very ill manners in you and not becoming either the humility or thankfulness of a Christian or a reasonable man to vilifie and undervalue Learning and learned men as to the understanding of the Scriptures since neither you nor any other man that only understands English had ever come to know any thing in the Scripture if learned men had not translated them to your hands 2. Since there hath been many Translations of the Scriptures out of Hebrew into Greek out of Greek into Latine out of Hebrew and Greek into Latine out of Latine into English out of Greek into English out of Hebrew and Greek into English which Translations being made at several times and in several Ages do therefore very much differ and vary in several places It is very unlikely sure that ignorant men who understand only their own Native Language should yet as well understand the Scriptures as the learned who have the gift of these several Languages and can examine and compare these several Translations with the Original and Fountain Truth And would it not much conduce think you to the understanding of the Scripture to read the Interpretations and pious Discourses of those holy religious Fathers of the Church which lived either in or about the Apostles time or immediately afterward and so are most likely to know the meaning of the Apostles in their writings then we who live so many hundred years since This I believe no man that hath not lost his sense and reason will deny Now to read and understand those ancient writings and the Scripture by those helps Greek and Latine is necessary for they wrote in those Languages Object But to all this I believe you will say that they who are endued with the Spirit of God understand the things of God without all this labour and leaâ—ning Answ We acknowledge and affirm as well as you that wisdom knowledge and understanding are the gifts of the Spirit Esa 11.2 and that we must wait upon God for them by Prayer Jam. 1.5.17 for from him cometh every good and perfect gift but yet God communicates not these gifts to the sons of men by miracle Dan. 1. compare v. 4. 6. with v. 17. but through the use of the means And to neglect and contemn the use of those ordinary means God has given us to attain spiritual wisdom by and to depend upon extraordinary and miraculous revelation from Heaven is to tempt the good Spirit of God Mat. 4.7 2 Thes 2.10 11. and to provoke him to give us up to strong delusions and to give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils which too often appear and insinuate themselves into the mindes of men 2 Tim 4.1 2 Pet. 3.15 16. under the visard shew and semblance of Revelations and Infusions and Qualifications of the Spirit of truth and this by sad experience we daily see to be too true and hath appeared in your several questions Now God Almighty deliver you and all Christian people from under the power of such delusions 'T is the daily Prayer of your Christian brother R. S. A DISCOURSE OF THE Holy Spirit His Workings and Impressions ON THE SOVLS of MEN. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 12.5 Rectum est Index sui obliqui London Printed by E. Cotes for R. Roysion at the Angel in Ivie lane 1654. TO THE TRULY VERTUOUS THE Lady Rebecca Bingdloss MADAM THis following Discourse of the Holy Ghost his impressions and workings on the soul of man was first intended only for private satisfaction to your Ladyships pious desires That being well grounded in the Orthodox Doctrine and having a right understanding of the true Spirit of God it might be as an impregnable Bulwark against so many suggestions and temptations of the false and deceitful spirit For the minde of man being either devoid of the Spirit of Grace and Holiness or else of a right understanding of the things of Gods Spirit who is the Fountain both of Grace and Truth is too apt and prone to close with the suggestions of the evill spirit who is the author and promoter of sinfulness and error Never Age produc't so many spiritual Monsters as this wherein we live And I think few parts of England be so much infected with them as these Northern parts be They were very impudent and daring when they adventured to tempt your vertuous minde and by inticing words to allure your good opinion of them as full well knowing if they could but have effected thus much to have made you not an enemy to their proceedings though you did not close with them it would have given much lustre and credit to their erroneous Sect But God be praised that you are better grounded then to be Proselyted by such Ignoramo's better resolved then to be taken with such shallow delusions which a good Christian with half an eye unprejudic'd may easily see through It is your goodness for Bonum quo melius eo communius to desire the publique communication of this short Discourse of the Spirit as a Doctrine both seasonable in respect of the many spreading infectious Errors so much prevailing amongst us and also necessary as an Antidote against that contagion which issuing out of the mouth of Hell presumes most impudently and impiously to hide its venome under the name and title of the Holy Spirit I could wish the Doctrine were for this end manfully and satisfactorily cleared to the mindes of men by the Pen of some more Judicious Writer This mean Tract the Author in all humility acknowledges to be guilty of many defects and impertinencies and himself one of the meanest of the faithful and obedient sons of the Church The small acceptance it shall finde in the world will be derived from your white Name and Vertue in which Sanctuary it may escape the black-mouth'd Detractions of the Censorious and rest secure of the good acceptance if not benefit of others May you be every day more happy in the increase of all Christian vertues growing up in the knowledge of God and persevering in the constant Profession of his holy Truth and consciencious practise of the same till you arrive at the Haven of true Happiness This Madam shall be the constant endevour and is the dayly prayer Of your most faithful and affectionate Servant in Christ R. SHERLOCK The Introduction NO Age hath ever brought forth more pretenders to the Spirit of God then this wherein we live And amongst this Generation there be many so ignorant that they know not what they mean by that Spirit whereunto they so much pretend but blindfolded suffer themselves to be led by they know not whom and with the hood-winkt Samaritans Joh. 4.32 they worship they know not what Whose ignorance accompanyed with excessive pride of heart which makes their ignorance the greater that through pride they will not know or acknowledge it upon this ground The Devill hath sown his crop and reapt his Harvest even
