greater is he that is in you then he that is in the World the very ground of their over-comming is the greatnesse of the Spirits Power above corruption wheresoever he is Mat. 13. 29. Luke 11. 22. And if the Spirit be in all then all must be saved or it must necessarily goe to Hell with the damned But enough of this so horrible an assertion Position 5. That Christ in the Flesh with all he did and sufferd therein was but a Figure and nothing but an Example Proofe 1. This is expressely found in their Booke called Sauls Errand to Damascus 2. As also Mr. Higginson pag. 5. sayes The Lancashire charge stands cleare against them in this Principle and nothing answered to evade it in Sauls Errand to Damascus pag. 8. 3. Also this was Written in that Letter which Nayler wrote to one in Lancashire which was objected against him by Dr. Marshall upon account of another Principle in it viz. that he that expected to be saved by him that dyed at Ierusalem should be deceived And this Mr. Iaques Minister at Bolton in Lancashire sent his Testimony under his hand that he would make appeare if the Justices of Westmerland pleased to call for him at another season being detained at that time upon other occasions Confu. 1 1. This wholly destroyes the grand foundation of the Saints justification and confidence at the Throne of Grace For if he were but a Figure then there was no merit in his death Heb. 9. 26. 2. If but a Figure then he must Type out another Christ yet to come Col. 2. 17. But surely they doe not meane the Jewish Messias or doe they intend a Type of Christ in them yet to come and to appeare there in the time of their conversion as their Notion is * How absurd is such a Doctrine That all the Acts of Christ while here on Earth must be acted over againe within them As that the Virgin Mary must be in them and bring forth a Christ and be espoused to Joseph in them that John Baptizeth in them that the eleven Apostles are in them Iudas Herod and Pilat in them that Christ is crucified dead and buried in them and risen againe and ascended to the right hand of the Father in them And all these not allegorized but really personally and bodily acted in them and as they were acted at Ierusalem c. For all these are the necessary appendices of that sottish Doctrine 3. If an example onely this in plaine tearmes cuts up the satisfaction of Christ which is the very Anchor and Refuge of soules Let the Reader seriously consider these Scriptures following because the denying of this doth wholly make fruitlesse the blood of Christ Acts 20. 28. Rom. 5. 8. 9. Ephes. 1. 7. Col. 1 14. Col. 1. 20. 1 Peter 1. 19. 1 Iohn 1. 2. Rev. 1. 8. 4. If an example How then is the justice of God satisfied it must be either by the obedience of him the example or by our owne that follow it they deny it to be by Christs obedience in making it meerely figurative and that it cannot be by any obedience of our personall actings we referre you to what follows in the confutation of the Principle of justification by workes And thus the justice of God shall be unsatisfied still What desperate ruine doe these Doctrines bring to guilty soules 5. What comfort shall a guilty Conscience ever finde but in the satisfaction of Iesus and what Peace shall he have if Christ be onely an Example unlesse he doe fully came up in every tittle of his life and death also to answer the Patterne which it is impossible for man to doe Heb. 4. 15. he being without sinne and in that alone accepted as to a likenesse to us in all things and the same impossibility is there of comming up to that patterne in the great matters of his Nativity death and Passion and the like Position 6. That men are not justified by that righteousnesse of Christ which he in his own Person did fulfill without us Proofe 1. This was the cleare sense of that expression in Naylers Letter formerly hinted That whosoever expects to be saved by him that died at Ierusalem shall be deceived 2. In Naylers delivering his sense of that expression before the Justices in Westmerland he clearely states the righteousnesse of Christ by which we are justified to be fulfilled in us 3. The proofe for their next Position fully cleares it 4 Collonell Benson aâ—Kendale asserted the same to one of our selves and disputed for the maintenance thereof Confut. 1. Then what ground had Paul to bâ—ast and glory in the Crosse of Christ Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Who shall condemne me upon this account Rom. 8. 34. It is Christ that dyed setting the blood of Iesus as a full answer to all the challenges of guilt 2. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 10. 80 3 He his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne Body on the Tree 1 Peter 2. 