thee this will at what Time thou shalt appoint Receive from thee and Transmit to me thy Letter that at last the Truth may appear where it is And that the whole matter may the more clearly be understood it will be fit in the first Place To propose thy Argument whereby thou Opposest the Immediate Revelation of GOD in the Saints thence concluding thou hast fully overturned the Foundation of the People called Quakers Which Argument of thine is H. P's Objection against Immediate Revelation stated by way of Argument That since as thou Judgest the Being and Substance of the Christian Religion consisteth in the Knowledge of and Faith concerning the Birth Life Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ Jesus thou considerest the Substance of the Christian Religion as a Contingent Truth which Contingent Truth is matter of Fact Whence thou reasonest That Matter of Fact cannot be known but by the Relation of another or by the perception of the outward Senses because there are naturally in our Souls no Idea's of Contingent Truths such as are concerning Necessary Truths To wit That GOD is and that the Whole is greater than the Part. And since it may without absurdity be said That GOD cannot make a Contingent Truth to become a Necessary Truth neither can GOD reveal Contingent Truths or Matters of Fact but as Contingent Truths are Revealed But Matters of Fact are not revealed but by the outward Senses From whence thou Concludest That Men are not even obliged to believe GOD producing any Revelation in the Soul concerning Matter of Fact whether of a thing done or to be done unless there be added some Miracles obvious to the outward senses by which the Soul may be Ascertained that that Revelation cometh from G0D And this thou endeavourest also to prove from the Scripture The Proofs of the Argument Rom. 10. where the Apostle saith Faith cometh by Hearing And because the Apostle speaketh afterwards of those who were sent in the Plural Number thence thou concludest That to be spoken of outward Preaching by the Ministry of Men And since the Apostle uses a Question saying How shall they believe unless they hear Thou gatherest from the Induction and Connexion of the Text that the Apostle treats only of outward Hearing thence Concluding That without outward Hearing Faith cannot be produced And therefore that there can be no Immediate Revelation by the simple operation of the Spirit in the Mind unless there be somewhat proposed to the Outward Senses Before I proceed to a direct Answer to this Argument some things are necessary to be premised First then That is falsly supposed The Christian Religion consists not in the Historical Knowledg of Christ. That the Essence of the Christian Religion consists in the Historical Faith and Knowledge of the Birth Death Life Resurrection and Ascension of Christ. That Faith and Historical Knowledge is indeed a part of the Christian Religion but not such an Essential Part as that without which the Christian Religion cannot consist but an Integral Part which goes to the Compleating of the Christian Religion as the Hands or Feet of a Man are Integral Parts of a Man without which nevertheless a Man may exist but not an Intire and Compleat Man Secondly The Historical Knowledg of Christ is not commonly manifested to us but by the Holy Scripture If by Immediate Revelation be understood such a Revelation of GOD as begets in our Souls an Historical Faith and Knowledge of the Birth of Christ in the Flesh without the Means of the Holy Scripture we do not contend for such a Revelation as commonly given or to be expected by us or any other Christians For albeit many other Evangelical Truths be manifested to us by the Immediate Manifestation of God not using the Scripture as the Means yet the Historical Knowledge of Christ is not commonly manifested to us nor to any others but by the Holy Scripture as the Means and that by way of a Material Object Even as when we see the Person of Peter or Paul to our visive Faculty Immediately yet not without the Medium of that Person concurring as a Material Object to produce that Sight while the Light of the Sun concurs as the formal Object of that Vision or Sight So that when we Livingly and Spiritually know the History of the Birth of Christ in the Flesh the Inward Revelation or Illumination of GOD which is like the Sun 's Light proceeding from the Divine Sun doth shine into the Eye of the Mind and by Its Influence moves the Mind to Assent unto the Historical Truth of CHRIST's Birth Life c. in the Reading or Hearing the Scripture or Meditating therein Thirdly * God can manifest the Historical Truth of Christ to our Minds without the Scripture Nevertheless we do firmly Assert That GOD can most easily clearly and certainly manifest to our Minds the Historical Truths of CHRIST's Birth c. when it so pleaseth Him even without the Scripture or any other outward Mean And because this Argument seems to be formed against the possibility of such a Revelation therefore I shall proceed to discuss it But first thou may'st mind that the Prophets who foretold CHRIST's Coming in the Flesh and being to be born of a Virgin and afterwards to suffer Death did know these Truths of Fact by the Inward Inspiration of GOD without Outward Means For which see 1 Pet. 1.10 11. Now that which hath been may be Fourthly This Argument doth at most Conclude that we cannot know Naturally any Truth of Fact A Contingent Truth may be known by a Supernatural Knowledge but by the Relation of another without us or by the perception of the outward Senses because there are naturally in our Minds no Idea's concerning Contingent Truths and every Truth of Fact is a Contingent Truth as there are of necessary Truths This then proveth that we cannot naturally know any Contingent Truth but by the Relation of another or perception of the outward Senses But that hindereth not but we may know a Contingent Truth by a Supernatural Knowledge GOD supplying the place of an outward Relator who is so true that he may and ought to be believed sith GOD is the Fountain of Truth The Form of Revelation is the voice of God inwardly speaking to the Mind of Man Fifthly When GOD doth make known unto Men any Matter of Fact by Divine Immediate Revelation or Inspiration GOD speaking as to the Ear of the Heart of the Inward Man or as by his Finger writing it therein two things are to be considered in such an Immediate Revelation 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Materiale The Matter of Fact or thing Revealed which is Contingent 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Formale The Form or Mode how the Revelation is made which Form is an Inward Divine and Supernatural Revelation which is the Voice or Speech of GOD inwardly speaking to the Ear of the Inward Man or Mind of Man
and lead them out of Error and Blindness Don't Charge them and do worse for verily that will undo you in the End O that God would rend the Heavens and come down in Showers of Love and Quench the Flames that every-where devour his Creation That it would please him to still the furious Winds and calm the raging Seas and remove that Enmity which is the Ground of all and bring the Nations under his own heavenly Government where there is no need to Learn War against one another any more that they that have erred in Spirit Isa. 2.4 Isa. 29 29. Matt. 5.43 47. Ch. 18.21 22. Rom. 12.18 may come to Vnderstanding and those that have Murmured may learn Doctrine even the Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ which is a Doctrine of Love Meekness Mercy Forbearance a Doctrine of Self-denial Humility and Holiness a Doctrine that Reconciles us to God and one to another And no Man can have the Benefit of the first that Hates his Brother and less that Kills him for the Love of this World O it is a Crying Sin with God a strong Judgment upon us and a sure Token both of more and nearer Calamities that we are so Hard-hearted and Vnsensible of it Nay it looks as if we were not to be moved unless God himself would appear in the Air and send Fire down to Consume all before our Eyes and our selves in the Conclusion of the Tragedy Is not the Wrath of God do we think Revealed sufficiently against us in the Faction Strife War Rom. 1.18 Gal. 5.19 23. Blood and Poverty that we see almost all over Europe this Day God Almighty make People sensible and weary of it and the Cause of it their Sins Sins against Light against Conscience and Knowledge their Vnfaithfulness to God and Man their Scandalous Immorality and most Inordinate Love of the World the Ground of all Contention and Mischief That so the Peace of God which passeth worldly Men's Understanding may fill all our Hearts through Repentance and Conversion Amen I have been the longer in my Notes upon this Occasion than I Expected but our present Condition in Europe drew it from me that needs an Olive-branch the Doctrine of Peace as much as ever Our Author's next Treatise was published 1679. being a Vindication of his Notable Apology for the Christian Divinity profest by the People called Quakers in Reply to the Exceptions made against it by one John Brown in his Book called Quakerism the Path-way to Paganism In which Vindication the Reader will find the Truth sifted from all the Durt and Rubbish with which her Malitious or Ignorant Adversaries have endeavoured to sully her Beauty and disfigure and bury her out of the Sight and Knowledg of the People The Defence being like the Apology performed with much Labour and Exactness and so fully and plainly that it leaves one would think no room for Objection with the Serious and Moderate Inquirer I do justly Esteem his Apology and this Vindication in the Front of his Polemical Works Though I cannot but every-where prefer those Labours in him and others that have least to do with Controversy and whose main and immediate Scope is the Engaging of the Soul into the Love of Holiness the End of True Religion for it leads into the Blessed Communion of the Father and of the Son and gives the Possession of those Comforts and Refreshments that no Tongue can Express nor Soul by any other means Enjoy For without Holiness it is determined no Man shall ever see the Lord that is with Peace Heb. 12.14 Yet Controversy handled in the Fear of God and in the Openings of his Light and Spirit that is ever present and sufficient to the Help of his People in all their Services has also its Edification especially where an Earnest and Tender Desire to Inform the Mistaken prevails above Private Interest or any Party or Personal Consideration for God will witness to such Labours and follow them with his Blessing With which I beseech him to Crown our Beloved Friend's Services in this and all other Respects that tend to the Exaltation of his Glorious Truth The last Tract our Author left us and which is the Conclusion of this Volume and Preface was writ and published 1686. and is Intituled The Possibility and Necessity of the Inward and Immediate Revelation of the Spirit of God towards the Foundation and Ground of true Faith proved in a Letter writ in Latin to a Person of Quality in Holland and now also put into English The Person to whom it was writ was a Learned Man especially in the New Philosophy very Free and Friendly but not Fool enough to Resign to this Doctrine as entirely as he ought yet I believe better Reconciled to it before he died As the Revelation of Sin Righteousness and Judgment of Mercy and Consolation what to Avoid what to Repent of what to Desire what to Do and where to wait for Power to Avoid and Do as we are thereby directed is the Revelation chiefly Insisted upon by us so those that come to Answer the Love and Mercy of God in the first part of this Revelation viz. the Sight of Sin shall know the Aboundings of it from Day to Day and from the Evidence and Authority of their own Experience shall be enabled nay constrained to pronounce this Testimony of the Revelation maintained by the People called Quakers 'T is true and according to Scripture I might Advance divers Arguments from the Nature of God and the Soul of Man and from what may be as well as what has been the Truth of this Revelation but that being done by our Author in this small Treatise in an Abstract and proper manner I chose rather to speak Scripturally and Experimentally And whoever is Lowly and Poor enough in Spirit to Try the Truth of what I say Shall Comprehend with all Saints the Height and Depth and Length and Breadth of the Love of God in Christ to the Souls of Men by the Revelation of that true Light and Spirit and Grace I have testified of in this Preface and which the Wisest of the Men of this World can at best have but a Shadow and Idea of Remember Life is more than Food and the Body than Raiment so is Bread better than Husks Substance than Shadow Realities than Imaginations of them which is the best of their Case that come not through the Obedience of the Truth and Discipline of Christ's Cross to enjoy them Reader It is a most Important Point of the first Consideration to Men without it no Knowledge of God nor of Christ that Reveals God and without that Knowledge no Salvation for the Souls of Men. Matt. 11.27 Joh. 17.3 So that this Volume ends with that which all Men must begin with if they will ever truly know God and possess Eternal Life viz. Revelation Now some will say Revelation why we have it Have we not the Scriptures Do you pretend to another Revelation No
not another Truth than is therein Mentioned But this Reader will not do I must ask Questions too What is Revealed to thee by them Thou Readest of God of Christ of the Spirit and hast framed an Image or Idea of them in thy mind but is that Revelation Revelation in Religion is Knowledge Experience thy own Sight and Sense that of which thou art a true Witness Mind me I beseech thee Regeneration is the great Work of Religion yea Religion true Christian Religion is Regeneration as I before hinted for it is the very End of Christ's Coming we cannot be Saved without it Nay it is called that very Salvation Hear the Apostle But after the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour appeared Tit. 3.4 5 6. not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he Saved us by the Washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Now so far is God Revealed to thee and art thou truly Religious as thou art Born again Washed and Renewed by the Regenerating Spirit of God and no further If the Scripture were all the Revelation needful the Wicked Jews must have known it as well as the Believing Jews because they could read them and had as good or better Natural Capacities to take the Grammatical and Literal Sense of what they Deliver But they were so far from understanding Christ and his Doctrine though he did Wonders and spake as we Read among them that Christ both tells us they were Blind and Solemnly Thanks his Father that he had hid those Secrets from the Wise and Prudent of that Day and Revealed them unto Babes Mat. 11.25 And to this Christ himself beareth Testimony when he saith That No Man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son Revealeth him Luk. 10.22 And as the Son Reveals the Father so the Father must bear Witness Reveal and Draw to the Son Joh. 5.37 or Men cannot come to him that Opens and Reveals the Father Thus in that notable Saying of Christ to Peter when asking him But who sayest thou that I am and he Answering Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God he replyed upon him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona Matt. 16.17 Flesh and Blood hath not Revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven So that though Peter both heard and saw abundance of what Christ said and did it was needful to such a Confession that God should give a further Revelation of his Son And if Peter wanted under all the Advantages he had above us this Revelation can we hope to know him without it O no Reader As he knew him thou must know him For none cometh to the Son but whom the Father draweth O mind these Drawings in thy own Soul Joh. 6.44 And how does the Father draw Few Alass trouble themselves to weigh these Matters and yet they must be Christians for all that But what say the Schools the Criticks and Learned upon these things Why they search their Books study and beat their Brains and Imagine the Meaning Some say it is by the Scripture but that won't do for that says no such thing On the Contrary that the Father Reveals the Son and Draws to him and the Son Reveals the Father and not the Scripture that tells us so which is neither the Father nor the Son Nor indeed is it Comprehensible how the Father should Reveal the Son by Scripture and the Son the Father for so the Scripture would Reveal both which is the Reciprocal Work of the Father and Son And were it so Caiphas would have known Christ as well as Peter and the Wicked would know both the Father and the Son as well as the Good because the Scriptures are as much in their Power Which is Absurd and Impossible But others more Refined say It is by the Spirit opening the Scripture As indeed the First Reformers and all those that have been pushing on a further Reformation ever since have spoken and have founded their Belief of the Divine Authority of the Scripture upon the Testimony and Revelation of the Spirit in them These come near But then what is this Spirit how dost thou know it its Manifestations Revelations and Operations and by what Tokens is it to be Known and Discerned This is a Question not to be Answered but by an Experienced Man for the Spirit of God Reveals not the deep things of God to the Carnal and Disobedient Man Many are the Degrees Steps and Lessons of this Holy Spirit of God in and to Man as Man receives it and obeys it and daily inclines to Learn the Lesson it teaches I may tell thee Reader and I am not far from the Matter that this great Work is as Mechanicks and Chymists speak a Manual Operation a spiritual Labour and Travel Work out your own Salvation Phil. 2.12 13. saith the Apostle with Fear and Trembling by whom by him by whom all things were made of old and that maketh all things new Jo. 1.3 4. even Christ the Word in whom is Life and that Life is the Light of Men. It is this Sort of Revelation we Contend for not that of particular Persons or things past or to come which refer not Immediately to the Knowledge and Work of God in Man by which God makes himself savingly known to Men. That Private or Particular sort of Revelation is however called a Revelation also as the Visions of the Prophets Peter's Sense of the Hypocrisy of Ananias and Sapphira and Agabus's Foresight by the Holy Ghost of Paul's Sufferings at Jerusalem This Sort of Extraordinary Knowledge is truly called Revelation But this is not the Revelation we insist upon though neither is this Ceased Nor yet is it those Doctrines as of the Incarnation of the Son of God his Death Resurrection and Ascension c. Confirmed and Enforced upon the Belief of Men by the Authority of Miracles which is also another sort of Revelation which being once done need not to be Repeated and of which the Wicked are as much Possessors as the Good the Matter of Fact I mean of the visible Transaction of the Son of God being Recorded in the Scriptures of Truth which they also have in their Hands But the Inward sight sense and knowledge of the Will of God by the Operation of his Light and Spirit shining and working in our Hearts and the Spiritual Sense of that blessed Appearance of the Son of God in the Flesh and the Moral End of it to our Benefit and Advantage is no more Conceivable by Carnal Men than is Regeneration without which no Man can enter into the Kingdom of God Christ tells us John 3.5 there is such a thing and the two Principles of it Water and Spirit but he do's not tell us what they are how to be Obtained what way they Operate or we are to Apply them or our selves to them for that New Birth
self-fained Righteousness which has no better Root to bring them forth then Man 's own Will and Spirit and by such Works we deny to be justified yea we deny all such Works and the justification by them and desire to stand in a continual denial unto them and forbearance from them But again there are such Works which are so ours that they are Christ's also who works them in us and by us and are ours by his Free Grace and by such Works we affirm men are justified Page 23. Thou pleadest That men cannot be justified by any Works of Christ's working in them because they are Imperfect And for their Imperfection thou instancest 1. Faith because it is said O ye of little Faith why doubt ye Answ. True Faith By this thou may'st as well exclude Faith from Justification every way as Works if it were granted that their Faith was Imperfect but that Scripture nor no other speaks not of imperfect Faith but of little Faith Now little Faith is perfect in the measure of it as a little Gold is perfect Gold And though the Disciples had doubting yet the Faith was not the doubting nor was it made impure by it for the least measure of true Faith can never be defiled otherwise it could not purify the heart it is like the fire which cannot be defiled with the impurities of those things it works upon And as for the Disciples at that time as they were in part justified or approved by the Lord in relation to their Faith so were they reproved and not justified of him in relation unto or because of their doubting But this Scripture nor none other proves not that Faith was or is always accompanied with doubting Abraham believed God's promise without doubting and was strong in the Faith giving glory to God and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness Rom. 4.20 21 22. And said James His Faith was perfected by Works Chap. 2.22 For that which is perfect in a less measure can be further perfected in a greater Secondly Thou pleadest that Knowledge is Imperfect because the Apostle saith We know but in part 1 Cor. 13.9 But the Apostle does not say our Knowledge is imperfect or impure We may know a thing in part and yet that which we know of it we may know perfectly Thirdly Thou pleadest for the Imperfection and Vncleanness of the Saints Obedience from Eccles. 7. But that place is not to be understood concerning all men in all states and times There is an earthly unrenewed state and while men are here there is not a just man among them as Rom. 3. verse 10. There is none righteous no not one And there is an heavenly renewed state wherein a Man is born of God and sinneth not John 3. verse 9. And said the Apostle Let no Man deceive you he that doth Righteousness is righteous which imports that there are righteous Men who do good And said the Lord to the Servants that used their Talents Well done good and faithful Servant Matth. 25. vers 21 23. And that other Scripture thou citest Isai 64.6 serves nothing thy turn Self-righteousness as filthy Rags For the Prophet saith not All our Righteousness which is of thy working in us who are Saints is as filthy rags but All our Righteousness which we even the best of the Saints can perform of and from themselves are as filthy rags man's best Works his best Righteousness which is of and from himself is filthiness and unrighteousness before God and he is to cease from all his own Works Hebr. 4. vers 10. And it is plain that when the Prophet in that place saith We are all as unclean and there is none that calleth upon thy Name He does understand the multitude of the Jews who generally were a carnal People and relied upon their outward Observations and did not Worship God in Spirit and in Truth but did not understand it of all and every one among them For he himself did call upon his Name And that the Saints were washed and cleansed see 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed are sanctified are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And John 15.3 Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken to you And Ezekiel 37.33 At which time I shall cleanse you from all your Iniquities I shall also cause the Cities to be inhabited Which imports a time upon Earth wherein they should be made clean from all their Iniquities And how art not thou and you ashamed to affirm That the best Works of the Spirit of Christ in his Saints are as a filthy rag Does not the Apostle say That a meek and quiet Spirit is an Ornament which is of a great price even in the sight of God How then can it be a filthy or menstruous rag A filthy and menstruous rag is good for nothing but must be thrown away upon all Accounts and if that Holiness and Righteousness and Meekness which is of Christ his working in men be as filthy rags then according to your Doctrine men should throw them away as being not only unprofitable to Justification but to any other use Yea a filthy and menstruous Rag men do hide from the sight of another and do never wear it as an Ornament whereas the Saints put on the meek and quiet and sober and righteous Spirit as an Ornament of great price not only in the sight of the Saints but even in the sight of God Page 24. Thou pleadest That the Good Works of Christ in the Saints are defiled and imperfect because the Saints who are subservient and instrumental in them are unclean and who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Job 14.4 Answ. It is granted that the Saints are subordinate Co-workers with Christ but yet it follows not that his Works in them and by them are defiled And though it is said Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean This hinders not but that the Lord can and doth make Clean those The Lord makes clean the unclean who have been unclean and so out of them who are made clean bring forth clean things And though every one in whom the work of Sanctification is begun be not wholly cleansed but that there may be an unclean part in them for a time yet there is also a clean part in them who are in the least measure sanctified and so these who work with the Spirit of Christ work with him according to this clean part and it is the clean part in them which he maketh use of as his Instrument And as for the unclean part it is not to work with Christ but to be chained down and fettered and bound up from working to the end it may be wrought upon that it may be cleansed and thus by degrees the clean part encreaseth and the unclean is diminished till all the uncleanness be wrought out And where the unclean part is let loose to work the
pure Spirit of Christ doth never join in working with it but judgeth and reproveth it and therefore in so far as the unclean part worketh in any that man in whom it worketh is not throughly justified and approved by the Lord but there are who witness the cleansing from all the uncleanness and so as clean Vessels and Instruments throughout bring forth clean things clean works Thy Example how that Clean water passing through an unclean Pipe receives a tincture of uncleanness hits not the case The spiritual Water is undefilable For the spiritual Water is not like the common gross outward Water which an unclean Pipe can defile but like the fire and the Light which though it touch unclean things cannot be defiled by them Every thing of the Spirit is undefilable as the Spirit is which no unclean thing can defile And if thou wert well skilled in the outward Creation thou might'st find an outward Water so pure that passing through an unclean Pipe shall not be defiled with it But if thou knowest not these earthly things and believest them not as Christ said John 3.12 How shalt thou believe if we tell thee heavenly things Page 25. Thou chargest us with Erring grievously in confounding Justification and Sanctification Answ. Justification is either taken for God his adjudging a man unto Eternal Life A twofold Justification and in that sense it is not to be confounded with Sanctification yet it is not to be separated there-from for God adjudgeth no man but the sanctified unto Eternal Life or Happiness Or it is taken for the making a man righteous and then it is all one with Sanctification And that thou say'st The word is most frequently used in Scripture in that sense of adjudging being opposed to condemnation Doth imply thou hast not the confidence to assert that it is always so used as indeed it is not And whereas thou citest Philip. 3.9 to prove That the choicest Saints upon Earth have disclaimed all Righteousness wrought in them by which they could be justified I say that Scripture proves no such thing and thy Observation to prove it is insufficient to wit that the Apostle doth not speak of his Righteousness whilest he was a Pharisee for that he disowned vers 6 7. for admitting it yet he was still to deny and disown the Work and Righteousness which could proceed from his own Will and Spirit even all the willings and runnings which can arise from a man's self though he be a Saint Self-righteousness to be watched against without the immediate operation of the Spirit of Christ the Saints have this to watch against to keep down the active and working self-will and stop it from working the Self-righteousness which if it be not watched against and stood against will fall a working its Righteousness which God accepts not as being but the bare Righteousness of man And this is that Righteousness which Paul denied to have which he even calleth the Righteousness of the Law but this which is of the Law thou cunningly omittest because it made against thee it seems Now what that Righteousness of God through Faith was which he desires to have he plainly expresseth verse 10. That he might know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his Sufferings in being made conform unto his death Now is not the knowledge of him and the power of his Resurrection a work of the Spirit of Christ in the Saints by which they are justified according to that By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many And is not the fellowship of his suffering or the suffering with him a work of his Spirit And Lastly is not the Conformity unto his Death a work of his Spirit in the Saints comprehending the whole work of Mortification Page 26. Thy last Argument from 2 Cor. 5.21 is most absurd and impious for accordingly it would follow that as Christ was made sin for us or suffered for our sins who himself had no sin no not in the least So we may be made righteous before God though we have no righteousness no holiness no faith no repentance no mortification no good thing wrought in us Christ's Righteousness made by the Priest a strengthning of the wicked And doth not this strengthen the wicked ungodly and profane in their Presumption to have title to Christ his Righteousness And so to return thy mis-applied Instance in another case Suppose some of the profane who plead a right to Christ's Righteousness having lost some of their number should happen to hear thee disputing against all Good Works as being profitable to Justification might they not say concerning thee and thy Brethren who teach such Doctrine We have not only got the lost sheep but the lost shepheards and the chiefest of them too on our side let us rejoice we have found them We find the Apostle makes a far better Inference from Christ his dying for us 2 Cor. 6.15 He died for all that they who live might not any longer live to themselves but to God yea and every where he holdeth forth Inward holiness and righteousness as that without which no man can lay claim to Christ If any man be in Christ he is a New Creature but he doth not say God reputes him a New Creature though he be not really renewed And though it be said that we are made righteous in him This hinders not as thou vainly inferrest That we are not made righteous by an inward righteousness for he is in the Saints and fulfils the righteousness of the Law in them that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us The righteousness of the Law fulfilling in us Rom. 8.4 Therefore that 2 Cor. 5.21 is thus to be understood that Jesus Christ who knew no sin was made to be sin for us that is suffered for our sins that we who had really sinned and so deserved wrath might partake of the Love and Grace by him and through the workings thereof be made the Righteousness of God in him For that the Apostle understood here a really being made righteous and not a being esteemed or held as righteous while indeed impure is very evident by the whole following Chapter but especially towards the end What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness Wherefore come out from among them touch not the unclean thing be ye separate and I will receive you and ye shall be unto me for sons and daughters Now to be Received of the Lord is to be justified of him and here we see plainly that in order thereunto there is required a Righteousness by which they must be separated from the evil and unclean and must not touch it And whereas thou say'st That the holiest Actions of the Saints because of the sinfulness of these Actions deserve Condemnation I ask thee Whether did the Apostles sin in writing the Scriptures Then writing the Scriptures was Sin in the holy men of God according to
