comp with Ioh. 7 38 39. 2. It is affirmed that he is in them and abideth in them Psal. 51 11. Rom. 8 9 11 15. 1 Cor. 2 12. Gal. 4 6. 1 Tim. 3 14. 1 Ioh. 2 27. Rom. 5 5. 3. He Sealeth them unto the day of redemption Ephes. 1 23. 4 30. 2 Cor. 1 21. 4. He is a Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8 15. Gal. 4 5 6. 10. Fourthly If we consider the Covenant of Redemption betwixt Iehovah and the Lord Mediator this will be abundantly evinced For 1. The Father hath given a number to Christ to save Ioh. 17 2 9 11 12. 6 37 39. And Christ hath undertaken to save them Ioh. 6 37 39 40. 2. The Father hath undertaken that Christ shall see his seed Esa. 53 10. and see of the travel of his soul be satisfied Esa. 53 11. Psal. 72 8. 3. Christ had a commission to goe about this work to bring many sones unto glory was qualified for this end Esai 61 1 2 3. Esa. 42 6 7. 49 9. Heb. 2 10. 4. The Fathâ—r hath promised to give Christ what he asketh Psal. 2 8. 89 2â— 27 28. 5. Yea He hath sworne that he shall have an issue Psal. 89 35 36. Act. 2 30 31. Psal 132 11 12. 2 Sam. 7 12. 1 King 8 25. Luk. 1 61. 11. Fiftly The consideration of the nature of the Covenant of Grace will conâ—â—rme this for that is an everlasting and unchangable Covenant and haâ—h the promise of Perseverance in its bosome Gen. 17 vers 7. Ier. 31 vers 31 32 33. 32 vers 38 â—9 40. Ezech 11 17 18 19 20. Hos 2 19 23. Ioh 6 54 56. Esai 54 10. 12. Sixtly The Grace infused in souls according to the Covenant of grace is of an enduring nature especially considering how it is Watered Preserâ—ed and Cared for It is a remaining seed 1 Ioh. 3 9. sowne in good ground Luk. 8.15 by the rivers of water Psal. 1 3. And watered every moment Esai 27.3 See Ioh. 4 14. 7 38. And so is differenced from Gifts and Common graces and from temporary Faith and grace that evanisheth in the day of tryal 1 Ioh. 2 19. Luk. 8 18. Ioh 2 23 24. Mat 13 21. Ioh. 17 9. what this true faith is see Tit. 1 1. 1 Tim. 1 5 Gal. 5 6. 2 Pet. 1 1. 13 Seventhly The consideration of the hurt and dammage that the Asserting of the Apoâ—tasie of the Saints bringeth necessarâ—ly with it unto Christians may have its owne weight here For 1 Then they could not in faith and confidence pray for it for what is purely in the power of mans Free will and is not the sole work of God and of his grace we cannot we need not pray for contrare to Ioh. 14 13 14. Ephes. 3 17 18. 1 Thes. 5 23 â—4 and the Lords prayer teacheth us to pray that his Name be hallowed that his Kingdom come and that his Will be done in earth as in heaven 2. This would destroy their Hope and Confidence in God for preservation in the times of tryal and temptation contrare to Rom. 8 vers 35 38 39. 3. This would take away their joy of the holy Ghost anâ— Consolation and give ground of continual Anxiety Doubts Feares c. 14. Eightly The consideration of the blow that this doctrine would give unto many articles of our Faith and undoubted truths of our Religion may confirme us against it As 1 It would render the Obedience and Sufferings of Christ null and useless for he should then suffer and die and no man might be saved or healed by his stripes and death 2. It would also render his Resurrection Ascension and Sitting at the Fathers right hand ineffectual For notwithstanding thereof no man might be saved 3. It destroyeth his Death as the Death of a Cautioner for no man can be said to have died with him risen with him and to sit with him in heavenly places contrary to Rom. 6 3 4 5 8. Eph. 2 5 6. Col. 3 1. nor can he be said to prepare mansions for anâ— contrare to Ioh. 14 2 3. 4. It maketh the grand promise of the Spirit null of no effect 5. It taketh away the Catholick Church that shall certainly come to mount Zion and to the innumerable company of angels c. Heb. 12 22 23 24. 6. It would null that Christian Communion and sweet Fellowship of Saints 7. It would make Remission of sins of little comfort 8. And take away the faith of Life Everlasting 15. Having premised these things for clearing and confirming of the truth we come to examine what he sayes against it Pag. 167. § 2. He reasoneth from Iud vers 4. and supposeth that these that turned the grace of God into lasciviousness had once grace not knowing that this was not grace inherent or the true grace of God placed and planted in the soul and wrought there by the Spirit of grace but external grace held forth in the Gospel offer even that grace that shouâ—d have taught them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to have lived soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2 12. It is that grace which is outwardly spoken and preached Act. 14 3. Ephes. 3 2. 1 Pet. 4 10. Next He reasoneth from 1 Tim. 1 19. supposing that that faith which some made shipewrak of was true and saving faith contrare to 2 Tim. â— 17. 4 14. while as it was nothing but the doctrine of faith as the word also is taken 1 Tim. 3 9. 4 1. Gal. 1 23. 3 2 5 23 25. Act. 6 7. Rom. 1 5 8. In the third place he reasoneth from Heb. 6 4 5. Not so much as noticeing that the words are but Conditional and not Absolute if they fall away And that there is nothing here no not one expression that is necessarily to be understood of true and saâ—ing grace and not of meer gifts and common graces given in a more than ordinary measure no one expression here of Regeneration of true Sanctification of Closeing with Christ of their being Justified or Adopted or Elected c. Nay the Apostle compareth them to ground upon which the raine falleth and yet beareth nothing but thornes and briars vers 8. distinguisheth them from those to whom he wrote of whom he expected better thingâ— that accompany salvation vers 9. and from true beleevers vers 10 11 12 13 14 17 18 19. When our Quaker out of his friends the Socinians Arminians shall say any thing to prove that these expressions import true and saving grace we may then think it time to spâ—ak more of this but seing he is pleased to give us no more here but his naked assertion we have said enough and so proceed 16. The next thing he alleigeth against this truth is a supposition that he hath undermined the ground thereof viz. Election But how superficially this was attempted we have seen But he sayes
pathes of Truth and Righteousness are revealed 543 15. They say They only exhibite the true spiritual pure and substantial Christian Religion 544 16. They say the forme of their person at death returneth from whence it was taken 546 17. They are as Christ was who thought it no robbery to be equal with God 547 18. Their writings are the voice of the Son of God by which the dead are raised and the Shield of truth c. 548 19. Their trembling and quaking is such as Moses and other Prophets had 553 20. They ascribe as much to their owne writings as to the Scriptures 83 2. Of Humane Learning 1. They inveigh against humane learning 5 2. They speak basely of learned men 8 10 3. They condemne the study of original languages 382 3. Of the Scriptures 1. They speak most basely of the Scriptures 8 11 33 45 46 50 54 57 2. They deny the Scriptures to be the Rule of life 11 54 3. They deny them to be the word of God 51 547 4. They speak jejunly of their necessity excellency and perfection 55 5 They make them at most but a subordinat Rule 58 65 82 6. They have no authority with them without a new Revelation 63 7. They are no Rule to them 67 82 84 8. They call them imperfect 74 80 87 9. They say it is blasphemy to call the letter the word of God 547 10. It is the Devil that contendeth for the Scriptures being the word of God 547 11. Who say the letter is the Rule and Guid are without feeding on the husk 547 12. Who look on the Scripture for a Rule give that to it which belongeth to Christ 547 13. The Scriptures are but inck and paper a writing the old dead letter part of it are words of the Devil they have no light in them 548 14. They are an earthly root a shadow dangerous to feed on 548 1â— They disswade us from reading and studying them 548 16. They say we have Moses and the Prophets within us 548 17. They say Scriptures cannot binde us 549 18. They say we have the Scriptures within us that they were read within before they were read without 548 19. To say that the light in the Scriptures must be guide to the light within is idolatry and evil 549 20. They call them useless to repel temptations 549 21. They wish we were stripped of all Scripture-knowledge 549 22. They call them Traditions of Men darkness and Confusion Nebuchadnezzars Image Putrifaction and Corruption Rotten and deceitful Apostacy the Whores cup the mark of the Beast Bastards brought forth of flesh and blood Babylons brats Graven images 549 23. They say To observe the practices of the Saints recorded in Scripture is to make to ourselves a graven image 549 4. Of God 1. They deny the distinction betwixt God's will of Command and his will of Good pleasure 159 2. They deny his active Providence about sin 150 3. With them God only worketh a possibility of Salvation 250 4. They say it is injustice in God to require more then he enableth to do 339 344 5. They say God ordained nothing from eternity 11 5. Of the Trinity 1. They deny three distinct persons in the Trinity 10 11 15 6. Of the Holy Ghost 1. They are not clear and distinct concerning the personality of the Holy Ghost 41 7. Of Christ. 1. They deny that Christ is God and Man in one person 11 2. They deny that he is a distinct person from any of his Members 11 3. They say his coming againe is in the Spirit 11 4. They deny his second coming againe 17 5. They are not clear concerning Jesus of Nazareth's being the Son of God 24 6. They acknowledge no Christ but a Christ within them 91 7. They say Christ is as really in every Man as in that flesh that suffered at Jerusalem 92 239 8. Christ is the Election and the elect Seed with them 228 9. They give him only a gradual preference to themselves 238 239 10. They say Christ dwelleth in us by his Seed 238 11. They make him nothing but a meer holy Man 239 12. They say He is in all persons as in the Seed and Light 245 13. They say He is crucified in unbeleevers 246 14. They call the body that Christ had of Mary an outward Body and Temple beside which they say he had a spiritual body 488 15. By this Spiritual body they say he revealed himself to men in all ages and by it men had communion with God and Christ 488 16. When we look to Christ they say we look to a Redeemer afar off 551 17. That which Christ took upon him they say was our garment 551 18. They say the bodily garment was not Christ but that which appeared and dwelt in that body 551 19. A Christ without is but a carnal Christ with them 551 20. By this carnal Christ they say there is no salvation 551 21. They say we feed on a thing dead long ago 550 8. Of Adam 1. They say the Covenant wherein Adam stood was the Covenant of Grace 11 16 2. They say the Law written in Adam's heart was not the Moral Law 16 9. Of the Fall 1. They are unclear touching the sin of Adam and the fall 88 2. They say the knowledg of the fall â—s not necessary 89 3. They say Man fell only in a certain respect 89 4. The fall did not take away say they the light within 94 5. They deny bodily death to be a punishment of sin 98 125 126 127 10. Of Original sin 1. They make original sin to be a substance 96 2. They talk enigmatically of the depravation of man by nature 97 100 3. They deny original sin in Infants whether as to imputation of guilt or as to corruption of nature 111 112 113 c. 4. They deny all imputation of sin to Infants till they actually sinne themselves 122 123 5. They say sin is not propagated but cometh by occasion or imitation 124 125 11. Of the State of Nature 1. They deny natural corruption to be sin 120 121 2. They say Natural men can do good by vertue of a Seed in them 100 102 3. They will have our power to good to be measured by the command 221 4. They say that God by grace mollifieth the heart of all men at one time or other so that if they resist not they shall be saved 249 12. Of the Soul 1. They say the soul is a part of God eternal and infinite 90 546 547 2. They say at death it is centred in its own being in God 546 3. They call it a living principle of the Divine Nature 547 4. And the immortal and incorruptible seed of God 547 5. They call it something of the living word which was said to be made flesh 547 6. And that which the Lord from heaven bâ—getteth of his own Substance 547 13. Of Heathens 1. Tâ—ey deny that Heathens have any thing of
the Law written in their hearts 103 2. They deny all in bred notions of a God and of honesty c. 106 3. They say a Pagan can performe all inward Worshipe easily 461 4. For God is nigh to help him 461 14. Of Enthusiasmes 1. They plead for immediat Revelations as necessary in place of the Scriptures 19. c. 2. They confound these Revelations with the gracious operations of the Spirit 20 21 80 3. They succeed to the old Enthusiasts 22 4. They preferre their Enthusiasmes to Scripture 57 15. Of the Gospel 1. They turne the history of Christs death resurrection into allegories 11 2. They wildly describe it 11 3. The preaching of the Gospel is not necessary with them 244 4. They say there is no more advantage to be had by the history of Christ then by the history of other Saints 244 5. They call the Gospel an inward power and vertue that is in every creature 259 6. They call every thing the Gospel that revealeth any thing of God 260 7. They plead for an Universal Gospel 267 16. Of the Light within 1. They make the light within their only guide 11 2. They preferre it to the Scriptures 59 3. They make the authority of the Scriptures to depend upon it 59 4. They make it the Supream Judge of all Controversies 60 85 5. They call it Christ God the Divine Essence the Saviour of the world c. 92 6. They call it the Essence of God 228 230 7. And the Omnipresence of God 228 8. They call it damnable heresie to deny the worshiping of it 228 9. They call it a measure of Christ and of God and God Father Son and H. Ghost 228 10. They say it is sufficient to salvation ibid 11. They deny it to be a Creature 228 12. It is a Teacher beyond the Scriptures 229 13. It is the Word of God grace and gifts and what not 229 14. It is a spiritual heavenly invisible Principle the Vehicle of God in which God dwelleth as Father Son and H. Ghost 230 231 233 15. It is an instrument of God 230 16. It is a divine glorious life 231 17. It inviteth all Men to good 232 18. It is the flesh and blood of Christ that came down from heaven 233 19. It beareth witness against all evil 234 20. It can be crucified and exstinguished 234 21. Where it is God and Christ are involved 235 22. Where it is resisted God is resisted 235 23. From it is Christ formed in the soul 236 237 24. All men are commanded to beleeve in and obey this Light 238 257 25. It delivereth from all sins 238 26. They call it a Substance 240 27. They call it the Sure Mercies of David a Leader a Commander 264 28. And that word by which faith cometh 264 265 29. And the fire and hammer spoken of Ier. 23 29. 