24. And 4. He reconciled us in the body of his Flesh through death Col. 1. 21. 22. This body this death this crosse were certainely all without us Rom. 5. 9. We are justified And Ephes. 1. 7. Have Redemption through his blood even the Remission of sinnes 5. Nay justification clearely imports according to the designe of the Gospel-Grace a non-imputation of sin and a cloathing with that which is the righteousnes of Christ fulfilled in the world imputed through beleeving Rom. 4. 6. 2 Cor. 5. 19. 20. 21. What spirituall man may not clearely observe the Scripture laying the weight of justification upon the death of Christ and his bloody sacrifice on the Crosse Heb. 9. 26. Position 7. That men are justified by that Righteousnesse which Christ within us enabled us to performe or which is in effect and some of them have expressed by inherent holinesse Proofe Affirmed by Iames Nayler in a Booke of his This light within you will let you see your sinne bring to repentance and tendernesse of heart bring you to feare God and so leads up to justification and peace pag. 3. Fawnworth in one of his Pamphlets thus Condemnation is onely the disobeying of light within pag. 30. Nayler saies We are not reconciled to God till we be perfectly holy and able to stand so in our owne power pag. 25. A. P. to the same purpose in a Book set forth by him pag. 13. Christ reconciles God and Man by renewing the Image of God in purity and holinesse Collonell Benson and Captaine Ward were positive in the same Principle in a discourse with one of us at Kendale in Westmerland Anthony Hodgshon one of that way being asked by Mr. Ward Minister at Wolâ—ingham an account of his Faith at first denyed so to doe but he pressing with that of Peter answered then I tell thee I beleeve to be saved not by the righteousnesse of
We shall but briefly therefore propose 1. That our Lord Iesus appointed his Dsciples to Baptize with Water Iohn 4 2. Mat. 28. last 2. The Apostles practised it quite through the Acts Acts 2. 41. Acts 18. 12. 13. 16. 36. Here is Water what hindeâ—s but I may be Baptized reade ver. 38. Acts 9. 18. Acts 18. 8. 1 Cor. 1. 14 15. 16. And for the Supper of the Lord see the Institution Mat. 26. 26. 1 Cor. 11. 23. where it is an Ordinance established to continue in practice till our Lord Iesus come againe ver. 26. which comming cannot be meant of that comming in the spirit which these men speak of for so he was come already to them being already saints And as this Text doth fully cleare their continuance in the Churches till the last day so where Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord are called types in Scripture to cease upon the comming of Christ in spirit we demand a Text What a plaine addition is this to the Wâ—rd of God by those who so frequently curse the Ministry in their explications and applyings of texts as if they added to the sayings of the Prophecies of that Booke And how apparantly doth this Principle speake their teaching in stead of Gospel-Doctrines and the commands of Iesus the fond imaginations of their owne braine and divinings of their owne heart But we tâ—ust we shall need to adde no more to the satisfying of those who have eaten of the Flesh and drunke of the Blood of the Lord Iesus and been Baptized into his Death and found the power and vertue of these blessed Ordinances What soule that is not under the strong delusions of Satan dare cast off as so sleight things or blaspheme with so vile reproaches as these men doe those sacred Institutions which the Lord Iesus left to his Churches as such eminent memorialls of his blessed love Position 17 That there is â—â—â—ediatâ— Câ—ll Call to the Ministry Proofe This was asserted by Thomas Willan of Kendale in the Publique Congregation there on a Lecture day in the hearing of one of us W. C. the said T. W. according to the custome of that Generation to Prophesie lyes in the name of the Lord pretending to the man that Preached he was sent of God to speak to him then the said Minister demanded Whether he was sent by a mediate or immediate Call upon which proposall being bassled in the proofe of his owne immediate Call which he pretended to with a lowde voyce cryed downe all mediate cals to the Ministry as not of God and t is one of their common exceptions against the Ministers of the Gospel as being sent forth by the Ordination of men not considering the Institution of Christ for such proceedings Confut. That a mediate call since the time of those Apostles who being to be witnesses to the world of all that Iesus said and did were to be such as had accompanied the Lord Iesus in the dayes of his Flesh Acts 1. 21. and received their Call from Christ immediately being inspired by the holy Ghost 1 Pet. 1. 