the influence of this Holy and Divine Seed and Light and be turned from evil to good by it though they knew nothing of Christ's coming in the Flesh through whose Obedience and Sufferings it is purchased unto them And as we affirm it is absolutely needful that those do believe the History of Christs outward Appearance whom it pleased God to bring to the knowledg of it so we do freely confess that even that outward knowledg is very comfortable to such as are subject to and led by the inward Seed and Light For not only doth the sense of Christ's Love and Sufferings tend to humble them but they are thereby also strenthened in their Faith and incouraged to follow that excellent pattern which he hath left us who suffered for us as saith the Apostle Peter 1 Pet 2.21 Leaving us an example that we should follow his steps And many times we are greatly edified and refreshed with the gracious sayings which proceed out of his mouth The History then is profitable and comfortable with the Mystery and never without it but the Mystery is and may be profitable without the explicit and outward knowledg of the History But Fifthly This brings us to another question to wit Whether Christ be in all men or no Which sometimes hath been asked us and Arguments brought against it because indeed it is to be found in some of our Writings that Christ is in all men and we often are heard in our publick Meetings and Declarations to desire every man to know and be acquainted with Christ in them telling them that Christ is in them It is fit therefore for removing of all mistakes to say something in this place concerning this matter We have said before how that a Divine Spiritual and Supernatural Light is in all Men how that that Divine Supernatural Light or Seed is Vehiculum Dei how that God and Christ dwelleth in it and is never separated from it also how that as it is received and closed with in the heart Christ comes to be formed and brought forth But we are far from ever having said that Christ is thus formed in all men or in the wicked For that is a great attainment which the Apostle travelled that it might be brought forth in the Galatians Neither is Christ in all men by way of union or indeed to speak strictly by way of inhabitation because this inhabitation as it is generally taken imports union or the manner of Christs being in the Saints As it is written I will dwell in them and walk in them 2 Cor. 6.16 But in regard Christ is in all men as in a Seed yea and that he never is nor can be separate from that Holy pure Seed and Light which is in all men therefore may it be said in a larger sense that he is in all even as we observed before The Scripture saith Amos 2.13 God is pressed down as a Cart under Sheaves and Christ Crucified in the ungodly though to speak properly and strictly neither can God be pressed down nor Christ as God be Crucified In this respect then as he is in the Seed which is in all men we have said Christ is in all men and have preached and directed all men to Christ in them who lies crucified in them by their Sins and Iniquities that they may look upon him whom they have pierced and repent whereby he that now lies as it were slain and buried in them may come to be raised and have dominion in their hearts over all And thus also the Apostle Paul preached to the Corinthians and Galatians 1 Cor. 2.2 Christ Crucified in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek hath it This Jesus Christ was that which the Apostle desired to know in them and make known unto them that they might come to be sensible how they had thus been Crucifying Christ that so they might repent and be saved And for as much as Christ is called that Light that enlightens every man The Light of the World Therefore the Light is taken for Christ who truly is the Fountain of Light and hath his Habitation in it for ever Thus the Light of Christ is sometimes called Christ i. e. that in which Christ is and from which he is never separated § XVI Sixthly It will manifestly appear by what is above said that we understand not this Divines Principle to be any part of man's nature nor yet to be any reliques of any good which Adam lost by his fall in that we make it a distinct separate thing from man's Soul and all the faculties of it Yet such is the malice of our Adversaries that they cease not sometimes to Calumniate us as if we preached up a natural light or the Light of Man's natural Conscience Next there are that lean to the doctrin of Socinus and Pelagius who perswade themselves through mistake and out of no ill design to injure us as if this which we preach up were some natural power and faculty of the Soul and that we only differ in the wording of it and not in the thing it self Whereas there can be no greater difference than is betwixt us in that matter For we certainly know that this Light of which we speak is not only distinct but of a different nature from the Soul of Man and its Faculties Indeed that Man as he is a rational Creature hath reason as a natural faculty of his Soul by which he can discern things that are rational We deny not for this is a property natural and essential to him by which he can know and learn many Arts and Sciences beyond what any other Animal can do by the meer Animal Principle Neither do we deny but by this rational Principle Man may apprehend in his Brain and in the notion a knowledg of God and Spiritual things Yet that not being the right Organ as in the second Proposition hath more at length been signified it cannot profit him towards Salvation but rather hindereth and indeed the great cause of the Apostasie hath been that man hath sought to fathom the things of God in and by this natural and rational Principle and to build up a Religion in it neglecting and overlooking this Principle and Seed of God in the heart so that herein in the most Universal and Catholick sense hath Anti-Christ in every Man set up himself and sitteth in the Temple of God as God and above every thing that is called God For men being the Temple of the Holy Ghost as saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.16 when the rational Principle sets it self up there above the Seed of God to reign and rule as a Prince in Spiritual things while the Holy Seed is wounded and bruised there is Anti-Christ in every Man or somewhat exalted above and against Christ. Nevertheless we do not hereby affirm as if man had received his Reason to no purpose or to be of no service unto him in no wise We look upon Reason as fit to order
and rule man in things Natural For as God gave two great Lights to rule the outward World the Sun and Moon the greater Light to rule the Day and the lesser Light to rule the Night So hath he given Man the Light of his Son a Spiritual Divine Light to rule him in the things Spiritual and the light of Reason to rule him in things Natural And even as the Moon borrows her Light from the Sun so ought Men if they would be rightly and comfortably ordered in natural things to have their Reason inlightned by this Divine and pure Light Which inlightned Reason in those that obey and follow this true Light we confess may be useful to man even in Spiritual things as it is still subservient and subject to the other even as the animal life in man regulated and ordered by his Reason helps him in going about things that are rational We do further rightly distinguish this from man's natural Conscience for Conscience being that in man which ariseth from the natural faculties of man's Soul may be defiled and corrupted it is said expresly of the Impure Tit. 1.15 That even their mind and conscience is defiled But this Light can never be corrupted nor defiled neither did it ever consent to evil or wickedness in any for it is said expresly that it makes all things manifest that are proveable Eph. 5.13 and so is a faithful witness for God against every unrighteousness in Man Now Conscience to define it truely comes from conscire and is that knowledg which ariseth in man's heart from what agreeth contradicteth or is contrary to any thing believed by him whereby he becomes conscious to himself that he transgresseth by doing that which he is perswaded he ought not to do So that the mind being once blinded or defiled with a wrong belief there ariseth a conscience from that belief which troubles him when he goes against it As for Example a Turk who hath possess'd himself with a false belief that it is unlawful for him to drink Wine if he do it his conscience smites him for it But though he keep many Concubines his conscience troubles him not because that his judgment is already defiled with a false Opinion that is lawful for him to do the one and unlawful to do the other Whereas if the Light of Christ in him were minded it would reprove him not only for committing Fornication but also as he became obedient thereunto inform him that Mahomet is an Impostor as well as Socrates was informed by it in his day of the falsity of the Heathens Gods So if a Papist eat Flesh in Lent or be not dilligent enough in adoration of Saints and Images or if he should contemn Images his Conscience would smite him for it because his judgment is already blinded with a false belief concerning these things whereas the Light of Christ never consented to any of those Abominations Thus then man's Natural Conscience is sufficiently distinguished from it for Conscience followeth the judgment doth not inform it But this Light as it is received removes the blindness of the judgment opens the understanding and rectifies both the Judgment and Conscience So we confess also that Conscience is an excellent thing where it is rightly inform'd and inlightened Whereof some of us have fitly compared it to a Lanthorn and the Light of Christ to the Candle A Lanthorn is useful when a clear Candle burns and shines in it but otherwise of no use To the Light of Christ then in the Conscience and not to man 's Natural Conscience it is that we continually commend men this not that is it which we preach up and direct people to as to a most certain Guide unto Life Eternal Lastly this Light Seed c. appears to be no power or natural faculty of man's mind because a man that 's in his health can when he pleases stir up move and exercise the Faculties of his Soul he is absolute master of them and except there be some Natural cause or impediment in the way he can use them at his pleasure But this Light and Seed of God in man he cannot move and stir up when he pleaseth but it moves blows and strives with man as the Lord seeth meet For though there be a possibility of Salvation to every man during the day of his Visitation yet cannot a man at any time when he pleaseth or hath some sense of his misery stir up that Light and Grace so as to procure to himself tenderness of heart but he must wait for it which comes upon all at certain times and seasons wherein it works powerfully upon the Soul mightily tenders it and breaks it at which time if man resist it not but close with it he comes to know Salvation by it Even as the Lake of Bethsaida did not cure all those that washed in it but such only as washed first after the Angel had moved upon the Waters so God moves in love to mankind in this Seed in his heart at some singular times setting his Sins in order before him and seriously inviting him to repentance offering to him remission of Sins and Salvation which if man accept of he may be Saved Now there is no man alive and I am confident there shall be none to whom this Paper shall come who if they will deal faithfully and honestly with their own hearts will not be forced to acknowledg but they have been sensible of this in some measure less or more which is a thing that man cannot bring upon himself with all his pains and industry This then O Man and Woman is the day of God's gracious Visitation to thy Soul which thou shalt be happy for ever if thou resist not This is the day of the Lord which as Christ saith is like the Lightening which shineth from the East unto the West And the Wind or Spirit which blows upon the heart and no man knows whither it goes nor whence it comes § XVII And lastly this leads me to speak concerning the manner of this Seed or Lights operation in the Hearts of all men which will shew yet more manifestly how we differ vastly from all those that exalt a natural power or light in man and how our Principle leads above all others to attribute our whole Salvation to the meer Power Spirit and Grace of God To them then that ask us after this manner How do ye differ from the Pelagians and Armenians For if two men have equal sufficient Light and Grace and the one be saved by it and the other not is it not because the one improves it the other not is not then the will of man the cause of the one's Salvation beyond the other I say to such we thus answer that as the Grace and Light in all is sufficient to save all and of its own Nature would save all so it strives and wrestles with all for to save them he that resists its striving is the cause of his
