AN APOLOGY For the True CHRISTIAN Divinity As the same is held forth and preached by the People Called in Scorn QUAKERS Being a full Explanation and Vindication of their Principles and Doctrines by many Arguments deduced from Scripture and right Reason and the Testimony of famous Authors both ancient and modern with a full answer to the strongest objections usually made against them Presented to the KING Written and Published in Latine for the information of Strangers by ROBERT BARCLAY And now put into our own Language for the benefit of his Country-men Acts 24.14 After the way which they call heresie so Worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men Teaching us that denying ungodliness and wordly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godlily in this present World Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people Zealous of good Works 1 Thes. 5.21 Prove all things hold fast that which is good Printed in the Year 1678. UNTO CHARLES II. KING OF Great Britain And the Dominions thereunto belonging ROBERT BARCLAY A Servant of JESUS CHRIST called of God to the Dispensation of the Gospel now again revealed and after a long and dark night of Apostacy commanded to be Preached to all Nations wisheth Health and Salvation AS the condition of Kings and Princes puts them in a station more obvious to the view and observation of the World than that of other men of whom as Cicero observes neither any word or action can be obscure so are those Kings during whose appearance upon the stage of this World it pleaseth the Great KING of Kings singularly to make known unto men the wonderful steps of his unsearchable Providence more signally observed and their lives and actions more diligently remarked and inquired into by posterity especially if those things be such as not only relate to the outward transactions of this World but also are signalized by the manifestation or revelation of the knowledg of God in matters Spiritual and Religious These are the things that rendred the lives of Cyrus Augustus Caesar and Constantine the Great in former times and of CHARLES the Fifth and some other modern Princes in these last Ages so considerable But among all these transactions which it hath pleased God to permit for the Glory of His Power and the manifestation of His Wisdom and Providence no Age furnisheth us with things so strange and marvellous whether with respect to matters Civil or Religious as these that have faln out within the compass of thy time who though thou be not yet arrived at the Fiftieth year of thy age hast yet been a witness of stranger things than many Ages before produced so that whether we respect those various troubles wherein thou foundst thy self engaged while scarce got out of thy Infancy the many different afflictions wherewith men of thy circumstances are often unacquainted the strange and unparallel'd fortune that befel thy Father thy own narrow escape and banishment following thereupon with the great improbability of thy ever returning at lest without very much pains and tedious combatings or finally the incapacity thou wert under to accomplish such a design considering the strength of those that had possessed themselves of thy Throne and the terror they had inflicted upon Foreign States and yet that after all this thou shouldst be restored without stroke of Sword the help or assistance of Foreign States or the contrivance and work of human policy All these do sufficiently declare that it is the Lord 's doing which as it is marvellous in our eyes so it will justly be a matter of wonder and astonishment to generations to come and may sufficiently serve if rightly observed to confute and confound that Atheism wherewith this Age doth so much abound As the vindication of the Liberty of Conscience which thy Father by giving way to the important clamours of the Clergy the answering and fulfilling of whose unrighteous wills has often proved hurtful and pernicious to Princes sought in some part to restrain was a great occasion of these troubles and revolutions so the pretence of Conscience was that which carried it on and brought it to that pitch it came to and though no doubt some that were engaged in that work designed good things at lest in the beginning albeit alwaies wrong in the manner they took to accomplish it viz. by carnal weapons yet so soon as they had tasted of the sweet of the possessions of them they had turned out they quickly began to do those things themselves for which they had accused others for their hands were found full of oppression and they hated the reproofs of instruction which is the way of life And they evilly entreated the Messengers of the Lord and caused to beat and imprison his Prophets and persecuted his people whom he had called and gathered out from among them whom he had made to beat their Swords into Plow-shares and their Spears into Pruning-hooks and not to learn carnal War any more but he raised them up and armed them with Spiritual weapons even with his own Spirit and Power whereby they testified in the Streets and High-waies and publick Markets and Synagogues against the Pride Vanity Lusts and Hypocrisie of that generation who were righteous in their own eyes though often cruelly entreated therefore and they faithfully prophesied and foretold them of their judgment and downfal which came upon them as by several warnings and Epistles delivered to Oliver and Richard Cromwell the Parliament and other then Powers yet upon Record doth appear And after it pleased God to restore thee what oppressions what banishments and evil entreatings they have met with by men pretending thy authority and cloaking their mischief with thy name is known to most men in this Island especially in England where there is scarce a Prison that hath not been filled with them nor a Judge before whom they have not been haled though they could never yet be found Guilty of any thing that might deserve that usage therefore the sense of their innocency did no doubt greatly contribute to move thee three years ago to cause some hundreds of them to be set at liberty for indeed their Sufferings are singular and obviously distinguishable from all the rest of such as live under thee in these two respects First In that among all the Plots contrived by others against thee since thy return into Britain there was never any owned of that people found or known to be guilty tho many of them have been taken and imprisoned upon such kind of jealousies but were alwaies found innocent and harmless as became the Followers of Christ not coveting after nor contending for the Kingdoms
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
raise up and move among them by the inward immediate operation of his own Spirit Ministers and Teachers to instruct and teach and watch over them who being thus called are manifest in the hearts of their Brethren and their call is thus verified in them who by the feeling of that life and power that passeth through them being inwardly builded up by them dayly in the most holy Faith become the Seals of their Apostleship and this is answerable to another saying of the same Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 13.3 Since ye seek a proof of Christs speaking in me which to you-wards is not weak but is mighty in you So this is that which gives a true substantial Call and title to a Minister whereby he is a real successor of the vertue life and power that was in the Apostles and not of the bare name and to such Ministers we think the outward Ceremony of Ordination or laying on of Hands not necessary neither can we see the use of it seeing our adversaries who use it acknowledge that the vertue and power of communicating the Holy Ghost by it is ceased among them And is it not then foolish and ridiculous for them by an apish imitation to keep up the shadow where the substance is wanting And may not they by the same rule where they see blind and lame men in imitation of Christ and his Apostles bid them see and walk yea is it not in them a mocking of God and men to put on their hands and bid men receive the Holy Ghost while they believe the thing impossible and confess that that Ceremony hath no real effect Having thus far spoken of the Call I shall proceed next to treat of the qualifications and work of a true Minister § XV. As I have placed the true call of a Minister in the motion of this Holy Spirit so is the power Life and vertue thereof and the pure Grace of God that comes therefrom the chief and most necessary qualification without which he can no ways perform his duty neither acceptably to God nor beneficially to men Our adversaries in this case affirm that three things go to the making up of a Minister viz. 1. Natural parts that he be not a fool 2. Acquired Parts that he be learned in the Languages in Philosophy and School-Divinity 3. The Grace of God The two first they reckon necessary to the being of a Minister so as a man cannot be one without them The third they say goeth to the well-being of one but not to the being so that a man may truly be a lawful Minister without it and ought to be heard and received as such But we supposing a natural capacity that one be not an idiot judge the grace of God indispensably necessary to the very being of a Minister as that without which any can neither be a true nor lawful nor good Minister As for letter-learning we judge it not so much necessary to the well-being of one though accidentally sometimes in certain respects it may concur but more frequently it is hurtful than helpful as appeared in the example of Taulerus who being a learned man and who could make an eloquent preaching needed nevertheless to be instructed in the way of the Lord by a poor Laick I shall first speak of the necessity of Grace and then proceed to say something of that Literature which they judge so needful First then as we said in the Call so may we much more here If the Grace of God be a necessary qualification to make one a true Christian it must be a qualification much more necessary to constitute a true Minister of Christianity That Grace is necessary to make up a true Christian I think will not be questioned since it is by Grace we are saved Eph. 2.8 it is the Grace of God that teacheth us to deny ungodliness and the lusts of this world and to live godlily and righteously Tit. 2.11 yea Christ saith expresly That without him we can do nothing Joh. 15.5 and the way whereby Christ helpeth assisteth and worketh with us is by his Grace Hence saith to Paul My Grace is sufficient for thee A Christian without Grace is indeed no Christian but an hypocrite and a false pretender Then I say If Grace be necessary to a private Christian far more to a teacher among Christians who must be as a Father and Instructor of others seeing this dignity is bestowed upon such as have attained a greater measure than their Brethren Even Nature it self may teach us that there is more required in a Teacher than in those that are taught and that the Master must be above and before the Scholar in that Art or Science which he teacheth others Since then Christianity cannot be truly enjoyed neither any man denominated a Christian without the true Grace of God therefore neither can any man be a true nor lawful teacher of Christianity without it Secondly No man can be a Minister of the Church of Christ Arg. which is his Body unless he be a member of the Body and receive of the vertue and life of the Head But he that hath not true Grace can neither be a member of the Body neither receive of that life and nourishment which comes from the Head Therefore far less can he be a Minister to edifie the Body That he cannot be a Minister who is not a Member is evident because who is not a member is shut out and cut off and hath no place in the Body whereas the Ministers are counted among the most eminent Members of the Body But no man can be a member unless he receive of the vertue life and nourishment of the Head For the members that receive not this life and nourishment decay and wither and then are cut off And that every true member doth thus receive nourishment and life from the Head the Apostle expresly affirmeth Eph. 4.16 From whom the whole body being fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part makes increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love Now this that thus is communicated and which thus uniteth the whole is no other than the Grace of God and therefore the Apostle in the same chapter ver 7. But unto every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ and v. 11. he sheweth how that by this Grace and Gift both Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers are given for the work of the Ministry and edifying of the Body of Christ. And certainly then no man destitute of Grace is fit for this work seeing that all that Christ gives are so qualified and these that are not so qualified are not given nor sent of Christ are not to be heard nor received nor acknowledged as Ministers of the Gospel because his sheep neither ought nor will hear the voice of a stranger This is also clear from 1 Cor. 12.