the Love of God because He laid down his Life for us Hebr. 9.15 And for this Cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of the Redemption of Transgressions that were under the first Testament They which are called might receive the Promise of the Eternal Inheritance Q. Is Christ then the Mediator 1 Tim. 2.5 A For there is One God and One Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time Q. Was not Christ the Mediator until he appeared and was Crucified in the Flesh Rev. 5.12 and 13.8 A He is the Lamb that was slain from the Foundation of the World Q. Is it then needful to believe that the Saints of old did partake of Christ as then present with and nourishing them 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. A. Moreover Brethren I would not that ye should be ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the Cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea and did all eat the same spiritual Meat and did all drink the same spiritual Drink for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ. Q. But whereas most of these Scriptures before-mentioned do hold forth that the Death and Sufferings of Christ were appointed for the destroying removing and remitting of Sin Did he so do it while he was outwardly upon Earth as not to leave any thing for himself to do in us nor for us to do in and by his Strength A. For even hereunto were ye called 1 Pet. 2.21 because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an Example that ye should follow his Steps Whereof I Paul am made a Minister Col. 1.23 24. who now rejoice in my Sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ in my Flesh for his Body's sake which is the Church Always bearing about in the Body the Dying of the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 4.10 11. that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our Body For we which live are alway delivered unto Death for Jesus 's sake that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our Mortal Flesh. And that he died for all that they which live 2 Cor. 5.15 should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that died for them and also rose again That I may know him and the Power of his Resurrection Phil. 3.10 and the Fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable to his Death CHAP. IV. Of the New Birth the Inward Appearance of Christ in Spirit and the Vnity of the Saints with him Question DOth Christ promise then to Come again to his Disciples Answer I will not leave you Comfortless I Come unto you John 14.18 Q. Was this only a Special Promise to these Disciples Or is it not the Common Priviledge of the Saints A. For thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabits Eternity whose Name is Holy I dwell in the High and Holy Place Isa. 57.15 with him also that is of a Contrite and Humble Spirit c. For ye are the Temple of the Living God as God hath said 2 Cor. 6.16 I will dwell in them and walk in them Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any man hear my voice Rev. 3.20 and open the Door I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me Q Doth the Apostle Paul speak of the Son of God's being Revealed in him A. But when it pleased God Gal. 1.15 16. who separated me from my Mother's Womb and called me by his Grace To Reveal his Son in me that I might preach him among the Heathen Q. Is it needful then to know Christ within A. Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith 2 Cor. 13.5 prove your own selves Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Q. Was the Apostle Earnest that this Inward Birth of Christ should be brought forth in any A. * Gal. 41.9 My little Children of whom I travel in Birth again until Christ be formed in you Q What saith the same Apostle of the Necessity of this Inward Knowledge of Christ and of the New Creature beyond the Outward A. Wherefore henceforth know we no Man after the Flesh yea though we have known Christ after the Flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more 2 Cor. 5.16 17 Therefore if any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature Old things are passed away behold all things are become New But ye have not so learned Christ if so be that ye have heard him Ephes. 4.21 22 23 24. and have been taught by him as the Truth is in Jesus That ye put off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts and to be Renewed in the Spirit of your Mind and that ye Put on the New Man which after God is Created in Righteousness and true Holiness Q. Is this Christ-within the Mystery of God and Hope of Glory which the Apostle Preached Col. 1.27 28. A. To whom God would make known what are the Riches of the Glory of this Mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the Hope of Glory whom ye preach Q. Doth the Apostle any where else press the putting on of this New Birth A. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not Provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof Rom. 13.14 Q. Doth he write to any of the Saints as having put off the Old and on the New Man A. For as many of you as have been Baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Gal. 3 27. Seeing that ye have put off the Old Man with his Deeds and have put on the New Man Col. 3.9 10. which is renew'd in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him Q. What speaketh Christ himself of the Necessity of this New Birth John 3.3 A. Jesus answered and said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Q Of what Seed cometh this Birth 1 Pet. 1.23 A. Being born again not of Corruptible Seed but of Incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever Q. What doth the Apostle Paul witness of himself concerning this New Life A. I am Crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2.20 Q. What is the Preaching of the Cross of Christ 1 Cor. 1.18 A. For the Preaching of the Cross is to them that perish Foolishness but unto us that are saved it is the Power of God Q. What Effect had this Cross in the Apostle and how much preferreth he the New Creature to all outward and visible Ordinances
as is hoped solidly Refuted THESES THEOLOGICAE year 1675 To the CLERGY of what Sort soever unto whose hands these may come but more particularly to the Doctors Professors and Students of Divinity in the Vniversities and Schools of Great Britain whether Prelatical Presbyterian or any other Robert Barclay a Servant of the Lord God and one of those who in Derision are called Quakers Wisheth Vnfeigned Repentance unto the Acknowledgment of the Truth FRIENDS UNto You these following PROPOSITIONS are Offered in which they being Read and Considered in the Fear of the Lord you may perceive that Simple Naked Truth which Man by his Wisdom hath rendred so Obscure and Mysterious that the World is even Burthened with the great and Voluminous Tractates which are made about it and by their Vain Jangling and Commentaries by which it is rendred a hundred fold more Dark and Intricate than of it self it is which Great Learning so accounted of to wit your School Divinity which taketh up almost a Man's whole Life-time to learn brings not a-whit nearer to God neither makes any Man less Wicked or more Righteous than he was Therefore hath God laid aside the Wise and Learned and the Disputers of this World and hath chosen a few despicable and Unlearned Instruments as to Letter-learning as he did Fisher-men of old to publish his pure and naked Truth and to free it of these Mists and Fogs wherewith the Clergy hath Clouded it that the People might Admire and Maintain them And among several others whom God hath Chosen to make known these things seeing also have Received in Measure Grace to be a Dispenser of the same Gospel it seemed good unto me according to my Duty to Offer unto You these Propositions which though short yet are Weighty Comprehending much and declaring what the true Ground of Knowledge is even of that Knowledge which leads to Life Eternal which is here witnessed of and the Testimony thereof left unto the Light of Christ in all your Consciences Farewel R. B. The First Proposition Concerning the true Foundation of Knowledge SEeing the Height of all Happiness is placed in the true Knowledge of God This is Life Eternal to know the true God and Jesus Christ John 17.3 whom thou hast sent the true and right Understanding of this Foundation and Ground of Knowledge is that which is most necessary to be known and believed in the first place The Second Proposition Concerning Immediate Revelation Seeing no Man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son Revealeth him Matth. 11.27 and seeing the Revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit therefore the Testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the true Knowledge of God hath been is and can be only Revealed Who as by the moving of his own Spirit Converted the Chaos of this World into that Wonderful Order wherein it was in the beginning and Created Man a living Soul to Rule and Govern it so by the Revelation of the same Spirit he hath Manifested himself all along unto the Sons of Men both Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles Which Revelations of God by the Spirit whether by outward Voices and Appearances Dreams or inward Objective Manifestations in the Heart were of old the formal Object of their Faith and remaineth yet so to be since the Object of the Saints Faith is the same in all Ages though set forth under divers Administrations Moreover these Divine Inward Revelations which we make absolutely Necessary for the building up of true Faith neither do nor can ever Contradict the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or right and sound Reason Yet from hence it will not follow that these Divine Revelations are to be subjected to the Examination either of the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or of the Natural Reason of Man as to a more noble or certain Rule and Touch-stone For this Divine Revelation and inward Illumination is that which is evident and clear of it self forcing by its own Evidence and Clearness the well-disposed Understanding to Assent irresistibly moving the same thereunto even as the Common Principles of Natural Truths move and incline the mind to a Natural Assent such as are these That the Whole is greater than the Part That two Contradictory Sayings cannot be both true or false Which is also manifest according to our Adversaries Principle who supposing the possibility of inward Divine Revelations will nevertheless Confess with us that neither Scripture nor sound Reason will Contradict it and yet it will not follow according to them that the Scripture or sound Reason should be subjected to the Examination of the Divine Revelations in the heart The Third Proposition Concerning the Scriptures From these Revelations of the Spirit of God to the Saints have proceeded the Scriptures of Truth which contain 1. A faithful Historical Account of the Actings of God's People in divers Ages with many singular and remarkable Providences attending them 2. A Prophetical Account of several things whereof some are already past and some yet to come 3. A full and ample Account of all the chief Principles of the Doctrine of Christ held forth in divers pretious Declarations Exhortations and Sentences which by the moving of God's Spirit were at several times and upon sundry occasions spoken and written unto some Churches and their Pastors Nevertheless because they are only a Declaration of the Fountain and not the Fountain it self therefore they are not to be esteemed the principal Ground of all Truth and Knowledge nor yet the Adequate Primary Rule of Faith and Manners Nevertheless as that which giveth a true and faithful Testimony of the first Foundation they are and may be esteemed a secondary Rule subordinate to the Spirit from which they have all their Excellency and Certainty For as by the Inward Testimony of the Spirit we do alone truly know them so they testify that the Spirit is that Guide John 16.13 Rom. 8.14 by which the Saints are led into all Truth Therefore according to the Scriptures the Spirit is the first and principal Leader And seeing we do therefore receive and believe the Scriptures because they proceeded from the Spirit therefore also the Spirit is more originally and principally the Rule according to that received Maxim in the Schools Propter quod unumquodque est tale illud ipsum est magis tale Englished thus That for which a thing is such that thing it self is more such The Fourth Proposition Concerning the Condition of Man in the Fall All Adam's Posterity or Mankind both Jews and Gentiles Rom. 5.12 15. as to the first Adam or Earthly Man is fallen degenerated and dead deprived of the sensation or feeling of this inward Testimony or Seed of God and is subject unto the Power Nature and Seed of the Serpent which he sows in mens hearts while they abide in this Natural and Corrupted State from whence it comes that not their words and deeds only but all their
the Letter of the Scripture the Traditions of Churches the Works of Creation and Providence whence they are able to Deduce strong and undeniable Arguments which may be true in themselves are yet not to be Esteemed Christians according to the certain and infallible Definition above-mentioned And if the Inward and Immediate Revelation of God's Spirit in the heart in such as have been altogether Ignorant of some and but very little skill'd in others of these Means of attaining Knowledge hath brought them to Salvation Then it will necessarily and evidently follow By Revelation is the true Knowledge of God that Inward and Immediate Revelation is the only sure and certain Way to attain the true and saving Knowledge of God But the First is true Therefore the Last Now as this Argument doth very strongly Conclude for this way of Knowledge and against such as deny it so herein it is the more considerable because the Propositions from which it is Deduced are so Clear that our very Adversaries cannot deny them For as to the first it is acknowledged that many Learned men may be and have been damned And as to the second who will deny but many Illiterate men may be and are saved Nor dare any Affirm that none come to the Knowledge of God and Salvation by the Inward Revelation of the Spirit without these other outward Means unless they be also so bold as to exclude Abel Seth Noah Abraham Job Abel Seth Noah c. Instanced and all the holy Patriarchs from true Knowledge and Salvation § IV. I would however not be understood as if hereby I excluded those other means of Knowledge from any use or service to man it is far from me so to Judge as in the Next Proposition concerning the Scriptures shall more plainly appear The Question is not What may be profitable or helpful but What is absolute Necessary Many things may contribute to further a Work which yet are not that main thing that makes the Work go on The sum then of what is said amounts to this that where the true inward Knowledge of God is through the Revelation of his Spirit there is all neither is there any absolute necessity of any other But where the best highest and most profound Knowledge is without this there is nothing as to the obtaining of the great End of Salvation This Truth is very effectually Confirmed by the first part of the Proposition it self which in few words comprehendeth divers unquestionable Arguments which I shall in brief Subsume First That there is no Knowledge of the Father but by the Son Secondly That there is no Knowledge of the Son but by the Spirit Thirdly That by the Spirit God hath always Revealed himself to his Children Fourthly That these Revelations were the formal Object of the Saints Faith And lastly That the same continueth to be the Object of the Saints Faith to this day Of each of these I shall speak a little particularly and then proceed to the latter part § V. As to the first viz. That there is no knowledg of the Father but Assert I by the Son It will not need much probation being founded upon the plain words of Scripture Proved and is therefore a fit Medium to draw the rest of our Assertions from For the Infinite and most Wise God who is the Foundation Root and Spring of all Operation hath wrought all things by his Eternal Word and Son This is that WORD that was in the beginning with God and was God John 1.1 2 3. by whom all things were made and without whom was not any thing made that was made Eph. 3.9 This is that Jesus Christ by whom God created all things by whom and for whom all things were created that are in heaven and in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalitys or powers Col. 1.16 Who therefore is called The First-born of every Creature Col. 1.15 As then that Infinite and Incomprehensible Fountain of Life and Motion operateth in the Creatures by his own Eternal Word and Power so no Creature has Access again unto him but in and by the Son according to his own express words No man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will Reveal him Matth. 11.27 Luk. 10.22 And again he himself saith I am the Way the Truth and the Life no man cometh unto the Father but by me Joh. 14.6 Hence he is fitly called The Mediator betwixt God and Man For having been with God from all Eternity being himself God and also in Time partaking of the Nature of man through him is the goodness and love of God conveyed to mankind and by him again man receiveth and partaketh of these Mercies Hence is easily deduced the Probation of this first Assertion thus If no man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will Reveal him then there is no Knowledge of the Father but by the Son But No man knoweth the Father but the Son Therefore There is no knowledge of the Father but by the Son The first part of the Antecedent are the plain words of Scripture The Consequence thereof is undeniable except one would say that he hath the knowledge of the Father while yet he knows him not which were an Absurd Repugnance Again If the Son be the Way the Truth and the Life and that no man cometh unto the Father but by him then there is no Knowledge of the Father but by the Son But the First is true Therefore the Last The Antecedent are the very Scripture-words The Consequence is very Evident For how can any know a thing who useth not the Way without which it is not Knowable But it is already proved that there is no other Way but by the Son so that whoso uses not that Way cannot Know him neither Come unto him § VI. Having then laid down this First Principle I come to the Second viz. That there is no Knowledge of the Son but by the Spirit or Assert II that the Revelation of the Son of God is by the Spirit Where it is to be noted that I always speak of the saving Proved certain and necessary Knowledge of God which that it cannot be acquired otherways than by the Spirit doth also appear from many clear Scriptures For Jesus Christ in and by whom the Father is Revealed doth also Reveal himself to his Disciples and Friends in and by his Spirit as his Manifestation was sometimes outward when he testified and witnessed for the Truth in this World and approved himself Faithful throughout So being now withdrawn as to the outward man he doth teach and instruct mankind inwardly by his own Spirit He standeth at the door and knocketh and whoso heareth his Voice and openeth he comes in to such Rev. 3.20 Of this Revelation of Christ in him Paul speaketh Gal. 1.16 in which he placeth the Excellency of his Ministry and the Certainty of his Calling And
the Promise of Christ to his Disciples Lo I am with you to the end of the World Confirmeth this same thing for this is an Inward Presence and Spiritual as all acknowledge But what relates hereto will again occur I shall deduce the Proof of this Proposition from Two manifest places of Scripture The first is 1 Cor. 2.11 12. What man knoweth the Proof I things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Now we have received not the spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are freely given us of God The Things of God are known by the Spirit of God The Apostle in the verses before speaking of the wonderful things which are prepar'd for the Saints after he hath declared that the Natural man cannot reach them adds That they are Revealed by the Spirit of God vers 9 10. giving this Reason For the Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God And then he bringeth in the Comparison in the verses above-mention'd very apt and answerable to our purpose and Doctrine That as the things of a man are only known by the spirit of man so the things of God are only known by the Spirit of God that is that as nothing below the Spirit of man as the spirit of Brutes or any other Creatures can properly reach unto nor comprehend the Things of a man as being of a more noble and higher nature so neither can the spirit of man or the natural man as the Apostle in v. 14. subsumes receive nor discern the things of God or the things that are spiritual as being also of a higher nature which the Apostle himself gives for the Reason saying Neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned So that the Apostle's words being reduced to an Argument do very well prove the matter under Debate thus If that which appertaineth properly to man cannot be discerned by any lower or baser Principle than the spirit of man then cannot these things that properly relate unto God and Christ be known or discern'd by any lower or baser thing than the Spirit of God and Christ But The First is true therefore also the Second The whole strength of the Argument is contained in the Apostle's words before-mentioned which therefore being Granted I shall proceed to Deduce a Second Argument thus That which is Spiritual can only be known and discerned by the Spirit of God But The Revelation of Jesus Christ and the true and saving Knowledge of him is Spiritual Therefore The Revelation of Jesus Christ and the true and saving Knowledge of him can only be known and discerned by the Spirit of God Proof II The other Scripture is also a saying of the same Apostle 1 Cor. 12.3 No man can say No man can call Jesus Lord c. that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost The Scripture which is full of Truth and answereth full well to the Inlightened Understanding of the Spiritual and Real Christian may perhaps prove very strange to the Carnal and pretended follower of Christ by whom perhaps it hath not been so diligently remarked Here the Apostle doth so much require the holy Spirit in the things that relate to a Christian that he positively avers we cannot so much as affirm Jesus to be the Lord without it Spiritual Truths are Lies spoken by Carnal men which insinuates no less than that the Spiritual Truths of the Gospel are as Lies in the mouths of Carnal and Vnspiritual men For though in themselves they be True yet are they not True as to them because not known nor uttered forth in and by that Principle and Spirit that ought to direct the Mind and actuate it in such things they are no better than the Counterfeit Representations of things in a Comedy neither can it be more truly and properly called a Real and True Knowledge of God and Christ than the Actings of Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar c. if now Transacted upon a Stage might be called truly and really Their Doings or the Persons Representing them might be said truly and really to have Conquered Asia and overcome Pompey c. This Knowledge then of Christ which is not by the Revelation of his own Spirit in the heart is no more properly the Knowledge of Christ than the pratling of a Parret Like the pratling of a Parret which has been taught a few words may be said to be the Voice of a man for as that or some other Bird may be taught to sound and utter forth a rational Sentence as it hath Learned it by the outward ear and not from any living Principle of Reason actuating it so just such is that Knowledge of the things of God which the natural and carnal man hath gathered from the words or writings of Spiritual men which are not true to him because conceived in the natural spirit and so brought forth by the wrong Organ and not proceeding from the Spiritual Principle no more than the words of a man acquired by Art and brought forth by the mouth of a Bird not proceeding from a rational principle are True with respect to the Bird that utters them Wherefore from this Scripture I shall further add this Argument If no man can say Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost then no man can know Jesus to be the Lord but by the Holy Ghost But The First is true Therefore the Second From this Argument there may be another Deduced Concluding in the very Terms of this Assertion thus If no man can know Jesus to be the Lord but by the Holy Ghost then can there be no Certain Knowledge or Revelation of him but by the Spirit But The First is true Therefore the Second Assert III § VII The Third thing Affirmed is That by the Spirit God always Revealed himself to his Children Proved For the making appear the Truth of this Assertion it will be but needful to consider God's Manifesting himself towards and in relation to his Creatures from the Beginning which Resolves it self always herein The First Step of all is Ascribed hereunto by Moses Gen. 1.2 And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters I think it will not be denied that God's Converse with man all along from Adam to Moses was by the Immediate Manifestation of his Spirit and afterwards through the whole Tract of the Law he spake to his Children no otherways which as it naturally followeth from the Principles above proved That Revelation is by the Spirit of God so it cannot be denied by such as acknowledge the Scriptures of Truth to have been written by the Inspiration of the holy Ghost For these Writings from Moses to Malachy do declare that during all that time God Revealed himself to his Children by his Spirit But if any will Object
understandings to Assent unto but positively My Words which I have put into thy mouth c. From whence I Argue thus Vpon whomsoever the Spirit remaineth always and putteth words into his mouth him doth the Spirit Teach Immediately Objectively and Continually But The Spirit is always upon the Seed of the Righteous and putteth words into their mouths neither departeth from them Therefore The Spirit teacheth the Righteous Immediately Objectively and Continually Proof 2 Secondly The Nature of the New Covenant is yet more amply expressed Jer. 31.33 which is again repeated and re-asserted by the Apostle Hebr. 8.10 in these words For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel in those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest The Object here is God's Law placed in the Heart and written in the Mind from whence they become God's People and are brought truly to know him The Difference between the Outward and Inward Law In this then is the Law distinguished from the Gospel The Law before was Outward written in Tables of Stone but now it is Inward written in the Heart Of old the People depended upon their Priests for the Knowledge of God but now they have all a Certain and Sensible Knowledge of him concerning which Augustine speaketh well in his Book de Literâ Spiritu from whom Aquinas first of all seems to have taken occasion to move this Question Whether the New Law be a Written Law or an Implanted Law Lex scripta vel Lex indita Which he thus resolves Affirming That the New Law or the Gospel is not properly a Law written as the old was but Lex indita an implanted Law and that the Old Law was written without but the New Law is written within on the Table of the Heart How much then are they deceived who instead of making the Gospel preferrable to the Law have made the Condition of such as are under the Gospel far worse For no doubt it is a far better and more desirable thing to Converse with God Immediately than only Mediately as being a higher and more glorious Dispensation and yet these men acknowledge The Gospel Dispensation more Glorious than that under the Law that many under the Law had Immediate Converse with God whereas they now cry It is Ceased Again Vnder the Law there was the Holy of Holies into which the High-Priest did enter and received the Word of the Lord Immediately from betwixt the Cherubims so that the People could then Certainly know the mind of the Lord But now according to these mens Judgment we are in a far worse Condition having nothing but the Outward Letter of the Scripture to guess and divine from concerning one Verse of which scarce Two can be found to Agree But Jesus Christ hath promised us better things though many are so Unwise as not to believe him even to Guide us by his own Vnerring Spirit and hath rent and removed the Vail whereby not only one and that once a year may enter but All of us at all times have Access unto him as often as we draw near unto him with pure hearts He reveals his Will to us by his Spirit and writes his Laws in our Hearts These things being then thus premised I Argue Where the Law of God is put into the mind and written in the heart there the Object of Faith and Revelation of the Knowledge of God is Inward Immediate and Objective But The Law of God is put into the mind and written in the heart of Every true Christian under the New Covenant Therefore The Object of Faith and Revelation of the Knowledge of God to Every true Christian is Inward Immediate and Objective The Assumption is the express words of Scripture The Proposition then must needs be True except That which is put into the mind and written in the heart were either not Inward not Immediate or not Objective which is most Absurd § XII The Third Argument is from these words of John 1 John 2. Arg. III vers 27. But the Anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you The Anointing recommended as but the same Anointing teacheth you of all things and is Truth and no Lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him First This could not be any special 1. Common peculiar or extraordinary Priviledge but that which is Common to all the Saints it being a general Epistle directed to all them of that Age. Secondly The Apostle proposeth this Anointing in them 2. Certain as a more certain Touch-stone for them to discern and try Seducers by even than his own Writings for having in the former verse said that he had Written some things to them concerning such as Seduced them he begins the next Verse But the Anointing c. and ye need not that any man Teach you c. Which infers that having said to them what can be said he Refers them for all to the Inward Anointing which teacheth all things as the most firm constant and certain Bulwark against all Seducers And Lastly That it is a Lasting and Continuing thing 3. Lasting The Anointing which abideth if it had not been to Abide in them it could not have Taught them all things neither Guideth them against all hazzard From which I Argue thus He that hath an Anointing abiding in him which teacheth him all things so that he needs no man to Teach him hath an Inward and Immediate Teacher and hath some things inwardly and immediately Revealed unto him But The Saints have such an Anointing Therefore c. I could prove this Doctrine from many more places of Scripture which for brevities sake I omit And now come to the Second Part of the Proposition where the Objections usually formed against it are Answered Object § XIII The most Usual is That these Revelations are Vncertain Answ. But this bespeaketh much Ignorance in the Opposers for we distinguish betwixt the Thesis and the Hypothesis that is betwixt the Proposition and Supposition For it is one thing to Affirm That the true and undoubted Revelation of God's Spirit is Certain and Infallible and another thing to Affirm That this or that particular Person or People is led infallibly by this Revelation in what they speak or write because they Affirm themselves to be so Led by the Inward and Immediate Revelation of the Spirit The first is only by us Asserted the latter may be called in Question The Question is not Who are or are not so Led but Whether all ought not or may not be so Led The Certainty of the Spirit 's
Seditious Multitude of the Lutheran Citizens being stirred up by the daily Clamours of their Preachers did not only violently take up the Houses of the Reformed Teachers overturn their Libraries and spoil their Furniture but also with reproachful words yea and with stones Assaulted the Marquess of Brandenburgh the Elector's Brother while he sought by smooth words to quiet the Fury of the Multitude they killed ten of his Guards scarcely sparing himself who at last by Flight Escaped out of their hands All which sufficiently declares that the Concurrence of the Magistrate doth not alter their Principles but only their Method of Procedure So that for my own part I see no Difference betwixt the Actings of those of Munster and these others whereof the one pretended to be led by the Spirit the other by Tradition Scripture and Reason save this that the former were rash heady and foolish in their proceedings and therefore were the sooner brought to nothing and so into Contempt and Derision but the other being more politick and wise in their generation held it out longer and so have Authorized their Wickedness more with seeming Authority of Law and Reason But both their Actings being equally Evil the Difference appears to me to be only like that which is betwixt a simple silly Thief that is easily Catched and hanged without any more ado and a Company of Resolute bold Robbers who being better guarded though their Offence be nothing less yet by violence do to evite the danger force their Masters to give them good Terms From all which then it evidently follows that they Argue very ill that despise and reject any Principle because men pretending to be led by it do evil in case it be not the natural and consequential Tendency of that Principle to lead unto those things that are evil Again It doth follow from what is above asserted that if the Spirit be to be Rejected upon this account all those other Principles ought on the same account to be Rejected And for my part as I have never a whit the lower Esteem of the blessed Testimony of the Holy Scriptures nor do the less respect any solid Tradition that is answerable and according to Truth neither at all despise Reason that noble and excellent Faculty of the mind Let none reject the Certainty of the Vnerring Spirit because of false Pretenders to it because wicked men have abused the name of them to cover their wickedness and deceive the simple so would I not have any reject or diffide the Certainty of that Vnerring Spirit which God hath given his Children as that which can alone guide them into all Truth because some have falsly pretended to it § XV. And because the Spirit of God is the Fountain of all Truth and sound Reason therefore we have well said That it cannot Contradict neither the Testimony of the Scripture nor right Reason yet as the Proposition it self Concludeth to whose last part I now come it will not from thence follow that these Divine Revelations are to be subjected to the Examination either of the outward Testimony of Scripture or of the humane or natural Reason of man as to a more noble and certain Rule and Touch-stone for the Divine Revelation and inward Illumination is that which is evident by it self forcing the well-disposed understanding and irresistibly moving it to Assent by its own Evidence and Clearness even as the Common Principles of Natural Truths do bow the mind to a Natural Assent He that denies this part of the Proposition must needs Affirm That the Spirit of God neither can nor ever hath manifested it self to man without the Scripture or a distinct discussion of Reason or That the Efficacy of this Supernatural Principle working upon the Souls of men is less Evident than natural Principles in their common Operations Both which are false For First through all the Scriptures we may observe that the Manifestation and Revelation of God by his Spirit to the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles was Immediate and Objective as is above proved which they did not examin by any other Principle but their own Evidence and Clearness Secondly To say The Self Evidence of the Spirit that the Spirit of God has less Evidence upon the mind of man than natural Principles have is to have too mean and low thoughts of it How comes David to invite us to Taste and see that God is good if this cannot be felt and tasted This were enough to overturn the Faith and Assurance of all the Saints both now and of old How came Paul to be perswaded That nothing could separate him from the love of God but by that Evidence and Clearness which the Spirit of God gave him The Apostle John who knew well wherein the Certainty of Faith Consisted judged it no ways Absurd without further Argument to Ascribe his Knowledge and Assurance and that of all the Saints hereunto in these words Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 Joh. 4.13 and again John 5.6 It 's the Spirit that beareth witness because the Spirit is Truth Observe the Reason brought by him Because the Spirit is Truth Of whose Certainty and Infallibility I have heretofore spoken We then Trust to and Confide in this Spirit because we know and certainly believe that it can only Lead us a-right and never Mis-lead us and from this Certain Confidence it is that we Affirm The Spirit contradicts not Scripture nor Right Reason That no Revelation coming from it can ever Contradict the Scriptures-Testimony nor right Reason not as making this a more Certain Rule to our selves but as Condescending to such who not discerning the Revelations of the Spirit as they proceed purely from God will Try them by these Mediums yet those that have the Spiritual Senses and can savour the things of the Spirit as it were in primâ Instantiâ i. e. at the first blush can discern them without Natural Demonstrations from Astronomy and Geometry or before they Apply them either to Scripture or Reason Just as a good Astronomer can Calculate an Eclipse Infallibly by which he can Conclude if the Order of Nature Continue and some strange and Vnnatural Revolution Intervene not there will be an Eclipse of the Sun or Moon such a day and such an hour yet can he not perswade an Ignorant Rustick of this until he Visibly see it So also a Mathematician can Infallibly know by the Rules of Art that the Three Angles of a Right-angled Triangle are Equal to Two Right-Angles yea can know them more certainly than any man by measure And some Geometrical Demonstrations are by all acknowledged to be Infallible which can be scarcely discerned or proved by the Senses Yet if a Geometer be at the pains to Certify some Ignorant Man concerning the Certainty of this Art by condescending to measure it and make it obvious to his Senses it will not thence