capacity of a Man or Woman is not only in a Child but even in the very embryo even so the Kingdom of Jesus Christ yea Jesus Christ himself Christ within who is the hope of Glory and becometh Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption in every man and womans heart in that little incorruptible Seed ready to be brought forth as it is cherished and received in the love of it For there can be no men worse than those rebellious and unbelieving Pharisees were and yet this Kingdom was thus within them and they were directed to look for it there so it is neither lo here nor lo there in this or the other observation that this is known but as this Seed of God in the Heart is minded and entertained And certainly hence it is even because this Light Seed and Grace that appears in the heart of man is so little regarded and so much overlooked that so few know Christ brought forth in them The one sort to wit the Calvinists they look upon Grace as an irresistible Power and therefore neglect and despise this Eternal Seed of the Kingdom in their Hearts as a low insufficient useless thing as to their Salvation On the other hand the Papists Armenians and Socinians they go about to set up their Natural Power and will with one consent denying that this little Seed this small appearance of the Light is that supernatural saving Grace of God given to every man to save him And so upon them is verified that saying of the Lord Jesus Christ This is the condemnation of the World that Light is come into the World but men love darkness rather than Light the reason is added because their deeds are evil All confess they feel this but they will not have it to be of that Virtue Some will have it to be Reason some a Natural Conscience some certain Reliques of God's Image that remained in Adam So Christ as he met with opposition from all kinds of Professors in his outward appearance so doth he now in his inward It was the meaness of his outward man that made many despise him saying Is not this the Son of the Carpenter are not his Brethren and Sisters among us is not this a Galilean and came there ever a Prophet out of Galilea and such like reasonings For they expected an outward deliverer who as a Prince should deliver them with great ease from their outward Enemies and not such a MESSIAH as should be crucified shamefully and as it were led them into many sorrows troubles and afflictions So the meaness of this appearance make the crafty Jesuits the pretended rational Socinians and the learned Arminians overlook it desiring rather something that they might exercise their subtilty reason and learning about and use the liberty of their own wills And the secure Calvinists they would have a Christ to save them without any trouble to destroy all their Enemies for them without them and nothing or little within while the mean while be at ease to live in their Sins secure Whence when all is well examined the cause is plain it is because their deeds are evil that with one consent they reject this Light for it checks the wisest of them all and the learnedst of them all in secret it reproves them neither can all their Logick silence it nor can the securest among them stop its voice from crying and reproving them within for all their confidence in the outward knowledg of Christ or of what he hath suffered outwardly for them For as hath been often said in a day it strives with all wrestles with all and it 's the unmortified Nature the first Nature the old Adam yet alive in the wisest in the learnedest in the most Zealous for the outward knowledg of Christ that denies this that despises it that shuts it out to their own Condemnation They come all under this description every one that doth evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light least his deeds should be reproved John 3.20 So that it may be said now and we can say from a true and certain experience as it was of old Psal. 118.22 Mat. 21.42 Mark 12.10 Luke 20 17. Acts 4.11 The Stone which the Builders of all kinds have rejected the same is become unto us the Head of the Corner Glory to God for ever who hath chosen us a first fruits to himself in this day wherein he is arisen to plead with the Nations and therefore hath sent us forth to preach this everlasting Gospel unto all Christ nigh to all the Light in all the Seed sown in the Hearts of all that men may come and apply their minds to it And we rejoyce that we have been made to lay down our Wisdom and Learning such of us as have had some of it and our carnal reasoning to learn of Jesus and sit down at the Feet of Jesus in our Hearts and hear him who there makes all things manifest and reproves all things by his Light Eph. 5.13 For many are wise and learned in the Notion in the Letter of the Scripture as the Pharisees were and can speak much of Christ and plead strongly against Infidels Turks and Jews and it may be also against some Heresies who in the mean time are Crucifying Christ in the small appearance of his Seed in their Hearts O! better were it to be stript naked of all to account it as dross and dung and become a Fool for Christ's sake thus knowing him to teach thee in thy Heart so as thou maist witness him raised there feel the virtue of his Cross there and say with the Apostle I glory in nothing save in the Cross of Christ whereby I am crucified to the World and the World unto me This is better than to write Thousands of Commentaries and to preach many Sermons And it is thus to preach Christ and direct People to his pure Light in the Heart that God hath raised us up and for which the wise men of this World account us Fools because by the operation of this Cross of Christ in our Hearts we have denyed our own Wisdom and Wills in many things and have forsaken the vain Worships Fashions and Customs of this world For these divers Centuries the world hath been full of a dry fruitless and barren knowledg of Christ feeding upon the husk and neglecting the kernel following after the shaddow but strangers to the substance Hence the Devil matters not how much of that knowledg abounds provided he can but possess the Heart and rule in the will crucifie the appearance of Christ there and so keep the Seed of the Kingdom from taking root For he has led them abroad lo here and lo there and has made them wrestle in a false zeal so much one against another contending for this outward observation and for the other outward observation seeking Christ in this and the other external thing as in Bread and Wine contending one with another how he is there while
nature or reliques of the Light remaining in Adam after the Fall 91. it is distinguished from the Conscience 92 93. it is not a common gift as the heat of the fire and outward Light of the Sun as a certain Preacher said 118. it may be resisted 84 86 94 95 174 175. by this Light or Seed Grace and Word of God he invites all and calls them to Salvation 111 112 113. none of those to whom the history of Christ is preached are saved but by the inward operation of this Light 113 114 115 116 117. it is small in the first manifestation but it groweth 114. it is slighted by the Calvinists Papists Socinians and Arminians and why 114. none can put it to silence 117. there are and may be saved by the operation thereof who are ignorant of the history of Christ 67 68 84 89 90 112 117 to 125. an answer to the objection that none can be saved but in the Name of Jesus Christ 119 120 132. Literature humane literature is not at all needful 206 c. Liturgy 236 251. Logick 209 210. Lord there is One Lord 17 18. Love of a Love-feast 324 325. Lutherans see Protestants they affirm Consubstantiation 30. of the flesh and blood of Christ 309 310. they use unleavened bread in the Supper 321. M Magistrate concerning his power in things purely religious and that he hath no authority over the Conscience 331 to 349. nor ought he to punish according to Church censure 334. concerning the present Magistrates of the Christian World 387 388. Mahomet prohibited all discourse and reason about Religion 346. he was an Impostor 93. Majesty your Majesty see Titles Man see Knowledge his spirit knoweth the things of a man and not the things of God 11. the carnal man esteemeth the Gospel truths as lies 12. and in that state he cannot please God 20. the new man and the old 37 38 88 89. the natural man cannot discern Spiritual things as to the first Adam he is faln and degenerate 37 48 57 67 68. his thoughts of God and Divine things in the corrupt state are evil and unprofitable 57. nothing of Adam's sin is imputed to him until by evil-doing he commit his own 59 64 65 in the corrupt state he hath no will or light capable of it self to manifest Spiritual things 59 60 61 62 63 133. he cannot when he will procure to himself tenderness of heart 94. whatsoever he doth while he doth it not by in and through the Power of God he is not approved of God 248 249. how the inward man is nourished 305 306 307. how his understanding cannot be forced by sufferings and how his understanding is changed 338 339. Merchandise what it is to make Merchandise with the Scriptures 211. Mass 232 236 251 272. Mathematician 35 36. Mechanicks 218. they contributed much to the Reformation 219. Merit see Justification Metaphysicks 209. Minister of the Gospel it is not found in Scripture if any be called 43 199. Teachers are not to go before the teaching of the Spirit 50. the Popish and Protestant errors concerning the Grace of a Minister are rejected 57 63. they are given for the perfection of the Saints c. 165. concerning their call and wherein it is placed 180 186 to 199. qualities 180 198 to 212. Orders and distinction of Laity and Clergy 108 to 219. of separating men for the Ministry 211. concerning the sustentation and maintenance of Ministers and their abuse of the idleness riot and cruelty of Ministers 181 220 to 228. what kind of Ministry and Ministers the Quakers are for and what sort their adversaries are for 229 230 233 234. Minister of the Law there was no doubtfulness concerning them under the Law 188 204 205. their Ministry was not purely spiritual and while they performed it they behoved to be purified from their outward pollutions as now those under the Gospel from their inward 187 188 204. Miracles whether they be needful to those who place their Faith in objective revelation 15 16 198. Moses 124 252 255 277 304. Munster see Anabaptists their mischievous actings 28. Musick 276. Mystery of iniquity 214 257. N Name of the Lord 293 295. to anoint in the Name of the Lord 326. Nero 338. Noah's Faith had neither the Scripture nor the prophecy of those going before him 120. it is said of him that he was a perfect man 169 Number of using the singular Number to one person 359 360. O Oath that it is not lawful to Swear 352 374 380 389. Obedience is better than sacrifice 44. Object of faith see Faith Ordinance sealing Ordinance 279. Oyl to anoint with Oyl 303 326 329. P Papists the rule of their Faith 30. they are forced ultimately to recur unto the immediate and inward revelations of the Holy Spirit 36. what difference there is betwixt the cursed deed of those of Munster and theirs 31 32 34. they have taken away the second Commandment in their Catechism 47. they make Philosophy the hand-maid of Divinity 50 they exalt too much the natural power and what they think of the Saving Light 115. their doctrin concerning Justification is greatly vitiate 129. concerning their manners and Ceremonies 184 185 193 194 196 197. their literature and Studies 207. of the modern Apostles and Evangelists 217. whom they exclude from the Ministry 219. they must be sure of so much a year before they Preach 221. they do not labour 227. the more moderate and sober of them exclaim against the excessive Revenues of the Clergy 224. their worship can easily be stopped 250 251. albeit they say none are saved without water baptism yet they allow an exception 30. of Baptism 299 300. of the flesh and blood of Christ 308 309 310. of an Oath 372. Parable of the Talents 101 107. of the Vine-yard entrusted 88. of the Sower 107 108. of the Tares 336. Paschal Lamb the end thereof 312. Patriarchs 306 312. Pelagians 58. how we differ from them 24 95 96 301. see Light of Nature Pelagius denied that man gets an evil seed from Adam and ascribes all to the will and nature of men He said that man could attain unto a state of not sinning by his meer natural strength without the Grace of God 173. Persecution upon the account of Religion 342 to 348. see Magistrate Perseverance the Grace of God may be lost through disobedience 160 173 174 175 176 177. yet such a stability may in this life be attained from which there cannot be a total Apostacy 161 174 177 178 179. Peter whether he was at Rome 30. he was ignorant of Aristotle's Logick 50. there were of old divers Opinions concerning his second Epistle 40. Pharisees 278 316. Philosopher the Heathen Philosopher was brought to the Christian Faith by an illiterate Rustick 209. Philosophy 200 209. Physicks 210. Plays whether it be lawful to use them 350 352 367 368 369 370 371 389. Polycarpus the Disciple of John 30. Pray to pray for remission of sins 172