of the glorious Dispensation of the Gospel of Christ appear all at once the work of the first Witnesses being more to restifie against and discover the abuses of the Apostasie than to establish the Truth in purity He that comes to build a new City must first remove the old Rubbish before he can see to lay a new Foundation and he that comes to a House greatly polluted and full of Dirt will first sweep away and remove the Filth before he put up his own good and new Furniture The dawning of the day dispells the Darkness and makes us see the things that are most conspicuous but the distinct discovering and discerning of things o as to make a certain and perfect observation is reserved for the arising of the Sun and its shining in full brightness And we can from a certain Experience boldly affirm that the not waiting for this but building among yea and with the old popish rubbish and setting up before a full purgation hath been to most Protestants the foundation of many a mistake and an occasion of unspeakable hurt Therefore the Lord God who as he seeth meet doth communicate and make known to man the more full evident and perfect knowledg of his everlasting Truth hath been pleased to reserve the more full discovery of this glorious and Evangelical Dispensation to this our Age albeit divers testimonies have thereunto been born by some noted men in several Ages as shall hereafter appear and for the greater augmentation of the Glory of his Grace that no man might have whereof to boast hath raised up a few despicable and illiterate men and for the most part Mechanicks to be the Dispensators of it by which Gospel all the scruples doubts hesitations and objections above mentioned are easily and evidently answered and the justice as well as mercy of God according to their Divine and Heavenly Harmony are exhibited established and confirmed according to which certain Light and Gospel as the knowledge thereof hath been manifested to us by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in us fortified by our own sensible experience and sealed by the testimony of the Spirit in our Hearts we can confidently affirm and clearly evince according to the testimony of the Holy Scriptures the following points § XI First That God who out of his infinite love sent his Son the Lord Jesus Christ into the World who tasted Death for every man hath given to every man whether Jew or Gentile Turk or Scythian Indian or Barbarian of whatsoever Nation Countrey or Place a certain day or time of visitation during which day or time it is possible for them to be saved and to partake of the Fruit of Christs Death Secondly That for this end God hath communicated and given unto every man a measure of the Light of his own Son a measure of Grace or a measure of the Spirit which the Scripture expresses by several names as sometimes of the Seed of the Kingdom Mat. 13.18.19 The Light that makes all things manifest Eph. 5.13 The Word of God Rom. 10.18 or Manifestation of the Spirit given to profite withal 1 Cor. 12.7 a Talent Mat. 25.15 a little Leaven The Gospel preached in every Creature Col. 1.23 Thirdly That God in and by this Light and Seed invites calls exhorts and strives with every man in order to save them which as it is received and not resisted works the Salvation of all even of those who are ignorant of the Death and Sufferings of Christ and of Adam's Fall both by bringing them to a sense of their own misery and to be sharers in the Sufferings of Christ inwardly and by making them partakers of his Resurrection in becoming Holy Pure and Righteous and recovered of their sins by which also are saved they that have the knowledg of Christ outwardly in that it opens their understanding rightly to use and apply the things delivered in the Scriptures and to receive the saving use of them But that this may be resisted and rejected in both in which then God is said to be resisted and pressed down and Christ to be again crucified and put to open shame in and among men and to to those as thus resist and refuse him he becomes their condemnation First then according to this Doctrine the Mercy of God is excellently well exhibited in that none are necessarily shut out from Salvation and his Justice is demonstrated in that he condemns none but such to whom he really made offer of Salvation affording them the means sufficient thereunto Secondly This Doctrin if well weighed will be found to be the Foundation of Christianity Salvation and Assurance Thirdly It agrees and answers with the whole tenor of the Gospel Promises and Threats and with the Nature of the Ministry of Christ according to which the Gospel Salvation Repentance is commanded to be preached to every Creature without respect of Nations Kindreds Families or Tongues Fourthly It magnifies and commends the merits and death of Christ in that it not only accounts them sufficient to save all but declares them to be brought so nigh unto all as thereby to be put into the nearest capacity of Salvation Fifthly It exalts above all the Grace of God to which it attributeth all good even the least and smallest actions that are so ascribing thereunto not only the first beginnings and motions of good but also the whole conversion and salvation of the Soul Sixthly It contradicts overturns and enervates the false Doctrine of the Pelagians Semi-Pelagians Socinians and others who exalt the Light of Nature the liberty of mans will in that it wholly excludes the natural man from having any place or portion in his own Salvation by any acting moving or working of his own until he be first quickned raised up and acted by God's Spirit Seventhly As it makes the whole Salvation of Man solely and alone to depend upon God so it makes his condemnation wholly and in every respect to be himself in that he refused and resisted somewhat that from God wrestled and strove in his heart and forces him to acknowledg God's just Judgment in rejecting him and forsaking of him Eighthly It takes away all ground of Despair in that it gives every one ground of hope and certain assurance that they may be saved neither doth feed any in security in that none are certain how soon their day may expire and therefore it is a constant incitement and provocation and lively incouragement to every man to forsake evil and close with that which is good Ninthly It wonderfully commends as well the certainty of the Christian Religion among Infidels as it manifests its own verity to all in that it s confirmed and established by the experiences of all men seeing there was never yet a man found in any place of the Earth however barbarous and wild but hath acknowledged that at some time or other less or more he hath found somewhat in his heart reproving him for some things evil which he hath
own condemnation he that resists it not it becomes his Salvation so that in him that is saved the working is of the Grace and not of the man and its a passiveness rather than an act though afterwards as man is wrought upon there is a will raised in him by which he comes to be a co-worker with the Grace For according to that of Augustine he that made us without us will not save us without us So that the first step is not by mans working but by his not contrary working And we believe that at these singular seasons of every mans visitation above-mentioned as man is wholly unable of himself to work with the Grace neither can he move one step out of the natural condition until the Grace lay hold upon him so it is possible to him to be passive and not to resist it as it is possible for him to resist it So we say the Grace of God works in and upon mans nature which though of it self wholly corrupted and defiled and prone to evil yet is capable to be wrought upon by the Grace of God even as Iron though a hard and cold Metal of it self may be warm'd and softned by the heat of the Fire and wax melted by the Sun And as Iron or Wax when removed from the Fire or Sun returneth to its former condition of coldness and hardness so mans heart as it resists or retires from the Grace of God returns to its former condition again I have often had the manner of God's working in order to Salvation towards all men illustrated to my mind by one or two clear examples which I shall here add for the information of others The First is of a man heavily diseased to whom I compare man in his faln and natural condition I suppose God who is the great Physician not only to give this man Physick after he hath used all the Industry he can for his own health by any skill or knowledg of his own As those that say If a man reprove his reason or natural faculties God will super add Grace Or as others say that he cometh and maketh offer of a remedy to this man outwardly leaving it to the Liberty of man's will either to receive it or reject it But he even the Lord this great Physician cometh and poureth the remedy into his mouth and as it were layeth him in his Bed so that if the Sick-man he but passive it will necessarily work the effect but if he be stubborn and untoward and will needs rise up and go forth into the cold or eat such fruits as are hurtful to him while the Medicine should operate then though of its nature it tendeth to cure him yet it will prove destructive to him because of those obstructions which it meeteth with Now as the man that should thus undo himself would certainly be the cause of his own death so who will say that if cured he owes not his health wholly to the Physician and not to any deed of his own seeing his part was not any action but a passiveness The Second example is of divers men lying in a dark pit together where all their Senses are so stupified that they are scarce sensible of their own misery To this I compare man in his natural corrupt falln condition I suppose not that any of these men wrestling to deliver themselves do thereby stir up or engage one able to deliver them to give them his help Saying with himself I see one of these men willing to be delivered and doing what in him lies therefore he deserves to be assisted As say the Socinians Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians Neither do I suppose that this deliverer comes to the top of the Pit and puts down a Ladder desiring them that will to come up and so put them upon using their own strength and will to come up As do the Jesuits and Armenians yet as they say such are not delivered