Call 833. concerning Protestants 611 721. Psalms Singing of Psalms 433. as commonly used is but a mock-worship 30 Q. Quakers i. e. Tremblers and why so called 356 698. they are not contemners of the Scriptures and what they think of them 296 301 335. nor of Reason and what they think of it 337 338. they do not say that all other Secondary means of Knowledge are of no Service 274. they do not compare themselves to Jesus Christ as they are falsly accused 334. Nor do they deny those things that are written in the Holy Scriptures concerning Christ his Conception 335. they were raised up of God to shew forth the Truth 330 331 355 356 their Doctrine of Justification is not Popish 365 369 381 387. they are not against Meditation 452. their Worship cannot be interrupted 454. and what they have suffered 453. how they vindicate Liberty of Conscience 528 529. they do not persecute others 530. their Adversaries confess that they are found for the most part free from the Abominations which abound among others yet they account those things Vices in them which in themselves they extol as notable Vertues and make more Noise about the Escape of one Quaker than of an hundred among themselves 532 533. they destroy not the mutual Relation that is betwixt Prince and People Master and Servant Father and Son nor do they introduce Community of Goods 533 534. nor say that one Man may not use the Creation more or less than another 533. In the Doctrine concerning the Ministry they defend themselves by the Arguments the Primitive Protestants used against the Papists of those Times 90. a Catalogue of Lies and Calumnies falsly alledged to be the Quakers Assertions 890 891. the Quakers Adversaries fasten Contradictions upon Christ himself 666 J. B's Doubts concerning the Time of the Author 's joining with the People called Quakers resolved 869. the Author's Education 612 678. his Burthen 707. Reflections cast upon him 719 880. the Liberty which the Quakers enjoy is by mercy not of their own procuring 530. see also 48 150 185. their General Assembly 234 235. their Ministry c. 438 448 474 6â8 678. their Sufferings 722. for not bearing Arms 562. their Adversaries Slanders and Accusations against them 566 568. J. B's Calumnies 760. ungodly Railings against them 793. 819 835 842 854 829 842 844. and false Charges 877 878. the Lord their Honour and Reward 698 R. Ranters The Blaspemy of the Ranters or Libertines saying That there is no difference betwixt Good and Evil 393 Reason What need we set up corrupt Reason 284. concerning Reason 290 337 Rebekkah 449 450 Reconciliation How Reconciliation with God is made 37O 373 Recreations see Plays Redemption is considered in a twofold respect first performed by Christ without us and secondly wrought in us 368 369. it is universal God gave his only begotten Son Jesus Christ for a Light that whosoever believeth in him may be saved 317 318 345 346. the benefit of his death is not less universal than the Seed of him 317. there is scarce found any article of the Christian Religion that is so expresly confirmed in the Holy Scriptures 321 322 323 324 325. this Doctrin was preached by the Fathers so called of the first 600. years and is proved by the sayings of some 326 327. those that since the time of the Reformation have affirmed it have not given a clear Testimony how that Benefit is communicated to all or have sufficiently taught the Truth because they have added the absolute Necessity of the outward knowledge of the History of Christ yea they have thereby given the contrary party a stronger Argument to defend their precise decree of Reprobation among whom were the Remonstrants of Holland 318 327 330. God hath now raised up a few Illiterate Men to be the dispensers of this Truth 330 331 355 356. this Doctrin sheweth forth the mercy and Justice of God 330 3341 30 341. it is the foundation of Salvation 331. it answers to the whole tenor of the Gospel-promises and threats 331. it exalts above all the Grace of God 331. it overturns the false Doctrin of the Pelagians and Semi-pelagians and others who exalt the light of nature and the freedom of Mans will 331. it makes the Salvation of Man solely to depend upon God and his Condemnation wholly and in every respect to be of himself 331. it takes away all ground of Despair and feeds none in security 331. it commends the Christian Religion among Infidels 332. it sheweth the wisdom of God 332. and it is established though not in words yet by deeds even by those Ministers that oppose this Doctrin 332. It derogates not from the Attonement and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ but doth magnify and exalt it 335. there is given to every one none excepted a certain day and time of Visitation in which it is possible for them to be saved 330 341 345. The Testimony of Cyril concerning this thing 344 345. it is explained what is understood and not understood by this Day 333. to some it may be longer to others shorter 333. many may outlive this Day of Visitation after which there is no possibility of Salvation to to them 333. Some examples are alledged the Objectionâ and those places of Scripture which others abuse to prove that God incites Men to sin are easily solved if they be applied to these Men after the Time of their Visitation is past 333 341 342 there is given to every one a measure of the Light Seed Grace and Word of God whereby they can be saved 330 341 345 352. which is also confirmed by the Testimonies of Cyril and others 347 349 351 352. what that Light is see Light many though Ignorant of the outward History yet have been sensible of the Loss that came by Adam which is confirmed by the Testimonies of Plato and others 361 362. many have known Christ within as a Remedy to Redeem them though not under that denomination witness Seneca Cicero and others 361 362. yet all are obliged to believe the outward History of Christ to whom God bringeth the Knowledg of it 335 Reformation wherein it is not placed 408 409. mechanick men have contributed much to it 431. what hath been pernicious to it 499. Regeneration those that have attained unto a perfect Regeneration cannot miss of Salvation 42 43. Regeneration is not wrought in an Instant 821. Relation see Quakers Religion The Christian Religion see Christianity how it is made odious to Jews Turks and Heathens 498. that any Religion is established by a National Law is no Argument that it ought not to be called in Question and brought to the Test 589. Indifferency and Lukewarmness in Religious matters highly displeasing to the Lord 681 Remonstrants of Holland see Arminians Redemption They deny absolute Reprobation 290. how we differ from them 339. they exalt too much the Natural Power and Free Will of Man and what they think of the Saving Light 354 355.
find none save the Dispensation of Truth now again revealed but such as in most of their substantial Principles differ greatly and in many Contradict grosly the plain Text and Tenour of the Scripture I confess there be certain Men in this Age who with some plausible Appearance of Reality undertake this Task These are they that join with and own not wholly any Imbodied People but while they pretend a general Love to all yet find fault with some part of every Sort while in the mean time they scarce can give any Account of their own Religion and most of them prove at bottom to have none at all These Men I say may perhaps acknowledge some general Truths and also hold to the Letter of the Scripture in some other things so as thereby to take Occasion largely to judge others while themselves offer not to bring these good things to practice they blame others for the Want or Neglect of But such an Enterprize from these Men will not when weighed prove a fulfilling of this Matter Seeing it is not enough to acknowledge many Truths but also to deny and witness against all Error and likewise not to fall short of any Truth which ought to be acknowledged Whereas these sort of Men for the most part cannot give account of their Faith in many things needful to be believed and whatever things they may acknowledge to be true they Err most grievously and Contradict a Truth most needful to be minded and answered as is proved hereto in that they stand not forth to appear for any of these Discoveries they pretend they have but make a shift to hide their Heads in Times of Trial Pretenders hide their Heads in time of Trial. so as not to suffer for nor with any And through these fine Pretences above-mentioned through their Scruples of joining with any they can cunningly shun the Difficulties of Persecutions that attend the particular Sects of Christians yet by their general Charity and Love to all claim a share in any Benefits or Advantages that accrew to one and all Such then cannot honestly lay claim to justifie their Principles and Practices from the Scriptures But I leave these Straglers in Religion and come again to the divers Sects To begin with these that are most numerous I think I need not say much to the Papists in this Case for they do not so much as pretend to prove all their Dogma's by the Scriptures sith it is one of their chief Doctrines That Tradition may Authorize Doctrines without any Authority of Scriptures Papistical Dogma's Traditions and Councils Yea the Council of Constance hath made bold to Command things to be believed Non obstante Scripturâ i. e. Though the Scriptures say the contrary And indeed it were their great Folly to pretend to prove their Doctrines by Scripture seeing the Adoration of Saints and Images Purgatory and Prayer for the Dead the Precedency of the Bishop of Rome the Matter of Indulgencies with much more Stuff of that kind hath not the least Shadow of Scripture for it Socinians Pretences contrary to Scriptures Among Protestants I know the Socinians are great Pretenders to the Scriptures and in Words as much exalt them as any other People and yet its strange to see how that not only in many things they are not agreeable to them but in some of their chief Principles quite contrary unto it as in their Denying the Divinity of Christ which is as expresly mentioned as any thing can be And the Word was God John 1. As also in Denying his Being from the Beginning against the very Tenour of that of John 1. and divers others as at large is shewn in the Third Chapter of this Treatise Divers other things as to them might be mentioned but this may suffice to stop their Boasting in this Matter The Arminians are not more successful in their Denying the Doctrine of Absolute Reprobation Arminians Denials do center amiss and in Asserting the Vniversal Extent of Christ's Death for all than they are short in not placing this Salvation in that Spiritual Light wherewith Man is enlightned by Christ but wrongously ascribing a part of that to the Natural Will and Capacity which is due alone to the Grace and Power of God by which the Work is both begun carried on and accomplished And herein they Pelagians the like as well as both the Socinians and Pelagians though they do well in Condemning their Errors yet they miss in setting up another and not the Truth in place thereof and in that respect are justly proved by such Scriptures as their Adversaries who otherwise are as far wrong as they bring against them in shewing the Depravity of Man's Will by Nature and his Incapacity to do any Good but as assisted by the Grace of God so to do On the other hand its strange to observe how many Protestants the first Article of whose Confession of Faith is to assert the Scripture to be the Only Rule should deny the Vniversal Extent of Christ's Death contrary to the express words of Scripture which saith He tasted Death for every man or the Vniversality of Grace and a sufficient Principle which the Scriptures assert in as many positive Words as except we may suppose the Pen-men intended another thing than they spake it was possible to do viz A Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal The Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared unto all men and many more before-mentioned The like may be said of their denying the Perfection of the Saints and asserting the Impossibility of any falling away from real Beginnings of true and saving Grace contrary to so many express Scriptures as are heretofore adduced in their proper place But to give all that desire to be undeceived a more full Opportunity to observe how the Devil has abused many pretending to be Wise in making them cloak with a Pretence of Scripture false and pernicious Doctrines I shall take a few of many Instances out of the Confession of Faith and Catechism made by the Divines at Westminster so called because the same is not only most universally received and believed by the People of Britain and Ireland but also containeth upon the Matter the Faith of the French Churches and of most others both in the Nether-lands and elsewhere that it may appear what wild Consequences these Men have sought both contrary to the naked Import of the Words and to all Common Sense and Reason to cover some of their Erroneous Principles CHAP. XVIII A Short Examination of some of the Scripture-Proofs alledged by the Divines at Westminster to prove divers Articles in their Confession of Faith and Catechism IT is not in the least my Design in this Chapter to offer so large and Examination of any of their Articles as might be done nor yet of so many as are very obvious but only of two or three to give the Reader a Taste of them
themseves when-as the Cause and Ground for which they were commanded is removed As there is no need now for the Decision about Circumcision seeing there are none Contend for it neither as to the Orders concerning Things Offered to Idols seeing there is now no such Occasion yet who will say that the Command enjoin'd in the same place Acts 15.20 To abstain from Fornication is now made void seeing there is daily need for its standing in force because it yet remains as a Temptation man is incident to We confess indeed we are against such as from the bare Letter of the Scripture though if it were seasonable now to debate it we find but few to deal with whose Practices are so exactly squared seek to uphold Customs Forms or Shadows when the Vse for which they were appointed is removed or the Substance it self known and witnessed as we have sufficiently elsewhere answered our Opposers in the Case of Water-Baptism and Bread and Wine c. so that the Objection as to that doth not hold and the Difference is very wide in respect of such Things the very Nature and Substance of which can never be dispensed with by the People of God so long as they are in this World yea without which they could not be his People For the Doctrines and Fundamental Principles of the Christian Faith we own and believe originally and principally because they are the Truths of God whereunto the Spirit of God in our Hearts hath constrained our Understandings to obey and submit In the second place we are greatly Confirmed The Joint-Testimony of the Apostles c. to the Truths of God in our Hearts Strengthned and Comforted in the Joint-Testimony of our Brethren the Apostles and Disciples of Christ who by the Revelation of the same Spirit in the Days of old believed and have left upon Record the same Truths so we having the same Spirit of Faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore we speak And we deny not but some that from the Letter have had the Notion of these Things have thereby in the Mercy of God received Occasion to have them Revealed in the Life for we freely acknowledge though often calumniated to the contrary that Whatsoever Things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures may have Hope So then I hope if the Spirit of God lead me now unto that which is good profitable yea and absolutely needful in order to the keeping my Conscience clear and void of Offence towards God and Man none will be so unreasonable as to say I ought not to do it because it is according to the Scriptures Nor do I think it will savour ill among any serious solid Christians for me to be the more confirmed and perswaded that I am led to this Thing by the Spirit that I find it in it self good and useful and that upon the like Occasions Christ Commanded it and the Apostles and Primitive Christians practised and recommended it Now seeing it is so that we can boldly say with a good Conscience in the Sight of God that the same Spirit which leads us to believe the Doctrines and Principles of the Truth and to hold and maintain them again after the Apostacy in their primitive and ancient Purity as they were delivered by the Apostles of Christ in the Holy Scriptures I say that the same Spirit doth now lead us into the like holy Order and Government to be exercised among us as it was among them being now the like Occasion and Opportunity ministred to us therefore what can any Christianly or Rationally object against it For that there is a Real Cause for it the thing it self speaketh A Real Cause for the same Order and that it was the Practice of the Saints and Church of old is undeniable what kind of Ground then can any such Opposers have being such as scrupling at this do notwithstanding acknowledge our Principle that this were done by Imposition or Imitation more than the Belief of the Doctrines and Principles seeing as it is needful to use all Diligence to Convince and Perswade People of the Truth and bring them to the Belief of it which yet we cannot do but as Truth moves and draws in their Hearts it is also no less needful when a People is gathered to keep and preserve them in Vnity and Love as becomes the Church of Christ and to be careful as saith the Apostle That all things be done decently and in Order and that all that is wrong be removed according to the Method of the Gospel and the good cherished and encouraged So that we conclude and that upon very good Grounds That there ought now as well as heretofore to be Order and Government in the Church of Christ. Head III. That which now cometh to be examined in the Third place is First What is the Order and Government we plead for Secondly In what Cases and how far it may extend and in whom the Power Decisive is Thirdly How it differeth and is wholly another than the oppressive and persecuting Principality of the Church of Rome and other Antichristian Assemblies SECTION IV. Of the Order and Government which we plead for IT will be needful then before I proceed to describe the Order and Government of the Church to consider what is or may be properly understood by the Church for some as I touched before seem to be offended or at least afraid of the very Word because The Power of the CHVRCH The Order of the Church The Judgment of the Church and such like Pretences have been the great Weapons wherewith Antichrist and the Apostate Christians have been these many Generations persecuting the Woman and warring against the Man-child And indeed great Disputes have been among the Learned Rabbies in the Apostacy concerning this CHVRCH what it is or what may be so accounted Which I find not my place at present to dive much in but shall only give the true Sense of it according to Truth and the Scriptures plain Testimony What the word Church signifies properly The word CHVRCH in it self and as used in the Scriptures is no other but a Gathering Company or Assembly of certain People called or gathered together for so the Greek Word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies which is that the Translators render Church which word is derived from the Verb ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã i. e. Evoco I call out of from the Root ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Voco I Call Now though the English word CHVRCH be only taken in such a Sense as People are gathered together upon a Religious Account yet the Greek word that is so rendered is taken in general for every Gathering or Meeting together of People and therefore where it is said The Town-Clark of the Ephesians dismissed the Tumult that was gathered there together the same Greek word ãâã ãâã