264 266 30. They say by it God seeth the thoughts of men 264 31. They say the illumination hereof when received becometh an holy birth c. producing righteousness c 296 32. All may confidently appeare before God who hearken to the light and are thereby renewed 324 33. They say the light manifesting sin and nakedness is the body of Christ 489 34. This alone searcheth the heart and by it alone God manifests himself and saveth from the wrath to come men see their own faces 548 35. It can forgive sins and make new creaâ—ures 551 36. It is the Man Christ Jesus the Mediator which humbled himself to the crosse 551 37. They expect no justification or Salvation but by this light 551 38. Hereby they come to know Christ revealed in them 552 39. Who seek Christ any where else but in this light seek dreamings and night visions and spend their time in slumbering and dreaming 552 40. By owning and obeying it they are reconciled to God 552 41. This Christ within suffereth his sufferings are satisfactory wherever 552 42. They speak of killing the just one within us of his riseing againe 552 17. Of the Seed 1. They talk of a seed which they call a measure of God Christ the Spirit c. 95 100 2. They talk of its being wounded 247 3. They call it the manifestation of the Spirit 278 4. They say it is hid in the earthy part of every Mans heart and that herein is the kingdom of heaven as man in the embrio 279 5. As this small seed of righteousness say they ariseth and is suffered to come to the birth that new substantial birth is naturally fed with the spiritual body of Christ 489 18. Of Reprobation 1. They deny all absolute Reprobation 133. c. 2. They miserably mistake the orthodox judgment hereanent 143 144 3. In exaggerating the matter of Reprobation they belch out against God 254. c. 19. Of Grace 1. They deny Faith and Repentance to be the gifts of God 153 2. They deny that the grace of God in Conversion taketh away the resistance of the heart 273 3. They imagine the grace of Conversion to be as physick which a man may hinder to operat 273 4. They imagine that God putteth all some way out of the pit of misery and thereafter letteth such fall againe as spurn and resist 275 5. They will not grant that the grace of God maketh any real change of the corrupt nature of man or giveth a new heart 276 20. Of Vniversal Grace 1. They say God hath granted to all men Schythians and Barbarians a day of Visitation wherein they may be saved if they will 212 214. c. 2. And that God offereth Remission and Salvation to all upon condition of non-refusal 249 3. They plead for sufficient grace to all 269 4. They say Heathens that never heard of the Gospel may be saved 282 5. And that Paul Rom. 3. proveth that the Heathens were saved by doing the works of the Law 289 6. They say the Heathens had the knowledge of Christ though not under that denomination 290 7. And that because they spoke of Wisdom which is one of Christ's names 291 8. They grant remission of sins to some adult persons that never heard of Christ 302 9. Every man hath sufficiency of influence for praier till his day of Visitation passe say they 454 10. Every man hath that which is as good as the Spirit of Christ 546 21. Of Vniversal Redemption 1. They plead for Universal Redemption 157. c. 22. Of Salvation They say there is no possibility of Salvation after the day of Visitation is ended 215 2. And that God giveth to every man a certain measure of grace in order to salvation 226 c. 23. Of Christ's Satisfaction 1. They speak not distinctly of Christ's Satisfaction 242 2. They vilifie its vertue and efficacy 243 3. They say the outward blood of Christ or the blood of his vail cannot cleanse 295 4. They call it an abomination to say that God punished Christ that he might thereby
satisfie for sins 296 5. Christ with them procureth remission in procuring grace whereby Christ is formed within 308 24. Of Iustification 1. They confound Justification with Sanctification 295 2. And say that we are justified as we are sanctified 295 3. It is ridiculous and worse with them to think to be justified by the imputation of anothers righteousness 295 4. Yea they say such a justification is irrational irreligious ridiculous and dangerous 296 5. It is an abomination to say we are justified by imputation 296 6. Yea they call it a doctrine of Devils an arme of corruption 296 7. By the light within we are justified as well as sanctified say they 297 8. All the reconciliation we have by Christ is that we are made capable of reconciliation 302 303 304 308 9. Sanctification with them is the formal cause of Justification 305 311 10. They say we are justified by the revelation of Christ in the soul 316 11. We are justified by works of grace say they 321 12. What righteousness say they Christ performed without us is not our justification nor are we saved thereby 550 13. They deny all imputation of righteousness 11 25. Of Perfection 1. They say works done by grace are perfect 322 323 2. They plead for the perfection of Saints here 325. c. 3. They hold a perfect freedom from all sin 325 4. Sanctification must be perfect because say they it is Christ himself 326 5. Yet they say this perfection may be lost 332 6. And that some may come to that hight of perfection that they cannot sinne any more 332 26. Of Perseverance 1. They assert the Apostasie of the Saints 350. c. 27. Of Infallibility 1. They plead for infallibility to Ministers and to all Christians 378 28. Of the Patriachs 1. They say the Patriarchs had no faith of the Messias to come 289 29. Of the Church 1. They take-in under the Church all who obey the light within howbeit not professours of Christ or of Christianity 361 2. Pagans Turks Jewes though both Ignorant and Superstitious are members of the Church of the saved with them if they be good single hearted men 361 3. All members of their Churches teach 362 4. Such as are ignorant of the very history of Christ may be members of the Catholick Church that is of the Church of the saved 362 5. Yet members of particular Christian Churches must give assent and credite to truths delivered in the Scriptures 362 6. Outward profession is necessary to make one a member of a particular congregated Church though not of the Catholick Church 364 7. They deny men to be Christians by birth 364 8. They say none can be a member of the Church without grace 379 9. They make the Church or Fold the same with the Shepherd 545 10. With them all Members are Officers 10 30. Of Ministers 1. They say the light received prepareth constituteth and fournisheth a Minister 365 370 2. Ministers must be called by the Spirit and know that they are led and moved by the Spirit and be sensible of the work of the Spirit and of his inward call 372 3. The power and life of the Spirit is the most necessary qualification of a Minister 378 4. Ministers must have no learning but what is taught by the Spirit 283 384 386 5. They would have Ministers learning trades whereby to live 396 6. They will not have Ministers make use of what they have learned or read in their sermons 438 7. They will not have Ministers studying their sermons 431 441 8. They account all such Ministers of the world and of the letter who are for the ordinances of Christ 545 31. Of the Ministrie 1. They say all things concerning the Ministrie are in confusion in the Christian Church 366 2. They are against the Ministerial Office 387 389 3. They deny the distinct offices and officers in the Apostles dayes 388 389 391 4. They account all the Offices Officers Foâ—mes Shadowes 388 5. And to be the work of Anti-Christ the mystery of iniquity 389 6. They make the work of the Ministrie common to all 390 7. They make it free to all to preach in publick when moved by the Spirit 393 8. They deny there was any such Officers as Euangelists 393 394 9. They say Apostles Prophets c. were but distinct names 394 10. They allow women to preach publickly in the Churches 397 32. Of Ordination 33. They deny Ordination and Imposition of hands 377 33. Of Ordinances 1. They deny all external institutions in Worshipe 381 2. They do not acknowledge a precept for an ordinance where there is an Institution 491 3. They are against all ordinances calling them formes 545 4. They deny that ever God did or will reveal himself by them 545 5. They say Christ blotted them out and they must not be touched 545 6. To seek Christ in ordinances is to seek the living among the dead 545 546 34. Of the Sabbath 1. They deny the Lord's day to be the Christian Sabbath 412 2. They hold all dayes alike 412 35. Of Worship 1. They say all Worshipe must be done by inward Inspirations as to time place duration 411 2. They condemne our having a Preacher to preach in our solemne Worshipe 412 3. External actions in Worshipe need particular influences or enthusiasmes 461 4. When we move say they without the Spirit it is the uncleane part which offereth to God which he will not accept 545 36. Of the Quakers Worshipe 1. They have no preparation to their Worshipe 412 413 2. Nor do they beginne with prayer 413 3. Nor do they make any use of the Scriptures in their Worshipe 413 5. In their Worshipe they unchristian and un-man themselves 414 6. They talk of God's power transmitted from Vessel to Vessel whereby when one is affected all are affected 415 7. They lay aside all words even Scripture words in their Worshipe 415 8. Then they must Introvert unto the inward principle within them as unto the most excellent Doctor 415 9. This doctor teacheth them to cease from their own words and actions to feel the inward seed of life thereby be moved to pray preach or sing 416 10. And hence cometh a floud of refreshment that runneth over the whole company 416 11. And then they need neither Baptisme nor the Lords Supper 417 12. If one present be not introverted if the power be a little raised in the assembly he is presently laid hold on and this power warmeth him as fire warmeth a man 417 13. If any present wander in their imaginations one in whom the life is raised will feel a travelling womans paines for them and they will be pricked secretly though nothing be spoken 417 14. Yea if a stranger come to gaze mock he is so terrified at the sight that if his day of visitation be not past he becometh a convert 418 15. In the first place they must of necessity be silent
Infallible Revelation of the Spirit of truth declared in the Scriptures writen by men infallibly acted by the holy Spirit of God and to beleeve and follow the dictats of the Father of lies As for the second Proposition It is unquestionable from history of all such Persons from the Montanists Circumcelliones Donatists Euchites and the like Enthusiasts of old from Mahomet that great Impostor and pretender to Revelations from the many Enthusiasts in the Church of Rome of which read D. Stillingfleet in his book above cited Especially Ignatius Loyola the Father founder of the Jesuites our Quakers great Friends if not Fathers from the Enthusiasts in Germany the Swenckfeldians Weigelians and particularly Iohn of Leyden and his complices in and about Munster c. to the Quakers this very day All which have given undoubted evidences of their delusions by their Errours Heresies sometimes Scandalous Actings Nay it hath been found that these desperat Adventures have pretended to these Revelations of purpose to put off with more cunning their desperat Errours and cheat souls unto the market of their pernicious Wares If this man be of another judgment I challenge him and all the Quakers this day to name to me a Seck of such Pretenders of whom this may not be verified And as for himself and the rest of the Quakers if the Scriptures be the word of truth and given out by Infallible Inspiration whâ—ch he dar not deny they bear as manifest Marks and give out as palpable Evidences of their being led and acted by a Spirit of Errour as any of their Predecessours as this and other of their writings put beyond all question Sure the Spirit which Christ promised to lead all his people by was a Spirit of Truth and a Spirit that leadeth into all Truth Ioh. 16 13. But thâ— Spirit acting them is a Spirit of Errour as the Scriptures of truth evidence The Spirit promised was a Spirit that would glorify Christ and take of his shew it unto his People but the Spirit acting them is a Spirit opposite to all the Institutions of Christ and a Spirit seeking to debase our Lord Jesus in his Person Offices and Work all which our following discourse will evince 33. Having thus proposed and enforced the Objection we need not take notice of hiâ— triffling Answers adapted to the shaâ—ow he made himself It â—s enough to us that he cannot say that such as the Spirit of â—od leadeth in seed are led into Errour seing by this fruite and their sinful carriage Christ hâ—th told us that we may know false Prophets Mat. 7 15 20. And that he himself confesseth that true divine Revelations are not contrare to the Scriptures and therefore having Scriptures and sound Reason on our side we value not his brag in saying that by happy experince they finde hithertil that the Spirit hath never deceived them or led them unto any evil seing all such Pretenders of old should have said the same with as great Confidence they that are given up of God to strong delusions to beleeve a lie know not that it is a lie which they beleeve Wisdome is justified of her children As for Munster business he professeth § 14. his abhorrence thereof but with all addeth that as great evils have been practised by such as owne the Scriptures which doth not touch the Objection framed by me Beside that it is not very probable that God would have left these Miscreants to such acts of villany if the way to which they pretended had been of God considering how they were the first that in that age and at that season of Reformation did appear for it and openly professe it a parallel of such as owned any part of Truth long under contempt and against so much opposition will not I suppose be showne The rest of this paragraph being a meer Rhapsodiâ— and with all an Excreation of much gall and nothing to the purpose in hand I meddle not with It wil satisfie him if I say that I am none of those who will reject the guidance of the Spirit of God though some profane Wreatches say that they are led by him He knoweth our disput is not about the guidance of the Spirit but about the manner of this Guidance and Teachings 34. What he saith § 15. in Vindication of the last part of his Thesis hath been obviated already See above § 18 and 19. only I shall take notice of a word or two which he hath To prove the self evidence of the Spirits working in souls he maketh use of these words of David Taste and see that God is good of Paul saying I am perswaded nothing can separate me from the Love of God and then citeth 1 Ioh 4 13. and as if it were to the same purpose addeth 1 Ioh. 5 6. and hence inferreth that the Revelations which they have being the Revelations of the Spirit who is truth must certanely be true and not contrary to either Scripture or Reason Alas doth not the man know that the Spirit may work grace in the soul and for a time for holy ends keep up the sensation thereof and that others may deny or not observe the work of the Spirit in their souls through Mistakes Prejudice or other Corruption as others may imagine a work of grace without ground Knoweth he noâ— that we are speaking here of Immediate and Objective Revelations which are Extraordinary and which himself in a few lines before said the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles had not naming any others and not of the Ordinary workings of the Spirit of grace Waving these Impertinencies I would ask only How came it to passe that Others pretending as much to Immediat Revelations as he have been deceived If others have been deceived why may not he It is true The Spirit of God is alwayes a Spirit of Truth but a Spirit of Errour and Delusion which some may take to be the Spirit of God is not the Spirit of Truth Why will he not try by the Scriptures and by sound Reason what sort of Spirit that is which acteth him the rest No that is needless And why so Because their spiritual senses are awake so that at the very first they can perceive their revelations to be of the Spirit no less infallibly than a wise Mathematician can diseerne the truth of the most clear mathematick demonstrations Happy they say I if it be so But hereby he must needs reproach his Predessours the Enthusiasts and Phanaticks of former ages as being asleep at best in the midst of their Revelations and not having their spiritual senses awake for they have been deceived and yet no doubt were as confident of the contrarie as this man is But this man's testimony is of himself and so the less to be valued and it is inward and invisible and so the harder to be confuted Only I would know how he will perswade us of it a Mathematician can demonstrat the grounds of his
