest upon the Scripture to be for a rule and for trying thou givest that unto them which belongs unto Christ. And is not this enough to disparage the Scriptures to deny that chiefe use and end of them for which they were given If any should say of the Lawes of any Land and of the acts of Parliament that they are not a rule to the Subjects would not that be accounted a disparagment done to the Lawes Were not the Scripturâ—s given as a revelation of the minde of God concerning our faith and concerning our walk How can any thâ—n dâ—ny these ends and not disparage and vilifie the Scriptures 3 Do not the Quakers speak more highly of their owne writings than they do of the Scriptures The Scripâ—ures with them are but the letter which killeth Paper ink and writing the old and dead letter Part of it words of the Devil and of wicked men Precepts and traditions of men they have no light in them they sheir not our faces an earthly root a shadow and dangerous to feed on c. But their oâ—n writings are the voice of the Son of God by which the dead are raised a shield of the truth spoken in the freshness and quick sense of life written from the Lord a Spiritual glass opened light rise out of darkness and by revelation of Iesus Christ and by the Spirit of the living God See for this Mr Faldo ubi supra paâ— 40. c. Can men devise a way more effectual to effronte the Scriptures 4 Do they not preferre the light within them unâ—o the Scriptures See Smithâ—s Catech p. 2. Q. doth God manifest himself within Man Answ. Yes and man cannot know him by any other way but by the manifestation of himself in his light within him See the Scorned Quakers account p. 20. Christ by his light within shewes you in a gâ—ass your owne faces which the Scriptures cannot do Parnel p. 10. And by the same light do we discerne and testify against him to be in darkness and blindness and is a deceiver who putteth the letter for the light and so draweth peoples mindes from the light within them to the light without them seeking the living among the dead Iohn Story in his short discovery p. 2. saith and although the holy Scripture without and the Saints practices are lights in the world Yet far be it from all true Christian men so to idolize them as to set them in esteem above the light which is sufficient to guide or to esteem them equal with the light and Spirit of Christ within And Smith Prim. p. 12. tels us that Christ the light within alone searches the heart not the Scriptures Martin Mason in his loving invitation p. 4. 'T is not your flying to the Scriptures that can save you from the fire of his wrath nor overcome the least corruption for you no verily nothing then but a Christ within you come thou then O come with boldness to God's faithful witness within you Fisher where above p. 7. saith such were the Scribes who were ever scraping in the Scriptures to finde God and his life Yet never knew him at any time nor saw his shape because they heard not his voice nor heeded not his word within
in their Worshipe 420 16. God is speaking in every man therefore they should be silent hear that the good seed may arise 422 17. In this silence they must lay aside all sense fear of sin thoughts of death of hell of judgment and of glory prayers all religious exercises 422 18. Thus they must be abstracted from all operations imaginations ejaculations of soul 422 19. And then the little seed planted in every man getteth room to arise becometh an holy birth that Divine aire is it with which mans spirit is fermented then they become fit to hear his voice 423 20. While they are thus Introverted they cannot be deceived 424 21. For the Devil cannot simulate this Introversion nor work there for he is excluded worketh only in Natural men 424 22. When they once introvert they are in a castle they feel themselves to be without the Devils reach 425 23. Hereby they keep communion with other when scattered asunder 425 24. Before they speak or preach they must Introvert consult the dim thing within 441 25. They must be acted moved by Immediat impulses extraordinary motions of a Spirit 443 444 450 452 37. Of Preaching 1. They are against our way of preaching from a text of Scripture 437 38. Of Prayer 1. They are against praying morning evening before after sermon before and after meat 450 451 2. Their inward prayer is an Introversion of the soul 453 454 3. They speak of praying outwardly under a degustation which is neither publick nor private prayer 455 4. They speak of ejaculatory prayers made to mans self 455 5. No publick prayer without Introversion 455 6. Beside Introversion there must be an immediat inspiration calling prompting to prayer or else we must not pray 455 7. They say that praying to God without the feeling