without the Grace seeing the Grace is that Ladder by which they were delivered But I suppose that the deliverer comes at certain times and fully discovers and informs them of the great misery and hazard they are in if they continue in that noysom and pestiferous place yea forces them to a certain sense of their misery for the wickedest men at times are made sensible of their misery by Gods visitation and not only so but lays hold upon them and gives them a pull in order to lift them out of their misery which if they resist not will save them only they may resist it This being applied as the former doth the same way Illustrate the matter Neither is the Grace of God frustrated though the effect of it be divers according to its object being the ministration of mercy and love in those that reject it not but receive it John 1.12 but the ministration of Wrath and Condemnation in those that do reject John 3.19 Even as the Sun by one act or operation melteth and softeneth the Wax and hardeneth the Clay The nature of the Sun is to cherish the Creation and therefore the Living are refreshed by it and the Flowers send sorth a good favour as it shines upon them and the Fruits of the Trees are ripened yet cast forth a dead Carcase a thing without Life and the same reflection of the Sun will cause it to stink and putrefie it yet is not the Sun said thereby frustrate of its proper effect So every man during the day of his visitation is shined upon by the Sun of Righteousness and capable of being influenced by it so as to send forth good Fruit and a good Savour and to be melted by it but when he has sinned out his day then the same Sun hardeneth him as it doth the clay and makes his wickedness more to appear and putrefie and send forth an Evil Savour § XVIII Lastly As we truly affirm that God willeth no man to perish and therefore hath given to all Grace sufficient for Salvation so we do not deny but that in a special manner he worketh in some in whom Grace so prevaileth that they necessarily obtain Salvation neither doth God suffer them to resist For it were absurd to say that God had not far otherwise extended himself towards the Virgin Mary and the Apostle Paul than towards many others Neither can we affirm that God equally loved the beloved Disciple John and Judas the Traitor In so far nevertheless as none wanted such a measure of Grace by which they might have been saved all are justly inexcusable And also God working in those to whom this prevalency of Grace is given doth so hide himself to shut out all security and presumption that such may be humbled and the free Grace of God magnified and all reputed to be of the Free Gift and nothing from the strength of it self Those also who perish when they remember those times of God's Visitation towards them wherein he wrestled with them by his Light and Spirit
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
too late that I have loved thee O thou Beautifulness so antient and so new late have I loved thee and behold thou wast within and I was without and there was seeking thee thou didst call thou didst cry thou didst break my Deafness thou glancedst thou didst shine thou chasedst away my darkness Of this also our Countrey man George Buchanan speaketh thus in his Book de Jure Regni apud Scotos Truly I understand no other thing at present than that Light which is divinely infused into our Souls for when God formed Man he not only gave him Eyes to his Body by which he might shun those things that are hurtful to him and follow those things that are profitable But also hath set before his mind as it were a certain Light by which he may discern things that are vile from things that are honest Some call this Power Nature others the Law of Nature I truly judg it to be Divine and am perswaded that Nature and Wisdom never say different things Moreover God hath given us a compend of the Law which in few words comprehend the whole to wit that we should love him from our hearts and our Neighbours as our selves And of this Law all the Books of the Holy Scriptures which pertain to the forming of manners contain no other but an explication This is that Universal Evangelical Principle in and by which this Salvation of Christ is exhibited to all men both Jew and Gentile Scythian and Barbarian of whatsoever Countrey or Kindred he be And therefore God hath raised up unto himself in this our Age faithful Witnesses and Evangelists to preach again his Everlasting Gospel and to direct all as well the high Professors who boast of the Law and the Scripture and the outward knowledg of Christ as the Infidels and Heathens that know not him that way that they may all come to mind the Light in them and know Christ in them the Just One 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom they have so long killed and made merry over and he hath not resisted Jam. 5.6 And give up their Sins Iniquities false Faith Professions and out-side Righteousness to be crucified by the Power of his Cross in them so as they may know within to be the Hope of Glory and may come to walk in his Light and be saved who is that True Light that enlighteneth every Man that cometh into the World The Seventh Proposition Concerning Justification As many as resist not this Light but receive the same it becomes in them a Holy Pure and Spiritual Birth bringing forth Holyness Righteousness Purity and all other Blessed Fruits those which are acceptable to God by which Holy Birth to wit Jesus Christ formed within us and working his Works in us as we are Sanctified so are we Justified in the sight of God according to the Apostles Words But ye are Washed but ye are Sanctified but ye are Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 Therefore it is not by our Works wrought in our will nor yet by good Works considered as of themselves but by Christ who is both the Gift and the Giver and the Cause producing the effects in us who as he hath reconciled us while we were Enemies doth also in his Wisdom Save us and Justifie us after this manner as saith the same Apostle elsewhere According to his Mercy he hath Saved us by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 § I. THE Doctrine of Justification comes well in order after the discussing of the extent of Christ's death and of the Grace thereby communicated some of the sharpest contests concerning this having from thence their rise Many are the disputes among those called Christians concerning this point and indeed if all were truly minding that which justifieth there would be less noise about the Notions of Justification I shall briefly review this controversie as it stands among others and as I have often seriously observed it then in short state the controversie as to us and open our Sense and Judgment of it and lastly prove it if the Lord will by some Scripture Testimonies and the certain experience of all ever were truly Justified § II. That this Doctrine of Justification hath been and is greatly vitiated in the Church of Rome is not by us questioned though our Adversaries who for want of better arguments do often make Lyes their refuge have not spared in this respect to stigmatize us with Popery but how untruly will hereafter appear For to speak little of their meritum ex condigno which was no doubt a very common Doctrine of the Romish Church especially before Luther though most of their modern Writers especially in their controversies with Protestants do partly deny it partly qualifie it and seem to state the matter only as if they were propagaters and pleaders for good works by the others denyed Yet if we look to the effects of this Doctrine among them as they appear in the generality of their Church-members not in things disapproved but highly approved and commended by their Father the Pope and all his Clients as the most beneficial casuality of all his revenue we shall find that Luther did not without great ground oppose himself to them in this matter and if he had not himself run into another extream of which hereafter his work would have stood the better For in this as in most other things he is more to be commended for what he pulled down of Babylon than for what he built of his own Whatever then the Papists may pretend or even some good men among them may have thought experience sheweth and it is more than manifest by the universal and approved practice of their People that they place not their Justification so much in works that are truly and morally good and in the being truly renewed and sanctified in the mind as in such things as are either not good nor evil or may truly be called evil and can no otherwaies be reckoned good than because the Pope pleases to call them so So that if the matter be well sifted it will be found that the greatest part of their Justification depends upon the authority of his Bulls and not upon the Power Vertue and Grace of Christ revealed in the heart and renewing of it as will appear First from their Principle concerning their Sacraments which they say confer Grace ex opere operato So that if a man partake but of them he thereby obtains remission of sin though he remain as he was the vertue of the Sacraments making up the want that is in the man So that this act of Submission and Faith to the Laws of the Church and not any real inward change is that which justifieth him As for example if a man make use of the Sacrament as they call it of Pennance so as to tell over his sins to a Priest though he have not true contrition