be Observed that these were the Jews of Beroea to Answ. 2 whom these Scriptures which were the Law and the Prophets were more particularly a Rule and the thing under the Examination was The Beroeans searching the Scriptures makes them not the Only Rule to Try Doctrines Whether the Birth Life Works and Sufferings of Christ did answer to the Prophecies that went before of him so that it was most proper for them being Jews to Examine the Apostles Doctrine by the Scriptures seeing he pleaded it to be a Fulfilling of them It is said nevertheless in the first place That they received the Word with Chearfulness and in the second place They searched the Scriptures not that they searched the Scriptures and then Received the Word for then could not they have prevailed to Convert them had they not first minded the Word abiding in them which opened their Vnderstandings no more than the Scribes and Pharisees who as in the former Objection we observed searched the Scriptures and exalted them and yet remained in their Vnbelief because they had not the Word abiding in them But Lastly If this Commendation of the Jewish Boereans might Infer that the Scriptures were the only and principal Rule to Try the Apostles Answ. 3 Doctrine by what should have become of the Gentiles How should they ever come to have Received the Faith of Christ who neither knew the Scriptures nor believed them We see in the end of the same Chapter how the Apostle preaching to the Athenians took another Method The Athenians Instanced and directed them to somewhat of God within themselves that they might feel after him He did not first go about to Proselyte them to the Jewish Religion and to the Belief of the Law and the Prophets and from thence to prove the Coming of Christ Nay he took a nearer Way Now certainly the principal and only Rule is not different One to the Jews and another to the Gentiles but is Vniversal reaching both though Secondary and Subordinate Rules and Means may be various and diversly suted according as the People they are used to are stated and circumstantiated Even so we see that the Apostle to the Athenians used a Testimony of one of their own Poets which he judged would have Credit with them and no doubt such Testimonies whose Authors they Esteemed had more Weight with them than all the Sayings of Moses and the Prophets whom they neither knew nor would have cared for Now because the Apostle used the Testimony of a Poet to the Athenians will it therefore follow he made that the Principal or Only Rule to Try his Doctrine by So neither will it follow that though he made use of the Scriptures to the Jews as being a Principle already believed by them to Try his Doctrine that from thence the Scriptures may be accounted the Principal or Only Rule § IX The last and which at first view seems to be the greatest Objection is this Object 4 If the Scripture be not the Adequate Principal and Only Rule then it would follow that the Scripture is not Compleat nor the Canon filled that if men be now immediately led and ruled by the Spirit they may add New Scriptures of equal Authority with the Old whereas every one that Adds is Cursed yea what Assurance have we but that at this rate every one may bring-in a New Gospel according to his Fancy Answ. The dangerous Consequences Insinuated in this Objection were fully Answered in the latter part of the last Proposition in what was said a little before offering freely to Disclaim all pretended Revelations Contrary to the Scriptures Object 1 But if it be urged That it is not enough to deny these Consequences if they naturally follow from your Doctrine of Immediate Revelation and denying the Scripture to be the Only Rule I Answer We have proved both these Doctrines to be True and Necessary Answ. 1 according to the Scriptures themselves and therefore to fasten Evil Consequences upon them which we make appear do not follow is not to Accuse us but Christ and his Apostles who preached them But secondly we have shut the door upon all such Doctrine in this very Answ. 2 Position Affirming That the Scriptures give a Full and Ample Testimony to all the Principal Doctrines of the Christian Faith For we do firmly believe that there is no other Gospel or Doctrine to be preached but that which was delivered by the Apostles and do freely subscribe to that saying Let him that preacheth any other Gospel than that which hath been already preach'd by the Apostles Gal. 1.8 according to the Scriptures be accursed A New Revelation is not a New Gospel So we distinguish betwixt a Revelation of a New Gospel and New Doctrines and a New Revelation of the good old Gospel and Doctrines the last we plead for but the first we utterly deny For we firmly believe That no other Foundation can any man lay than that which is laid already But that this Revelation is necessary we have already proved and this Distinction doth sufficiently guard us against the hazzard insinuated in the Objection Books Canonical As to the Scriptures being a filled Canon I see no necessity of believing it and if these men that believe the Scripture to be the Only Rule will be consistent to their own Doctrine they must needs be of my Judgment seeing it is simply Impossible to prove the Canon by the Scriptures For it cannot be found in any Book of the Scripture that these Books and just these and no other are Canonical as all are forced to acknowledge How can they then Evite this Argument That which cannot be proved by Scripture is no Necessary Article of Faith But The Canon of the Scripture to wit that there are so many Books precisely neither more nor less cannot be proved by Scripture Therefore It is no Necessary Article of Faith Object 2 If they should Alledge That the Admitting of any other Books to be now written by the same Spirit might infer the Admission of New Doctrines I deny that Consequence for the Principal or Fundamental Doctrines of the Christian Religion are contained in the Tenth Part of the Scripture but it will not follow thence that the Rest are Impertinent or Vseless If it should please God to bring to us any of these Books which by the Injury of Time are lost which are mentioned in the Scripture as The Prophecy of Enoch The Book of Nathan Books lost c. or The Third Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians I see no Reason why we might not Receive them and place them with the rest That which displeaseth me is that men should first affirm That the Scripture is the Only Principal Rule And yet make a great Article of Faith of that which the Scripture can give us no Light in As for Instance How shall a Protestant prove by Scripture to such as deny the Epistle of James to be
Authentick that it ought to be Received First If he should say Because it Contradicts not the Rest besides that there is no mention made of it in any of the Rest perhaps these men think it doth Contradict Paul in relation to Faith and Works Whether the Epistle of James be Authentick and how to know it But if that should be granted it would as well follow that Every Writer that Contradicts not the Scripture should be put into the Canon and by this means these men fall into a greater Absurdity than they fix upon us For thus they would Equal every one the Writings of their own Sect with the Scriptures for I suppose they judge their own Confession of Faith doth not Contradict the Scriptures Will it therefore follow that it should be bound up with the Bible And yet it seems impossible according to their Principles to bring any better Aagument to prove the Epistle of James to be Authentick There is then this Vnavoidable Necessity to say We know it by the same Spirit from which it was written or otherwise to step back to Rome and say We know by Tradition that the Church hath declared it to be Canonical and the Church is Infallible Let them find a Mids if they can So that out of this Objection we shall draw an Vnanswerable Argument ad hominem to our purpose That which cannot Assure me concerning an Article of Faith necessary to be believed is not the Primary Adequate Only Rule of Faith But The Scripture cannot thus Assure me Therefore c. I prove the Assumption thus That which cannot Assure me concerning the Canon of the Scripture to wit that such Books are only to be Admitted and the Apocrypha to be Excluded Cannot Assure me of this Therefore c And lastly As to these words Rev. 22.18 that If any man shall add Object 3 unto these things God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in this Book I desire they will shew me Answ. how it relates to any thing else than to that Particular Prophecy It saith not Now the Canon of the Scripture is filled up no man is to write more from that Spirit Yea do not all Confess What it means to Add to the Scriptures that there have been Prophecies and true Prophets since The Papists deny it not And do not the Protestants affirm that John Huss prophesied of the Reformation Was he therefore Cursed or did he therein Evil I could give many other Examples Confessed by themselves But moreover the same was in Effect Commanded long before Prov. 30.6 Add thou not unto his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a liar Yet how many Books of the Prophets were written after And the same was said by Moses Deut. 4.2 Ye shall not Add unto the Word which I command you neither shall ye Diminish ought from it So that though we should extend that of the Revelations beyond the particular Prophecy of that Book it cannot be understood but of a New Gospel or New Doctrines or of Restraining Prop. 4 man's Spirit that he mix not his Humane Words with the Divine and not of a New Revelation of the Old as we have said before PROPOSITION IV. Concerning the Condition of Man in the Fall All Adam's Posterity or Mankind both Jews and Gentiles as to the first Adam or Earthly Man is fallen degenerated and dead deprived of the sensation or feeling of this Inward Testimony Rom. 5.12 15. or Seed of God and is subject unto the Power Nature and Seed of the Serpent which he soweth in mens hearts while they abide in this Natural and Corrupted Estate from whence it comes that not only their Words and Deeds but all their Imaginations are Evil perpetually in the sight of God as proceeding from this depraved and wicked Seed Man therefore as he is in this State can know nothing aright yea his Thoughts and Conceptions concerning God and things Spiritual until he be dis-joined from this Evil Seed and united to the Divine Light are Unprofitable both to himself and others Hence are Rejected the Socinian and Pelagian Errors in the Exalting a Natural Light as also the Papists and most of Protestants who Affirm That man without the true Grace of God may be a True Minister of the Gospel Nevertheless this Seed is not imputed to Infants until by Transgression they actually join themselves therewith for they are by Nature the Children of Wrath who walk according to the Power of the Prince of the Air Ephes. 2. and the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience having their Conversation in the Lusts of the Flesh fulfilling the desires of the Flesh and of the Mind § I. HItherto we have Discoursed how the True Knowledge of God is Attained and Preserved also of what Vse and Service the Holy Scripture is to the Saints We come now to Examine The State and Condition of Man as he stands in the Fall what his Capacity and Power is and how far he is able as of himself to Advance in relation to the things of God Of this we touch'd a little in the beginning of the Second Proposition but the full right and through Understanding of it is of great Vse and Service because from the Ignorance and Altercations that have been about it there have arisen great and dangerous Errors both on the one hand and the other While some do so far Exalt the Light of Nature or the Faculty of the Natural man as Capable of himself by vertue of the Inward Will Faculty Light or Power that pertains to his Nature to follow that which is good and make real progress towards Heaven And of these are the Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians of old and of late the Socinians and divers others among the Papists Others again will needs run into another Extream to whom Augustine among the Ancients first made way in his Declining Age Augustine 's Zeal against Pelagius through the heat of his zeal against Pelagius not only Confessing men Vncapable of themselves to do good and prone to evil but that in his very Mother's Womb and before he Commits any Actual Transgression he is Contaminate with a Real Guilt whereby he deserves Eternal Death in which respect they are not afraid to Affirm That many poor Infants are Eternally Damned and for ever endure the Torments of Hell Therefore the God of Truth having now again Revealed his Truth that good and even Way by his own Spirit hath taught us to avoid both these Extreams That then which our Proposition leads to Treat of is Part I First What the Condition of Man is in the Fall and how far Vncapable to meddle in the Things of God And Secondly That God doth not impute this Evil to Infants until Part II they Actually join with it That so by Establishing the Truth we may overturn the Errors on both parts And as for that Third thing Included in the Proposition it self concerning Part III
Profitableness of our Publick Meetings 460. not to be neglected 461. silent waiting in Meetings proved from Scripture and Reason ibid. private Meetings in Time of Persecution not Justifiable 530 J. M. his Answer to a Jesuite 611 Merit see Justification â the Merit and Reward of Works 386 387 Metaphysicks 424 Meum Tuum the Case of Meum and Tuum 2â8 Minister of the Gospel It is not found in Scripture if any be called 299 416 417. Teachers are not to go before the Teaching of the Spirit 304. the Popish and Protestant Errors concerning the Grace of a Minister are rejected 310 315. they are given for the Perfection of the Saints c. 391. concerning their Call and wherein it is placed 403 407 416. Qualities 403 416 424. Orders and Distinction of Laity and Clergy 428 430 433. of separating Men for their Ministry 425 426. Concerning the Sustentation and Maintenance of Ministers and their Abuse of the Idleness Riot and Cruelty of Ministers 431 437. what kind of Ministry and Ministers the Quakers are for and what sort their Adversaries are for 438 439 442 443 â the Properties of a true Call 831 832. what Evidence the first Publishers of Truth 's Testimony in this Age gave in their Ministry 190. and with what Courage they preached ibid. what Opposition they met withal 191. nothing now in this kind but what hath been the Lot of God's Witnesses in Ancient Times ibid. the Ministration of the Gospel is a Ministration of Life and Grace 656. False Ministers preach from their Study and Books 28. true Ministers Call is not of Man 36 90 91 658. their Ministry its Tendency 37 91. Christ gave some Apostles some Prophets c. 89. what kind of Men the Ministers ought to be and their Duty c. 139 144 167 168. the End of the Ministry the Saints mutual Comfort 304. what renders the Work of the Ministry useless 391 392. the powerful Ministry of Illiterate Men 426. Ministers of the Gospel and of the Law and Shadows differ 654. the Lame and Blind no legal Ministers 655. the Students Graceless Ministry Judas its Patron ibid. Holiness required in a Preacher ibid. the Work of the Ministry is not limited to outward Ordination and Literature 703. see Priests whether Natural Sciences are necessary to the Ministry 834. the fore-runner of the Downfal of a Man-made Ministry 885. Minister of the Law there was no doubtfulness concerning them under the Law 409 420 421. their Ministry was not purely Spiritual and while they performed it they behoved to be purified from their outward Pollutions as now those under the Gospel from their Inward 408 409 420 421. see Maintenance Preaching Miracles whether they be needful to those who place their Faith in Objective Revelation 278 279 416. â J. Calvin asserts there is no need of them 37. or to prove a True Call 90. those of the Apostles were wrought by the Power of Christ in them 385. the Unbelieving Jews believed them not â24 the preaching of sound Doctrine with an Holy Life is a better Evidence of a true Prophet than all outward Miracles ibid. we need no outward Miracles to believe the Scriptures 903. Monasteries to be shut up in Cloisters and Monasteries is not the true Mortification and Abstraction from the