The QVAKERS WILDE QUESTIONS Objected against the Ministers Of the GOSPEL And many Sacred Acts and Offices Of RELIGION With brief Answers thereunto TOGETHER WITH A Discourse of the Holy Spirit His impressions and workings On the SOVLS of Men. Very seasonable for these times By R. SHERLOCK B. D. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 COR. 11.19 London Printed by E. Cotes for R. Royston at the Angel in Ivie-lane 1654. To the Honorable Sir Robert Bindloss Baronet SIR THese following Questions being sent to your house and receiving their short and sudden answers under your roof and the Author his subsistence from your courtesie and beneficence It being also your desires they should be made publick if perhaps some satisfaction might be given to any of those too too many seduced and wavering souls amongst us Be pleased therefore that under your name and patronage they may appear as a covert to veil their imperfections and defects Defective they must needs be in many respects neither can the Answers to so many strange scrupulous and unheard of questions being conceiv'd on a sudden by way of answer to a Letter be expected to be satisfactory and full as to all particulars Longer time for further and more mature deliberation might in some good measure have supplyed many defects but that I was unwilling to add any thing to what was dispatcht away by way of answer to the Letter or rather Libell of the scrupulous Questioner that so both might appear to the eye of the world verbatim without addition or diminution Hereunto as a back or second I have annexed a Discourse both short and plain Of the Holy Spirit of God so much by those sâ—duced souls pretendâ—d unto and to the grief of all good Christian hearts too much profan'd by such pretences And 't is a Discourse which was desired by your virtuous Lady for her private satisfaction The subject whereof being fully cleer'd to the mindes of men by some more wise and abler judgements would both discover and strike at the root and dissolve the ground-work of many those infectious errours which at present so much overspread and prevaile amongst us And indeed how can we expect or hope for other since 1. unity and uniformity both in the publick worship of God whereby all men of the same Church and Religion do worship God in the same way even with one heart and one mouth and after one manner is not onely decryed but also dismist our Congregations And since 2. the Pale of Ecclesiasticall discipline is pull'd down by whose coercive laws all men were kept within the limits of the true Faith and of Obedience and Charity as to the externall profession thereof And since 3. under the name and priviledge of Liberty of conscience licentiousnesse of opinion hath got footing in the mindes of men who take liberty under that pretext to become vain in their imaginations to be of this or that or what opinion they please in Religion As also to perform the publick parts of divine worship according to the severall dictates of their owne mindes even in any way but what is decent reverend uniform and orderly Since such I say is the sad and confused condition of our Church it is no marvail though there daily arise new Sects and new Opinions such which are not onely strange wilde and fanatick but even destructive to the very being of true Christianity Nor must we hope for other till the God of all truth and peace be pleased together with his truth to restore unity and order in his worship whereof for our manifold sins he hath so long deprived us It is most true what the Apostle saith of the necessity of heresies 1 Cor. 11.19 They must come Ad hoc enim sunt Haereses ut fides habendo tentationem habeat etiam probationem Tert. de praesc adv Haeret. c. 1. that they which are approved may be made manifest But it is as true what our Saviour saith of Offences in general Matt. 18.7 Woe unto them by whom they come Their condition must needs be sad and deplorable who broach and introduce the infection as being herein the instruments of Satan or in the language of our Lord They are of their Father the Devill Joh. 8.44 and his works they doe for he was a lyar from the beginning and abode not in the truth Now although this Grand-father and promoter of lies aud untruths be by the God of all power and goodnesse enchained and limited otherwise he had long since overrun the world as in times of Paganisme of old Yet sometimes for the sins of a people whereof we are now too sensible his chain is lengthened 1 Pet. 5.8 and the roaring Lyon hath more scope then ordinary to roam about seeking whom he may devour And he devours or destroyes the souls of men two wayes 1. By blinding their unstandings whereby they become apt to be seduced in the entertainment of erroneous opinions and belief of lies 2. By poysoning their affections with the false paint of worldly vanities whereby they are inveigled into sinfulness and vice And now Sir that neither you nor any that belongs unto you may in either of these respects be deceived and perish neither with the blinde and giddy to fall into the ditch of error on the one hand or with the vicious and unclean to wallow in the mire of sinfulnesse on the other but to keep the way of the righteous and to walk in the path of the just which is no other undoubtedly but the way of your owne peace and tranquillity here and eternall felicity hereafter it shall be the endevour and is the daily prayer Sir of Your respective Devotor R. Sherlock The Quakers Questions The Letter of Questions Endorsed To the Priest at Borwick deliver The Quakers Questions directed by them as above To all you professed Ministers who have taken the title of the Ministers of the Gospell of Christ upon you who is the end of the Law and Prophets and shadowes who shadowed him forth a few Questions to you that have taken this office upon you Quest 1 WHether the Gospell be the same the Apostles preached and if it be why goe you to Oxford or Cambridge when the Apostle saith The Gospell he preached was not after man neither was he taught it by man Q. 2 Whether you can give another meaning to the Scriptures then they are or whether the Apostles did not give the meaning to them when they spoke them forth yea or no and if they did what need learned men to give a meaning to them Q. 3 Shew me by the Scripture who ever was made a Minister of Christ that was called of men Master Q. 4 Shew me by the Scriptures where ever the Ministers of Jesus Christ tooke Tithes of the people or Augmentations for preaching the Gospell Q. 5 Shew me by the Scriptures and what Scripture you have which speaks of the Word two Sacraments which you tell
the people of and so deceive the simple Q. 6 Shew me what Scripture you have which speaks that the Apostles sprinkled Infants Q. 7 Shew me what Scripture you have to stand praying in the Synagogues before Sermon and after and whether the Apostles did so Q 8 Shew me by the Scriptures where the Apostles went into the world and gave the people of the world Davids Psalms to sing in meeter these things which you now practise answer them by the Scriptures or the Apostles practises without consequence or imagination Q. 9 Whether a man shall overcome the body of sin while he is upon the earth or no. Q. 10 Whether the curse be not upon him that preacheth an other Gospell then Christ and the Apostles yea or no Q. 11 Whether any naturall man can preach the Gospell or no. Q. 12 Whether that any of the Ministers of God was made Ministers by the will of men or no shew me it by the Scriptures Q. 13 Shew me it by the Scriptures whether a man shall grow up to that condition that he need no man teach him but the Lord or no. Q. 14 Whether they be not Antichrists and disobey Christ that have the chiefest places in the Assemblies stand praying in the Synagoges called of men Masters which Christ did forbid his disciples to act such things and cryed Woe against those that did act them Q. 15 Whether they be not Antichrists and of the Devill and no Ministers of Christ which do not abide in the doctrine of Christ Q. 16 Whether they be not seducers which draw people from the