to be soothed up and lulled asleep in thy sins by the flattering of Court-Parasits who by their fawning are the ruin of many Princes There is no King in the World who can so experimentally testifie of Gods Providence and Goodness neither is there any who rules so many free People so many true Christians which thing renders thy Government more honourable thy self more considerable than the accession of many Nations filled with slavish and superstitious Souls Thou hast tasted of prosperity and adversity thou know'st what it is to be banished thy Native Countrey to be over-ruled as well as to rule and sit upon the Throne and being oppressed thou hast reason to know how hateful the Oppressor is both to God and man If after all these Warnings and Advertisements thou dost not turn unto the Lord withal thy Heart but forget him who remembered thee in thy distress and give up thy self to follow Lust and Vanity surely great will be thy condemnation Against which snare as well as the temptation of those that may or do feed thee and prompt thee to evil the most excellent and prevalent remedy will be to apply thy self to that Light of Christ which shineth in thy Conscience which neither can nor will flatter thee nor suffer thee to be at ease in thy sins but doth and will deal plainly and faithfully with thee as those that are followers thereof have also done GOD Almighty who hath so signally hitherto visited thee with his love so touch and reach thy heart ere the day of thy visitation be expired that thou mayst effectually turn to him so as to improve thy place and station for his Name So wisheth so prayeth Thy faithful Friend and Subject ROBERT BARCLAY From Ury the place of my Pilgrimage in my Native Country of Scotland the 25 of the Month called November in the YEAR 1675. R. B. Unto the Friendly Reader wisheth Salvation FOrasmuch as that which above all things I propose to my self is to declare and defend the Truth for the service whereof I have given up and devoted my self and all that is mine therefore there is nothing which for its sake by the help and assistance of God I may not attempt And in this confidence I did sometime ago publish certain Propositions of Divinity comprehending briefly the chief Principles and Doctrines of Truth which appearing not unprofitable to some and being beyond my expectation well received both by Foreigners though dissenting from us albeit also opposed by some envious ones did so far prevail as in some part to remove that false and monstruous Opinion which lying fame and the malice of our adversaries had implanted in the minds of some concerning us and our Doctrines In this respect it seem'd to me not fit to spare my pains and labour Therefore being acted by the same measure of the Divine Spirit and the like design of propagating the Truth by which I published the Propositions I judg'd it meet to explain them somewhat more largely at this time and defend them by certain arguments Perhaps my method of writing may seem not only different but even contrary to that which is commonly used by the men called Divines with which I am not concerned for that I confess my self to be not only no imitator and admirer of the School-men but an opposer and despiser of them as such by whose labour I judg the Christian Religion to be so far from being bettered that it is rather destroyed Neither have I sought to accommodate this my work to itching Ears who desire rather to comprehend in their head the sublime notions of Truth than to imbrace it in their heart For what I have written comes more from my heart than from my head what I have heard with the Ears of my Soul and seen with my inward Eyes and my hands have handled of the Word of Life And what hath been inwardly manifested to me of the things of God that do I declare not so much minding the Eloquence and Excellency of Speech as desiring to demonstrate the efficacy and operation of Truth and if I err sometime in the former it is not great matter for I act not here the Grammarian or the Orator but the Christian and therefore in this I have followed the certain Rule of the Divine Light and of the Holy Scriptures And to make an end what I have written is written not to feed the Wisdom and Knowledge or rather vain pride of this world but to starve and oppose it us the little Preface prefix'd to the Propositions doth shew which with the title of them is as followeth THESES THEOLOGICAE To the Clergy of what sort soever unto whose hands these may come but more particularly to the Doctors Professors and Students of Divinity in the Universities and Schools of Great Brittain whether Prelatical Presbyterian or any other ROBERT BARCLAY a Servant of the Lord God and one of those who in derision are called Quakers wisheth unfeigned Repentance unto the acknowledgment of the Truth FRIENDS UNto You these following Propositions are offered in which they being read and considered in the fear of the Lord you may perceive that simple Naked Truth which Man by his Wisdom hath rendred so obscure and mysterious that the World is even burthened with the great and voluminous Tractates which are made about it and by their vain jangling and Commentaries by which it is rendred a hundred fold more dark and intricate than of it self it is which great Learning so accounted of to wit your School Divinity which taketh up almost a mans whole Life-time to learn brings not a whit nearer to God neither makes any man less wicked or more righteous than he was Therefore hath God laid aside the Wise and Learned and the Disputers of this World and hath chosen a few despicable and unlearned Instruments as to Letter-learning as he did Fisher-men of old to publish his pure and naked Truth and to free it of these Mists and Fogs wherewith the Clergy hath clouded it that the People might admire and maintain them And among several others whom God hath chosen to make known these things seeing I also have received in measure Grace to be a Dispencer of the same Gospel it seemed good unto me according to my duty to offer unto you these Propositions tho short yet are weighty comprehending much and declaring what the true ground of knowledge is even of that knowledge which leads to life Eternal which is here witnessed of and the Testimony thereof left unto the Light of Christ in all your Consciences Farewel R. B. The First Proposition Concerning the true Foundation of Knowledge SEing the height of all happiness is placed in the true knowledg of God This is Life Eternal to know the true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent the true and right understanding of this foundation and ground of knowledge is that which is most necessary to be known and believed in the first place
Saints and the Blood of Christ which cleanseth from all sin is possessed must be Sufficient But such is the LIGHT 1 Joh. 1.7 Therefore c. Moreover That which we are commanded to believe in that we may become the Children of the Light must be a Supernatural Sufficient and Saving Principle But we are commanded to believe in this Light Therefore c. The Proposition cannot be denyed The Assumption is Christ's own words John 12.36 While ye have Light believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of the Light To this they object that by Light here is understood Christ's outward Person in whom he would have them believe That they ought to have believed in Christ that is that he was the MESSIAH that was to come is not denyed but how they evince that Christ intended that here I see not nay the place it self shews the contrary by those words While ye have Light and by the verse going before Walk while ye have the Light least Darkness come upon you Which words import that when that Light in which they were to believe was removed then they should lose the capacity or season of believing Now this could not be understood of Christ's Person the Jews might have believed in him and many did savingly believe in him as all Christians do at this day when the Person to wit his bodily presence or outward man is far removed from them So that this Light in which they were commanded to believe must be that inward Spiritual Light that shines in their Hearts for a season even during the day of Man's Visitation which while it continueth to call invite and exhort Men are said to have it and may believe in it but when refuse to believe in it and reject it then it ceaseth to be light to shew them the way but leaves the sense of their unfaithfulness as a sting in their Conscience which is a terror and darkness unto them and upon them in which they cannot know where to go neither work any waies profitably in order to their Salvation and therefore to such rebellious ones the day of the Lord is said to be darkness and not light Amos 5.18 From whence it appears that tho many receive not the Light as the darkness comprehends it not nevertheless this Saving Light shines in all that it may save them Concerning which also Cyrillus Alexandrinus saith well and defends our Principle With great diligence and watchfulness saith he doth the Apostle John endeavour to anticipate and prevent the vain thoughts of men for there is here a wonderful method of sublime things and overturning of Objections he hath just now called the Son the true Light by whom he affirmed that every man coming into the world was inlightned yea that he was in the World and the world was made by him One may then object if the Word of God be the Light and if this Light inlighten the hearts of men and suggest unto men piety and the understanding of things if he was alwayes in the world and was the Creator or Builder of the world why was he so long unknown unto the world It seems rather to follow because he was unknown to the world therefore the world was not inlightened by him nor he totally Light Let any should so object he divinely infers and the world knew him not Let not the world saith he accuse the Word of God and his Eternal Light but it s own weakness For the Son inlightens but the creature rejects the Grace that 's given unto it and abuseth the sharpness of understanding granted it by which it might have naturally known God and as a prodigal hath turned its sight to the Creatures neglected to go forward and through lazyness and negligence buried the illumination and despised this Grace Which that the disciple of Paul might not do he was commanded to watch therefore it is to be imputed to their wickedness who are illuminated and not unto the Light for as albeit the sun riseth upon all yet he that is blind receiveth no benefit thereby none thence can justly accuse the brightness of the Sun but will ascribe the cause of not seeing to the blindness So I judg it is only to be understood of the Only Begotten Son of God for he is the true Light and sendeth forth his brightness upon all but the God of this world as Paul saith hath blinded the minds of those that believe not 2 Cor. 4.4 That the Light of the Gospel shine not unto them We say then that darkness is come upon men not because they are altogether deprived of Light for Nature retaineth still the strength of understanding divinely given it but because man is dull'd by an evil habit and become worse and hath made the measure of Grace in some respect to languish When therefore the like befals to man the Psalmist justly Prays crying Open mine Eyes that I may behold the wonderful things of thy Law For the Law was given that this Light might be kindled in us the blearedness of the eyes of our minds being wiped away and the blindness being removed which detain'd us in our former ignorance By these words then the world is accused as ungrateful and unsensible not knowing its Author nor bringing forth the good fruit of the illumination that it may now seem to be said truly of all which was of old said by the Prophet of the Jews I expected that it should have brought forth grapes but it brought forth wild grapes For the good fruit of the illumination was the knowledg of the Only Begotten as a cluster hanging from a fruitful branch c. From which it appears Cyrillus believed that a saving illumination was given unto all For as to what he speaks of Nature he understands it not of the common nature of man by it self but of that nature which hath the strength of understanding Divinely given it for he understands this Universal Illumination to be of the same kind with that Grace of which Paul makes mention to Timothy saying Neglect not the Grace that is in thee Now it is not to be believed that Cyrillus was so ignorant as to judg that Grace to have been some natural gift § XXII That this Saving Light and Seed or a measure of it is given to all Christ telleth expresly in the Parable of the Sower Matth. 13. from v. 18. Mark 4. and Luke 8.11 he saith that this seed sown in those several sorts of grounds is the Word of the Kingdom which the Apostle calls the Word of Faith Rom. 10.8 Ja. 1.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the implanted ingrafted Word which is able to save the Soul the words themselves declare that it is that which is Saving in the nature of it for in the good ground it fructified abundantly Let us then observe that this Seed of the Kingdom this Saving Supernatural and Sufficient Word was really sown in the stony thorny ground and by the way-side where