Love and Cares of the World 535. Monks and Fryars demure Deportment Hair-cloth and Vows c. 27. Moses 361 456 458 475 494. â Moses's and Christ's Deliverance compared 52. Motions wicked Men neglect the Motions of the Spirit to ârayer 472. Motions to Worship are previous in order of Nature 635. false Motions denied 836. J. B. is for praying without the Spirit 's Motion 843. he calls the Movings of the Power of God upon the Quakers Devilry 844. J. B Instanceth unusual Motions of his own party 844 845 Munster see Anabaptists their mischievous actings 288 Murmurer the Truth shuts him out 198 Musick 473 Mystery of Iniquity 428 492 Mysticks a certain sort of Mysticks among the Papists 458 459. N Name of the Lord 486.488 To anoint in the Name of the Lord 512. Nature The Book of Nature cannot discover all things neccessary to Salvation 631. see Socinians The Lamb's Nature not to be found in most Christians but the Doggish and Wolfish Nature doth prevail 709. The Corrupt Nature in the fall distinguisht from the Divine Nature by which the Gentiles did the things contained in the Law 12. Naylor James 876. his Repentance 84 630. Nero 521 665. Noahs faith had neither the Scripture nor the Prophecy of those going before him 358. It is said of him that he was a perfect Man 394. Number of using the singular Number to one Person 539.540 To Thee and Thou a single Person says I. B. is blunt and rude 874.875 O. Oath That it is not lawful to swear 533.551 to 556.565 concerning Oaths 870 873. Obedience No Man's Obedience to any Command will avail him any thing unless upon inward belief and conviction that the thing Commanded is of God 738. is better than Sacrifice 300. Object of Faith see Faith Office What is meant by an Office in the Church 837. Officers 836. see Elders Ordinances sealing Ordinances 476. Ordination The best primitive Protestants had no lawful Ordination at all and therefore could not convey any to others after them whether Protestants or others 648.660 Original sin a term not found in Scripture 40. Original sin a Popish Tradition 93. Zwinglius condemned in the Council of Trent for his notion of Original Sin 93. Oyl To annoint with Oyl 493 511 513. P Pagans 64 Papists the Rule of their Faith 289. they are forced ultimately to recur unto the immediate and inward Revelations of the Holy Spirit 293. What difference there is betwixt the cursed deeds of those at Munster and theirs 288 290. They have taken away the second Commandment in their Catechism 3O2 they make Philosophy the Hand-Maid of Divinity 305. They exalt too much the natural Power and what they think of the saving Light 354. Their Doctrine concerning Justification is greatly vitiate 366. Concerning their manners and ceremonies 405.406 Their literature and studies 422. Of the modern Apostles and Evangelists 430. Whom they exclude from the Ministry 431.432 They must be sure of so much a year before they preach 433. They do not labour 437. The more moderate and sober of them exclaim against the excessive Revenues of the Clergy 435. Their worship can easily be stopped 454.455 Albeit they say None are saved without Water-Baptism yet they allow an Exception 289. Of Baptism 492. Of the Flesh and Blood of Christ 497 498. Of an Oath 550. The Maxim among the Papists Extra Ecclesiam nulla Salus in some sense true but as it is understood by them generally it destroys Love and Charity 688. Papists pretended charity see Armenian Parable of the Talents 344.349 Of the Vineyard entrusted 335. of the Sower 348 349 of the Tares 519 Paschal Lamb the end thereof 500. Patriarchs 496 501. Peace
as a Foundation of which Christ the VVord was the Corner-stone succeeding Believers were to be built And I challenge all the Disaffected Societies and Forms without Distinction or these Vniversalists I am upon to shew any other manner of God's Appearing to Men in any Age or that in the same Age or by the Primitive or first Instruments of such Appearance there was a Change of Dispensation or a Justifiable Declension from what they testified of and were the Instruments to gather and settle People in so that to Conclude Vniversal Love is a blessed Truth but with the Degrees Limitations and Distinctions that the Spirit of God sets and gives us whose Fruit it is and unto which we shall do well to take heed Gal. 5.22 that we at all times Love truly and rightly not too little nor too much but Consider the Object and Motive of our Love and we cannot fail in that great Duty of Love to all This Treatise of Vniversal Love is followed by another styled An Epistle of Love published at the End of the same Year Writ and sent by our Author as A Friendly Advice to the Ambassadours of the Several Princes of Europe met at Nimmegen to Consult of the Peace of Christendom shewing the True Cause of War and proposing the best Means of Peace To each of whom also was given one of his Apologies which were all received with Respect This Epistle has Edification in it to our present Times The Original Cause of VVar is not hard to Assign the Apostle James has told it us long ago He asks and Answers the Question thus From whence come Wars and Fightings among you Jam. 1.1 Come they not hence even from your Lusts that War in your Members It is what every one feels in himself that has not Overcome those Lusts or whose Consciences are not seared with an hot Iron though it is also what very few make their due Reflections upon else we should hear of less Blood and Misery But if Lust be the Ground of War what is become of the Doctrine of Christianity among those supposed Christians and what are they that shew a Pleasure in the Accounts of the bloodiest Battles Can a Christian of Christ's making look upon the Blood of Men or hear of it without horror and distress of Spirit Less surely can they shed it or encourage those that have a Delight or Part in that Man-slaying Work But how low and grosly are some Professed Christians fallen from the Nature of true Religion and the purity and Power of the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints through Sufferings by them to us Jud. 3. that hang their Religion and Gospel upon their Swords and Guns and pin it upon an Arm of Flesh as if the Gospel could be Overcome of that which cannot Touch it But how I pray did the Primitive Christians maintain their Ground yea grew upon their Adversaries Poor Naked Men and not of the greatest Quality or Capacity and finally Vanquish Cruelty it self but by Faith and Patience Hebr. 11.33 42. Thus they Converted Executioners Overcame Emperours and Armies and by a Successive Course of Meek and Suffering Integrity turned the Edge of the Sword quenched the Flames of Fire with their own Blood not the Blood of their Enemies and finally this Holy Constancy translated them from the Theatre of Slaughter to the Palaces and Diadems of Princes This brings to my Remembrance a Passage our Author has in this Book to this Effect That there is nothing a Greater Tarnish and Withering to the Protestant Cause than the Professors of it betaking themselves and that early to Earthly Powers and Weapons to preserve and promote it which are not the Weapons of the Apostolical Warfare and Inconsistant with the Nature Power and Glory of Christ's Kingdom For the Preservation of the Protestant Religion stands in a Spirit of true Reformation as well in Life as Doctrine as plainly decayed if not lost and it is to be feared for that Reason that God will blow upon all other Ways of supporting it especially such as we thought a Fault in our Enemies in Wordly Arts and Force If we would be Zealous to purpose for the Protestant Cause let us look to God and not Man Examine our selves Try our selves 2 Cor. 13.5 Luke 15.8 9. see what is wanting in us both to God and Man Let us Return Home Light our own Candle and sweep our own House and we shall find the Silver we have lost the Zeal Power and Purity of Soul that make our Worship acceptable our Prayers prevalent our Lives Blameless and an Ornament to Religion This Faith this Holiness this Reformation is the Cause of God and the rest is our own though we Gild the Pill flatter our selves and deceive others This Spirit of Reformation knows no Man no People no Church after the Flesh This goes on Overturning Overturning all Will-worship Man-made Faiths Humane Inventions and Traditions of Men about Religion till he Reigns in the Soul whose Right it is to Rule It is an Holy Leaven O Reader that leavens the whole Lump into its own Nature and makes fallen Matt. 13.33 2 Pet. 1.4 degenerate earthly-minded Man that receives it a Partaker of the Divine Nature This the earliest and purest Protestants aimed at Heb. 11. that had their Eye to an Eternal Country the City whose Builder and Maker is God Free of Humane Considerations and the Mixture of Worldly Interests and Advantages And to Evidence the Truth of what I say Read the Accounts that the Faithfullest Writers of those Times have obliged us with and you shall Taste the same thing even among the Martyrs themselves where the Country and Mechanical People those of least Account out-do those of Title Learning and Preferment among Church-men themselves as to the Life and Purity of Reformation and Zeal and Courage for it as occasion offered to shew both Wherefore O ye Protestants of all sorts Return Return Return to your First Love and Works before it be too late Hos. 12.6 Rev. 2.5 Joel 2. Zach. 1.3 Rend your Hearts and not your Garments and turn to the Lord your God you have but a little Time and a great Account to give Think not to be long safe from your Enemies without while you Entertain your greatest Enemy within in despight of God his Spirit and Scripture and your own Pretensions to Reformation While you have so many Sins on your Enemy's Side to fight against you they will ever have Power to Vex you if not to Destroy you And if in some Evils your Enemies Exceed yet in Moral Ones you are not a Jot behind them And Remember they have their Beads but you have your Bibles in your Hands when you Transgress God Almighty make you sensible with True and Godly Sorrow a Repentance never to be repented of that you may Overcome your Enemies by your Faith 2 Cor. 7.9 10. Prayers and Love and by the Power of your Example Recommend your Religion
not another Truth than is therein Mentioned But this Reader will not do I must ask Questions too What is Revealed to thee by them Thou Readest of God of Christ of the Spirit and hast framed an Image or Idea of them in thy mind but is that Revelation Revelation in Religion is Knowledge Experience thy own Sight and Sense that of which thou art a true Witness Mind me I beseech thee Regeneration is the great Work of Religion yea Religion true Christian Religion is Regeneration as I before hinted for it is the very End of Christ's Coming we cannot be Saved without it Nay it is called that very Salvation Hear the Apostle But after the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour appeared Tit. 3.4 5 6. not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he Saved us by the Washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Now so far is God Revealed to thee and art thou truly Religious as thou art Born again Washed and Renewed by the Regenerating Spirit of God and no further If the Scripture were all the Revelation needful the Wicked Jews must have known it as well as the Believing Jews because they could read them and had as good or better Natural Capacities to take the Grammatical and Literal Sense of what they Deliver But they were so far from understanding Christ and his Doctrine though he did Wonders and spake as we Read among them that Christ both tells us they were Blind and Solemnly Thanks his Father that he had hid those Secrets from the Wise and Prudent of that Day and Revealed them unto Babes Mat. 11.25 And to this Christ himself beareth Testimony when he saith That No Man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son Revealeth him Luk. 10.22 And as the Son Reveals the Father so the Father must bear Witness Reveal and Draw to the Son Joh. 5.37 or Men cannot come to him that Opens and Reveals the Father Thus in that notable Saying of Christ to Peter when asking him But who sayest thou that I am and he Answering Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God he replyed upon him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona Matt. 16.17 Flesh and Blood hath not Revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven So that though Peter both heard and saw abundance of what Christ said and did it was needful to such a Confession that God should give a further Revelation of his Son And if Peter wanted under all the Advantages he had above us this Revelation can we hope to know him without it O no Reader As he knew him thou must know him For none cometh to the Son but whom the Father draweth O mind these Drawings in thy own Soul Joh. 6.44 And how does the Father draw Few Alass trouble themselves to weigh these Matters and yet they must be Christians for all that But what say the Schools the Criticks and Learned upon these things Why they search their Books study and beat their Brains and Imagine the Meaning Some say it is by the Scripture but that won't do for that says no such thing On the Contrary that the Father Reveals the Son and Draws to him and the Son Reveals the Father and not the Scripture that tells us so which is neither the Father nor the Son Nor indeed is it Comprehensible how the Father should Reveal the Son by Scripture and the Son the Father for so the Scripture would Reveal both which is the Reciprocal Work of the Father and Son And were it so Caiphas would have known Christ as well as Peter and the Wicked would know both the Father and the Son as well as the Good because the Scriptures are as much in their Power Which is Absurd and Impossible But others more Refined say It is by the Spirit opening the Scripture As indeed the First Reformers and all those that have been pushing on a further Reformation ever since have spoken and have founded their Belief of the Divine Authority of the Scripture upon the Testimony and Revelation of the Spirit in them These come near But then what is this Spirit how dost thou know it its Manifestations Revelations and Operations and by what Tokens is it to be Known and Discerned This is a Question not to be Answered but by an Experienced Man for the Spirit of God Reveals not the deep things of God to the Carnal and Disobedient Man Many are the Degrees Steps and Lessons of this Holy Spirit of God in and to Man as Man receives it and obeys it and daily inclines to Learn the Lesson it teaches I may tell thee Reader and I am not far from the Matter that this great Work is as Mechanicks and Chymists speak a Manual Operation a spiritual Labour and Travel Work out your own Salvation Phil. 2.12 13. saith the Apostle with Fear and Trembling by whom by him by whom all things were made of old and that maketh all things new Jo. 1.3 4. even Christ the Word in whom is Life and that Life is the Light of Men. It is this Sort of Revelation we Contend for not that of particular Persons or things past or to come which refer not Immediately to the Knowledge and Work of God in Man by which God makes himself savingly known to Men. That Private or Particular sort of Revelation is however called a Revelation also as the Visions of the Prophets Peter's Sense of the Hypocrisy of Ananias and Sapphira and Agabus's Foresight by the Holy Ghost of Paul's Sufferings at Jerusalem This Sort of Extraordinary Knowledge is truly called Revelation But this is not the Revelation we insist upon though neither is this Ceased Nor yet is it those Doctrines as of the Incarnation of the Son of God his Death Resurrection and Ascension c. Confirmed and Enforced upon the Belief of Men by the Authority of Miracles which is also another sort of Revelation which being once done need not to be Repeated and of which the Wicked are as much Possessors as the Good the Matter of Fact I mean of the visible Transaction of the Son of God being Recorded in the Scriptures of Truth which they also have in their Hands But the Inward sight sense and knowledge of the Will of God by the Operation of his Light and Spirit shining and working in our Hearts and the Spiritual Sense of that blessed Appearance of the Son of God in the Flesh and the Moral End of it to our Benefit and Advantage is no more Conceivable by Carnal Men than is Regeneration without which no Man can enter into the Kingdom of God Christ tells us John 3.5 there is such a thing and the two Principles of it Water and Spirit but he do's not tell us what they are how to be Obtained what way they Operate or we are to Apply them or our selves to them for that New Birth
