THE REVILER REBUKED OR A RE-INFORCEMENT OF THE CHARGE AGAINST THE QUAKERS So Called For their Contradictions to the Scriptures of God and to their own Scriblings which Richard Farnworth attempted to answer in his pretended Vindication of the Scriptures but is farther discovered with his Fellow-Contradictors and Revilers and their Doctrine to be Anti-Scriptural Anti-Christian and Anti-Spiritual By JOHN STALHAM a Servant of the Great Bishop and Shepherd of Souls appointed to watch his little Flock at Terling in Essex Titus Cap. 1. ver 7 10 11 13. A Bishop must be blameless holding fast the faithful Word as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers whose mouthes must be stopped wherefore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the Faith Zach 3. 2. And the Lord said unto Satan The Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee London Printed by Henry Hills and John Field Printers to His Highness 1657. To His Highness OLIVER Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland AND To the Right Honorable The Council of State SIRS IF the Highest himself shall establish Psalm 87. 5. Zion there is encouragement sufficient and abundant for You his Servants rejoycingly to serve him in the countenancing of his Truth and contending with the men of this Generation for the Faith once given unto the Saints by the most proper means and methods which the Lord of lords in his wisdom hath directed and shall lead you unto The Liberty proclaimed to Godly-Gospel-Preachers and your fostering of Orthodox Pastors and Teachers will much conduce by the Spirit of Christs mouth to the consumption of the Man of Sin and what abuse soever is made of the Press for the spreading of Anti-Scriptural and Antichristian Errors yet it needeth not to be feared while Pulpits and Presses are open through Your Highness and Honors favors for a Testimony against them but that God will confound their Language who by false and perverse Interpretations of the Scriptures would seduce the mindes of the simple into an expectation of nothing but Immediate Raptures and Revelations Some indeed cry up nothing but Club-law against the men called Quakers and can give no other measure then their Prelatical Fathers to those that dissented from them But by Your Indulgence and Forbearance of Saints erring and otherwise minded many have conscientiously made enquiry after those Truths which lay hid or were defaced and have the more heartily embraced them and do hold them fast after Scripture-conviction And however the Men I deal with for the present do debate the Scriptures and decry the Ministery Churches all New Testament external Worship and whatsoever beareth the stamp of Divine Authority as not to be found among us yet by Your Lenity and Gentleness exercised towards them while You espouse or patronize none of their Errors it may be firmly expected that the Elect supposing such among them shall be reduced And as for others that are evil men and seducers from that perverse Principle of their Self-adoring Light they shall wax worse and worse and as the madness of some is evident so shall the folly of other be made manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3. 9. to all who are not bewitched with their Spiritual sorceries MY LORDS Let but the Saints and the Churches of Saints according to Scripture-evidence be protected and cherished as You have graciously begun and the Officeministery will soon be known setled and established Let every stumbling-block as speedily and safely as lyeth within Your Power be removed from the way of the blinde and occasion cut off from them that seek occasion and ere long the Lord himself will rebuke them to silence that they shall neither talk nor write so presumptuously nor shall arrogancy come out of their mouth The lip of truth shall be established for Prov. 12. 19. ever but a lying tongue is but for a moment Let Learning be advanced among pious men for God hath his Wits and his Learned ones and through the sanctified Improvement thereof Ignorance its froward enemy will creep into corners as darkness vanisheth before the light Some of these men * Lip of truth opened by Tho. Lawson page 13. Christs innocency pleaded by Tho. Speeds Epistle with his Guilty covered Clergy-man unvail'd page 69. begin to appeal unto the Consciences of the Learned for Idioms and propriety of speech in Hebrew and Greek with the Dorick dialect they will give us leave then to make use of our English dialect also and speak vulgarly while we think as the Philosopher Our contentions with them are not about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tu or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but pro aris focis for the lamp life of our Religion the Rule of the Holy Scriptures the Glory of the Blessed Trinity the peculiarness of the Covenant of Grace the sole matter of our Justification before God the continuance of our Christian warfare during this natural life the truth and efficacy of Christs own Institutions c. Amidst which digladiations our Lord Jesus is fighting against them with the Sword of his mouth and him wee 'l trust with the issue of the battel whereupon I humbly supplicate That every person whatsoever may not impunè strike them corporally in the Steeple-house streets or prison for they think it a great triumph to have this to object That any are tolerated with this mutinous word in their mouths * Answer to the Quakers Catech. p. 19. Fight Lads for the Gospel and they 'l still cry out Persecution as they have done if every Turn-key or Tapster in the prison may without check be permitted to wreak their teem and spite upon them with some base illegal and inhumane usage or other But while any of this Sect for their exorbitant courses meet with legal and due correction Be pleased to let them all know that we are guarded by a better Law then what they * Teachers of the world unvail'd p. 29 30 upbraid us with enacted in the Marian times And that while they carry Popish and Jesuitical Doctrine along with them they are to have no more liberty for divulging it in our Assemblies then the men of that profession Popish Doctrines and Idolatries are as abominable as ever were the Paganish And some of these mens Tenents are as reprobate stuff as the Jesuits Their blasphemies as horrid as the Popish Parasites What is Rome but Babylon the Mother of Abominations And what is this Sect but a daughter of that great whore who doubts but the Romish Emissaries are abroad to seduce Some quondam Professors of the Gospel have lost their Garments and men see their shame They bid farewel to Imputed Righteousness in the Scripture-sense and how they can be girt with