some will have him to be present therein this way and some the other way and some in Scriptures in Books in Societies and Pilgrimages and Merits But some confiding in an external barren Faith think all is well if they do but firmly believe that he died for their Sins past present and to come while in the mean time Christ lies crucified and slain and is daily resisted and gain-said in his appearance in their Hearts Thus from a Sense of this blindness and ignorance that is come over Christendom it is that we are led and moved of the Lord so constantly and frequently to call all invite all request all to turn to the Light in them to mind the Light in them to believe in Christ as he is in them And that in the Name Power and Authority of the Lord not in School arguments and distinctions for which many of the wise men of this World account us Fools and mad men we do charge and command them to lay aside their Wisdom to come down out of that proud airy brain knowledg and to stop that mouth how eloquent soever to the worldly ear it may appear and to be silent and sit down as in the dust and to mind the Light of Christ in their own Consciences Which if it minded they would find as a sharp two edged sword in their hearts and as a fire and a hammer that would knock against and burn up all that carnal gathered natural stuff and make the stoutest of them all tremble and become Quakers indeed Which those that come not to feel now and kiss not the Son while the day lasteth but harden their hearts will feel to be a certain truth when it is too late To conclude as saith the Apostle All ought to examine themselves whether they be in the Faith indeed and try their own selves for except Jesus be in them they are certainly reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 § XXV Secondly that which remains now to be proved is that by the operation of this Light and Seed some have been and may yet be saved to whom the Gospel is not outwardly preached nor the History of Christ outwardly known To make this the easier we have already shewn how that Christ hath died for all men and consequently these are inlightened by Christ and have a measure of Saving Light and Grace yea that the Gospel though not in any outward dispensation is Preached to them and in them So that thereby they are stated in a possibility of Salvation From which I may thus argue Arg. To whom the Gospel the Power of God unto Salvation is manifest they may be saved whatever outward knowledg they want But this Gospel is preached in every Creature in which is certainly comprehended many that have not the outward knowledg Therefore of those many may be saved But to those arguments by which it hath been proved that all men have a measure of Saving Grace I shall add one and that very observable not yet mentioned viz. that excellent saying of the Apostle Paul to Titus c. 2. v. 11. The Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godlily in this present World Than which there can be nothing more clear it comprehending both the parts of the controversie First it testifies that it is no Natural Principle or Light but saith plainly it brings Salvation Secondly it says not that it hath appeared to a few but unto all men The Fruit of it declares also how efficacious it is seeing it comprehends the whole Duty of Man It both teacheth us first to forsake Evil to deny Ungodliness and worldly Lusts and then it teacheth us our whole Duty First to live Soberly that comprehends Temperance Chastity Meekness and those things that relate unto a man's self Secondly Righteously that comprehends Equity Justice and Honesty and those things which relate to our Neighbours And Lastly Godlyly which comprehends Piety Faithfulness and Devotion which are the Dutys relating to God So then there is nothing required of man or is needful to man which this Grace teacheth not Yet I have heard a publick Preacher one of those that are accounted Zealous men to evite the strength of this text deny this Grace to be saving and say it was only intended of common Favours and Graces such as is in the heat of the Fire and outward light of the Sun Such is the darkness and ignorance of those that oppose the Truth whereas the Text saith expresly that it is Saving Others that cannot deny but it is saving alledg this all comprehends not every individual but only all kinds But is a bare negation sufficient to overturn the strength of a positive assertion If the Scriptures may be so abused what so absurd as may not be pleaded for from them or what so manifest as may not be denied But we have not reason to be staggered by their denying so long as our Faith is found in express terms of the Scripture they may as well seek to perswade us that we do not intend that which we affirm though we know the contrary as make us believe that when the Apostle speaks forth our Doctrine in plain words yet he intends theirs which is the quite contrary and indeed can there be any thing more absurd than to say where the word is plainly all few is only intended For they will not have all taken here for the greater number Indeed as the case may be sometimes by a Figure all may be taken of two numbers for the greater number but let them shew us if they can either in Scripture or Prophane or Ecclesiastical Writings that any man that wrote sense did ever use the word all to express of two numbers the lesser Whereas they affirm that the far less number have received Saving Grace and yet will they have the Apostle by all to have signified so Though this might suffice yet to put it further beyond all question I shall Instance another saying of the same Apostle that we may use him as his own Commentator Rom. 5.18 Therefore as by the Offence of One judgment came upon all to condemnation even so by the Righteousness of One the free Gift came upon all men to Justification of Life Here no man of reason except he will be obstinately ignorant will deny but this similitive particle as makes the all which goes before and comes after to be of one and the same extent Or else let them shew us one example either in Scripture or elsewhere among men that speak proper language where it is otherwise We must then either affirm that this loss which leads to condemnation hath not come upon all or say that this Free Gift is come upon all by Christ. Whence I thus argue First If all men have received a loss from Adam Arg. which leads to condemnation then all men have received a Gift from Christ which leads to
spue her out of his mouth Now suppose the Church of Laodicea had continued in that luke-warmness and had come under that condemnation and iudgment though she had retained the name and form of a Church and had had her Pastors and Ministers as no doubt she had at that time yet surely she had been no true Church of Christ nor had the authority of her Pastors and Teachers been to be regarded because of any outward succession though perhaps some of them had it immediately from the Apostles From all which I infer That since the authority of the Christian Church and her Pastors is always united and never separated from the inward power vertue and righteous life of Christianity where this ceaseth that ceaseth also But our adversaries acknowledge That many if not most of those by and through whom they derive this authority were altogether destitute of this life and vertue of Christianity Therefore they could neither receive have nor transmit any Christian authority Obj. But if it be objected That though the generality of the Bishops and Priests of the Church of Rome during the apostasie were such wicked men yet Protestants affirm and thou thy self seemest to acknowledge that there were some good men among them whom the Lord regarded and who were true members of the Catholick Church of Christ might not they then have transmitted this authority Answ. I answer This saith nothing in respect Protestants do not at all lay claim to their Ministry as transmitted to them by a direct line of such good men which they can never shew nor yet pretend to but generally place this succession as inherent in the whole Pastors of the Apostate Church neither do they plead their call to be good and valid because they can derive it through a line of good men separate and observable distinguishable from the rest of the Bishops and Clergy of the Romish Church but they derive it as an Authority residing in the whole for they think it heresie to judge that the quality or condition of the Administrator any ways invalidates or prejudiceth his work This vain then and pretended Succession not only militates against and fights with the very manifest purpose and intent of Christ in the gathering and calling of his Church but makes him so to speak more blind and less prudent than natural men are in conveying and establishing their outward Inheritances for where an Estate is entailed to a certain Name and Family when that Family weareth out and there is no lawful Successor found of it that can make a just title appear as being really of blood and affinity to the Family it is not lawful for any one of another race or blood because he assumes the name or arms of that Family to possess the estate and claim the superiorities and priviledges of the family but by the law of Nations the inheritance devolves into the Prince as being ultimus haeres and so he giveth it again immediately to whom he seeth meet and makes them bear the name and arms of the family who then are entitled to the priviledges and revenues thereof So in like manner the true name and title of a Christian by which he hath right to the heavenly inheritance and is a member of Jesus Christ is inward Righteousness and Holiness and the mind redeemed from the vanities lusts and iniquities of this world And a gathering or company made up of such members makes a Church where this is lost the title is lost and so the true Seed to which the promise is and to which the inheritance is due becomes extinguished in them and they become dead as to it and so it retires and devolves it self again into Christ who is the righteous heir of Life and he gives the title and true right again immediately to whom it pleaseth him even to as many as being turned to his Pure Light in their Consciences come again to walk in his righteous and innocent life and so become true members of his body which is the Church So the authority power and heirship is not annexed to persons as they bear the bare names or retain a form holding the meer shell or shadow of Christianity But the promise is to Christ and to the Seed in whom the authority is inherent and in as many as are one with him and united unto him by purity and holiness and by the inward renovation and regeneration of their minds Moreover this pretended succession is contrary to Scripture definitions and nature of the Church of Christ and of the true members For first The Church is the house of God the pillar and ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 But according to this Doctrine the house of God is a polluted nest of all sort of wickedness and abominations made up of the most ugly defiled and perverse stones that are in the earth where the devil rules in all manner of unrighteousness For so our adversaries confess and History informs the Church of Rome to have been as some of their Historians acknowledge and if that be truly the house of God what may we call the house of Satan or may we call it therefore the house of God notwithstanding all this impiety because they had a bare form and that vitiated many ways also and because they pretended to the name of Christianity though they were anti-christian devilish and atheistical in their whole practice and spirit and also in many of their principles Would not this infer yet a greater absurdity as if they had been something to be accounted of because of their hypocrisie and deceit and false pretences Whereas the Scripture looks upon that as an aggravation of guilt and calls it Blasphemy Rev. 2.9 Of two wicked men he is most to be abhorred who covereth his wickedness with a vain pretence of God and righteousness even so these abominable beasts and fearful monsters who look upon themselves to be Bishops in the apostate Church were never a whit the better that they falsly pretended to be the Successors of the Holy Apostles unless to lie be commendable and that hypocrisie be the way to Heaven Yea were not this to fall into that evil condemned among the Jews Jer. 7.4 Trust ye not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these throughly amend your ways c. as if such outward names and things were the thing the Lord regarded and not inward holiness or can that then be the pillar and ground of Truth which is the very sink and pit of wickedness from which so much error superstition idolatry and all abomination springs Can there be any thing more contrary both to Scripture and Reason Secondly The Church is defined to be the Kingdom of the dear Son of God into which the Saints are translated being delivered from the power of darkness It is called the Body of Christ which from him by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit
that envious Spirit of man's Eternal Happyness knoweth well how to accomodate himself and fit his snares for all the several dispositions and inclinations of men if he find one not fit to be engaged with gross Sins or Worldly Lusts but rather averse from them and Religiously inclined he can fit himself to beguile such an one by suffering his Thoughts and Imaginations to run upon Spiritual matters and so hurry them to work act and meditate in their own wills for he well knoweth that so long as self bears rule and the Spirit of God is not the principal and chief Actor man is not put out of his reach so therefore he can accompany the Priest to the Altar the Preacher to the Pulpit the Zealot to his Prayers yea the Doctor and Professor of Divinity to his Study and there he can chearfully suffer him to labour and work among his Books yea and help him to find out and invent subtle distinctions and quiddities by which both his mind and others through him may be kept from heeding God's Light in the Conscience and waiting upon him There is not any exercise whatsoever wherein he cannot enter and have a chief place so as the Soul many times cannot discern it except in this alone for he can only work in and by the natural man and his Faculties by secretly acting upon his Imaginations and desires c. And therefore when he to wit the natural man is silent there he must also stand And therefore when the Soul comes to this silence and as it were is brought to nothingness as to her own workings then the Devil is shut out for the Pure Presence of God and shining of his Light he cannot abide because so long as a man is thinking and meditating as of himself he cannot be sure but the devil is influencing him therein but when he comes wholly to be silent as the Pure Light of God shines in upon him then he is sure that the Devil is shut out for beyond the imaginations he cannot go which we often find by sensible experience For he that of old is said to have come to the gathering together of the Children of God is not wanting to come to our Assemblies and indeed he can well enter and work in a meeting that 's silent only as to words either by keeping the minds in various thoughts and imaginations or by stupifying them so as to overwhelm them with a spirit of heavynses and sloathfulness but when we retire out of all and are returned in both by being diligent and watchful upon the one hand and also silent and retired out of all our thoughts upon the other as we abide in this sure place we feel our selves out of his reach yea often-times the Power and Glory of God will break forth and appear just as the bright Sun through many Clouds and Mists to the dispelling of that Power of Darkness which will also be sensibly felt seeking to cloud and darken the mind and wholly to keep it from purely waiting upon God § XIII Thirdly The excellency of this Worship doth appear in that it can neither be stopped nor interrupted by the malice of Men or Devils as all other can Now interruptions and stoppings of Worship may be understood in a twofold respect either as we are hindered from meeting as being outwardly by violence separated one from another or when permitted to meet together as we are interrupted by the Tumult Noise and Confusion which such as are malitious may use to molest or distract us Now in both these respects this Worship doth greatly overpass all others for how far soever People be separate or hindred from coming together yet as every one is inwardly gathered to the measure of Life in himself there is a secret unity and fellowship enjoyed which the Devil and all his Instruments can never break or hinder But Secondly it doth as well appear as to these molestations which occur when we are met together what advantage this True and Spiritual Worship gives us beyond all others seeing in despite of a thousand interruptions and abuses one of which were sufficient to have stopped all other sorts of Christians we have been able through the Nature of this Worship to keep it uninterrupted as to God and also at the same time to shew forth an example of our Christian Patience towards all even often-times to the reaching and convincing of our opposers for there is no sort of Worship used by others which can subsist though they be permitted to meet unless they be either authorized and protected by the Magistrate or defend themselves with the Arm of Flesh but we at the same time exercise Worship towards God and also patiently bear the reproaches and ignominies which Christ Prophesied should be so incident and frequent to Christians for how can the Papists say their Mass if there be any there to disturb and interrupt them Do but take away the Mass-book the Calice the Host or the Priest's Garments yea do but spill the Water or the Wine or blow out the Candles a thing quickly done and the whole business is marred and no Sacrifice can be offered Take from the Lutherans or Episcopalians their Liturgy or Common Prayer Book and no service can be said Remove from the Calvinists Arminians Socinians Independants or Anabaptists the Pulpit the Bible and the Hour-glass or make but such a noise as the Voice of the Preacher cannot be heard or disturb him but so before he come or strip him of his Bible and his Books and he must be dumb for they all think it an Heresie to wait to speak as the Spirit of God giveth utterance and thus easily their whole Worship may be marred But when People meet together and their Worship consisteth not in such outward acts and they depend not upon any ones speaking but meerly sit down to wait upon God and to be gathered out of all visibles and to feel the Lord in Spirit none of these things can hinder them of which we may say of a truth we are sensible witnesses for when the Magistrates stirred up by the malice and envy of our opposers have used all means possible and yet in vain to deter us from meeting together and that openly and publickly in our own hired Houses for that purpose both Death Banishments Imprisonments Finings Beatings Whippings and other such Devilish Inventions have proved ineffectual to terrifie us from our Holy Aâ—â—â—…blies I say and we having thus often-times purchased our Liberty to meet by deep sufferings our opposers have then taken another way by turning in upon us the worst and wickedest People yea the very off scourings of men who by all manner of inhumane beastly and bruitish behaviour have sought to provoke us weary us and molest us but in vain It would be almost incredible to declare and indeed a shame that among many men pretending to be Christians it should be mentioned what things of this kind mens eyes have seen
now it is fit to speak of Praying concerning which the like controversie ariseth Our adversaries whose Religion is all for the most part outside and such whose acts are the meer product of man's natural will and abilities as they can preach so can they pray when they please and therefore have their set particular prayers I meddle not with the controversies among themselves concerning this some of them being for set prayers as a liturgy others for such as are ex tempore conceived it suffices me that all of them agree in this that the motions and influence of the Spirit of God are not necessary to be previous thereunto and therefore they have set times in their publick worship as before and after preaching and in their private devotion as morning and evening and before and after meat and other such occasions at which they precisely set about the performing of their prayers by speaking words to God whether they feel any motion or influence of the Spirit or not so that some of the chiefest have confessed that they have thus prayed without the motions or assistance of the Spirit acknowledging that they sinned in so doing yet they said they look upon it as their duty to do so though to pray without the Spirit be sin We freely confess that Prayer is both very profitable and a necessary duty commanded and fit to be practised frequently by all Christians but as we can do nothing without Christ so neither can we pray without the concurrence and assistance of his Spirit But that the state of the Controversie may be the better understood let it be considered First that Prayer is twofold inward and outward Inward Prayer is that secret turning of the mind towards God whereby being secretly touched and awakened by the Light of Christ in the Conscience and so bowed down under the sense of its iniquities unworthiness and misery it looks up to God and joining issue with the secret shinings of the Seed of God it breaths towards him and is constantly breathing forth some secret desires and aspirations towards him It is in this sense that we are so frequently in Scripture commanded to pray continually Luke 18.1 1 Thes. 5.17 Eph. 6.18 Luke 21.36 Which cannot be understood of outward Prayer because it were impossible that men should be alwaies upon their knees expressing words of prayer and this would hinder them from the exercise of those duties no less positively commanded Outward Prayer is when as the Spirit being thus in the exercise of inward retirement and feeling the breathing of the Spirit of God to arise powerfully in the Soul receives strength and liberty by a superadded motion and influence of the Spirit to bring forth either audable sighs groans or words and that either in publick assemblies or in private or at meat c. As then inward prayer is necessary at all times so so long as the day of every man's visitation lasteth he never wants some influence less or more for the practice of it Because he no sooner retires his mind and considers himself in God's presence but he finds himself in the practice of it The outward exercise of Prayer as needing a greater and superadded influence and motion of the Spirit as it cannot be continually practised so neither can it be so readily so as to be effectually performed until his mind be sometime acquainted with the inward therefore such as are dilligent and watchful in their minds and much retired in the exercise of this inward Prayer are more capable to be frequent in the use of the outward because that this Holy Influence doth more constantly attend them and they being better acquainted with and accustomed to the motions of God's Spirit can easily perceive and discern them and indeed as such who are most diligent have a near access to God and he taketh most delight to draw them by his Spirit to approach and call upon him So when many are gathered together in this watchful mind God doth frequently pour forth the Spirit of Prayer among them and stir them thereunto to the edifying and building up of one another in love But because this outward Prayer depends upon the inward as that which must follow it and cannot be acceptably performed but as attended with a superadded influence and motion of the Spirit therefore cannot we prefix set times to pray outwardly so as to lay a necessity to speak words at such and such times whether we feel this heavenly influence and assistance or no for that we judg were a tempting of God and a coming before him without due preparation We think it fit for us to present our selves before him by this inward retirement of the mind and so to proceed further as his Spirit shall help us and draw us thereunto and we find that the Lord accepts of this yea and seeth meet sometimes to exercise us in this silent place for the tryal of our patience without allowing us to speak further that he may teach us not to rely upon outward performances or satisfie our selves as too many do with the saying of our Prayers and that our dependence upon him may be the more firm and constant to wait for the holding out of his Scepter and for his allowance to draw near unto him and with greater freedom and enlargement of Spirit upon our hearts towards him yet nevertheless we do not deny but sometimes God upon particular occasions very suddenly yea upon the very first turning-in of the mind may give power and liberty to bring forth words or acts of outward Prayer so as the Soul can scarce discern any previous motion but the influence and bringing forth thereof may be as it were simul semel nevertheless that saying of Bernard is true that All Prayer is tepid which hath not an inspiration preveening it Though we affirm that none ought to go about Prayer without this motion yet we do not deny but such sin as neglect Prayer but their sin is in that they come not to that place where they may feel that that would lead them thereunto And therefore we question not but many through neglect of this inward watchfulness and retiredness of mind miss many precious opportunities to Pray and thereby are guilty in the sight of God yet would they sin if they should set about the act until they first felt the influence For as he grosly offends his Master that lyeth in his Bed and sleeps and neglects to do his Masters business yet if such a one should suddenly get up without puting on his Cloaths or taking along with him those necessary tools and instruments without which he could not possibly work should forwardly fall a doing to no purpose he would be so far thereby from repairing his former fault that he would justly incur a new censure and one that is careless and otherwaies busied may miss to hear one speaking unto him or even not hear the Bell of a Clock though striking hard