be the object of an Eternal Ordination When we consider Reprobation in respect of its terminus or thing willed purposed by that act of God we divide it into two parts or say there are two maine things intended purposed presupposing not mentioning what is common both to Election Reprobation as Creation c. as first the denyal of Grace whereby they may be recovered from their state of sin the second is the denyal of Glory or adjudging them to eternal death This last Being for sin a just execution of a righteous sentence is not neither can it be without consideration of sin as the meritorious procuring cause So that to speak properly God doth not damne whom he will Damnation not being an act of meer pleasure but an act of justice conforme to an established Law But the other the denying or not giving of grace is an act of Absolute Freedom Good Pleasure for He hath mercy on whom He will and whom He will he hardeneth Rom. 9 15 18. And as God's granting of grace is an absolute act of his good pleasure free not for any merite or goodness in man as all except Pelagians will confess yea Pelagius himself confessed it at the Synod in Palestine so the Lord 's denying of this gâ—ace and mercy must be Absolute and not Conditional an act of the Lords free will and good pleasure for the praise of his glory there being no fixed Law constitute by God according to which he bestoweth Grace or bestoweth it not and there being no Reason imaginable why the Lord should confâ—rre grace upon Iacob and not upon Esau upon Moses and not upon Pharaoh upon Peter and not upon Iudas beside the good pleasure of God as the Lord did set his love upon the people of Israel because he loved them Deut. 7 6 7. so no cause can be given why he would not have mercy on Pharaoh on Esau on Iudas as well as on others beside his God will and Pleasure who hardeneth whom He will 7. We must therefore in this matter carefully distinguish betwixt Gods Decree and the Things decreed Things decreed may have their Causes and one may depend upon another as on the meritorious procuring cause but the Decree of God is absolute having no dependence upon any thing without being the Absolute and Free act of his Will God may and doth Decree that this shall be because of that and yet because of this he cannot be said to Will that So when the Lord decreeth to damne some persons because of their sins though sin be the procureing meritorious cause of damnation yet it is not the procuring meritorious cause of Gods willing or decreeing to damne Therefore though it be true that God decreeth to save none but such as Beleeve and continue in Faith and Obedience to the end and to damne none but such as are Sinners and Continue in sin to the end yet we must not say that as Faith and Obedience in adult persons do preceed salvation as some way disposeing causes thereunto and as Final Perseverance in sin preceedeth damnation as the meritorious cause thereof so the Foresight of Faith Obedience and Final Perseverance in both preceed election or the decree of God as disposeing causes or prerequisites thereunto and the Foresight of Final Perseverance in sin preceed Reprobation or the decree of God as the meritorious cause thereof for as the purpose of God according to Election is not of works but of him that calleth Rom. 9 11. so the purpose of God according to Reprobation cannot be of works for the children being not yet born neither having done good or evil it was said the Elder shall serve the Younger Rom. 9.11 12. As the potter hath power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour Rom. 9 21. so the Lord willing to shew his wrath to make his power known may endure with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to Destruction and he may make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory Rom. 9 vers 22.23 8. As the Scripture holdeth forth Reprobation as we heard and may be further gathered even as to the name from Ier. 6 30. Heb. 6 8. 2 Tim. 3 8. So it holdeth it forth to us sometimes in Negative termes sometimes in Positive termes Hence some speak of a Negative Reprobation called Preterition or passing by which is a real Positive act in God and not purely Negative as some suppose and of a Positive and Affirmative Reprobation which they call Praedamnation By the Negative Reprobation they understand a Positive eternal act of God whereby according to the counsel of his own will he passed by such as he did not Elect and resolved not to give them saving grace whereby they might be delivered from sin as when Châ—ist saith Math. 7 23. I nâ—ver knew you and Mat. 11 25 26. I thank thee ó Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise Even so father for so it seemed good in thy sight And when mention is made of some in the Revel Chap 13 â— and 20 15. whose names were not written in the Book of Life And when Christ saith Ioh. 10 26. Yee are not of my sheep By the Positive or Affirmative Reprobation they understand the Lord's positive Resolution according to the unsearâ—hable counsel of his owne will whereby he ordaineth such as he hath passed by to dishonour and wrath for their sin Hence such are said to be hated Rom. 9 13. to be vessels of wrath fitted for destruction Rom. 9 21 22. to be appointed unto stumbling at the word c. 1 Pet. 2 8. ordained to condemnation Iud. vers 4. to which also belongeth the Lord's just and judicial smiteing with blindeness giving up to a Reprobaâ— minde and to their owne hearts lusts hardening their hearts and the like Rom 1 24 26 28. 9 18. 11 7. Psal. 81 12. 9. Now as touching that question that this Quaker is most busied with viz. Whether Reprobation be absolute and without all respect had to sin or not the Reader may see by what is said what is to be Answered thereunto The Quaker loving darkness speaks undistinctly either because Ignorant of the true question or out of a malicious Designe to render the Truth us for maintaining it odious or both But we shall endeavoure in a few words to clear the mater If we consider the act of Reprobation as in God of whose will it is an Immanent and Eternal act there can be no more cause of it in man or aâ—y creature than of any other of his decrees which are all one act and so one with Himself Yet this act of Reprobating that is of appointing and designing such or such individual persons to the condemnation of hell for their sinnes can not be said to be as to its
terminus without all respect to sin because by it persons are appointed to punishment for their sins and whatever God doth in time execute He râ—solved and determined from eternity to do the same in the self same manner As for the Execution of this decree in time in reference to the denying or not giving of Faith Repentance Regeneration or Gâ—ace to recover out of the state of sin we say this act is Absolute as hâ—s giving of Grace and Regeneration upon the one hand is free as the Scripture richly declareth so thâ— withhoâ—ding of this Mercy Grace is an act of his Absolute Soveraignity and Free Will who hath mercy on whom he will and hardeneth whom he will As concerning the act of inflicting spiritual Iudgments the forerunners of hell this being an act of Iustice is not without respect to sin its procureing cause as the Scriptures lately cited evidence The same we say of adjudging impenitent and wicked persons unto hell for this is an act of justice conforme to the established Law of God 10. Though what we have said might suffice upon our part for clearing of the truth which we owne yet because this Quaker rageth so much against Absolute Reprobation by which he doth not meane the actual Execution of this act but the Act it self we shall in short propose somethings which will serve for confirmation of what we say And 1. There is a certane Analogy betwixt the decree of Election the decree of Reprobation so that the one giveth light unto the other the one cannot be conceived without the other for where there is an Election of some there must be a Rejection of others so the one is opposite to the other from this it is manifest that if Election be Free Absolute so must Reprobation be for the objects of both are supposed to be in the same state condition equally represented in the minde of God or considered when the act passeth upon them none deserving Election more than the rest nor none more meriting Reprobation than the rest If then Election be not upon the account of any good foreseen in the elected more than in others whether it be Faith or Obedience or Perseverance in both to the end or whatever else can be imagined as all our Divines have showne writing against the Arminians it is manifest cleare that Reprobation cannot be upon the account of the Foresight of the contrary Sin foreseen or considered in Iudas could not be a cause moving God to Reprobat him more than Peter because the same was to be seen in Peter And the Apostle cleareth confirmeth this when he saith Rom. 9 11 12 13. for the children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil it was said unto her the Elder shall serve the Younger as it is written Iacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Which place 2. Doth further confirme what we say for here is a Discrimination made one Loved the other Hated that is one Elected the other Reprobated Rejected without any consideration had of good in the one or evil in the other as a procureing cause of these Acts of Gods will for both Iacob Esau are considered as being in a like condition yet unborn neither having done either good or evil 3. The supream wheel moving all is here said to be that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him that calleth so there can be no procureing cause of this in man The one was preferred to the other that the purpose of God according to Election might stand the other consequently was made to serve that the purpose of God according to Reprobation might stand 4. Works both good evil are here in plaine termes excluded not of works there are no works excepted if Election be without foreseen works Reprobation must be so also or we must say that the Apostle argueth not acuratly that the Spirit of the Lord in the Apostle doth not cleare explaine the point 5 Vers. 17. from the instance of Pharaoh of whom it is said that God even for this same purpose had raised him up that He might shâ—w his power in him c. the Apostle inferreth that God hardneth whom he will as well as from the instance of Iacob preferred to his brother Esau he inferred vers 15. 18. that he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and that he hath compassion on whom he will have compassion 6. The Objection which the Apostle preoccupieth Vers. 19. Thou wilt say then why doth he yet find fault for who hath resisted his will doth manifestly speak the truth we plead for for if Election Reprobation were not absolute but upon foreseen works what place could this Objection have Why would the Apostle speak to an Objection that were no way pertinent Should there be any colour for any to propose this scruple if the good evil works of man were the ground of all 7. The Apostles reply confirmeth this when he sayeth Nay but O man who art thou that repliest or dispurest or it may be rendered responsats or carps against God Importing that it is high arrogance in the Clay creature to call Jehovah to its barre to judge or quarrel with or disput against God whatever he do according to the purpose of his own will But what ground were there for such a Pride-laying Man-humbling Mouth-stopping Creature-abaseing felling answere if all this matter did run upon the wheels of justice or had its rise from man or were ultimatly founded upon something in him 8. The answere added putteth the matter beyond all further dispute Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour Where we see That man is but as a lump of clay in the hands of the great Potter as there is nothing in one part of the same lump of clay calling inviteing or moving the potter to make of it a vessel unto honour or a vessel unto dishonour so is there nothing in man calling or moving God to make this man a vessel unto honour the other a vessel unto dishonour And next we see That all is ultimatly resolved into the pleasure of God as the Potters mere pleasure is the cause of the discrimination of vessels which he frameth out of the same lump 9. These words vers 22. further confirme our point for saith the Apostle what if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted or made up for destruction c. Importing that it is so and that man hath nothing to say against it So we see That as the vessels of mercy are afore prepared unto glory so the vessels of wrath are afore prepared and
Reprobation and a mean whereby the execution thereof is brought about they cannot be the procureing cause thereof This is manifest But the former is true Therefore c. That the former is true is manifest from these words of Peter 1. Pet. 2 8. Where we see that these stumblers at the stumbling ston and disobedient persons were appointed or ordained thereunto So Ioh. 10 26 But ye beleeve not because ye are not of my sheep where it is manifest that their not beleeving was a clear consequent of their not being of his sheep So Rom. 11 7. Israel hath not obtained-but the Election and the rest were hardened So that it was from Election that such obtained as did obtaine and from Non-election that the rest obtained not but were hardened 8 Sin is the moving cause of Actual damnation If sin also be the moving cause of the decree of Reprobation It would follow that because of sin God decreed to damne because of sin which is strange language 12. Having premised these things we come now to take notice of what he saith we observed before one great mistake in his setâ—ing downe of our judgment as if God had determined the demonstration of his Iustice without any respâ—ct had to sin Then he saith as further declaring our opinion that God for perfecting of this did appoint that these miserable souls should necessarily sin Resp. Here are moe mistakes for first we say not that Reprobation imposeth any necessity of sinning The decree to punish for sin doth not impose a necessity on the sinner to sin nor yet the decree of denying grace whereby they might be delivered from their sin for that is only a decree of not delivering them out of that state wherein they have brought themselves under a necessity of sinning and so imposeth no necessity Next as to God's Decreeing or willing that sin should exist through his permission which doth not properly belong to this question neither doth that impose any absolute necessity or take away the liberty of Mans Will or the Contingency of events as to second causes And it would seem this man knoweth no difference betwixt an Absolute necessity and that necessity which is meerly Hypothetical But thirdly there is another mistake here for he would make his Reader beleeve that we said that all the necessity of sinning did flow from Reprobation as if no necessity of sinning arose from their sinful state wherein they are by the transgression of Adam Beside that we might observe how in this sentence he contradicteth what he said in the former He addeth That by his Iustice he might according to right rebuke and afflict This would import that according to our judgment Sin is permitted or decreed to exist the Lord permitting it as a Meane to the punishment as the End as if God intended punishment as an end and therefore suffered sin as a meanâ—s while as we look upon both the permission of sin and the punishment thereof as one meanes for the setting forth of the glory of divine Justice He proceedeth as declareing our opinion And therefore that God not only suffereth these to be obnoxiâ—us to this misery in many parts of the World by withdrawing the preaching of the Gospel and the knowledge of Christ. And here we finde some more mistakes for we say that all men by nature are into this state of sin and misery whether they hear the Gospel or not and so their obnoxiousness unto that misery dependeth not upon their want of preaching and of the knowledge of Christ though this be a necessary meane of delivering them out of it Againe his Therefore pointeth out another mistake for as we speak not thus so far less do we inferre this from what he mentioned before Thirdly his word subtrahendo withdrawing pointeth forth a third mistake for it will import that we say that the Gospel is once preached to every person yea and to every Reprobate for how else can it be said to be withdrawne And here is a further mistake when he addeth and the knowledge of Christ for hereby the Reader might think that we thought every Reprobat had the knowledge of Christ but because he was a Reprobat it was taken away from him and withdrawn He saith moreover that we say God even in these places where the Gospel is preached and salvation is offered by Christ withdraweth from them all grace whereby it was possible for them to apprehend the Gospel Here are also several mistakes for his subtraxisse importeth that God hath given to every one who heareth the Gospeâ— grace whereby they may imbrace the Gospel and then withdraweth it from the Reprobate because they are such where readeth he such language in the writtings of our Divines Next we say not as he here insinuateth that we do that the grace which God withholdeth from the Reprobat is that by which faith in the Gospel is meerly possible but that rather without which they cannot beleeve and with which they cannot but beleeve that is He withholdeth the grace of Faith which being his owne free gift Ephes. 