3. vindicated which labored with him in the Gospel for all these were employed not contrary to his order unto the Church at Corinth in publick preaching or so much as acting by their votes and suffrages in Church affairs but either in succoring Paul and others or in messages or in working out Pauls liberty mean while hazarding their own lives or in composing differences or in entertainment of strangers or in some other Christian-gospel-service sutable to their sex gifts and graces And as for that which R. F. collecteth from 1 Cor. 16. 19. that if Priscilla be not permitted to speak in the Church and the Church be in her house she must not speak but go out of her house Sure it is that as she 1 Cor. 16. 19. vindicated and her husband Aquila had taken up a house at Corinth Act. 18. 3. so they had a godly family like a little Church for knowledge piety and good order but the order of a godly family is after one way and the order of a ministerial Church is after another way Besides the Church at Corinth did ordinarily meet in Gaius's house therefore he is called Pauls Host and of the whole Church Rom. 16. 23. and Paul at other times wrought with his hands at Aquilas house Act. 18. 3. and in some one place compare 1 Cor. 14. 23. with chap. 11. 20. or other where that order was observed which was given to the Church ministerial and where Priscilla her self must not speak in the case in controversie with R. F. though haply she was more eminent in grace and gifts then her husband Aquila and upon that account her name may for once Rom. 16. 3. be set before his Lastly as for her own house it is not said the whole Church met there as at Gaius's house but it may well be collected those of her family were part of the whole and so the name Church is given to it and speak there she might to teach her family and with her husband to instruct an Apollos in the way of God more perfectly Act. 18. 26. without going out of her house or out of her place Will J. Nayler notwithstanding all this persist in his bold opinion that Pauls words of a womans keeping silence in the Church must not be taken in the Letter and will R. F. defend him with his own glosses I must leave them to the Lords rebuke for being wise in their own conceit and proceed to the close of this Paragraph in my book where I had given another instance of their new gloss upon 2 Pet. 1. 19. 2 Pet. 1. 19. vindicated affirming the sure word of prophecy there spoken of to be the Prophecy and Spirit of Prophecy within them and not the outward Prophecy or declaration of Gods minde in the Scriptures R. F. * page 7. hath nothing to say but this the sure word of prophecy we witness to and do not to it say No and then falls upon me with reproachful language as his maners serve him But how doth he witness it If by the word of Prophecy he means as Peter interprets it ver 20. the prophecy of the Scripture then he contradicts his fellow J. N. and doth not say no where his fellow saith no if he witnesseth onely the prophecy within or the light * Discovery of the man of sin by J. Naylar pag. 30. as J. N. glosseth till the day dawn c. which is not without nor in books then he with Nayler contradicts Peter and the holy Ghost moving him to write of a more sure word of prophecy of Scripture then the voice on the mount To clear this further As Peter v. 20. expounds v. 19. calling the more sure word of prophecy the prophecy of Scripture or Scripture-prophecy not heart-prophecy or breast-prophecy arising and residing onely in the minde but written down in books so this written-prophecy he sets in opposition to cunningly devised fables which ver 16. he professeth against in which fables there was no sureness or certainty at all and then he lays it in the ballance of comparison with his and others making known the Lords power and coming on the mount Peter James and John Mat 17 1 c. were ear-witnesses of a voice from heaven concerning Christ and eye-witnesses which is ten times more then onely to take a thing by the report of the ear of Christs majesty honor and glory this Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus they preached of to the scattered Jews as others yet notwithstanding their preaching of what they had heard and seen and the certainty of the voice they heard and the glory they saw We saith Peter including James and John with himself and the believing Jews whom he wrote unto who honored the writings of Moses and the Prophets as infallible have a more sure word of prophecy or of the Prophets writings whereunto ye do well that ye take heed hereby commending them for their respect to the Scriptures and encouraging them to be intent thereunto as unto a light shining in a dark place the Scripture-word being a lamp unto the feet and a light unto the path of Saints amidst Psal 119. 105. all the darkness of the heart of the world or of the Church until the day dawn and day-star arise in our hearts i. e. until by the study of the Scriptures more light be cleared up and Christ make himself more manifest to us and within us But lest any should stumble at the Apostles assertion which comparing ver 19 20. as before is to this effect that all or any part of the Scripture is a more sure word then what is spoken in the air and but to the ear the Apostle preventingly addeth ver 20. Knowing this first let this be laid as for a fundamental truth in your mindes that no prophecy of the Scripture whereof we speak 2 Pet. 1. 19. with v. 20 21. more cleared is of any private interpretation Were it so that every man might as his private minde leads him interpret Scripture the authority and certainty of it would vanish as the light Scripture to be interpreted by Scripture and truth of it would be eclipsed it would be far from being a more sure word men might that way turn the Gospel into a Fable and make the Scriptures as Antichristian Popelings do a nose of wax well how proves the Apostle that no Scripture is of any private interpretation why verse 21. For or because the Prophecy came not in old time or at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any time by the will of man but holy men of God spake it as they were moved by the holy Ghost As was the Genesis such is the Analysis as was the composition such is the resolution and meaning of it from the same Spirit the publique Spirit of the Saints and of the Scriptures the holy Spirit of God composed the word of Prophecy not mans will but Gods digested it his Spirit indited it and
natural and bodily food He was the weaker who confined himself to some particulars as onely lawful viz. Herbs c. This Scripture of the Apostles preferring righteousness c. before meats and drinks is impertinently and sinfully alledged to contradict the observation of the Lords Supper wherein he will be remembred by the use of natural bread and wine till his second coming 1 Cor. 11. 26. As oft as ye eat of this bread 1 Cor. 11. 26 cleared and drink of this cup for natural substance the same with other bread and wine but for signification and assurance different ye do shew by such a use and participation the Lords death till he come That clause till he come and others of his coming are usual in the New Testament to denote his second and glorious coming visibly in our nature If I will that he tarry till I come c. John 21. 22. So shall also the coming of the Son of man be Mat. 24. 37 39. Even so come Lord Jesus the voice of the Bride and of John echoing to Christs Surely I come quickly Rev. 22. 20. 2. Although wheat-bread and red wine be not souls food alone and by themselves yet stampt with the Lords Institution his word of promise This is my body This is my blood with his word of command Do this c. and this done in faith accordingly in and by them Christ doth feed our souls If the sacred signs of the Old Testament had this significancy and excellency that in respect of what was represented by them they are called spiritual meat and spiritual drink 1 Cor. 10. 