some measure to be in every True Christian so that that giveth a man no Certainty Every Capacity to an Office giveth me not a Sufficient Call to it Next again By what Rule shall I judge if I be so Qualified How do I know that I am sober meek holy harmless Is not the Testimony of the Spirit in my Conscience that which must Assure me hereof And suppose that I was Qualified and Called yet what Scripture-Rule shall Inform me whether it be my Duty to Preach in this or that place in France or England Holland or Germany Whether I shall take up my time in Confirming the Faithful Reclaiming Hereticks or Converting Infidels as also in Writing Epistles to this or that Church The general Rules of the Scripture viz. To be diligent in my Duty To do all to the Glory of God and for the good of his Church Can give me no Light in this thing Seeing Two different things may both have a respect to that way yet may I commit a great Error and Offence in doing the one when I am called to the other If Paul when his face was turned by the Lord toward Jerusalem had gone back to Achaia or Macedonia he might have supposed he could have done God more acceptable Service in Preaching and Confirming the Churches than in being shut up in Prison in Judea but would God have been pleased herewith Nay certainly Obedience is better than Sacrifice and it is not our doing that which is good simply that pleaseth God but that good which he willeth us to do Every Member hath its particular place in the Body as the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 12. If then I being the Foot should offer to exercise the Office of the Hand or being the Hand that of the Tongue my Service would be Troublesome and not Acceptable and instead of helping the Body I should make a Schism in it So that that which is good for another to do That which is good for one to do may be sinful to another may be sinful to me For as Masters will have their Servants to Obey them according to their good pleasure not only in blindly doing that which may seem to them to tend to their Master's Profit whereby it may chance the Master having business both in the Field and in the House that the Servant that knows not his Master's Will may go to the Field when it is the Mind of the Master he should stay and do the business of the House Would not this Servant then deserve a Reproof for not answering his Master's Mind And what Master is so Sottish and Careless as having many Servants leaves them in such Disorder as not to Assign each his particular Station and not only the general term of doing that which is profitable which would leave them in various doubts and no doubt land in Confusion Shall we then dare to ascribe unto Christ in the Ordering of his Churches and Servants that which in Man might justly be accounted Disorder and Confusion The Apostle sheweth this Distinction well Rom. 12.6 8. Diversities of Gifts Having then Gifts differing according to the Grace that is given us whether Prophecy let us prophesy according to the proportion of Faith or Ministry let us wait on our Ministrings or he that Teacheth on Teaching or he that Exhorteth on Exhortation Now what Scripture-Rule sheweth me that I ought to Exhort rather than Prophesy or Minister rather than Teach Surely none at all Many more Difficulties of this kind occur in the Life of a Christian. Of Faith and Salvation can the Scripture assure thee Moreover that which of all things is most Needful for him to know to wit Whether he really be in the Faith and an heir of Salvation or no the Scripture can give him no Certainty in neither can it be a Rule to him That this Knowledge is exceeding Desirable and Comfortable all do unanimously acknowledge besides that it is specially Commanded 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your selves Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates And 2 Pet. 1.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Now I say what Scripture-Rule can Assure me that I have True Faith That my Calling and Election is sure If it be said By Comparing the Scripture-marks of true Faith with mine I demand wherewith shall I make this Observation What shall ascertain me that I am not Mistaken It cannot be the Scripture That 's the Matter under Debate If it be said My own heart How Vnfit a Judge is it in its own Case and how like to be partial especially if it be yet Vnrenewed Doth not the Scripture say The Heart of Man is deceitful that it is Deceitful above all things I find the Promises I find the Threatnings in the Scripture but who telleth me that the one belongs to me more than the other The Scripture gives me a meer Declaration of these things but makes no Application so that the Assumption must be of my own making thus as for Example I find this Proposition in the Scripture He that believes shall be saved Thence I draw this Assumption But I Robert Believe Therefore I shall be saved The Minor is of mine own making not Expressed in the Scripture and so a humane Conclusion not a Divine Position so that my Faith and Assurance here is not built upon a Scripture-Proposition but upon an humane Principle which unless I be sure of elsewhere the Scripture gives me no Certainty in the matter Again If I should pursue the Argument further and seek a New Medium out of the Scripture the same difficulty will occur thus He that hath the true and certain Marks of True Faith hath True Faith But I have those Marks Therefore I have True Faith For the Assumption is still here of my own making and is not found in the Scriptures and by consequence the Conclusion can be no better since it still followeth the Weaker Proposition This is indeed so pungent that the best of Protestants who plead for this Assurance The Inward Testimony of the Spirit the Seal of Scripture Promises ascribe it to the Inward Testimony of the Spirit as Calvin in that large Citation cited in the former Proposition so that not to seek further into the Writings of the Primitive Protestants which are full of such Expressions even the Westminster Confession of Faith affirmeth Chap. 18. § 12. This Certainty is not a bare Conjecture and probable Perswasion grounded upon fallible Hope but an infallible Assurance of Faith founded upon the Divine Truth of the promise of Salvation the inward Evidences of these Graces unto which these Promises are made the Testimony of the Spirit of Adoption witnessing to our Spirits that we are the Children of God which Spirit is the Earnest of our Inheritance whereby we are sealed to the day of Redemption
of God to his Children in these latter days For I have known some of my Friends who profess the same Faith with me faithful Servants of the most-High God and full of the Divine Knowledge of his Truth as it was immediately and inwardly Revealed to them by the Spirit from a true and living Experience who not only were ignorant of the Greek and Hebrew Wrong Translations of Scriptures discerned in the Spirit by the Unlearned in Letters but even some of them could not Read their own Vulgar Language who being pressed by the Adversaries with some Citations out of the English Translation and finding them to disagree with the Manifestation of Truth in their hearts have boldly Affirmed The Spirit of God never said so and that it was certainly wrong for they did not believe that any of the Holy Prophets or Apostles had ever written so Which when I on this Account seriously Examined I really found to be Errors and Corruptions of the Translators who as in most Translations do not so much give us the genuine Significations of the words as strain them to express that which comes nearest with that Opinion and Notion they have of Truth And this seemed to me to sute very well with that saying of Augustine Epist. 19. ad Hen. Tom. 2. fol. 14. after he has said that he gives only that honour to those Books which are called Canonical as to believe that the Authors thereof did in writing not Err. He adds And if I shall meet with any thing in these Writings that seemeth Repugnant to Truth I shall not doubt to say that either the Volume is Faulty or Erroneous that the Expounder hath not reached what was said or that I have in no wise Vnderstood it So that he supposes that in the Transcription and Translation there may be Errors § V. If it be then asked me Whether I think hereby to render the Scripture altogether uncertain Object or useless I Answer Not at all The Proposition it self declares what Esteem Answ. 1 I have for them And provided that to the Spirit from which they came be but granted that place the Scriptures themselves give it I do freely Concede to the Scripture the Second Place even whatsoever they say of themselves Which the Apostle Paul chiefly mentions in Two places Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were Written aforetime were Written for our Learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. The Holy Scriptures are able to make wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus All Scripture given by Inspiration from God is profitable for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto every good Work For though God do principally and chiefly lead us by his Spirit yet he sometimes conveys his Comfort and Consolation to us through his Children whom he raises up and Inspires to Speak or Write a Word in Season whereby the Saints are made Instruments in the hand of the Lord to strengthen and encourage one another which do also tend to perfect and make them wise unto Salvation And such as are led by the Spirit cannot neglect The Saints Mutual Comfort is the same Spirit in all but do naturally love and are wonderfully cherished by that which proceedeth from the same Spirit in another because such mutual Emanations of the heavenly Life tend to quicken the mind when at any time it is overtaken with Heaviness Peter himself declares this to have been the End of his Writing 2 Pet. 1.12 13. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in Remembrance of those things though ye know them and be Established in the present Truth Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in Remembrance God is Teacher of his People himself and there is nothing more Express than that such as are under the New Covenant They need no man to Teach them yet it was a Fruit of Christ's Ascension to send Teachers and Pastors for perfecting of the Saints So that the same Work is ascribed to the Scriptures as to Teachers the one to make the Man of God perfect the other for the perfection of the Saints As then Teachers are not to go before the Teaching of God himself under the New Covenant but to follow after it neither are they to Rob us of that great Priviledge which Christ hath purchased unto us by his Blood so neither is the Scripture to go before the Teaching of the Spirit or to Rob us of it Answ. 2 Secondly God hath seen meet that herein we should as in a Looking-glass see the Conditions and Experiences of the Saints of old that finding our Experience Answer to theirs The Scriptures a Looking-glass we might thereby be the more Confirmed and Comforted and our Hope Strengthened of obtaining the same End that observing the Providences attending them seeing the Snares they were liable to and beholding their Deliverances we may thereby be made Wise unto Salvation and seasonably Reproved and Instructed in Righteousness This is the Great Work of the Scriptures and their Service to us that we may witness them fulfilled in us and so discern the Stamp of God's Spirit and Ways upon them by the inward Acquaintance we have with the same Spirit and Work in our hearts The Scriptures Work and Service The Prophecies of the Scripture are also very comfortable and profitable unto us as the same Spirit Inlightens us to observe them fulfilled and to be fulfilled For in all this it is to be observed that it is only the Spiritual man that can make a right use of them they are able to make the Man of God perfect so it is not the Natural Man and whatsoever was written aforetime was written for Our Comfort Our that are the Believers our that are the Saints concerning such the Apostle speaks For as for the other the Apostle Peter plainly declares that the Vnstable and Vnlearned wrest them to their own destruction These were they that were Vnlearned in the Divine and Heavenly Learning of the Spirit not in Humane and School-literature of which we may safely presume that Peter himself being a Fisher-man had no great skill for it may be with great probability yea certainly be affirmed that he had no knowledge of Aristotle's Logick Logick which both Papists and Protestants now degenerating from the Simplicity of Truth make Hand-maid of Divinity as they call it and a necessary Introduction to their Carnal Natural and Humane Ministry By the infinite obscure Labours of which kind of men mixing-in their heathenish stuff the Scripture is rendered at this day of so little service to the simple people whereof if Jerom complained in his time now twelve hundred years ago saying Hierom. Ep. 134. ad Cypr. Tom. 3. It is wont to befall the most part of Learned men that it is
it seems he was affraid to speak plain Scots of it lest every one should have seen his Impertinency and the Knowledge of God one and the same For to see this he saith he wants the Quakers Spectacles But indeed he must be as dark-lighted inwardly as these are outwardly that need Spectacles if he deny That the Knowledge of God is somewhat of what is to be known of him and then what is to be known of God Indefinitely must Comprehend the Knowledge of God He addeth That if by Inward Revelation the Heathens know the Will of God then the Apostle was quite out here But this follows no more than that a Master teacheth not his Scholar Navigation because he makes use of the Compas's and outward Observations to demonstrate it to him Pag. 262. N. 38. as also N. 40. J. B's prooffess Answers In answer to what I urge from Rom. 10. of the Word being near in the Heart and in the Mouth he returneth Railing and meer Assertions For his saying That this Word is not in Every Man is but to affirm strongly not to prove As for his Asserting That the Apostle speaks of outward Preaching I deny not and that by an outward Testimony the Mystery that had been hid and even sparingly Revealed in the visible Church was openly declared by Christ and his Apostles I Acquiesce to But from all that it will no ways follow that the Apostle spake only of Outward Preachers and that it was not in the Hearts of all Men though they had not a distinct Knowledge of it He Confesses The Mystery of Adam 's Fall was not known to the Gentiles but by the Scripture yet that hindered not but they were hurt yea and according to him all of them defiled by it His saying That I Confirm here my desperate Design and overturn the Foundations of the Christian Religion and foolish Exclamations c. with his Exclamations O desperate Souls O wretched Error with much more of this kind of Stuff uttered by him for want of better Arguments may fright Fools but will not move Men of Reason At last to Conclude this Chapter he alledgeth The Testimonies of the Fathers brought by me do not expresly prove my Assertions yet he taciâ—ly and indirectly acknowledges Such Testimonies may be found among the most Ancient of them while albeit to their Disadvantage he saith It is observable that some of them had so put on Christ as not fully to have put off Plato ¶ 7. Pag. 267. Cometh his Eleventh Chapter Intituled Of the Necessity of this Light to Salvation Where according to his Custom he beginneth with proofless Affirmations and Railing saying The Vniversal Gospel pointed at by me is no Gospel not the Gospel Revealed in the Word making the whole Gospel and Grace of God null and void as that by which the outward Administration thereof by the Apostles is unnecessary To which is Answered before And then after an Enumeration of many Scriptures wherein the Apostle Paul glorieth in his being an Instrument of the Preaching of it with which he hath not shew'n our Doctrine Inconsistent he concludeth O what wretched Desperado's must these Quakers be who thus undervalue and trample upon the Riches of the Wisdom and Grace of God and instead of the true Gospel give us pure Paganism This is a fit Introduction for such a Chapter wherein there is much of the same sort of Stuff which I shall willingly pass and which that he may end as he begins has the like Railing Conclusion p. 281. Then when he enters upon the Matter N. 5. and p. 269. and comes to Examin what I say to shew Wherein we differ from some other Assertors of Vniversal Redemption and for that end to shew Why one is saved and not another seeing all have sufficient Grace among others he mentions these my Words Grace in Man if not Resisted works his Conversion Moreover we believe that in that special time of every Man's Visitation as Man of himself is wholly Impotent for working with Grace so neither can he make the least Progress out of his Natural State till Grace lay hold on him So that it is possible for him to Suffer and not Resist as it is also possible for many to Resist By these Words of mine cited by him the Reader may easily observe how falsly he charged me in the fore-going Chapter with Asserting That Men could be saved by meer Nature without the Operation of the Grace of God and yet he is not ashamed to re-iterate the same Calumny here p. 279. But to proceed he saith This my Answer is not satisfactory The Reason of which besides some tedious Discourse of the Opinions of the Arminians Jesuits and Molinists concerning the difference betwixt sufficient and effectual Grace which is not my Work to answer neither needs any as he gives it here and there p. 270 271 272-274 280 amounts to this That since the working of the Grace comes from this Non-resistance which he saith is a positive Act of Man's Will then Salvation depends upon Free-will And this he labours to Aggravate by divers odious and sometimes ridiculous Expressions such as Grace must stand Cap in Hand to Lord Free-Will and more of that kind alledging That the two Examples of Sick Men and Men living in a deep Cave brought at length by me in my Apology Lat. Ed. p. 91. N. 17. do not free me of this Absurdity To which I reply 1 That the Question is here only concerning such as have only a Sufficiency of Grace and not of those who have a Prevalency of Grace which I Confess to some 2 That I say not that any Man can Convert himself by any Light Grace or Seed in him until quickened visited and stirred up by a New Visitation of Life from God 3 That on both hands it is Confessed that there must be a Concurring of the Will of Man in the Act of Conversion For no Man is saved against his Will 4 That I say as well as he That this Concurrence of Man's Will and Pliableness to the Grace of God proceedeth not from Man's Will naturally but is the Product and Effect of the Grace Then what has Man to glory in O saith he such as are saved may say I was not so ill disposed my Will was not so averse as another that had the like sufficient Grace And what then His Aversion and Resistence is the Cause of his Condemnation that is not denied but it follows not from thence That the Non-resistence is the Cause of the others Salvation I deny that Consequence for his Non-resistance did not procure him that Visitation from God Where then is his Absurdity It may resolve in one of these two That it was possible for those that are damned The possibility of Salvation for all demonstrated to have been saved or for some of those that are saved to have been damned What will the supposing that those that are damned might have been
the Testimony of the First Protestants 91 92. the Lord's day is not the First Day of the Week 39. nor is it limited to a particular Day 92. the First Day is not come instead of the Sabbath 93. superstitious observing of Days is the Inventions of Men 92 146. and an Inlet to all the Popish Holidays 39 92. the Priests make the First Day of the Week their Market-day to sell and vend their Babylonish Commodities in 40. It is convenient and necessary that a Day be set apart to meet and Worship God in 146 the Divines Nonsensical Proofs that the First Day of the Week is instead of the Sabbath 177 178. no Man is to be judged in respect of an Holy Day or the Sabbath-days c. 170. the observing of Days being a returning to the beggerly Elements 224. the first Dawning and breaking forth of the heavenly Day of the Lord in this our Age described 689-691 Deacons 508. ‖ Deaf Persons see Light Death see Adam Redemption it entred into the World by Sin 316 317 In the Saints it is rather a passing from Death to Life 316. a Sleep 41. and their Natural Death is not the Wages of Sin 94. Devil he eares not at all how much God be Acknowledged with the Mouth provided he be Worshipped in the Heart 272 355 356. he can form an outward Sound of Words 278. he haunts among the Wicked 391. How he can be a Minister of the Gospel 425 427. when he can work nothing 453 454. he keeps Men in outward Signs Shadows and Forms while they neglect the Substance 489 491 507. The Rage of the Devil against the Lord's Chosen 713. Differences in the Church in outward Matters to be Composed 207. as coming from the besetments of the Enemy 228. the Spirit of God giving Judgment in the Church of Christ 240. Dispute The Dispute of a Shoo-maker with a certain Professor 422 423. of an Heathen-Philosopher with a Bishop in the Council of Nice and of the Vnletter'd Clown 423 424. Divinity School-Divinity 417. how pernicious it is 423 to 427. Divisions see Schism Dreams see Faith Miracles Doctrine That Doctrine which is both contrary to Scripture and Experience is not for the Spirit but against it 601. the Fruits prove the Doctrine 624. J. B. brings his own Author in for Devilish Doctrines 749. Duty The hardned and blinded see not their Duty 242. Duties natural and spiritual differ 636. E. Ear There is a Spiritual and bodily Ear 271 278. whether the outward Hearing is necessary to make a Man a Member of the Visible Church 806. Easter is Celebrated other ways in the Latine Church than in the Eastern 289. the Celebration of it is grounded upon Tradition 289. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the Name J. B's false Gloss upon it 859 487. see Baptism Ejaculations proved from Scripture 852. Elders 277 430. How Christ in Revealing his Will ordinarily makes use of the Elders and Officers in his Church 229. in Cases of Differences and Controversies 236. Election and Reprobation of Infants 766 767. J.B. makes the Word All express of two Numbers the least to be Elected 784 804. by the whole World he falsly understands the Elect only ibid. Elector of Saxony the Scandal given by him 471. Eminency Your Eminency see Titles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is oftner translated in than among as in 1 Cor 2.2 p. 66. Endowments the Author glories not in natural Endowments Enjoyments inward former Feelings and Enjoyment are far exceeded by the Feelings and Enjoyments of this day 28 29. Enoch walked with God 394. Enthusiasm its proper signification 658. Epistle see James John Peter Esau and Jacob did strive in the Womb 447. Ethicks or Books of Moral Philosophy are not needful to Christians 424. Evangelist who he is and whether any now a days may be so called 429 430. Evidence the best and most principal is the Immediate Evidence of the Spirit and the greatest outward Evidence that can be given is the Scripture 593 594. the Spirit 's Evidence is that it teacheth to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts c. 575 576. an Evidence that no Hypocrite can have 657. See Ministry Spirit Revelation Exaltation self-Exaltation leads to Separation and Division 192 193. Excellency Tour Excellency see Titles Excommunication the evil thereof 690 691 Exorcism or Adjuration in the use of Water-baptism denied 492 Eye The Spiritual Eye sees and discerns the true Confessor from the false 657 837. F. Faith its Definition and what its Object is 277 278. how far and how Appearances outward Voices and Dreams were the Object of the Saints Faith 278. that Faith is one and that the Object of Faith is one 279. It s foundation 293 294. see Revelation Scripture Little Faith is perfect in the measure of it 23 80. what it is its absolute necessity 129. Accidental Objects of Faith 602. wherein the nature and Essence of Faith consists 603. J. B's halting Examples to prove true Faith 759. Sadeel's Testimony concerning Succession of Faith 648. the material and formal Object of Faith distinguished 742 744. whether Faith comes by the outward Hearing 904. falling away and departing from Faith 42 43. who they were that fell from Faith 96. not holding it in a good Conscience 137. thou that standest by Faith c. ibid. see Grace Fall of Man see Man Farellus 506 Father see Knowledge Revelation Fathers so called they did not Agree about some Books of the Scripture 296 303. they affirm that there are whole Verses taken out of Mark and Luke 288. concerning the Septuagint-Interpretation and the Hebrew Copy 303. they preached Universal Redemption for the first four Centuries 326. they frequently used the Word Merit in their Doctrine 387. concerning the possibility of not Sinning 397 398. the possibility of falling from Grace 400. many of them did not only contradict one another but themselves also 423 424. concerning Baptism and the Sign of the Cross 492. concerning an Oath 550. Feet Concerning the Washing of one anothers Feet 447 498 499. Christ washed the Disciples Feet 169 170. the Washing of Feet c. 651. a spiritual Washing of Feet pointed at by Christ 652. Washing of Feet observed by Christians in the Primitive Times ibid. which though Commanded with so great solemnity yet Ceased 863. Forbearance of God see God Franequer all things are set to sale at Rome to Franequer apply'd 433. Freedom from sin see Perfection Freely the Gospel ought to be preached freely 403 432 434. Nic. Arnoldus his Answer to Freely ye have received c. 433. G Games see Plays Gentiles by what Nature the Gentiles did the things contained in the Law 313 763. The Gentiles justified in doing the Law 360 362. Jew and Gentile Scythian and Barbarian partakers of the Salvation of Christ 363. see Heathens Gifted Brethren 416. Gifts 204. diversities of Gifts Administrations and Operations from the same Spirit makes no division 220. Gifts differing according
297 304. there is no necessity of Believing the Scripture to be a filled up Canon 308. many Canonick Books through the Injury of Time lost ibid. whether it can be proved by Scripture that any Book is Canonical 208 209. they were sometimes as a Sealed Book 422. to understand them there is need of the Help and Revelation of the Holy Spirit 271 272. no Man can make himself a Doctor of them but the Holy Spirit 271. Noah and Job were Preachers of Righteousness before the Scriptures were written 703. the Knowledge of the Scriptures to be of great Advantage is owned 7 117 162 700. the Synod of Paris their Opinion concerning the Scripture's certainty viz. to be by the Inward Testimony and Perswasion of the Holy Spirit 72 see 116 162. the Scriptures cannot beguile Men but Men may beguile themselves by a wrong use of them 577. the Scriptures the best Outward Rule in the World ibid. Scriptures are a Clear and Perfect Copy as to all Essentials of Christian Religion 603. that the Scriptures are a sufficient objective Revelation of all things necessary to Salvation is denied 631. the Scriptures are the Words of God 747. a Secondary Rule 754. that Supposition is false which supposes the Will of God can be only known by the Scriptures 759. John Calvin's Testimony concerning the Scriptures and the Spirit 72. to understand the Scriptures we need the Help and Revelation of the Holy Spirit Hierom 271. the Scriptures though they do declare the Mind of God are therefore not his Word which came from God immediately to the Prophets by which the Scriptures came which Word is ceased Professors say 14. the Canon of the Scripture not compleated 735 750. they are not the means of knowing God in Spirit 887 889 903. see Gifts Scriptures explained Gen. 2.17 p. 762. Isai. 8.20 p. 755 756 Prov. 10.11 p. 644. John 1.9 p. 797. 1 Cor. 11.5 p. 839. 2 Tim. 3.16 p. 755. 2 Pet. 1.19 20. p. 743. Jam. 1.25 p. 757. 1 John 4.1 p. 658. Sect The Ignatian Sect loveth Literature 423. they call those that are sent unto India Apostles 430. the Definition of a Sect 696 698. those cannot pretend to Universal Love who confine all Spiritual and Temporal Blessings to their Sect 691. one Mark of a Sect is when People seek to Advance and Propagate their Way in the Strength of their own Spirits c. 698. those whose Unity arises from Notions and Opinions do derive their Names and Designations from the first Authors Inventors and Fomenters of those Opinions 698 699. Security among hypocritical Professors 47. Seed of Righteousness 452. the Seed of Sin see Sin Redemption The Seed a distinct Principle from the Soul 795 579 580. Self-denial 451 Semi-pelagians their Axiom Facienti quod in se est Deus non 〈◊〉 gratiam 328. Sense supernatural 657 897 〈…〉 904 905. Servant Whether it be lawfu◠〈◊〉 I am your humble Servant 538. Servetus 527. Shoemaker he disputes with the Professor 423 424. Silence see Worship Silence and an inward turning of the Mind necessary to the entring upon Worship 845. Simon Magus 431. Sin see Adam Justification It shall not have Dominion over the Saints 298. the Seed of Sin is transmitted from Adam unto all Men but it is Imputed to none no not to Infants except they actually join with it by Sinning 310 311 315 318. Augustin's Testimony concerning Infants 768. and this Seed is often called Death 318. Original Sin of this Phrase the Scripture makes no mention 318. by virtue of the Sacrifice of Christ we have Remission of Sins 335 367. forgiveness of Sin among the Papists 365. a Freedom from actual Sin is obtained both when and how and that many have attained unto it 388 398. every Sin weakens a Man in his Spiritual Condition but doth not destroy him altogether 389. it is one thing not to sin another thing not to have Sin 395. whatsoever is not done through the Power of God is Sin 445. the fear of God remaining upon the Heart Sin is shut out 28. continuance in Sin ecclipses and takes away the Sense of God's Favour ibid. 884. Singing of Psalms and Musick 473. Society see Religion Principles Socinians see Natural Light their rashness is reproved 281. they think Reason is the chief Rule and Guide of their Faith ibid. 289. albeit many have abused Reason yet they do not say that any ought not to use it and how ill they argue against the Inward and Immediate Revelations of the Holy Spirit 288 290. yet they are forced ultimately to recur unto them 394. they exalt too much their Natural Power and what they think of the saving Light 354. their Worship can easily be stopped 337. they exalt Self or Nature 699. their scanty Confession does not reach to Universal Love 693. Son of God see Christ Knowledge Revelation Soul The Soul hath its Senses as well as the Body 272. by what it is strengthened and fed 453 499. Spirit The Holy Spirit see Knowledge Communion Revelation Scriptures Unless the Spirit sit upon the Heart of the Hearer in vain is the Discourse of the Doctor 271 279. the Spirit of God knoweth the things of God 275. without the Spirit none can say that Jesus is the Lord 272 275. he rested upon the seventy Elders and others 277. he abideth with us for ever 280. he teacheth and bringeth all things to remembrance and leads into all Truth 280 281 284 286 296. he differs from the Scriptures 280. He is God 281. he dwelleth in the Saints 281 284. without the Spiâ—â—â—â—â—ristianity is no Christianity 282 297. whatsoever is to be desired in the Christian Faith is ascribed to him 28â— 281. by this Spirit we are turned unto God and we Triumph in the midst of persecutions 282. he quickens c. 282.283 an observable Testimony of Calvin concerning the Spirit 282 284 296 297. it is the Fountain and Origin of all Truth and right Reason 292 293. it gives the Belief of the Scriptures which may satisfy our Consciences 296. his Testimony is more excellent than all Reason ibid. he is the chief and principal Guide 301. he reasoneth with and striveth in Men 342. those that are led by the Spirit love the Scriptures 304 405. he is as it were the Soul of the Church and what is done without him is vain and impious 423. he is the Spirit of Order and not of Disorder 427. such as the Spirit sets a part to the Ministry are heard of their Brethren 428. it is the Earnest of our Inheritance 444. to be led by the Spirit of God is a Priviledge common to all Christians and members of the Church if Obedience thereunto be yielded 703. all have the Spirit in a certain Day some to reprove some bringing forth of Fruits 8. the Spirâ—t calls invites and draws but men resist his Drawings 8. J. Calvin preferreth the Testimony of the Spirit before all other Evidences 15 16. what proceeds not from the Spirit of God