2 8. He bestoweth it upon wâ—om He will for he blesseth with all spiritual blessings such as he hath chosen before the foundation of the world that they might be â—oly Ephes. 1 3 4. He proceedeth in relating our opinion thus Because by his own secret will he did decree that they should not obey and that the Gospel should never be effectual to their salvation and that without all respect had to their sin Where there arâ— other mistakes to be observed for first He no where readeth that Reprobation is a decreeing that men should not obey Next wheâ— our divines speak of God's decrees about sin they never utter their minde so bluntly as to say Goâ— decreed that they should not obey but thâ—y use to speak thus God willed or decreed that sin should exist he himself permitting it or as some He willed the permission of sin Thirdly here is another mistake for as to some who hear the Gospel and harden their hearts beyond ordinary God in Iustice giveth them up to the power of unbeleef as a Spiritual judicial stroke or taketh away the Gospel from them aâ—d so Non-churcheth them and this as a punishment and as the Lord doth so in time so he decreed to do so therefore there was some consideration of sin here though sin was no procureing or meritorious cause of the decree At length he concludeth and saith further as if it were our opinion that God decreed to send the Gospel to such as obey it not only to accumulate their damnation Where is another mistake as if this were God's End or his only End and as if we affirmed it were so while as both are most false and contradicted by what himself said a little before 13. Thus have we briefly considered his Representation of our Judgment and have found no fewer than twelue abuses and untruths so that no honest man can acknowledge
giving life unto the World of them that the Father hath given him and shall come to him Ioh. 6 33 37. They are these concerning whom the Fathers will was as being given of him that he should lose nothing but raise it up againe at the last day ver 38 39 40. The Redeemed ones that are numbered by God 144000. and are the first fruites unto God and the Lamb Revel 14 3 4 5. They are such as are the Lords and whom the Lord knoweth for his 2 Tim. 2 19. and are enrolled in the Lambs book Revel 13 8. and 20 15. See other particularities Psal. 87 5. Esai 43 1. and 49 12. and 19 18.24 25. Zeph 3 10. So are they designed to be these for whom God is and who shall have unquestionably all things the Elect who shall be justified who shall not be separated from the love of Christ are in all things more then Conquerours Rom. 8 31 32 33 34 37 38 39. These with whom the Covenant shall be confirmed Dan. 9 27. The redeemed out of every Kinred and Tongue and People and Nation and made Kings and Priests Revel 5 9 10. 22. Further 11 if Christ died for the sinnes of all persons how cometh it that they are not all actually pardoned It cannot be said that Christ's death was not a satisfactory price nor that the Father did not accept of it If then he shed his blood for the remission of sins Mat. 26 28. are not all these sins pardoned virtually and fundamentally or shall they not all actually be pardoned in due time If it be said they shall be pardoned upon condition of their faith But if the sinnes of all be equally payed for and equally in a virtual manner discharged in Christ's being actually discharged from that debt in the day of his Resurrection and the actual disharge depending upon the uncertain condition of mans Will man who willingly performeth the condition shall praise himself for the actual pardon and none else for Christ did no more for him as to the Actual Pardon than for others who never shall be blessed with actual forgiveness and yet forgiveness is held forth as a special act of free grace forgivenesse of sinnes is according to the riches of his grace Ephes. 1 7. Moreover as to that condition whether did Christ purchase it or not If he did not purchase it than man is not beholden to Christ for the Condition be it faith or what ye will it is no purchased mercy but man is beholden to his good Lord Free Will for it and so he may sacrifice to his own net and sing glory to himself for making himself to differ and for obtaining to himself Actual Remission of all his sinnes and consequently blessedness Rom. 4 v. 6 7 8. for had not his owne well disposed Lord Free Will performed that condition all that Christ did had never more advantaged him than it did others that perish If it be said that grace to performe the condition though it be not purchased by the blood of Christ yet it is freely given by God to whom he will I Answer Not to insist here on the proof of faith's being purchased by Christ because we shall cleare it afterward and there is nothing else assigned for the condition I would enquire whether Christ knew to whom this grace would be given or not if not then we must deny him to be God if he knew why shall we suppose that he would lay down his life equally for all when he knew before hand that many should never get grace to performe the condition upon which his death should redound to their actual pardon and justification what Ends or what Advantages can we imagine of such an Universal Redemption 23. 12. If the condition upon which actual pardon justification is granted in the blood of Christ be purchased by Christ then either all shall certainly be Pardoned Justified or Christ hath not purchased an Equal Common Possible Redemption to all and every man But the former is true it is not true that all shall certainly be pardoned and actually justified for then all should be glorified That the condition to wit Faith and Repentance is purchased by Christ who can deny seing he is expresly called the Author of Faith Heb. 12 2. and a Prince exalted to give Repentance and forgiveness of sins Act 5.31 So that as forgiveness of sins is founded upon his death as the Meritorious cause so must Repentance be and Christ as an exalted Prince and Saviour hath this power to dispose of his owne purchased legacy which he hath left and ensured by his death unto the heires of salvation Upon his Death and Satisfaction made in his death hath he gote all power in heaven and earth a power to quicken whom he will Mat. 28 â—8 Ioh. 5 21 22 27. Phil. â— 9 10 Hence we are said to be compleat in him Col 2 10. to be blessed with all spiritual blessings in ceâ—estials to which no doubt faith and Repentance do belong in him Ephes. 1 3 Is it not from hence that the divine power hath given unto us all things that pertaine unto life and godliness 2 Pet. 1 3 Nay Paul tels us expresly Phil. 1 29. that it is given to us in the behalfe of Christ to beleeve on him And certainly there is a promise of Faith and Repentance and all the promises are yea and amen in Him 2 Cor. 1 20. all the Blessings contained in the Covenant are made sure by his death who was the surety of this better Testament Heb. 7 2â— and this Testament was to have force by his death Heb. 9 15 16 17 18. and the New heart and heart of flesh is promisâ—d in the Covenant and comprehendeth Faith and Repentance they being some of his lawes which he hath also promised to write in the heart Ier. 31 33. Heb. 8 10. Ezech. 11 19 20. 36 26 27. We have moreover seen that Sanctification and Holiness from which Faith Repentance cannot be separated were purchased by Christ and intended in his death whence he is made of God unto us Sanctification 1 Cor. 1 30. If it be not purchased by Christ how come we by it is it a thing in our Power and an act of our owne Free Will Then as I said before we are beholden to ourselves for Faith and all that follow upon it and then farewell all Prayer for Faith and Repentance all Thanksgiving to God for it This is pure Pelagianisme If it be said that it is the free gift of God Ephes. 2 8. and a Consequent of electing love I Answere all the fruites of election which are to be wrought in us are procured by the blood of Christ for all are conveyed to us in a Covenant whereof Christ is the Mediator and Surety and with Christ he giveth us all things Rom. 8 32. and we are blessed in Him with all spiritual blessings according as he hath chosen
of the Messias And all these he shall certanely save And though his first coming was not to act the part of a judge to any of which he speaketh Ioh. 12 37. yet I trow his last coming will be in forme of a judge Mat. 24 30. 25 31 Luk. 9 26. 1 Thes. 4 16. Act. 17 31. 62. He citeth next 2 Pet 3 9. the Lord is long-suffering to us ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come unto repentance and tels us that it is like to Ezech. 33 ver 11. of which place we spoke in the preceding Chapter and then addeth That God's will taketh not effect the cause is from us which could not be if we had never been capable of salvation and if Christ had never died for us but had left us under a physical impossibility of salvation Answere 1 If these words be taken Universally what will this man do with those that outlive the day of their visitation as he speaketh and are hardâ—ned judicially of God and given up to a reprobate mind is the Lord willing that these should come unto Repentance if not what will he do with his Universality Againe what will he say to those whom God cutteth off in their younger yeers and of those He taketh away in the very act of sin as He did Nadab and Abihu the people of Sodom the Bethshemites Uzzah Zimri and Cosbi 2. If we be the Cause that God's will taketh not effect we must be stronger then God for this Will of God is not his Command but his will of Purpose And so He must be a weak God that can not effectuat what he willeth but can be hindered by weak man but the Scriptures speak other wayes of our God and tells us that he doth whatsoever he will and none can let or hinder him Dan. 4 35. Iob. 9 12. Esai 45 9. Psal 135 6. And that none hath resisted his will Rom. 9 20. 3. Free Will I see must be a very great and absolute Prince for upon it hang all the effects of God's will and Purpose and of the death of Christ so that if Free will be ill disposed none of God's gracious Purposes Promises or Decrees shall take effect and Christ for all his Death and Bloudshed shall not save one soul or see a seed and thus all the decrees of heaven are at Mans devotion and Christ must turne a petitioner and supplicat Lord Free will that He may see of the travail of his soul. O cursed Religion 4. But as to the passage in hand the matter is clear that Peter is not speaking of all and every man universally but of us that is of himself and these to whom he writeth and they are the same he wrote his first Epistle unto 2 Pet. 3 1. and them he stileth Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 1 2. Who were begotten againe to a lively hope by the resurrâ—ction of Iesus Christ from the dead vers 3. who were keepâ— by the power of God through faith unto salvation vers 5. who were lovers of Christ and beleeving did rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory vers 8. Such as by Christ did beleeve in God vers 20 21. and had purified their souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren and were born againe c. vers 22 23. See Chap. 2 4 5 7 9 10 25. 2 Pet. 1 1 3 4 3 1 17 18. Thus the impertinency of this man in citeing this passage is manifest 63. He asketh what meaneth all the vehement Invitations Expostulations and Complaints in Scripture if there be no possibility of salvation and supposeth that this is to make God the Author of a stage play And thus the man raâ—teth in his reavings at this rate and all to dethrone the most High and spoile Him of his Principality and Supream Dominion that base man may be set down in the chaire of State and have the keyes of heaven and hell at his girdle by this Argument the Quaker would not only make the death of Christ a common thing but would destroy all the Decrees of God all Predestination and Election all Purposes of preventing any with mercy and all Absolute Pâ—omises But the mans attempt is vaine God will be God whether he will or not 2. We assert no Simple Impossibility of salvation to any but Hypothetical If God would give grace to all all should be saved and if He will not give grace to all must we quarrell with the Almighty Notwithstanding of God's decrees every one that perisheth perisheth willingly and of his owne fâ—ee choise God's decrees destroy not mans Free will nor take away the liberty and contingency of second causes but rather establish it as may appear from Prov. 16 33. Ioh. 19 11. Act. 2 23. 4 27 28. Mat. 17 12. 3. These Exhortations Expostulations c. respect the Gospel as it relateth to Gods will of precept and is the word of reconciliation dispensed by men and so hold forth what is mans Duty as we cleared above which must not be confounded with God's Purposes nor set up to dethrone them our duty is our duty by vertue of a command whatever God's purposes be Though God had purposed that Isaack should not be killed by his Father yet the word of command made it Abraham's duty to goe and offer him up 4 These Invitations and Expostulations c. respect only those to whom the Gospel is preached and so whatever this man can make out of them they can prove no Universal Redemption for we hear of no such expostulations with such as live without the sound of the Gospel And there are moe without the Church than within it not only under the Law but even now under the Gospel 5. This man I hope will not deny that God might if he pleased give grace to such as he expostulateth with whereby they might certainly be wrought up to a compliance with the word of Command And because it seemeth not good in his eyes to do so shall his Dispensations and the Ministry of his Gospel be looked upon as a stage play and a comoedie O! who art thou O man that will thus bring God to thy barr and passe such a shameful sentence upon his proceedings 6 God useth these Expostulations c. as meanes to bring home his Owne And as for Others though we would think to advocat their cause and condemne the Lord they and all that will take their part shall be found speachless in the day of accounts And God shall be glorified in his holy Justice whether vaine Man will or not 64. He citeth in the last place 1 Iâ—h 2 1 2. where Christ is said to be a Propitiation for the sinnes of the world And then he insulteth over such as would have only beleevers understood here by the word