3 4. Manna was appointed to feed the faith of the Fathers and Water out of the rock to refresh their soul-faith surely the blessed signs of the New Testament come not short of such spiritual significancy and excellency which they have not from themselves but from Christ the institutor and ordainer of them who will and doth make them souls food instrumentally because he thereby and therewith gives forth himself to be their assured food and nourishment But saith R. F. * Page 20. for a close He is my meat and drink and food for my soul to feed on and for such as are in him John 6. who is the bread of life Rep. But how he doth not tell us onely he saith it is so and I wish it be so and that he doth not feed upon ashes nor that a deceived heart doth lead him aside nor that a lye be found in his right hand I 'm sure it is in his tongue or pen who shall say or write Christ feeds not souls by wheat-bread and red wine 1. It is a true exposition of John 6. which we hold up against the Papists that all along that Chapter Christ speaks not of the Sacrament called the Lords Supper consisting of sign and thing signified outward and inward matter but onely of his natural flesh and blood given and shed for all that eat and drink him spiritually or by faith which daily they may and ought to do Believe and thou hast eaten as was Augustines counsel and encouragement of old to the Christians in his time 2. It is a proud and disdainful practice altogether to reject the use of wheat-bread and red wine or any fruit of the vine frequently as a help to memory faith love and all the graces of the inner man especially by fresh remembrance of Christs death in the application of the signs to be strengthned in believing our interest and propriety in him that we may feed the more strongly upon him and live chearfully by faith every day and hour By this time me thinks I hear James Nayler crying out of divisions about the form * Love to the lost pag. 43. of the Lords Supper which the worlds Teachers and Professors are all out of and have lost and the power also and then spreading his new cloth that I hinted at before as some wet napkin over a Corpse so he over his new Communion Table and then sets on his new-transformed Supper and what 's that Hear if you can and read without their trembling but in true fear take notice of his horrible delusion For the sake saith he * Pagâ— 45. of such who are lost in this thing and troubled in minde concerning it what I have James Naylers transmutation of the Lords Supper received of the Lord that I shall declare unto you which all shall witness to who come to partake thereof as the truth is in Jesus Christ If you intend to sup with the Lord or shew the Lords death till he come let your eating and drinking so oft as you do it be in remembrance of him and in his fear that at death you may witness to the lust and excess c. If this man were not lost himself could he write thus wildely falsly impudently or minister such a miserable comfort to a troubled minde Why where will the poor lost simple soul say is the fallacy wildeness impudence The fallacy in this that by eating and drinking as oft as you do it he meaneth your ordinary meals of Breakfast Dinner or Supper for so he expresseth it Page 43. This was to be done at all seasons when they eat and drank The wildeness in this For the sake of such as are lost and that at death you may witness to the lust and excess The impudence in this that he saith He received it of the Lord and to avoid excess and of becoming reprobates in the faith it was * Page 44. that the Lord Jesus commanded his Disciples in eating and drinking to shew forth his death till he came And this was that the Apostles received of the Lord and so practised till he was come to them and then * Page 46. they continued it for their sakes who were weak in the faith to whom he was not yet appeared What His colourable Reasons dis-colouâ—ed colour will the lost simple soul say hath he for all this He hath something surely to set forth his new dish First He thinketh * Page 43. this Lords Supper was done and instituted by Christ as they sate at meat and did eat Mat. 26. 26. Mark 14. 22. But must it therefore be confounded with every ones common ordinary meal That Supper which he instituted a new was if Luke 22. 20. be consulted after the Paschal Supper and Paul saith 1 Cor. 11. 25. after he the Lord had supped yea after he had risen at the end of the Paschal Supper John 13. 2. he took a towel washt his Disciples feet sate down again ver 12. and had given the dipped sop to the Traitor who upon the receiving of it went immediately out ver 30. and came in no more But now Christ and his chosen ones are alone they not having removed the Table the Lord enters his Sermon John 13. latter end with Chap. 14. 15 16. and having taken bread and then the cup he either prayed
that in Chap. 17. or after his distinct consecrating words of blessing and thanksgiving and his giving and their taking of the bread and wine at the end of the whole action for John 18. 1. compared with Mat. 26. 30. the prayer after the Sermon ended and the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hymn sung by them all they go forth over the Brook Kedron into a Garden in Gethsemane near to the Mount of Olives It appeareth by what is said it was a distinct Supper from the rest attended with solemn Speeches Prayers and Praises in prose and in a Song If all the Quakers drink in James Naylers Doctrine they will then take up Prayer and Thanks at meals which many have laid down they will be frequent in singing Hymns even as oft as they eat and drink it must be done if they will believe what he saith the lord hath revealed unto him But some will be wiser I hope then some other and hear reason as it divinely lyeth in the Scripture The Scripture calleth the instituted bread and wine this bread and this cup and this cup of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 26 27. And this bread it calls Christs body and this cup the cup of the new Testament and the wine Christs blood Will J. N. or any of his friends be so profane as to call every piece of bread he eateth and every draught of drink with such an Emphasis and such a title Will he make no meals of any thing but of bread and drink or will he have all his own and Believers drink to be of the fruit of the vine Thus the Scripture describeth the Lords Supper to consist for the outward matter of bread and wine as I have before proved for R. F. his conviction The Scripture neither from Christs mouth nor Pauls pen saith As oft as ye eat and drink it is the Lords Supper but as oft as ye do this eat of this bread drink of this cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come What boldness is it to make that temporary and of short continuance which the Apostle saith is to be held up till he cometh 1 Cor. 11. 26. And such a coming he speaks of there as in other of his Epistles but especially consult 1 Thess 5. 2. 2 Thess 2. 1 2. Secondly You will finde him suggesting to the lost bewildred soul * Love to the lost pag. 43. That the Church at Jerusalem did continue in the Apostles doctrine c. and breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness c. What then If their breaking bread and eating meat be confounded that in ver 42. with that in ver 46. here was confusion in the Churches greatest purity which J. N. denieth If bread and wine was distinctly used after the Lords institution and apart from their civil repasts and meals then he hath nothing makes for his transfigured Supper from this Scripture But ver 42. speaks of Church-ordinances by themselves Acts 2. 