out of it for it is the way of Antichrist To which what is above mentioned answers sufficiently yet further I may easily retort the Question thus upon the most of all the National Ministry in Scotland who are now licking up that which they heretofore cried out against as Antichristian and with Fire and Sword persecuted those who offered to plead for that which now they both practise and avow themselves in Now as the fault of this cannot be ascribed to the Scriptures which is the Rule whereby they pretend to be guided so neither can any mans instability that pretends to be guided by the Light if any such thing could be shewn prove the Light a Guide not to be followed To prove that Christ is not in all men thou arguest thus Christ is not in all men because the Scripture speaks of a being without Christ in the World to which thou addest the Reason The unconverted must needs be without Christ because they want the uniting Principle which is Faith To answer that Christ is in them but not in Vnion with them thou sayst is a fond Distinction because the Scriptures way of expressing Peoples Vnion with Christ is by asserting Christ to be in them which thou takest for granted and from thence drawest thy Conclusion but if it be found to be false then the whole Fabrick falls to the Ground as indeed false it is For even according to the Scriptures the in-being of Christ in Men sometimes signifies Vnion and sometimes his Existence in them working and operating in them by way of Reproof and Judgment as also by way of Call and Invitation to prepare for Vnion with him as appears by the very first Scripture cited by thee John 15.4 5. which answers not thy Mind For we say not That where there is no Vnion Fruit can be brought forth unto God but mark the last part of it how much it makes against thee Without me says Christ ye can do nothing For how becomes an unconverted man a Convert but by having Christ to work with him And where does Christ co-operate Does he not there where the work of Conversion is wrought and is not that within So that Christ must needs be in men before they be in Vnion with him whereby the Faith may be wrought by which they are united to him And as to that other Scripture 1 John 3.24 these and other Scriptures which might be cited hold forth that in-being of Christ which is by Vnion but say nothing against his in-being in them where the Vnion is not for he is in them who know him not and are Darkness John 1. vers 10. and 5. and he was crucified in the Corinthians and Galatians which was in the time of their Unbelief 1 Corinth 2. vers 2. and Galat. 3. vers 1. for the words in the Greek are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. In you and indeed there can be no greater Absurdity then to say that Christ is in no man but in them with whom he is united for Christ is not separated from that Light and Seed which is of him that is in every man but is united with it which bears Testimony against all Iniquity but many times men are far from being in Vnion with that in them which witnesseth against all sin as Experience sufficiently teacheth Then if that be in them which is pure and if Christ be in that pure then Christ is in them and if they be not united with that which is pure in them then are they not united with Christ which is in the pure that is in them It seems strange to thee that Christ should be in the Heathen and they not know him Was it not as strange that he should be among the Jews who had the Letter that did bear a Testimony of him and they not know him and that notwithstanding his Miracles and other Proofs he gave of himself they should so far mistake him to judge him to be an Impostor and Blasphemer Thou sayest Is Christ so uncouth to them he dwells in as not to Reveal himself unto them But though we say that Christ is in all men we do not say he dwelleth in all men for dwelling signifieth more then in-being and yet I say he does Reveal himself in some measure unto all in whom he bears witness against Iniquity for the Revelation of Christ unto one is not always by giving the knowledge of what past externally but is a Revelation of the righteous Judgment against the Transgressor in them which to say that the Heathen wanted is false and contrary to Scripture Rom. 1.18 19 20. John 3.18 19 20. yea and contrary to the very acknowledgment of Americans who have confessed that there was that in them which judged and reproved evil Whether or not their ignorance of the outward Transaction derogates any thing from their capacity of Salvation comes hereafter in its place to be examined together with that other saying of thine wherein thou shewest the like Dis-ingenuity viz. That the saying that every man hath sufficient Light to lead him to Life and Salvation tends to put Christians in the same Condition with Pagans because sayst thou Christians have no more and the preaching of the Gospel and the benefit of the Scriptures are little to be regarded for without them Men have sufficient Light to lead them to the things of God For the saying that men have sufficient Light hath no such tendency for he that is truly and really a Christian and not nominally only is one that is united to Christ and believes in him Now it is one thing to have the Light and another to believe in it which is clearly made out by that Scripture While ye have the Light believe in the Light that ye may become the Children of it And that it is a great advantage to have the knowledge of the Scripture as outwardly we deny not for the reaching and raising of the Seed in them that are afar off and also for the comforting and refreshing of them in whom it is raised as the Scriptures are used in that Spirit which gave them forth Therefore we labour and travel so much for that end and are found using the Scriptures Testimony If it be said That therein we contradict our Principle seeing it is possible that People may be saved without the Scriptures I answer Nay For many things are profitable which are not of absolute necessity You your selves acknowledge that other Books besides the Scriptures are not of absolute necessity unto mens Salvation and yet you judge not all other Books useless yea ye too much rely upon Books Also you do not say that it is impossible that any can be saved without preaching upon the Scriptures and yet you reckon not preaching to be in vain But do ye not rather contradict your Principles who say that the number of all those who ever can be saved is so definite from all Eternity and that without respect to their
first may deceive over again that makes nothing against the Insufficiency of the Spirit to discover the delusion but if a man be deceived either first or again he is to blame himself for his defect in not being duly watchful and faithful in what is discovered to him of God truly and certainly Consider the tendency of thy Argument which strikes not only at the certainty of the Saints faith now from the Spirit within and the assurance of Knowledge therefrom but also strikes at the very certainty and assurance of all the Faith and Knowledge the holy Prophets and Men of God had from the Spirit within when Scripture was not We are in no greater hazard to be deceived now than they were then You that set up the Scripture as your only Rule the many Sects of you what jangling and contesting is among you while one pleads for his sence and another for his Which all proceeds from their wandring from the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures And as to satisfying of others we refer and recommend them to the same Spirit in them to receive their satisfaction from that which only can and will satisfy them who wait for it in singleness Page 18. And whereas thou sayst The Saints are led and guided by the Spirit but it is according to the Scriptures So say we too but it doth not therefore follow that the Spirit hath so tyed and limited himself to the use of the Scriptures as always to use them in every particular step of his guiding the Saints the Spirit is free to use or not use the Scriptures at his pleasure and guideth the Saints in many particular steps of their life for which there is no particular Scripture either to approve or disprove them in The more sure Word of Prophecy As for the more sure Word of Prophecy we grant it is the Rule but deny that that more sure Word is the Scriptures but it is that Word in the heart from which the Scriptures came and in and by which the Scriptures are to be interpreted And is it not gross blindness and darkness to say The Scripture is more sure than that Word Light Life and Spirit from which they came Had not the Scriptures all their sureness from the inward Testimony of the Spirit How then can they be more sure Thy example of the Schoolmaster and the Copy serves not thy turn for the Spirit is unto the Saints both their Teacher and their Copy and they need not go forth for a Copy and if they walk according to this by looking upon it and eying it they shall be good Scholars and Proficients He writes them a living Copy in their hearts engraves it on fleshly Tables whereas they who look upon no other Copy but the Words without them are those who are ever learning but never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth Page 19. Thou askest Why we disjoin the Spirit and the Scriptures citing Isaiah 50.21 Answ. We are not to disjoin what the Lord putteth together sometimes the Spirit joineth or concurreth with the Scripture-Words and sometimes not how many preach and pray and read the Scriptures and talk of them without the joint concurrence of the Spirit Which we say they ought not to do the Scriptures should never be used to preach and pray c. but in the concurrence and assistance of the Spirit for they are not of true use to any without the Spirit but ye disjoin them who would have praying in the letter and using of it without the Motion of the Spirit to such the Scripture is indeed but a dead letter and it is no ways a reproach unto them to be so called Yea what are the best of men without the Spirit but dead men And this is not a reproach to them but their Glory so nor is it to Scripture Thou sayst They are said to be a killing letter and this shews that they are not dead Answ. A poor Argument indeed Can not dead things kill if men feed upon them If thou seedest upon sand gravel stones The Letter killeth shells will not these things kill thee though they be dead And if thou feedest upon the Letter without thee and not upon the Life thou canst not live yea if one that lived did depart from feeding upon the Life to feed upon the Letter it would kill him And as for that Scripture cited by thee it makes very much against thee to wit Isaiah 59.21 For it is one thing for God to put Words into mens Mouths and far another for men to gather these Words from that without Isaiah 59.21 and put them into their own Mouths nor doth it say that the Words God shall put into their Mouths shall be no other Words more or less but the express Scripture Words Why art thou not ashamed to cite this Scripture Do ye not say To speak as the infallible Spirit gives utterance is ceased and consequently God's putting Words into the Mouth God's furnishing them with Words suggested from his own Spirit and Life which the holy Prophets and Apostles witnessed to speak as moved by the Holy Ghost do ye not say this is ceased Why then citest thou a Scripture which is so plain and clear for it but that thou art in Blindness and Confusion Page 19. In thy procedure upon the point of Justification thou makest a large step in that crooked path of deceit wherein thou hadst too much traced from the beginning but now more abundantly than ever thou displayest the Banner of thy Dis-ingenuity and gatherest all thy Forces together it should seem resolving to give the Quakers a final Overthrow And to make the matter misty in the very entry of it thou raisest Dust to thy self venting thy own filthy Imaginations under the notion of coming from them applauding thy endeavours as if thou wert studying to preserve pure the principle of Justification in a point where none is jumbling it among us As thou advancest a little further Page 20 21. having given a very scant Account of their Doctrine in this Matter couching it in most disadvantagious terms thou takest great liberty to extend thy self in a foolish and vain Excursion as if having fathomed the Quakers thou hadst discovered them to be either turned or turning rank Papists therefore to trace thee throughly in this matter that if it be possible thou may'st come to have a discovery of thy Vanity and Malice or though thou shouldst prove irrecoverable yet others may have a view of both I shall first in honesty and plainness declare the Principle of Truth in this matter thereby observing thy Mis-representations Secondly shew what Vast Difference is betwixt us and the Papists therein And Thirdly make manifest how much nearer of kin ye are to the Papists even as to this particular and the things relating thereunto than we which may serve as a seasonable shower to allay that windy Triumph which thou endeavourest to establish unto thy self
parties and though it do not actually convince the stubborn yet there is enough in it to satisfy any Inquisitive Adversary Answ. And is not that Spirit sufficient to satisfie any Inquisitive Adversary that 's willing to be undeceived which searcheth all things even the deep things of God There is no inconvenience can be pressed from making the Spirit a Rule or Guide but the same recurs by making the Scripture one Men of different Judgments claiming the Scriptures without the Spirit falsly For is it not laid claim unto by Persons quite different in Judgment yea both some times to one verse and will have it speak opposite to the other If it be said That Scripture being compared explains it self Has not such as have so compared been found incessantly to jangle even in their comparing of it And this W. M. cannot deny but this hath been because one or both Parties have been estranged from the true Testimony of the Spirit What is then the Vltimate Recourse that can only resolve all Doubts even concerning the meaning of the Scripture but the certain Testimony of the Spirit For if the Scriptures be only certain because they came from the Spirit of God then the Testimony of the Spirit must be more certain than they The certainty of the Testimony of the Spirit according to the received Maxim of the Schools Propter quod unumquodque est tale id ipsum magis est tale That which makes a thing certain must be more certain than it And this arguing against the Certainty of the Spirit checks not only at the certainty of the Saints Faith now from the Light within and the assurance of Knowledge but at the Faith and Knowledge which all the Saints and holy Prophets had not only before the Scripture was writ but even in their writing of them We are in no greater hazzard to be deceived now than they were then therefore the Apostle notably reproves such Pratlers against this Certainty 1 Joh. 4.6 We are of God he that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error Page 48. He asks Why I complain for his improving Isai. 59.21 but mentions not one word of that part of page 32. of mine wherein I shew him how this Scripture made against him as holding forth God's putting words in mens mouths which they deny as a thing ceased This the Reader by looking to the place may observe that the Lord there Promises his Spirit and Word shall continue to direct his People is not denied In his Dialogue page 16. he says That the Scriptures cannot be said to be a dead Letter because they are called killing and whereas I told him page 31. of my Answer That as dead things do kill if fed upon so if men feed upon the Letter of the Scripture without the Spirit which is the Life How the Letter killeth they will kill He shifts a Reply to this telling me The Scripture is called killing as being the Ministration of the Law which threatens Death against the sinner What then doth it therefore follow that they are not dead and deadly to such as feed upon them without the Spirit which giveth Life It is an apparent Malitious Passion to add That the drinking in of the Lifeless Poisonous Opinions of the Quakers will prove hurtful to the Soul seeing he bringeth not the least shadow of proof for it I observe that he â—ntitleth this Section The Quakers way Ineffectual to Convince an Opposer And yet how is it that he and his Brethren are so afraid that it spread and are daily so much crying out and clamouring against it as dangerous Priests call for the Magistrates Sword to defend their Doctrine against the Quakers intreating and beseeching People to beware of us and comparing our Words and Writings to Poison as that which is so ready to gain ground I say how comes it that they are so pressing in their importunate and often reiterate Pulpit-Exhortations to the Magistrates to Suppress Imprison us and break up our Meetings as such against whom their Labours will prove altogether fruitless and ineffectual if not assisted by the external Sword Sect. 5. Page 49. He undertakes to compare us with Papists as having learned our Language about Scripture from them But herein he hath notably manifested both his Self-contradiction and Ignorance He alledgeth We agree with Papists in that we say If the delusion be strong in the Heart it will twine the Scriptures to make them seem for it and in that we say They are dead and occasion Sects and Janglings whereunto we always add because the Spirit is wanting And yet in this sense he fully grants it himself page 43. saying It is granted that deluded Souls do wrest the Scriptures c. He concludes us one with Papists for saying There was a Rule before the Scriptures And yet grants it himself page 46. in confessing The Scripture was not a Rule to such Saints as lived The Saints had a Rule before the Scriptures was writ before it was writ Such then had some Rule before the Scriptures Thus far as to his Self-contradictions As to his Ignorance Can there be any thing more sottish to compare us with Papists for our preferring and calling the Light within as that which only makes the outward dispensation of the Gospel profitable and for our saying that the Spirit is both our Teacher and our Copy according to which if we walk we may profit without going forth for a Copy seeing it is known none to be more Enemies to these Doctrines than Papists And if we deny the Scripture to be the principal and compleat Rule of Faith that proves us no ways to agree with Papists except we all agreed with them concerning what is the Rule of Faith wherein we differ wider from Papists than our Opposers Therefore that sentence of Tertullian viz. That Christ is always Crucified betwixt two Thieves is impertinently objected by W M. against us and if the Lord will it may in due time be made appear to publick view that it far better suits our Adversaries He looks upon it as a great Absurdity page 51. To deny the more sure Word of Prophecy The more sure Word of Prophecy is not the Scripture but the Spirit mentioned 2 Pet. 1.19 to be the Scripture alledging I should have confuted the Apostle who expounds it so vers 20. But before he had been so peremptory in his Conclusion he should have first proved that the Apostle mentions these words by way of Exposition to the former Seeing he thinks himself so secure here why did he omit to answer that part of page 31. of mine where I told him That seeing the Scriptures have all their Sureness from the Spirit they cannot be more sure than it For to say that Scripture is more sure as to us being a standing Record than a Transient Voice from Heaven which
the fall of the first Adam He being put on by us as the new and heavenly Adam of which the Apostle Ye have put on Christ put him on I say as a Form i. e. the Wisdom Righteousness and Life of God And Pareus de Just. Cont. Bellar. lib 2. cap. 7. pag. 469. We saith he neither ever spoke nor thought the Righteousness of Christ to be imputed to us that by it we were and might be named formally Righteous as we have oft now shewed for surely that should no less fight with reason than if one quite absolved in Judgment should say he were formally Righteous by the mercy of the Judge These are the plain and positive expressions of several famous Protestants though W. M. reckons G. Keith's words mentioned by him page 55. as Popish which are nothing different from these And of late R. Baxter whom W. M. page 37. terms A Judicious Servant of God holdeth this Doctrine throughout in his Book termed Aphorisms of Justification who page 80. saith That some ignorant Wretches gnash their teeth at this Doctrine as if it were flat Popery not understanding the nature of the Righteousness of the New Covenant which is all out of Christ in our selves though wrought by the power of the Spirit of Christ. Page 195. he saith How this differeth from the Papist he need not tell any Scholar who have read their Writings Hereby the Intelligent Reader may observe how ridiculous if not malitious W. M. is in making such a noise as if we were in this matter either going with Papists or opposing Protestants In his second Section page 58. though he would be making a great bussle of our speaking of Justification by Works yet in the very entry he cannot deny but he is for it according to the true sense and meaning of the Spirit And therefore it remains to prove that ours is not so His alledging from some words of Samuel Fisher where he speaks of Works having Merit saith nothing for the Question recurs concerning the signification of the word Merit which we use in a qualified sense for we say That Works are no other ways Meritorious Works are Meritorius by the promised Reward upon Conditions than as they are Rewarded Merit and Reward being Relative terms as I told him in my last to which he returneth no Answer And thus is solved Sam. Fisher's using of that Argument mentioned by him page 60. to whom he foolishly supposes I cannot reconcile my self without being of a higher strain than for a Reward of Merit to wit That as Condemnation is the reward of evil works so Eternal Salvation and consequently Justification is the reward of good works Now Merit in a qualified sense doth not import an absolute desert according to strict Justice as on our part but a sutableness agreeableness or congruity according to these Scriptures Matth. 3.8 Bring forth fruits worthy of Repentance the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Meritorious or Worthy and the same Greek word is used in these other Scriptures 1 Thess. 2.12 Walk worthy of God 2 Thess. 1.5 That ye may be counted Worthy of the Kingdom of God And thus R. Baxter speaketh of Merit in the Book above-mentioned page 90. In a large sense saith he as promise is an obligation and the thing promised is called debt so the Performers of the Conditions are called Worthy and their Performance Merit Though properly it is all of Grace and not of Debt Moreover whereas Augustine Bernard and others of the Fathers use the word Merit in this qualified sense W. M and his Brethren can give it the right hand but where we use it notwithstanding we tell them the simplicity of our meaning we must be upbraided with Popery It is here observable how he turns it to my Reproach That I seem to draw near in the least to any of the moderate sort of Papists And yet as to things wherein I charged him of Affinity with them he returneth no solid Answer Papists and W. M. agree but says I must not be credited Yea he plainly not only draws near but fully acknowledges his agreement with them saying They hold some things common with the Orthodox His third and fourth Section containeth not any thing of a solid Reply to that which is writ from page 36. to 44. of my last which the Reader by comparing them may easily observe He begins alledging That Rom. 3.28 Gal. 2.19 must exclude all Works even the Works of Christ in us And that because the Apostle must be supposed to exclude either evil or good Works not evil therefore good And consequently the Works of Christ in us But as I told him in my last some Works may be good materially The Works of the Spirit of God and those of Man 's own Spirit differ which proceeding not from the Spirit of God but Man 's own Spirit are therefore excluded And thus the Case of Abraham doth not answer who though a godly man was capable sometimes to have done Works from his own Spirit It is here observable how he seeks to shift that which I inforce upon him from Tit. 3 5. alledging He mentioned it in opposition to Justification by Works as the Meritorious cause thereof But of this there was not one Word where he cites in his Dialogue page 20. Nor doth he answer any thing for that which I infer from this Scripture shewing page 37. of my last to which I refer the Reader he having wholly omitted it that by this Scripture where the Apostle says According to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration the Apostle includes Good Works as to Justification now all this he shuffles over as Insulting Triumphing Words and yet notwithstanding he himself insults here as though he had found us guilty of Popery though what we say in this matter be no other than what is clearly asserted by these famous Protestants above-mentioned and more particularly by R. Baxter in his Book aforesaid The Works of the â—aw excluded from Justification not the Works of the Gospel from page 185. to the end where he says That we are Justified by Works in the same kind of causality as by Faith viz. as causae sine quibus non Conditions or Qualifications of the New Covenant requisite on our part in order to Justification shewing how the Apostle Paul in the places above-mentioned excludes only the Works of the Law from Justification and never at all the Works of the Gospel as they are the Conditions of the New Covenant and there he refutes W. M's Exposition upon Isa. 2.12 As if our Justification were only Justified by Works or we declared Just by them before men And seeing W.M. hath declared he hath so good an Esteem of R. Baxter I refer him to read how he is Refuted by him as being too large to be here inserted Pag. 65 66. To overturn that which is said by me concerning the Faith Knowledge and Obedience
of the Saints pag. 38 39. of mine But his Impertinency will be more than manifest if the Reader do but look unto the place for I shew him how Faith was not always attended with doubting by the Example of Abraham And therefore his Example of the Light and the Air is foolish for Faith and Doubt are not only distinct Little Faith is perfect in its Measure but Opposite and not mixt as is the Air and Light and a little Gold may be perfect and unmixed with dross so may little Faith be perfect in its measure without doubting And though the knowledge and obedience of the Saints be not such as there can nothing be added unto or answerable to the infinite Love of God yet that doth not prove them in what they are to be defined His Answer to that Scripture brought by me 1 Joh. 3.9 He that 's born of God sinneth not is most Impious and Antichristian He that 's born of God sinneth not Impiously explained by W. M. as if the words imported only He maketh not a trade of sinning For accordingly he might argue that where it is said Commit no Adultery do not Steal Murder c. it is only understood that we ought not to make a trade of these sins but yet might practise them now and then Page 67. He addeth That as the Prophet Isa. 64.6 saith not All our Righteousness which is of thy working in us is as filthy Raggs What Righteousness is as filthy raggâ— so neither as we say All our Righteousness which we even the best of Saints can perform of and from themselves are as filthy Raggs from thence inferring That because of this general term All even the Righteousness of Christ in us ought to be accounted as filthy Raggs but for this he bringeth no proof and as the Prophet saith All so he saith Our which implies it to be different from the Righteousness of Christ. As he proceeds in the same page he is highly confused First he says It ought not to make us ashamed that our Righteousness understanding that which Christ works in us are as filthy raggs and then he saith That they are a special Ornament to the Soul making it in Beauty to resemble God And again to get ground he saith That as so W. M's Blasphemy Imperfection cleaveth to the very Grace of God here Absolute Blasphemy Can there be any thing more confused and contradictory than to say That which is defiled as filthy raggs is a special Ornament to the Soul or makes it in Beauty to resemble God In Answer to page 40 41. he replies nothing only grants That the Saints in Heaven are cleansed but not on Earth Which instead of Reply is a meer begging the thing in question He closeth up this Section to prove The Righteousness of the Saints is defiled with his old Instance of Clean water passing through an unclean Pipe alledging it By me not to be weakned though it do no ways answer what I said against it page 41. to wit That Spiritual Water is not like outward Water which an unclean Pipe can defile but is like the Fire and Light An outward Water not capable of defilement which though it touch unclean things cannot be defiled because every thing of the Spirit is undefilable as is the Spirit And whereas he desires me To instruct him of an outward Water which is not capable of defilement I refer him to a more diligent study in his Physicks of which it seems he is very ignorant and that he may not have reason to think this a shift let him read the Essays of the Virtuosi in France and those termed The Royal Society at London and he will find such a thing both practicable and practised He begins his fourth Section page 70. with a gross piece of dis-ingenuity in mentioning a part of my words where I say Justification is taken for making a man righteous and then it is all one with Sanctification thereupon alledging I confound Justification and Sanctification whereas he omits the very former sentence wherein I say Justification is also taken as God's Judging men unto Eternal Life But this deceit the Reader may at more length observe by looking to page 41. of my last And in that he adds Men are made righteous by an Inward Righteousness Men are not made Righteous by an inward Righteousness he doth greatly declare his Ignorance for if men can really be made Righteous without Righteousness be really in them by that which is wholly in another then they might as well be really made holy without any inward Holiness and this were rather to confound that which God distinguisheth and to alter the Scripture-sense of the word Justifie He alledgeth That Phil. 3.8 disclaims the Righteousness of Christ but brings no proof for it And as to his Commentaries he must advert he is not in the Pulpit and must bring nothing here without probation And whereas I shew That this Argument from 2 Cor. 5.12 is most absurd and impious because accordingly it would follow that as Christ was made Sin for us who of himself knew no Sin no not in the least so we may be made righteous before God though we have no Holiness no Faith no good thing wrought in us he terms this an impudent wresting of his Words alledging That the strength of his Argument lieth in that As our Sins are inherent in us and imputed to Christ W. M's Gloss of Imputed Righteousness so his Righteousness is inherent in him and imputed to us but he doth not shew me how this in the least solves the Consequence above deduced which followeth as before And as for that Excellent gloss which he says A certain one put on these words it would appear the more such that it had some shadow of proof for it It is with a Fool 's Consequence that he calleth This which I shew was deduceable from his Words my Inference charging me with it as if I were Impious and absurd to imagine that God should accept one as Righteous in his sight and yet his Person remain abhorred as an unholy Sinner Did I ever assert any such thing or can there be any thing more ridiculous than for him to dream I imagine that to be true which I reprove in him as false absurd and impious In the like manner he condemns me as Impious for insinuating That they are against inward holiness seeing as he says They profess that without holiness none can see God It is true they say so some times and therein often contradict themselves as is above remarked yet seeing they look not upon it as any ways necessary to Justification and term the best of it but as filthy raggs their seeming to plead for it doth but bewray their ignorance and confusion Now whereas to prove that Works of the pure Spirit of God are not all as filthy raggs I did inquire of him if the Apostles did sin in writing the