anointing within them and tell them they must be taught of a man when as the anointing teacheth them and they need no man teach them but as the anointing teacheth and the promise is to him that doth abide in it eternally Q. 17 Whether they do not bewitch the people which draw them from the spirit within to serve the ordinance of the world and traditions of men without as the Galatians were bewitched Gal. 3.1 Q. 18 Whether they be not deceivers which tell the people those are the Ordinances of God which God never commanded and draw men from the spirit within them to follow their imaginations and inventions Q. 19 Whether you have the same spirit which was in Christ the Apostles and Prophets which gave forth the Scriptures seeing you are contrary to the Scriptures and follow your own inventions and traditions and so erre from them Q. 20 Whether ever Christ and his Apostles did first Baptize and then preach faith and repentance twenty or thirty years after Q. 21 Whether ever Christ or the Apostles did retain 100 or 200. l. a year for preaching the Gospell Q. 22 What Scripture is there to limit God to a place calling it a Church whereas the Church is in God 1 Thess 1.1 Q. 23 What Scripture is there to have a Clark to say Amen and have groats a peece of the world to maintain his trade Q. 24 What Scripture is there for taking money to bury the dead Q. 25 What Scripture is there for taking 10 or 20 s. for preaching a funerall Sermon Q. 26 What Scripture is there for taking money for marrying man and woman Q. 27 When did any that was sent of Jesus Christ to preach the Gospell sue men at the Law If thou be a Minister of Jesus Christ which exerciseth a pure conscience towards God and towards Man clear thy self from the guilt of these things and answer them in writing by the Scriptures or Saints examples or else in silence confessethy self to be guilty and one of those that Christ cryed woe against acting the same things now as they did then filling up the measure of thy fathers iniquity which said they were Jews and were not but were of the synagogue of Satan Thou sayest they must be learned men and brought up in Scholasticall wayes and by that meanes they must open the Scriptures because thou sayest they were first given forth in Greek and Hebrew which you call the Originall and therefore ignorant men cannot understand them but must have your meanings interpretations and dimensions of your own brain and thus you deceive the simple But answer me this question Whether the Scriptures as they are written in English be true as Christ and the Apostles spoke them forth and if they be true as they are in English what need any other language be learned by an English man to know them R. H. THE QUAKERS Severall Questions WITH The Answers Returned R. H. FOR what relative title to give you without offence I understand not I received you paper of many strange scrupulous Questions And though it be most true that one fool may aske more Questions then 100. wise men can answer as the common proverb goes yet we are taught by a more authentick proverb Prov. 26.5 sometimes to answer a fool in his folly lest he be wise in his own conceite I say not this to upbraid your person but with reflexion on the follies and errours displaid in your severall questions which will appear I beleeve in the following answers if you read them as becomes a good Christian without prejudice partiality or obstinacy of minde but with the spirit of meeknesse 1 Thess 5.21 and a desire to try all things and hold fast that which is good Quest 1 Whether your Gospell be the same which the Apostles preached and if it be why go you to Oxford or Cambridge when the Apostle saith the Gospell he preached was not after man-neither was he taught it by man Answ We preach the same Gospell the Apostles preached but do not attain the knowledg and understanding of this Gospell by the same means the Apostles were eye-witnesses and ear-witnesses of the sayings and doings of Christ which is the sum of the Gospell the mysteries whereof they understood by immediate revelation from heaven being both publickly visible Act. 2.1 2 3 4. and miraculously inspired with extraordinary gifts of the Spirit inabling them both more fully to understand and more powerfully to preach the Gospell then any mortall man could ever hope for since But we do neither pretend to any such sublime and eminent gifts neither do we or ought we to depend upon any such immediate and miraculous revelation from heaven Schooles they had at Bethel 2 King 2 3. at Jericho v. 5. and Elishas College was so full that they inlarged it 2 King 6.1 and at Naioth 1 Sam. 14.20 and upon the hill of God 1 Sam. 10.5 10. but do use those ordinary means and helps which God in his mercifull providence hath in all ages afforded his people viz. by study and industry in the Schools of the Prophets Neither go we to Oxford and Cambridge to learn the Gospell we preach but to learn the knowledge of those tongues and languages arts and sciences which are that externall means enabling us to understand and open the meaning of the Gospell by the good
hand of God upon us prospering our labours and studies to that end that being well grounded in the truth we might not be deceived and mistake the inventions and errours of men and doctrines of seducing spirits for the doctrines and commandements of God 1 Tim. 4.1 2. Even as you went to School to learn to write and read that you might read the Scriptures indeed but not pervert them to your own dâ—struction 2 Pet. 3.16 and that you might write your mind in truth and sincerity but not to write scrupulous questions to puzzle and poyson the souls of the simple who cannot see into the depth of your delusions Quest 2 Whether you can give another meaning to the Scriptures then they are or whether the Apostles did not give the meaning to them when they spake them forth yea or no and if they did what need learned mengive a meaning to them Answ The sense and meaning of the Scripture is involved and infolded in it even as the kernell of a nut is within the shell to find out which sense and declare it and make it appear from under those severall kinds of metaphoricall and figurative expressions which commonly cloath and cover it is a part of our taske and duty And this we do by a serious diligent and intent searching weighing and pondering the texts of Scriptures by comparing and conferring severall places by observing the connexions and coherences by sincere and impartiall collecting and observing the severall truths contained therein and also flying unto God by prayer and devotion for assistance in the work And that it belongs to learned men to give the sense and meaning of the Scriptures we have in the old Testament the example of Ezra the Scribe â—eh 8. 4 5 6 〈◊〉 8. that is the Learned who stood upon a Pulpit of Wood high above all the people made purposely for preaching and the Levites caused the people to understand the Law and this they did not only by reading the Law distinctly but they gave the sense saith the Text and caused the people to understand the reading In the new Testament Christ himself tooke a text and preached upon it Luk. 4.17 22. Philip took the text which the Eunuch read in Esay and preached Christ unto him Act. 8.30 37. converting the Eunuch by giving the sense of the text being of himself not able to understand without an Interpreter Quest. 