this present Dispensation and Day of God's living Visitation towards them with an Answer to some Queries Annexed 1672 105 107 V. A Catechism and Confession of Faith approved of and agreed unto by the general Assembly of the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles Christ himself Chief Speaker in and among them c. 1673 109 VI. The Anarchy of the Ranters and other Libertines the Hierarchy of the Romanists and other pretended Churches equally Refused and Refuted in a twofold Apology for the Churches and People of God called Quakers c. 1674 181 VII A Vindication of the preceeding Tract viz. the Anarchy of the Ranters c. serving as an Explanatory Postscript thereof 1679 237 VIII An Apology for the True Christian Divinity as the same is held forth and Preached by the People called in scorn Quakers c ãâã to K. Charles the Second 1675 251 IX A Dispute between some Students of Divinity so called of Aberdeen and the People called Quakers held in Aberdeen Opponents or Students John Lesly Al. Sheriff P. Gellie Defendents R. Barclay and G. Keith c. 569 With the Author's Offer to Jo. Menzies Professor of Divinity so called G. Meldrum Minister at Aberdeen and W. Mitchell Catechist at Foot of Dee c. And G. K. his Postscript 1675. 589 592 X. Quakerism Confirmed A Vindication of the chief Doctrines and Principles of the Quakers from the Objections of the Students aforesaid in their Book called Quakerism Convased 1676. 597 XI Universal Love Considered and Established upon its Right Foundation c. 1676. 675 XII An Epistle of Love and Friendly Advice to the Ambassadors of the several Princes of Europe met at Nimmegen to Consult the Peace of Christendom c. 1677. 706 882 XIII R. B ' s. Apology for the True Christian Divinity Vindicated from John Brown's pretended Confutation c. with L. S's Letter to R. M. C. 1679. 717 XIV The Possibility and Necessity of the Inward and Immediate Revelation of the Spirit of God towards the Foundation and Ground of true Faith proved in a Letter writ in Latine to a Person of Quality in Holland and now also put into English 1686. 892 Whereunto is added The Author 's Testimony concerning his Father 1686. 907 Also an Alphabetical Table at the End of the Chief Matters and Things Contained in this Volume 908 Truth Clear'd of Calumnies Where-in a BOOK Intituled A DIALOGUE BETWEEN A QUAKER AND A Stable Christian Printed at ABERDEEN And upon good ground judged to be writ by WILLIAM MITCHELL a Preacher near by it or at least that he had the chief Hand in it is Examined and the Dis-ingenuity of the Author in his Representing the QVAKERS is Discovered HERE IS ALSO Their CASE truly Stated Cleared Demonstrated and the OBJECTIONS of their Opposers Answered according to Truth Scripture and Right Reason By ROBERT BARCLAY ISA. 53.1 Who hath believed our Report and to whom is the Arm of the Lord Revealed JOHN 5.39 40. Ye search the Scriptures because in them ye think to have Eternal Life and they are they which Testify of me and ye will not come unto me that ye may have Life MATTH 5.11 Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake ACTS 24.14 After the way which they call Heresy so worship I the God of my Fathers 1 THESS 5.21 Prove all things hold fast that which is good LONDON Printed for Thomas Northcott in George-Yard in Lumbard-street 1691. THE PREFACE TO THE READER READER FOR thy better understanding the Matters handled in this Treatise I thought fit to premise somewhat by way of Preface and indeed the nature of the thing calleth for it that thou mayst receive a true Information concerning the People here pleaded for and so generally opposed but more particularly in the City of Aberdeen that thou mayst understand how the Case stands betwixt them and their Adversaries in it Know then that after the Lord had raised up the Witnesses of this Day and had opened in them and unto them the Light and Glory thereof divers of them at sundry times were moved of the Lord to come into these Parts and unto the Town of Aberdeen in love to the Seed which there was to be gathered but their Acceptance for divers years together was very unsutable For the Enemy that had wrought and was exalted in the Mystery of Iniquity to darken the appearance of this day had prepared and stirred up his Ministers to resist them and their Testimony by aspersing them with many gross Calumnies Lies and Reproaches as demented distracted bodily possessed of the Devil practising Abominations under colour of being led to them by the Spirit and as to their Principles blasphemous deniers of the true Christ of Heaven Hell Angels the Resurrection of the Body and Day of Judgment Inconsistent with Magistracy nothing better then John of Leyden and his Complices This was the vulgar and familiar Language of the Pulpits which was for a time received for unquestionable Truth till about the Year 1663. some sober and serious Professors in and about the said Town did begin to weigh these things more narrowly and find the savour of that Life in the Testimony of that so much reproached People which some years before had stirred in others who were now come to a great loss and decay and this gave them occasion to examine the Principles and Ways of that People more exactly which proving upon inquiry to be far otherways then they had been represented gave them a further occasion to see the Integrity and soundness of that despised People and of their Principles on the one hand and on the other to see the prejudic'd Disingenuity and Enmity of their Accusers In these the Lord caused his Word to prosper who were few in number yet noted as to their sobriety in their former way of Profession and raised them up to own that People and their Testimony and to become One with them Now their Adversaries finding nothing in these whom the Lord had raised up in these Parts whereof to Accuse them as to their Conversation these Calumnies must be cast upon Strangers living some hundred Miles distant where these Untruths cannot be so easily disproved but as to these at home the Tune must be turned Therefore George Meldrum who hath more particularly espoused the Quarrel against Truth and its Followers than any of his Brethren begins to say That it is no wonder to see Quakers forbear gross Out-breakings for that Hereticks have formerly come as great a length but surely Abstinence from gross Out-breakings and a clean outward Conversation is no good Argument against the Quakers so now the Clamour is though they have been Professors and that noted Ones too and though they be honest in their Conversation yet they are deluded and deceived and are Deceivers And thus as of old the Truth and the Witnesses of it have always been reproached by those of the Pharisaical Spirit
out of it for it is the way of Antichrist To which what is above mentioned answers sufficiently yet further I may easily retort the Question thus upon the most of all the National Ministry in Scotland who are now licking up that which they heretofore cried out against as Antichristian and with Fire and Sword persecuted those who offered to plead for that which now they both practise and avow themselves in Now as the fault of this cannot be ascribed to the Scriptures which is the Rule whereby they pretend to be guided so neither can any mans instability that pretends to be guided by the Light if any such thing could be shewn prove the Light a Guide not to be followed To prove that Christ is not in all men thou arguest thus Christ is not in all men because the Scripture speaks of a being without Christ in the World to which thou addest the Reason The unconverted must needs be without Christ because they want the uniting Principle which is Faith To answer that Christ is in them but not in Vnion with them thou sayst is a fond Distinction because the Scriptures way of expressing Peoples Vnion with Christ is by asserting Christ to be in them which thou takest for granted and from thence drawest thy Conclusion but if it be found to be false then the whole Fabrick falls to the Ground as indeed false it is For even according to the Scriptures the in-being of Christ in Men sometimes signifies Vnion and sometimes his Existence in them working and operating in them by way of Reproof and Judgment as also by way of Call and Invitation to prepare for Vnion with him as appears by the very first Scripture cited by thee John 15.4 5. which answers not thy Mind For we say not That where there is no Vnion Fruit can be brought forth unto God but mark the last part of it how much it makes against thee Without me says Christ ye can do nothing For how becomes an unconverted man a Convert but by having Christ to work with him And where does Christ co-operate Does he not there where the work of Conversion is wrought and is not that within So that Christ must needs be in men before they be in Vnion with him whereby the Faith may be wrought by which they are united to him And as to that other Scripture 1 John 3.24 these and other Scriptures which might be cited hold forth that in-being of Christ which is by Vnion but say nothing against his in-being in them where the Vnion is not for he is in them who know him not and are Darkness John 1. vers 10. and 5. and he was crucified in the Corinthians and Galatians which was in the time of their Unbelief 1 Corinth 2. vers 2. and Galat. 3. vers 1. for the words in the Greek are ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã i. e. In you and indeed there can be no greater Absurdity then to say that Christ is in no man but in them with whom he is united for Christ is not separated from that Light and Seed which is of him that is in every man but is united with it which bears Testimony against all Iniquity but many times men are far from being in Vnion with that in them which witnesseth against all sin as Experience sufficiently teacheth Then if that be in them which is pure and if Christ be in that pure then Christ is in them and if they be not united with that which is pure in them then are they not united with Christ which is in the pure that is in them It seems strange to thee that Christ should be in the Heathen and they not know him Was it not as strange that he should be among the Jews who had the Letter that did bear a Testimony of him and they not know him and that notwithstanding his Miracles and other Proofs he gave of himself they should so far mistake him to judge him to be an Impostor and Blasphemer Thou sayest Is Christ so uncouth to them he dwells in as not to Reveal himself unto them But though we say that Christ is in all men we do not say he dwelleth in all men for dwelling signifieth more then in-being and yet I say he does Reveal himself in some measure unto all in whom he bears witness against Iniquity for the Revelation of Christ unto one is not always by giving the knowledge of what past externally but is a Revelation of the righteous Judgment against the Transgressor in them which to say that the Heathen wanted is false and contrary to Scripture Rom. 1.18 19 20. John 3.18 19 20. yea and contrary to the very acknowledgment of Americans who have confessed that there was that in them which judged and reproved evil Whether or not their ignorance of the outward Transaction derogates any thing from their capacity of Salvation comes hereafter in its place to be examined together with that other saying of thine wherein thou shewest the like Dis-ingenuity viz. That the saying that every man hath sufficient Light to lead him to Life and Salvation tends to put Christians in the same Condition with Pagans because sayst thou Christians have no more and the preaching of the Gospel and the benefit of the Scriptures are little to be regarded for without them Men have sufficient Light to lead them to the things of God For the saying that men have sufficient Light hath no such tendency for he that is truly and really a Christian and not nominally only is one that is united to Christ and believes in him Now it is one thing to have the Light and another to believe in it which is clearly made out by that Scripture While ye have the Light believe in the Light that ye may become the Children of it And that it is a great advantage to have the knowledge of the Scripture as outwardly we deny not for the reaching and raising of the Seed in them that are afar off and also for the comforting and refreshing of them in whom it is raised as the Scriptures are used in that Spirit which gave them forth Therefore we labour and travel so much for that end and are found using the Scriptures Testimony If it be said That therein we contradict our Principle seeing it is possible that People may be saved without the Scriptures I answer Nay For many things are profitable which are not of absolute necessity You your selves acknowledge that other Books besides the Scriptures are not of absolute necessity unto mens Salvation and yet you judge not all other Books useless yea ye too much rely upon Books Also you do not say that it is impossible that any can be saved without preaching upon the Scriptures and yet you reckon not preaching to be in vain But do ye not rather contradict your Principles who say that the number of all those who ever can be saved is so definite from all Eternity and that without respect to their
Faithfulness or Diligence in the using of the Means in the foreknowledge of God that none of them can miss of Salvation and yet keep such a stir about Preaching and Ordinances for you deny that God hath decreed men unto Salvation whom in his fore-knowledge he did foresee would be faithful and diligent in the use of the means Page 7. Thou sayst All men have not saving and sufficient Light in them because the Scripture saith that some men are brutish in their knowledge Jerem. 10.19 But why didst not thou cite these words For the Pastors are become brutish and have not sought the Lord therefore they shall not prosper We see the proof of this at this day But from thence how makest thou it appear that some men want Saving Light The Pastors are now as brutish as they were then and it is because they turn their backs upon that Light and will not follow it Therefore we have the more need to bear Testimony unto it and against their brutishness who reject and despise it Next thou citest Rom. 3.11 There is none that understandeth But will that infer that there is not any saving Light in them Why understand they not but because they are not turned to the Light that can give them understanding It is supposed sayst thou that the Light in some may be Darkness So it may indeed to wit that Light that is gathered from the Carnal and Earthly Wisdom which is from below where it takes the Letter of the Scriptures and adds thereunto its Commentaries and Consequences setting up this in them as their only Light we find that Light proves but Darkness But that will not infer that the true Light which comes from Christ is or can be Darkness unless in that sense as the Day of the Lord is called Darkness in Scripture For even the true Light unto them who reject it is as Darkness in that it gives them not that Comfort and Joy which it giveth unto them who love it and own it but troubleth and affrighteth them as the Night and the Darkness So that these Scriptures stand in good unity with the Principle of all mens having saving Light in them Next thou objectest That having of saving Light and Grace presupposes Conversion But that I deny For on the contrary Conversion presupposeth having Light and Grace by which and to which men are to be converted So that before a man be converted he must have saving Grace in order to convert him even as the being healed of a wound presupposeth the Plaister or Salve but not on the contrary for the application of the Plaister presupposeth not the being healed But whereas thou sayst What need is there of his turning when men are in this state already Thou misrepresentest us for we do not say That all men are in a state of Light and Grace To be in a state of Grace is to stand in Grace which the wicked do not stand in yet this hinders not but that Grace is communicated unto them whereby they may come to a state or standing in it while the Day of their Visitation remains Again thou undertakest to prove That all men have not sufficient Light two ways First That all men have not the Spirit of God Judg. 19. To which I answer That there may be a sufficient Light in men who may be said after a certain manner not to have the Spirit as being such who though the Spirit be in them to invite call and draw them unto God yet resist his drawings and so separate themselves from it so continuing until the day of God's Visitation unto them come to an end concerning whom it is true that then they have not the Spirit so much as to invite and call them unto God or to give unto them the least tender of his love And though all have not the Spirit bringing forth the Fruits thereof in them to wit Love Meekness Gentleness c. as no wicked Persons have yet all even the wicked in a certain day have the Spirit in them to Reprove and Convince yea to Call upon them and strive with them in order unto their Conversion for the Spirit of God reproves the World of Sin John 19.8 And Acts 7.50 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised ye do always resist the holy Ghost and Gen. 6. My Spirit shall not always strive with or in man and many more to that purpose For a second Reason of its insufficiency thou sayst It reveals not Jesus Christ a Saviour in respect it gives not a discovery of his Incarnation Passion Resurrection c. citing 1 Cor. 2.2 And from this place thou wouldst infer That the Apostle preferred the Knowledge of Christ as crucified outwardly to all other knowledge Answer Though we willingly acknowledge that to know him even as he did outwardly come and was crucified c. is a good knowledge and of great profit and comfort to them who believe yet we deny that the knowledge of him as outwardly crucified is the best of all other knowledge of him or to be preferred to all other ways of knowing him nor does that Scripture 1 Cor 2.2 prove it For Paul is not speaking there of Christ as crucified outwardly in Judea but of him as he was inwardly crucified in the Corinthians when Paul first came unto them to preach the Gospel as the words do plainly import being rightly translated out of the Greek for I determined not to know any thing ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã i. e. in you but Jesus Christ and him crucified This was the Apostle's care and travel in his Ministry to declare and hold forth unto the Corinthians and other Gentiles Jesus Christ who was crucified in them in his suffering Seed even that Seed of Light and Truth which suffered and was crucified in them under the burden of their Transgression in the time of their unbelief and to preach Salvation and Deliverance from Sin and Wrath through Jesus Christ according to his weak and low appearance in them in the suffering Seed through their believing in him and closing with him as manifest therein According to which he said to the Galatians That Jesus Christ was evidently set before their eyes crucified in them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And Ephes. 3. vers 8. he said This Grace was given unto him to preach ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã i. e. in the Gentiles the unsearchable Riches of Christ. Parallel to which is that of the Apostle 1 Col. 27. for so should all these places be translated which Riches of Christ lay hid and wrapped up in them in the Seed of the Kingdom which was the least of all Seeds Even as the Riches and Fruitfulness of a Tree lies hid in the Seed of it which comes to be brought forth as the Seed takes Root and gets liberty to grow up unto the due Stature so for this the Apostle laboured that People might know Christ in them and might embrace him in their hearts that so he might be formed in