express Words of Scripture and if in some of the Questions there be somewhat Subsumed of what in my Judgment is the plain and naked Import of the Words it is not to Impose my Sense upon the Reader but to make way for the next Question for the dependence of the Matter 's sake I shall leave it to the reason of any Vnderstanding and Judicious Man who is not byassed by Self-Interest that great Enemy to true Equity and who in the least measure is willing to give way to the Light of Christ in his Conscience if the Scriptures do not pertinently and aptly Answer to the Questions As I have upon serious Grounds Separated from most of the Confessions and Catechisms heretofore published so not without Cause I have now taken another Method They usually place their Confession of Faith before the Catechism I judge it ought to be otherwise in regard that which is Easiest and is Composed for Children or such as are Weak ought in my Judgment to be placed first it being most Regular to Begin with things that are Easie and Familiar and lead on to things that are more Hard and Intricate Besides that things be more largely opened in the Catechism and divers Objections Answered which are proposed in the Questions the Reader having past through that first will more perfectly understand the Confession which consisteth mainly in positive Assertions Not long after I had received and believed the Testimony I now bear I had in my view both the possibility and facility of such a Work and now after a more large and perfect acquaintance with the Holy Scripture I found Access to allow some time to set about it and have also been helped to accomplish the same I doubt not but it might be enlarged by divers Citations which are here omitted as not being at present brought to my Remembrance Yet I find Cause to be contented in that God hath so far assisted me in this Work by his Spirit that good Remembrancer the Manifestation of which as it is minded will help such as Seriously and Conscientiously Read this to find out and cleave to the Truth and also Establish and Confirm those who have already believed Which of all things is most earnestly desired and daily prayed for By FromVrie the Place of my Being in my Native Country of Scotland the 11th of the 6th Month 1673. ROBERT BARCLAY A Servant of the Church of CHRIST THE CONTENTS Chap. 1. OF God and the true and saving Knowledge of him Chap. 2. Of the Rule and Guide of Christians and of the Scriptures Chap. 3. Of Jesus Christ's being manifest in the Flesh the Use and End of it Chap. 4. Of the New Birth the Inward Appearance of Christ in Spirit and the Unity of the Saints with him Chap. 5. Concerning the Light wherewith Jesus Christ hath enlightned every Man the Universality and Sufficiency of God's Grace to all the World made manifest therein Chap. 6. Concerning Faith Justification and Works Chap. 7. Concerning Perfection or Freedom from Sin Chap. 8. Concerning Perseverance and falling from Grace Chap. 9. Concerning the Church and Ministry Chap. 10. Concerning Worship Chap. 11. Concerning Baptism and Bread and Wine Chap. 12. Concerning the Life of a Christian in general what and how it ought to be in this World Chap. 13. Concerning Magistracy Chap. 14. Concerning the Resurrection Chap. 15. A short Introduction to the Confession of Faith Chap. 16. A Confession of Faith containing Twenty Three Articles Article 1. Concerning God and the True and Saving Knowledge of him Art 2. Concerning the Guide and Rule of Christians Art 3. Concerning the Scriptures Art 4 Concerning the Divinity of Christ and his being from the Beginning Art 5. Concerning his Appearance in the Flesh. Art 6. Concerning the End and Use of that Appearance Art 7. Concerning the Inward Manifestation of Christ. Art 8. Concerning the New Birth Art 9. Concerning the Unity of the Saints with Christ. Art 10. Concerning the Universal Love and Grace of God to all Art 11. Concerning the Light that enlightneth every Man Art 12. Concerning Faith and Justification Art 13. Concerning Good Works Art 14. Concerning Perfection Art 15. Concerning Perseverance and Falling from Grace Art 16. Concerning the Church and Ministry Art 17. Concerning Worship Art 18. Concerning Baptism Art 19. Concerning Eating of Bread and Wine Washing of one anothers Feet abstaining from things strangled and from Blood and Anointing of the Sick with Oil. Art 20. Concerning the Liberty of such Christians as are come to know the Substance as to the using or not using of these Rites and of the Observation of Days Art 21. Concerning Swearing Fighting and Persecution Art 22. Concerning Magistracy Art 23. Concerning the Resurrection Chap. 17. A short Expostulation with and Appeal to all other Professors Chap. 18. A short Examination of some of the Scripture-Proofs alledged by the Divines at Westminster to prove divers Articles in their Confession of Faith and Catechism A CATECHISM c. year 1673 CHAP. I. Of GOD and the True and Saving Knowledge of Him Question SEeing it is a thing Vnquestioned by all sorts of Christians that the Hight of Happiness consisteth in coming to know and enjoy Eternal Life what is it in the Sense and Judgment of Christ Answer This is Life Eternal that they might know thee John 17.3 the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Q. How doth God Reveal this Knowledge A. For God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness 2 Cor. 4.6 hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. Q. How many Gods are there A. One God We know that an Idol is nothing in the World Ephes. 4.9 1 Cor. 8.4 6. and that there is none other God but one But to us there is but one God Q. What is God A. God is a Spirit John 4.24 Q. Among all the Blessed Glorious and Divine Excellencies of God which are ascribed and given to him in the Scriptures what is that which is most needful for us to take notice of as being the Message which the Apostles Recorded in special manner to declare of him now under the Gospel A. This then is the Message which we have heard of him and declare unto you That God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all 1 John 1.5 Q. What are they that bear Record in Heaven A. There are Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father 1 John 5.7 the Word and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One. Q. How cometh any Man to know God the Father according to Christ's Words A. All things are delivered to me of my Father and no Man knows who the Son is but the Father and who the Father is Luke 10.22 Mal. 11.27 John 14.6 but the Son and he to whom the Son will Reveal him Jesus saith unto him I am the Way the Truth and
him sinneth not Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him Little Children let no Man deceive you he that doth Righteousness is Righteous even as he is Righteous He that committeth Sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot Sin because he is born of God In this the Children of God are manifest and the Children of the Devil whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother Q. It is very plain by these Passages that the Apostles were far of another Mind then those that plead for Sin during term of Life and much against the Deceit of those who will esteem themselves Good Christians while they live in their Sins A. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord Matth. 7.21 24. shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven Therefore whosoever heareth these things of mine and doth them I will liken him unto a Wise Man which built his House upon a Rock If ye know these things happy are ye John 13 17. if ye do them Q. What saith the Apostle Paul further concerning the needfulness of this thing A. Circumcision is nothing and Uncircumcision is nothing 1 Cor. 7.19 but the keeping of the Commandments of God Q. Was not this according to the Apostle Paul 's Judgment the very Intention of Christ to have his Church and Children to be Pure and without Spot A. According as he has chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World Ephes. 1.4 that we should be Holy and without Blame before him in Love Even as Christ also loved the Church Ephes. 5.25 26 27. and gave himself for it that he might Sanctifie and Cleanse it that he might present it to himself a Glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without Blemish Q. Doth not Paul press the same thing further besides the other Passages above-mentioned A. Having therefore these Promises Dearly Beloved 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us Cleanse our selves from all Filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God Finally Brethren farewel 2 Cor. 13.11 Col. 1.28 be Perfect Christ in you the Hope of Glory whom we Preach warning every Man and teaching every Man in all Wisdom that we may present every Man Perfect in Christ Jesus Gal. 2.12 Labouring fervently for you in Prayers that ye may stand Perfect and Compleat in all the Will of God 1 Thess. 3.13 To the end he may establish your Hearts Vnblameable in Holiness before God And the very God of Peace Sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit 1 Thess. 5.23 and Soul and Body be presented Blameless unto the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Q. Is not this then the very End for which God appointed Teachers in his Church A. And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets Ephes. 4.11 12 13. and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the Perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry for the Edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the Unity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God unto a Perfect Man unto the Measure of the Statute of the Fulness of Christ. Q. Seeing this is so much pressed by the Holy Men doth not the Scripture which cannot lie give none of the Saints this Testimony as being free from Sin at sometimes and so not always and daily sinning as is supposed Gen. 6.9 A. Noah was a Just Man and perfect in his Generations and Noah walked with God And the Lord said unto Satan Hast thou considered my Servant Job Job 1.8 that there is none like him in the Earth a Perfect and an Vpright Man one that feareth God and escheweth Evil. There was in the days of Herod King of Judea a certain Priest named Zacharias of the Course of Abia and his Wife was of the Daughters of Aaron Luke 1.1 2. and her Name was Elizabeth and they were both Righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord Blameless Q. That proves sufficiently as to particular Persons but what doth the Scripture intimate of this Nature even of Considerable Numbers Ephes. 2.4 5 6. A. But God who is rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith he hath loved us even when we were dead in Sin hath quickened us together with Christ and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the Living God the Heavenly Jerusalem Hebr. 12.22 23. and to an Innumerable Company of Angels to the General Assembly and Church of the First-born which are written in Heaven to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect And I looked and lo a Lamb stood on Mount Sion Rev. 14.1 4. and with him an Hundred Forty and Four Thousand having his Fathers Name written in their Fore-head These are they which were not defiled with Women for they are Virgins These are they which follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth These are Redeemed from among Men being their first Fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their Mouth was found no Guile for they are without Fault before the Throne of God CHAP. VIII Concerning Perseverance and Falling from GRACE Question IS it enough for a Believer to be sure that he hath once received true Grace or is there any further Certainty requisite 2 Pet. 1.10 Answer Wherefore the rather Brethren give Diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall Q. May one that hath received true Grace have Ground to fear or suppose he can fall A. 1 Cor. 9.27 But I keep under my Body and bring it into Subjection least that by any means when I have Preached to others I my self should be a Cast-away Q. That greatly contradicteth the Doctrine of such as say Once in Grace ever in Grace but doth the Apostle Paul express this only out of an Humble Esteem of himself or doth he judge or suppose the like of other Saints A. Take heed Brethren Hebr. 4.12 13. lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of Unbelief in departing from the Living God but exhort one another daily while it is called to day least any of you be hardned through the Deceitfulness of Sin Hebr. 4.11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that Rest lest any Man fall after the same Example of Unbelief For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened Hebr. 6.4 5 6. and
Flesh is not the same Flesh but there is one kind of Flesh of Men another Flesh of Beasts another of Fishes and another of Birds there are also Celestial Bodies and Bodies Terrestrial but the Glory of the Celestial is one and the Glory of the Terrestrial is another There is one Glory of the Sun and another Glory of the Moon and another Glory of the Stars for one Star differs from another Star in Glory so also is the Resurrection of the Dead it is sown in Corruption it is raised in Incorruption it is sown in Dishonour it is raised in Glory it is sown in Weakness it is raised in Power it is sown a Natural Body it is raised a Spiritual Body There is a Natural Body and there is a Spiritual Body Q. The Apostle seems to be very positive that it is not that Natural Body which we now have that shall rise but a Spiritual Body A. * 1 Cor. 15.50 51 52 53 54 55. Now this I say Brethren That Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption Behold I shew you a Mystery We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a Moment in the Twinkling of an Eye at the last Trump for the Trumpet shall sound and the Dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed For this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and this Mortal must put on Immortality So when this Corruptible shall have put on Incorruption and this Mortal shall have put on Immortality then shall be brought to pass the Saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory CHAP. XV. A Short Introduction to the CONFESSION of FAITH HAving thus largely and evidently performed the chief Part of that which I promised in this Treatise in giving a full account of our Principles in plain Scripture-words and also answering by the Scriptures the chief and main Objections made against us I come to a Confession of Faith in which I shall not be so large for that I judge it not Convenient to make an Interpretation of all the Scriptures before-mentioned which if needful the Reader may easily observe were not very difficult to do But whereas a Confession of Faith called rather for an Affirmative Account of ones own Faith than for the Solution of Objections or any thing of Debate in a Discursive Way which is both more properly and pertinently performed in a Catechism therefore I have here only done so I am necessitated sometimes to intermix some words for Coherence of the Matter as sometimes And and sometimes Therefore and the like but not such as any Ingenuous Person can affirm do add to the Matter or that may any wise justly be reckoned a Comment or Meaning and therefore to avoid the Censure of the most Curious Carping Criticks these are marked with a different Character Likewise unless I should have ridiculously offered to publish incongruous Grammar there was a true need sometimes to change the Mood and Person of a Verb in all which places whosoever will look to the words shall find it is done upon no Design to alter any whit the naked Import of them As for Instance where Christ says I am the Light of the World were it proper for me to write thus I am the Light c. Or can it be reckoned any whit Contradicting of my Purpose and Promise to write Christ is the Light where the first Person is changed to the third Also sometimes I express things which are necessarily understood as when any of the Apostles say We there instead of We I write Apostles and where they say You speaking of the Saints there I mention Saints instead of it for the Connexion of the Sentence sometimes requires it As in the first Article in mentioning that of 1 John 1.5 concerning God's being Light and in such like Cases which I know no impartial Reader would have quarrelled though wanting this Apology which I judged meet to premise knowing there is a Generation who when they cannot find any real or substantial Ground against Truth and its Followers will be Cavilling at such little Niceties therefore such may see this Objection is obviated CHAP. XVI A CONFESSION of FAITH concerning Twenty Three Articles ARTICLE I. Concerning God and the True and Saving Knowledge of him THere is one God a Eph. 4.6 1 Cor. 8.4 6. who is a Spirit b John 4.24 And This is the Message which the Apostles heard of him and declared unto the Saints That he is Light and in him is no Darkness at all c 1 John 1.5 There are Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One d 1 John 1.7 The Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father e John 10.38 and 14.10 11. and 5.26 No Man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will Reveal him f Matth. 11.27 Luke 10.22 The Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God g 1 Cor. 2.10 For the Things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Now the Saints have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that they might know the things which are freely given them of God h 1 Cor. 2.11 12. For the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father sends in Christ's Name he teacheth them all things and bringeth all things to their Remembrance i John 14.26 ARTICLE II. Concerning the Guide and Rule of Christians CHrist prayed to the Father and he gave the Saints another Comforter that was to abide with them for ever even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not nor knoweth him But the Saints know him for he dwelleth with them and is to be in them k John 14.16 17. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God l Rom. 8.9 14. For this is the Covenant that God hath made with the House of Israel He hath put his Laws in their Mind and writ them in their Hearts and they are all taught of God m Hebr. 8.10 11. And the Anointing which they have received of him abideth in them and they need not that any man teach them but as the same Anointing teacheth them of all things and is Truth and is no Lie n 1 John 2.27 ARTICLE III. Concerning the Scriptures WHatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our Learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have Hope o Rom. 15.4 which are able to make wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus All Scripture being given by Inspiration of God and
Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the Propitiation for our Sins and not for ours only but also for the Sins of the whole World q 1 Joh 2.1 2. For by the Grace of God he hath tasted Death for every Man r Hebr 2.9 And gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due Time s 1 Tim. 2.6 Willing all Men to be saved and to come to the Knowledge of the Truth t 1 Tim. 2.4 Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance u 2 Pet. 3.9 For God sent not his Son into the World to Condemn the World but that the World through him might be saved x John 3 17. And Christ came a Light into the World that whosoever believeth in him should not abide in Darkness y John 12.46 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 to Justification of Life z Rom. 5.18 ARTICLE XI Concerning the Light that enlightneth every Man THe Gospel was preached to every Creature under Heaven a Col. 1.23 which Gospel is the Power of God unto Salvation to them that believe b Rom. 1.16 And if it be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them which believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine into them c 2 Cor. 4.3 4. And this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are Evil d John 3.19 And this was the true Light which lightneth every Man that cometh into the World e John 1.9 By which all things that are reproveable are made manifest for whatsoever maketh manifest is Light f Ephes. 5.11 Every one that doth Evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved but he that doth Truth cometh to to the Light that his Deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God g Joh. 3 20 21. And they that walk in the Light as Christ is in the Light have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth them from all Sin h 1 John 1. Therefore ought we to believe in the Light while we have the Light that we may be the Children of the Light i John 12.36 Therefore to Day if we will hear his Voice let us not harden our Hearts k Hebr. 4 7. For Christ wept over Jerusalem saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy Day the Things which belong unto thy Peace But now they are hid from thine Eyes l Luke 19.42 And he would often have gathered her Children as a Hen gathereth her Chickens but they would not m Matth. 23.37 for the stiff-necked and uncircumcised in Heart and Ears do always Resist the Holy Ghost n Acts 7.51 And are of those that Rebel against the Light o Job 24.13 Therefore God's Spirit will not always strive with Man p Gen. 7.3 For the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in Unrighteousness q Rom. 1.18 Because what is to be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them r Rom. 1.19 And a Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal s 1 Cor. 12.7 For the Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching us that denying Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World t Tit. 2.11 12. And this Word of this Grace is able to build up and give an Inheritance among all those that are Sanctified u Acts 20.32 For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit and of the Joints and Marrow and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart x Hebr. 4.12 Is that more sure Word of Prophesy whereunto we do well that we take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-Star arise in the Heart y 2 Pet. 1. â—9 And this is the Word of Faith which the Apostles Preached which is nigh in the Mouth and in the Heart z Rom. 10.8 For God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ a 2 Cor. 4.6 But we have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels that the Excellency of the Power may be of God b 2 Cor. 4.7 and not of us for the Kingdom of God cometh not by Observation but is within us ARTICLE XII Concerning Faith and Justification FAith is the Substance of things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen d Hebr. 11.1 Without which it is impossible to please God e Hebr. 11.6 Therefore we are justified by Faith which worketh by Love f Gal. 5.6 For Faith without Works being dead is by Works made perfect g Jam. 2.23 26. By the Deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be justified h Rom. 3.20 Nor yet by the Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy we are saved by the Washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost i 1 Tit. 3.5 For we are both washed sanctified and justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God k 1 Cor. 6.11 ARTICLE XIII Concerning Good Works IF we live after the Flesh we shall die but if we through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body we shall live l Rom. 8.13 For they which believe in God must be careful to maintain good Works m T it 3.8 For God will render to every Man according to his Deeds according to his Righteous Judgment to them who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality Eternal Life n Rom. 2.6 7. For such are counted worthy of the Kingdom of God o 2 Thess. 1.5 and cast not away their Confidence which hath great Recompence of Reward p Hebr. 10.35 Blessed then are they that do his Commandments that they may have Right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the Gates into the City q Rev. 22.14 ARTICLE XIV Concerning Perfection SIn shall not have Dominion over such as are not under the Law but under Grace r Rom. 6.14 For there is no Condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit for the Law of the
Formalities attending them all which Man has invented in his degenerate State to feed his Pride in the vain Pomp and Glory of this World As also the unprofitable Plays frivolous Recreations Sportings and Gaming 's which are invented to pass away the pretious time and divert the mind from the Witness of God in the Heart and from the living Sense of his Fear and from that Evangelical Spirit wherewith Christians ought to be leavened and which leads into Sobriety Gravity and Godly Fear in which as we abide the Blessing of the Lord is felt to attend us in these Actions which we are necessarily engaged in order to the taking care for the Sustenance of the Outward Man AN APOLOGY FOR THE True Christian Divinity Prop. 1 PROPOSITION I. Seeing the Heighth of all Happiness is placed in the true Knowledge of G0D This is Life Eternal John 17.3 to know the true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent the true and right understanding of this Foundation and Ground of Knowledge is that which is most necessary to be known and believed in the first place HE that desireth to acquire any Art or Science seeketh first those Means by which that Art or Science is obtained If we ought to do so in things Natural and Earthly how much more then in Spiritual In this Affair then should our Inquiry be the more diligent because he that Errs in the Entrance is not so easily reduced again into the right Way he that misseth his Road from the beginning of his Journey and is deceived in his first Marks at his first setting forth the greater his Mistake is the more difficult will be his Entrance into the right Way Thus when a Man first proposeth to himself the Knowledge of God from a sense of his own Vnworthiness The Way to the true Knowledge of God and from the great Weariness of his Mind occasioned by the secret Checks of his Conscience and the tender yet real Glances of God's Light upon his heart the Earnest Desires he has to be Redeemed from his present trouble and the fervent Breathings he has to be eased of his disordered Passions and Lusts and to find quietness and peace in the certain Knowledge of God and in the assurance of his Love and Good-will towards him makes his heart Tender and ready to receive any Impression and so not having then a distinct Discerning through Forwardness embraceth any thing that brings present Ease If either through the Reverence he bears to certain Persons or from the secret Inclination to what doth comply with his natural Disposition he fall upon any Principles or Means by which he apprehends he may come to know God and so doth Center himself it will be hard to remove him thence again how wrong soever they may be For the first Anguish being over he becomes more hardy and the Enemy being near creates a false Peace and a certain Confidence which is strengthened by the mind's Vnwillingness to enter again into new Doubtfulness or the former Anxiety of a Search Jewish Doctors and Pharisees Resist Christ. This is sufficiently verified in the Example of the Pharisees and Jewish Doctors who most of all Resisted Christ disdaining to be esteemed Ignorant for this Vain Opinion they had of their Knowledge hindered them from the true Knowledge and the mean People who were not so much pre-occupied with former Principles nor Conceited of their own Knowledge did easily believe Wherefore the Pharisees upbraid them saying Joh. 7.48 49. Have any of the Rulers or Pharisees believed in him But this People which know not the Law are accursed This is also abundantly proved by the Experience of all such as being secretly touched with the Call of God's Grace unto them do apply themselves unto false Teachers where the Remedy proves worse than the Disease because instead of knowing God or the things relating to their Salvation aright they drink-in wrong Opinions of him from which it 's harder to be disentangled than while the Soul remains a Blank or Tabula Rasa For they that conceit themselves Wise are worse to deal with than they that are Sensible of their Ignorance Nor hath it been less the Device of the Devil the great Enemy of Mankind to perswade men into wrong Notions of God than to keep them altogether from Acknowledging him the latter taking with few because odious but the other having been the constant Ruine of the World For there hath scarce been a Nation found but hath had some Notions or other of Religion so that not from their denying any Deity but from their Mistakes and Misapprehensions of it hath proceeded all the Idolatry and Superstition of the World Yea hence even Atheism it self hath proceeded for these many and various Opinions of God and Religion being so much mixed with the Guessings and uncertain Judgments of Men have begotten in many the Opinion that there is no God at all This and much more that might be said may shew how dangerous it is to miss in this first Step All that come not in by the door are accounted as Thieves and Robbers Again How needful and desirable that Knowledge is which brings Life Eternal Epictetus Epictetus sheweth saying Excellently well Cap. 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Know that the main Foundation of Piety is this to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 right Opinions and Apprehensions of God This therefore I judged necessary as a First Principle in the first place to Affirm and I suppose will not need much further Explanation nor Defence as being generally acknowledged by all and in these things that are without Controversy I love to be brief as that which will easily Commend it self to every Man's Reason and Conscience And therefore I shall proceed to the Next Proposition which though it be nothing less certain yet by the Malice of Satan and Ignorance of many comes far more under Debate PROPOSITION II. Of Immediate Revelation Prop. 2 Seeing no man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son Revealeth him Matth. 11.27 And seeing the Revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit therefore the Testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the True Knowledge of God hath been is and can be onely Revealed Who as by the Moving of his own Spirit he disposed the Chaos of this World into that Wonderful Order wherein it was in the beginning and Created Man a living Soul to Rule and Govern it so by the Revelation of the same Spirit he hath manifested himself all along unto the Sons of men both Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles which Revelation of God by the Spirit whether by outward Voices and Appearances dreams or inward objective Manifestations in the heart were of old the formal Object of their Faith and remain yet so to be since the Object of the Saints Faith is the same in all Ages though held forth under divers Administrations Moreover these divine inward Revelations which
we make absolutely necessary for the building up of true Faith neither do nor can ever Contradict the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or right and sound Reason yet from hence it will not follow that the Divine Revelations are to be subjected to the Test either of the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or of the Natural Reason of man as to a more-noble or certain Rule and Touch-stone For this Divine Revelation and inward Illumination is that which is evident and clear of it self forcing by its own Evidence and Clearness the well-disposed understanding to Assent irresistibly moving the same thereunto even as the common principles of natural Truths do move and incline the mind to a natural Assent As That the whole is greater than its part That two Contradictories can neither be both true nor both false § I. IT is very probable that many Carnal and Natural Christians will oppose this Proposition who being wholly unacquainted with the Movings and Actings of God's Spirit upon their hearts Revelations by Apostate Christians Rejected judge the same nothing Necessary and some are apt to flout at it as Ridiculous Yea to that Heighth are the generality of all Christians Apostatized and degenerated that though there be not any thing more plainly Asserted more seriously Recommended nor more certainly Attested to in all the writings of the Holy Scriptures yet nothing is less minded and more rejected by all sorts of Christians than Immediate and Divine Revelation in so much that once to lay Claime to it is matter of Reproach Whereas of old none were ever judged Christians but such As had the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 But now many do boldly call themselves Christians who make no difficulty of confessing They are without it and laugh at such as say they have it Of old they were accounted the Sons of God who were led by the Spirit of God ibid. vers 14. but now many aver themselves Sons of God who know nothing of this Leader and he that affirms himself so led is by the pretended Orthodox of this Age presently proclaimed a Heretick The Reason hereof is very manifest viz. Because many in these days under the name of Christians do experimentally find that they are not acted nor led by God's Spirit yea many great Doctors Divines Teachers and Bishops of Christianity commonly so called have wholly shut their Ears from hearing and their Eyes from seeing this inward Guide and so are become strangers unto it whence they are by their own Experience brought to this Strait either to Confess that they are as yet Ignorant of God and have only the shadow of knowledge and not the true knowledge of him or that this knowledge is acquired without Immediate Revelation For the better understanding then of this Proposition we do distinguish betwixt the Certain Knowledge of God Knowledge Spiritual and Literal distinguished and the Vncertain betwixt the Spiritual Knowledge and the Literal the Saving heart-heart-Knowledge and soaring airy head-head-Knowledge The last we Confess may be divers ways obtained but the first by no other way than the Inward Immediate Manifestation and Revelation of God's Spirit shining in and upon the heart inlightning and opening the understanding § II. Having then proposed to my self in these Propositions to Affirm those things which relate to the True and Effectual Knowledge which brings Life Eternal with it therefore I have Affirmed and that truly That this Knowledge is no otherways attained and that none have any true ground to believe they have attained it who have it not by this Revelation of God's Spirit The Certainty of which Truth is such that it hath been acknowledged by some of the most Refined and Famous of all sorts of Professors of Christianity in all ages who being truly Vpright-hearted and Earnest Seekers of the Lord however stated under the disadvantages and Epidemical Errors of their several Sects or Ages the true Seed in them hath been answered by God's Love who hath had regard to the Good and hath had of his Elect ones among all who finding a distast and disgust in all other outward Means even in the very Principles and Precepts more particularly relative to their own Forms and Societies have at last concluded with one Voice That there was no true Knowledge of God but that which is Revealed inwardly by his own Spirit Whereof take these following Testimonies of the Ancients 1. It is the inward Master saith Augustin that teacheth it is Christ that teacheth Aug. ex Tract Epist. Joh. 3. it is Inspiration that teacheth where this Inspiration and Unction is wanting it is in vain that Words from without are beaten in And thereafter For he that Created us and Redeemed us and called us by Faith and dwelleth in us by his Spirit unless he speaketh unto you inwardly it is needless for us to Cry out 2. There is a difference saith Clemens Alexandrinus betwixt that which any one saith of the Truth and that which the Truth it self Interpreting it self saith A Conjecture of Truth differeth from the Truth it self a Similitude of a thing differeth from the thing it self It is one thing Clem. Alex. Lib. 1. Strom. that is acquired by Exercise and Discipline and another thing which by Power and Faith Lastly the same Clemens saith Truth is neither hard to be arrived at nor is it impossible to apprehend it Paedag. for it is most nigh unto us even in our houses as the most Wise Moses hath insinuated 3. How is it Tertullianus Lib. de Veland Virginibus Cap. 1. saith Tertullian that since the Devil always worketh and stirreth up the mind to Iniquity that the work of God should either cease or desist to act Since for this end the Lord did send the Comforter that because human Weakness could not at once bear all things Knowledg might be by little and little directed formed and brought to perfection by the holy Spirit that Vicar of the Lord. I have many things yet saith he to speak unto you but ye cannot as yet bear them but when that Spirit of Truth shall come he shall lead you into all Truth and shall teach you these things that are to come But of his work we have spoken above What is then the Administration of the Comforter but that Discipline be derived and the Scriptures Revealed c. 4. The Law saith Hierom is spiritual Hieron Epist Paulin. 103. and there is need of a Revelation to understand it And in his Epistle 150. to Hedibia Quest. 11. he saith The whole Epistle to the Romans needs an Interpretation it being involved in so great Obscurities that for the understanding thereof we need the help of the holy Spirit who through the Apostle dictated it 5. So great things saith Athanasius doth our Saviour daily Athanasius de Incarnatione Verbi Dei he Draws unto Piety Perswades unto Vertue Teaches Immortality Excites to the desire of Heavenly things Reveals Knowledge from the Father