3 Shew me by the Scripture who ever was made a Minister of Christ that was called of men Master Answ The Prophets and Priests under the Law were tearmed Fathers and such as were bred under them to be made capable of that function as young Scolars are now in Oxford and Cambridge to be capable of the Ministry were tearmed the Sons of the Prophets 2 King 2.12 15. under the Gospell besides the titles of Apostles Prophets Evangelists ordinary or common Ministers are tearmed Doctors Pastors Shepherds of souls which are terms of more eminency and respect then Master Sir or the like and what else is meant by the Masters of the Assemblies Eccles 12.11 but the Pastors and Teachers of the people assembled in the service of God Masters is a title of civill respect and honour and we are commanded not only in generall to give honour to whom honour is due Rom. 13.7 but particularly to pious and painfull Ministers Let them be counted worthy of double honour that labour in the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 5.7 Now as on the one side it is a Gospell duty to give titles of honour to whom they are due so on the other fide it is a Gospell sin to affect titles of honour through pride vain-glory and popular applause Nor was it a sin in the Scribes and Pharisees to be called Master but because they loved to be called of men Master Mat. 23.6 7. Master their vain-glorious affectation of the title was their offence and of this no man can taxe us but only God who knoweth the heart Quest 4 Shew me by the Scriptures when ever the Ministers of Jesus Christ took tithes of the people or augmentations for preaching of the Gospell Answ That the Priests under the Law received Tithes and that God commanded the people to pay tithes unto them you cannot be ignorant 1 Cor. 9.13 14. Know you not saith the Apostle that they which minister about holy things eat of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar Even so also hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell Even so must the Ministers of the Gospell be maintained as were the Priests under the Law and that was by Tithes and offerings Luk. 11.42 Wo to you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of hearbs and passeover judgment and the love of God these things ought you to have done marke that and not leave the other undone Whence you see that to take and pay tithes is no other but what ought to be done and the fault cryed woe against was the neglect of judgment and the love of God Quest. 5 Shew by the Scriptures and what Scripture have you which speaks of the Word two Sacraments which you tell the people of and deceive the simple Answ We confesse the word Sacrament is not in the Scriptures but the holy actions which we call Sacraments are positively and expresly commanded there The first Sacrament of Baptisme is commanded Mat. 28.19 And for the other Sacrament of the Lords Supper the words of institution expresly command us to observe it Take Mat. 26.26 27. eat do this And sure we do not deceive the people when we tell them of no other things but what Christ himself commanded both us and them to observe But you do deceive your owne soul and the souls of those simple people you converse with all whilest you denie and oppose your self against the very expresse commands of our Lord. Quest 6 Shew me what Scripture you have which speaks that the Apostles sprinkled Infants Answ That the Apostles were commanded to Baptize all Nations and that they did Baptize whole families Act. 16.33 is clearly exprest in the Scripture And surely children are a part of all Nations though you should say there were no Children in those families that were Baptized which is a thing very hard and improbable to affirme But further for Chrildrens Baptisme we have severall grounds out of the Scriptures 1. Children under the Law were circumcised Rom. 4.11 and Circumcision was the seal of the righteousnesse of faith as Baptisme is now for other externall visible seal of our admission into the Covenant of Grace we have not commanded in the Scriptures or practised in the Church of Christ And that this seal of Baptisme both outward and inward must passe upon all before they be admitted actuall members of Christs spirituall Kingdome here
which is the way to his eternall Kingdome hereafter our Saviour expresly teacheth saying Joh. 5.3 Except a man be borne again of water and of the holy Ghost he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God 2. That Children are of the Kingdom of God and to be admitted unto Christ himself expresly affirmes and strictly charges all men not to oppose it saying Suffer little Chrildren to come unto me Luk. 18.15 and forbid them not for of such also is the Kingdome of God If they must come unto Christ we must not stop up the way against them by denying them the seal of admission And if the Kingdome of God belong unto them surely the privileges of the Kingdome also whereof Baptisme is one 3. That Infants are in some measure capable of the Spirit of God is manifest from the example of the Prophet Jeremiah and of John Baptist Jer. 1.5 6. Luk. 1.66 80. And if they be capable of the inward Baptisme which is the holy Ghost much more of the outward which is water for can any man forbid water saith Peter in the like case that these should not be Baptized which have received the holy Ghost as well as we Act. 10.47 4. That Children are capable of being received and admitted into the Kingdome of Christ himself doth intimate saying Except ye receive the Kingdome of God as a little Child ye shall not enter therein so that receive it they may though they know it not For as the sin of the first Adam is imputed to children and they are defiled therewith though they understand it not so the righteousnesse of Christ the second Adam may be and we beleeve is by Gods secret and unknown way communicated to Infants though they know it not As to men born deaf and fools and such as are not capable of understanding for to such God forbid we should deny the mercies of God through Christ Quest. 7 Shew me what Scripture you have to stand praying in the Synagogues before Sermon and after and whether the Apostles did so Answ That we are both to pray and preach the Gospell there are so many Scriptures to prove that I need not name any and we pray both before and after Sermon because 1. 1 Thess 5.17 We are commanded to pray continually 2. Because prayer is the more chief and principall part of Gods service for it is written Mat. 21.13 My house shall be called the house of prayer to all Nations 3. That by prayer and devotion we might obtain the assistance and blessing of God both First upon our Labours in opening the Scriptures and Secondly upon the peoples duty in learning and attending thereunto the prayer before Sermon refers to the one and after Sermon to the other And in this question I must also further tell you you confound publick and private prayer and thereby pervert and misapply the words of our Saviour When thou prayest thou shalt not be as the Hypocrites Mat. 6.5 for they love to pray standing in the Synagogues c. that they may be seen of men in which place our Saviour forbids only private prayer to be offered in publick places out of vain-glory and oftentation to be seen of men and you falsly apply them against publick prayer which is both commanded and practised by publick persons and in publick places and to the end that they may be both seen and heard of men see for this the example of the Levites both for preaching Neh. 8. 