of the Influences of the Spirit is a tempting of God 456 8. Men say they must introvert to that place where they may feel that whereby they may be led to prayer 457 462 9. Watching is only the souls attending on the Spirit that it may feel him leading to pray 457 10. To command men to pray without the Spirit is to command them to see without eyes 459 11. They say we pray without the Spirit because we have our limited times 460 12. They say the wicked sometime have the influences of the Spirit to pray and then they may pray acceptably 462 463 39. Of Singing Psalmes 1. They are against our way of singing of Psalmes 463 2. Alledging that thereby ofttimes abominable lies are uttered to God 464 3. And that we Immediatly thereafter in prayer confesse ourselves guilty of the same sins for redemption from which we have given praise 464 40. Of the Sacraments 1. They think if the word Sacrament were laid aside all controversie about the Sacraments would cease 468 2. They think the definition of a Sacrament can agree to many other things 468 41. Of Baptisme 1. They are against baptisme 465 2. They say there is but one sort of baptisme 469 3. They make the outward Element and the inward Grace two baptismes 469 4. Washing of water is not Christ's baptisme with them 471 5. They owne no baptisme but the baptisme of the Spirit 471 6. They deny all baptisme but what is with the H. Ghost with fire 545 7. They would have the ordinance of baptisme wholly laid aside 473 475 8. They say the ark was a type of Baptisme 473 9. And that Johns baptisme was a figure of Christ's baptisme 474 10. Baptisme with water is with them a figure of baptisme with the Spirit 474 11. Washing with water in baptisme is contrary to Christian Religion 475 12. Christ did not warrand his Disciples to baptize 475 13. Washing under the Law and our baptisme are the same 476 14. They reckon baptisme among Jewish ceremonies rites 477 15. They condemne our baptizing in the Name of the Father Son H. Ghost 479 16. They say the Apostles baptised by permission not by Commission 480 17. They say the Apostles mistook Christ's spiritual baptisme took it for Johns water baptisme 480 18. Baptisme with water say they was in use among the Jewes before Johns dayes 481 19. Water baptisme say they is but formal imitation the invention of man and a meer delusion 545 20. In contempt hereof they say outward water cannot wash the soul 550 42. Of the Lords Supper 1. They deny the Lord's Supper to be an Institution of Christ 482 c. 2. Instead of this Ordinance they profanely substitute their ordinary repasts 486 3. To their ordinary repasts they profanely apply the ends of this Ordinance 486 4. The body which they eat blood which they drink is the celestial seed the Divine substance the Vehicle or spiritual body of Christ 486 5. To this spiritual imaginary body of Christ they apply all that is said of Christ's body Iohn 6. 487 6. They say this spiritual seed as it getteth room to rise up in the heart is bread to the hungry and thereby the soul is revived 487 7. They enjoy this breed by beleeving in the manifestation of this light 487 8. They say the Supper of the Lord is truely possessed when the soul introverts c. 489 9. They say beleevers enjoy this at all times especially when they meet together to waite on God 489 10. They say Christ only took occasion from the bread wine to tell his disciples that as these nourished their bodies so His body and blood should nourish their souls And so did institute no Sacrament and this is the only meaning of these words This is my body c. 492 11. They call it a bare ceremonie 492 12. They will have Paul 1 Cor. 11 27. only to say that if they would needs performe this ceremonie they should do it worthily 493 13. With them do this in remembrance of me saith no more but that seing this was to be the last occasion of his eating with them they should look to him that by commemoration of that occasion by his passions death they should be stirred up to follow him 495 14. They call the practising of it a Jewish ceremonie 496 15. They think the wine was meerly accidental 496 16. They reckon the bread wine in the Lords Supper among the things of the earth Col. 3. 499 17. They say we have this Ordinance from the Pope 545 18. They say He whose death we are to remember till he come is the word prayer 545 43. Of Ministers Maintenance 1. They are against the fixed maintenance of Ministers and will only have their necessities supplied if need be 401 2. They will have no limited maintenance 401 3. They will not have people compelled to give any maintenance 407 4. Ministers say they must seek nothing by Law 407 408 4. They say it is a carnal Ministrie that must have maintenance 410 44. Of Magistrats 1.