thus reconciled never sin or that when they so do they are still reconciled and their sins make not the least separation from God yea that they are justified in their sins From whence also would follow this abominable consequence that the good works and greatest sins of such are all alike in the sight of God seeing neither the one serves to justifie them nor the other to break their reconciliation which occasions great security and opens a door to every lewd practice Thirdly this would make void the whole practical Doctrine of the Gospel and make Faith it self needless for if Faith and Repentance and the other conditions called for throughout the Gospel be a qualification upon our part necessary to be performed then before this be performed by us we are either fully reconciled to God or but in a capacity of being reconciled to God he being ready to reconcile and justifie us as these conditions are performed which later if granted is according to the Truth we profess and if we are already perfectly reconciled and justified before these conditions are performed which conditions are of that Nature that they cannot be performed at one time but are to be done all ones Life-time then can they not be said to be absolutely needful which is contrary to the very express Testimony of Scripture which is acknowledged by all Christians For without Faith it is impossible to please God They that believe not are condemned already because they believe not in the Only begotten Son of God Except ye Repent ye cannot be Saved For if ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye And those that were converted I will remove your Candle-stick from you and unless you repent Should I mention all the Scriptures that positively and evidently prove this I might transcribe much of all the Doctrinal part of the Bible For since Christ said It is finished and did finish his work Sixteen Hundred Years ago and upwards if so he fully perfected Redemption then and did then actually reconcile every one that is to be saved not simply opening a door of mercy for them offering the Sacrifice of his Body by which they may obtain remission of their sins when they repent and communicating unto them a measure of his Grace by which they may see their sins and be able to repent but really make them to be reputed as just either before they believe as say the Antinomians or after they have assented to the Truth of the History of Christ or are sprinkled with the Baptism of Water while nevertheless they are actually unjust so that no part of their Redemption is to be wrought by him now as to their reconciliation and justification then the whole Doctrinal part of the Bible is useless and of no profit in vain were the Apostles sent forth to preach Repentance and Remission of sins and in vain do all the Preachers bestow their labour spend their Lungs and give forth Writings yea much more in vain do the People spend their money which they give them for preaching seeing it is all but actum agere but a vain and uneffectual essay to do that which is already perfectly done without them But lastly to pretermit their humane labours as not worth the disputing whether they be needful or not since as we shall hereafter shew themselves confess the best of them is sinful this also makes void the present intercession of Christ for men What shall become of that great Article of Faith by which we affirm that he sits at the Right Hand of God daily making intercession for us and for which end the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered For Christ maketh not intercession for those that are not in a possibility of Salvation that is absurd Our Adversaries will not admit that he prayed for the World at all And to pray for those that are already reconciled and perfectly justified is to no purpose to pray for remission of sins is yet more needless if all be remitted past present and to come Indeed there is not any solid solving of this but by acknowledging according to the Truth that Christ by his death removed the Wrath of God so far as to obtain remission of sins for as many as receive that Grace and Light that he communicates unto them and hath purchased for them by his Blood which as they believe in they come to know remission of sins past and power to save them from sin and to wipe it away so often as they may fall into it by unwatchfulness or weakness if applying themselves to this Grace they truly repent for to as many as receive him he gives power to become the Sons of God So none are Sons none are Justified none Reconciled until they thus receive him in that little Seed in their hearts And Life Eternal is offered to those who by patient continuance in well-doing seek Glory Honour and Immortality For if the Righteous man depart from his Righteousness his Righteousness shall be remembred no more And therefore on the other part none are longer Sons of God and Justified than they patiently continue in righteousness and well doing And therefore Christ lives always making intercession during the day of every man's visitation that they may be converted and when men are in some measure converted he makes intercession that they may continue and go on and not faint nor go back again Much more might be said to confirm this Truth but I go on to take notice of the common objections against it which are the Arguments made use of to propogate the Errors contrary to it § VI. The first and chief is drawn from that saying of the Apostle before mentioned 2 Cor. 5.18 19. God hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them From hence they seek to infer that Christ fully perfected the work of reconciliation while he was on Earth Obj. I answer Answ. If by Reconciliation be understood the removing of wrath and the purchase of that Grace by which we may come to be reconciled we agree to it but that that place speaks no more appears from the place it self for when the Apostle speaks in the perfect time saying He hath reconciled us he speaks of himself and the Saints who having received the Grace of God purchased by Christ were through Faith in him actually reconciled But as to the World he saith Reconciling not Reconciled which reconciling though it denotes a time somewhat past yet it is by the imperfect time denoting that the thing begun was not perfected For this work Christ began towards all in the days of his Flesh yea and long before for he was the Mediator from the beginning and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World But in his Flesh after he had perfectly fulfilled the Law and the Righteousness thereof and rent the vail and made way
Truth we affirm is advanced Yet nevertheless for the further evidencing of it I shall proceed to the second thing proposed by me to wit to prove this from several Testimonies of the Holy Scriptures § VIII And first I prove it from the peremptory positive command of Christ and his Apostles seeing this is a maxime ingraven in every mans heart naturally that no man is bound to that which is impossible since then Christ and his Apostles have commanded us to keep all the Commandments and to be perfect in this respect it is possible for us so to do Now that this is thus commanded without any commentary or consequence is evidently apparent from these plain Testimonies Matth. c. 5. v. 48.7.21 Joh. 13.17 1 Cor. 7.19 2 Cor. 13.11 1 John c. 2. v. 3 4 5 6. c. 3. v. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. These Scriptures intimate a positive command for it they declare the absolute necessity of it and therefore as if they had purposely been written to answer the objections of our Opposers they shew the folly of those that will esteem themselves Children or Friends of God while they do otherwise Secondly it is possible because we receive the Gospel and Law thereof for that effect and it 's expresly promised to us as we are under Grace as appears by these Scriptures Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace and Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his own Son c. That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us c. For if this were not a condition both requisite necessary and attainable under the Gospel there were no difference betwixt the bringing-in of a better hope and the Law which made nothing perfect neither betwixt those which are under the Gospel or who under the Law enjoyed and walked in the Life of the Gospel and meer Legalists Whereas the Apostle throughout that whole sixth to the Romans argues not only the possibility but necessity of being free from sin from their being under the Gospel and under Grace and not under the Law and therefore states himself and those to whom he wrote in that condition in these verses 2 3 4 5 6 7. and therefore in the 11 12 13.16 17 18 verses he argues both the possibility and necessity of this freedom from sin almost in the same manner we did a little before and the 22 he declares them in measure to have attained this condition in these words But now being made free from sin and become Servants to God ye have your Fruit unto Holiness and the end everlasting Life And as this perfection or freedom from sin is attained and made possible where the Gospel and inward Law of the Spirit is received and known so the ignorance hereof has been and is an occasion of opposing this Truth For man not minding the Light and Law within his heart which not only discovers sin but leads out of it and so being a stranger to the new Life and Birth that is born of God which naturally doth his will and cannot of its own nature transgress the Commandments of God doth I say in his natural state look at the Commandments as they are without him in the letter and finding himself reproved and convicted is by the letter killed but not made alive So man finding himself wounded and not applying himself inwardly to that which can heal labours in his own will after conformity to the Law as it is without him which he can never obtain but finds the more he wrestles the more he falleth short So this is the Jew still in effect with his carnal Commandment with the Law without in the first covenant state which makes not the comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the Conscience Heb. 9.9 though they may have here a notion of Christianity and an external Faith in Christ. This hath made them strain and wrest the Scriptures for an imputative Righteousness wholly without them to cover their impurities and this hath made them imagine an acceptance with God possible though they suppose it impossible ever to obey Christ's Commands But alas O deceived Souls that will not avail in the day wherein God will judge every man according to his works whether good or bad It will not save thee to say it was necessary for thee to sin daily in thought word and deed for such as do so have certainly obeyed unrighteousness And what is provided for such but tribulation and anguish indignation and wrath even as glory honour and peace immortality and Eternal Life to such as have done good and patiently continued in well doing So then if thou desirest to know this perfection and freedom from sin possible for thee turn thy mind to the Light and Spiritual Law of Christ in the heart and suffer the reproofs thereof bear the judgment and