21. and able to evidence their Call and confirme the Gospel they committed to posterity by infallible testimonies of mighty signes and reall miracles 2 Cor. 12. 12. is the way of the Gospel for sending forth its Ministers is apparent to whomsoever shall reade those texts Acts 14. 23. When they had Ordained them Elders in every Church c. 1 Tim. 4 14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee that was given thee by Prophesie and the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Titus 1. 5. For this cause I left thee in Creet that thou shouldest Ordaine Elders in every City 2 Tim. â— 2. The things thou hast heard of me that commit thou to faithfull men able to teach others In Titus 1. and 1 Tim. 3. chapters the Apostle at large leaves direction for the qualification of such as should from time to time be Ordained to the Office of Elders in the Churches in a mediate way for to prescribe Rules to an immediate call is impossible But how confident soever these men are against this mediate call to Ministeriall worke yet as we dare oppose the above-written word of the living God against all raylings and revilings as enough to crush in pieceâ— all gaine-saying plâ—as so there hath been so much and so convincingly on every hand written in defence thereof that we dare not question the establishment of all sober spirits in that truth and shall adde no more to overturne the gaine-sayings of this besotted people Having thus gone through the more grosse Positions which are the very foundations and principles that support this Antichristian Rabble we shall presume to stay the Reader with some of their principles of lesser value which though as the Reader may observe are of inferiour note yet this sort of people lay no lesse weight upon them then to place the greatest part of that great Diana of their imaginary perfection in the observance of them and even to damne all that oppose them therein and cry downe the Ministry of the Gospel because of their non complyance with them in these so rotten principles We could have given proofe sufficient that these principles that follow are clearely and fully owned by them but they are so evidently the very markes and distinguishing badges of their Irreligion so constantly practised by them and so plainly known to all that know this sort of men that we shall once for all satisfie the Reader We shall not need to produce any evidence but onely stand upon the Confutation Principle 1. Not co-salute any Confut. THe commands of our Lord Iesus and his Apostles may be a sufficient answer to shew the folly of this Principle which they stand so much upon and for which they so often call the Ministery Priests and Anti-Christian c. Let the Reader seriously consider that full Scripture Mat. 5. 47. If you salute your brethren onely what doe you more then doe others doe not even the Publicans so In the verse before our Lord Christ commands the duty of love to all men and in the same way of commanding doth also impoâ—e the duty of salutation not onely of some but all of Friends but Enemies If yee salute your brethren onely what doe you more then doe the Publicans which how fully it speaks to the snarpe reproofe of Quakers that salute none but one another we beleive their consciences will as câ—earely tell them if they be not seared as any observing eye may presently see Mat. 10. 12. When yee come into an house salute it The Apostle Paul almost in every Epistle especially Rom 16 is full of such commands And for the practise of the Saints see 1 Sam. 25 14. David sent messengers to salute Abigails Husband 1 Sam. 17. 22. David came and saluted his brethren Acts 21. 18. when Paul had saluted them he declared c. where you fully see the practiâ—e of Paul â—e first saluted
death Rom. 7. 23. 24. And shall sinfull man be equall with God he whose righteousnesse is but raggs drosse and dung whose goodlinesse but as the Flower of the Field Isay 64. 6. Phil. 3. 7. 8. Isay 40. 7. Whose Breath is in his Nostrils Psal. 144. 4. Whose station is lower then the Angels Psal. 8. and the best of whom is so farre from being just with God as that he cannot answer him one of a thousand Job 9. 2. 3. If they affirme he is so from some worke of conversion since he was Borne 1. Then the worke of conversion is to make new gods 2. And growth in Grace shall be the growing of God and so God shall be lesse or more God according to the different degrees of Grace on the soule But the Blasphemy is so horrid that to name it is enough to make true Saints loathe it and abhorre this pretence of Naylers to an holinesse justice and goodnesse equall unto Gods As for the other Attributes powerfull omni present c. we send them to Gods Challenge of Iob. in Iob 38. Where wast thou when I layd the Foundations of the Earth ver. 4. Canst thou binde the sweet influences of the Pleiades and loose the bands of Orion Canst thou bring forth Mazaâ—â—th in his season Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sonnes ver. 20 31. to chap. 40. 