hereunto we stand there for this Word always proceedeth and doth Eternally proceed from God in and by which the Vnsearchable Wisdom of God and Vnsearchable Counsel and Will Conceived in the Heart of God is Revealed unto us That then the Scripture is not the Principal Ground of Faith and Knowledge as it appears by what is above spoken so it is provided in the latter part of the Proposition which being Reduced to an Argument runs thus That the Certainty and Authority whereof depends upon another and which is received as Truth because of its proceeding from another is not to be accounted the Principal Ground and Origin of all Truth and Knowledge But The Scriptures Authority and Certainty depends upon the Spirit by which they were dictated and the Reason why they were received as Truth is because they proceeded from the Spirit Therefore They are not the Principal Ground of Truth To Confirm this Argument I added the School-Maxime Propter quod unumquodque est tale illud ipsum est magis tale Which Maxime though I Confess it doth not hold Vniversally in all things yet in this it both doth and will very well hold as by Applying it as we have above Intimated will appear Neither are they the Primary Rule of Faith and Manners The same Argument will hold as to the other Branch of the Proposition That it is not the Primary Adequate Rule of Faith and Manners thus That which is not the Rule of my Faith in believing the Scriptures themselves is not the Primary Adequate Rule of Faith and Manners But The Scripture is not nor can it be the Rule of that Faith by which I believe them c. Therefore c. But as to this part we shall produce divers Arguments hereafter As to what is Affirmed That the Spirit and not the Scriptures is the Rule it is largely handled in the former Proposition the Sum whereof I shall Subsume in one Argument thus That the Spirit is the Rule If by the Spirit we can only come to the True Knowledge of God If by the Spirit we be to be led into all Truth and so be Taught of all things Then the Spirit and not the Scriptures is the Foundation and Ground of all Truth and Knowledge and the Primary Rule of Faith and Manners But the First is True Therefore also the Last Next The very Nature of the Gospel it self declareth that the Scriptures cannot be the Only and Chief Rule of Christians else there should be no Difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel As from the Nature of the New Covenant by divers Scriptures described in the former Proposition is proved Wherein the Law and Gospel differ But besides these which are before-mentioned herein doth the Law and the Gospel differ In that the Law being outwardly written brings under Condemnation but hath not Life in it to save whereas the Gospel as it declares and makes manifest the Evil so it being an Inward Powerful thing also gives Power to Obey and delivers from the Evil Hence it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Glad Tidings The Law or Letter which is without us kills but the Gospel which is the Inward Spiritual Law gives Life for it consists not so much in Words as in Vertue Wherefore such as come to know it and be acquainted with it come to feel greater Power over their Iniquities than all Outward Laws or Rules can give them Hence the Apostle concludes Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace This Grace then that is inward and not an outward Law is to be the Rule of Christians Hereunto the Apostle Commends the Elders of the Church saying Acts 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an Inheritance among all those that are sanctified He doth not commend them here to Outward Laws or Writings but to the Word of Grace which is Inward even the Spiritual Law which makes free as he elsewhere Affirms Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death This Spiritual Law is that which the Apostle declares he preached and directed People unto which was not Outward as Rom. 10.8 is manifest where distinguishing it from the Law he saith The Word is nigh thee in thy heart and in thy mouth and this is the Word of Faith which we preach From what is above said I argue thus The Principal Rule of Christians under the Gospel is not an Outward Letter nor Law outwardly written and delivered but an Inward Spiritual Law ingraven in the heart the Law of the Spirit of Life the Word that is nigh in the heart and in the mouth But The Letter of the Scripture is Outward of it self a dead thing a meer Declaration of good things but not the Things themselves Therefore it nor is nor can be the Chief or Principal Rule of Christians § III. Thirdly That which is given to Christians for a Rule and Guide The Scripture not the Rule must needs be so full as it may clearly and distinctly Guide and Order them in all things and occurrences that may fall out But in that there are many hundred of things with a regard to their Circumstances particular Christians may be concerned in for which there can be no particular Rule had in the Scriptures Therefore the Scriptures cannot be a Rule to them I shall give an Instance in two or three Particulars for to prove this Proposition It is not to be doubted but some men are particularly called to some particular services their being not found in which though the Act be no general positive Duty yet in so far as it may be Required of them is a great Sin to Omit forasmuch as God is zealous of his Glory and every Act of Disobedience to his Will Manifested is enough not only to hinder one greatly from that Comfort and Inward Grace which otherwise they might have but also bringeth Condemnation As for Instance Some are Called to the Ministry of the Word Paul saith There was a Necessity upon him to preach the Gospel Wo unto me if I preach not If it be Necessary that there be now Ministers of the Church as well as then then there is the same Necessity upon some more than upon others to occupy this place which Necessity as it may be Incumbent upon particular persons the Scripture neither doth nor can declare If it be said Object That the Qualifications of a Minister are found in the Scripture and by applying these Qualifications to my self I may know whether I be fit for such a place or no. I Answer The Qualifications of a Bishop or Minister Answ. as they are mentioned both in the Epistle to Timothy and Titus are such as may be found in a private Christian yea which ought in
Pelagians Errors The Pelagians ascribing all to Man's Will and Nature denied man to have any Seed of Sin Conveyed to him from Adam and the Semi-Pelagians making Grace as a Gift following upon Man's Merit or right Improving of his Nature according to their known Principle Facienti quod in se est Deus non denegat gratiam This gave Augustine Prosper and some others occasion labouring in Opposition to these Opinions to magnify the Grace of God and paint out the Corruption of Man's Nature as the Proverb is of those that seek to make straight a Crooked Stick to Incline to the other Extream Extreams fall'n into by some making God the Author of Sin So also the Reformers Luther and others finding among other Errors the strange Expressions used by some of the Popish Scholasticks concerning Free Will and how much the Tendency of their Principles is to Exalt Man's Nature and lessen God's Grace having all those Sayings of Augustine and others for a pattern through the like Mistake ran upon the same Extream Though afterwards the Lutherans seeing how far Calvin and his Followers drove this matter who as a man of subtile and profound Judgment foreseeing where it would land resolved above board to Assert That God had decreed the Means as well as the End and therefore had Ordained men to sin and Excites them thereto Which he labours earnestly to defend and that there was no avoiding the making God the Author of Sin thereby received occasion to discern the falsity of this Doctrine and disclaimed it as appears by the latter Writings of Melanchthon and the Mompelgartensian Conference Epit. Hist. Eccl. Lucae Osiand Cent. 16. l. 4. cap. 32. where Lucas Osiander one of the Collocutors terms it Impious calls it a Making God the Author of Sin and a horrid and horrible Blasphemy Yet because none of those who have Asserted this Vniversal Redemption since the Reformation have given a Clear Distinct and Satisfactory Testimony how it is Communicated to all and so have fall'n short of fully declaring the perfection of the Gospel Dispensation others have been thereby the more strengthened in their Errors Which I shall Illustrate by one singular Example The Arminians and other Assertors of Vniversal Grace use this as a Chief Argument That which every man is bound to believe is True But Every man is bound to believe that Christ died for them Therefore c. Of this Argument the other Party deny the Assumption saying That they who never heard of Christ are not obliged to believe in him and seeing Remonstrants Opinion strengthens the precise Decree of Reprobation the Remonstrants as they are commonly called do generally themselves acknowledge that without the outward knowledge of Christ there is no Salvation that gives the other Party yet a stronger Argument for their Precise Decree of Reprobation For say they seeing we all see really and in Effect that God hath with-held from many Generations and yet from many Nations that Knowledge which is absolutely needful to Salvation and so hath rendered it simply Impossible unto them why may he not as well with-hold the Grace necessary to make a saving Application of that Knowledge where it is preached For there is no ground to say that this were Injustice in God or Partiality more than his leaving those others in utter Ignorance the one being but a with-holding Grace to apprehend the Object of Faith the other a withdrawing the Object it self For Answer to this they are forced to draw a Conclusion from their former Hypothesis of Christ dying for all and God's Mercy and Justice saying That if these Heathens who live in these remote places where the Outward Knowledge of Christ is not did improve that Common Knowledge they have to whom the Outward Creation is for an Object of Faith by which they may gather that there is a God then the Lord would by some Providence either Send an Angel to tell them of Christ or Convey the Scripture to them or bring them some way to an Opportunity to meet with such as might Inform them Which as it gives always too much to the power and strength of Man's Will and Nature and savours a little of Socinianism and Pelagianism or at lest of Semi-pelagianism so since it is only built upon probable Conjectures neither hath it Evidence enough to Convince any strongly tainted with the other Doctrine nor yet doth it make the Equity and wonderful Harmony of God's Mercy and Justice towards all so manifest to the Vnderstanding So that I have often observed that these Assertors of Vniversal Grace did far more pithily and strongly Overturn the false Doctrine of their Adversaries than they did Establish and Confirm the Truth and Certainty of their own And though they have Proof sufficient from the Holy Scriptures to Confirm the Vniversality of Christ's Death and that none are precisely by any Irrevocable Decree Excluded from Salvation None by an Irrevocable Decree Excluded from Salvation yet I find when they are pressed in the respects above-mentioned to shew how God hath so far Equally Extended the Capacity to Partake of the Benefit of Christ's Death unto all as to Communicate unto them a sufficient Way of so doing they are somewhat in a strait and are put more to give us their Conjectures from the Certainty of the former presupposed Truth to wit that because Christ hath certainly died for all and God hath not rendred Salvation Impossible to any therefore there must be some way or other by which they may be saved which must be by improving some Common Grace or by gathering from the Works of Creation and Providence than by really Demonstrating by Convincing and Spiritual Arguments what that Way is § X. It falls out then that as Darkness and the great Apostasy came not upon the Christian World all at once but by several Degrees one thing making way for another until that thick and gross Vail came to be overspread wherewith the Nations were so blindly Covered from the seventh and eighth until the sixteenth Centuries Even as the Darkness of the Night comes not upon the outward Creation all at once but by Degrees according as the Sun declines in each Horizon so neither did that full and clear Light and Knowledge of the Glorious Dispensation of the Gospel of Christ appear all at once the work of the first Witnesses being more to Testify against and Discover the Abuses of the Apostasy than to Establish the Truth in purity He that comes to build a New City must first remove the Old Rubbish before he can see to lay a New Foundation and he that comes to a House greatly polluted and full of dirt will first sweep away and remove the filth before he put up his own good and New Furniture The Dawning of the Day dispells the Darkness and makes us see the things that are most Conspicuous but the distinct Discovering and Discerning of things so as to make a certain and perfect
observation is reserved for the Arising of the Sun and its shining in full brightness And we can from a certain Experience boldly affirm that the not waiting for this but building among yea and with the Old Popish Rubbish and setting up before a full purgation hath been to most Protestants the foundation of many a Mistake and an occasion of unspeakable Hurt Therefore the Lord God who as he seeth meet doth communicate and make known to man the more full The more full Discovery of the Gospel reserved to this our Age. evident and perfect Knowledge of his Everlasting Truth hath been pleased to Reserve the more full Discovery of this Glorious and Evangelical Disensation to this our Age albeit divers Testimonies have thereunto been born by some noted Men in several Ages as shall hereafter appear And for the greater augmentation of the Glory of his Grace that no man might have whereof to boast he hath raised up a few Despicable and Illiterate Men and for the most part Mechanicks to be the Dispensators of it by which Gospel all the Scruples Doubts Hesitations and Objections above-mentioned are easily and evidently answered and the Justice as well as Mercy of God according to their Divine and heavenly Harmony Exhibited Established and Confirmed According to which certain Light and Gospel as the knowledge thereof hath been manifested to us by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in us fortified by our own sensible Experience and sealed by the Testimony of the Spirit in our hearts we can confidently Affirm and clearly Evince according to the Testimony of the Holy Scriptures the following Points § XI First That GOD who out of his Infinite Love sent his Son the Prop. I Lord Jesus Christ into the World who tasted Death for every man hath given to every man whether Jew or Gentile Turk or Scythian Indian or Barbarian A Day of Visitation to all of whatsoever Nation Country or Place a Certain Day or Time of Visitation during which Day or Time it is possible for them to be Saved and to partake of the Fruit of Christ's Death Prop. II Secondly That for this end God hath Communicated and given unto every man a Measure of the Light of his own Son a Measure of Grace or a Measure of the Spirit A Measure of Light in all which the Scripture expresseth by several names as sometimes of the Seed of the Kingdom Matth. 13.18 19. The Light that makes all things manifest Eph. 5.13 The Word of God Rom. 10.18 or Manifestation of the Spirit given to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 A Talent Matth. 25.15 A little Leaven The Gospel preached in every Creature Col. 1.23 Thirdly That God in and by this Light and Seed invites calls exhorts and strives with every man in order to save them which as it is received and not resisted works the Salvation of all even of those who Prop. III are ignorant of the Death and Sufferings of Christ and of Adam's Fall God's Sâ—lvatation wrought by the Light in all both by bringing them to a sense of their own Misery and to be sharers in the Sufferings of Christ inwardly and by making them partakers of his Resurrection in becoming holy pure and righteous and recovered out of their sins By which also are saved they that have the Knowledge of Christ outwardly in that it opens their Understanding rightly to use and apply the things delivered in the Scriptures and to receive the Saving Vse of them But that this may be Resisted and Rejected in both in which then God is said to be Resisted and Pressed down and Christ to be again Crucified and put to open shame in and among men And to those as thus Resist and Refuse him he becomes their Condemnation First then According to this Doctrine the Mercy of God is excellently Consequences 1 well exhibited in that none are necessarily shut out from Salvation and his Justice is demonstrated in that he Condemns none but such to whom he really made Offer of Salvation affording them the Means sufficient thereunto Secondly This Doctrine if well weighed will be found to be the Cons. 2 Foundation of Christianity Salvation and Assurance Thirdly It agrees and answers with the Whole Tenor of the Gospel-Promises Cons. 3 and Threats and with the nature of the Ministry of Christ according to which the Gospel Salvation Repentance is commanded to be preached to Every Creature without respect of Nations Kindreds Families or Tongues Fourthly It magnifies and commends the Merits and Death of Christ in Cons. 4 that it not only accounts them sufficient to save all but declares them to be brought so nigh unto all as thereby to be put into the nearest Capacity of Salvation Fifthly It Exalts above all the Grace of God to which it attributeth Cons. 5 all good even the least and smallest Actions that are so ascribing thereunto not only the first beginnings and motions of good but also the whole Conversion and Salvation of the Soul Sixthly It Contradicts Overturns and Enervates the false Doctrine Cons. 6 of the Pelagians Semi-Pelagians Socinians and others who exalt the Light of Nature the Liberty of Man's Will in that it wholly excludes the natural man from having any place or portion in his own Salvation by any acting moving or working of his own until he be first quickned raised up and acted by God's Spirit Seventhly As it Makes the whole Salvation of Man solely and alone to Cons. 7 depend upon God so it makes his Condemnation wholly and in every respect to be of himself in that he refused and resisted somewhat that from God wrestled and strove in his heart and forces him to acknowledge God's just Judgment in rejecting him and forsaking of him Eighthly It takes away all ground of Despair in that it gives every Cons. 8 one ground of Hope and certain Assurance that they may be saved neither doth feed any in Security in that none are certain how soon their Day may Expire and therefore it is a constant Incitement and Provocation and lively Incouragement to every man to forsake evil and close with that which is good Ninthly It wonderfully commends as well the Certainty of the Christian Religion among Infidels as it manifests its own Verity to all in that it 's confirmed and established by the Experiences of all men seeing there was never yet a man found in any place of the Earth however barbarous Cons. 9 and wild but hath acknowledged that at some time or other less or more he hath found somewhat in his heart reproving him for some things Evil which he hath done threatning a certain horror if he continued in them as also promising and communicating a certain peace and sweetness as he hath given way to it and not resisted it Cons. 10 Tenthly It wonderfully sheweth the excellent Wisdom of God by which he hath made the means of Salvation so Vniversal and Comprehensive that it is not needful to recur to those miraculous and
expressed by the Apostle Eph. 5.25 26 27. Even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Now if Christ hath really thus answered the thing he Came for then the Members of this Church are not always sinning in thought word and deed or there is no difference betwixt being sanctified and unsanctified clean and unclean holy and unholy being daily blemished with sin and being without blemish § VI. Fourthly This Doctrine renders the Work of the Ministry the Proof IV Preaching of the Word the Writing of the Scriptures and the Prayers of the holy men altogether Vseless and Ineffectual As to the first Eph. 4.11 Pastors and Teachers are said to be given for the perfection of Saints c. till we all come in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto a measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Now if there be a Necessity of sinning daily and in all things then there can be no perfection for such as do so cannot be esteemed perfect And if for Effectuating this perfection in the Saints the Ministry be appointed and disposed of God Pastors Teachers and Scriptures are given for the Perfecting of the Saints do not such as deny the possibility hereof render the Ministry Vseless and of no profit seeing there can be no other true Vse assigned but to lead people out of sin into righteousness If so be these Ministers assure us that we need never expect to be delivered from it do not they render their own Work needless what needs Preaching against sin for the reproving of which all preaching is if it can never be forsaken Our Adversaries are Exalters of the Scriptures in words much crying up their usefulness and perfection Now the Apostle tells us 2 Tim. 3.17 that the Scriptures are for making the man of God perfect and if this be denied to be Attainable in this life then the Scriptures are of no profit For in the other life we shall not have use for them It renders the Prayers of the Saints altogether Vseless seeing themselves do Confess they ought to pray daily that God would deliver them from evil and free them from sin by the help of his Spirit and Grace while in this world But though we might suppose this Absurdity to follow that their Prayers are without Faith yet were not that so much if it did not infer the like upon the holy Apostles who prayed earnestly for this End and therefore no doubt believed it Attainable Col 4.12 Labouring fervently for you in prayers that ye may stand perfect c. 1 Thess. 3.13 5.23 c. Proof V § VII But Fifthly This Doctrine is Contrary to Common Reason and Sense For the Two opposite Principles whereof the one Rules in the Children of Darkness Darkness and Light Sin and Righteousness Inconsistent together the other in the Children of Light are Sin and Righteousness And as they are respectively leavened and acted by them so they are accounted either as Reprobated or Justified seeing it is Abomination in the sight * Prov. 17.15 of God either to Justify the Wicked or Condemn the Just. Now to say that men cannot be so leavened with the one as to be delivered from the other is in plain words to affirm that Sin and Righteousness are Consistent and that a man may be truly termed Righteous though he be daily sinning in every thing he doth And then what difference betwixt Good and Evil Is not this to fall into that great abomination of Putting Light for darkness and calling good evil and evil good since they say The very best Actions of God's Children are defiled and polluted and that Those that sin daily in thought word and deed are good men and women the Saints and holy Servants of the Holy Pure God Can there be any thing more repugnant than this to Common Reason Since the Subject is still denominated from that Accident that doth most Influence it As a Wall is called White when there is much Whiteness and black when there is much blackness and such like But when there is more Vnrighteousness in a man than Righteousness that man ought rather to be denominated unrighteous than righteous If all daily sin where is the Righteous man then spoken of in Scripture Then surely if every man sin daily in thought word and deed and that in his Sins there is no Righteousness at all and that all his Righteous Actions are polluted and mixed with sin then there is in every man more Vnrighteousness than Righteousness and so no man ought to be called Righteous no man can be said to be sanctified or washed Where are then the Children of God Where are the purified ones where are they who were sometimes Vnholy but now Holy That sometimes were Darkness but now are Light in the Lord There can none such be found then at this rate except that Vnrighteousness be esteemed so And is not this to fall into that abomination above-mentioned of Justifying the Vngodly This certainly lands in that horrid Blasphemy of the Ranters that affirm There is no difference betwixt good and evil and that all is one in the sight of God I could shew many more Gross Absurdities Evil Consequences and manifest Contradictions plied in this sinful Doctrine but this may suffice at present by which also in a good measure The Blasphemy of the Ranters or Libertines the probation of the Truth we affirm is Advanced Yet nevertheless for the further Evidencing of it I shall proceed to the second thing proposed by me to wit To prove this from several Testimonies of the Holy Scriptures § VIII And first I prove it from the peremptory positive Command of Sect. II Christ and his Apostles seeing this is a Maxime ingraven in every man's Proof I heart naturally That no man is bound to that which is Impossible Since then Christ and his Apostles have commanded us to keep all the Commandments and to be perfect in this respect it is possible for us so to do Be ye Perfect c. Keâ—p my Commandments Now that this is thus Commanded without any Commentary or Consequence is evidently apparent from these plain Testimonies Matth. 5.48 7.21 John 13.17 1 Cor. 7.19 2 Cor. 13.11 1 John 2.3 4 5 6. 3.2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. These Scriptures intimate a positive Command for it they declare the Absolute Necessity of it and therefore as if they had purposely been written to answer the Objections of our Opposers they shew the Folly of those that will esteem themselves Children or Friends of God while they do otherwise Secondly It is Possible because we receive the Gospel and Law thereof
and not false The Example of the Pharisees and Priests under the Law will not answer to the Gospel-times because God set apart a particular Tribe for that Service and particular Families to whom it belonged by a Lineal Succession and also their Service and Work was not purely Spiritual but only the performance of some outward and carnal Observations and Ceremonies which were but a shadow of the Substance that was to come The Service under the Law was not purely Spiritual but Figurative for the performance of which as they behoved to be purified from their outward Pollutions so the Ministers of the Gospel must be inwardly without blemish and therefore their Work made not the Comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the Conscience seeing they were appointed only according to the Law of a carnal Commandment and not according to the Power of an endless Life Notwithstanding as in the Figure they behoved to be without blemish as to their outward man and in the performance of their Work they behoved to be Washed and Purified from their outward pollutions so now under the Gospel-times the Ministers in the Anti-type must be inwardly without blemish in their Souls and Spirits being as the Apostle requires blameless and in their work and service must be pure and undefiled from their inward pollutions and so clean and holy that they may offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 As to Judas the Season of his Ministry was not wholly Evangelical as being before the Work was finished and while Christ himself The Ministry of the Disciples of Christ before the Work was finished was more Legal than Evangelical and his Disciples were yet subject to the Jewish Observances and Constitutions and therefore his Commission as well as that which the Rest received with him at that time was only to the house of Israel Matth. 10.5 6. which made that by virtue of that Commission the Rest of the Apostles were not Impowered to go forth and preach after the Resurrection until they had waited at Jerusalem for the pouring-forth of the Spirit So that it appears Judas's Ministry was more Legal than Evangelical Secondly Judas's Case as all will acknowledge was singular and extraordinary Judas was Immediately Called of Christ and preached freely which our Adversaries will not do although they make of him a Pattern of their Graceless Ministry saying he had not the least Measure of God's Grace at that time he being Immediately Called by Christ himself and accordingly furnished and impowered by him to Preach and do Miracles which Immediate Commission our Adversaries do not so much as pretend to and so fall short of Judas who trusted in Christ's Words and therefore went forth and preached without Gold or Silver or Scrip for his Journey Giving freely as he had freely received which our Adversaries will not do as hereafter shall be observed Also that Judas at that time had not the least measure of God's Grace I have not as yet heard proved But is it not sad that even Protestants should lay aside the Eleven good and faithful Apostles and all the Rest of the holy Disciples and Ministers of Christ and betake them to that one of whom it was testified that he was a Devil for a Pattern and Example to their Ministry Alas it is to be Regretted that too many of them resemble this Pattern over much Another Objection is usually made against the Necessity of Grace Object * Ibid. Nic. Arnoldus That in case it were necessary then such as wanted it could not truly administer the Sacrament and consequently the people would be left in doubts and infinite scruples as not knowing certainly whether they had truly received them because not knowing infallibly whether the Administrators were truly gracious men But this Objection hitteth us not at all Answ. because the Nature of that Spiritual and Christian Worship which we according to the Truth plead for is such as is not necessarily attended with these carnal and outward Institutions from the administring of which the Objection ariseth and so hath not any such Absurdity following upon it as will afterwards more Clearly appear § XVIII Though then we make not Humane Learning necessary § II. What True Learning is yet we are far from Excluding true Learning to wit that Learning which proceedeth from the Inward Teachings and Instructions of the Spirit whereby the Soul learneth the secret Ways of the Lord becomes acquainted with many inward Travels and Exercises of the Mind and learneth by a living Experience how to overcome Evil and the Temptations of it by following the Lord and walking in his Light and waiting daily for Wisdom and Knowledge immediately from the Revelation thereof and so layeth up these Heavenly and Divine Lessons in the good Treasure of the heart as honest Mary did the sayings which she heard and things which she observed and also out of this Treasure of the Soul as the good Scribe brings forth things new and old according as the same Spirit moves and gives a true Liberty and as need is for the Lord's Glory whose the Soul is and for whom and with an Eye to whose Glory she which is the Temple of God The good Learning which is necessary to a true Minister learneth to do all things This is that Good Learning which we think necessary to a true Minister by and through which Learning a man can well Instruct Teach and Admonish in due season and Testify for God from a certain Experience as did David Solomon and the holy Prophets of old and the blessed Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ who testified of what they had seen heard felt and handled of the Word of Life 1 Joh. 1.1 ministring the Gift according as they had received the same as good stewards of the manifold Grace of God and preached not the uncertain Rumors of others by hear-say which they had gathered meerly in the Comprehension while they were strangers to the thing in their own Experience in themselves as to Teach people how to believe while themselves were unbelieving or how to overcome sin while themselves are slaves to it as all Vngracious men are or to believe and hope for an Eternal Reward which themselves have not as yet Arrived at c. Literature is first the Knowledge of Latine Greek and Hebrew to the Scriptures § XIX But let us Examin this Literature which they make so necessary to the being of a Minister as in the first place the Knowledge of the Tongues at least of the Latine Greek and Hebrew The reason for this is that they may Read the Scriptures which is their Only Rule in the Original Languages and thereby be the more capable to Comment upon it and Interpret it c. That also which made this Knowledge be the more prized by the primitive Protestants was indeed that dark Barbarity that was over the World in the Centuries immediately