indignation of God upon the unrighteous part in thee as therein it is revealed which Christ hath made tollerable for thee and so suffer judgment in thee to be brought forth in victory and thus come to partake of the fellowship of Christ's sufferings and be made conformable unto his death that thou maist feel thy self crucified with him to the world by the power of his Cross in thee so that that life that sometimes was alive in thee to this world and the love and lusts thereof may die and a new Life be raised by which thou maist live hence forward to God and not to or for thy self and with the Apostle thou maist say Gal. 2.20 It is no more I but Christ alive in me and then thou wilt be a Christian indeed and not in name only as too many are Then thou wilt know what it is to have put off the old man with his deeds who indeed sins daily in thought word and deed and to have put on the New Man that is renewed in Holiness after the Image of him that hath created him Eph. 4.24 and thou wilt witness thy self to be Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works and so not to sin alwaies And to this New Man Christs yoak is easie and his burthen is light though it be heavy to the old Adam yea the Commandments of God are not unto this grievous For it is his meat and drink to be found fulfilling the will of God Lastly this perfection or freedom from sin is possible because many have attained it according to the express Testimony of the Scripture Some before the Law and some under the Law through witnessing and partaking of the benefit and effect of the Gospel and much more many under the Gospel As first it is written of Enoch Gen. 5.22 24 that he walked with God which no man while sinning can nor doth the Scripture record any feeling of his It is said of Noah Gen. 6.9 and of Job 1.8 and of Zacharias and Elizabeth
peccato originali lib. 2. cap. 2. Gelasius also in his disputation against Pelagius saith But if any affirm that this may be given to some Saints in his life not by the Power of mans strength but by the grace of God he doth well to think so confidently and hope it faithfully for by the gift of God all things are possible That this was the common opinion of the Fathers appears from the words of the Aszansik Council Canon last We believe also this according to the Catholick Faith that all that are baptized through Grace by baptism received and Christ helping them and co-working may and ought to do whatsoever belongs to Salvation if they will faithfully labour § XI Blessed then are they that believe in him who is both able and willing to deliver as many as come to him through true repentance from all sin and do not resolve as these men do to be the devil's servants all their life time but daily go on forsaking unrighteousness and forgetting those things that are behind press forwards towards the Mark for the Prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus such shall not find their faith and confidence to be in vain but in due time shall be made conquerors through him in whom they have believed and so overcoming shall be established as pillars in the house of God so as they shall go no more out Rev. 3. ver 12. The Ninth Proposition Concerning Perseverance and the possibility of falling from Grace Although this Gift and inward Grace of God be sufficient to work out Salvation yet in those in whom it is resisted it both may and doth become their condemnation Moreover they in whose hearts it hath wrought in part to purify and sanctifie them in order to their further perfection may by disobedience fall from it turn it to wantonness 1 Tim. 1.9 make shipwrack of faith and after having tasted the heavenly Gift and been made partakers of the Holy Ghost again fall away Heb. 6.4 5 6. yet such an increase and stability in the Truth may in this life be attained from which there can not be a total Apostasie § I. THE first sentence of this Proposition hath already been treated of in the 5 and 6 Propositions where it hath been shewn that that Light which is given for Life and Salvation becomes the condemnation of those that refuse it and therefore is already proved in those places where did demonstrate the possibility of man's resisting the Grace and Spirit of God and indeed it is so apparent in the Scriptures that it cannot be denied by such as will but seriously consider these testimonies Prov. 1.24 25 26. Joh. 3.18 19. 2 Thes. 2.11 12. Acts 7.51 13.46 Rom. 1. v. 18. As for the other part of it that they in whom this Grace may have wrought in a good measure in order to purifie and sanctifie them tending to their further perfection may afterwards through disobedience fall away c. The testimonies of the Scripture included in the Proposition it self are sufficient to prove it to men of unbyassed judgments But Because as to this part our cause is common with many other Protestants I shall be the more brief in it For it is not my design to do that which is done already neither do I covet to appear knowing by writing much but simply purpose to present to the world a faithful account of our principles and briefly to let them understand what we have to say for our selves § II. From these Scriptures then included in the Proposition not to mention any more which might be urged I argue thus If men may turn the Grace of God into wantonness then they must once argument 1 have had it But the first is true Therefore also the Second argument 2 If men may make shipwrack of faith they must once have had it neither could they ever have had true faith without the Grace of God But the first is true Therefore also the last argument 3 If men may have tasted of the heavenly Gift and been made partakers of the holy Spirit and afterwards fall away they must needs have known in measure the operation of Gods Saving Grace and Spirit without which no man could tast the heavenly Gift nor yet partake of the Holy Spirit But the first is true Therefore also the last Secondly Seeing the contrary doctrin is built upon this false hypothesis that Grace is not given for salvation to any but to a certain elect number which cannot lose it that all the rest of mankind by an absolute decree are debarred from grace and salvation that being destroyed this falls to the ground Now as that doctrine of theirs is wholly inconsistent with the daily practice of those that preach it in that they exhort people to believe and be saved while in the mean time if they belong to the decree of reprobation it is simply impossible for them so to do and if to the decree of election it is needless seeing it is as impossible to them to miss of it as hath been before demonstrated so also in this matter of perseverance their practice and principle are no less inconsistent and contradictory for while they daily exhort people to be faithful to the end shewing them if they continue not they shall be cut-off and fall short of the reward which is very true but no less inconsistent with that doctrine that affirms there is no hazard because no possibility of departing from the least measure of true Grace Which if true it is to no purpose to beseech them to stand to whom God hath made it impossible to fall I shall not longer insist upon the probation of this seeing what is said may suffice to answer my design and that the thing is also abundantly proved by many of the same judgment That this was the doctrine of the primitive Protestants thence appears that the Augustan confession condemns it as an error of the Anabaptists to say that who once are justified they cannot lose the Holy Spirit Many such like sayings are to be found in the common places of Philip Melancthon Vossius in his Pelagian History lib. 6. testifies that this was the common opinion of the Fathers in the confirmation of the 12 These pag. 587. he hath these words that this which we have said was the common sentiment of antiquity those at present can only deny who otherways perhaps are men not unlearned but nevertheless in antiquity altogether strangers c. These things thus observed I come to the objections of our opposers Obj. § III. First they alledge that those places mentioned of making shipwrack of faith is only understood of seeming faith and not of a real true faith This objection is very weak and apparently contrary to the Text Answ. 1 Tim. 1.19 where the Apostle addeth to faith a good Conscience by way of complaint whereas if their faith had been only seeming and hypocritical the men had been
throughout for the Apostle in that Chapter treating of the diversity of Gifts and Members of the Body sheweth how by the working of the same Spirit in different manifestations or measures in the several Members of the whole Body is edified saying v. 13. That we are all baptized by the One Spirit into one Body and then v. 28. he numbers out the several dispensations thereof which by God are set in the Church through the various working of his Spirit for the edification of the whole Then if there be no true member of the body which is not thus baptized by this Spirit neither any thing that worketh to the edifying of it but according to a measure of Grace received from the Spirit surely without Grace none ought to be admitted to work or labour in the body because their labour and work without this Grace and Spirit would not be ineffectual § XVI Thirdly that this Grace and Gift is a necessary qualification to a Minister is clear from that of the Apostle Peter 1 Peter 4.10 11. As every man hath received the Gift even so minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God if any man minister let him do it as of the ability which God giveth that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever Amen From which it appears That these that minister must minister according to the Gift and Grace received but they that have not such a Gift cannot minister according thereunto Secondly As good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God But how can a man be a good Steward of that which he hath not Can ungodly men that are not gracious themselves be good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God and therefore in the following Verses he makes an exclusive limitation of such as are not thus furnished saying If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God and if any man minister let him do it as of the ability that God giveth which is as much as if he had said They