of his grace the soul lay hold on the offered salvation and accept of the alsufficient offered Mediator we utterly deny it affirming faith to be the pure gift of God wrought by the exceeding greatness of his power according to the working of his mighty power or according to the working of the might of his power Ephes. 1 19. 2 8. And that this faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom 10 17. So that we see nor how any without the Church or the hearing of the word of God and of the word of the Gospel revealing Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God can beleeve not how any wâ—thin the Church and who hear the sound of the Gospel daily can beleeve without the grace of God working Faith by the Operation of his Spirit and thus concurring with the word And therefore we deny Salvation to be Possible in this Quakers sense to any yea even to the Elect otherwayes we must reject the Scriptures of truth and embrace the Pelagian Errour and lay aside all prayer for the Spirit of grace to work faith and only make our supplications to Lord Free will and think to batter the wals of Freewill with meer Moral Swasion as Iesuites Arminians and Socinians with the old Pelagians imagine and sacrifice to our own net and burn incense to our own drag Free will because by it our portion is fat and our meat plenteous And so give thanks with the damned to God that hath made salvation onely Possible but to ourselves alone for making it Actual and for obtaining the crown and prize 12. Having thus in short proposed our Judgment after hearing of his Opinion we come now to examine the proofs of his Proposition which he layeth down Pag. 93. c. § 19. And first in general he saith That it is manifest from the complaints which the Spirit of God useth in the Scriptures against such as perish chideing and reproving them for rejecting Gods visitation and love and refuseing his mercy Ans. 1. His Proposition is Universal and these Complaints anâ— Reproofs are only Particular viz. against such as were within the Church so they can prove nothing 2. Neither will these Reproofs c. prove that such had power and ability to embrace mercy and love offered unto them without the grace of God as say Iesuites and Arminians for the Scripture tels us that God must give the new heart Ier. 31 33 34. 32 39 40. Ezech. 11 19 20. 36 26 27 Heb. 8 10. and that none cometh to the Son but whom the Father draweth Ioh. 6 44 45. and that it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do Phil. 2 13. And to gather our Power and Ability out of the Commands and measure the one by the other is the very core of Pelagianisme and Arminianisme for upon this ground did Pelagius conclude that we could keep the whole Law perfectly as this man also saith Heare Pelagius himself ad Demetriadem cited by Vossius Histor. Pelag. lib. 5. part 1. Thes. 6. Duplici ignorantia accusamus Deum Inscientiae ut videatur nescire quod fecit nescire quod iussit quasi oblitus fragilitatis humanae cujus Author ipse est imposuerit homini mandata quae ferre non possit Simulque prô-nefas adscribimus Iniquitatem Iusto Pio Crudelitatem dum aliquid impossibile praecepisse conquerimur deinde pro his damnandum esse hominen ob ea quae vitare non potuit ut quod etiam suspicari Sacrilegium est videatur Deus non tam salutem nostram quaesisse quam poenam Itaque Apostolus sciens a Domino justitiae ac majestatis nihil impossibile esse praeceptum aufert a nobis vitium murmurandi quod tunc utique nascisolet cum aut iniqua sunt quae jubentur aut jubentis minus digna persona est Quid tergiversamur incassum Nemo magis novit mensuram virium nostrarum quam qui ipsas vires nobis dedit Nec quisquam melius quantum possimus intelligit quam qui ipsam virtutem nobis posse donavit nec impossibile aliquid voluit imperare qui justus est nec damnaturus hominem fuit pro eo quod vitare non potuit qui pius est Which in short is this That to say that God should command any thing which is not in our power to do were to accuse God of Ignorance as not knowing mans power and of Iniquity Cruelty and Sacrilege commanding that which he knew we could not do and thereafter condemning us for not doing of it This Quaker may see his owne face in this glass 13. He citeth further the words of God to Cain Gen. 4 6 7. and saith that this timeous admonition and promise of pardon upon condition he did well saith that he bad a day of visitation wherein it was possible for him to be saved That it was possible for Cain through the grace of God to have done well and obtained the excellency we affirme but that he had power without this grace all this admontion cannot prove so that as is said it is pure Pelagianisme for him to adde God could not propose that condition to do well to him if he had not given him sufficient strength to do well Had Pharaoh sufficiency of strength moral to let the people of Israel go when God had hardened his heart so as he should not let them go If not how could God send Moses to him with a word of command This man told us Thesis 4. That man in his Natural state could know nothing aright and that all his Imaginations Words and Actions were evil and only evil continually Now I enquire if such a man can be said to have sufficiency of strength to know God and things divine and to do well If not then it seemeth by this mans doctrine here that God can impose no command upon such to know God and to do well We know that God giveth the heart to perceive eyes to see and eares to hear Deut. 29 4. and that the carnal minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8 7. And that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them becauss they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2 14. He citeth to the same purpose Gen. 6 3. And we deny not that the Spirit speaking after the manner of men for such expressions cannot bâ— understood properly of God is said to contend with men to wit by his Word and Servants whom he sendeth forth to deal with men in his name So did he thus strive long with this old world by his messengers the Patriarches particularly by Noah called a preacher of righteousness 2 Pet. 2 5. But what of this This day of Visitation saith he which he granteth to every one is such as therein the Lord is said to waite and be
gracious Esa. 30 18. to be long suffering Exod. 34 6. Num. 14 18. Psal. 86 15. Ier. 15 15 By all which not to mention the impertinency of that citation Esai 30 18. as also of that Ier. 15 15. as may appeare to any at the first view he can only inferre that which we do not deny viz. That God is long suffering and patient even towards the wicked But can he hence conclude that the wicked have power therefore of themselves without the Spirit of regeneration and grace to do what is commanded in reference to life eternal Let him essay this and give yet fuller proof of his Pelagianisme That wicked persons may forbear much wickedness and acts of iniquity without the special grace of God I readily grant and hereby turning from their former wicked courses may prevent their owne temporal ruine and hold off the judgments of God that are threatned and imminent as we see in the people of Nineve and in that wicked King Ahab and so that the old world might have prevented their destruction by turning from their evil wayes and hearkning to the counsel and command of Noah from the Lord who waited with patience 1 Pet. 3 20. All this is true but what is all this in reference to eternal Salvation Is it likewise in their power when they please to turne to the Lord and serve Him with a perfect heart and to walk before Him and bâ— perfect Ere we beleeve this we must see other proofs thereof than what is brought from the word of Command for that I suppose will reach even such whose day of Visitation is at end and to whom salvation is on this account impossible as this man saith 14. He foresaw that it would be answered that the long suffering mentioned 1 Pet. 3 20. was not unto salvation And therefore citeth as a parallel place to cleare that it was unto salvation 2 Pet. 3 15. But the man taketh no notice to whom the Apostle Peter is speaking there in his second Epistle see vers 9. explained and vindicated in the former Chapter They were these whom the Apostle looked upon as having obtained like pretious faith with him and others through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Iesus Christ 2 Pet. 1 1. and whom he stileth beloved Chap. 3 1 8 14 17. and such as were looking for the comeing of the day of God and for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness vers 12 13 14 and such as were in case to grow in grace in the knowledge of Iesus Christ vers 18 Now to these only and such as belonged to the Election of grace whom the Lord was yet to bring-in the Lord's delay to destroy the world with fire which is the long suffering here spoken of as vers 9. cleareth was salvation because he would want none of them that his body to which they belonged as members might be compleat But he tels us further to as little purpose that Peter in this matter looketh to Paul's writtings insinuating that this was the Catholick and common doctrine of the Church And why should it not be so as we have cleared it And Paul also in his Epistle to the Hebrewes which is the writing of Paul to them to whom Peter is now writing as appeares 1 Pet. 1 1. 2 Pet. 1 1. speaketh to this same purpose Heb. 10.35 to the end So that this man is in a fond mistake when he supposeth afterward that in this particular Peter hath his eye towards Paul's Epistle to the Romans Chap. 9. seing that Epistle was not written to them to whom Peter is here writing and that he meaneth such an Epistle as was writen to the same persons is clear from vers 15. Even as our beloved brother Paul also hath writen unto you It is true Peter addeth other Epistles of Paul wherein he speaketh of these things that Peter is here treating of which cannot be said of that place of his Epistle to the Romans And what he speaketh of our wresting of the Scriptures may as is evident enough from what is already said and will appear more ere we end with him without the hazard of a reproach be retorted upon himself and his party But we have some other thing to do than insist upon recriminations 15. He citeth next Pag 95. Rom. 2 4. and then asketh how these could be called riches and bounty unless there had been a time wherein they might have repented become partakers of these riches which were then offered Ans. These might have been the riches of God's goodness and forbearance and long suffering calling them to turne from their wickedness and not treasure up wrath to themselves against the day of wrath though nothing certanely accompanying salvation Nature may teach persons that God's bounty and goodness in spareâ—ng or not cutting off with remarkable judgments as he doth some and continueing life good things necessary for life notwithstanding they deserve to be cut off should be otherwise improven than by taking encouragement therefrom to sinne the more Shall temporal spareing favoures bestowed on such as deserve nothing but hell fire be in so small account with us Was it in their power without the grace of God upon the simple consideration of the goodness of God and his long suffering and patience towards them to repent savingly or could they have been made partakers of Salvation without saving Repentance One of these this Man must prove ere he can evince any thing hence proving salvation possible in his sense to all and every person And I suppose these words of the Apostle vers 7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality Eternal life will import some other thing This seeking after glory and honour and immortality that by well doing or as the opposition made vers 8. cleareth by doing the truth obeying righteousness by working good as vers 10. and by continuance in well doing by patient continuance in well doing cannot sure be performed by any by the meer strength of Nature and without the Grace of God And how shall it be performed by them that know nothing of an Eternal life or of Glory and Honour and Immortality so cannot seek after it that in such a manner Will he say that all the Heathens Barbarians the Cannibals Men-eaters such as have little more of Men than the outward visage positure of the body are acquainted with these things can by their owne Industry Paines reach the crowne of immortal glory If he do not both affirme confirme this he proveth not his Universal Day of Visitation granted to every Mothers son in which they may if they please lay hold on eternal life 16. Thereafter § 20. he citeth Esai 5 1 2 3 4. and as parallel parables Mat 21 33. Mark 12 1. Luk. 20 9. which yet differ in several maine points a passage which his predecessours
procured to us his favour Ephes. 1.6 Mat. 3 17. How could he have purchased a peculiar people Tit. 2 13 14. How could He have given to us his Spirit Gal 4 v. 6. How could He have conquered all our enemies Luk. 1 v. 68 69 71 74. And how could he bring us to everlasting salvation Heb. 5 v. 8 9. 9 v. 12 13 14 15 16. But they deny all these things as done by any other Christ than what is within themselves though in a smaller measure than in him that was crucified at Ierusalem 2. Behold also how he runneth wild in his notions for when he saith that Christ was a man as we are and that Christ dwelleth in us and that the same God dwelleth in us that dwelt in Christ he must also say that Christ dwelt in Christ immediatly and Christ dwelleth in us mediatly But 3. He saith the Eternal word which was with God and was God dwelt immediatly in the holy man Christ but mediatly in us But he will not say that Eternal Word did assume the man-hood into its personal union and so admitting a gradual difference which varyeth not the kinde Quakers and Heathens may as well be said to be Immanuel God manifest in the flesh as Christ Iesus to be the life which is the Light of men and the true Light which lighteth every man comeing into the world and what not How abominable must that Abomination be which these Quakers call and account their Religion They deserve not to be called Christians As for his rejecting of the errours of Apollinaris Pag. 84 denying that Christ had a soul and of Eutiches who denyed him to have a true humane nature wâ—at is it but what all the Socinians will deny as well as he 11. In the third place § 14. Pag. 84. he sayes this grace light and seed is not an accidens but a real spiritual substance which the soul of man can apprehend feel and from which proceedeth that real and spiritual birth called the new creature the new man in the heart Ans. 1. Then this must be neither Grace nor Light for these are not substances 2. It is little wonder he call it a Real Spiritual Substance when it is God's Vehicle and the Organ in which He dwelleth But neither Scripture nor sound philosophy tels us of any substance in man but what belongs either to his Soul or to his Body it is like he will joyn himself with the old Heracleonites who spoke of a third substance in man 3. The soul can apprehend and feel an accidens as well as a substance and the new creature and new man in the heart being an accidens and consisting in Knowledge Righteousness and Holiness the image of God in man Ephes 2 24. Col. 3 10. can proceed from an accidens 4. This man stricks-in with the old Manichees with Flacius Illiricus in part who said that Original Sin was a substance so also they said that Original Righteousness and the image of God is a substance and the essence of man See Wigandus de Manicheismorenovato Pag. 8.9 And that the new man is the substance of man id Pag. 14. 