therein he did not by vertue of his Apostolick commission but rather in condescendence to their weakness even as at another time he circumcised Timothy Our Adversaries to evade the Truth of this Testimony usually alledge that by this is only to be understood that he was not sent principally to baptize not that he was not sent at all But this exposition since it contradicts the positive words of the text and has no better foundation than the affirmation of its assertors Answ. is justly rejected as spurious until they bring some better proof for it he saith not I was not sent principally to Baptize but I was not sent to baptize As for what they urge by way of confirmation from other places of Scripture where not is to be so taken as where it 's said I will have mercy and not sacrifice which is to be understood that God requires principally mercy not excluding Sacrifices I say this place is abundantly explained by the following words and the knowledg of God more than burnt Offerings by which it clearly appears that Burnt offerings which are one with Sacrifices are not excluded but there is no such word added in that of Paul and therefore the parity is not demonstrated to be alike and consequently the instance not sufficient unless they can prove that it ought so to be admitted here else we might interpret by the same rule all other places of Scripture the same way as were the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2.5 That your Faith might not stand in the wisdom of men but in the Power of God it might be understood it shall not stand principally so How might the Gospel by this liberty of interpretation be perverted If it be said That the abuse of this baptism among the Corinthians Obj. in dividing themselves according to the persons by whom they were baptized made the Apostle speak so but that the abuse of a thing doth not abolish it I answer it is true it doth not Answ. provided the thing be lawful and necessary and that no doubt the abuse abovesaid gave the Apostle occasion so to write But let it from this be considered how the Apostle excludes baptizing not preaching though the abuse mark proceeded from that no less then from the other For these Corinthians did denominate themselves from those different persons by whose preaching as well as from those by whom they were baptized they were converted as by the 4 5 6 7 and 8 verses of the third chap. may appear and yet for to remove that abuse the Apostle doth not say he was not sent to preach nor yet doth he rejoyce that he had only preached to a few because Preaching being a standing ordinance in the Church is not because of any abuse that the Devil may tempt any to make of it to be forborn by such as are called to perform it by the Spirit of God Wherefore the Apostle accordingly chap. 3.8 9. informs them as to that how to remove that abuse but as to Water-baptism for that it was no standing Ordinance of Christ but only practised as in condescendence to the Jews and by some Apostles to some Gentiles also there so soon as the Apostle perceived the abuse of he let the Corinthians understand how little stress was to be laid upon it by shewing them that he was glad that he had administred this ceremony to so few of them and by telling them plainly that it was no part of his commission neither that which he was sent to administer Some ask us how we know that baptizing here is meant of water and not of the Spirit Quest. which if it be then it will exolude baptism of the Spirit as well as of Water Answ. I answer such as ask the question I suppose speak it not as doubting that this was said of Water-baptism which is more then manifest for since the Apostle Paul's message was to turn People from darkness to Light and convert them to God and that as many as are thus turned and converted so as to have the answer of a good Conscience towards God and to have put on Christ and be arisen with him in newness of life are baptized with the baptism of the Spirit But who will say that only these few mentioned there to be baptized by Paul were come to this Or that to turn or bring them to this condition was not even admitting our Adversaries interpretation as principally a part of Paul's Ministry as any other Since then our Adversaries do take this place for Water-baptism as indeed it is we may lawfully taking it also urge it upon them Why the word baptism and baptizing is used by the Apostle where that of Water and not of the Spirit is only understood shall hereafter be spoken to I come now to consider the reasons alledged by such as plead for Water-baptism which are also the objections used against the discontinuance of it First some object that Christ who had the Spirit above measure was notwithstanding baptized with Water As Nic. Arnoldus against this These Sect. 46. of his Theological Exercitation I answer so was he also circumcised it will not follow from thence that Circumcision is to continue for it behoved Christ to fulfill all Righteousness not only the Ministry of John but the Law also Therefore did he observe the Jewish Feasts and Rites and kept the Passover It will not then follow that Christians ought to do so now and therefore Christ Matth. 3.15 gives John this reason of his being baptized desiring him to suffer it to be so now whereby he sufficiently intimates that he intended not thereby to perpetuate it as an Ordinance to his Disciples Secondly they object Matth. 28.19 Go ye therefore Obj. and teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost This is the great objection Answ. and upon which they build the whole Superstructure whereunto the first general and sound answer is by granting the whole but puting them to prove that Water is here meant since the text is silent of it And though in reason it be sufficient upon our part that we conclude the whole expressed in the place but deny that it is by Water which is an addition to the Text. Yet I shall premise some reasons why we do so and then consider the reasons alledged by those that will have Water to be here understood The first is a maxime yielded to by all Arg. that we ought not to go from the literal signification of the Text except some urgent necessity force us thereunto But no urgent necessity in this place forceth us thereunto Therefore we ought not to go from it Secondly that Baptism which Christ commanded his Apostles Arg. was the One Baptism id est his own Baptism But the One Baptism which is Christ's Baptism is not with Water as we have already proved Therefore the Baptism commanded by Christ to his Apostles was not
time went back from him and walked no more with him I doubt not but that there are many also at this day professing to be the Disciples of Christ that do as little understand this matter as those did and are as apt to be offended and stumble at it while they are gazing and following after the outward Body and look not to that by which the Saints are daily fed and nourished For as Jesus Christ in obedience to the will of the Father did by the eternal Spirit offer up that body for a propitiation for the remission of sins and finished his testimony upon earth thereby in a most perfect example of patience resignation and holyness that all might be made partakers of the feuit of that Sacaifice So hath he likewise poured forth into the hearts of all men a measure of that Divine Light and Seed wherewith he is cloathed that thereby reaching unto the Consciences of all he may raise them up out of death and darkness by his Life and Light and thereby may be made partakers of his body and therethrough come to have fellowship with the Father and with the Son § III. If it be asked how Quest. and after what manner man comes to partake of it and to be sed by it I answer in the plain and express words of Christ I am the Bread of Life saith he he that cometh to me shall never hunger Answ. he that believeth in me shall never thirst and again for my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed So whosoever thou art that askest this question or readest these lines whether thou accountest thy self a Believer or really feelest by a certain and sad experience that thou art yet in the unbelief and findest that the outward body and flesh of Christ is so far from thee that thou canst not reach it nor feed upon it yea though thou hast often swallowed down and taken in that which the Papists have perswaded thee to be the real Flesh and Blood of Christ and hast believed it to be so though all thy senses told thee the contrary or being a Luthenan hast taken that bread in and with and under which the Lutherans have assured thee that the flesh and blood of Christ is or being a Calvinist hast partaken of that which the Calvinists say though a figure only of the Body gives them that take it a real Participation of the Body Flesh and Blood of Christ though they neither know how nor what way I say if for all this thou findest thy Soul yet barren yea hungry and ready to starve for want of something thou longest for Know that that Light that discovers thy Iniquity to thee that shews thee thy barrenness thy nakedness thy emptyness is that body that thou must partake of and feed upon but that till by forsaking iniquity thou turnest to it comest unto it receivest it though thou mayst hunger after it thou canst not be satisfied with it for it hath no communion with darkness nor canst thou drink of the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of devils and be partaker of the Lord's Table and the Table of Devils 1 Cor. 10.21 But as thou sufferest that small Seed of Righteousness to arise in thee and to be formed into a birth that new substantial birth that 's brought forth in the Soul naturally feeds upon and is nourished by this spiritual body yea at this outward birthlives not but as it sucks in breath by the outward elementary air so this new birth lives not in the Soul but as it draws in and breaths by that spiritual air or vehicle and as the outward birth cannot subsist without some outward body to feed upon some outward flesh and some outward drink so neither can this inward birth without it be fed by this inward flesh and blood of Christ which answers to it after the same manner by way of analogy And this is most agreeable to the Doctrine of Christ concerning this matter for as without outward food the natural body hath not life so also saith Christ Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you And as the outward body eating outward food lives thereby so Christ saith that he that eateth him shall live by him So it is this inward participation of this inward man of this inward and Spiritual body by which man is united to God and has fellowship and communion with him He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood saith Christ dwelleth in me and I in him This cannot be understood of outward eating of outward Bread and as by this the Soul must have fellowship with God so also in so far as all the Saints are partakers of this one body and one blood they come also to have a joynt Communion Hence the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.17 in this respect saith that they being many are one bread and one body and to the wise among the Corinthians he saith the bread which we break is the communion of the body of Christ. This is the True and Spiritual Supper of the Lord which men come to partake of by hearing the voice of Christ and opening the door of their hearts and so letting him in in the manner abovesaid according to the plain words of the Scripture Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come into him and will Sup with him and he with me So that the Supper of the Lord and the Supping with the Lord and partaking of his Flesh and Blood is no ways limited to the Ceremony of breaking Bread and drinking Wine at particular times but is truly and really enjoyed as often as the Soul retires into the Light of the Lord and feels and partakes of that Heavenly Life by which the inward Man is nourished which may be and is often witnessed by the Faithful at all times though more particularly when they are Assembled together to wait upon the Lord. § IV. But what confusion the professors of Christianity have run into concerning this matter is more than obvious who as in most other things they have done for want of a true Spiritual understanding have sought to tie this Supper of the Lord to that ceremony used by Christ before his Death of breaking Bread and drinking Wine with his Disciples And though they for most part agree in this general yet how do they contend and debate one against another How strangely are they pinched pained and straitned to make this Spiritual mystery agree to that Ceremony And what monstruous and wild opinions and conceivings have they invented to inclose or affix the Body of Christ to their Bread and Wine From which opinion not only the greatest and fiercest and most hurtful contests both among the Professors of Christianity in general and among Protestants in particular have arisen but also such absurdities irrational and blasphemous