9. Hast thou an Arme like God Canst thou Thunder with a voyce like him 4. If equall then the same God or another other there can be none but he that was before all time T is a contradiction if another so many Saints so many Gods if he be the same then God wanted something of his infinite perfection which he receiveth by Naylers being god c. These things we should not mention but that Saints might be warned of such devilish Doctrines the very smoake of the bottomelesse Pit Position 2. That there is no distinction of Persons in the God-head Proofe George Fox layes downe such a Principle as you may see in their Booke called Sauls Errand to Damascus pag. 12. with other ascertions of the same kinde knowne to some of us Confut. We hope we need not say much to the confuting of so knowne an Heresie raked up out of the dust and which the Saints have ever loathed as pulling downe one great Pillar of their Faith the Personall Deity of Christ being the maine ground of the infinite value of his merits and the Personality of the Spirit being so fully evidenced by the Divine Attributes appropriated to him in Scripture But we referre you to these unanswerable Scriptures Heb 1. 3. Mat. 3. 16. 17. 1 Iohn 5. 7. Mat. â—8 19. Isay 6. 1. 3. compared with Iohn 12. 39. 40. 41. and Acts 28. 25 c. Position 3. That the soule is a part of the Divine Essence Proofe One of us W. C. had this positively asserted by Coll. Benson and Captaine Ward at Kendale and discoursed the controvercy with them Confut. Let the Christian Reader consider 1. That if this could be so then should the Essence of God be divided into so many finite beings or parcels as soules 2. Yea and by this Doctrine that Essence of God which is infinite in him should come to be finite when it becomes a soule in man The Heavens of Heavens are not able to contain him and the finitenesse of our created spirits who doth not know 3. How shall the All Creating Essence of God become a Creature and who understands not the Creation of soules Gen. 2. Heb. 12. 9. 4. If this be so then shall a part of God be sinfull which how blasphemous unlesse men most wretchedly dare deny that there is a sinfulnesse in any soule 5. And then shall God hate himselfe burne in wrath for ever against his owne Essence and it lye under damnation for evermore for so is the state of thousands of soules How horrible iâ— any of this to be ascerted of him in whose presence is fulnesse of joy Psal. 16. and that is God blessed for ever Rom 9 5. 6. Hereupon when Jesus Christ gave himself to death for the soules of men either he dyed for himselfe and for the Essence of God or else he dyed altogether in vaine What soule not grossely Apostatized dare vent such things Position 4 That Christ is in every man and in the reprobates he is held under corruption Proofe * One of us received this assertion from James Nayler in conference with him wherein he extended the in-dwellings of Christ to Indians that never heard the Gospel 2. Those whom they call Reprobates Devils they usually tell notwithstanding that they Crucifie Jesus Christ within them As is cleare in a Letter one of us hath Read from John Aâ—dland to Edward Brigs an holy humble Saint in Westmerland whom God was pleased to deliver out of their snares with which for some time he was entangled And in ordinary experience it is very much apparant Confutation 1. 1. If so then either Christ Personall or els he is in them by his Spirit we rather suppose they understand Christ Personall and our reason is because Mr. Higgison in his Booke pag. 5. which he offred the Supreame Power to make good in his Epistle affirmes it to be their Doctrine That Christ as Man dwells in them which is so grossely Blasphemous and horrid a contradiction to the Personall Ascention of Christ Acts 1. 9. and his sitting at his Fathers right hand till the restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. that it needs no further confutation If Christ dwels in every man by his Spirit Then 1. Are the fruits of the Spirit in all men Gal. 5. 22. the fruits of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meâ—knesse temperance Are these in Turks Indians Papists Drunkards whoremasters Atheists c. 2. Where the Spirit is it is a quickning Spirit Ephes. 2. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 6 9. yee were such and such but now yee are sanctified by the Spirit of our God but it is most apparent that there is no such quickning in all Nay the whole world lyes in wickednesse 1 John 5. 