that cannot thus speak and thus minister ought not to do it For this If denotes a necessary condition Now what this ability is is manifest by the former words to wit the Gift received and the Grace whereof they are Stewards as by the immediate context and dependency of the words doth appear neither can it be understood of a meer natural ability because man in this condition is said not to know the things of God and so he cannot minister them to others And the following words shew this also in that he immediately subjoyneth That God in all things may be glorified but surely God is not glorified but greatly dishonoured when natural men from their meer natural ability meddle in Spiritual things which they neither know nor understand Fourthly that Grace is a most necessary qualification for a Minister appears by these qualifications which the Apostle expressly requires 1 Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1. c. where he saith A Bishop must be blameless vigilant sober of good behaviour apt to teach patient a lover of good men just holy temperate as the Steward of God holding fast the faithful Word as he hath been taught Upon the other hand He must neither be given to Wine nor a Striker nor covetous nor proud nor self-willed nor soon angry Now I ask If it be not impossible that a man can have all these above-named Vertues and be free of all these Evils without the Grace of God if then these Vertues for the producing of which in a man Grace is absolutely necessary be necessary to make a true Minister of the Church of Christ according to the Apostles judgment surely Grace must be necessary also Concerning this thing a learned man and well skilled in Antiquity about the time of the Reformation writeth thus Whatsoever is done in the Church either for Ornament or Edification of Religion whether in chusing Magistrates or instituting Ministers of the Church except it be done by the ministry of Gods Spirit which is as it were the Soul of the Church it is vain and wicked For whoever hath not been called by the Spirit of God to the great office of God and dignity of Apostleship as Aaron was and hath not entred in by the door which is Christ but hath otherways risen in the Church by the window by the favours of men c. truly such a one is not the Vicar of Christ and the Apostles but a thief and a Robber and the Vicar of Judas Iscariot and Simon the Samaritan Hence it was so strictly appointed concerning the election of Prelates which holy Dionisius calls Sacrament of Nomination that the Bishops and Apostles who should oversee the Service of the Church should be men of most intire manners and life powerful in sound Doctrine to give a reason for all things So also another about the same time writeth thus Therefore it can never be that by the Tongues or Learning any can give a sound judgment concerning the Holy Scriptures and the Truth of God Lastly saith he the Sheep of Christ seeketh nothing but the Voice of Christ which he knoweth by the Holy Spirit wherewith he is filled he regards not learning Tongues or any outward thing so as therefore to believe this or that to be the voice of Christ his true Shepherd he knoweth that there is need of no other thing but the testimony of the Spirit of God § XVII Against this absolute necessity of grace they object That if all Ministers had the saving Grace of God Obj. then all ministers should be saved seeing none can fall away from or lose Saving Grace But this Objection is built upon a false Hypothesis Answ. purely denyed by us and we have in the former Proposition concerning Perseverance already refuted it Obj. Secondly it may be objected to us That since we affirm that every Man hath a measure of true and Saving Grace there needs no singular qualifications neither to a Christian nor Minister for seeing every man hath this Grace then no man needs forbear to be a Minister for want of Grace Answ. I answer We have above shewn that there is necessary to the making a Minister a special and particular call from the Spirit of God which is something besides the universal dispensation of Grace to all according to that of the Apostle No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Moreover we understand by Grace as a qualification to a Minister not the meer measure of Light as it is given to reprove and call him to righteousness but we understand Grace as it hath converted the Soul and operateth powerfully in it as hereafter concerning the work of Ministers will further appear So we understand not men simply as having Grace in them as a Seed which we indeed affirm
Apostle used the word Evangelist Calvin acknowledgeth that such as preach the Gospel in purity after some time of Apostacy may be truly called Evangelists and therefore saith that there were Apostles in his time and hence the Protestants at their first coming forth termed themselves Evangeleci or Evangeliks Lastly an Apostle if we look to the Etymology of the word signifies one that is sent and in respect every true Minister is sent of God in so far he is an Apostle though these Twelve because of their being specially sent of Christ were therefore called Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or per eminentiam i. e. by way of excellency And yet there was no limitation to such a number as some foolishly imagine it appears because after that number was filled up the Apostle Paul was afterwards so called therefore we judg that these are no distinct separate Offices but only Names used upon occasions to express the more eminent arising and shining forth of God's Grace as if any Minister of Christ should now Prosolyte or turn a whole Nation to the Christian Faith though he had no distinct Office yet I doubt not but both Papists and Protestants would judg it tolerable to call such an one an Apostle or an Evangelist For some of the Jesuits call of their Sect Apostles of India and of Japon upon this alledged account And Calvin testifies that there were Apostles and Evangelists in his time upon the account of the Reformation upon which account we have known John Knox often called the Apostle of Scotland so that we conclude that Ministers Pastors or Teachers doth comprehend all and that the Office is but one and therefore in that respect we judg there ought to be no precedency among them to prove which I shall not insist seeing it is shewn largely and treated of by such as have denyed the Diocesian Episcopacy as they call it § XXVI As to the first part of the objection viz. that I seem to make no distinction betwixt the Minister and People I answer If it be understood of a liberty to Speak or Prophecy by the Spirit I say all may do that when moved thereunto as above is shewn but we do believe and affirm that some are more particularly called to the work of the Ministry and therefore are fitted of the Lord for that purpose whose work is more constantly and particularly to instruct exhort admonish oversee and watch over their Brethren and that as there is something more incumbent upon them in that respect than upon every common Believer so also as in that relation there is due to them from the Flock such obedience and subjection as is mentioned in these Testimonys of the Scripture Heb. 13.17 1 Thess. 5.12 13. 1 Tim. 5.17 1 Pet. 5.5 Also besides these who are thus particularly called to the Ministry and constant labour in the Word and Doctrine there are also the Elders who though they be not moved to a frequent Testimony by way of Declaration in Words yet as such as are grown up in the experience of the blessed work of Truth in their Hearts watch over and privately admonish the Young care for the Widows the Poor and Fatherless and care and look that nothing be wanting but that Peace Love Unity Concord and Soundness be preserved in the Church of Christ and this answers to the Deacons mentioned Acts 6. That which we oppose is the distinction of Laity and Clergy which in the Scripture is not to be found whereby none are admitted unto the work of the Ministry but such as are educated at Schools on purpose and instructed in Logick and Philosophy c. And so are at their Apprenticeship to learn the Art and Trade of Preaching even as a man learns any other Art whereby all other honest mechanick men who have not got this Heathenish Art are excluded from having this priviledg and so he that is a Schollar thus bred up must not have any honest trade whereby to get him a Lively-hood if he once intend for the Ministry but he must see to get him a place and then he hath his set hire for a Lively-hood to him he must also be distinguished from the rest by the Colour of his Cloaths for he must only wear Black and must be a Master of Arts but more of this hereafter § XXVII As this manner of separating men for the Ministry is nothing like the Church in the Apostles days so great Evils have and do follow upon it for first Parents seeing both the Honour and Profit that attends the Clergy do allot their Children sometimes from their Infancy to it and so breed them up on purpose and others come to age upon the same account betake them to the same Trade and having these natural and acquired parts that are judged the necessary qualifications of a Minister are thereby admitted and so are bred up in Idleness and Pleasure thinking it a disgrace for them to work with their hands only if they study a little out of their Books to make a discourse once or twice in a Week during the running of an Hour-glass Whereas the Gift Grace and Spirit of God to call gift and qualifie for the Ministry is neglected and overlooked And many Covetous Corrupt Earthly Carnal men having a meer shew and form but strangers to and utterly ignorant of the inward work of Grace upon their hearts are brought in and intrude themselves and so through them Death Barrenness and Darkness and by consequence Superstition Error and Idolatry hath entred and leavened the Church and they that will narrowly observe shall find that it was thus the Apostacy came to take place of the Truth of which I could give many examples which for brevities sake I omit For so the Office Reverence and respect due to it was annexed to the meer name so that when once a man was ordained a Bishop or a Priest he was heard and believed though he had nothing of the Spirit Power and Life that the true Apostles and Ministers were in that in a short time the succession came to be of the Name and Title and the Office was thereto annexed and not of the Nature Vertue and Life Which in effect made them to cease to be the Ministry and Ministers of Christ but only a shadow and vain image of it which also decaying was in some ages so metamorphosed that not only the substance was lost but the very form wholly vitiated alterated and marred that it may be far better said of the pretended Christian Church as was disputed of Theseus's Boat which by the piecing of many new pieces of Timber was wholly altered whether indeed it were the same or another But in case that the first had been of Oak and the last pieces put in but of rotten Fir and that also the form had been so far changed as to be nothing like the first I think it would have suffered no dispute but might have easily been concluded to be quite