us in the time of our ignorance providing always they did not seek to obtrude them upon others nor judg such as found themselves delivered or that they do not pertinaciously adhere to them For we certainly know that the day is dawned in which God hath arisen and hath dismissed all those ceremonies and rites and is only to be worshipped in Spirit and that he appears to them who wait upon him and that to seek God in these things is with Mary at the Sepulchre to seek the living among the dead for we know that he is arisen and revealed in Spirit leading his Children out of these rudiments that they may walk with him in his Light to whom be Glory for ever Amen The Fourteenth Proposition Concerning the Power of the Civil Magistrate in matters purely Religious and pertaining to the Conscience Since God hath assumed to himself the Power and Dominion of the Conscience who alone can rightly instruct and govern it therefore it is not lawful for any whosoever by vertue of any Authority or Principality they bear in the Government of this World to force the Consciences of others and therefore all killing banishing fining imprisoning and other such things which are inflicted upon men for the alone exercise of their Conscience or difference in Worship or Opinion proceedeth from the Spirit of Cain the Murtherer and is contrary to the Truth providing always that no man under the pretence of Conscience prejudice his Neighbour in this life or estate or do any thing destructive to or inconsistent with humane Society in which case the Law is for the transgressor and Justice is to be administred upon all without respect of persons § I. LIBERTY of Conscience from the power of the Civil Magistrate hath been of late years so largely and learnedly handled that I shall not need but to be brief in it yet it is to be lamented that few have walked answerably to this principle each pleading it for themselves but scarce allowing it to others as hereafter I shall have occasion more at length to observe It will be fit in the first place for clearing of mistakes to say something of the state of the controversie that what follows may be the more clearly understood By Conscience then as in the explanation of the 5 and 6 Propositions I have observed is to be understood that perswasion of the mind which arises from the understandings being possessed with the belief of the Truth or Falsity of any thing which though it may be false or evil upon the matter yet if a man should go against his perswasion or Conscience he should commit a sin because what a man doth contrary to his Faith though his Faith be wrong is no ways acceptable to God hence the Apostle saith whatsoever is not of Faith is sin and he that doubteth is damned if he eat though the thing might have been lawful to another and that this doubting to eat some kind of meats since all the creatures of God are good and for the use of man if received with thanksgiving might be a superstition or at lest a weakness which were better removed Hence Ames De Cas. Cons. saith The Conscience although erring doth evermore bind so as that he sinneth who doth contrary to his Conscience because he doth contrary to the will of God although not materially and truly yet formally and interpretatively So the question is First Whether the Civil Magistrate hath power to force men in things religious to do contrary to their Conscience and if they will not to punish them in their goods liberties or lives this we hold in the negative But secondly as we would have the Magistrate avoiding this extream of incroaching upon men's Consciences so on the other hand we are far from joyning with or strengthening such libertines as would stretch the liberty of their Consciences to the prejudice of their Neighbours or to the ruin of humane Society We understand therefore by matters of Conscience such as immediately relate betwixt God and man or men and men that are under the same perswasion as to meet together and worship God in that way which they judg is most acceptable unto him and not to incroach upon or seek to force their neighbours otherwise than by reason or such other means as Christ and his Apostles used viz. preaching and instructing such as will hear and receive it but not at all for men under the notion of Conscience to do any thing contrary to the moral and perpetual statutes generally acknowledged by all Christians in which case the Magistrate may very lawfully use his Authority as on those who under a pretence of Conscience make it a principle to kill and destroy all the wicked id est all that differ from them that they to wit the Saints may rule and that therefore seek to make all things common and would force their neighbours to share their Estates with them and many such wild notions as is reported of the Anabaptists of Munster which evidently appears to proceed from pride and covetousness and not from purity or Conscience and therefore I have sufficiently guarded against that in the latter part of the Proposition But the Liberty we lay claim to is such as the primitive Church justly sought under the Heathen Emperors to wit for men of sobriety honesty and a peaceable conversation to enjoy the liberty and exercise of their Conscience towards God and among themselves and to admit among them such as by their perswasion and influence come to be convinced of the same Truth with them without being therefore molested by the Civil Magistrate Thirdly though we would not have men hurt in their Temporals nor robbed of their Priviledges as men and members of the Common-wealth because of their inward perswasion yet we are far from judging that in the Church of God there should not be censures exercised against such as fall into error as well as such as commit open evils and therefore we believe it may be very lawful for a Christian Church if she find any of her Members fall into any error after due admonitions and instructions according to Gospel order if she find them pertinacious to cut them off from her fellowship by the Sword of the Spirit and denude them of these priviledges which they had as fellow-members but not to cut them off from the world by the temporal Sword or rob them of their common priviledges as men seeing they enjoy not these as Christians or under such a fellowship but as men and members of the Creation Hence Chrysostom saith well de Anath We must condemn and reprove the evil Doctrins that proceed from Hereticks but spare the men and pray for their Salvation § II. But that no man by vertue of any Power or Principality he hath in the Government of this World hath power over the Consciences of men is apparent because the Conscience of man is the Seat and Throne of God in him of
one another I know nothing our Adversaries have to plead for them in this matter save some few instances of the Old Testament and the Custom of the Country The first are such as Abraham's bowing himself to the Children of Heath and Lot to the two Angels c. But the practice of these Patriarchs related as matter of fact are not to be a rule to Christians now Neither are we to imitate them in every practice which has not a particular reproof added to it for we find not Abraham reproved for taking Hagar c. and indeed to say all things were lawful for us which they practised would produce inconveniencies obvious enough to all And as to the Customs of the Nations it 's a very ill argument for a Christian's practice We should have a better rule to walk by than the Custom of the Gentiles the Apostles desire us not to be conformed to this World c. We see how little they have to say for themselves in this matter Let it be observed then whether our reasons for laying aside these things be not considerable and weighty enough to uphold us in so doing First We say that God who is the Creator of Man and he to whom he oweth the dedication both of Soul and Body is over all to be worshipped and adored and that not only by the Spirit but also with the prostration of Body Now kneeling bowing and uncovering of the head is the alone outward signification of our adoration towards God and therefore it is not lawful to give it unto Man He that kneeleth or prostrates himself to man what doth he more to God He that boweth and uncovereth his head to the creature what hath he reserved to the Creator Now the Apostle shews us that the uncovering of the head is that which God requires of us in our worshipping of him 1 Cor. 11. But if we make our address to men in the same manner where lieth the difference Not in the outward signification but meerly in the intention which opens a door for the Popish veneration of Images which hereby is necessarily excluded Secondly Men being alike by creation tho their being stated under their several relations requires from them mutual services according to those respective relations owe not worship to one another but all equally are to return it to God because it is to him and his Name alone that every knee must bow and before whose Throne the four and twenty Elders prostrat themselves Therefore for men to take this one from another is to rob God of his Glory since all the dutys of relations may be performed one to another without these kind of bowings which therefore are no essential part of our duty to man but to God all men by an inward instinct in all Nations have been led to prostrate and bow themselves to God And it is plain that this Bowing to Men took place from a slavish fear possessing some which led them to set up others as Gods when also an ambitious proud spirit got up in those others to usurp the place of God over their Brethren Thirdly We see that Peter refused it from Cornelius saying he was a Man Are then the Popes more or more excellent than Peter who suffer men daily to fall down at their feet and kiss them This reproof of Peter to Cornelius doth abundantly shew that such manners were not to be admitted among Christians Yea we see that the Angel twice refused this kind of bowing from John Rev. 19.10.22.9 for this reason because I am thy fellow-servant and of thy Brethren abundantly intimating that it is not lawful for fellow-servants thus to prostrat themselves one to another and in this respect all men are fellow-servants If it be said John intended here a Religious Worship and not a Civil Obj. I answer that is to say not to prove neither can we suppose John at that time of the day so ill instructed Answ. as not to know it was unlawful to worship Angels only it should seem because of these great and Misterious things revealed to him by that Angel he was willing to signify some more then ordinary Testimony of respect for which he was reproved These things being thus considered it is remitted to the judgment of such as are desirous to be found Christians indeed whether we be found worthy of blame for waving it to Men. Let those then that will blame us consider whether they might not as well accuse Mordecai of uncivility who was no less singular than we in this matter And forasmuch as they accuse us herein of Rudeness and Pride tho the Testimony of our Consciences in the sight of God be a sufficient guard against such Calumnies yet there are of us known to be Men of such Education as forbear not these things for want of that they call good breeding and we should be very void of reason to purchase that Pride at so dear a Rate as many have done the exercise of their Conscience in this matter many of us having been sorely Beaten and Buffeted yea and several Months Imprisoned for no other reason but because we could not satisfy the Proud unreasonable humors of proud Men as to uncover our Heads and bow our Bodies Nor doth our innocent practice in standing still tho upright not puting off our Hats any more than our Shoes the one being the covering of our Heads as well as the other of our Feet shew so much rudeness as their beating or knocking us c. because we cannot Bow to them contrary to our Consciences Which certainly shews less Meekness and Humility upon their part than it doth of Rudeness or Pride upon ours Now suppose it were our Weakness and we really under a Mistake in this thing since it is not alledged to be the breach of any Christian precept are we not to be indulged as the Apostle Commanded should be done to such as scrupled to eat Flesh And doth not persecuting us and reviling us upon this account shew them to be more like unto proud Haman than the Disciples or followers of the Meek self-denying Jesus And this I can say boldly in the sight of God from my own experience and that of many thousands more that however small or foolish this may seem yet we behoved to chuse death rather than do it and that for Conscience sake and that in its being so contrary to our natural spirits there are many of us to whom the forsaking of these bowings and ceremonies was as death it self Which we could never have left if we could have enjoyed our peace with God in the use of them though it be far from us to judge all those to whom God hath not shewn the evil of them under the like hazard yet nevertheless we doubt not but to such as will prove faithful Witnesses to Christ's Divine Light in their Consciences God will also shew the evil of these things § VII The third thing to be treated of