19. If they shall affirme as they have done that the Spirit of God is in such kept under by corruption then it is so either first for want of will in the Spirit of the living God to get the Mastery over sinne Or secondly for want of Power Not for want of will For the will of the Father Christ and Spirit are all one which will is To destroy the works of the Devill wheresoever the Spirit dwels 2 Cor 3. 17. where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty and so not kept under corruption For the Apostle comfortably concludes that sinne shall not have Dominion over those who are implanted into Christ because they are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6. 14. Nor can he secondly be kept under for want of Power 1 John 4. 4. You overcome the World because
of the great businesse of justification of sinners by Faith of Iesus Christ that dare trust to so filthy raggs in the presence of so just and so holy a God Position 10 No reall Saint but he that is perfect and perfectly holy in this life and doth not sinne Proofe It is the designe of Nayler in his Booke in severall Paegs to prove this see his Book pag. 21. 22. Nayler hath oft spoken it of himselfe and said he witnessed it So G. Fox hath done others some of us doe know have said they witnesse perfection in Nayler Nay so farre doth Farnesworths ignorance of the Gospel proceed that in his Booke pag. 20. he thus writes They say they can never overcome the body of sinne or be made perfect here and they say no un â—lâ—ane thing shall ever enter into the Kingdome of God How doth this agree It s one of their ordinary out-â—ryes against the Ministers because they oppose this Doctrine And t is the most generall Doctrine of all their Books and Papers Confut. 1. Let the Reader consider there must be of necessity a distinction of the word perfect and perfection in Scripture though we know this Generation of men will cry downe distinctions and pronounce that curâ—e against us Rev. 22. as if we added to the word Yet the following cases will evidence the absolute necessity of distinctions if the unity of truth and the faithfulnesse of the word be owned at all Reade 1 Iohn 1. 8. 10. If we sâ—y that we have no sinne the truth is not in us compared with 1 Iohn 3. 8 9. Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne Reade 1 Iohn 5. 16 There is a sinne to death and there is a sinne not to death So Isay 9 7. Of his Gouernment there shall be no end compared with 1 Cor. 15 24 Then commeth the end when he shall deliver â—p the Kingdome c 2. Now as to a necessity of it in the case in hand consider the various use of the word in Seripture Phil. 3. is very full ver. 12. Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect compared with ver. 15. where t is a word of the same root the Apostle speaking of the Saints and taking in himselfe in that expression adds Let us therefore as many as are perfect be thâ—â— minded In which is plainely evident that Paul shall grossely contradict himselfe unlesse there be a distinguishing betwixt the variety of the sense of the word perfect 3. That perfection therefore ver. 12. is perfection in Glory as the verses both before and presently following it doe fully cleare it s that for which Paul was apprehended of Christ as is evident 1 Cor. 13. 10. where t is opposed to Pauls present state When that which is perfect iâ— come then that which is in part shall be done away clearely meaning his injoyment of God in glory as is plaine ver. 12. Now we see through a glasse darkely â—â—en face to face Now the same word perfect in ver. 15. that it cannot possibly be meant of the same sort of perfection is evident For as the Apostle tells you that he enjoying the perfection v. 15. is yet short of is pressing forward towards the perfection in ver. 12. as to a thing that 's yet before so taking the word in both places in the same sense it were a contradiction for him to say he is perfect and is not perfect For the true meaning thereof we give you three Scriptures 1 Cor. 2. 6. Howbeit we speake wisedome amongst those that are perfect 1 Cor. 14. 