They deny Magistrats to be lawful who are not of their way 11 45. Of Liberty of Conscience 1. They plead for libery to all errours 501 2. Magistrates say they may not hinder people to meet together to Worshipe God as they judge best 505 3. Otherwayes they sinne against the nature of the Gospel 508 4. And against sound Reason the Law of Nature 511 5. The old Lawes for punishing of Idolaters they say no more binde us then the Jewes killing of the Canaanites or their taking gold c. from the Egyptians 509 510 46. Of Wâ—rs 1. They are against all wars 514. c. 47. Of Lawful Oaths 1. They are against swearing before Magistrates 523. c. 2. Swearing by the Name of God of old was as they say a ceremony 525 526 527 3. Oaths say they did prefiguâ—e God's truth and fidelity 528 4. And had their rise from the Devil 528 5. Christ might swear say they as being under the Law not we who are under the Gospel 529 6. They say we ought not to regard what Paul did as to this even in his Epistles 530 7. Yet they will swear but not upon a book nor by lifting up the hâ—nd 529 530 48. Of Civil Honour 1. They are against the giving of all honour or respect to Superiours or Equals 533. c. 2. Christians say they may not give nor receive titles of honour 537 3. They use no other compellation for all persons but Thou Thee 539 4. They will salute no person nor signify any respect by uncovering the head 540 5. They account this adoration yet their first Father Iames Naylor received Divine Worship at Bristol 541 542 49. Of the Resurrection 1. They deny the Resurrection of the same body 17 552 553 50. Of Heaven and Hell 1. They assert no Heaven or Hell but what is within us 553 554 AN Examination and Confutation of ROBERT BARCLAY The QUAKER his Theses Apologie CHAP. I. Some remarks upon his Preface to his THESES 1. BEfore this Author come to set downe his Theses he premiteth a Preface wherein 1. He giveth us the Title inscription of them 2. He sheweth to whom he doth particularly make his address or to whom he directeth these his Theses to be considered or confuted 3. He is pleased to prevent our mistake to give us a description of himself their Author And 4 We have his prologue or preliminary discourse to those unto whom he addresseth himself 2. I shall not so far preoccupy the judgment of the Reader in the threshold as to shew demonstrate that his Theses which he stileth Theological might more fitly truely be called Ethnical or if you will Diabolical for upon the review of the whole after the ensueing examen this will appeare so manifest as if written with a sun-beame to all not blinded with prejudice who believe the Word of God close with it as our only Rule of Faith Practice 3. His Theses he directeth to all Clerks or clergymen or what he will have us understand by Clericis for thus he loveth to speak whether Ironically as he supposeth we call him others of his way Quakers out of contempt disdain or upon any other account I leave every man to judgâ— But what Clerks are these To Clerks sayeth he of all sorts of the whole Christian world Whereby it is obvious that he acknowledgeth a Christian world in which are Clergy-men of various kindes to which he himself others whom he here Patronizeth do not belong for he speaketh of them all as belonging to another Profession than what he his fraternity hold and while he thus manifestly excludeth himself his party from the Christian world every one may freely judge to what a world he they must needs belong It is ominous to stumble thus in the very threshold But whom doth he meane by these Clericis The following words will not suffer us to think that he meaneth all the people of God nor will the expressions themselves admit that because these Clerici must be but apart of the Christian world And if he understand hereby Church-officers as distinct from Church-members he joyneth herein with Papists against Protestants who account the whole Church not the Officers thereof only as do Papists to be God's Clergy or Heritage as doth the Apostle Peter 1 Pet 5 3. 4. More especially in the next place he directeth them to Doctors Professors Students of Theology and this I cannot but think is spoken indeed ironically for in his esteem it is not true Theologie which is taught by these Doctors Professours learned by these Students and that we may know who these all Doctors c. are he addeth in all the Academies of Europe whether Popish or Protestant what his designe hereby is cannot be hid for who seeth not that he intendeth his Theses as a chartal to provoke them or any of them all to a disput which must needs argue too great an excess of blinde confidence in this Man and withal there is a subdolous Insinuation here manifest for hereby he would make the world believe that his opinions are equally different from repugnant to the Popish Abominations to the Protestant Truth which is a shreud presumption that his ensueing doctrine will not savoure much of Christian candor seing it is so obvious shall be made manifest ere all be done that his opinions homologate more with the Popish than with the Protestant doctrine And if a provocation to dispute were not here intended why would he direct his Theses more especially to Professours Students in Academies not equally unto all Christians in common as charity would require of one who should intend the common good that is the edefication right information of such as he supposeth to be out of the way But I am apt to think and it may be every one shall judge me not far mistaken in this that this confident brag was resolved upon to the end common people might hear that such a Quaker had provoked all the learned men of Europe to a disput none durst enter the lists to fight with this Goliah thence suspect if not conclude that the Quakers are the only maintainers owners of Truth their sayings must be all unquestionable irrefragable Assertions But the judicious learned may at the first see there is little cause to be moved at all this confidence there being so little said hereby him which hath not been examined condemned both from Scripture found Reason by the faithfull asserters of the orthodox truth writting against the Pelagians Arminians Socinians Enthusiasts Anabaptists Papists others to whom alone he is obliged for all that he hath said whether in his Theses or in his large Apologie Vindication that before he was borne So that once to take notice of what he hath here scraped-together out of the writings of the Heterodox