42. 46. cleared and ver 46. of Family-repast as distinct from the other and the latter words explain but the former their breaking bread domatim or at home is said to be eating meat which was not the Lords Supper J. Nayler reads it daily breaking bread from house to house but 't is not so read or to be read though 't is a truth to be supposed they did daily take their ordinary repasts more then once a day but they continuing daily with one accord in the Temple c. There is nothing of certain ground for daily use of the Lords Supper but Acts 20. 7. will shew us the primitive practise of assembling every first day of the week for that breaking of bread at the Lords Table and so Tremelius out of the Syriack hath it 1 Cor. 11. 20. When ye come together In die Domini nostri on our Lords day ye do not eat and drink as is meet And if it be read after the Greek as we read it When ye come together into one place c. it sheweth the eating and drinking of the Lords Supper was and should be by the Churches respectively as that at Corinth for one in some one place together and civil ordinary meals should be as they were at Jerusalem at first in their own houses 1 Cor. 11. 34. Thirdly saith J. N. * pag as above In their eating and drinking at all seasons they were to do it to the Lord and therein to have communion with his Body and his Blood and for that end were to keep themselves pure from all pollution It is a truth nor they nor we are to sin in any action but whether we eat or drink c. do all to the Lord and his glory we are not to feed without fear we are to keep from all excess do all in a mortified way think and speak of Christ at dinner and supper but this must not nullifie or make void the peculiar Ordinance of the Lords Supper but rather we must frequently observe it as a solemn help to purity and mortification influential into our whole conversation Communion with Christ and his Body and Blood is to be perpetually held up in all our actions natural civil and sacred by faith and the communion of his Spirit but the communion with him in the use of the memorative signs of his body and his blood viz. bread and wine solemnly set apart by his special appointment for that end is yet an advancing work distinct by it self from other actions of ordinary communion Fourthly J. Nayler in the place aforesaid presumeth when the Christians were to eat with Gentiles-unbelieving they were to partake of the Table of the Lord as is plain 1 Cor. 10. which is neither plain nor true understood of the same time place and company as this man holds it forth for their eating with the Infidels was at best when there was no meat offered to idols or no knowledge of it no scruple made about it but a civil correspondence and there was more then Bread and Wine the onely outward materials at the Lords Table even whatsoever was sold in the shambles ver 25. Besides the place and company where and with whom they did eat and drink at the Lords Table was in some one Meeting-house or other as the house of Gaius Rom. 16. 23. for one where the whole Church and onely the Church did participate It is to no purpose what he saith afterwards * Page 44. Whether they eat or drank they were to do it to the Lord as at his Table for every like is not the same and although different actions meet in the same general ultimate end yet there are special subordinate ends to each of them Fifthly he addes There is no other thing can keep from feeding in the lust and eating to the lust but to eat in remembrance of Christs death til he come c. And I subjoyn It is not our eating every day in fear
and moderation as it ought to be that will mortifie a lust but onely give a check of restraint Bodily exercise of fasting profiteth little that way Acting of faith upon Christs death every day will do much as well out of meals as at them yea he that doth not remember Christ at his plowing and sowing when he lieth down when he riseth up goeth out or cometh in or at other times as at break-fast dinner or supper will go near to forget him then But that we may never forget him and his death and his power and love to take away our sin he hath left us his solemn sacred Supper as an instituted means of a Remembrance of him to be used as oft as with conveniency we can meet at his Table Let not J. Nayler or any man upbraid us with eating and drinking in a Self-solemnity once a moneth or three times a year The superstitious observation of times by man set up is laid down I think by all the Godly in the three Nations as to that business None have impositions upon them for once a moneth Were hearts and purses large enough in all the Churches they might meet every first day of the week our Christian Sabbath-day a day that the Lord hath made for solemn conventions and exultations Psal 118. 24 at the Lords Table Let him look to the idols in his own heart and beware of imposing upon others his New-model or putting off his Gibeonitish old clouted shooes and mouldy bread I mean his pieces of old Familism For what shall we make of that passage * Love to the Lost pag 45. It must needs be so viz. to spend upon their lusts with such as do not discern his body in their eatings who is the Body of all creatures but a chip of the old block H. N. the old father of the pretended Family of Love his Doctrine to incorporate Gods Essence into the creatures and the creatures into his For said he In the beginning one God and one man had in all one order being and nature And God was all that the man was and the man was all that God was Accordingly saith J. N. He is the Body of all creatures and filleth all things in heaven and in earth but by them that are in the lust Christ is not discerned present who is the fulness and vertue of every creature Here is it may be an Ubiquitarian mystery Christs glorified Body deified and to be discerned every where in every creature But will the lost soul be carried away with this winde of doctrine so diverse and estranging from and contrary to the blessed Apostles intention 1 Cor. 11. 29. where by not 1 Cor. 11. 29. vindâ—cated cleared discerning the Lords Body he holdeth forth their sin who confound their own meals with the Lords Supper whereas 't is the duty of all the Churches and every Communicant to distinguish both notionally and practically between that Bread and Wine instituted and set apart for special sacred spiritual use and common ordinary food used for civil repast and corporal nourishment The Bread at the Lords Table is to be discerned as a pledge sign and memorial of the Lord Christ his natural body once broken and crucified The Wine is to be discerned as the sign pledge and memorial of his natural blood shed in the garden and upon the cross And the relation which Christ hath unto his appointed signs together with mystical union and special spiritual presence promised and given to the true partaker of the signs is to be discerned also all which James Nayler is ignorant of or wilfully shuts his eyes with his fellow-creature R. F. who threw off the ordinance because he wanted the assurance that he expected But how to reconcile these two mens writings about the Lords Supper I was at a loss while the one saith Wheat bread and red wine is not souls food as before and the other dictateth The Lords Supper was to be at all seasons when they eat and drank one would have the Supper to be altogether within the other would have it to be at all times when men eat with moderation and without excess it is well if they understand themselves until I compared their other words viz. of R. F. The Lord is come in to sup with me with James Naylers God's Son the fulness and virtue of every creature which all know who come to his Supper where the Father and the Son are come in and sup with the creature And hereby as by other of their expressions it appeareth they do both of them cast off the external visible ordinance of the use of particular bread and wine at some times for the ends appointed and resolve it into an imaginary transformed communion of God in and with every creature which so it speaks like H. N. the old branded Familist they care not how unlike the Holy Scripture they write as one said long since of his first followers Section 40. THat they may with the fairer shew make void the Lords institution at his Table they have devised false Interpretations of that place in 1 Cor. 11. 