School there is nothing learned but busie-talking 6. He is the Eternal Word 9. No Creature hath access to God but by him 9 10. He is the Way the Truth and the Life 10. he is Mediator between God and man 10 133. He is God and in time He was made partaker of man's nature 10. yesterday to day the same and for ever 18. the Fathers believed in him and how 17 18. his Sheep hear his voice and contemn the voice of a Stranger 40 201 203. it is the fruit of his ascension to send Pastors 50. he dwelleth in the Saints and how 88. his coming was necessary 89. By his Sacrifice we have remission of sins 89 119 120 133. whether he be and how he is in all is explained 90. being formed within he is the formal cause of Justification 128 148. by his life death c. he hath opened a way for Reconciliation 149 150. his obedience righteousness death and sufferings are ours and it is explained that Paul said he filled up that which was behind of the afflictions of Christ in his flesh 135. how we are partakers of his suffering 167 168. for what end he was manifested 164 165. he delivers his own by suffering 265. concerning his outward and Spiritual body 305 306. concerning his outward and inward coming 325. Christian how he is a Christian and when he ceaseth so to be 4 8 20 21 23 24 169 290 191 193 200.201 the foundation of his Faith 36 37. his priviledge 37. when men are made Christians by Birth and not by coming together 184 185. they have borrowed many things from Jews and Gentiles 278 279. they recoil by little and little from their first purity 293. the Primitive Christians for some Ages said We are Christians we Swear not 378. and We are the Souldiers of Christ it is not lawful for us to fight 386. Christianity is made as an Art 8. it is not Christianity without the Spirit 19 20 21 39 40. it would be turned into Scepticism 208 290 300. it is placed chiefly in the renewing of the heart 186. wherein it consists not 244. what is and is not the mark thereof 290 291 300. why it is odious to Jews Turks and Heathens 309. what would contribute to its Commendation 354. Church without which there is no Salvation what She is Concerning her Members Visibility Profession Degeneration Succession 181 to 199. whatsoever is done in the Church without the instinct of the Holy Spirit is vain and impious 203. the same may be said of her that in the Schools of Theseus's Boat 219. in her corrections ought to be exercised and against whom 323. she is more corrupted by the accession of Hypocrites 340. the Contentions of the Greek and Latin Churches about Unleavened or Leavened Bread in the Supper 321. the lukewarmness of the Church of Laodicea 192. there are introduced into the Roman-Church no less 〈◊〉 and Ceremonies than among 〈◊〉 and Jews 185. Circumcision a Seal of the Old Covenant 298. Clergy 214 218 216 226 227 321. Cloathes that it is not lawful for Christians to use things superfluous in Cloaths 364 365 366 388 389. Comforter for what end he was sent 6 7. Commission The Commission of the Disciples of Christ before the Work was finished was more legal than Evangelical 202. Communion The Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ is a Spiritual and inward thing 303. that Body that Blood is a Spiritual thing and that it is that heavenly Seed whereby life and Salvation was of old and is now communicated 303 304. how any becomes partaker thereof 307 308 309. it is not tyed to the Ceremony of breaking Bread and drinking Wine which Christ used with his Disciples This was only a Figure 304 308 to 316. whether that Ceremony be a necessary part of the New Covenant and whether it is to be continued 316 to 331. Spiritual Communion with God through Christ is obtained 59. Community of Goods is not brought in by the Quakers 333 352 353. Complements See Titles Conscience See Magistrate It s definition what it is It is distinguished from the Saving Light 92 93 94 332. the good Conscience and the Hypocritical 176. He that acteth contrary to his Conscience sinneth and concerning an erring Conscience 332. What things appertain to Conscience 332. what sort of Liberty of Conscience is defended 333. It is the Throne of God 333. It is free from the Power of all men 345. Conversion what is man's therein is rather a Passion than an action 102. Augustine's saying 95. this is cleared by two Examples 95 96. Correction how and against whom it ought to be exercised 333. Covenant The difference betwixt the New and Old Covenant-worship 26 232 233 253 254 255 289 290. See also Gospel Law Cross. The Sign of the Cross 301. D. Dancing See Plays Daies whether any be holy and concerning the Day commonly called The Lord's Day 235 316. Deacons 323. Death See Adam Redemption it entred into the World by sin 65 66. in the Saints it is rather a passing from Death to Life 66. Devil He cares not at all how much God be acknowledged with the mouth provided he be worshipped in the heart 8 116 117. he can form an outward sound of words 16. he haunts among the wicked 165. how he came to be a a Minister of the Gospel 211 212 213. when he can work nothing 249 250. he keeps men in outward signs shadows and forms while they neglect the Substance 310 311 323. Dispute The dispute of the Shoemaker with a certain Professor 208 209. of an Heathen Philosopher with a Bishop in the Council of Nice and of the unletter'd Clown 209 210. Divinity School-Divinity 200. how pernicious it is 209 210 211 212 213. Dreams See Faith Miracles E Ear. There is a Spiritual and a bodily Ear 7 16. Easter is celebrate other-waies in the Latine Church than in the Eastern 30. the celebration of it is grounded upon Tradition 30. Elders 14 217. Elector of Saxony the scandal given by him 272. Eminency Your Eminency See Titles Enoch walked with God 169. Epistle see James John Peter Esau 241. Ethicks or Books of Moral Philosophy are not needful to Christians 209. Evangelist who he is and whether any now adaies may be so called 216 217. Excellency your Excellency see Titles Exorcism 301. F Faith its definition and what its object is 14 15 16. how far and how appearances outward voices and dreams were the object of the Saints Faith 16. that Faith is one and that the Object of Faith is one 17. its foundation 36 37. see Revelation Scripture Farellus 321. Father see Knowledge Revelation 14. Fathers so called they did not agree about some Books of the Scripture 39 48. they affirm that there are whole Verses taken out of Mark and Luke 29. concerning the Septuagint Interpretation and the Hebrew Copy 48. they preached universal redemption for the first four Centuries 78. they frequently used the word Merit in
their Doctrine 158 159. concerning the possibility of not sinning 172 173. the possibility of falling from Grace 176. many of them did not only contradict one another but themselves also 211. concerning Baptism and the sign of the Cross 301. concern-in an Oath 372. Feet concerning the washing of one anothers feet 317 318 319. Franequer 222. Freely the Gospel ought to be preached freely 180 221 222. G Games see Playes Gifted Brethren 198. GOD how he hath alwaies manifested himself 3. unless he speak within the Preacher makes a rustling to no purpose 5 6. None can know him aright unless he receive it of the Holy Ghost 5 6 7. God is to be sought within 7. he is known by sensation and not by meer speculation and syllogistic demonstrations 6 7. he is the Fountain Root and Beginning of all good works and he hath made all things by his eternal Word 10. God speaking is the object of Faith 15. among all he hath his own chosen ones 5. he delights not in the death of the wicked see Redemption He hath manifested his love in sending his Son 132 149 150. see Justification he rewards the good works of his Children 157 158. whether it be possible to keep his Commandments 159 160. he is the Lord and the Only Judge of the Conscience 331 333. he will have a free exercise 339. Gospel see Redemption the truths of it are as lies in the mouths of profane and carnal men 12 23 24. the nature of it is explained 25 26. it is distinguished from the Law and is more excellent than it 26 42. see Covenant Law whether any ought to Preach it in this or that place is not found in Scripture 42 200. its works are distinguished from the works of the Law 152. how it is to be propagated and of its propagation 334. the worship of it is inward 289 290. it is an inward Power 107 108. Grace the Grace of God can be lost through disobedeince 174 c. Saving Grace see Redemption which is required in the calling and qualifying of a Minister see Minister In some it worketh in a special and prevalent manner that they necessarily obtain Salvation 96 97. Your Grace see Titles H Hai Ebn Yokdan 126. Hands laying on of Hands 199 327. Head of uncovering the head in salutations 350 352 361 362 363 364 365 388 389. Heart the heart is deceitful and wicked 45 59 60 61. Heathens albeit they were ignorant of the history yet they were sensible of the loss by the Fall 124. some Heathens would not swear 378. heathenish Ceremonies were brought into the Christian Religion 301. Henry IV. King of France 341. Heresies whence they proceeded 244. Hereticks 336. High see Priest History of Christ see Quakers Redemption Holy of Holys the High-priest entred into it once a year 14 15. but now all of us at all times have access unto God 27. Holiness your Holiness see Titles Honor see Titles Hypocrite 336 340. I Jacob 241. James the Apostle there were of old divers Opinions concerning his Epistle 40. Idolatry 232 245. whence it proceeded 277. Jesting see Plays Games Jesuits see Sect Ignatian Jesus see Christ what it is to be saved and to be assembled in his Name 119 120 132 238. Jews among them there may be Members of the Church 182 183. their error concerning the outward succession of Abraham 190. their worship is outward 290. Illiterate see Mechanicks Indulgences 130. Infants see Sin Iniquities spiritual iniquities or wickedness 244. Inquisition 340. Inspiration where that doth not teach words without do make a noise to no purpose 5 6. John the Apostle concerning his second and third Epistles and the Revelation there were sometime divers Opinions 40. John the Baptist did not Miracles 198. John Hus is said to have Prophecyed 57. John Knox in what respect he was called the Apostle of Scotland 217. Judas fell from his Apostleship 191. who was his Vicar 293. his Ministry was not purely Evangelical 205. he was called immediately of Christ and who are inferior to him and plead for him as Patron of their Ministry 205 206. Justification the doctrin thereof is and hath been greatly vitiate among the Papists and wherein they place it 129 149 131 132. Luther and the Protestants with good reason opposed this doctrin tho many of them ran soon into another extreme and wherein they place it and that they agree in one 131 132 136. it comes from the love of God 133 149 150. to justifie signifies to make really just not to repute just which many Protestants are forc'd also to acknowledg 135 136 141 142 to 147. the revelation of Christ formed in the heart is the formal cause of justification not works to speak properly which are only an effect and so also many Protestants have said 128 130 131 132 134 135 141 146 147 148 149. We are justified in works and how 128 135 136 149 to 160. this is so far from being a Popish doctrin that Bellarmin and others oppos'd it 129 135 156 157. K Kingdom of God 256 327 334. Knowledg the height of man's happiness is plac'd in the true knowledg of God 1. error in the entrance of this knowledg is dangerous 1 2 superstition Idolatry and thence Atheism hath proceeded from the false and feigned Opinions concerning God and the knowledg of him 3. the uncertain knowledg of God is divers waies attained but the true and certain only by the inward and immediate revelation of the Holy Spirit 3 4 5. it hath been brought out of use and by what devices 8 9. there is no knowledg of the Father but by the Son nor of the Son but by the Spirit 3 9 10 11 12. the knowledg of Christ which is not by the revelation of his Spirit in the heart is no more the knowledg of Christ than the pratling of a Parret which hath been taught a few words may be said to be the voice of a man 12 13. L Laicks 214 218 219. Laity 219 321. Lake of Bethsaida 94. Law the Law is distinguished from the Gospel 26 290. the difference thereof 26 167 168. see Gospel under the Law the people were not in any doubt who should be Priests and Ministers 188. see Minister of the Law Worship Learning what true learning is 205 206. Letter the letter killeth quickeneth not 168. Light the innate Light is explained by Cicero 125 126. Light of Nature the errors of the Socinians and Pelagians who exalt this Light are rejected 57 58 Saving Light see Redemption is Universal it is in all 83 84. it is a Spiritual and heavenly Principle 86 87. it is a Substance not an accident 88 89. it is Supernatural and Sufficient 104 107. it is the Gospel Preached in every creature 107 108. it is the Word nigh in the mouth and in the heart 109 110. it is the ingrafted Word able to save the Soul 114. testimonies of Augustin and Buchanan concerning this Light 127. it is not any part of