them Gal. 4.19 and they might know him to live in them and his Life to rule in them which is more then to know him as outwardly crucified And indeed none know the weight and greatness of what he suffered outwardly but who know him first as he hath suffered in them and suffer and become crucified with him so as to have a sympathy and Fellow-feeling with him even as the Members suffer and are pained when any thing hurts the Head or Heart And whereas thou sayst You see the Apostle judges the knowledge of Christ crucified to be that one thing necessary We deny that the knowledge of his being outwardly crucified is that one thing necessary for People must know him in them Know ye not that Christ is in you unless ye be Reprobates 1 Cor. 13.5 As for thy Charge upon the Quaker saying With what face can you blame me for being in Darkness seeing your Opinion is that all men have sufficient Light in them it is frivolous for though the Light which is sufficient be in thee thy opposition to the Light blinds thee and hinders thee from seeing Light A man may have a Candle burning in his House but if he put it under a Bushel it will not give him the sight of things in the House That there is no other Name under Heaven whereby any can be saved but the Name of Jesus Christ is granted but that Name is another thing than the bare expression or declaration and knowledge of words or things as without Because his Name is said to be a strong Tower whereunto the righteous fly and are safe which is another thing than the bare naming of his Death and Cross without for many Unrighteous plead a right to that and can fly unto it as we see by the example of the Papists to whom it seems ye will needs join your selves in this matter who say That the onward naming of Christ and signing with the Cross puts away Devils And that we are of another mind then you in this matter is much to our advantage because we know the inward is the main thing and where it is enjoyed the efficacy and benefit of the outward cannot be wanting though the distinct knowledge of it be not had The knowledge of Christ's Cross within which is his Power that crucifies unto the World is more than the knowledge of the outward and to know Christ after the Spirit is more than to know him after the Flesh as is clear from the words of Paul Though I have known Christ after the Flesh yet henceforth know I him so no more The Apostle Peter knew well that God was not so narrow-hearted as ye would have him to be therefore he said That he had seen that with God there was no respect of Persons but in every Nation he that loveth Righteousness and feareth God is accepted of him You your selves dare not deny but that some Infants and deaf Persons are saved by Christ without the External Knowledge If you say they are not in a Capacity to know these things I answer so neither are many of the Gentiles who never had these things revealed unto them But if the External Knowledge be necessary to the one why not to the other And if thou sayst that some Infants are in the Decree of Election I ask at thee or any of you who of you has seen the Decrees of God and how knowest thou that none of the Heathen are inrolled into them And whereas thou sayst Is not the Application of Christ's Blood and Sufferings necessary to them that would profit and get good thereby For though the Blood of Christ be a healing Plaister yet the Plaister must be applied e're the Sore can be healed Now what Application can the Soul make of Christ's Blood who knows no such thing The Blood of Christ is applyed by Faith but true Faith is not a blind Faith Answer It is granted But this Blood is known and felt within to wash and purge the Conscience for Christ as he is within is not without his Blood which is spiritual even the pure blood of the Vine and is that Wine of the Kingdom which is inwardly felt to wash and to refresh which he gives to them who know not distinctly the outward shedding of the Blood as it was many hundred years ago and which many are ignorant of who have heard much of the outward shedding of his Blood but know not the Blood as shed and poured forth in them to sprinkle their Consciences from dead Works for it is a Mystery sealed up from all who stand in opposition to his Light within But there mark thy own words The Plaister must be applied e're the Sore can be healed Must not then saving Grace be applied e're the Soul be converted or healed Contrary to thy other Assertion Page 7. That having of saving Light and Grace presupposeth Conversion that is Healing As for thy deceitful Insinuation to render us odious That if our Principles were generally owned the Nations in one Age or two would be overspread with as palpable Darkness as the Heathen-Nations at this day are Seeing it has no just ground we return it upon thee as false and malitious For it is the owning the Light and other Principles held by us therein which will make these Nations and all others who own it and them to overflow with the true and saving Knowledge of God and Christ but so long as they follow such blind Guides as thy self who oppose the Light Darkness will cover them as at this day notwithstanding all their Professions and Confessions of him while in Works they deny him and remain estranged from his Light in them The Reason thou addest is blind and unreasonable For according to you thou sayst the Light within us is a sufficient Teacher take heed to this and there needs no more For we say the Light within must not only be taken heed unto but believed and obeyed and walked in which who do it will lead them to read and make use of the Scriptures and will lead them to the Assemblies of God's People and to hear and receive the Ministry of those whom God sends yea to love and esteem them greatly for their Works sake and it will lead them to own Christ and the benefits of his Death and Sufferings in the outward and give them an understanding how to conceive and use aright those things as opportunity is given them Page 10. Thou sayst Christ is a Light who communicateth Light to all Men but where find you that the Light communicated to all Men is Christ himself we must not confound the Light-giver with the Light or Enlightening given Answ. We do not confound them but we must not divide or separate them as thou and you do for where the Light or Enlightening from Christ is there is Christ himself he is not separated from it but is in it and with it We must not be so gross as to conceive
that Christ enlightens men in such a way of outward distance as the Body of the Sun being so many thousand miles above the Clouds enlightens our natural Eyes but comes not near us otherwise than by its influence and rayes for Christ is near unto every one no less than his influence for in him we live and move and have our being And this nearness of his unto all men in a day is more than that general Presence in respect whereof he abides with all the works of his hands for as much as he is in them to enlighten them that they may believe John 1.9 compared with Vers. 7. Page 11. Here because thou canst not deny but that there is Light in all men thou sayst It is commonly called the Light of Nature and that some remainders of Knowledge and Principles of Good remain in Man after the ruins of God's Image in him as when a City is demolished some Foundations of Houses do still remain But how is this consistent with what you say to wit That there is no good thing at all in men unconverted and that man fell wholly from God and that Adam 's fall was not in part but wholly as to all things that are good And that we derive nothing from him but that which is corrupted and defiled But the Scriptures Testimony is plain that since the fall the free Gift or Grace of God is come upon all unto Justification of Life It is not said Justification is come upon all but the free Gift or Grace of God is come upon all unto Justification so that all may be justified if they did close with it Rom. 5.8 And God so loved the World John 3.16 And this is the condemnation of the World that Light is come into it verse 19. which is after the fall And whatever any may conceive that remained in Man of the Image of God after the fall that could not have any power to convince man of evil or enable him to do any thing that is good if it were not visited and influenced a-new from the Fountain of Light and Life but it would remain as a thing without all Life and Vertue as a Candle extinguished For by the fall the Lamb the Witness came to be slain and remained so until the Spirit of Life again was sent from God into it to give it life and power to witness against mens Transgressions for a witness that is wholly dead cannot witness unto particular things of Fact against men as this inward Witness in all men doth who do not again crucifie it in themselves And seeing Christ tasted Death for every man and the Grace that brings Salvation hath appeared to every man and the Gospel is preached in every Creature as it is according to the Greek in Hebr. 2. Tit. 2. Col. 1.23 It is manifest that the Illumination given to every man is a new and fresh Visitation of God's love in Christ freely given unto them for Salvation Now as to the word Nature if it be rightly understood there shall be no great difference about it For if by Nature thou understandest the Nature that is corrupt and fallen and that which simply is derived from Adam then we deny that that Nature can claim any right to this Light or that it can be said to proceed from that Nature But if thou understandest by Nature the Nature that is spiritual and heavenly and is derived from Christ the second Adam the quickning Spirit the Lord from Heaven then I say the Light may properly be called the Light of that Nature in which sense is to be understood that place of the Apostle Rom. 2. verse 14. cited by thee where he saith The Gentiles which have not the Law did by Nature the things contained in the Law For who will be so gross as to say that the Gentiles by the corrupt Nature could do the things contained in the Law which is pure and holy But by that Nature which is one with the Law to wit Divine and Heavenly they might do them So that thou canst not but still be accounted a wilful Enemy to the Light whilst thou opposest it and dost not turn to it and by it come to see the evil of thy ways and forsake them Page 12. Though it be here asserted in name of the Quakers that the Scriptures are of excellent and blessed use yet thou wilt not believe it and alledgest They will not make the due use of them for these Reasons First Because a Bible thou sayst is not to be seen in all our Meetings But that will infer nothing at all for we meet not to read the Scripture but to wait on the Lord and be taught of him and receive from his Spirit what he pleaseth to administer either in our selves or through the Mouths of his Servants and we meet to worship God whose worship is to be performed in Spirit and in Truth and not in External Reading Thou say'st Christ took the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and read out of it But was not this the performance of a Legal Duty and in condescendency to the Jews manner for it was in the Synagogue But did he ever constitute it as a part of the Christian Worship for one man to take the Bible and speak upon it and all the rest to be excluded from speaking while he prattles his own barren empty Notions about it shew me where that was the practice or order among the Apostles and primitive Christians In the Churches way 1 Cor. 14. there is no such thing but on the contrary vers 29. Let the Prophets speak two or three and let the other judge if any thing be revealed to another that âits by let the first hold his peace for ye may all prophecy one by one that all may learn and all may be comforted By which it plainly appears there was no such setled custom among them but it is one of the main Inventions brought-in in the Apostacy whereby barrenness and driness hath entred and whereby the quickning unlimited Life has been stopped from flowing through many Vessels It is true the Apostles at times cited Scriptures out of the Law and the Prophets to shew their fulfilling or to open the mind of the Spirit concerning them which is frequent in our Meetings to cite Scriptures and open them in the same Life and Spirit that gave them forth in the order of the Spirit but not in the order and way of man's Wisdom and Spirit as is your way which savours more of Aristotle's School than of the Church of Christ. Secondly As to what thou sayst That it is not our way to encourage the People to read the Scriptures and to try Doctrines by them 't is utterly false for we desire that all may come to try Doctrines even by the Scripture but we bid them also come to the Light in them to read and try Doctrines and understand the true sense of the Scriptures therein and if People did so we
that that Word according to which they were to speak was not the inward Word which is said to be in the Heart It is observable that to prove this thou bringest John 7.49 where the Pharisees say Have any of the Rulers or Pharisees believed in him but this People that know not the Law are accursed This place sutes the matter very well but makes much against thee For the Pharisees here were crying up the outward Law and the Knowledge of it averring that the ignorance of it caused the mean People to believe in Christ. So do ye now ye pretend to cry up the Law and say The ignorance of it occasions so many to leave you And as they then were setting the Law above Christ and covering themselves with a Zeal for it persecuting him and reviling his Followers as Ignorants So ye now whilst ye are boasting of your great Knowledge in the Law and in the Scripture and your high esteem of them ye are despising crucifying the same Christ in his Spiritual Appearance and upbraiding his Followers now as they did then as Ignorants and Contemners of the Law And as to Luke 10.26 How readest thou This was spoke to one that was a Lawyer or Interpreter of the Law and relied upon it so Christ spoke this to check him and beside the dispensation of the Law which this Lawyer was under was different from that of the Gospel in this matter as may appear Hebr. 8.10 Again as for Christ and his Apostles using the Scriptures for convincing of their Opposers so do we and yet this proves not that either he or we judge them to be the Rule whereby to try all Things and Spirits yea even the Spirit of God himself Page 15. Thou seemest to lay much stress upon this That it were impossible for us to prove to a Jew or a Turk that Jesus the Son of Mary is in very deed the Christ without the Scripture But I Answer thee to that easily by what way wilt thou perswade a Turk to believe the Scriptures or their Testimony but by the inward Testimony of the Spirit Calvin Calvin lib. 1. cap. 7. Sect. 4. of his Inst. after he has said all that can be said of outward ways at last concludes The only certain way to know it indeed is by the Testimony of the Spirit And as to the course that Paul took with the obstinate Jews it was very commendable because they said they believed the Scriptures and seemed to esteem them much though they opposed the Truth witnessed to in the Scriptures So that it is evident that some great pretenders to the Scriptures can make a Cloak of them to deny Christ himself as ye do at this day And though Paul took that course with the Jews yet we see he took no such course with the Athenians to whom he cited no Scripture nor endeavoured to perswade them by it but told them they were the Off-spring of God and wished them to feel after him who was not afar off from every one of them Thirdly sayst thou The Saints had recourse to the Scriptures in the examination of Doctrines So have we too as before has been declared but that will not prove the Scripture is the Rule Page 16. Fourthly thou sayst We are commanded to search the Scriptures John 5.39 Answ. The words may be translated You search the Scriptures as Pasor translateth them but we do acknowledge the Scriptures are to be searched but are not to be rested in which was the Jews fault who would not come to Christ to get life thinking to have eternal life in the Scriptures which Christ checks them for And that the Scriptures are profitable for Doctrine Scriptures profitable to whom Correction Instruction we own and are commended for their Dignity and Authority but they are thus profitable only to such as come to the Spirit to guide and direct them how to make use of them else they may prove an occasion of stumbling as they did to the Pharisees Hence it is said That the Man of God may be perfect mark the Man of God not every Man now no Man can be truly called the Man of God but he that is led by the Spirit of God Next thou wouldst undertake to prove That it is not the Mind of God that the Spirit within men should be the Rule In which thou fallest very short as appears by saying That Christ made use of the Scripture to prove himself c. and not the light within And did these Jews receive him who had the Scriptures Did they not reject him And why because they hearkned not unto the inward Voice and Testimony of the Father concerning him and this was the Testimony which he said was greater than that of John though John was the greatest of the Prophets and those who believe had the witness in themselves 1 John 5.10 but to the unbelieving Jews he said Ye have neither heard his voice nor seen his shape Secondly Thou sayst There is an express command to try the Spirits 1 John 4.1 Answ. But is there any word there of trying them by the Scripture Trying Spirits is by the Spirit of God Cannot the Spirits be tried by the Spirit of God or is there any better way to try them How tried Peter the spirit of Ananias and Saphirah And is not the Trial and discerning of Spirits the priviledge of the Saints now And how is it a peculiar priviledge to Saints unless it be done by the Spirit of God For the Scriptures any can make use of the Apostle John writing to the Saints concerning Seducers points them to the Anointing which remained in them and did teach them all things and by this they did know all things and consequently Spirits 1 John 2.20 26. Thirdly thou sayst Vndoubtedly there are strong delusions c. Answ. There are so indeed But was there any more strongly deluded then the Pharisees Yet how much did they lay claim to the Scriptures How came they then to be deluded who was so skill'd in the Scriptures according to the letter of them and the poor People who were not so skill'd so rightly to hit the matter And as to thy Question What way shall the delusion be tried if you neglect the Word of God and look only within Answ. As for the Word of God nor yet the Scriptures-Testimony we neglect not but what way thinkest thou shall the Delusion be tried if you neglect the Spirit within and look only upon the letter and words without you If the Delusion be strong in the heart will it not twine and wrest the Scriptures without to cause the Scriptures to seem for it And suppose a man be deluded with a Spirit of Delusion what can help him but God whose Spirit searcheth all the deepest things of Satan and can and doth discover them to those who love to be undeceived and are faithful to God in what they certainly know And though the same deluding Spirit who deceived