26. one of which 2 Cor. 11. 26. vandicated I discovered in this Section to which R. F. answereth nothing although I had it out of one of his Pamphlets viz. of shewing the Lords death till he came to his disciples after his resurrection which to mention onely carrieth confutation in the forehead J. Nayler notwithstanding its grosness favors this sense and addes another First he gratifies R. F. in his sense by reading or writing it in the Praeter tense * Love to the lost page 43. They were to do it in remembrance of him shewing his death till he came Now Pauls words are plainly respecting the time to come till he come i. e. till the very instant hour of his coming for the * Adverb of time notes duration having 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another Adverb and Particle added to it which imply a drawing out of the time that should the Lord stay never so long ere he comes the Supper is to be continued till that coming of his which I hinted in the former Section was his coming the second time as it is called Heb. 9. 18. in that humane nature which at his first coming he assumed into the unity of his person The word for he come used by Paul is the same and in the same subjunctive Mood as in Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 9. 26. when he shall come in his own glory and in his Fathers c. so it might be read in Paul as our Latine * Beza Translation hath it usquequo venerit and Tremelius out of the Syriack usque ad adventum ejus even till his very appearance in the clouds For that meaning must stand whatsoever J. Nayler * Love to the Lost pag. 46. secondly addes to the former Fiction viz. That Christ charging his disciples to wait for his coming at
Jerusalem the promise of the Father of which he had told them before his death which they were to shew so often as they broke bread till he came and after he was come to the Apostles they continued it for their sakes which were weak in the faith to whom he was not yet appeared Where by the coming of Christ he would have his lost Souls understand his coming in the Spirit onely and not minde what Paul saith of the after-continuance of the Lords Supper till his visible glorious appearance onely if he hath appeared in the Spirit it is enough the Lord is come they are now perfect and may cast off Gods instituted Forms of Worship in the former figure onely for others sake they may keep them up but then poor souls what will follow You that are not yet arrived at their perfection must hold fellowship with them that may forget Christs death for they eat and drink no longer in remembrance of him and put dooms-day out of their thoughts and then the sensuality charged by James Nayler upon others seizeth upon themselves But against this poyson let me give you a few Antidotes 1. No Believer is without the Spirit and the Lords coming Antidotes in Spirit as it came at first to the Apostles before Christs death and to the Corinthians by Pauls ministery at their first conversion 1 Cor. 2. 4. and to the Thessalonians 1 Thess 1. 5. 2. There are none that have the greatest measures of the Spirit in a sanctified way but have need of more Phil. 3. 12. 3. The Apostles continued the Lords Supper after the pourings out of the Spirit Acts 2. 1. for their own use and benefit for 't is said Acts 2. 42. The converts continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers not that the Apostles continued it for their sakes onely who were weak in the faith The strongest Believer walks but by faith here and not by sight 2 Cor. 5. 7. and will have need of such wheat-bread and red-wine as a bait in his walk and journey And although the Apostles had gifts extraordinary Acts 2. 1 c. conferred upon them their Sanctification was not then perfected Peter one most forward slipt and stumbled now and then Acts 10. 14 15. Gal. 2. 12 13 14. Barnabas a good man and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith Acts 11. 24. yet fell into sharp contention with Paul stumbled on the blinde side in siding with Mark his sisters son Col. 4. 10. Acts 15. 37 c. and halted with Peter Gal. 2. to instance in no more 3. The comings and manifestations of the Lord in his Spirit may be lost in a great degree by the Saints as the experiences of David Psal 51. 11 12. Heman Psal 88. 11. 15. and others are upon Record in Scripture Famous is that of Mr. Robert Glover Martyr who two or three days before his death was lumpish and desolate of all spiritual Consolation till going to the Stake the Lord restored his Joys and then he cryed out to his friend Mr. Bernher Austine he is come he is come Christ is free to come or go and withdraw as he pleaseth both as to the in-comes of joy and of power also and look to it O ye lost souls who trust to these deceivers that trust to their present manifestations were they never so true their hearts deceive them and their doctrines deceive you if onely you keep to ordinances and that of the Lords Supper till you have got a little comfort and then bid farewell to all Great is the pride and unthankfulness of such who after they have been enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and have tasted of the good word of God the sweetness of the promises and the powers of of the world to come do fall off from the means and ordinances a great forerunner it is to the unpardonable sin to wilful malitious Apostasie which if it be totall will be final and irrecoverable Heb. 6. 4 5 6. c. 14. Head of their Scripture-contradiction Concerning Prayer Section 41. I Had noted their express contradiction we are against publique Prayer to what we have 1 Cor. 14. 14. and 1 Tim. 2. 8. for prayer in the publique meetings of the Church and in every place R. F. * Page 21. Publique prayer not forbidden by Christ tells me I have wronged the words by turning them into a wrong sense Rep. What is their sense He saith they are against a publique prayer which is in the state of the Pharisee Rep. What is a prayer in the state of the Pharisee He tells us that which Christ forbids Matth 6. 5. Matth. 