5. This sayes that this Seed and Light or Grace or what ever it be called must be nothing but what is Natural belonging to the Nature and Essence of man and cannot be any thing supernatural and so all their Conceptions of this mater how substantial soever they suppose it to be must be Carnal and Natural 6. How can the new creature which is a supernatural thing arise from this natural howbeit substantial Seed and Grace 12. These things are not very intelligible being the issue of men transported with delusory phancies And howbeit he saith that they are wonderful to carnal men who are strangers to them yet me thinks The word of God should containe such things and till we finde the Scripture bearing witness thereunto we must forbear the imbraceing of them though we lye under the imputation of being but carnal men with him who thinketh none are Spiritual but himself and other Quakers But how proveth he the thing He tels us only that they know it and are sensible of it by true and certain experience They taste it smell it see it and touch it And why not also hear it But the pretended experiences of deluded men are no demonstrations to us The more they talk at this rate after we have heard of their corrupt Pelagian Arminian and Socinian Principlâ—s tending to overturne the Gospel of the grace of God the more we cannot but suspect them of grosse Knavery and Delusion Persons possessed with the devil can talk as much of their senses and sensible experiences of the workings of Satan in them as these Quakers can do And yet that is no argument to us to receive their Assertions as demonstrations unless as demonstrations of devilry 13. But he learnedly demonstrateth that it is a Substance because it abideth in the hearts of the ungodly even while they remaine in their impieties Ans. And doth not Pravity Ignorance Rebellion c. remaine in their hearts while they abide in their impieties Are these therefore substances The man shall thus goe far beyond Illyricus make all actual wickedness substances so ascribe them all to God who is the Author of substances But sayes he no accident can be in a subject unless the subject can be denominated therefrom And why may not the man in whom is this grace and light be denominated a graced and enlightened man And sure if Christ as they say doth thus enlighten every man every man may be said to be thus enlightened as well as when one smiteth Robert Barclay he may be said to be smitten or as well as when Satan deludeth him he may be said to be deluded And thus this Substance shall be turned into an accidens by this man's philosophy But why may not substances give ground for denominations The soul is a substance and if the soul be in the body the body may be said to be enlivened therewith and so though it were granted that this grace and light were a substance yet every one in whom it is might be said to be graced and enlightened thereby And thus his demonstration evanisheth He tels us they distinguish betwixt holiness as an accidentâ— denominating a man as this seed getteth place in his heart and this holy and substantial seed which oft lyeth in mens heart as a graine of seed in a rockie ground as we distinguish betwixt health which cannot but denominat the man in whom it is and medicine which is a substance and which may be in a most unhealthy body Resp. 1. Nay we see They distinguish betwixt this seeds lying in the heart and its getting place in the heart or else these words have no sense 2. If there be such a difference betwixt this Substantial Seed and Holiness as is betwixt Physick and Health that substantial seed is no part of holiness
Then he is so perswaded of the truth hereof that he is assured no man that readeth this and dealeth honestly with his own heart in the sight of God will not acquiesce thereunto and in some measure be sensible thereof Closeing with this Epiphonema That this is the pretious day of visitation which who soever resisteth not shall be happy for ever This is the day of the Lord which is as lightning shining from east to west and as the winde or the Spirit breathing into the soul and its sound is heard but we know not whence it cometh and whither it goeth 24. To all which I shall shortly reply beginning at what is last 1. That Spirit whereof Christ speaketh Ioh. 3. that bloweth where it listeth waiteth not for mans not-resisting no more then the winde whereunto Christ there likeneth it And it througheth its effect the new birth for he addeth so is every one that is borne of God will this man dar to say that all Men in the world are partakers of this new birth 2. How impertinet that other expression is which Christ hath Mat. 24 27. unto the purpose which this man is now handling he may read that runneâ—h tâ— But it is usual for these men to play thus boldly with the Scriptures as men that have not the fear of God before their eyes 3. He taketh no notice that his writings are not likely to come into the hands of Heathens Pagans Turks and Barbarians And so his Proclamation of this day of visitation and faire opportunity of Salvation to all is but vaine 4. We are to see afterward if he can prove from Scripture that God hath planted such a Seed in every man 5. He saith here that God hath certain singular times wherein he thus cometh but in the preceding Chapter we observed another account of this day of Visitation as of a day that did not goe and come againe as the Angels moving of the waters of Bethesda Or he must say that this day cometh but once in a mans whole life time so that if men repent not at that very houre or moment they shall never be saved And if this be his doctrine it is neither consonont to his expressions elsewhere not to the Scriptures nor is it comfortable to either one or other 6 It is absolutely false That God offereth remission of sins salvation to every man upon condition of non-refusal for He offereth remission and salvation to none but in Christ and that upon the condition of faith in Jesus as the whole Gospel cleareth And this offer is not made to any to whom the Gospel is not preached for it is the Gospel wherby life and immortality is brought to light and wherein Christ is held forth as the Propitiation it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1 16 17. So that this mans doctrine destroyeth the whole Gospel and rendreth the whole administration thereof useless yea it taketh away the death of Christ and his merites and blood shed when it taketh away faith that must lay hold upon it 7. What is this not-dissenting not-refusing that he talks of The Arminians spoke at this rate Is this any thing else than the use of Free will at whose devotion Christ and his Salvation is This even this with the Pelagianizing Socinianizing and Arminianizing Quakers is the thing that must weare the crowne and have all the glory of our Salvation and to it must the everlasting songs be sung Glory honour and Praise must be given to our owne noble and well inclined Freewill that did not resist nor refuse in the day of visitation Let never my soul come into these mens secrete 8. That God wonderfully warmeth and mollifieth the heart of every son of Adam at some one time or other is meer Quakerisme that is to say a vaine dream And that God wonderfully mollifieth warmeth the heart of a man in reference to salvation and that yet the man may refuse the call and perish may be true or false according as that mollifying warming is interpreted But if it be taken for the gracious working of the Spirit of God as it may be he will take it he proclameth Armianisme If he take it for some common operation of the Spirit yet say that mans not resisting of this alone without any more will certainly prove saving he preacheth forth Pelagianisme and denieth the necessity of the grace of God 9. In fine we see that this Plaister will not cover the sore Nor free him from the charge of Pelagianisme For Pelagius said as much and more as Vossius Hist. Pelag lib. 3. part 2. Thes. 4. cleareth out of Augustine for he tels us that Pelagius explaining the nature of that grace which he at length came to acknowledge said it did nor consist in the Law only but in the help and adjutorium of God But this Quaker will not admit the grace of the Law or doctrine of Christ for the preaching of the Gospel with him is not necessary unto Salvation Yet hear Pelagius The Lord helpeth us said he by his Doctrine and Revelation while be openeth the eyes of our heart while he illuminateth us with the ineffable gift of his heavenly grace Is not this as much as this Quaker saith when he speaketh of Gods stirring up this light that is within every man Nay it is more for Pelagiuâ— hereby granted a real operation of the Spirit upon the Minde illuminating it by an unspeakable gift of heavenly grace but our Quakers illumination is nothing but God's putting the natural conscience to work And will this Quaker say more then or as much a Pelagius said on these words God worketh in us both to will and to do God doth this said he while he stirreth us up by the greatness of future glory and the promise of reward and while by the revelation of wisdom he stirreth up the lazie will unto the love of God and while he perswadeth to every thing that is good Will this Quaker say that God doth even this much to every one of the Heathens What Knowledge of the greatness of future glory or of the promise of the rich recompence of reward what Revelation of Wisdom What Love to the true and only God is or can be imagined to be among all and every one of the Heathens Pelagius did very carefully distinguish betwixt Posse Velle Agere And he said the first did properly belong to God who bestowed it upon his Creature But the other two were wholly of man Now all that this Quaker ascribeth here to God is but he first possibility for the man is left at liberty to will or nill as he pleaseth and to operate or not operate as he thinketh good This Possibility Pelagius said every man had whether he would or not but the will and the deed was in his own power Hath not our Quake
effect through man 's not resisting when he might resist if he pleased so that of two having the same measure of sufficient grace then which no more is requisite on God's part for effectuating the work the one beleeveth because he doth put no bar in the way the other beleeveth not because he resisteth and doth put a bar in the way 4. Hence it is manifest why this answer of the Quaker who taketh part with Iesuites and Arminians cannot satisfie to wit because all the actual efficacy of grace is made to depend on mans will for as we saw the same Sufficient Grace that is bestowed upon two Persons can of it self produce the actual conversion of neither but must leave both to their free liberty and choice and one beleeveth not properly and immediatly by the power and efficacy of this grace even suppose it were in a greater measure for then it should worke the same effect in both but because his will did freely of its own accord consent and yeeld when it might have done otherwise even in sensu composito as they speak and the other beleeveth not because he opposeth and resisteth when he might had he so thought good have yeelded If our Quaker should run to the foreseen congruity and contemperation of the call of God with Free will which Bellarmin and Vasques devise to alleviat the mater it will be of no advantage for first this Scientia Media by which they imagine God to foresee what will be in such and such cases is groundless and Next at the long run the crown is put upon Man not upon the Grace of God for this Grace thaâ— becometh congruous as coming in a good day when the man is in a good mood and pleasant disposition worketh no more as to it self then it did upon another whom it found not in so good a temper but worse disposed so that man may thank his good disposition that the grace of God was Congruous and so Effectual and not incongruous and so Ineffectual So that Effectual Grace Sufficient Grace is still the same Physically and as to its real entity and all the difference is from mans good or evil disposition whose evil disposition can make a Greater measure of grace Ineffectual and good disposition can make a Lesser measure Effectual if it come in its congruous season From whence we see it is clear as the sun that mans Free Will and not the Grace of God according to our Quakers is to be praised for Faith Repentance Conversion and mans free consent maketh that grace Effectual which otherwise would have been Ineffectual his Opposition or Resistance maketh that grace Ineffectual which otherwise might have been Effectual And thus their Sufficient grace is with them absolutely sufficient upon God's part and all its Efficacy and Effectualness dependeth upon and hath its being from mans free Consent Will this Quaker or any of his Masters the Molinists or Arminians say that beside that Sufficient Grace which is made common to all there is necessarily required a further work of Preveening Grace upon the will of man physically determining the same and certainly and efficaciously effectuating the actual consent thereof and removing or overcoming its Opposition or Resistance As for the Gratia Cooperans which they say he who beleeveth and complieth with the call hath and which the other who resisteth wanteth it doth not helpe them for it is also made to depend wholly upon mans Consent so that God cooperateth because the man consenteth and cooperateth not in the other because he resisteth and it is made the same upon the mater with Sufficient Preventing Grace only now having a new denomination because of its cooperating with mans will which goeth before and upon which it dependeth I know the Arminians say that God worketh upon the will granting to it a Supernatural Power to obey and yeeld but yet they will not grant that this grace shall determine the will and certainly and efficaciously bow and incline the will to consent for the will must still retaine its power to obey or not as it pleaseth and all the work of grace upon the will must remaine resistible and be nothing but Moral Swasion so that when Antecedent Preveening Grace hath done all it can do it may so fall out that no conversion shall follow so that conversion is still contingent and uncertain though not in respect of the foreknowledg of God yet in respect of its dependance upon that cause and doth not follow necessitate causae five consequentis because for all that grace man was alwayes free to resist and the grace Preventing I meane and Antecedent granted to him that resisteth was equal to that which was granted to him that yeeldeth And therefore with them there is no grace granted that Effectually or Efficaciously Certainly taketh away the wills resistance causeth it infallibly to bow and yeeld otherwise their Sufficient grace should not be simply and absolutly sufficient but only so far and in its own kinde And seing they deny any concession of more Prevening and Antecedent Grace then what is purely sufficient as all Papists must do who will follow the Councel of Trent Sess. 6. can 4. 5. It is undeniable that with them and our Quakers who follow them the Efficacy of Grace is from man and man must thank himself and his own Free Will that he is saved if not wholly because of cooperating grace which is yeelded to yet principally 5. So that though he who resisteth is clearly guilty of his own damnation yet that Grace which is only Sufficient cannot be truely and simply called that mans Salvation who resisteth not but his salvation must principally or rather only be ascribed to himself for that Sufficient grace did no more upon its part to him who resisteth not than it did to him who resisteth and it hath no more Influence or Efficacy as from it self upon the one than upon the other It cannot then be said that the Salvation of him that is saved is merely of grace and not of himself seing he and not grace made the difference and made Sufficient grace become Effectual 6. Nor is it true that Man is wholly passive with our Quakers for the mans actual consent is requisite and his non-resistance is rather an Action than a Passion as it is in the will for not only the will must positively will this non-resistance but this non-resistance in the will is a positive yeelding for in Scripture construction a suspension of actual consent is a resistance and a non-yeelding 7. Hence we see that it is all one thing whether the first progress as he speaketh be by cooperating or only by not counterworking for whatever way we name it the will is positively acting when the will yeeldeth it doth it willingly and when it doth not repugne nor resist it yeeldeth non-resistance is a kinde of consenting But whatever we call it it is according to the Quakers with