9.3 4. Neh. 8. and for publick praying with a loud voice standing up upon the stayres that they might be heard Rom. 15.4 Neh. 9.3 4. Now what is written aforetime is written for our learning And that the Apostles did both pray inpublick for and with the people Act. 20.36.21.5 and also preach in publick and in the Synagogues of the Jewes is more then once or twice exprest in the Scriptures Quest 8 Shew me by the Scriptures when the Apostles went into the world and gave the people of the world Davids Psalmes to be sung in meeter The things that you practise answer them by the Scriptures or the Apostles practise without consequence or imagination Answ Touching the use of Psalms in meeter let me tell you because I see you understand not the nature of Psalms that they are not properly called Psalmes if not sung in verse and meeter and for Davids Psalms as you too scornfully call them know that they are the very dictates and breathings of Gods holy Spirit therefore are we commanded to be filled with the Spirit speaking to our selves in Psalms and Hymnes Eph. 5.18 19. c. And whereas all things in all Psalms are not at all times applyable to all persons yet there is something in every Psalme applyable to every person either by way of instruction or devotion and what in this or that Psalme is not applyable to our present condition may be hereafter and therefore it 's fit they should be used both for present devotion and benefit and also for the future that we may be thoroughly furnished with instructions and devotions against the time of need And for the Apostles practise herein t is sufficient we have their command for surely what they commanded others they practised themselves you may see they did so Act. 16.25 At midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sung Psalmes unto God But herein you demand an answer without consequence or imagination you might as well have said without reason or judgment which is all one as if you should bid me read your paper of Questions without my eyes Quest. 9 Whether a man shall over come the body of sin whiles he is upon the earth or no. Answ T is not possible wholly and altogether to subdue * It is overcome but not wholly a conquered enemy may trouble there is still a war Rom. 5.23 and the warfare endures untill death Rev. 2.10 the body of sin whilest we are in this world for t is therefore called the body of sin because there will be some reliques of sin some rebellions of the flesh against the spirit whilest we carry this body of flesh about us and are composed of flesh and spirit As a tree whilest there is life in it will bring forth fruit so the flesh whilest it is quickned with spirit of life 1 King 8.46 Job 14.4 Prov. 20.9 1 Joh. 18.10 Eccle. 7.22 will bring forth some kinde of fleshly fruits or other which is clear from manifold texts of Scripture Quest 10 Whether the curse be not upon him that preacheth another Gospell then Christ and the Apostles preached yea or no. Answ T is most true there is a curse and a heavy curse too will fall upon them that either preach another Gospell Gal. 1.6 7 8 9. or else pervert and poyson the truth of this Gospell which we have received from Christ and the Apostles And I would to God neither you nor any of your sect
spirit of meeknesse and humility of unity love and charity Gal. 6.1 Col. 3.12 13. 1 Joh. 4.6 7. Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of errour 1 Joh. 4.6 Even by love and charity therefore it followes Beloved let us love one another for love comes of God and every one that loves is borne of God and knoweth God and he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love Quest 16 Whether they be not seducers that draw people from the anointing which is in them and tell them they must be taught of a man whereas the annointing teacheth them they need no man teath them but as the anointing teacheth them and the promise is to him that doth abide in it eternally Answ By the anointing within is meant that measure and proportion of spiritual wisdome and understanding in the things of God 1 Joh. 2.27 whereby according to command we are enabled to try the spirits whether they be of God or no 1 Joh. 4.1 because many false prophets are gone forth which the foregoing words doth imply c. 26. These things have I written unto you concerning them that deceive you Now this spirituall unction or knowledg of the truth which is from the Spirit whosoever hath received need not be taught of man if he abide in the truth which he hath received and do not give heed to seduceing spirits And I would to God that all who are called the Lords people had their hearts sprinkled with this spirituall ointment and their eyes anointed with this eye-salve Rom. 3.38 that they might see to discern betwixt light and darknesse betwixt true prophets and such as deceive the simple lest suffering themselves being blind to be led by the blind they both fall into the ditch Mat. 15.14 Quest 17 Whether they do not bewitch the people who withdraw them from the spirit within to observe the ordinances of the world and traditions of men without as the Galatians were bewitched Gal. 3.1 Answ I must tell you that there is not only a holy and good spirit within and that 's but in too few but there 's also an evill and seducing spirit within and that 's in too many even the spirit that doth bewitch men and draw them aside from the doctrines and commands of the Spirit of truth and to strive by all means to draw the people off from giving heed to seducing spirits is not to observe the ordinances of the world and traditions of men as you pervert the text but to obey the commands of Gods true spirit 1 Tim. 4.12 Mat. 7.15 1 Joh. 4.1 who foretelling of false Prophets and false Spirits often in the Word commands exhorts admonisheth to beware of such not to give heed to such and not to beleeve every spirit but to try them Quest 18 Whether they be not seducers which tell people these are the ordinances of God which God never commanded as sprinkling Infants telling people of a Sacrament which there is no Scripture for and draw them from the spirit within to follow your imaginations and inventions Answ They who are guilty of calling humane inventions Gods ordinances are seducers we confesse But for the sprinkling Infants as you scornfully call Baptisme which is Gods ordinance for he hath ordained and commanded it to be observed I have already given you the grounds of it out of the Scriptures and we cal it a Sacrament as being a tearme best expressing the nature of it which you would confesse if you understood it And for the spirit within I have already told you out of Scripture that we are not blindfolded to follow the dictates thereof but to try them by the Spirit speaking in the Word And thus to draw men from the spirit within is not to follow our own imaginations since God by his holy Spirit commands the same Quest 19 Whether you have the same spirit which was in Christ the Apostles and Prophets which gave forth the Scriptures seeing you act contrary to the Scriptures and follow your own inventions and tradition and so erre from them Answ They that do beleeve or act any thing contrary to the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles are not led by the same spirit but in saying that we do this herein I must tell