6 5. vindicated Rep. 1. What have we there let the words be read And when thou prayest thou shalt not be as the hypocrites for they love to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men Here is no prohibition of publique prayers in publique places but of affectation of private prayers in publique places to be seen and observed of men It is indeed Pharisaical to fall to private devotion when a publique work is in hand in the same place or when there is none yet there is company to observe it is without and against rule to pray by a mans self when the company cannot be edified by that which a man speaks unto God and not in the hearing of the persons present and to their understanding but R. F. hath not this sense but judgeth rather we are all in the state of the Pharisee who are the mouth to the rest in our publique meeting places 2. We have found their practical opposition and refusal of joyning with our publique prayer which is the best interpreter of their sense and speaks more what is in their hearts then R. F. his gloss upon it Once at Edinburgh one of theirs went out at the end of my Sermon after he had spoken what he had to say when I told him I would go to prayer for the discovery where the error laid on his part or ours Another time since at Cogges-hall in Essex on a day of prayer and fasting when I was about to pray before Sermon one J. Parnell first being called upon by the magistrate to put off his Hat ask't why he bade not him in the Pulpit put off his Cap and then turned his back upon the ordinance although he was offered liberty to speak further if he would stay quietly till our work was ended if this be their maner of owning publique prayer it is neither after the way of truth love or peace nor after the order of the Spirit of God who teacheth better maners and behaviour before God and men R. F. must not think to put us off with but the praying with the Spirit we own as if they that pray in publique did not pray with the Spirit or that it
given to the Prophets and Ministers of the Lord as that of the great woman or Lady of Shunem to the Prophet Elisha 2 Kings 4. 37. of bowing to the elder in years or hours scarce a quarter of an hour it may be was Esau born before Jacob yet he gives him the respect and honor of his Primogeniture Gen. 33. 3. of bowing to the rich as Ruth to Boaz Ruth 2. 10. of the wife to the husband as Bathsheba to David 1 Kings 1. 16. and 31. of the son to the mother as Solomon to Bathsheba 1 Kings 2. 19. These and many more if R. F. knowes and allowes not he disdaineth Scripture proof and testimony if he allowes why is the civil obeysance of the upper or lower part of the body head loins or knee denied to any such relations Blessed is he that condemns not in practise that which he alloweth in judgement or that disalloweth not in judgement that which the Scripture countenanceth and commandeth Yet we have not all that R. F. can say for himself and his companions 6. Where doth the Scripture say put off your Hats and flatter with your tongues Rep. Here again he would not seem to oppose the respect due to men but as it is done in a way of flattery which carriage is of all to be abhorred but dutiful honor may be given without dissimulation and if these men be perfect why are they no better examples The Quere about the Hat I have spoken to in the former Section The fifth Commandement requireth all tokens of civill respect and honor the putting off the Hat is a token of such respect Be curteous saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 3 8. put not off humanity by denying this piece of common civility Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honor the face of the old man and fear thy God I am the Lord Levit. 19. 32. If greater signs of honor then uncovering the head be required we are not to boggle at the lesser But 7. Saith R. F. Where doth the Scripture say respect the rich and dis-respect the poor Are you not partial c. Rep. Where do you finde any doctrine of this tendency delivered The Word would have poor and rich respected as God made them both his creatures Prov. 22. 2. And as he maketh poor and maketh rich himself will be magnified 1 Sam. 2. and yet his order set among men regarded As for respecting persons for self-ends and carnal considerations Let R. F. and every one look to his own heart and learn to be poor in spirit Let the Brother of high degree in the James 1. 9 10 opened world rejoyce in that he is made low in spirit Let the Brother of low degree in the world rejoyce in that he is exalted in Christ Degrees there are of Saints as Saints and Saints as men are capable of different degrees of estate and place in the world every one of them must know the place and station wherein God hath set him and demean or carry himself accordingly If any man think otherwise and teach it and consent not to wholesom words the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godliness he is proud or a fool as 't is in the margent 1 Tim. 6. 3 4. knowing nothing doting about questions and strifes of words c. Let R. F. and his fellows read on and tremble lest they be branded and stigmatized with such Characters for their multiplied perverse Disputings and Scripture-contradictions 22. Head of their Scripture-contradiction Concerning Swearing Section 50. THey take up Christs words as I noted Mat. 5. 34. Swear not at all as they do other Scriptures against his meaning to fight against all Oaths before a Magistrate in any case upon any occasion And now comes forth R. F. * Page 23. and fights with his shadow Thou says he forbids Oaths onely by Creatures Heaven Swearing by Creatures forbidden Earth a mans head c. The same meaning hath James Chap. 5. 12. Rep. My words were plain enough to him that hath a minde to understand First said I which word first he leaves out he forbids oaths by creatures and I added Mat. 5 34 35 36. vindicated onely because the Lord doth onely there i. e. ver 34 35 36. make exception of Creatures Heaven Gods throne Earth his footstool Jerusalem the city of the great King the Head because thou canst not make one hair white or black R. F. * Page 24. returns me this non-sense for answer Here thou art a lyar of Christ and his words bear testimony against thee for he doth not forbid swearing by Creatures onely but he forbids swearing by all things else whatsoever for he saith Swear not at all neither by heaven nor by earth c. And he that swears not by heaven must not swear by what is contained in it and he that swears not by earth must not swear by what is contained in it Rep. The reason he gives why swearing by creatures onely is not here forbidden is because the Lord forbids swearing by all things else which is a reasonless reason for heaven and earth and the creatures contained therein are all but creatures and my assertion stands good That Christs words in the above-mentioned verses 34 35 36. of Mat. 5. do not absolutely inhibit all oaths before a Magistrate while he forbids onely swearing by creatures heaven and earth and all creatures therein I am aware of what Familistical Gods essence is not mixed with the Creatures conceits these men have of God and his Essence as mixt with the creatures and hereupon they may think that if creatures are not to be sworn by at all at any time in any case neither may we swear by the name of God at all at any time in any case But 1. Although Gods essence is where the Creatures essence is yet he is a most simple un-compounded Being and though he is in heaven and in earth yet he is not contained bounded or limited therein 2. Our Lords scope is to wipe and wash off the dusty Glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees which they had cast upon the glass of the Law and particularly concerning oaths for ver 33. you will finde it had been an old tradition they might swear by any thing so as they did not forswear themselves And again by comparing Chap. 5. with 23. 16. c. we finde how they distinguisht about oaths some were nothing they said or not binding as to swear by the Temple by the Altar c. but to swear by the Gold of the Temple or by the Gift upon the Altar that was a binding oath and made the man that swore a debtor and if he kept not his oath he was guilty Now against these and such like Glosses Christ opposeth with a prohibition I say unto you who am to be heard and believed before Pharisees Swear not at all that is neither by the Temple nor by