12. where it signifieth among and he might have found it rendered in the margine of our bibles among so that the meaning is the Kingdom of God which they imagined would be some outwardly glorious and splendid thing and therefore could not be in and with Christ was already near unto them and among them for thus he cleareth it afterward vers 22. saying unto his disciples The dayes will come when ye shall desire to see one of the dayes of the Son of Man and ye shall not see it Whence we see this could be nothing that was within the carnal part of the heart of every man We reject therefore with detestation that which he saith afterward to wit That Iesus Christ the hope of glory who becometh wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption is in the heart of every man in that little seed as man is potentially in the embrio as cursed Pelagianisme and doctrine for Pagans 16. He tels us Pag. 109. That the Calvinists take grace to be a certaine irresistible power therefore reject this little seed of the Kingdom despise it as an contemptible insufficient thing and unprofitable to salvation And why not seing Scripture speaketh of Grace as a Drawing and Teaching of the Father as a Quickening of the dead as a giving of a New heart as Enlightening â—he minde spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God as a Renewing of the will and by almighty power determining it to that which is good See Ioh. 6 44 45 Ezech. 36 26 27. 11 19. Phil. 2 vers 13. Deut. 30 6. Ephes. 1 17 18 19 Act. 26 18. 1 Cor. 2 10 12 And as for this Seed which he talketh of the Calvinists as he calleth them cannot but reject it and all that are not one with Pelagians Iesuites Arminians the sworne enemies of the grace of God But to astonish his Reader he addeth That the Papists Socinians and Arminians on the other hand do extoll nature and Free will and deny this little seed small manifestation of Light to be that supernatural and savving grace of God given to all unto salvation But poor man he bewryeth his ignorance not knowing that Pelagius called the posse the grace of God and that Arminians plead for a Supernatuâ—al grace granted to all whereby they have a power to do what is commanded See Act. Synod Remonst de gratia Pag. 14 15. Praeterea minime quoque diffitemur Spiritum Sanctum immediate agere in voluntatâ—m in illam vires infundendo ac potentiam supernaturalem ad credendum and againe Si per gratiam habitualem intelligere libeat potentiam supernaturalem concessam voluntati ad hoc ut credere bene agere possit eam libenter admittimus Yea Pag. 62. they say that this power of beleeving is conâ—erred by irresistible grace See their Apology Pag. 117. b. Let this Quaker now tell me wherein he dâ—ffereth from the Arminians Doth not he and they conspire to put the crown of salvation on mans head that man may have all the praise of willing and doing while as God gave to all in common a power to will and to do by whâ—ch all might if they would believe and be saved and which could do no more and thus we need not notice what he addeth further there to this purpose only I observe his sarcastical scoffe at the Calvinists as he calleth them wherein he bewrayeth much ignorance or malice or both For it is most false that they cry up such a Saviour as repareth little or nothing within and giveth ground of certanety of Salvation to such as live in sinnes I value not his commendations of this Light being all founded on pure ignorance and presumption though he blasphemously Pag 110. misapply these Scriptures Ioh. 3 vers 20. Psal. 1â—8 22. Mat. 21 42. Mark 12 10. Luk. 20 17. Act. 4 11. as speaking of his Pelagian dream Nor do I regard his saying from experience that that stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner though he taking Gods blessed name in vaine ascribeth upon this account glory to God for his delusions are no ground of our faiâ—h nor confirmations to be regarded by us And whereas he boasteth of their being sent forth as the first fruites unto God in the day wherein he is to arise contend with the nations to preach this everlasting Gospel he but foameth out his owne shame for we have seen already what a Heathenish Gospel this is which he preacheth Nor do I take any notice of this mans undervalueing of all preachers that are not of his minde this being the usual straine of all broachers of pernicious doctrine to fill the mindes of the less knowing of whom they think to make a prey with prejudices against the Faithful assertors and maintainers of truth What he addeth further Pag. 110. in commendation of themselves is but a proclamation of his pride and vaine glory And that summe of the Gospel which the Quakers preach repeated so often Pag. 110. and 111. to wit That they call request invite all to turn in unto the Light within them beleeve in Christ as he is in them is enough and more then enough to make all wise men abhore their doctrine and all that love their souls to keep far from them seing by what we have said it is apparent what this Christ within every man is and what is this Light to which he would have all turning in to wit nothing but Pelagian or rather Heathenish darkness which overturneth the Gospel and its whole administration for it is but that which every mans conscience can teach and what the conscience of an Hannibal Caesar Catalin yea or of the most polished heathen can teach of that Salvation Light Life and Immortality which is brought to light by the Gospel who but Quakers can imagine And though this conscience even of a natural heathen wakened and armed by God in Justice would make them tremble as Quakers do as he saith yet this will not prove that it could informe them of the way of salvation by a crucified Christ without ever hearing of the same preached as he ignorantly imagineth And we deny not that to be a most sure truth which Paul saith 2 Cor. 13 5. but see not of what advantage it can be to him And this is all which we have for probation of the first part of his Position CHAP. XII Of the Salvation of Heathens without hearing the Gospel 1. THe second part of this Quakers last Assertion is set down and prosecuted § 25. Pag. 111. It is this in short That by the working of this light and feed some have been saved and may yet be saved who never heard or shall hear of Christ or the Gospel externally preached And this must be true with this Quaker though the Apostle faith the contrary Rom. 10 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved And how shall they
hath appeared to all men that is was preached and plainly declared and made manifest in the Gospel administration he dreameth of a saving grace given to every man and received by every man and so what the Apostle speaketh of Outward grace or of the Outward Dispensation of grace he understandeth of Inward grace wrought and rooted in the heart Finally neither can he hence prove that ever any without the Church was or shall be really saved for as we said a possibility or may be will not inferre a shall be or must have been And will he say that this grace which teacheth to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world hath appeared to all heathens who never understood the right way of worshiping of God in Christ according to his word Whatever the light of nature might teach them darkly concerning Sobriety and Temperance as to themselves and concerning Righteousness in their dealings with others as also concerning the unreasonableness of their Idolatry Act. 14 16 17. 1â— 29 Râ—m 1 20 21 23 25 28. Yet it could never acquant them with the Instituted and Prescribed Worshipe of God and with true Gospel godliness or with any essential and necessary part thereof 4. Another argument to prove this possibility of salvation to heathens he bringeth from Rom. 5 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life And he will needs have all men in the last part to be of as large an extention as it is in the first part little considering that hereby he shall not only prove a possibility of salvation to all men which is the thing he intendeth here but also that all men are and shall be actually saved for judgment came upon all the posterity of Adam not potentially only but actually and this Justification of life is actual and real justification through the imputed righteousness of Christ which who ever hath shall really obtaine life But he perverteth the words of the Apostle to evite this absurdity when he frameth his argument thus If all men received by Adam evil leading to damnation then all men did also receive benefite by Christ leading to justification while as the Apostle saith that judgment came upon all men to condemnation and Beza well sheweth that it is reatus or guilt or judgment that is here to be understood as is clear from vers 16. for the judgment was by one to condemnation the free gift which must also here be supplied from vers 16 came upon all men unto justification of life So that it was not any thing having a kinde of tendency or manuducency unto Condemnation or Justification which yet might fail but it was that which is necessarily attended with Condemnation in the one and Justification in the other or rather was Condemnation and Iustification it self as the Syriak version hath it But whatever this man imagineth the sense and meaning of the place is clear that as all whom Adam represented did by his one Offence incurre Condemnation so all whom the second Adam Christ Iesus did represent did by his Righteousness obtaine Iustification as we cleared above on another occasion and therefore need say no more to iâ— now 5. He citeth to this same purpose Esai 49 6. Where Christ is said to be given for a Light to the Gentiles But its impertinency is obvious for though Christ be given foâ— a light to the Gentiles who under the Gospel dispensation are not excluded as they were under the law yet it will not follow that all such Gentiles as never once hear of his name or have this Gospel declared unto them may as well be saved as such who are brought within the Church and have this light of the Gospel which bringeth life and immortality with it shineing among them And further Christ becometh a light to the Gentiles by opening the blinde eyes by bringing out the prisoners from the prison and them that fit in darkness out of the prison house as the parallel place Esai 42 6.7 cleareth And all this is done by preaching of the Gospel as we see in Pauls commission Act. 26 18. And as this same Prophet cleareth Esai 61 1 2 3. Where Christ himself as we see Luk. 4 18. by preaching good tidings unto the meâ—k bindeth up the broken hearted and proclameth liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound c. 6. In the next place he assayeth to prove that some such have been really saved and he saith that to think otherwise is against all charity and he seeth not how it can be made good But our charity is not to be blinde but is to be ruled by the word And he should know that he is now the affirmer and should prove what he asserteth What saith he to Act. 4 12 He answereth That though outwardly they do not know yet inwardly feeling his power and vertue they know inwardly his name really redeeming them from sin and iniquity and so may be saved But how proveth he that such as are without the Church and Covenant and hear not of Christ in the Gospel and have no external knowledge can have any inward feeling of the power of Christ as a Saviour And how can he show to us that this gloss doth agree with and not manifestly cross the scope of Peter in that place Both these I deny and in this he goeth further than Vasques and other Papists who say that even heathens and such as have no faith in Christ may get of his grace to do things morally good See Estius also in secund sent dist 41. § 3. His adding Pag. 114 that salvation is not in a literal knowledge is impertinent for he should prove that salvation is where there is no literal knowledge nor meanes thereunto His supposing that there can be a real inward and experimental knowledge of Christ where there is no outward or literal knowledge is but a dream which we cannot receive without clear proof His argument is a plaine non-sequitur If saith he a distinct outward knowledge of Christ be necessary to me before I receive any benefite by him then by the rule of contraries it will follow that I can incurre no dammage unless I have a distinct knowledge of him For when captâ—ves are in prison and one offereth to redeem them upon such such conditions and he thinketh good to make known the conditions to some and not to others can any raâ—ional man think that because the ignorance of these conditions is prejudicial to the redemption of some that therefore these same can be accouâ—ted no prisoners until they hear of these conditions Redemption which Christ bringeth with him supposeth persons already lying in bondage slavery and misery and is not offered to persons that are free at liberty But if the man will here understand that dammage which
not what others say Parnel in his Shield of truth Pag. 17. said as it is cited by Mr Faldo whose Book is but lately come to my hand 2 Part. Pag. 11. of his book And here is the difference of the Ministers of the world and the Ministers of Christ the one of the letter the other of the Spirit for they are meer deceivers and witches bewitch people from the truth holding forth the shadow for the substance As for the Church so speaketh Isaac Pennington in his Questions P. 49. Q. What is the fold of the sheep Answ. The wisdom life and power of the Father even the same that is the shepherd Obj. Is not the Church the fold A. This in the Church or the Church in this is the fold but not out of this As for prayer or thanksgiving at meat hear Iames Naylor Love to the lost P. 57. But where the pure is not viz. the light all things are defiled when they are not sanctified by the word and prayer and therefore are to be received in fear and therein remembring his death till he come and so this is all their Lord's Supper too who is the word and Prayer And Pag. 13. He casts all Prayer that is not by immediat inspiration saying But as every creature is moved by the Spirit of the living God who is that Spirit who will be served with his owne alone not with any thing in man which is come in since the fall so the imaginations thinkings and conceivings are shut out And Smith Cat. P. 100. So must all come to the Sâ—irit of God by the Spirit to be ordered and cease from their own words and from their own time and learne to be silent till the Spirit give them utterance And P. 107. So the same wisdom may deny the prescribed way as being formal and may invent something instead of it in a higher mystery of iniquity and though they may not speak in such formal words composed yet in the same wisdom their words are formal they can set their own time to begin and end and when they will they can utter words when they will they can be silent and this is the unclean part which offereth to God which he doth not accept Found we not his Mans doctrine abâ—ve consonant hereunto As for Baptisme Parnel Pag. 11. els us They owne the Baptisme which is the Baptisme of Christ with the holy Ghost and with fire but they deny all other And P. 12. and now I see the other that is water Baptisme as they ordinarily call it out of scorne to be formal imitation and the invention â—f Man and so a meer delusion Smith Prim. P. 39. and Higgins warning P. 5 say we have this and the Lords Supper both from the Pope Nay Iames Naylor Love to the lost P. 52. giveth us one word for all for this I say saith he that the Father hath given his Son for a leader and guide to all ages and into and out of all formes at his will and in his way and time in every generation And therefore it is that all who know his will herein cannot endure that any visible thing should be set up to limite his leadings in Spirit And C Atkinson said I deny that God did ever or will ever reveal himself by any of these things thou callest the meanes of grace And G. Fox in his Grâ—at Mystery P. 16. And we say he Christ hath triumphed over Ordinances and blotted them out and they are not to be touched and the saints have Christ in them who is the end of outward formes and thou art deceived who thinks to finde the living among the dead And after all this and much more of the like kinde we must be accounted slanderers for saying that they deny the external part of Christianity Nay not only so but we must be horride liars and the searcher of hearts must be attested hereunto This is but an inconsiderable thing with them who account all that our Preachers say from the word of the Lord nothing but lies and satanical delusions because it is not from the immediat teaching of the Spirit and them but Professours of the Devil upon this account See Fox's Great Mystery P. 5. and 62. 