become a Proverb that the KIRK is always GREEDY Whereby the Gift and Grace of God being neglected they have for for the most part no other motive or rule in applying themselves to one Church more than another but the greater Benefice For tho they hypocritically pretend at their accepting of and entring unto their Church that they have nothing before them but the Glory of God and the Salvation of Souls yet if a richer Benefice offer it self they presently find it more for God's Glory to remove from the first and go thither And thus they make no difficulty often to change while notwithstanding they accuse us that we allow Ministers to go from place to place and not to be tied to one place but we allow this not for the gaining of money but as moved of God for if a Minister be called to Minister in a particular place he ought not to leave it except God call him from it and then he ought to obey for we make the will of God inwardly revealed and not the love of money and more gain the ground of removing Secondly From this abuse hath proceeded that Luxury and Idleness that most of the Clergy live in even among Protestants as well as Papists to the great scandal of Christianity For not having lawful Trades to work with their hands and being so superfluously and sumptuosly provided for they live in Idleness and Luxury and there doth more Pride Vanity and Worldly Glory appear in their Wives and Children than in most others which is open and evident to all Thirdly They become hereby so glewed to the love of money that there is none like them in malice rage and cruelty if they deny their hire they rage like drunken men fret fume and as it were go mad A man may sooner satisfie the severest Creditor than them the general voice of the poor doth confirm this for indeed they are far more exact in taking up the Tithes of Sheep Geese Swine and Eggs c. and look more narrowly to it than to the members of the Flock they will not miss the least mite and the poorest Widow cannot escape their avaritious hands twenty Lyes they will hear unreproved and as many Oaths a man may swear in their hearing without offending them and greater evils than all this they can overlook But if thou owest them ought and refuse to pay it then nothing but war will they thunder against thee and they will stigmatize thee with the horrible Title of Sacriledg and send thee to Hell without mercy as if thou hadst committed the sin against the Holy Ghost Of all People we can best bear witness to this for God having shewn us this corrupt and Anti-Christian Ministry and called us out from it and gathered us unto his own Power and Life to be a separate People so that we dare not joyn with nor hear these Anti-Christian hirelings neither yet put into their mouths or feed them O! what malice envy and fury hath this raised in their Hearts against us that tho we get none of their wares neither will buy them as knowing them to be nought yet will they force us to give them money and because we cannot for conscience sake do it our sufferings have upon that account been unutterable Yea to give account of their cruelty and several sorts of inhumanity used against us would make no small History These avaritious Hirelings have come to that degree of malice and rage that several poor labouring men have been carried hundreds of miles from their own dwellings and shut up in prison some two some three yea some seven years together for the value of one pound sterling and less I know my self a poor Widow that for the tithes of her Geese which amounted not to five shillings was about four years kept in prison thirty miles from her house Yea they by violence for this cause have plundred of mens goods the hundred fold and prejudiced much more yea hundreds have hereby spilt their innocent blood by dying in the filthy noisom holes and prisons and some of the Priests have been so inraged that Goods thus ravished could not satisfie them but they must also satisfie their fury by beating knocking and wounding with their hands innocent men and women for refusing for Conscience sake to put into their mouths The only way then soundly to reform and remove all these abuses and take away the ground and occasion of them is to take away all stinted and forced maintainance and stipend and seeing those things were anciently given by the people that they return again into the publick treasure and thereby the people may be greatly benefited by them for that they may supply for these publick taxations and impositions that are put upon them and may ease themselves of them And whoever call or appoint teachers to themselves let them accordingly entertain them And for such as are called and moved to the Ministry by the Spirit of God those that receive them and taste of the good of their Ministry will no doubt provide things needful for them and there will be no need of a Law to force a hire for them for he that sends them will take care for them and they also having food and raiment will therewith be content § XXXIII The sum then of what is said Is that The Ministry that we have pleaded for and which also the Lord hath raised up among us is in all its parts like the true Ministry of the Apostles and primitive Church Whereas the Ministry our adversaries seek to uphold and plead for as it doth in all its parts differ from them so on the other hand it is very like the false Prophets and Teachers testified against and condemned in the Scripture as may be thus briefly illustrated 1. The Mintstry and Minister we plead for are such as are immediately called and sent forth by Christ and his Spirit unto the work of the Ministry so were the holy Apostles and Prophets as appears by these places Matth. 10. verse 1.5 Eph. 4.11 Heb. 5.4 1. But the Ministry and Ministers our opposers plead for are such as have no immediate call from Christ to whom the leading and motion of the Spirit is not reckoned necessary but who are called sent forth and ordained by wicked and ungodly men such were of old the false Prophets and Teachers as appears by these places Jer. 14.14 15. item chap. 23.21 and 27.15 2. The Ministers we plead for are such as are acted and led by God's Spirit and by the power and operation of his Grace in their hearts are in some measure converted and regenerate and so are good holy and gracious men such were the Holy Prophets and Apostles as appears from 1 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5 6. Tit. 1.7 8 9. 2. But the Ministers our adversaries plead for are such to whom the Grace of God is no needful qualification and so may be true Ministers according to them though they be ungodly
this is against your profession As if indeed so to do were very consistent with theirs wherein though they speak the Truth yet they give away their cause But if they can find any under our name in any of those evils common among themselves as who can imagine but among so many thousands there will be some chaff since of twelve Apostles one was found so be a devil O! how will they insult and make more noise of the escape of one Quaker than of an hundred among themselves § II. But there are some singular things which most of all our adversaries plead for the lawfulness of and allow themselves in as no ways inconsistent with the Christian Religion which we have found to be no ways lawful unto us and have been commanded of the Lord to lay them aside though the doing thereof hath occasioned no small sufferings and buffetings and hath procured us much hatred and malice from the world And because the nature of these things is such that they do upon the very sight distinguish us and make us known so that we cannot hide our selves from any without proving unfaithful to our testimony our tryals and exercises have herethrough proved the more numerous and difficult as will after appear These I have laboured briefly to comprehend in this Proposition but they may more largely be exhibited in those Six following Propositions 1. That it is not lawful to give to men such flattering Titles as your Holyness your Majesty your Eminency your Excellency your Grace your Lordship your Honour c. nor use those flattering words commonly called COMPLEMENTS 2. That it is not lawful for Christians to kneel or prostrate themselves to any man or to bow the body or to uncover the head to them 3. That it is not lawful for a Christian to use superfluities in apparel as are of no use save for ornament and vanity 4. That it is not lawful to use games sports plays nor among other things Comedies among Christians under the notion of recreations which do not agree with Christian silence gravity and sobriety for laughing sporting gaming mocking jesting talking c. is not Christian liberty nor harmless mirth 5. That it is not lawful for Christians to swear at all under the Gospel not only not vainly and in their common discourse which was also forbidden under the Mosaical Law but even not in Judgment before the Magistrate 6. That it is not lawful for Christians to resist evil or to war or fight in any case Before I enter upon a particular disquisition of these things I shall first premise some general considerations to prevent all mistakes and next add some general considerations which equally respect all of them I would not have any judg that hereby we intend to destroy the mutual relation that either is betwixt Prince and people Master and servant Parents and children nay not at all We shall evidence that our Principle in these things hath no such tendency and that these natural relations are rather better established