following the Light of Christ in the conscience To inform the ignorant we teach out of Scripture that the new-birth is not wrought by our following work but by Gods preventing Grace casting the promise into the heart and quickning that seed by the in-coming of the Spirit James 1. 18. with John 3. 5. Regeneration is not acquired by our acts but infused of God by his will and power John 1. 13. That Again c Ib. page 21. Shew if ever any natural man did get power over sin and abstain from things forbidden throughout the Scripture When before he had asked By what is the new-birth wrought if not by following c. If a natural man may get the new-birth by following the Light of Christ in his conscience then he may by such an act of obedience get some kinde of power over sin and far sooner abstain from many things forbidden then ever get the new-birth thereby There is a two-fold power over sin the one by the restraining power of God called Restraining Grace the other by the special influence of Christ and his Spirit uniting himself to the soul and taking up his habitation in a Believer as in his Temple The natural man hath the former more or less and yet remaineth a natural man and in his natural state because he wants the latter Was not Herod a natural man Mark 6. 20. and so remained even while he heard John gladly and did many things Did not Paul while in his natural state following the light in his conscience abstain from things forbidden Phil. 3. 6. was he not touching the righteousness of the Law blameless Were not those Peter speaks of escaped from 2 Pet. 2. 18 20 the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Christ yea clean or really escaped as by a common or inferior 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 work of the Spirit and yet were in their natural state first and last What wilful ignorance is in that Querie d Ishmael and his mother cast out p. 1◠Where is such a Scripture that the most eminent believer sins in any things This is subscribed by three or four of them as if they had never read or having read not regarded James 3. 2. or will not understand Rom. 7. 21. that not onely in all the good they do or would do evil by a tyrannizing law of the old man is present with them but in many things they all offend or sin And what affected blindness in that demand e The skirts of the whore discovered by Dennis Hollister page 19. Where doth the Scripture call it self the Word of God and to whom was it the Rule of Life Who please may read over the 119 Psalm once more and view the 40 page and then consult Gal. 6. 14. and view the explanation page 44. of this Reply and the Scriptures will stand right in his thoughts by Gods blessing and he be affected to them 7. Much of Mystical Babylon and Confusion is in their writings and ways They confound common and saving gifts we not onely distinguish them but divide them Common are in many persons where saving are not saving are in all the Saints but on some of the Saints many common gifts are not conferred They confound Justification and Sanctification We distinguish them but divide them not so but they are present to the same subject or person the believer although they are not the same Grace They confound the Price of our Redemption and the application of it by power We distinguish them and divide them not so but where one goes before the other follows after according to the riches of Gods grace and the unchangeableness of his Covenant in Christ There is enough in the fore-going Reply and in the third and fifth of these Animadversions for a plain demonstration hereof It may be hoped upon no weak grounds this Sect is acting one of the last parts upon the tottering Stage of the Romish Antichrist Never I conceive did any as these so masked and disguised servire scenae suit the present occasion and times for Romes advantage but it began and will end in their confusion 8. Their Doctrines and Practices end in Apostacy of the deepest stain and Blasphemy against Christ of the highest strain The experience of James Nayler and his Comrades give sad and dreadful proof hereof When the humane Nature of Christ is not adored for its self but as it subsists in the person of the onely begotten Son of God they give and take by their doctrine of God and Christ manifested in their individual flesh the same divine Honor which is peculiar to the person of Christ alone God blessed for ever 9. There needs no farther proof of their Scripture and Self-contradictions Their Blasphemies evidence the former and their Grandees giving one another the lye demonstrates the latter We had a notorious evidence hereof the last Summer at Witham in Essex After that a blustring fellow said to be one Hubberthorn had driven divers to quaking falling down and roaring out that the flesh might be cast forth by the Spirit as he said there followed him William Deusbery in his circuit and course and tells the poor people they were fools and beasts if they minded any such quaking postures and much more to that purpose And the Narrative of their Letters and Examinations thereupon at Bristol put forth by Mr. Farmer sets a broad seal to this as the former Animadversion 10. Their Sufferings in defence of corrupt and false doctrines are no part of the sufferings of Christ in his mystical body That their doctrines are false which they attempt and labor to defend hath sufficiently been evinced and cleared The other follows by undeniable consequence It is not the punishment but the Cause that makes the Martyr as he Martyrem facit Causa non supplicium Aug. said of old who was a famous Assertor of the Truth in his time The Philistines died by the fall of the house as well as Samson sed diver so fine ac fato but with a differing scope and that through a wise-ordering Providence They suffered for their Riot Idolatry Cruelty and Impenitency he died in Faith and with zealous calling upon the name of the Lord for a publique Revenge upon his and the Church its enemies Who sees not a vast difference between James Naylers Pillory and Mr. Burtons between the Imprisonment of many disturbing Quakers in our times and of the peaceable Confessors and Sufferers in Queen Maries days Who so blinde as they that will not see Lord open the eyes and hearts of deluded Quakers and Papists Being thy people quite out of the Babylonish wilderness Forgive them that know not what they do write they know not what suffer out of devout ignorant intentions which will not justifie their unwarrantable actions or passions FINIS THE TABLE A. Acting IN a mans own strength or Christs 110 Adam In innocency under a Covenant of works pag. 100 B.