you that you doe falsly and flatly belie us since both we can and you see we do prove our Ministeriall actions to be agreeable to the Scriptures Quest 20 Whether ever Christ and his Apostles did first Baptize and then preach faith and repentance twenty or thirty years afterwards Answ Christ himself was Baptized being a person not capable of faith Heb. 12.2 and repentance for he was above both of faith he was the author and finisher Joh. 3.16 1 Pet. 2.22 the person in whom we are to beleeve and of repentance he was not capable who knew no sin and the Baptisme of Christ sure it is to be our pattern and grand example The Apostles also baptized many persons who had not true Faith and Repentance but were Hypocrites as Simon Magus Alexander the Coppersmith Demas Diotrephes And Simon Magus had repentance preached unto him after he was baptized many days Act. 8.13 22. as the Texts clearly expresses From all which Examples it is manifest that Faith and Repentance are not necessarily required of all persons as to the reception of Baptism but to the blessed effects and fruits thereof pardon of sin c. 2. Neither are children also absolutely and altogether destitute of Faith and Repentance they have these Graces in the power though not in the act In the seed though not in the fruit Lev. 25.41 42. In the promise for and in their behalf though not in the present actual performance Mat. 18.3 4 5 6 7. Acts 16.33.18.8 Therefore called the servants of God believers little ones that believe in me And under the general notion of families and housholds they are rankt amongst persons baptized converted and serving the Lord. Quest 21 Whether ever Christ and his Apostles received 100 or 200 pounds a year for Preaching the Gospel Answ Christ himself when he preached the Gospel was maintained by the gifts and benevolence of his Auditors who ministred unto him of their substance And the Apostles for Preaching the Gospel had more I believe then 100 l. Mar. 15.41 or 200 l. a year for many of their Converts sold all their estates Act. 4.34 37. and brought it and laid it down at the Apostles feet for saith the Apostle Rom. 15.27 1 Cor. 9.11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things is it a great matter if we reap your carnal things Quest 22 What Scripture is there to limit God to a place calling it a Church when as the Church is in God 1 Thes 1.1 Answ We do not limit God to a place who is every where Jer. 23.23 Mat. 18.20 and filleth the World but yet after a special manner When two
or three are gathered together in his Name to worship him and call upon his Name there is he in the midst of them And this place of Assembly we cal a Church because the Church or People of God do there assemble to his Service and 't is a Scripture term too though you know it not for as there is a Church in God and in Christ Jesus 1 Thes 1.1 1 Thes 1.1 that is persons devoted to Gods service in and through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 11.22 So there is a Church of God 1 Cor. 11.22 The place namely where such persons do assemble and joyn in Divine Worship But since you cry down all distinctions as savoring of humane Learning whereby the naked truth of things might be clearly and distinctly seen as they are in themselves without conjunction with other things it is no marvel you are so blinde as not to distinguish men from houses persons from places the servants of God from the places of his service Quest 23 What Scripture is there to have a Clark to say Amen and to have groats a piece of the world for his trade Answ 'T is the duty of all good people to say Amen to every good Prayer or what is spoken tending either to Gods glory or their own good Psal 106.46 and this you shall finde both commanded and practised in the Scriptures Neh. 8.6 2 Pet. 3. ult Rev. 22.20 if you do but consult the Marginal Texts I may therefore rather demand of you why do not rather all the people say Amen then you ask of me why one man doth so And for the Groat he receives yearly of some persons in the world who are not all of the world as you uncharitably censure them I conceive it is not to be so much for saying Amen as for many other Offices wherein he is useful both to Pastor and People Quest 24 25 26. What Scripture is there for taking money for burying the dead or to have ten or twelve shillings for Preaching a Funeral Sermon or to take money for marrying man or woman Answ For our pains in laboring in the Word and Doctrine 5 Tim. 5.17 18. the Apostle gives this general rule The Labourer is worthy of his wages and what their wages is for their particular pains and labours in this or that Ministerial Function whether more or less is not of our choosing but partly the liberality of Founders and Benefactors partly custom amongst all people in all Christian Countries hath setled it Quest 27 When did any that was sent of Jesus Christ to Preach the Gospel sue men at the Law Answ We confess that to be contentious and ready to go to Law for every small trespass is a fault and far from the quality of faithful charitable and good members of Christs Church whether Ministers or People 1 Cor. 11.16 for if any list to be contentious we have no such custom nor the Churches of God But many such differences may arise betwixt party and party concerning temporal rights properties and interests as cannot well be decided without suit of Law Act. 19.38 So that it is not always a fault in it self to go to Law and sue one another but when it is done either contentiously or uncharitably and they that are guilty in this kinde let them answer for themselves And now for your conclusion Conclusion you say If thou be a Minister of Jesus Christ which exerciseth a pure conscience towards God and man clear thy self from the guilt of these things and answer them in writing by the Scriptures or Saints Examples oâ— else in siâ—â—nâ—e confess thy self guilty and one of those Christ cryed woe against acting the same things now as they did then filling up the measure of thy Fathers iniquity which said they were Jews and were not but were of the Synâ—gogue of Satan Answ Your challenge is very highly bitter and rayling both against me and all of my profession and calling and you rail in Scripture tearms too whereby you tâ—ke the garments of Gods Holy Spirit the Spirit of meekness and love and put them upon the Devils shoulders who is the reviler and accuser of his brethren Rev. 12.10 But I dare own my calling in spite of all the venom that the Devil and all his Instruments can spit against it and will be ever ready to maintain my integrity in the conscientious Exercise thereof in despite of all that oppose it your rayling Scripture woes and curses are very much misapplyed you have mistaken the object Prov. 26.2 The curse causless shall not come Prov. 26.2 You shoot out your arrows even bitter words at the mark they cannot hit the venom whereof is so far from being dreadful to me that it ministers rather cause of spiritual joy and exultation remembring the words of my Lord and Master Mat. 5.11 12. Mat. 5.11 12. Blessed are yee when men revile and persecute you and say all manner of evill against you for my sake falsly rejoyce and be glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you I have according to your desire answered your several questions in writing I will not retort your uncharitable application of Scripture woes and threatnings against