ye put upon them And whereas some object It is not said of them but of such I answer but that such includeth them and all others who are like them in harmlessness otherwise if they had been excluded he would not have given it as a Reason why he bid suffer them to come unto him But besides the 18 th Chapt. verse 20. of Ezekiel is a plain proof The soul that sinneth shall die the Son shall not bear the Father's iniquity unless that the Son be found acting the same iniquity and continuing in it for then he visits the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children Now thou hast produced no Scripture to prove That any Infants do perish and indeed there is nothing in Scripture for it but against it Secondly thou say'st It would follow that Infants dying in their infancy stood not in need of Christ as a Saviour for he is a Saviour to save his People from their sins Infants saved from sin Answ. He is a Saviour not only to save from sins but also from the Consequences of sin and not only from the fruits and branches of it but from the seed and they are saved from sin who are not suffered to fall into it And so these Infants whom the Lord takes away in their infancy that they might not sin are saved from it It is salvation to be kept from falling into a pit as truly as to be taken out of it after the falling in And as for that Scripture it maketh against you Matth. 1.12 For it speaketh of a salvation from sin whereas you dream of a salvation in your sins Nor doth Rom. 7.24 speak of Infants so thy citing it here is impertinent And though there be a time wherein there is a crying out for deliverance from the body of sin and death yet there is also a time of deliverance from it even before the laying down of the outward body as is plain from Rom. 6.6 7. Knowing this that the old man is crucified and he that is dead is freed from sin Yet we acknowledge there is great occasion to be Low and to be in great fear and care lest Sin which is once crucified revive again Page 48. Thou chargest us As holding a falling away from Regeneration and as agreeing therein with Arminians But if the Arminians hold a falling away from Regeneration we hold no such matter For those who fall away never attained unto the Regeneration and so were never the Children of God but only were in the way to it by having attained to some beginnings of Faith The falling away from Faith is of themselves from which some may and have fallen away For that it is expresly said by Christ some believe and afterwards fall away and some depart from the faith and make shipwrack of it and some who have tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come Fall away These and many such Instances are in Scripture nor do the Scriptures cited by thee prove the contrary as Philip. 1.6 which is to be understood no otherwise then as the Condition is performed upon their part As Hebr. 3.14 We are made partakers of Christ if we hold fast the Principle of our Establishment or whereby we are established firm unto the end and so these who hold fast this Principle witness the Work which God hath begun in them to be carried on until the day of Christ even till he be compleatly formed in them and they in him It may be supposed that Paul was as confident that God would perfect the Work begun in himself and yet he supposeth it might be otherwise where he saith Lest preaching the Gospel to others I my self become a Cast-away And though some fall away the dishonour of the foolish Builder cannot be cast upon God but upon them who fall away for it standeth very well with the Wisdom and Power of God to suffer them to fall away who knowingly and wilfully depart from the Lord and will not concur with him in the work as subordinate Instruments but resist him though he invite and call yea draw them The next thou citest is 1 Pet. 15. Answ. Such as are so kept by the Power of God it is through Faith but as they abide not in that power through Faith but wander from it they fall and cannot but fall away And as for Jerem. 32.40 cited by thee it should be translated thus I will put my fear into their hearts that they may not depart from me so Junius and Tremellius's Version or not to depart from me as the Septuagint hath it Now to say That they may not depart is one thing and to say They cannot depart is another Yet where the fear of God comes so to be raised and established in the heart over all we believe such cannot depart but every one is not attained to that state where yet the fear of God may have some place And as touching these other Scriptures John 10.27 28 29. and John 13.1 and 1 John 2.19 they speak of those who are come to a thorough-Regeneration who we do believe can never fall away as being begot in the perfect Nature of the Elect Sheep and Children Nor doth it follow from this that one may be a Child of God to day and a Child of the Devil to morrow for these who are once properly the Children of God through a true and thorough-Regeneration can never become the Children of the Devil nor be cast out of God's special love that he beareth to his own Children For to end this matter thou say'st It is safer to question the Truth of the Graces of those that fall away than the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints But dost thou look upon the Quakers as having fallen away if thou dost how comes it that thou bespeakest them in thy Epistle as those who have had real Grace saying to them Did ye attain to that knowledge of and acquaintance with God which ye have in the use of Ordinances And again Ye did run well who did hinder you And again Why should they asperse these Ordinances which have been the means of their Conversion Or are these words only a Joab's kiss by which thou would'st kiss the Quakers while in the mean time thou hast a Sword hid under thy Cloak to strike them through under the fifth Rib But the Quakers are aware of thee and having on the Armour of God are out of thy reach In the last place Page 50. thou undertakest to prove That our Errors as thou callest them tend to Irreligiousness and Atheism because they tend to take away the Worship due to God But it hath been heretofore proved that we deny not true Worship but only your Idolatrous superstitious Worships which cannot truly be called the Worship of God Our way thou say'st tends to Irreligiousness because frequently we go to Meat Prayer before Meat and come from it without seeking a Blessing or returning Thanks
saith so These are his most Frequent and Inforcing Arguments against us Of this nature is his Arguing page 11. Reckoning it as a great Absurdity flowing from our Doctrine that it would Import Christ in some measure to be in the Americans because He bears Testimony in them against Iniquity Christ in the Americans in some measure But to prove this to be Absurd he produceth no Reason and if we may believe the Apostle Paul he tells us That a Manifestation of the Spirit is given every one to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 So this Every one Includes the Americans The second Absurdity which he seeks to Infer from this hath no better bottom That then it might be said that Christ is Revealed to Devils and that we do the Heathens small favour in putting them but in the same case with such For the Revelation of Christ to man before the Day of their Visitation be Expired and to such after they have sin'd it out is far different as may appear by Luke 17. Likewise W. M. hath forgot how easily this Argument may be Retorted upon himself for it is not questioned but Devils have enough of outward Knowledge even such as is gathered from Scripture and that which W.M. accounts the great Priviledge of Christians doth it therefore follow that Christians are in no better condition than Devils And thus is Answered another of his profuse Assertions page 12. That if Pagans have Saving Light their State should be as good as the State of real Christians For it is one thing to have Saving Light and another to harken to and receive it else according to his own Argument the State of Devils should be as good as the State of Real Christians He adds Where Saving Illumination is there is Saving Faith because there is a Concatination betwixt these Graces of the Spirit Answ. There is Grace given in order to Save where Faith doth not follow upon it which is evident by the Parable of the Seeds Matth. 13.3 it was the same Seed was sown in the Stony and Thorny Ground that was sown in the good Ground and yet it only brought forth Fruit there The Light enlighteneth every man He came unto His own and they received Him not but it was only To as many as received Him that He gave Power to become the Sons of God And whereas he Objecteth That where we are desired to believe in the Light it is understood of Christ's Person else it would Import a belief in a Creature I Answer He that believeth in the Light believeth in Christ for where the Light of Christ is as saith W. M himself page 22. there is Christ himself In the same page he further adds That if Pagans have Saving Light then there is no Spiritual Benefit accrues to Christians by the Scriptures and Gospel Pagans have Saving Light and Gospel But he hath not heard us contra-distinguish this Light from the Gospel We say expresly it is the Gospel according to Col 1.23 where the Apostle saith That the Gospel whereof he was a Minister was preached to every Creature This Scripture mentioned by me in my last he hath wholly Omitted Nor is this Arguing of his concerning the bad tendency of our Principle but a reiterate Clamour of what is already Answered in page 16. of my last where I shew him we distinguish betwixt things absolutely needful and things very profitable and how they Admit of this Distinction themselves As also how these bad Consequences of rendring the Gospel and Preaching useless doth far more follow from their Doctrine of absolute Predestination all which he hath also Omitted Predestination made void Now such are far likelier than we to reprove David his Praying for more Vnderstanding and that he might keep the Precepts of God for being Predestinate to Life he could not miss of it and how can such but reckon it folly for him to Pray that he might keep the Precepts whose Principles Obliges them to believe they can never be made able to keep them Page 13. To say That men are Brutish in their Knowledge because they turn their Backs upon the Light he reckons a Begging of the Question as having no proof at all Whereas it is particularly Intimated 1 Joh. 1.5 6 7. where the cause of mens Walking in Darkness is said to be their not Walking in the Light though it be Pastors mentioned in that 10 th of Jer. 19. that are said to be Brutish Brutish Pastors yet he cannot be Induced to name them It is easie to prove though he Insinuate the contrary that what in Scripture is called Darkness hath Saving Light seeing it is expresly mentioned that the Light shineth in the Darkness but the Darkness comprehended it not And this was Saving being Christ who is the Saviour Joh. 1.5 Nor doth his supposed Contradiction follow from this as if men could be Spiritually Dead and not Spiritually Dead in respect they have this in them which is Saving for though it be in them yet it is not of them he that believeth in me saith Christ though he be dead yet shall he live Joh. 11.25 If Life be not in them as their permanent Condition yet they may have some touches of it and the Principle of Life is Permanent even in those that are Spiritually Dead though many times as a Spark covered under the Ashes He addeth further That according to us such who are the Children of Darkness may be called the Children of Light because a Child of Light is as much as one in whom there is Saving Light and Grace citing for proof Luke 16.8 the words are For the Children of this world are wiser in their generation than the Children of Light But he offereth from this to Inter That such who are indeed the Children of Darkness because of their Disobedience to the Saving Light and Grace of Truth that is in them he has not offered so much as to mention Page 13. He confesseth with me That the Light in some may be Darkness but speaks not one word of what Light I mention may be so page 17. of mine only adds That we will do well to exhort our Disciples to take heed of our Light not to it But we desire not People to take heed to our Light or their Light as he terms it but to the Light wherewith Christ Jesus hath Enlightened them and in this there is no danger He greatly declares his Ignorance in alledging Our way of bidding People heed the Light within is not warranted by Scripture for God is Light 1 Joh. 1.3 Is he not in us Acts 17.27 28. God is Light Must we not then there take heed unto Him Or is not that Light to be taken heed unto which shineth in our hearts to give us the knowledge of the glory of God 2 Cor. 4.6 And is not the Word of God Light which the Apostle saith expresly is not far off neither above us below us nor without us but Nigh even
had the thing declared unto them retiring to the inward Testimony of the same Spirit in themselves did feel Vnion therewith and such as went along did not only find a true liberty which might have sufficed but some of them a necessity to Concur with it And as for the carrying of the Hat and Cloak it was altogether Extrinsick being neither Essential nor Circumstantial to the thing nor so looked upon by these who did it Yet the Carping thereat shews in the Proposer a Critical mind very void of seriousness which the Lord as of purpose to starve hath permitted him to build that part of the Query in relation to A. H's Wife upon a false Report the thing being a manifest Vntruth And in Answer to the second Proposition of the Premisses it 's the alone immediate Testimony of the Spirit of God that can truly discover all false Pretenders and Delusions which if any can let them deny without overturning the Basis of all Christian Religion and rendering the Faith of the Saints in all Ages Vncertain R. B. A CATECHISM AND Confession of Faith Approved of and Agreed unto by the GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PATRIARCHS PROPHETS and APOSTLES CHRIST himself CHIEF SPEAKER In and Among them Which containeth A True and Faithful Account of the Principles and Doctrines which are most surely believed by the Churches of Christ in Great Britain and Ireland who are reproachfully called by the Name of Quakers yet are found in the one Faith with the Primitive Church and Saints as is most clearly demonstrated by some plain Scripture-Testimonies without Consequences or Commentaries which are here Collected and Inserted by way of Answer to a Few Weighty yet Easie and Familiar Questions fitted as well for the Wisest and Largest as for the Weakest and Lowest Capacities To which is added An EXPOSTVLATION with and APPEAL to all other Professors By R B. a Servant of the Church of Christ. JOHN 5.39 40. Search the Scriptures or Ye search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me that ye might have Life LONDON Printed for Thomas Northcott in George-Yard in Lumbard-Street 1691. THE PREFACE TO THE READER READER SInce first that great Apostacy took place in the Hearts and Heads of those who began even in the Apostles days to depart from the Simplicity and Purity of the Gospel as it was then delivered in its Primitive Splendor and Integrity innumerable have been the manifold Inventions and Traditions the different and various Notions and Opinions wherewith Man by giving way to the vain and airy Imaginations of his own unstable Mind hath burdened the Christian Faith So that indeed first by adding these things and afterwards by equalling them if not exalting them above the Truth they have at last come to be substitute in the stead of it so that in process in time Truth came to be shut out of doors and another thing placed in the room thereof having a Shew and a Name but wanting the Substance and Thing it self Nevertheless it pleased God to raise up Witnesses for himself almost in every Age and Generation who according to the Discoveries they received bore some Testimony less or more against the Superstition and Apostacy of the time and in special manner through the appearing of that Light which first broke forth in Germany about One hundred and fifty years ago and afterwards reached divers other Nations the Beast received a deadly Wound and a very great Number did at one time Protest against and Rescind from the Church of Rome in divers of their most gross and sensual Doctrines and superstitious Traditions But alas It is for matter of lamentation that the Successors of these Protestants are Establishing and Building up in themselves that which their Fathers were pulling down instead of prosecuting and going on with so Good and Honourable a Work which will easily appear The generality of all Protestants though in many other things miserably Rent and Shattered among themselves do agree in dividing from the Church of Rome in these two particulars First That every Principle and Doctrine of the Christian Faith is and ought to