3. Yet more Hence is it saith he that because we exhort people to returne and feel God within themselves saying unto them that if they feel not God neer them the notions which they have of God as he is in the heaven above the cloudes will not much profite them they maliciously endeavour to inferre that we say that God doth not exist without us Answ. Thinks he that we have no other Notion of God but as of one that is up in the heavens above the cloudes Supposeth he that we deny him to be every where present But if they beleeve there is a God in deed and in truth why talk they so much of a measure of God in every man Is the true God such a devisible thing Why do they make the soul of man a part or particle of God What meane they by the Vehicle of God Do these and the like expressions smell of orthodoxy in this matter The true God that is revealed to us in the Scriptures is a God that is one in essence and three distinct persons the Father the Son and the holy Ghost do they believe this Furthermore if they beleeve really a God without them why do they ascribe to something within them that which is peculiar unto God Doth not the morning Watch Pag. 5.6 7. assert the light within every man to be that word which Iohn speaks of Iohn 1 1 See Fox the younger P. 50 53 54. Is that a savoury expression which E. B True faith hath when he saith every man hath that which is one in union and like the Spirit of Christ even as good as the Spirit of Christ according to its measure Was that orthodox which Ed. Burroughs said the morning before he died see F. H. Testimony Now my soul and Spirit is centred in its own being with God and this form of person must returne from whence it was taken Another hath these expressions See Mr Faldo as above P. 124. Againe thou makes a great pudder that any one should witness he is equal with God Answ. A Cathechisme of the Assembly of the Priests in which they have laid down that the holy Ghost and Son is equal in power glory with the Father yet if any come but to witness the Son revealed in him or come to witness the holy Ghost in them as they gave out the Scriptures or witness the minde of Christ and witness that equal with the Father they cry out horrid blasphemy Hear what another saith Now consider what a condition these called Ministers are in They say that which is a Spiritual Substance is not infinite in it self but a creature that which came out from the Creatour and is in the hand of the Creatour which brings it
more harden them as clay c. But the Sun can never make a thistle bring forth grapes or a carcasse to smell as a rose so neither can the Sun of righteousness by this Man's opinion cause a dead man live or a rotten withered branch bring forth fruit And the change of the corrupt nature of man is not from the Sun of righteousness but from himself and it lyeth at the mans own door and is in his option whether he will bring forth fruite or not let the sun shine as it will And further let him explaine to me How grace can properly harden a man I know that by accident of mans corruption abusing it the man may thereby grow worse but this is not the proper work of grace as the heat of the sun hardeneth the clay as natively and properly as it causeth the flower to smell fragrantly However we see clearly what are this mans thoughts of grace and let any tell me if ever a Pelagian Semipelagian Socinian Arminian or Iesuite spoke more to the undervalueing and disparagment of the grace of God 10. Finally he tels us § 18. that he acknowledgeth that God doth operat in some in a certain special manner in whom grace so far prevaileth that salvation necessarily followeth and God suffereth them not to resist This I confess is the expression that seemeth most orthodox of any he hath yet had in this matter and yet Arminians will say the same But is it not thus with all whom God effectually Draweth and Converteth Or are there any really converted and saved without this special operation of grace If it be not thus with all then all are not alike beholden to God and his free grace for Conversion and out of what Scripture can we learne this If it be thus with all and it must be so with all who are truely converted why doth he trouble us with his Sufficient Grace which alone without this special manner of operation never brought a soul to heaven Was ever or will ever a man that is born in sin be converted till grace take away that resistence which is in him naturally And did ever that sufficient grace alone do it Yet saith he in that none did want that measure of grace whereby they might be saved they are made justly inexcusable and they that perish while they remember the dayes of Visitation wherein God by his Spirit and light did strive with them are forced to câ—nfesse that tâ—ere was a time wherein the door of mercy stood open and that they are justly condemned Ans. 1. We see no ground for such a day of Visitation as he dreameth of granted to all and every son of Adam as appeareth from what was said above upon that hâ—ad 2. That no man shall have anâ— just ground of pleading his excuse before God when condemned we nothing doubt though we feigne no devices of our owne to this end 3. what sense or remembrance of a day of Visitation wherein mercies door stood open Heathens and such as never heard of Christ can have we are yet to learne 4. Nor do we understand how that grace can absolutely be called Sufficient which removeth not the greatest of impediments that is to say Mans Reluctancy But Quakers their brethren the Arminians Iesuites can imagine strange things 11. We come now to see what way he proveth the necessity of this light unto salvation or how such as hear the Gospel are saved by the operations of this Light Pag 107. c. He citeth that Ioh. 3 3. except a man be born againe or from above he cannot see the Kingdom of God And what can this evince That the outward preaching of the Gospel alone the literal knowledge of Christ historical faith in him doth or can save a soul we never said though he falsly insinuateth so much in the following words Yet we see here the mans wicked designe to wit to cry up this grace to the end he may destroy all the Ordinances of Christ which he hath appointed as meanes whereby he is pleased to bring about this effect We never said that the external preaching of the Gospel alone could save any yet we know that by the foolishness of preaching the Lord saveth such as beleeve 1 Cor. 1 21. And Paul tels us that he begote the Corinthians through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4 15. And he begote Philem. 10. Onesimus in his bonds The word becoming ingraffed is able to save souls Iam. 1 21. But the maine thing here to be noticed is that this can make nothing for his point we grant that a man must be regenerated by the Grace and Spirit of God but we deny that any thing call it as he will that is common to all the Heathen is the Seed or Cause of this new birth It is wholly from above and of the Spirit who is not given to all persons only such as were foreknown are predestinate to be conforme to the image of Christ and they who are thus predestinated are effectually called Rom. 8 29 30. Se also Ephes. 1 4 5. It is they only who are given of the Father to Christ who will come to him Ioh. 6 37. 17 19 20 For they only partake of that which is obtained by Regeneration viz. the New Creature Gal. 6 15. the New Man Ephes 4 24. the Image of God Col. 3 10. the Divine Nature 2 Pet 1 4. the Spirit Gal 5 17. the Inner man Rom 7 2â— the Law of the minde vers 24. When he hath proven that this Common and Sufficient Grace is able to effectuate this new birth then he shall speak something to the purpose But neither he nor his Masters the Pelagians Iesuites nor Arminians shall ever be able to do this 12. What he saith of the necessity of this New birth and its preferableness to any external knowledge of Christ from 2 Cor. 5 16 17. we shall not oppose only we must say that it is wilde and unreasonable from that place to inferre that the knowledge of Christ is but like the Rudiments that children use which must be laid aside when they attaine to more perfection seing the knowledge of Christ is our life Ioh. 17 3. and he who knoweth him knoweth the Father Ioh. 10 â—8 14 9 10 11 17 21. His granting that every similitude halteth doth not much alleviate the mater for he addeth that such as do not advance above the outward knowledge of Christ shall never inherite the kingdom of heaven Unless by the outward knowledge of Christ he understand a meer literal superficial book-knowledge which inded will nor availe unto salvation and yet the want of which maketh the case of Heathens and such as are without the Church desperate 13. He tels us afterward Pag. 108. that the new creation whereof the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 5 16 17. proceedeth from the operation of this Light and Grace And this is the thing which he should prove for we deny it of the
Light and Grace whereof he talketh and which he will have common to all men breathing His saying that the Word of which he spoke is lively and penetrating c. Is no proofe For that word is not a Word or Seed or Grace implanted in every man as we shewed He addeth this seed is called the manifestation of the Spirit given to every man to profite for it is written that by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body And Peter ascribeth this birth unto this seed 1 Pet. 1. being born againe not of corruptible seed c. Ans. 1. If this Seed be the manifestation of the Spirit whereof Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 12 7. It is not common to all the world for the Apostle is there speaking of the Church whereof the Corinthians who were sanctified in Christ Jesus called saints 1 Cor. 1 1. were a part and being an homogeneal part are called the Body of Christ 1 Cor. 12 27. Where doth this Quaker read in the Scriptures that Heathens and such as are without the Church are called the Body of Christ 2. Nay if this seed be the manifestation of the Spirit it is so far from being common to all men that it is not common to all Church members For these gifts as they are called vers 4. were peculiar only to some members of the Church given in order to Administrations Operations vers 5 6. are particularly specified vers 8 9 10. Therefore saith the Apostle vers 11 12. But all these worketh that one and the self same Spirit divideing to every man severally as he will for as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ. Which is abundantly confirmed by the scope and whole contexture of the discourse 3. The Apostle for pressing of union and concord among the members of the Church of Corinth with an edifying use of their several gifts saith vers 13. That by one Spirit all we are baptized into one body c. that is that by baptisme all the Professours of the Name of Iesus are outwardly made members of the visible body of Christ and such as are really baptized by the Spirit and made partakers of his grace are made members of the invisible mystical body of Christ and so should lay forth themselves in the use of their gifts and graces for the common good of the whole body And what I pray can this make for the Quakers point Doth the Apostle say that this is common to all such as never were baptized nor heard thereof or did never partake of the other Sacrament imported by these words made to drink c. in the end of the verse as some suppose And if not what way will this Quaker hence prove the operation of the new birth by that which is common to all men breathing The Apostle it is true saith here whether Iewes or Gentiles Yet he meaneth only such as are comprehended under we that is such as were already members of the Church Will this Quaker say that all and every man are baptized by the Spirit and have bin made to drink into one Spirit Then I suppose he will next say That all must needs be saved 4. As for that Word or Seed whereof Peter speaketh every one may see that will beleeve Peter himself Chap. 1. vers last that this word of the Lord which is the incorruptible seed which liveth abideth for ever is not any thing abideing in all men but is that which is preached by the Gospel 14. He proceedeth and saith Though this seed in the first manifestation be small as a graine of mustard seed Mat 13 31 32. and though it be hid in the earthy part of mans heart yet life and salvation is hid in it and is revealed according as they yeeld unto it And in this seed the kingdom of heaven doth potentially lurk to be produced or rather exhibited as it getteth ground is nourished and is not suffocated Answ. 1. Are not these noble proofs Do the Quakers think that we are bound to take their groundless and inconsistent assertions for probations 2. How can this seed have its manifestation and yet be hid and latent 3. Hath a natural carnal unregenerat and heathen man a spiritual part of an heart or is the heart of every man partly earthly and partly heavenly and why doth this seed lye hid in the earthy part and not in the heavenly part of the heart are these any thing but Quakers dreames or new Pelagian Notions sufficiently confuted above 4. This must needs be a hid salvation which is hid in a seed which is hid in the earthy part of mans heart and that even in its first manifestation What idle fancies do these men feed upon 5. This hid salvation must be a wonderful salvation for it is revealed according as these in whom it is hid yeeld unto it But must it not first work appear in its operations before men can yeeld to it who can yeeld to a latent lurking thing that worketh not nor appeareth not 6. If Salvation be hid in this seed the kingdom of heaven is more then potentially in it for we say not that an apple is hid in the seed especially seing he saith that this kingdom of heaven is not produced as the seed can produce in its way a tree its fruit but rather exhibited 7. This seed he saith is already hid in the earthy part of mans heart and if so sure it hath ground how can he then say that it is exhibited as it getteth ground 8. The summe of all is pur◠Pelagianisme or worse viz. that there is something in every man which is sufficient of it self to Produce Grace Glory Life and Salvation if man will be but that well natured as to suffer it to work not suffocate it so that there is no need either of the outward Preaching of the Gospel or of the inward Operation of the Spirit upon the minde which Pelagius at length did acknowledge let be of the special Operation of the Spirit of grace renewing the will and creating a new heart of flesh c. This is doctrine for Pagans indeed 15. But how is this proven He citeth Luk. 17 20 21. and would have n◠beleeve that Christ saith there that the Kingdom of Heaven was in the Pharisees But judicious Calvin thinketh these words were spoken to the disciples upon occasion of that question of the Pharisees And though we take them as spoken to the Pharisees it will not hence follow that this Kingdom was already in them though the greek preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be used which as was showne above doth not alwayes carry this import as might be evidenced by a number of places as Luk. 14 1. Mark 13 24. where it importeth after So Mat. 20 26. Luk. 16 15. Rom. 16 7. 1 Cor. 2 6 Rom. 8 29. 1 Thes. 5