than any ways hurt by it Next let not any judge that from our opinion in these things any necessity of levelling will follow or that all men must have things in common Our Principle leaves every man to enjoy that peaceably which either his own industry or parents have purchased to him only he is thereby instructed to use it aright both for his own good and that of his brethren and all to the Glory of God In which also his acts are to be voluntary and no ways constrained And further we say not hereby that no man may use the creation more or less than another For we know that as it hath pleased God to dispense it diversly giving to some more and some less so they may use it accordingly The several conditions under which men are diversly stated together with their educations answering thereunto do sufficiently shew this the servant is not the same way educated as the Master nor the Tennant as the Land-lord nor the rich as the poor nor the Prince as the Peasant Now though it be not lawful for any however great abundance they may have or whatever their education may be to use that which is meerly superfluous yet seeing their education has accustomed them thereunto and their capacity enables them so to do without being profuse or extravagant they may use things better in their kind than such whose education hath neither accustomed them to such things nor their capacity will reach to compass them For it is beyond question that whatever thing the Creation affords is for the use of man and the moderate use of them is lawful yet per accidens they may be unlawful to some and not to others As for instance who by reason of his estate and education hath been used to eat flesh and drink wine to be cloathed with the finest wool if his estate bear it and he use it neither in superfluity nor immoderately he may do it and perhaps if he should apply himself to feed or be cloathed as are the peasants it might prejudice the health of his body and nothing advance his Soul But if a man whose estate and education had accustomed to both courser food and rayment should stretch himself beyond what he had or were used to to the manifest prejudice of his Family and Children no doubt it would be unlawful to him even so to eat or be cloathed as another in whom it is lawful for that that other may as much mortified and have denyed himself as much in coming down to that which this aspires to as he in willing to be like him aspires beyond what he either is able or hath accustomed to The safe place then is for such as have fulness to watch over themselves that they use it moderately and rescind all superfluities being willing so far as they can to help the need of those to whom Providence hath allotted a smaller allowance Let the brother of high degree rejoyce in that he is abased and such as God calls in a low degree to be content with their condition not envying those brethren who have greater abundance knowing they have received abundance as to the inward man which is chiefly to be regarded And therefore beware of such a temptation as to use their calling as an engine to be richer knowing they have this advantage beyond the rich and noble that are called that the Truth doth not any ways abase them nay not in the esteem of the world as it doth the other but that they are rather exalted thereby in that as to the inward and spiritual fellowship of the Saints they become the brethren and companion of the greatest and richest and in this respect let him of low degree rejoyce that he is exalted These things premised I would seriously propose unto all such as mind in reality to be Christians indeed and that in nature and not in name only whether it were not desirable and would not
greatly contribute to the commendation of Christianity and to the increase of the life and vertue of Christ if all superfluous titles of honour profuseness and prodigality in meat and apparel excess of gaming sporting and playing were laid aside and forborn And whether such as lay them aside in so doing walk not more like the Disciples of Christ and his Apostles and are therein nearer their example than such as use them Whether the laying them aside would hinder any from being good Christians or if Christians might not be better without them than with them Certainly the sober and serious among all sorts will say yea Then surely such as lay them aside as reckoning them unsutable for Christians are not to be blamed but rather commended for so doing because that both in principle and practise they effectually advance that which others acknowledg were desirable but can never make effectual so long as they allow the use of them as lawful And God hath made it manifest in this age that by discovering the evil of such things and leading his Witnesses out of them and to testifie against them he hath produced effectually in many that mortification and abstraction from the love and cares of this world who daily are conversing in the world but inwardly redeemed out of it both in Wedlock and in their lawful imployments which was judged could only be obtained by such as were shut up in Cloysters and Monasteries This much in general § III. As to the first we affirm positively that it is not lawful for Christians either to give or receive these titles of honour as your Holiness your Majesty your Excellency your Eminency c. First because these titles are no part of that obedience which is due to Magistrates or Superiors neither doth the giving them add to nor diminish from that subjection we owe to them which consists in obeying their just and lawful commands not in titles and designations Secondly We find not that in the Scripture any such titles are used either under the Law or the Gospel but that in the speaking to Kings Princes or Nobles they used only a simple compellation as O King and that without any further designation save perhaps the name of the person as O King Agrippa c. Thirdly It laies a necessity upon Christians most frequently to lie because the persons obtaining these titles either by Election or Hereditarily may frequently be found to have nothing really in them deserving them or answering them as some to whom it is said Your Excellency having nothing of Excellency in them and who is called Your Grace appear to be an enemy to Grace and he who is called Your Honour is known to be base and ignoble I wonder what law of man or what patent ought to oblige me to make a lie in calling good evil and evil good I wonder what Law of man can secure me in so doing from the just Judgment of God that will make me count for every idle word and to lye is something more Surely Christians should be ashamed that such Laws manifestly crossing the Law of God should be among them If it be said We ought in Charity to suppose that they have these vertues because the King has bestowed those titles upon them or that they are descended of such as deserved them I answer Charity destroys not knowledg I am not obliged Answ. by charity either to believe or speak a lie Now it is apparent and cannot be denied by any but that those vertues are not in many of the persons expressed by the titles they bear neither will they allow to speak so to such in whom these vertues are unless they be so dignified by outward Princes So that such as are truly vertuous must not be stiled by their vertues because not priviledged by the Princes of this World and such as have them not must be so called because they have obtained a patent so to be and all this is done by those who pretend to be his followers that commanded his Disciples not to call any man Master and told them such could not believe as received honour one from another and sought not the honour which cometh from God only This is so plain to such as will indeed be Christians that it needs no consequence Fourthly as to those titles of Holiness Eminency and Excellency used among the Papists to the Pope and Cardinal c. and Grace Lordship and Worship used to the Clergy among the Protestants it is a most blasphemous usurpation For if they use Holiness and Grace because these things ought to be in a Pope or in a Bishop how come they to usurp that peculiarly to themselves Ought not Holiness and Grace to be in every Christian And so every Christian should say Your Holiness and Your Grace one to another Next how can they in reason claim any more titles than were practised and received by the Apostles and primitive Christians whose successors they pretend they are and as whole successors and no otherwise themselves I judge will confess any honour they seek is due to them Now if they neither sought received nor admitted such honour nor titles how came these by them If they say they did let them prove it if they can we find no such thing in the Scripture The Christians speak to the Apostles without any such denominations neither saying If it please your Grace Your Holiness Your Lordship nor your Worship they are neither called My Lord Peter nor My Lord Paul nor yet Master Peter nor Master Paul nor Doctor Peter nor Doctor Paul but singly Peter and Paul and that not only in the Scripture but for some hundreds of years after So that this appears to be a manifest fruit of the Apostasie for if these titles arise either from the office or worth of the persons it will not be denied but the Apostles deserved them better than any now that call for them But the case is plain the Apostles had the Holiness the Excellency the Grace and because they were Holy Excellent and Gracious they neither used nor admitted of such titles but these having neither Holiness Excellency nor Grace will needs be so called to satisfie their ambitious and ostentive minds which is a manifest token of their Hypocrisie Fifthly as to that title of Majesty usually ascribed to Princes we do not find it given to any such in the Holy Scripture But that it is specially and peculiarly ascribed unto God as 1 Chron. 29.11 Job 37.22 Psal. 21.5.29.4.43.3.63.1.96.6 Isa. 2.10.24.14.26.10 Heb. 1.3 2 Pet. 1.16 and many more places Hence saith Jude ver 25. To the only Wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty c. not to men We find in Scripture the proud King Nebuchadnezzar assuming this title to himself Dan. 4.30 who at that time received a sufficient reproof by a sudden Judgment which came upon him Therefore in all the compellations used to Princes in the Old Testament is not to be