your self least I should become guilty with you of the same sin but rather with all meekness beseech you in the fear of God seriously to weigh and consider what I have said and the Lord give you a right understanding in all things 2 Tim. 2.7 There remains yet one conclusive question which you ask so peremptorily as if it were impossible to give you an answer and thus 't is Prefac'd Quest Thou sayst They must be learned men and brought up in Scholastick ways and by that means they must open the Scripture because thou sayst they were first given forth in Greek and Hebrew which you call the Original and therefore ignorant men cannot understand them But answer me this question Whether the Scriptures as they are written in English be true as Christ and the Apostles spake them forth and if they be true as they are in English what need any other Language be learned by an English man to know them Answ First what I have said is no other then a truth undenyable that the Scriptures were given forth in Hebrew and Greek which we doe truly call the Original And as by learned men they are translated so by learned men who understood both the Translation and the Original which are most fully and clearly understood As waters be more clear and pure in the Fountain then in the stream so the holy Scriptures are more clear and intelligible to them that see them in the Fountain and read them in the Original then to those who only can see and read them in the stream as they are derived unto them from the hands of the Translators And I must here tell you withall that it is
the Spirit of holiness gilding painting and setting out sinfulness and vice with the title shew and flourish of godliness and vertue thus covetousness on the one hand wears the painted mask and flourish of providence and good husbandry and prodigal profuseness on the other hand of nobleness and generosity Thus riot and excess drunkenness and gluttony carry the fair flourishing titles of bountifulness good fellowship and freedom of spirit Thus wantonness and uncleanness are painted over with the specious tearms of amorous kindeness and Courtship and pride and haughtiness of magnanimity greatness of spirit superiority of rank I might instance in most of sins and vices how men are inveigled and cousened into them by the Devil under the shews and false glosses of pretended vertues For full well that subtil Serpent knows that there is nothing so beautiful and comely nothing that hath so much power to win upon the hearts and affections of men as vertue and holiness and therefore in their habits and attire doth he dress his deformed strumpet vices puts them in colours and sends them forth under their names and titles and hence it comes to pass that the silly souls of men are so often cheated with the beautiful poyson of sinfulness whilst vicious dispositions undiscernibly insinuate themselves into our affections under the attire and dress of vertuous qualifications 2 Cor. 11.24 But thus the Devil transforms himself into an Angel of light whilst baiting his suggestions either with counterfeit vertues on the one hand or with false glosses of spiritual graces on the other he entraps the souls of men in the snares of sinfulness and error and leads them captivity captive to his pit destruction § 38 There are two Familiars whereby the Devil doth ordinarily work and lay his secret and subtil snares to catch cousen and delude our souls thus into sinfulness and error and these are either 1. the spirit of man or 2. the spirit of the world The dictates and workings of both which kinde of spirits being stirr'd and quickened by the evil spirit diametrally oppose the impressions and workings of the Spirit of truth First that the dictates of mans spirit the conceptions of natural sense and carnal reason with private resolutions thereupon do oppose the working of Gods Spirit our Saviour himself teacheth Matth. 16.17 Matth. 16.17 Flesh and bloud hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven So that flesh and bloud hath their Revelations that is private men have their opinions and conceits which oppose the truth that is revealed from heaven The same opposition of private resolution to holy inspiration doth St. Peter observe 2 Pet. 1. ult 2 Pet. 1. ult For prophesies of old time came not by the will of Man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost not as they were moved by their owne private will wit judgement reason and resolution but as they were moved by the holy Ghost Et haec ideo dicuntur c. Glos ord These things are therefore said by the Apostle that no man should presume to interpret the holy Scripture after his owne private minde or fancy as too often opposing and thwarting perverting and wresting the same and the meaning of the holy Ghost therein The Church of Christ hath in all ages been infested and in these last times more then ever with such kinde of persons who pretending to be holy men of God to have the gift of prophesie and interpretation of scripture even to speak by the holy Ghost and yet are led by their own ghost onely following their own private will and desires imaginations and opinions as their onely guide and dictator who pretend to the Spirit of God and yet will not admit at any hand of other spirit then their own of other truth then the vision of their own heads or of other directions then the motions of their own hearts rejecting renouncing and crying down all but what themselves call holy with the Donatists of old Quod volumus sanctum est that they will have to be holy right and true shall be so and nothing else 't is the very ground whereupon this last upstart crew of Quakers build all their resolutions and strange fanatick opinions and heresies even that which they call the light within us This say they is the onely Judge we must follow the Pilot we must steer by the voyce whereunto we must give ear the onely Sanctuary to which we must fly for resolution never remembring how this sanctuary is profan'd by continual acts of spiritual fornication or idolatry therein committed whilst in stead and even in opposition to God and Spirit of all truth they enshrine and idolize their owne fond vain and lying imaginations which the Lord by his Prophet calls the vanity and deceitfulnesse of their own heart Jer. 14.4 Jer. 14.14 The Lord said unto me the Prophets prophesie lies in my Name I have not sent them neither did I command them neither spake I unto them but they prophesie unto you a false vision and divination and vanity and the deceitfulnesse of their own heart But this delusion of mans own spirit following the deceitfull dictates of his own heart is seldome mentioned in holy scripture without heavy threats denounced both against such deluders and all that suffer themselves to be deluded by them as you may read in the following words And again Ezek. 13.3 Ezek. 13.3 Woe unto the foolish Prophets which follow their own spirit and have seen nothing nothing but what their own foolish spirit dictates to them Nor were there such under the Law onely but under the Gospel also They are noted by the Apostle Col. 2.18 Col. 2.18 Who intrude into those things which they have not seen or which they understand not being vainly puft up by their fleshly minde sensualitalis non rationis Gloss following the dictates of sense rather then of right reason and in this place the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is remarkable for even by that 't is easie to distinguish betwixt the dictates of a mans own carnal and sensual spirit and the impressions of Gods holy Spirit for the guidance of the minde The dictate of the fleshly spirit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inflatio a puffing up but the impression of the holy Spirit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afflatio an inspiration indeed but without inflation or puffing up The heavenly wind of Gods Spirit may fill but it never puffs up or swels the heart but rather humbles and abaseth the Spirit of man which is most conformable to the Spirit of Christ according to his own command Matt. 11.29 Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart the minde that is either puft up with pride vain-glory and false conceited excellency in it self or that swels with malice hatred or envy towards others is not inspired with the celestiall Breath or Spirit of