Baptism With water proved 176. 183 Of Infants vindicated 178 Sprinkling lawful 180 One Baptism consisting of two parts 178 182 Bible To be read and preached upon 20 See Scriptures C. Call To the Ministery how lawful 211 Inward to be tried by the outward fruits 214 The Churches call spiritual 215 Some may counterfeit an Immediate call 211 Some mediate calls good 213 214 Some bad ibid. Christ Exalted by the Scriptures and the Scriptures by Christ 43 44 Christ above his gifts 59 His Godhead asserted and cleared 54 How he leads out of the fall 86 How he was made sin or a sinner 132 As Mediator not in natural men 262 276 When and how in the soul 264 His condemning sin in the flesh beyond conscience-condemnation 266 A Savior according to Scripture 283 Commandment How the general includes particular persons 106 What is a command in the Spirit 109 Saints experiences about a command 110 What is a Gospel-command 111 Communion Of Saints on earth with Saints in heaven 146 Conviction By the Spirit beyond that of a natural conscience 266 Conscience If but natural and not renewed gives no saving testimony 269 Covenant Of works and of grace what 90 Of works in Adam 97 Differences of the Covenant of works and of grace 90 Covenant of grace one for the substance 91 Two for maner of administration 93 Old and new what 8 The reason of the change 94 E. Elders Their Ordination by man though not of man 207 F. Forms Of Religion 291 Of Speech 292 Fruits Of the Spirit 293 Of the flesh ibid. G. God How God is Light 68 His Essence not mixed with created Beings 236 Gospel Gospel-Light above natural reach 75 Grace Given by means 173 H. Hearing Of the word 173 Holy Ghost A person one of the Three in the Godhead See Spirit 49 c. 207 Honor Civil due to Superiors and to all men 231 ibid. Gestures of honor some bad and idolatrous 233 Some civil and but good maners ibid. The denial hereof what it argues 292 I. Imputation Gods imputation of righteousness his covering of our sin 130 A constant act of Gods free favor 131 The doctrine of it no pleading for sin 123 c. Justification The material cause not the new-birth 119 Not sanctification 132 Its difference from sanctification 126 God justifieth sinful persons believing 120 121 How justified by faith ibid. Defilements of sin remain in a pardoned soul 125 Peter in his falls not out of a state of justification 128 Perfect at first believing 135 L. Law How set up in stead of Gospel 12 Levitical Law way Typical Gospel 89 Law-Levitical no Covenant of works 95 Law-moral positions concerning it 97 How subservient to the Covenant of grace 98 How inservient to the Covenant of works ibid. Gods Law above the conscience 307 Letter What in a large or in a strict sense 4 5 The Spirits Letter is Gods written word 9 How denied 244 Light Of the Godhead in every man not redemption-light 52 Strange notions of the Light in every man 53 How light without Scripture is no light 64 The Light-giver not to be confounded with the light-given 59 84 Light in every man no Teacher of saving truths 60 Not Gospel-light 75 Not the light of Saints as such 61 261 Much less equal with Christs person 59 Not supernatural 61 Not above but beneath the Scripture-light 66 Not a part of the New-creature 77 Not the Corner-stone 80 Nor the first principle of Christian Religion 82 Leads not out of the fall 83 Obeyed gives no saving excuse or testimony in the conscience 269 Creature and Scripture-light compared 76 Not to be confounded 275 Mysterious absurdities 263 How the least degree of light is perfect 274 How counterfeit ibid. True conclusions about light 69 Lords Supper The visible outward part no carnal invention 185 Bread and wine the outward matter 186 The Institution spiritual 188 The benefit great 190 A strange trans-mutation by 192 James Nayler His reasons broken 193 Antidotes against the dissolution of the Lords Supper 200 M. Magistrates Their forbearance 308 Means of grace attended with a promise of blessing 174 N. Nakedness No Commission for going naked in these times 291 O. Oaths see Swearing Ordinances How owned or disowned 302 P. Perfection Of holiness but comparative 162 164 Not absolute in all degrees till death 143 144 How denied how not 141 158 161 This life a time onely of pressing after it 290 Person What it is 48 What a person in the Godhead is ibid. How distinguished 49 Prayer Publique not forbidden 201 Gods Spirit is there 204 Preaching By Doctrine Reason and Vse c. justified 72 293 How free and consistent with taking Wages 209 Printing When invented 21 The benefit of printed Bibles ibid. Promise Of grace and leading out of the fall none annexed to the good use of natural light 87 Yet the light of a promise helps to lead out of the fall 86 Prophets Some immediately inspired some mediately taught 217 They studied the Scriptures 218 Some distinguisht from men in office 217 Psalms Not sung without some kinde of meeter 205 Q. Quaking From visible manifestations of Gods majesty how and by whom imitable 287 See Trembling Questions Their fit place 223 Which are of the devil 224 R. Reconciliation Of the person perfect before the heart is perfectly sanctified and how 134 135 Regeneration By the Scripture-promise 132 257 Remorse What. 171 Repentance How decryed 171 Righteousness What our own 145 329 What the Quaking Papists mean by Christs righteousness 278 S. Sabbath A mercy as a duty 303 Saints Their light beneath Scripture-light for the degree 271 Their highest degree of light and grace not here attained 272 Experimentally imperfect 148 Scriptures The word of truth 1 To all 2 The word of God and truly so called 3 40 In what sence 25 The witness of God 4 The Letter of God and the Scripture of God all one Ib. A standing Rule 7 A more standing Rule then visions and revelations 13 15 37 38. Not mans word or other mens words 18 The Touch-stone of Doctrine 23 253 And Judge of controversies 258 Not carnal 24 The Spirits sword 26 Powerful 153 The ground of the Saints acting 26 31 And how 27 Interpretation by Scripture 37 A Voice a Light a Rule a Guide 43 44 Scripture-light above the light of nature 66 74 76 Its further preeminence 271 281 Scripture-light Salvation-light 73 Its fulness 284 It magnifies Christ above it self ibid A more excellent Teacher then the creatures 70 To be studied 218 220 Who deny them 244 Gods mouth is in the Letter 247 252 Sin Visible in and to the Saint 112 Groaned under all the life time by true Saints ibid in what respect 113 Sin and purity dwell in one soul not as one 118 Sin confessed is not pleaded for 125 It dwelleth and acteth in the Saints 138 It continueth in them they continue not in it 151 No heart perfectly pure form it 158 159 160