of ordinary Capacity that are not educated in Colledges may understand them V. As for Retortions they must not be impertinent and from the purpose and none shall be so insisted on as to divert us from the Point or turn the Opponent into the Respondent VI. The Day appointed for the Conference is the fourteenth of April in the Year One thousand six hundred seventy five being the Day called Wednesday the Place is to be at Alexander Harper 's House or Close in case the Gray-Fryers Church so called cannot be obtained and that the Conference is to continue from two to five a Clock in the Afternoon VII Both Parties shall endeavour to procure a Praeses to Moderate but not to have any Decisive Judgment yet if such a one cannot be procured the Conference is not to be broken up VIII And it is hereby declared That both Parties intend this for Mutual Edification and therefore intend to abstain from any thing that may obstruct so good an Event IX It is likewise agreed that none shall have Liberty to speak but those that have or shall subscribe before the Dispute begin these aforesaid Articles HEre Alex. Skein one of our Friends chosen Praeses for Us because we could not at that time procure another standing up with the other Praeses Student It was condescended That no Quaker should be a Praeses Quaker We are wronged for we never condescended to any such thing And seeing ye have chosen one of Your Way how can we be hindred to choose one of Ours Andr. Thomson their Praeses There needs no debate in this matter for we are chosen not to have any Decisive Judgment but only for the Moral Part to take notice if the Rules be observed or whether ye keep to the Purpose Then John Leslie had a long and tedious Discourse concerning what was fit to be done and how we ought to Dispute G. K. Praeses I suppose we came not to this Place to hear from this Young-Man a long Logick Discourse R. B. I desire to be heard We being a People so generally mis-represented as Heretical and Erroneous did conceive our selves obliged to give a True and Faithful Account of our Principles which I did in a certain Paper now under debate And that our Innocency therein might appear there was a Challenge added to the end of it offering to defend these our Principles if we might be allowed so to do in these Publick Places where we have been so much misrepresented and against those Persons who had there so often traduced us To which having received no Answer some of the Students of Divinity came to us and signified that they looked upon themselves as concerned because mention is made of such in the beginning of that Paper To whom we answered That they were not the Persons Challenged by Us as not being the Publick Preachers that had mis-represented Us But seeing they were desirous to debate the matter we were not unwilling to render to any a Reason of the Hope that is in us and therefore should not decline it And forasmuch as some did object that we were at a loss as engaging with them because there would be little Advantage in case we had any Victory and a greater Reflection should we appear to be at any loss To such we had and have this to say That as we are not afraid to meet with the Greatest and Ablest of the Preachers themselves so the Truth leads us not to Despise any As R. B. was going on he was interrupted Alex. Shirreff If it were pertinent I could easily disprove much of what is said but to be short R. B. having given Theses provoking all the Scholars of Europe and Great Brittain though R. B. pretends in his Preface to be against School-Divinity yet his Theses are full of it and there are many other Contradictions which I will not now take notice of The Preachers and Ministers of the Word not finding themselves concerned we Young-Men and but Students have offered to Dispute In the Articles the Quakers have been very unreasonable and particularly G. K. did refuse any Article should be put in against Railing because he said That might be Railing in me which was not in him because he to wit G. K. was immediately led by the Spirit We have concluded that being Young-Men in case the Quakers should have any Advantage it will not be of great Consequence and if we have Advantage we hope it may be useful because these are the great Prophets and Preachers of the Quakers G.K. I could take notice of many things not true in that Young-Man's long Discourse And it may here be observed that afterwards J. L. speaking reflectingly against the Quakers said It was no Railing to speak the Truth which was all he pleaded for as particularly that R. B. hath provoked all Europe but I pass them by because I am here exceedingly abused and therefore desire to be heard For I declare in God's Fear and in singleness of my Heart I never said any such thing as is by that Young-Man alledged upon me as I can Appeal to the Auditors who were there present But what I said was this I cannot bind my self not to Rail because I 'me bound already that I should not Rail by the Righteous Law of God in my Conscience and may perhaps speak that as believing it to be true which ye may call Railing A. Shir. I being chiefly concerned and having mostly occasioned this Debate am Employed by the rest to speak first and therefore I will Impugn the Second Thesis Which R. B. read and is as followeth Seing no Man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son Revealeth him Second Thesis Matt. 11.27 And seeing the Revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit therefore the Testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the true Knowledge of God hath been is and can be only Revealed who as by the moving of his own Spirit converted the Chaos of this World into that wonderful Order wherein it was in the beginning and created Man a living Soul to rule and govern it so by the Revelation of the same Spirit he hath made manifest himself all-a-long unto the Sons of Men both Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles which Revelations of God by the Spirit whether by outward Voices and Appearances Dreams or inward objective Manifestations in the Heart was of old the formal Object of their Faith and remaineth yet so to be since the Object of the Saints Faith is the same in all Ages though set forth under divers Administrations Moreover these Divine inward Revelations which we make absolutely necessary for the building up true Faith neither do nor can ever Contradict the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or right and sound Reason yet from hence it will not follow that the Divine Revelations are to be subjected to the Examination either of the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or of the Natural Reason of
have been wrong to Confirm and Strengthen our selves in the Good now Revealed and Embraced which by the powerful working of God's Infinite Goodness turning all to the Advantage of those that love and follow Him makes the Ministry of such the more Effectual as in the Example of Paul and others was manifest It being then so that the Condition of my Life hitherto albeit I as yet am but a Young Man gives me Experience more than perhaps to many others to Treat of this Subject Therefore finding a true Freedom and Liberty in my Spirit I have willingly undertaken for the sake of some to Write something briefly and yet I hope clearly thereof that my Experience herein if the Lord will by His Blessing may be made Vseful to others My first Education from my Infancy up fell amongst the strictest Sort of Calvinists those of our Country being generally acknowledged to be the Severest of that Sect in the heat of Zeal surpassing not only Geneva from whence they derive their Pedigree but all other the Reformed Churches abroad so called The Author's Education and Experience So that some of the French Protestants being upbraided with the Fruits of this Zeal as it appeared in Jo. Knox Buchanan and others do besides what is peculiar to their Principles of this kind alledge the Super-abundance thereof to proceed a fervido Scotorum Ingenio i. e. from the violent Complexion of our Country-Men I had scarce got out of my Child-hood when I was by the permission of Divine Providence Cast among the Company of Papists and my tender Years and Immature Capacity not being able to Withstand and Resist the Insinuations that were used to Proselite me to that way I became quickly defiled with the Pollutions thereof and Continued therein for a time until it pleased God through his rich Love and Mercy to Deliver me out of those Snares and to give me a clear Understanding of the Evil of that Way In both these Sects the Reader may easily Conceive that I had abundant Occasion to receive Impressions contrary to this Principle of Love herein Treated of seeing the Straitness of several of their Doctrines as well as their Practice of Persecution do abundantly declare how Opposite they are to Vniversal Love as shall hereafter more at large be shewn And albeit the time it pleased God to deliver me out of these Snares I was so Young that it may be presumed my Observations could be but Weak and consequently my Experience Inconsiderable yet for as much as from my very Child-hood I was very Ambitious of Knowledge and by a certain Felicity of Vnderstanding I think I may say without Vanity successful beyond many of my Equals in Age though my Observations at that time were but Weak yet since I have with more Leisure and Circumspection gathered thence so much Experience as I am Confident will serve for a sufficient Foundation to any Superstructure I shall build upon it in this Treatise The Time that Intervened betwixt my forsaking of the Church of Rome and Joining with those with whom I stand now Engaged I kept my self Free from Joining with any Sort of People though I took liberty to Hear several His Hearing several Sects And my Converse was most with those that Inveigh much against Judging and such kind of Severity seeming to Complain greatly for want of this Christian Charity among all Sects Which Latitude may perhaps be esteemed the other Extream opposite to the Preciseness of these other Sects whereby I also received an opportunity to know what usually is pretended on that side likewise and thence can say some-what Experimentally on that part also As for those I am now Joyn'd to and whom I justly esteem to be the true Followers and Servants of Jesus Christ People's Various Judgments of the Quakers the World speaks diversly of them as to this matter some highly accusing them of the Want of Charity and quarrelling with them as such who peremptorily Condemn all but themselves Others have a Contrary Conceit of them each according as they are Prejudicated and Informed What may be truly said in the Case shall after appear I my self have been diversly Censured in this matter being ingaged in Controversy which as they can be scarcely handled without something of sharpness so are seldom managed by any so successfully as not to bear the Censure of some or other in this respect Having then upon the whole matter observed that this Want of Charity is that for the Want of which each Sect accuses the other and yet are most averse to see this Defect in themselves and that some do accuse All Sects as guilty of this Crime I have judged it meet to commit my Sense hereof to Writing according to the purpose signified in the Title afore-mentioned SECT II. The Nature of Christian Love and Charity demonstrated the Consistency of True Zeal therewith It 's distinction from false Zeal THE Nature of Christian Love and Charity is fully and abundantly described in the Holy Scriptures The Nature of Christian Love and Charity where it is preferred before all other Vertues and Properties whatsoever as that which Comprehendeth in it all other Perfections and is the Root and Spring of them For there can be no true Vertue but that which proceedeth from Love hence God himself is called Love 1 Jo. 4.7 as being that under which all his Innumerable and Unutterable Perfections are Included By this Love we are Redeemed from the Corruption of our Nature and have received the benefit of a Mediator Joh. 16. This is the Banner wherewith God covereth his Children Cant. 2.4 This is that which Constrained our Lord Jesus Christ to lay down his Life for us Joh. 15.13 The Exercise of this is given by Christ as the principal Token of his Disciples Joh. 13.35 It is numbered as the first Fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 It is called the fulfilling of the Law as that wherein all Consisteth Rom. 13 10. For to love God above all things and our Neighbour as our selves is the sum not only of the Law but of the Gospel also 1 Cor. 13.13 Therefore the Apostle Paul giveth to this Love or Charity the Precedency before either Faith or Hope The Excellency of Love and Charity and Necessity of pressing after it in which Chapter he doth briefly but very Emphatically describe it For having first shewn that the speaking with Tongues of Men and Angels that the gifts of Prophesying Vnderstanding and Knowledge that the Faith that even could Remove Mountains and the Giving of all to the Poor yea and the Body to be burnt is nothing without it He proceeds to the Description of it thus Charity suffers long is kind Charity envieth not Vaunteth not it self is not puffed up dos not behave it self unseemly seeking not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil rejoiceth not in Iniquity but rejoiceth in the Truth beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth
either will not or can not Confirm them by the Scripture Now he knoweth in his Conscience this to be a lye since I Affirm of the Scriptures Apol. Lat. Ed. p. 47. n. 60. That they are the most fit Outward Judge of Controversies of which himself also taketh notice in that place And lastly of the Nature of these malitious Insinuations is what he saith pag. 48. and 49 and last Paragraph of this Chapter where after he has Repeated what he terms my Monitory Conclusion he infers That I mean that a man should believe that Nature's dim Light is the Spirit of God and the Holy Ghost and that he may burn the Bible J. B ' s. Calumnious Meaning he puts upon the Author and with Confidence assert he is led by the Holy Ghost whatever Scripture or Common Sense say to the Contrary This is all Affirmed by him without the least Proof which as it is the Height of Injustice so it is with respect not only to my Words but Belief and Intention God the Searcher of Hearts knows a most-horrid Falshood and Calumny ¶ 6. Now albeit what is said may seem sufficient for a Reply to this Chapter and is indeed enough to give any sober Man a Disgust of it yet that he may not have reason to Complain that any thing wherein he may judge there is Weight and is directly to the purpose is Omitted I will now in the last place Consider and Answer what he saith against the Validity of my Arguments to which an Answer hath not been Included in what is already said To begin then like himself which to be sure is with some Calumny or other he saith pag. 14. I stigmatize with the black mark of being Carnal and Natural Christians all that Assent not to what I say But he takes no time to prove it and indeed cannot For albeit I say that It is like many Natural and Carnal Christians will Condemn what I say yet it will not follow I account them all such who will not fully agree with me in this matter Of the same kind is his Calumny p. 22. n. 5. where he alledgeth The Citations of the Fathers so called prove no more than his sense of Revelation above expressed But whether he speaks true here or not the Reader may Judge by seriously Reading over these Citations and then let him see if they do not hold out An Inward and Immediate Teaching of the Spirit of God in the Soul as the firm ground of Knowledge without which all outward Teaching is in vain But to Infer this he tells They writ against such as being Impostors and led by the spirit of the Devil pretended to Revelations What then Can not men write against false Revelations without they deny the Necessity of true Ones That is an odd Conclusion If I. B. were well acquainted with the Writings of the Quakers so called he would find them as much against false Pretenders as any other But pag. 24. and 25. he findeth fault with my Argument deduced from these words That there is no knowledge of the Father but by the Son because I take notice as a First Instance of God's Creating all things by Jesus Christ adding Was this so difficult a point to be proved that I was constrained to go back to the first Creation for an Argument Answ. No But I judged it not Improper however he may to shew first as Preparatory God's more general way of working by his Son Jesus Christ ere I come to that which is more particular and this was the Reason as well of my putting these Propositions into that Order as of my using of that Instance by which that pretended Abomination which he pretends lurks under words evanisheth For the Man is very good at drawing Inferences from other mens Words which they that spake and wrote them never thought of as I for one can very well witness since the least can be allowed me is to know my own Thoughts and Purpose which how he should come to Assure himself he knows better than I is more than I can fathom For the same Reason above mentioned I used the Instance of God's moving in his manifesting himself in his Creatures and of the Spirit of the Lord 's moving upon the face of the waters which pag. 26. he flouts at but doth not Answer And it is strange that he of all men should be offended with such Preparatory Considerations where the Matter is in a few pages after closely come to who has used so many Remote Arguments and several not pages only but sheets yea quires of paper in order to prove the First Day of the Week to be the Christian Sabbath He objects pag. 26. against my affirming That God's Communion with man was by Immediate Manifestation of the Spirit Immediate Revelation under the Law not Ceased under the Gospel from Adam to Moses because so few are mentioned and he supposeth the Rest not-mentioned had it only by their Instruction But since these few that are mentioned are said to have had Immediate Revelation and that the Rest had no written Rule as I. B. will Confess it seems there was more of God's Immediate Revelation in those dark Times even by his Confession than now under the Gospel where the Chief Pastors of the Church according to him are to Expect no such thing Neither is it proved that others not mentioned had no Immediate Revelations albeit they might have been Instructed by these Patriarchs which I have shewn before to be very Consistent And thus may be easily Answered setting aside his Railings what he saith pag. 27. against my Urging the Frequent Revelations that men had during all the time of the Law betwixt Moses and Malachy by which himself confesseth the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to have been written that that doth not prove that every one had such Revelations What then I lay not the stress of the Proof of Every one's having Immediate Revelations upon this but this is clearly proved from it That since Immediate Inward and Objective Revelations were so frequent during all the time of the Law which was the less-glorious Administration and that of the Letter it is grosly absurd to say as I. B. and his Brethren do that they are now Ceased under the Gospel which is said to be more-Glorious and the pouring forth of the Spirit more abundant and Universal and that not only for a little time to wit to the Apostles with Restriction to them and their Times for which he never produc'd the least proof from Scripture but to the End of the World And if so that Immediate Revelation be not Ceased there is a great deal of the point gained albeit I. B. confidently Affirms J. B. believes God spake his last Words to his Church at the End of the Revelations that there can be proved nothing by these Reasonings but what no body will deny since the Divines of Westminster have denied and I. B.
no doubt with them will deny That Immediate Revelation now is since they positively say That it is Ceased and James Durham whom I. B. applauds as a Reverend Brother and Pastor of the Church hath most absurdly affirmed in his Treatise upon the Revelation That when John finished that Book God spake his last words to his Church ¶ 7. When he cometh pag. 28. to my Proposition Asserting That these Revelations were of old the Formal Object of Faith he beginneth to Inquire and Conjecture what I mean by the Formal Object and upon that he bestows the following page For answering then his Scruples in that matter I say In a Divine Revelation two things are to be considered 1. The thing Revealed and 2. The Revelation The Thing Revealed is indeed the Material Object The Revelation is the Formal Object In which may be considered not only The Manner of the Revelation The Material and Formal Object of Faith distinguished that is the Voice or Speech of God unto the Soul or his Imprinting in the Soul by a Divine Manifestation the things Revealed but also God himself so Operating both which to wit Deus loquens id est God speaking is the Formal Object of Faith He himself his Veracity is the Original Ground of our Faith His Voice Holy Influence and Manifestation by which he Expresseth himself gives us the Certainty and Assurance that it is He and is very distinguishable by those of a Spiritual Discerning from the most subtile Appearance and Transformations of the Devil since Christ saith My Sheep hear my Voice and will not hear that of a Stranger Even as the Voice and Appearance of two Men of the most contrary and different Humours Statures and Complexions are different and distinguishable by a Man of a sharp Sight to whom those Men are well known But of this I wrote more largly in my Letter to a certain Ambassadour printed the last Year at Roterdam at the End of the Letter written to the Ambassadours of Nimmegen whereto I refer him for further Satisfaction But I wholy deny the Consequence deduced by him that if God's Veracity because it is God that speaketh and commandeth be the formal Object of Faith therefore it is all one whether it be Mediate or Immediate Since albeit that be the Original Ground yet the Immediate Revelation is necessary that we may certainly know that it is he For what avails it me to believe That all that God Commands is True and ought to be Obeyed if I do not certainly know the things I believe as Truth do come from him And the Question is Whether certain Knowledge can be had without Immediate Revelation And therefore to this his Question in the following page 30. What was the formal Object of the Faith of the People to whom the Patriarchs and Prophets said Thus saith the LORD I answer The Inward Testimony of the Spirit in their Heart assuring them That the things spoken were from the Lord and not the Divinations of the Mens Brains that spake them and therefore inclining their Hearts to receive and acknowledge these things as the Commands of God unto them Since as J. B. Confesseth They were not to believe them because spoken by those Men but because of the Authority of God It must be that which wrought this Perswasion and Assurance in them was the formal Object of their Faith as the things spoken were the Material Even as the Light serves by way of formal Object to make us see what is proposed unto us ¶ 8. Pag. 31 and 32. he acknowledgeth That Divine and Inward Revelations need not be tried by the Scripture as a more Noble Rule by him who hath such a Revelation but by those to whom he delivers it And then giveth the Instance of the Beraeans being Commended To which I shall willingly Assent judging no Man that delivers or declares a Revelation to another ought to be offended that he Try it by the Scripture which no true Revelation can Contradict The Spirit of God in the Heart to try Revelations by is a more noble Rule than the Scriptures But that such may not also Try it by the Testimony of the Spirit of God in their Hearts I cannot deny and that it is the More Noble Rule as being most Vniversal Since some Divine Revelations such as Prophecies of Contingent Truths or things to come cannot be Tried by the Scriptures as was that of George Wishart concerning the Cardinal's Death For had another taken upon him at that time to Prophesy the quite Contrary I would willingly be informed by what Scripture it could be deduced or known that the one was false or the other true yet who will be so absurd as to deny but that it could by the Immediate Testimony of the Spirit As for his Proof That the Scripture is the most certain Rule taken from those Words 2 Pet. 1.19 20. We have also a more sure Word of Prophecy c. It is but a begging of the Question in supposing that Peter by this understood the Scripture and indeed is most Ridiculous to Affirm For since the Apostle reckons this Word more sure than the Voice they heard with their outward Ears J. B. pleads the Scriptures to be the more sure Word of Prophecy and the Vision they saw with their outward Eyes it were absurd to affirm that the Description or Narration of a thing were more sure than the Immediate Seeing and Hearing it Can any Description I may receive of J. B. however True give me so certain a Knowledge of him as if I saw him and spake with him Yet without any absurdity it may be said That the Inward Word or Testimony of the Spirit in the Heart is more sure in things Spiritual than any thing that is objected to or conveyed by the outward Senses as that Vision was of which the Apostle there speaks since the Inward and Spiritual Senses are the most proper and adequate Means of conveying Spiritual Things to the Soul by which the Saints after they have laid down this Body and have no more the Use of the Outward Senses which are seated in it do most surely enjoy the Blessed Vision of God and Fellowship both with him and one another As for that of Isa. 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony c. and that of Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures c. mentioned here by him I shall have occasion to speak of them hereafter It 's true We are not to believe every Spirit but it will not thence follow that the Scripture is a more sure Rule than the Spirit for such a Trial. Pag. 35. he thinks My saying That the Divine Revelation moveth the Vnderstanding well disposed Confirmeth what he saith and spoieth all my Purpose because then Every Revelation pretending to be Divine is not to be submitted to But where did ever I say so What he talks further of this Well-disposed Intellect pag. 36. I spake to in my Answer to
Sense And before he has answered this Challenge and free'd himself from the just Censure of a Calumniator albeit he take the help of his Author Hicks he will find his Folly in accusing Men at second-hand-Proofs and upon the Testimony of their Adversaries What follows in this Paragraph and p. 60. is meer Railing and Perversions Comparing us with Papists as is before observed and indeed all of it is overturned by that one Assertion of mine that What Revelations are contrary to the Scripture are to be Rejected ¶ 5. Pag. 57. n. 10. He saith I come nearer to the Core of my Design which is to set up Enthusiasmes in affirming That the Scriptures are not the Fountain but a Declaration of the Fountain And yet the Man within three or four Lines Confesseth it himself ascribing it to my Folly to Dream any Man thinks so thus he goes backward and forward Which he illustrates by the Example of Laws But if it be so are not they to be blam'd that account them the Principal Original of all Truth and Knowledge Whether the other branch of my Deduction follow from this That they are not to be accounted the primary Rule of Faith and Manners will appear when the Arguments and Objections relating to that come particularly to be mentioned And whereas he thinks this is Absurd and not making for my Design because God himself is the Fountain and yet not the Rule he mistakes the matter as urged by me For I Argue That the Scriptures are not the Original Ground of Knowledge The Scriptures are not the Original Ground of Truth but God but GOD not simply Considered but as manifesting himself in Divine Immediate Revelations in the hearts of his Children which being the New Covenant's Dispensation as in the last Section is proved is the Primary and Adequate Rule of Christians For I was never so Absurd as to call God simply considered or the Spirit of God in Abstracto not as Imprinting Truths to be believed and obeyed in Mens hearts not contrary but according to Scripture for he cannot Contradict himself the Rule of Christians And this may serve to Answer all his Cavils upon this Theam And whereas he wondereth in the following page 58. Why any Revelations even from the Spirit should be more Primary than the Scriptures since they are Confessed to come from the Inspiration of the Spirit for why he useth the Latine word Afflatus and doth not Interpret it I know not unless to fright Ignorant Folk that they may think it 's a piece of the Witch-craft of the Quakers whom he accuseth it is strange he should have so little sense as to make it a matter of Admiration as if that were not more Primary to a Man which cometh Immediately from the Spirit of God in his heart than that which albeit it come from the Spirit yet is thro' another and so must needs be but Secondary albeit it be confessed they writ them not for themselves but for others which I deny not Of the same Nature is and the same way is answered what he saith p. 65. n. 19. to wit That I Confound the Principal Leader with the Original Rule because I say The Spirit is the Prime and Principal Leader But I deny his Consequence neither doth his Example of the Wind and Compass prove it The Spirit is the Principal Leader as Imprinting upon Man's Soul the Rules he should walk by But indeed he would prove a very Vncertain Pilot that had no Compass but only a Description of it and a Journal how other Men had steered that Course and such Pilots is he and his Brethren according to their own Confession But he thinks I drive at something more Intolerable to wit That the Revelations the Quakers pretend to or the Light within is to be preferred as the more primary and principal Rule to the Scriptures If the Quakers did affirm any Revelations they speak of as coming from that Light either were or could be Contrary to the Scriptures he would say something otherwise it will amount to no more but that Commands as they are Imprinted upon the Soul that is The Law written in the Heart by the Spirit is more primarily and principally the Rule than the same things written and received only from another As to which I will only ask him Whether those things which the Apostles received immediately from the Spirit commanding them to go here or there to preach the Gospel or the like were as to these Ends more primarily and principally the Rule to them than any thing that was Recorded in the Scripture where they could not learn their Duty as to those particulars And that I make not the Scriptures and the Spirit all one I have above shewen and therefore his Malicious Insinuations of Socinianism falls to the Ground But he thinks he has found out a mighty Dilemma in the End of this Paragraph p. 66. Or will I say The Light within the Increated Spirit that the Light within me is really the Increated Spirit This saith he must be Blasphemy with a Witness to be heard with Horror and therefore needing no other Confutation Poor Man how apt is he to make a Noise about nothing If there be any Blasphemy it is his own For what if I Should say Is not GOD a LIGHT and is not he in every Man and is not this Light within the Increated Spirit The Reader may judge how easily these windy Boasts of his are blown away How the Spirit Ruleth us and yet is not confounded with the Rule I have above shewn so that what he saith to that in the rest of this Page where he Vapours and Rails is but superfluous Next after he has a little plaid the Pedant upon the Words magis Originaliter he concludes his 22. Paragraph with asking me Why the Revelations I pretend to should be accounted more One with the Spirit himself than these Revelations by which the Scriptures were dictated But this is his Allegiance none of my Affirmation Next I never said that the Revelations by which the Scriptures were dictated were less Primary than any other whatsoever albeit no Revelation which is written and transmitted to a Man only by the Report of another can be so Primary and Immediate to him as that which he Receives in himself He Confesseth here with me p. 67. That the Spirit is the Prime and Principal Leader whether that makes for my Cause as also what follows will after in its Place be Examined ¶ 6. But because he foundeth his Assertion of my detracting from the Perfection of the Scriptures J. B's Proofs for the Scriptures to be the Primary Rule because I deny them to be the primary and original Rule for he acknowledgeth that I Confess them to be a secondary one I will Examin the Ground by which he goes about to prove it as also his Answers to my Arguments proving the Contrary I. Moses and the Prophets to be heard
things nor having any Rule for them which he seems to acknowledge is no Argument against their being the Primary and Adequate or Only Rule for that he apprehends no rational Man will think needful to a Compleat Rule Why because General Rules are enough And thence he thinks it would follow That the Quakers must have a new particular Revelation for every Act and Word such as Eating Drinking Walking c. But I deny this Consequence These Acts as simply Considered are Natural and it will not follow because to Spiritual Acts Spiritual Acts and Motions distinguisht from Natural relating to Faith and my Immediate Service towards God I need a Spiritual Motion and Influence of the Spirit that therefore I need such a thing to Natural Acts. If he say These Natural Acts under some Circumstances may be Sin or Duty I Confess then the Revelation of the Spirit is needful For if I be sitting sleeping or eating in one Place when it is the Mind of God I should be Preaching and Praying in another I do sin But how can the Scripture give me a Rule here All that he answers to this p. 76 and 77. resolves into this That all such Doubts may be solved applying the General Rules of Scripture by Christian Wisdom Prudence and Discretion c. But how shall I know that I truly make this Application And to give him his own often-repeated Argument in the Case of Revelation have not some Thought they have made this Application by Christian Prudence when they did not J. B's Christian Prudence so called doubtful and uncertain And not to go further than J. B's own Brethren the Presbyterians yea the Chief and most-Eminent Teachers among them did not some of them judge it Christian Prudence according to the Scripture-Rule to draw near and Adhere to the Remonstrants which others called publick Resolution-men denied Do not some of them think it Christian Prudence to go hear the Bishops Curates which others deny Did not those Chief Men among them as George Hutcheson and others think it Christian Prudence to accept of the Indulgence Anno 1668. in Entring according to the Limitations proposed by the Council to their Places which others especially of the banished Brethren and perhaps himself was highly Offended at whence these Men were termed Council-Curates Other Instances among them I could give But how shall all this be Decided What Scripture-Rules can he Assign that clearly do it Let him answer this distinctly and not pass it over lest he be suspected to Leap where he cannot Step. He confesseth to my Alledging 1 Cor. 12. and Rom. 12. and after a little Railing he tells p. 78. That he that is to Rule is to do it with Diligence c. but that the Scripture saith not that James or Peter should take-on this or that Office By which Confession he destroys all since the Question is How James and Peter knew they should take upon them to Rule This he saith he has shew'n above but how Insufficiently my Reply will Evidence He thinks no less Impertinent p. 78. for me to Argue against their being a Rule as to all things because they do not tell a Man that he has the marks of true Faith upon which knowledge the assurance of Salvation is founded As if I must think the Laws of the Land must prove that R. B. is a Quaker or that if R. B. had murther'd a Man it is a sufficient defence to say The Law doth not name R. B. But such Examples are poor Arguments and do miserably Halt J. B.'s Halting Examples to prove true Faith R. B. Confessing himself to be a Quaker acknowledging every One of their Doctrines is enough to prove him one in the sense of the Law of the Land and the Judge to Condemn him a Murtherer if Convict by Witnesses that he really did the Deed. And both these relate to outward things which can be proved by outward Testimonies for without the Certainty of the Evidence the Judge cannot pronounce his Sentence But is a Man 's own Confessing or Affirming he hath the true marks of Faith enough to prove he has them And what are the Witnesses to Apply the Example of committing the Murther by which a Man shall know he has these Marks And who must Examin the Witnesses and judge of the Certainty or Clearness of their Evidences Must it be the Man that is Accused Who useth that Method Doth not the Man see how miserably his pitiful Example Claudicates ¶ 10. To my Objection against the Scriptures being the Only and Adequat Rule the Example of Deaf Persons Idiots Infants such as cannot Read and are ignorant of the Original Tongues so called all which in some measure less or more are deprived of the Benefit of the Scriptures Deaf Persons c. the Light may Influence which Writings c. cannot so as to Apply them to themselves immediately and effectually for a Rule he asketh Whether if any such Person in a Land should kill a Man or do any thing contrary to the Law would it not punish them and this he Repeats n. 35. in other words Which urgeth nothing but upon Supposition that the Will of God cannot be known otherwise than by the Scripture which Supposition is false and therefore his Argument Concludes nothing Yea himself Confesseth that some things and in particular Murder may be known by the Light of Nature and so overturns his own Argument But he asketh What use can Children or Idiots or Mad men make of the Light within Answ. The Light within being affirmed by us to be a Living Principle that quickens the Soul may Influence such Persons but so cannot any Writings As for his learned Dr. Owen's Book which he Recommends he may find it Answered long ago by Samuel Fisher a Quaker which because the Doctor found too hot to Reply to J. B. that is so busie a Body may supply that Want J. B. Confesses to a Rule obvious to many Doubts But most Rare of all is his Answer p. 80. to my Conclusion That Christ would not leave his own to be led by a Rule obvious to so many Doubts which is And yet we see he hath done it If this be not to beg the Question in the highest Degree the Reader may judge He Confesseth The Spirit is the chief Leader but to seem to come off with some Credit he falleth a Railing upon me for not Distinguishing but Confounding the Spirit 's work and the Scriptures and then bestows many words to prove they are Distinct with a heap of Citations in the next p. 81. All which he might have spared until he had proved first that I denied they were Distinct or shew'n where or when I Confound them What he writes n. 38. and 39. p. 82. is meer Railing as the Reader by looking unto them may observe He flouts there at my Affirming I knew one that could not Read discover an Error in the Version saying But the good