in the way but backward from the way of truth so 1 Joh. 4.8 We are of God speaking of himself and the rest of his fellow Apostles He that knoweth God heareth us acquiescendo doctrinae nostrae cleaves to our doctrine Lyra. and he that is not of God heareth us not neither is obedient to our word And hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error q. d. He that cleaves to our doctrine is guided by the Spirit of truth and he that doth not so by the spirit of error § 42 But the spirit of error will come with his scriptum est likewise as he did against our Lord himself Matth. 4. And all hereticks and schismaticks do generally alleadge scriptures wrest the very sayings of the Spirit of truth against himself to insinuate thereby their lyes and errors For as Tertullian observes of the writings of Ovid Virgil Homer both the matter of them hath been transferr'd unto other uses and the verses applyed to other matter Even so doe hereticks deal with the holy writings of inspired men De Praescr adv Haer. cap. 39. Nec periclitor dicere c. I fear not to say that the Scriptures were so disposed by the wisdome of God that they might accidentaliter and by the by even administer matter to Heresies since I read that heresies must come and without the Scriptures they cannot come For 't is in the production of heresies as of natural things Corruptio unius est generatio alterius the corruption of truth is the generation of herefie all hereticall opinions being generally grounded upon and following from the fountain of truth the Scripture not as they are in themselves rightly interpreted and understood but as they are wrested and perverted either in the words or in the sense either by additions or diminutions or by not considering them together but divided into parts and taken up by shreds and pieces for the avoyding whereof these following rules must be observed in the tryal of spirits by the Scriptures First try and examine by the coherence whether that be the very intent and aim of the holy Ghost in the text for the which it is urg'd and alleadged For the same words of the Spirit may be misapplyed both to other things and other persons then the Spirit ever meant or intended therein Secondly distinguish betwixt times ages persons when wherein and to whom this or that word was spoken For there are many things both said and recorded to be done in the Word which are onely agreeable to those times to that age of the Church and to some particular persons and are not at all applyable to the Church and people of Christ in these times or to any persons amongst us Thirdly examine diligently the phrase and manner of speech whether it be plain or metaphorical literal or allegorical a true history or a parable onely For many things are spoken in the Word by way of type figure allegory parable and the like which if we should apply in the plain and literall sense would prove strange monstrous lies and contradictions which God forbid any man should be so blasphemous as to impose on the Spirit of truth and wisdome Fourthly examine diligently what agreement every text of Scripture hath with other and receive not easily and sleightly the seeming sense of any text without comparing the same with its parallel texts For many things seem to be positively asserted in some places of the Word of God which yet are directly contradicted in others one place therefore is so to be compared with and interpreted by another that the one do not obscure or any way cloud the truth of the other Fifthly examine whether that which we conceive to be the sense of this or that Scripture be agreeable to those Articles of Christian faith contained in the Apostles Creed 2 Tim. 1.13 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or form of sound words in faith we must hold sast Jude v. 3. that modell of faith once given to the Saints for which we must contend and consequently receive no private sense or interpretation of Scripture that is contrary thereunto 2 Pet. 1.20 remembring that no Scripture is of any private interpretation 1 Cor. 14.32 but that even the spirits of the Prophets themselves are subject to the Prophets Sixtly examine what we conceive to be the sense of the Spirit in the Word by the rule of that Law written by the finger of God in two Tables of stone as a lasting square according to which to regulate all our actions and consequently all our conceptions and opinions from whence our actions flow The rule of obedience or that all perfect rule of Charity Rom. 13.10 which is the fulfilling of the Law is an infallible rule of tryal of the spirits whether they be of God or no Hereby saith the Apostle we are sure we know God if we keep his Commandements he that saith I know God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1 Joh. 2.34 1 Joh. 2.34 It is not the Spirit of truth but the spirit of errour if it oppose or deny or any way impede and hinder our obedience to the laws of God For saith the same Apostle again He that keepeth his Commandements dwelleth 1 Joh. 3.24 in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us even by that Spirit which he hath given us even by the spirit of obedience to the Commandements of God So that even from hence 't is clear that both to have the Spirit abiding in us and the way to know we have him also and not a false counterfeit lying spirit is if thereby we be mov'd and enabled to keep Gods Commandements This is the very rule our Saviour himself prescribes to examine his own doctrine thereby Joh. 7.17 Joh. 7.17 If any man wil doe his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my selfe And this is the first generall rule of tryal of the Spirits even the Word of God § 43 A second rule according to which to try the spirits whether they be of God or no is by the fruits of the Spirit and 't is the rule our Lord himself hath given us to know them by Matt. 7.15 Matt. 7.15 Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening wolves Beware of false Prophets for many such are gone out into the world who in respect of their exteriour dresse and outward appearance so plausible are their pretences so spirituall are their expressions so much of the language of the Spirit and scripture phrases flow from them that you would take them for the true sheep of Christ and undoubtedly to belong to his fold and yet for all this inwardly really and truely they are wolves in sheeps cloathing limbs of Satan deceiving and devouring the souls of