himself By this accusing of conscience Paul proveth here that the Gentiles had the Law in their heart 10. He would know that there is a twofold writing of the Law in the heart One is whereby the knowledge of the Law is so fixed in their mindes as that it cannot be utterly delet howbeit their wils cannot and will not comply therewith and of this the Apostle is here speaking for the Heathens have this Law of nature so imprinted and fixed in their Mindes as to several things concerning God and their carriage and walk in the world that they cannot but see a difference betwixt Righteousness and Iniquity Honesty and Dishonesty in several particulars and in their judgment preferre the one to the other though their hearts and wills be not reconciled thereunto and made to comply therewith even according to thâ— measure of their Knowledge and Judgment The Other is whereby the whole will of God revealed in Law and Gospel is by the Spirit of God deeply imprinted in the soul of Beleevers so that as their Mindes know it and their Judgments approve it so their Wills imbrace it with love and desire and their native Endeavour is after Full Pure Sincere and Spiritual conformity thereto in the strength of the same Spirit and it is their griefe and matter of unfaigned sorrow when through the workings of a remanent body of death they come short of what is commanded whether as to Matter or Manner or End intended c. If he shall evince that Paul speaketh of this here he shal do more than all the Socinians no persons else ever dreamed of this ever have been able to do to this day But the truth is I apprehend all this is a riddle to this man who understandeth no other writing of the Law in hearts than the first for as he is an enemy so is he a stranger unto the Gospel of the Grace of God as will evidently enough appear ere we have done 25. He addeth a second reason for his Interpretation Pag. 57 saying that if nature here be understood of the proper nature of Man then the Apostle should contradict himself who elsewhere saith that the natural man cannot perceive the things of God but among these things of God the Law is comprehend seing Paul Rom. 7 12 14. itâ—oly â—oly just and good and Spiritual and calleth himself carnal which must be understood as he was unregenerat I answere 1. Paul no way contradicteth himself except in this mans dreaming fancy for these spiritual things whereof the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 2 14 are not the things of Nature or of the Law or Light of Nature But the things of the Spirit of God which must be spiritually understood vers 14. which none can know without they have the minde of Christ vers 16. which concerne Christ and Him Crucified vers 2. the same which Paul preached in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power vers 4. which was Wisdom among such only as were perfect vers 6. and which only the Spirit which is of God did reveal and not the Spirit of the world vers 11 12. and which eye had not seen nor eare heard c. vers 9. It was the preaching of the Crosse of Christ which even the Wise and Understanding and such as had not only Natures Light but the Light of the Law could not know It was that which even to the Jewes was a stumbling block and to the wise Grecians was foolishness Chap. 1 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. Hence we see the Law which was written in the hearts of the Gentiles is not among those things whereof Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 2. 2. It is truâ— the Law both that which is written in the heart of the Gentiles and that which was more clearly and amply declared and explained by God to the Jewes was Good Holy Just and Spiritual yet was it not the same with the things of God whereof the Apostle spoke 1 Cor. 2. 3 This man must have a strange antipathy at â—ruth and against the Orthodox for he will joyne with any before he take part with them we heard but just now how he joyned with Smalcius the Socinian and here in interpreting Rom. 7 14. c. he deserteth the orâ—hodox and joyneth himself with Pelagians Arminians and Socinians who will have the Apostle there speaking not of himself but as assumeing the person of one in nature not yet regenerated as if such were not wholly â—in and whâ—lâ—y flesh or had an Inward man delighting in the Law of God or â—ad a Law in their minde contrary to the Law in their members or were capable of this captivity when they are willing slaves or could groan under a boâ—y of death and account themselves miserable upon that account or thank God through Jesus Christ because of the begun delivery and certane expectation of the full victory or as if they with their minde could serve the Law of God 4. His sole reason viz. because the Apostle said he was carnal proveth nothing for what the Apostle speaketh in a certane respect must not be understood in an absolute sense He was it is true carnal as all â—egenerat persons are not absolutly nor wholly but in part in so far as the old man remained in which respect the best have a Law in their members warring against the Law of their minde and have the flesh lusting against the Spirit as they have the Spirit lusting against the flesh Gal. 6.17 And the Apostle calleth even such babes in Christ carnal in a certane reâ—pect 1 Cor. 3 1. 26. Thereafter he tels us That when we are urged with this testimony by Pelagians anâ— Socinians and by them so â—hat we see with whom he and his party are birds of one feather we use to answere that there were some remnants of the spiritual image left in Adam But sayes he this is affirmed without probation In which he either speaketâ— aâ—ainst his Light or he â—aâ—â— neâ—er read what hath been said upon this by the orthodox against Socinians and Arminians and such as would defend that there were some speculative Atheisâ—s unto whom this Mans assertion doth no small service as we may shew hereafter But next he saith that hereby we contradict ourselves and destroy our own cause Why so For saith he If by these relicques they could fulfil the law then either Christ's coming was not necessary or men could be saved without him or that these thâ—ugh they keeped the Law were damned because ignorant â—f Christ to come which the Lord had made impossible for them to know Answere 1. We never said that they could fulfil the Law by these relicques nor doth the Apostle say so It is true they did and could do by nature somethings contained in the Law and this was sufficient for the Apostles designe not all Even Paul though many stages above many heathens while in the state of nature did not know till the written Law told him that