20. In malice be yee children but in understanding be yee men or be ye perfect for the word is the same with the former Text Heb 5 last Stong meat belongs to those that are of full age or that are perfect In all which places it is evident in it selfe that the word imports Christians growne up to more knowledge in the Gospel then others had who are in these quotations called Babes From the consideration of this Text it may be fully seen that perfection of Saints here is not that absolute perfection in glory which Paul professed he had not attained to but that comparative perfection of being growne up to more then ordinary measures of Grace and understanding much beyond the attainement of Babes in Christ 2. As for our perfection by justification the Scriptures fully hold it out upon the account of the imputed righteousnesse of Christ whereby the spouse appeares altogether lovely not upon the account of her own holinesse for so she is blacke and an infant in her blood but we know that t is not this perfection they speake of as he that hath but looked into their Books may presently discover 3. There is a perfection which the Scriptures expresseth integrity by as that word speaks the truth of grace in opposition to hypocrisie Thus Iob is called perfect Iob 1. 1. but that this perfection doth not imply a totall absence of sinne is plaine witnesse his sinfull passionate cursing the day of his birth Iob 3. 3. Let the day perish wherein I was borne Job 6. 8. 9. Oh that is would please God to destroy me that he would let goe his hand and cut me off See his owne confession Job 9. 20 2â— If I say I am perfect my owne mouth shall prove â—â—â— perverse Thus Asa is called perfect 1 Kings 1â— 14 The high places were not removed neverthelesse Asa's heart was perfect with the Lord all his dayes Here is the perfection of Asa's heart with God and that all his dayes yet you shall â—ndâ— first He tooke 〈◊〉 away the high places which was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly He tooke the gold and silver ouâ— o 〈…〉 the â—â—â—se of the Lord and sent them to the 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 ue â—Chron 16. 7. 9 Thirdly 〈…〉 anâ— put him in the Pri 〈…〉 ppressed the People at 〈…〉 And â—â— his Dâ—â—â—asâ— sought not to the Lord 〈…〉 So that you may clearely see in wh 〈…〉 hâ— was sâ—â—d to â—â—perfect As for other examples in this kinde â—â— this time it may be clearely understood in what sense the spirit câ—lâ—â— them perfect who otherwise had their personall grosse infirmitieâ— 4. You are to distingâ—â—sh betwixt the perfection of God and the perfection of the creature in reference to that Text Mat 5. last In which place perfection cannot signifie that which brings up to an equality with God but a similitude unlesse you runne upon that blasphemous Principle of equallity with God of which we have said enough before 5 By our thus comparing Scripture with Scripture we expect from their former usage in this kinde they will charge us with pleading for sinne though we are but discovering the imperfections of the best Saints lest they shou'd live upon their owne righteousnesse which to set up and establish in opposition to that of Christs imputed is evidently the designe of Quakers And that so the strength of the Lord may
be made perfect in their weakenesse Did the spirit pleade for sinne when he rehearsed the faults of Saints or Paul Rom. 7. when he cryed out of the body of this death or when he discovers the unevennesse of Peters Judaizing Gal. â— or Christ when he writes to the seven Churches and discovers their sin Rev. 2 2. 3. 4 and tells the purest of them their strength is yet but little Rev. 3. 8 Hence you may discover from Christ the Spirit c. their manifesting the imperfections of the choysest Saints that to discover it is not to pleade for it unlesse you will blaspheme the holy one of Israel And let all Christian Readers consider that it is farre from us to pleade for iniquity but the great part of our worke is to reprove it in whomsoever and to presse Mortification and spirituall life and communion with God that so they may presse forwards to perfection as the designe and marke of their soules Phil. 3. 14. and have the attaining to that blessed state upon their hearts exceedingly though it be to the best at present a thing before and that which they have not already attained nor shall doe till this corruption have put on incorruption Yet are their glorioâ—er and fuller measures of holinesse then yet the best enjoy that may be attained here which though attained to doe leave us short of that perfection we doe wait for in glory yet may be a quickning Argument to draw out and exercise their souls in pressing forwards continually Position 11. That every man in the world hath a light within him sufficiâ—â—t to guide him to salvation without the help of any outward light or disâ—overy Proofe Farnsworth in his Book pag. 51. Every one minde the light of God within you James Nayler in a Booke of his pag 2. All people cease from your out side lights and turne to the light of God within you and this he ignorantly makes to be the sure word of Prophesie 1 Pet 1. 