be saved without the outward Preaching must be true with this Quaker though the Apostle saith the Contrary For this citing Rom. 10.14 Eph. 2.12 1 Cor. 1.20 21 22. All which say nothing Contrary to my Assertion J. B.'s Proofs against the Heathens Salvation disproved unless by the Hearing there he prove is meant only Outward Hearing And what though the Apostle say to the Gentiles That they are Aliens to the Common-wealth of Israel and That by Wisdom they knew not God and That the Preaching of the Gospel was foolishness to them All this may be said of some living in and esteemed Members of the Visible Church who have the Advantage of the outward Preaching and therefore it cannot prove that the Want of this takes away the Possibility of Salvation To that of Peter I agree Act. 4.12 That there is not Salvation in any other c. but it follows not therefore that none can partake of his Salvation without the outward Knowledge himself overturns this Conclusion by granting Infants and Deaf Persons may Pag. 287. To my Argument That since the Gospel is preached to Every Creature they may be saved by it he saith A May be will not evince a Shall be but I said only may be saved not shall be saved and if it evince that it doth my Business That some have been saved without it himself acknowledges in the Example of Job Pag. 288. To overturn my using of the Gospel's being preached to every Creature he refers to his former Answer to this Place and so do I to my Reply Beza's Sense to whom he refers me moves no more than his doth but when it is Agreeable to Truth J. B. restricts the Word All only to the Elect. Next he comes to answer my Argument drawn from Tit. 2.11 For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men And for Answer he will have all here not to be understood Vniversally but with a Restriction alledging It is my part to prove it But that needs no more Proof than to prove That John Brown signifies John Brown and for all his pretended Skill in the Rule of Dispute he is under a Mistake To take it Vniversally is to take it as the common and proper Signification of it so by the Rule of all Commentators we are to hold the Words of Scripture so until by solid Reasons we be moved to the Contrary and therefore it is his part that denies it to give the Reason That all sometimes is taken with a Restriction I deny not that therefore it 's so taken here doth not follow That the Gospel is said to be preached by Men outwardly I deny not but that therefore it is only so and never preached but when outwardly by the Ministry of Men is no Conclusion Himself acknowledges in the Example of Job who he saith was Taught by God without Scripture His other Explications upon this place are his meer Assertions not to the Business He calleth it upon the Credit of his own Affirmation false and childish pedantry to say They take all for the lesser part because they take it indefinitely while yet they understand that Indefinite Number to be the lesser part But do they not take the Whole World 1 Joh. 2.2 for the far lesser part of the World Which is yet more Absurd To my Argument taken from Rom. 5.18 where it is said As something came upon all to Condemnation so something is come upon all to Justification Which shews the last All to be of as large Extent as the first which they confess is Vniversally taken He saith This will prove more viz That all Men are and shall be saved because Judgment came actually upon All to Condemnation by Adam 's Fall But this is only his own Assertion The Word Judgment is not in the Text The Apostle's Words Rom. 5.18 Adulterated by the Translators and Beza's putting in Reatus or Guilt proveth not It ought to be so Whatever he do we account not Beza Infallible and therefore reject his Sense until he prove it Agreeable to Scripture nor yet his Enlargments afterwards upon the Place because alledged without Probation Pag. 285. N. 5. He accounteth my citing Esai 49.6 where Christ is said to be given for a Light to the Gentiles Impertinent because albeit the Gentiles are not excluded from the Dispensation of the Gospel it will not follow that such as hear not of Christ can be saved as well as such as are brought within the Church But this Answer is founded upon the Supposition that I affirm That any are saved which are not within the Church Catholick or Vniversal which is false And how Men may be of the Church who want outward Preaching will after appear I think no sober Man will say supposing Salvation possible to the Gentiles without outward Preaching that it is blind Charity to judge some of them have been saved for upon that Supposition it were against all Charity to say None of them were ever saved His Example of the Captives to whom one that Redeemed them did not communicate the Conditions remaining real Captives to answer my Argument from the Rule of Contraries That as Men are hurt by Adam 's Fall who know not of it so they may be benefitted by Christ's Death who know not of it hiteth not the Matter It is as strange for Men to be Captives and not to know How nor by Whom as to be Redeemed and not know How nor by Whom If he suppose the first he may do the last And this Example himself Overturns in what he grants of Deaf Persons and Children as will after appear To my asking Why Men cannot be saved who never heard of the Death and Resurrection of Christ as well as Men are damned who never heard of Adam 's Sin he tells me very fairly Because God hath appointed this way of Salvation by Faith in Christ which cannot be without the Knowledge of Christ By which he meaning the Outward as he needs must his Answer is none at all but a ridiculous begging of the Question As he doth also when he mentions that of Esai 53.11 By his Knowledge shall my righteous Servant Justify many For though that should be understood of outward Knowledge which yet remains for him to prove it will not follow because Christ shall Justify many by that Knowledge that therefore he shall Justify none without it ¶ 10. When he comes pag. 186. N. 7. to answer what I urge from the Example of Deaf Persons and Infants the Reader may observe how much he is pained so that he is forced after so long Contending and wearisom Wrestling at last to give-away his Cause by confessing J. B. excepts Deaf Persons and Infants from having the Gospel and why They except both these from the necessity of outwardly Hearing the Gospel If so then Salvation is not Impossible without the Hearing of the Gospel and the outward preaching of the Gospel is not of absolute
them hungry and hardly bestead for many years feeling after Life and Immortality but could not find that somewhat was raised in me that Words and Reports could not feed Names and Notions I minded little but Christ to dwell in me was that and is that more and more I press after And now I must for the Truth 's sake say somewhat which I humbly mention with a fresh Remembrance of the Love L. S. his first Convincement Power and tender Mercy of God who enabled me I know the Lord will not impute it to be boasting in that season wherein the Lord Revealed the true way to Life and Immortality to me by his Inward Appearance in my Soul it was a time wherein he had mercifully turned me from all that ever his Light inwardly and Law outwardly had Condemned me for my heart also did bear witness for me that whatsoever I had known would please him I was chusing to do that not that thereby I was seeking Justification in my own Righteousness but a sure Evidence of my Interest in him who was made unto us Righteousness Justification c This blessed Glimps of my begun Freedom was given me in a seasonable time that I might thereby be enabled to speak with mine Enemy in the Gate and be encouraged to believe in the Light and wait upon the Lord to feel his vertue perfectly to Cleanse me from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit Neither was I an Vnder-valuer of the Scriptures they were my Rule then and I hope for ever my Life shall answer them I think To whom and how the Scriptures are a Rule they honour the Scriptures most who live most according to them and not they who call them the Only Rule yet do not make them their Pattern The Scriptures of Truth were precious to me and by them was I taught not to walk nor worship in the Way of the People the Spirit shewing me his mind in them and then I saw in his Light that it is not the Scriptures many Adore so much as their own Corrupt Glosses upon them Neither can my Experience go along with what thou affirmest of the hazzard of Converse with that People It is very well known to all that lived in the place where I sojourned I was none who Conversed with them I was never at one of their Meetings I never read one of their Books unless accidentally I had found them where I came and lookt to them and laid them by again So now it remains with me to tell thee what was the Occasion I joined with them The occasion of L. S. 〈◊〉 joining with the Quakers since it was none of those thou mention'st which I will very singly and can very comfortably do It was that thing ye School-men call Immediate Objective Revelation which my desire is ye were more particularly and feelingly acquainted with whereby the Lord raising in my Soul his feeling Life I could not sit down satisfied with hearing of what the Son of God had done outwardly though I believe thereby he purchased all that Grace and Mercy which is inwardly wrought in the hearts of his Children until I should be a partaker of the Vertue and Efficacy thereof whereby I might possess the Substance of things hoped for I saw an Historical Faith would neither Cleanse me nor Save me if that could save any the Devils were not without a Door of Hope I felt I needed the Revelation of the Son of God in me all that ever I read or heard without this could not give me the Saving Knowledge of God None knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son Revealeth him through the Vertue whereof mine Eyes were more and more by degrees opened For the tender-hearted Samaritan had pity upon my wounded Soul when both Priest and Levite passed by and the Watch-men rent my Vail and when there was no Eye to pity nor Hand to help me he drew near and poured in Wine and Oil as he saw needful and fulfilled the Promise in measure wherein he had long caused me to hope He that follows me The Scriptures made Comfortable by the Spirit of Truth shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life and that sweet saying whereby I am confirmed and comforted If evil Parents know how to give their Children good things how much more will the Lord give his holy Spirit to those who ask him When your Children ask bread will ye give them a stone or when they ask a fish will ye give them a serpent These precious Scriptures and many such like being opened up and applied by the Spirit of Truth powerfully and seasonably in saying Be not faithless but believing times above number before and since hath made me set to my seal to these words of Christ The words that I speak are Spirit and Life and as I walk with him and abide in him watching at the posts of Wisdom's gates travelling in Spirit more and more to bring forth Fruit unto him and walk worthy of him unto all well-pleasing daily to die unto self that Christ may live in me I becoming a passive Creature and he an active Christ in the Increase of his Government I feel the Increase of my Peace And so My Friend thou hast here by some Touches at things occasion to see how far thou art mistaken concerning us and how far contrary to the Truth as it is in Jesus thou represent'st many things to the world speaking evil of things which thou knowest not and if thou dost the greater is thy sin Two Particulars indeed I cannot strain Charity so far as to believe Christ owned and the Scriptures thou thinkest Do we deny Jesus Christ and Justification through his Righteousness because we make the Sufficiency thereof of a more universal Extent than ye or because we love whole Christ so much and his seamless Coat that we will not have it divided Nay we dare not divide Justification and Sanctification neither confound them we have felt the Blood and the Spirit distinct things yet inseparable Neither canst thou think We make void the Scriptures because we honour the Spirit that was before the Scriptures were written and bear Testimony against all who deny the Spirit 's Immediate Teachings to be the Vniversal Priviledge of his People whereby ye take away the key of Knowledge and neither enter the Kingdom nor suffer others who would but monopolize Knowledge to your selves Monopolized Knowledge by Professors and intrude your Meanings upon the Consciences of men as the Rule which Meanings indeed I do not own either as the only or any Rule but as the Spirit of Christ in my Conscience answers it The Testimony of the Spirit of Truth in Thousands with me will stand and rise up against thee in the presence of the Lord when all thy Vnjust Reproaches and Malitious Accusations shall melt away before the presence of the Glory of the heart-searching God before whose
the Church of Christ is not to usurp Authority over their Fellow-Members 229. decisive Judgment explained 243. true and false Decision 244. unsettled Men Judging 683 684. Charitable and uncharitable Judgment 686. God the Judge of conscience 516 517. he that is Spiritual Judgeth all things 795 see Church Justification the Doctrine thereof is and hath been greatly vitiated among the Papists and wherein they place it 364 365 380 382 Luther and the Protestants with good Reason opposed this Doctrine though many of them ran soon into another Extream and wherein they place it and that they agree in one 366 387 370. it comes from the Love of God 367 379 380. to Justify signifies to to make really Just not to repute Just which many Protestants are also forced to acknowledge 370 371 374 377. The Revelation of Christ formed in the Heart is the formal Cause of Justification not Works to speak properly which are only an Effect and so also many Protestants have said 364 380. we are Justified in Works and how 364 370 371 380 387. this is so far from being Popish Doctrine that Bellarmine and others opposed it 365 369 385 386. We are Justified by Christ Jesus both as he appeared at Jerusalem and also as he was made manifest and revealed in us 19 20. Justification by the indwelling of Christ is denied by the Papists 78. Primitive Protestants Belief concerning Justification 79. concerning Faith and Justification 129 166. a twofold Justification 25. it is the making a Man just by an Inward Righteousness 77. 811. the Doers of the Law Justified 806. Antinomians Imputative Justification refuted 812. J. B's gross Opinion of it 814. no Man is Justified before he be sanctified 816 The real Justification falleth under the inward sensation of the Soul 817. K. Keith G. K. vindicated from our Adversaries malitious Insinuations against him 621. Kingdom of God 459 511 517. Christ's Kingdom needs no outward protection 846. the Kingdom of God is within you 803. the Kingdom of God is in the Seed in the Hearts of all Men 354. Kirk the Greedy Kirk become a Proverb 437. Knowledge the Heighth of Man's Happiness is placed in the true Knowledge of God 467. Error in the Entrance of this Knowledge is dangerous 267 268. Superstition Idolatry and thence Atheism hath proceeded from the False and Feigned Opinions concerning God and the Knowledge of him 269. the uncertain Knowledge of God is divers ways attained but the True and Certain only by the inward and immediate Revelation of the Holy Spirit 269 271. it hath been brought out of use and by what Devices 272 273. there is no Knowledge of the Father but by the Son nor of the Son but by the Spirit 268 274 275. the Knowledge of Christ which is not by the Revelation of his Spirit in the Heart is no more the Knowledge of Christ than the pratling of a Parret which hath been taught a few Words may be said to be the Voice of a Man 276 277. The Objection that the Apostle prefers the Knowledge of Christ as outwardly Crucified to all other Knowledge answered 9. his Inward Knowledge preferred 67. the true and saving Knowledge of God 115 161. the Knowledge of the History saves none 355. many by the Light may be saved that have not the outward Knowledge of christ 356 of the true Ground of Knowledge 728 733. the Difference between Head-Knowledge and the partaking of the Divine Nature 763 764. Monopolizers of Knowledge 889. 428 see Clergy The Christian Religion consists not in the Historical Knowledge of Christ 895. see Indians c L. Labour they wanted nothing whom God sent they labour'd with their Hands 435. Laces and Ribbonds 873. Laicks 429 432 433. Laity 433 507. Lake of Bethesda 338 339. Lamb see Paschal Lamb. Language the plain Language used in the Scriptures 58. concerning our using Thee and Thou which is the Singular Number to one person 61. to use the Plural instead of the Singular Number to one Person is no Indifferent thing 3 4. see Number the Singular Number to one person used in the Latine 539. how the Word You came to be used to a single person ibid. the Word Thou a greater Honour to one than You 540. Scripture-Dialect the plain Language 541. Law the Law is distinguished from the Gospel 287 384. the Difference thereof 287 493. see Gospel under the Law the People were not in any Doubt who should be Priests and Ministers 408. see Minister of the Law Worship The Testimony Law and Word is inward in the Heart 15 71. the ending of the Law and beginning of the Gospel 187. wherein the Law and Gospel differ 298 393 484. the outward and inward Law 286. the Law of Christ more perfect than of Moses 558. the Divine Law was implanted in Man's Nature before all Laws made by Man 701. J. B's Proof for what is meant by Law and Testimony 756. his Asserting the Law of Nature against his former Reason 793. Law of Moses see Legal Rites Lawyers by Tricks and Intricacies foment Controversies 209 Laying on of Hands 511. see Hands Learned the Lord is angering the Wise and Learned 885 Learning what true Learning is 421 422. Humane Learning is not the Qualification of a Minister 140 305 703 730. see Literature Schools of Learning Leaven J. B's Objection against the Word Fermentum Leaven or Fermentation a Leavening answered 855. Legal Rites had a Command as well as John's Baptism 857. Leonisis a Sect they have a great Shew of Truth 532. in the Margent Letter The Letter killeth quickneth not 393. like Pharisees the outward Law so now Professors plead the Letter 15. How the Letter killeth 18 76. Levi a Figure of Christ 655 Leyden John of Leyden and Ignatius Loyola their Practices resembled by W. M. and his Brethren 58 Liars their Punishment 557 Libertines see Ranters Liberty the true Liberty in the Church 222. breach of Liberty begets Jars ibid. a false Liberty 224. a wrong Spirit of Liberty 246. what Liberty we claim in things Religious 516 520 524 Lies 276. lying Titles 535. Christians not to speak a Lie 875. J. B s refuge of Lies 877. Light The innate Light is explained by Cicero 361 362. Light of Nature the Errors of the Socinians and Pelagians who exalt this Light are rejected 310 311. Saving Light see Redemption is universal it is in all 330 331. It is a Spiritual and Heavenly Principle 333 334. it is a Substance not an Accident 334 335. it is Supernatural and sufficient 346 348. It is the Gospel preached in every Creature 349 350. It is the Word nigh in the Mouth and in the Heart 350 351. it is the Ingrafted Word able to save the Soul 353. Testimonies of Augustin and Buchanan concerning this Light 363. it is not any part of Nature or Reliques of the Light remaing in Adam after the fall 337. it is distinguished from the Conscience 337 338. It is not a common Gift as the Heat of the
all unto Salvation and able to save Clemens Alexandrinus saith lib. 2. Stromat Clem. Alex. The Divine Word hath cried calling all knowing well those that will not obey And yet because it is in our power either to obey or not to obey that none may have a pretext of Ignorance it hath made a righteous Call and requireth but that which is according to the ability and strength of every one The self-same in his Warning to the Gentiles For as saith he that Heavenly Ambassadour of the Lord the Grace of God that brings Salvation hath Appeared unto all c. This is the New Song Coming and Manifestation of the Word which now shews it self in us which was in the beginning and was first of all And again Hear therefore ye who are afar off hear ye who are near the Word is hid from none the Light is common to all and shineth to all There is no darkness in the Word The Gathering unto the One and alone Love let us hasten to Salvation to the New birth that we being many may be gathered unto the One alone Love Ibid. he saith That there is Infused into all but principally into those that are trained up in Doctrine a certain Divine Influence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And again he speaketh concerning the Innate Witness worthy of belief which of it self doth plainly chuse that which is most honest And again he saith That It is not Impossible to come unto the Truth and lay hold of it seeing it is most near to us in our own Houses as the most wise Moses declareth living in three parts of us viz. in our Hands in our Mouth and in our Heart this saith he is a most true badge of the Truth which is also fulfilled in three things namely in Counsel in Action in Speaking And again he saith also unto the Unbelieving Nations Receive Christ receive Light receive Sight to the end thou may'st rightly know both God and Man The Inlightning Word The Word that hath inlightned us is more pleasant than Gold and the Stone of great value And again he saith Let us receive the Light that we may receive God let us receive the Light that we may be the Scholars of the Lord. And again he saith to those Infidel Nations The Heavenly Spirit helpeth thee Resist and Flee Pleasure Again Lib. Strom. 5. he saith God forbid that man be not a partaker of Divine Acquaintance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who in Genesis is said to be a partaker of Inspiration And Paed. lib. 1 cap 3. There is saith he some lovely and some desirable thing in man which is called the In-breathing of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same man lib. 10. Strom. directeth men unto the Light and Water in themselves who have the Eye of the Soul darkned or dimmed through Evil up-bringing and Learning let them Enter-in unto their own domestick Light or unto the Light which is in their own house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the Truth which manifests accurately and clearly these things that have been written Just. Martyr Justin Martyr in his First Apology saith That the Word which was and is is in all even that very same Word which through the Prophets foretold things to come The Writer of the Calling of the Gentiles saith lib. 1. cap. 2. We Believe according to the same viz. Scripture and most religiously Confess Auth. de Voc. Gent. that God was never wanting in care to the generality of men who although he did lead by particular Lessons a people gathered to himself unto Godliness yet he withdrew from no Nation of men the Gifts of his own Goodness that they might be Convinced that they had received the Words of the Prophets and Legal Commands in services and testimonies of the First Principles Cap. 7. he saith That he believes that the help of Grace hath been wholly withdrawn from no man Lib. 2. cap. 1. Because albeit Salvation is far from sinners yet there is nothing void of the presence and virtue of his Salvation Cap. 2. But seeing none of that people over whom was set both the Doctrines were justified but through Grace by the Spirit of Faith who can question but that they who of whatsoever Nation in whatsoever Times could please God were ordered by the Spirit of the Grace of God which albeit in fore-time it was more sparing and hid yet denied it self to no Ages being in Virtue one in Quantity different in Counsel unchangeable in Operation multifarious Prop. III § XXIV The Third Proposition which ought to be proved is That it is by this Light Proved Seed or Grace that God works the Salvation of all men and many come to partake of the benefit of Christ's Death and Salvation purchased by him God's Salvation wrought by the Light in all By the Inward and Effectual Operations of which as many Heathens have come to be partakers of the Promises who were not of the Seed of Abraham after the flesh so may some now to whom God hath rendred the Knowledge of the History Impossible come to be saved by Christ. Having already proved that Christ hath died for all that there is a Day of Visitation given to all during which Salvation is possible unto them and that God hath actually given a measure of Saving Grace and Light unto all preached the Gospel to and in them and placed the Word of Faith in their hearts the matter of this Proposition may seem to be proved Yet shall I a little for the further satisfaction of all who desire to know the Truth and hold it as it is Jesus prove this from two or three clear Scripture-Testimonies and Remove the most-Common as well as the more-strong Objections usually brought against it Our Theam then hath two parts First That those that have the Part 1 Gospel and Christ outwardly preached unto them are not saved but by the working of the Grace and Light in their hearts Secondly That by the working and operations of this many have been Part 2 and some may be saved to whom the Gospel hath never been outwardly preached and who are utterly ignorant of the outward History of Christ. As to the First though it be granted by most yet because it 's more Part 1 in words Proved than deeds the more full discussing of which will fall-in in the next Proposition concerning Justification I shall prove it in few words And first from the words of Christ to Nicodemus Joh. 3.3 Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Now this Birth cometh not by the outward preaching of the Gospel The New Birth or Regeneration cometh not by the Outward Knowledge of Christ or knowledge of Christ or historical Faith in him seeing many have that and firmly believe it who are never thus Renewed The Apostle Paul also goes so far while he Commends the Necessity and Excellency of this New Creation as
in a certain respect to lay aside the outward Knowledge of Christ or the Knowledge of him after the flesh in these words 2 Cor. 5.16 17. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a New Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new Whence it manifestly appears that he makes the Knowledge of Christ after the flesh but as it were the Rudiments which young Children learn which after they are become better Scholars are of less use to them because they have and possess the very Substance of those first Precepts in their minds As all Comparisons halt in some part so shall I not affirm this to hold in every respect yet so far will this hold that as those that go no further than the Rudiments are never to be accounted Learned and as they grow beyond these things so they have less use of them even so such as go no further than the outward Knowledge of Christ shall never Inherit the Kingdom of Heaven But such as come to know this New Birth to be in Christ indeed to be a New Creature to have Old things past away and all things become New may safely say with the Apostle Though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more Now But by the Work of Light and Grace in the heart this New Creature proceeds from the Work of this Light and Grace in the heart It is that Word which we speak of that is sharp and piercing that Implanted Word able to save the Soul by which this Birth is begotten and therefore Christ hath purchased unto us this Holy Seed that thereby this Birth might be brought forth in us which is therefore also called The Manifestation of the Spirit given to every one to profit withal for it is written that by One Spirit we are all baptized into One Body And the Apostle Peter also ascribeth this Birth to this Seed and Word of God which we have so much declared of saying 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of Corruptible Seed but of Incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever Though then this Seed be small in its Appearance so that Christ Compares it to a grain of Mustard-seed which is the least of all seeds Matth. 13.31 32. and that it be hid in the earthy part of man's heart yet therein is Life and Salvation towards the sons of men wrapt up which comes to be Revealed as they give way to it The Kingdom of God is in the Seed in the hearts of all men And in this Seed in the hearts of all men is the Kingdom of God as in Capacity to be produced or rather Exhibited according as it receives depth is nourished and not choked Hence Christ saith that the Kingdom of God was in the very Pharisees Luke 17.20 21. who did Oppose and Resist him and were justly accounted as Serpents and a generation of Vipers Now the Kingdom of God could be no other ways in them than in a Seed even as the Thirty-fold and the Hundred-fold is wrapt up in a small Seed lying in a barren ground which springs not forth because it wants Nourishment and as the whole body of a great Tree is wrapt up potentially in the Seed of the Tree and so is brought forth in due season and as the Capacity of a Man or a Woman is not only in a Child but even in the very Embryo even so the Kingdom of Jesus Christ yea Jesus Christ himself Christ within who is the hope of glory and becometh Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption is in Every man and woman's heart in that little Incorruptible Seed ready to be brought forth as it is Cherished and Received in the love of it For there can be no men worse than those rebellious and unbelieving Pharisees were and yet this Kingdom was thus within them and they were directed to look for it there so it is neither lo here nor lo there in this or the other Observation that this is known but as this Seed of God in the heart is minded and entertained And certainly hence it is even because this Light Seed and Grace that appears in the heart of man is so little regarded and so much overlooked that so few know Christ brought forth in them Calvinists Papists Arminians and Socinians Errors denying the Light to be Saving The one sort to wit the Calvinists they look upon Grace as an Irresistible Power and therefore neglect and despise this Eternal Seed of the Kingdom in their hearts as a low insufficient useless thing as to their Salvation On the other hand the Papists Arminians and Socinians they go about to set up their natural Power and Will with one Consent denying that this little Seed this small Appearance of the Light is that Supernatural Saving Grace of God given to Every man to save him And so upon them is verified that saying of the Lord Jesus Christ This is the Condemnation of the World that Light is come into the World but men love Darkness rather than Light the reason is added because their Deeds are Evil. All Confess they feel this but they will not have it to be of that virtue Some will have it to be Reason some a Natural Conscience some Certain Relicks of God's Image that remained in Adam So Christ as he met with Opposition from all kinds of Professors in his Outward Appearance so doth he now in his Inward It was the Meanness of his outward Man The Meanness of Christ's Appearance in the flesh that made many despise him saying Is not this the Son of the Carpenter are not his Brethren and Sisters among us Is not this a Galilean and came there ever a Prophet out of Galilea and such like Reasonings For they expected an Outward Deliverer who as a Prince should deliver them with great Ease from their Outward Enemies and not such a MESSIAH as should be Crucified shamefully and as it were lead them into many Sorrows Troubles and Afflictions So the Meanness of this Appearance makes the Crafty Jesuites the pretended Rational Socinians and the Learned Arminians overlook it desiring rather something that they might exercise their Subtilty Reason and Learning about and use the Liberty of their own Wills And the Secure Calvinists they would have a Christ to Save them without any Trouble to destroy all their Enemies for them without them and nothing or little within while they mean while be at Ease to live in their Sins secure Whence when all is well Examined the Cause is plain it is because their deeds are evil that with one Consent they Reject this Light The Nature of the Light for it Checks the Wisest of them all and the Learnedest of them all in secret it Reproves them neither can all