19 The said Nayler in discourse with one of us W. C. at Kendale affirmed That every man in the world had a light within them sufficient to guide them to salvation c. and this he extended even to Indians that never heard the Gospel But the generall streame of their Words and Papers speake it fully Confut. By their constant expressions both in speaking and writing and by their calling off from all outward teaching it is evident that by this light they meane the principles within left in the spirit of every man since the fall the same light which an Indian hath that never heard of Christ by any outward discovery For one of us in discourse with Nayler proposing whether Indians that never heard of Christ by any outward discovery had a light within them sufficient to guide them to salvation â—e affirmed they had and when the experience of the Saints in New-England to the contrary was produced he answered If any Indian were present he would justifie the contrary Thus will men to beare up an opinion affirme the things they doe not know Now that this naturall light which an Indian that never heard of Christ may have cannot bring to salvation we desire to propound these considerations following 1. No light ean bring to salvation but that which discovers Christ 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospel be hid it s hid to those that are lost Where the Apostle positively concluds the hidings of the Gospel to an evidence of a lost estate John 17. 2. Now Christ is not knowne by the light of Nature Mat. 16. 17 Flesh and blood hath not revealed those things unto thâ—e 2. God doth clearely shew a distinguishing grace in the discovery of Christ Mat. 13 11. To you it is given to know the mysterie of the Kingdome of Heaven to them it is not given in which is apparent all have not the knowledge of the Gospel given 3. Those that lived in the highest improvement of reason being without Gospel discoveries did not and could not apprehend God in Christ 1 Cor. 1 21. 1 Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God c. neither indeed can be c. here is the impossibility of naturall principles to give out the knowledge of Christ 4. Rom. 10. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God not by the inward light or discovery which all men have but by the word of the Lord outwardly made knowne 5. If they shall say that every man hath the knowledge of Christ by speciall revelation and that immediate then they speake that which is contrary to the common and knowne experience of thousands who conversing with Indians never found the least hint of a Christ amongst them Many of them whose confessions are in Print having bin wrought upon by the Preaching of the Word by Mr. Eliot c. have clearely declared they knew nothing of the true God and Christ before their Publishing of the Gospel to them 6. We pray the Reader to consider what sad and lamentable effects will flow from this Doctrine to the utter undoing of the soule 1. This is to forsake the Fountaine of living Waters not going out to Jesus for light but Ier. 2. digging to themselves broken â—isterns leaving the Sunne of Righteousnesse to live by the light of their owne Candle 2. T is a confining our attainements to the improvement of this naturall light which must needs keep men both as to light and power under Legall performances and discoveries 3. Hence doe men account their tremblings and quakings as their perfection they being at the best but the improvements of an awakened naturall conscience without the soules applying of Gospel Promises as to justification by the blood of Jesus 4. Hence the soules beleeving and the acts of Faith in the blood of Christ are such strangers to these People as never to have the least hint in any of their words or writings and what they have spoken of Faith in generall as Farnesworth in his discovery of Faith doth manifest their exceeding ignorance and darknesse in the great businesse of the soules beleeving in the Lord Jesus 5. Hence come men under the unavoydable chains of Satan who leads them captive at his will whilst by this means they deprive themselves of any standing rule to try the spirits by but walk in such irregular and sinfull wayes as doe evidently speak how unable that their light is to distinguish betwixt duty and delusion 6. And what is else the reason of their bitter rayling and reproaching the Institution of the living God the Ordinance of Preaching the Gospel of Christ Crucified speaking all manner of evill against us for the works sake their designe being in their reproaching of the Ministers evidently apparent to strike downe the very worke of Preaching the Gospel Position 12. That there is no need of any outward teaching by Reading or Hearing the Scriptures opened or applyed c. Proofe George Bateman