be founded upon the Scripture and that whatsoever Principles or Doctrines are not only not contrary but even not according thereto ought to be denied as Antichristian Secondly That the Scriptures themselves are Plain and Easie to be understood and that every private Christian and Member of the Church ought to read and peruse them that they may know their Faith and Belief founded upon them and receive them for that Cause alone and not because any Church or Assembly has Compounded and Recommended them the Choicest and Most-pure of which they are obliged to look upon as Fallible Now contrary to this their known and acknowledged Principle they do most vigorously prosecute and persecute others with the like Severity the Papists did their Fathers for believing things that are plainly set down in the Scriptures and for not believing divers Principles for which themseves are forc'd to recur to Tradition and can by no means prove from Scripture To shew which I shall not here insist having alotted a Chapter for it in the Book it self because to put it here would swell beyond the bounds of a Preface Oh! How like do they shew themselves I mention it with Regret to the Scribes and Pharisees of Old who of all men most cried up and exalted Moses and the Prophets boasting greatly of being Abraham's Children And yet those were they that were the greatest Opposers and Vilifiers of Christ to whom Moses and all the Prophets gave Witness yea their chief Accusations and Exceptions against Christ was as being a Breaker of the Law and a Blasphemer Can there any Comparison run more parallel seeing there is now found a People who are greatly Persecuted and bitterly Reviled and Accused as Hereticks by a Generation that cry up and exalt the Scriptures And yet this Peoples Principles are found in Scripture Word by Word though the most grievous and indeed the greatest Calumny cast upon them is that they Vilifie and Deny the Scriptures and set up their own Imaginations instead of them To disprove which this Catechism and Confession of Faith is Compiled and presented to thy Serious and Impartial View If thou lovest the Scripture indeed and desirest to hold the plain Doctrines there delivered and not these Strained and Far-fetch'd Consequences which Men have invented thou shalt easily observe the whole Principles of the People called QUAKERS plainly couched in Scripture-Words without Addition or Commentary especially in those things their Adversaries Oppose them in where the Scripture plainly decideth the Controversie for them without Nicities and School-Distinctions which have been the Wisdom by which the World hath not known God and the Words which have been multiplied without knowledge by which Counsel hath been darkned In the Answers to the Questions there is not one Word that I know of placed but the
express Words of Scripture and if in some of the Questions there be somewhat Subsumed of what in my Judgment is the plain and naked Import of the Words it is not to Impose my Sense upon the Reader but to make way for the next Question for the dependence of the Matter 's sake I shall leave it to the reason of any Vnderstanding and Judicious Man who is not byassed by Self-Interest that great Enemy to true Equity and who in the least measure is willing to give way to the Light of Christ in his Conscience if the Scriptures do not pertinently and aptly Answer to the Questions As I have upon serious Grounds Separated from most of the Confessions and Catechisms heretofore published so not without Cause I have now taken another Method They usually place their Confession of Faith before the Catechism I judge it ought to be otherwise in regard that which is Easiest and is Composed for Children or such as are Weak ought in my Judgment to be placed first it being most Regular to Begin with things that are Easie and Familiar and lead on to things that are more Hard and Intricate Besides that things be more largely opened in the Catechism and divers Objections Answered which are proposed in the Questions the Reader having past through that first will more perfectly understand the Confession which consisteth mainly in positive Assertions Not long after I had received and believed the Testimony I now bear I had in my view both the possibility and facility of such a Work and now after a more large and perfect acquaintance with the Holy Scripture I found Access to allow some time to set about it and have also been helped to accomplish the same I doubt not but it might be enlarged by divers Citations which are here omitted as not being at present brought to my Remembrance Yet I find Cause to be contented in that God hath so far assisted me in this Work by his Spirit that good Remembrancer the Manifestation of which as it is minded will help such as Seriously and Conscientiously Read this to find out and cleave to the Truth and also Establish and Confirm those who have already believed Which of all things is most earnestly desired and daily prayed for By FromVrie the Place of my Being in my Native Country of Scotland the 11th of the 6th Month 1673. ROBERT BARCLAY A Servant of the Church of CHRIST THE CONTENTS Chap. 1. OF God and the true and saving Knowledge of him Chap. 2. Of the Rule and Guide of Christians and of the Scriptures Chap. 3. Of Jesus Christ's being manifest in the Flesh the Use and End of it Chap. 4. Of the New Birth the Inward Appearance of Christ in Spirit and the Unity of the Saints with him Chap. 5. Concerning the Light wherewith Jesus Christ hath enlightned every Man the Universality and Sufficiency of God's Grace to all the World made manifest therein Chap. 6. Concerning Faith Justification and Works Chap. 7. Concerning Perfection or Freedom from Sin Chap. 8. Concerning Perseverance and falling from Grace Chap. 9. Concerning the Church and Ministry Chap. 10. Concerning Worship Chap. 11. Concerning Baptism and Bread and Wine Chap. 12. Concerning the Life of a Christian in general what and how it ought to be in this World Chap. 13. Concerning Magistracy Chap. 14. Concerning the Resurrection Chap. 15. A short Introduction to the Confession of Faith Chap. 16. A Confession of Faith containing Twenty Three Articles Article 1. Concerning God and the True and Saving Knowledge of him Art 2. Concerning the Guide and Rule of Christians Art 3. Concerning the Scriptures Art 4 Concerning the Divinity of Christ and his being from the Beginning Art 5. Concerning his Appearance in the Flesh. Art 6. Concerning the End and Use of that Appearance Art 7. Concerning the Inward Manifestation of Christ. Art 8. Concerning the New Birth Art 9. Concerning the Unity of the Saints with Christ. Art 10. Concerning the Universal Love and Grace of God to all Art 11. Concerning the Light that enlightneth every Man Art 12. Concerning Faith and Justification Art 13. Concerning Good Works Art 14. Concerning Perfection Art 15. Concerning Perseverance and Falling from Grace Art 16. Concerning the Church and Ministry Art 17. Concerning Worship Art 18. Concerning Baptism Art 19. Concerning Eating of Bread and Wine Washing of one anothers Feet abstaining from things strangled and from Blood and Anointing of the Sick with Oil. Art 20. Concerning the Liberty of such Christians as are come to know the Substance as to the using or not using of these Rites and of the Observation of Days Art 21. Concerning Swearing Fighting and Persecution Art 22. Concerning Magistracy Art 23. Concerning the Resurrection Chap. 17. A short Expostulation with and Appeal to all other Professors Chap. 18. A short Examination of some of the Scripture-Proofs alledged by the Divines at Westminster to prove divers Articles in their Confession of Faith and Catechism A CATECHISM c. year 1673 CHAP. I. Of GOD and the True and Saving Knowledge of Him Question SEeing it is a thing Vnquestioned by all sorts of Christians that the Hight of Happiness consisteth in coming to know and enjoy Eternal Life what is it in the Sense and Judgment of Christ Answer This is Life Eternal that they might know thee John 17.3 the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Q. How doth God Reveal this Knowledge A. For God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness 2 Cor. 4.6 hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. Q. How many Gods are there A. One God We know that an Idol is nothing in the World Ephes. 4.9 1 Cor. 8.4 6. and that there is none other God but one But to us there is but one God Q. What is God A. God is a Spirit John 4.24 Q. Among all the Blessed Glorious and Divine Excellencies of God which are ascribed and given to him in the Scriptures what is that which is most needful for us to take notice of as being the Message which the Apostles Recorded in special manner to declare of him now under the Gospel A. This then is the Message which we have heard of him and declare unto you That God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all 1 John 1.5 Q. What are they that bear Record in Heaven A. There are Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father 1 John 5.7 the Word and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One. Q. How cometh any Man to know God the Father according to Christ's Words A. All things are delivered to me of my Father and no Man knows who the Son is but the Father and who the Father is Luke 10.22 Mal. 11.27 John 14.6 but the Son and he to whom the Son will Reveal him Jesus saith unto him I am the Way the Truth and
the Life no Man cometh unto the Father but by me Q. By whom and after what manner doth the Son Reveal this Knowledge A. But as it is written Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither hath entered into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him But God hath Revealed them unto us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.9 10 11 12. For the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God For what man knoweth the things of a Man save the Spirit of a Man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Now we have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name John 14.26 he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your Remembrance c. CHAP. II. Of the Rule and Guide of Christians and of the Scriptures Question SEeing it is by the Spirit that Christ Reveals the Knowledge of God in things Spiritual The Spirit the Guide is it by the Spirit that we must be led under the Gospel Answer But ye are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his For as many as are Led by the Spirit of God Rom. 8.9 14. they are the Sons of God Q. It is an Inward Principle then that is to be the Guide and Rule of Christians A. But the Anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you 1 John 2.27 and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things and is Truth and is no Lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him But as touching Brotherly Love ye need not that I write unto you Thes. 4.9 for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another Q. I perceive by this that it is by an Inward Anointing and Rule that Christians are to be taught Is this the very tenor of the New-Covenant-Dispensation A. For this is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those Days The Anointing the Teacher saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their Mind and write them in their Hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People And they shall not Teach every Man his Neighbour Hebr. 8.10 11. and every Man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the Least to the Greatest John 6.45 And they shall be all taught of God Q. Did Christ then promise that the Spirit should both abide with his Disciples and be in them A. And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter Joh. 14.16 17. that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwells with you and shall be in you Q. For what End were the Scriptures written A. For whatsoever things were written aforetime Rom. 15.4 were written for our Learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Q. For what are they profitable A. Thou hast known the Holy Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all Good Works Q. Wherein consisteth the Excellency of the Scriptures A. Knowing this first 2 Pet. 1.20 21. that no Prophecy of the Scriptures is of any private Interpretation For the Prophecy came not in Old Time by the Will of Man but Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Q. The Scriptures are then to be regarded because they came from the Spirit and they also testifie that not they but the Spirit is to lead into all Truth In what respect doth Christ Command to Search them A. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life John 5.39 and they are they which testifie of me Q. I perceive there was a Generation of old that greatly exalted the Scriptures and yet would not believe nor come to be guided by that the Scriptures directed to How doth Christ bespeak such A. Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father there is One that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust for had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me But if ye believe not his Writings how shall ye believe my Words John 5.45 46 47. Q. What ought then such to be accounted of notwithstanding of their Pretences of being ruled by the Scriptures A. In which are some things hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3.16 which they that are Vnlearned and Vnstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own Destruction CHAP. III. Of Jesus Christ being manifest in the Flesh the Vse and End of it Question WHat are the Scriptures which do most observably prophesy of Christ's Appearance Answer Deut. 18.15 The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto me unto him ye shall hearken Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a Sign Behold Isai. 7.14 a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call his Name Immanuel Q. Was not Jesus Christ in being before he Appeared in the Flesh What clear Scriptures prove this against such as erroneously assert the contrary Mich. 5.2 A. But thou Bethlehem Ephratah though thou be little among the Thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel whose Goings forth have been from of Old from Everlasting John 1.1 2 3. In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God The same was in the Beginning with God All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Before Abraham was John 8.58 I am John 17.5 And now O Father Glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was And to make all Men see what is the Fellowship of the Mystery which from the beginning of the World hath been hid in God Ephes. 3.9 who created all things by Jesus Christ. Col. 1.16 For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth
and Observances A. * Gal. 6.14 15. But God forbid that I should Glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the World is Crucified unto me and I unto the World For in Jesus Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision but a New Creature Q. What speaketh Christ of the Unity of the Saints with him A. At that Day ye shall know that I am in my Father John 14.20 and ye in me and I in you Abide in me and I in you John 15.4 5. As the Branch cannot bear Fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the Vine ye are the Branches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much Fruit for without me ye can do nothing Neither pray I for these alone but for them also John 17.20 21 22 23. which shall believe in me through their Word That they all may be One as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in Vs that the World may believe it that thou hast sent me And the Glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be One even as we are One I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in One and that the World may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Q. What saith the Apostle Paul to this purpose A. For both he that Sanctifies and they that are Sanctified Hebr. 2.11 are all of One for which Cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren Q. What saith the Apostle Peter A. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and pretious Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 that by these you might be Partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the Corruption that is in the World through Lust. CHAP. V. Concerning the Light wherewith Jesus Christ hath enlightned every Man The Vniversality and Sufficiency of God's Grace to all the World made manifest therein Question WHerein consists the Love of God towards Fallen and Lost Man Answer For God so loved the World John 3.16 that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not Perish but have Everlasting Life In this was manifested the Love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World 1 John 4.9 that we might live through him Q. What is intended here by the World all and every Man or only a few A. But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of Death crowned with Glory and Honour Hebr. 2.9 that he by the Grace of God Should taste Death for every Man 1 John 2.1 2. And if any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the Propitiation for our Sins and not for ours only but also for the Sins of the whole World Q. Methinks the Apostle John is very plain there in mentioning the whole World which must be not only the Saints but all others seeing he distinguisheth the World from himself and all the Saints to whom he then wrote What saith Paul elsewhere in this matter A. Christ in you the Hope of Glory whom we Preach warning every Man Col. 1.27 28. and teaching every Man in all Wisdom That we may present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.3 4 6. I Exhort therefore that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and Giving of Thanks be made for All Men for this is good and acceptable in the Sight of God our Saviour who will have All Men to be saved and to come to the Knowledge of the Truth who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time Q. What is the Apostle Peter 's Testimony in this A. The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise as some Men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward 2 Pet. 3.9 Not willing that any should Perish but that All should come to Repentance Q. Are there any more Scripture-Passages that prove this thing A. Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God I have no Pleasure in the Death of the Wicked Ezek. 33.11 but that the Wicked turn from his Way and Live The Lord is Gracious and full of Compassion slow to Anger and of great Mercy Psal. 145.8 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender Mercies are over all his Works To wit That God was in Christ Reconciling the World unto him self 2 Cor. 5.19 Q. Seeing then by these Scriptures it appears that the Love of God is held out to all that all might have been or may be saved by Christ What is to be judged of those who assert that God nor Christ never purposed Love nor Salvation to a great part of Mankind and that the Coming and Sufferings of Christ never was intended nor could be useful to their Justification but will and must be effectual for their Condemnation even according to God's Purpose who from their very Infancy to their Grave with-held from them all means of Salvation What saith the Scripture to such A. For God sent not his Son into the World to Condemn the World but that the World through him might be saved John 3 17. I am come a Light into the World that Whosoever believeth in me John 12.46 47. should not abide in Darkness And if any Man hear my Words and believe not I judge him not for I came not to judge the World but to save the World Q. From what Scripture then came these Men to wrest an Opinion so contrary to Truth A. For the Children being not yet born neither have done any Good or Evil Rom. 9 11 12 13. that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand it was said unto her The Elder shall serve the Younger as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Q. I perceive in that Scripture it was only said before the Children were born The Elder shall serve the Younger These other Words Jacob have I loved Esau have I hated are mention'd out of the Prophet Malachy who wrote them many hundred Years after both were Dead Doth not the Scripture mention any other Cause of God's hating Esau than meerly his Decree What saith the same Apostle elsewhere A. Lest there be any Fornication or Prophane Person as Esau Hebr. 12.16 17. who for one Morsel of Meat sold his Birth-right for ye know how that afterward when he would have inherited the Blessing he was rejected Q. But seeing that such alledge that it is because of Adam 's Sin that many even Children are Damned Doth not the Scripture aver that the Death of Christ was as large to Heal as Adam 's Sin could Condemn A. For if through the Offence of one many be Dead Rom. 5.15 18. much more the Grace of God
and the Gift by Grace which is by one Man Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the Offence of one Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation even so by the Righteousness of one the free Gift came upon all Men unto Justification of Life Q. That proves abundantly that Christ's Death is of sufficient Extent to make up any Hurt Adam 's Sin brought upon Mankind What is then the cause of Condemnation A. He that believeth on him is not Condemned but he that believeth not is Condemned already 1 John 3 18. because he hath not believed in the Name of the Only Begotten Son of God And with all Deceivableness of Unrighteousness in them that Perish because they received not the Love of the Truth 2 Thess 2 10 11 12. that they might be saved And for this Cause God shall send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lie that they all might be damned who believe not the Truth but had Pleasure in Unrighteousness Q. Seeing it is so of a Truth according to the Scriptures Testimony that God has purposed Love and Mercy to all in the appearance of his Son Jesus Christ Is the Gospel or Glad Tidings of this Salvation brought nigh unto all by which they are put into a Capacity of receiving the Grace and being saved by it A. If ye continue in the Faith grounded and setled Col. 1.23 and be not moved away from the Hope of the Gospel which ye have heard and which was preached to every Creature which is under Heaven whereof I Paul am made a Minister Q. What is the Gospel A. I am not ashamed of the Gospel for It is the Power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 unto every one that believeth Q. Is this Gospel hid 2 Cor. 4.3 4. A. If our Gospel be hid It is hid to them that are Lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them which believe not lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them Q. Is this Light then come into the World And are not Men condemned because they love it not and not because it is hid from them John 3.19 A. And this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light Q. Why do they so A. Because their Deeds are Evil. Q. Is every Man enlightened by this Light John 1.8 9. A. He was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that Light that was the True Light which enlighteneth every Man that cometh into the World Q. Doth this Light discover all things A. All things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light for whatsoever doth make manifest Ephes. 5.13 is Light Q. Do Evil Men preach up this Light or mind it John 3 20. A. Every one that doth Evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved Job 24.13 They are of those that Rebel against the Light Q. Do good Men love it and follow it John 3.21 A. He that doth Truth comes to the Light that his Deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Q What Benefit doth redound to such as love the Light and walk in it 1 John 1.7 A. If we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all Sin Q. Doth Christ command to take heed to the Light A. While ye have the Light believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of the Light John 12.36 Q. Were the Apostles Commanded to turn People to the Light Acts 26.17 18. A. Delivering thee from the People and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee to open their Eyes and to turn them from Darkness unto Light and from the Power of Satan unto God that they may receive Forgiveness of Sins and Inheritance among them which are sanctified through Faith that is in me Q. Doth this Light abide with every man all his Life time in order to save or only during the Day of his Visitation John 12.25 A. Yet a little while is the Light with you walk while ye have the Light lest Darkness come upon you Again He limiteth a certain Day saying in David To day after so long time Hebr. 4.7 as it is said To day if ye will hear his Voice harden not your Hearts Q. How can it be proved that there is a Day wherein People may know things concerning their Peace which afterwards may be hid from them A. And when he was come near he beheld the City Luke 19.41 42. and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy Day the things which belong unto thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes Q. Is there any further Scripture-Proof of the Lord's willingness to gather a People who would not and therefore were Condemned A. Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets Matth. 23.37 Luke 13.34 and stonest them which are sent unto thee How oft would I have gathered thy Children together even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings and ye would not Then his Lord after that he had called him said unto him Matth. 18.32 33 34. O thou wicked Servant I forgave thee all the Debt because thou desiredst me shouldst not thou also have had Compassion on thy Fellow-Servant even as I had Pity on thee And his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the Tormentors till he should pay all that was due unto him Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said It was necessary Acts 13.46 that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing ye put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of Everlasting Life lo we turn to the Gentiles Because I have called and ye refused Prov. 1.24 25 26. I have stretched out my Hand and no man regarded But ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would none of my Reproof I also will laugh at your Calamity Jer. 18.9 10. I will mock when your Fear cometh And at what Instance I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to build and to plant it If it do Evil in my Sight that it obey not my Voice then will I Repent of the Good wherewith I said I would benefit them Q. Doth God's Spirit strive then for a season and afterwards forbear A. And the Lord said Gen. 3.9 My Spirit shall not always strive with man Q. May it then be resisted A. Ye Stiff-necked and Uncircumcised in Heart and Ears ye do always Resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye Acts 7.51 For the Wrath of God is Revealed from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of man Rom. 1.18 who hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness Q. Hath God manifested to Man
omitted In Chap. 21. Sect. 7. where they say That the Sabbath from the Resurrection of Christ was changed into the First Day of the Week which in Scripture say they is called the Lord's Day and is to be continued to the End of the World as the Christians Sabbath In which they assert Three Things First That the First Day of the Week is come in place of the Seventh for a Sabbath To prove which they alledge 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Now concerning the Collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia even so do ye Vpon the First Day of the Week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him that there be no Gathering when I come Acts 20.7 The Divines Non-sensical Proofs That the First day of the Week is instead of the Sabbath And upon the First Day of the Week when the Disciples came together to break Bread Paul preached to them ready to depart on the Morrow and continued his Speech until Midnight That these Proofs Assert not the things expresly we need not I suppose dispute Now to say that because Paul desires the Corinthians to lay something by them in store that day or because he brake Bread continued his Speech until Midnight therefore the First Day of the Week is come in place of the Sabbath is a Consequence more remarkable for its Sottishness than to be credited for its Soundness Indeed to make so solemn an Article of Faith as these Men would have the Morality of the First Day of the Week to be would need a more positive and express Authority The Text doth clearly enough tell the Reason of the Disciples Meeting so frequently and of Paul's preaching so long because he was ready to depart to Morrow it speaks not a word of its being Sabbath Their Second Assertion That the First Day of the Week is therefore called the Lord 's Day Is drawn yet more strangely from that of Rev. 1.10 The Lord's Day I was in the Spirit on the Lord 's Day and heard behind me a great Voice as of a Trumpet Whereas no particular Day of the Week is mentioned So for them to say John meaned the First Day of the Week hath no more Proof but their own bare Assertion For their Third Assertion That it is to be continued to the End of the World as the Christians Sabbath They that alledge these Scriptures Exod. 20.8 10 11. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy but the Seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any Work The Sabbath-Day thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter thy Man-Servant nor thy Maid-Servant nor thy Cattle nor thy Stranger which is within thy Gates for in Six Days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the Seventh Day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath Day and hallowed it Isaiah 56.2 4 6 7. Matth. 5.17 18. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil For verily I say unto you Till Heaven and Earth pass one Jot or one Tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled If they prove any thing they must needs prove the continuance of the Seventh Day seeing in all the Law there is no mention made of the First Day of the Week being a Sabbath The Seventh Day If these may be reckoned good and sound Consequences I know no Absurdities so great no Heresies so damnable no Superstitions so ridiculous but may be cloathed with the Authority of Scripture In their Twenty Seventh Chapter in the 1 2 3. Sections they speak at large of the Definition and Nature of Sacraments but in all the Scriptures they bring there is not one Word of Sacraments The Truth is there was a good Reason for this Omission for such a thing is not to be found in all the Bible The word Sacrament not to be found in all the Bible For them to alledge that the thing signified is to be found in Scripture though that be also a begging of the Question will not excuse such who elsewhere aver The Whole Counsel of God is contained in the Scripture to forsake and reject the Tenour thereof and scrape out of the Rubbish of the Romish Tradition for that which is reckoned by themselves so substantial a part of their Faith In their Fourth Section they assert two things First That there are Two only Sacraments under the Gospel Secondly That these two are Baptism and the Supper To prove which they alledge Matth. 28.19 Go ye therefore and Teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 11.20 23. When ye come together therefore into one place this is not to eat the Lord 's Supper for I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same Night in which he was betrayed took Bread 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a Man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God Heb. 5.4 4. And no Man taketh this Honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Now granting there were such a thing as Sacraments to be solemnly performed all that these Scriptures will prove is That these Two were appointed to be performed But that there are only Two or that these are they which is the thing asserted and incumbent to be proved there is not the least Shadow of Proof alledged For according to their own Definition of a Sacrament in the larger Catechism where they say The parts of a Sacrament are two the one an outward and sensible Sign used according to Christ's own appointment the other an inward and spiritual Grace thereby signified both the Washing of one another's Feet and the Anointing of the Sick with Oil doth answer to it and many other Things So that the Probation of a Sacrament at all or of their being Two Seven yea or Seventy is all alike easie seeing neither Name nor Number is to be found in the Scripture they being the meer Conceits and Inventions of Men. And yet it is marvellous to see with how great Confidence some Men do assert the Scripture to be their Rule while they build up so considerable Parts of their Doctrine without the least Scripture-Foundation Thus I thought fit to pitch upon these Three viz. the Scriptures Sabbath and Sacraments because these be Three of the main things for which we the Quakers are chiefly cried out against and accused as believing Erroneously concerning them Now what we believe concerning these things and how agreeable our Testimony herein is to the Scriptures is heretofore sufficiently demonstrated Also how little Scripture-Proof these have for their Contrary Assertions to us in these things notwithstanding of their great Pretences to Scripture will
Property of the Church of Christ from all other Antichristian Assemblies and Churches of Man's building and framing To give a short and yet clear and plain Answer to this Proposition The only proper Judge of Controversies in the Church is the Spirit of God and the Power of deciding solely lies in it as having the only Unerring Infallible and Certain Judgment belonging to it which Infallibility is not necessarily annexed to any Persons The Spirit of God the proper Judge of Controversies in the Church Person or Places whatsoever by Virtue of any Office Place or Station any one may have or have had in the Body of Christ. That is to say that any have Ground to Reason thus Because I am or have been such an Eminent Member therefore my Judgment is Infallible or Because we are the greatest Number or that We live in such a Noted or Famous Place or the like though some of these Reasons may and ought to have their true Weight in Case of Contradictory Assertions as shall hereafter be observed yet not so as upon which either mainly or only the Infallible Judgment is to be placed but upon the Spirit as that which is the firm and unmoveable Foundation And now if I should go on no further I have said enough to vindicate us from IMPOSITION and from the Tyranny whether of Popery Prelacy or Presbytery or any such like we have or may be branded with as shall after appear But to proceed herein lies the Difference betwixt the Dispensation of the Law and the Gospel or New Covenant for that of old all Answers were to be received from the Priests in the Tabernacle For he that appeared betwixt the Cherubims there Exod. 25.22 Numb 7.89 Hos. 12.10 Amos 7.14 2 Chron. 18.6 7. John 6.45 Hebr. 1.1 2. spake forth his Mind to the People and there were also Families of the Prophets to whom they resorted for the Answer of the Lord though sometimes as a Signification of the further Glory that was to be Revealed it pleased God to Reveal his Mind to some even to them who were neither Prophets nor Prophets Sons but under the Gospel we are all to be taught of God that is none are excluded from his Priviledge by not being of the Tribe of Levi or of the Children of the Prophets though this Priviledge is as truly exercised in some by Assenting and Obeying to what God Commands and Reveals through others they feeling Vnity with it in the Life as by such who by the Revelation and Command of God's Spirit hold forth his Will to his People in certain Particulars which the same Spirit leads and commands them to obey So that we say and that with a very good Ground that it is no way Inconsistant with this Sound and Vnerring Principle to affirm That the Judgment of a certain Person or Persons in certain Cases is Infallible Judgment Infallible proceeds from the Spirit Infallible or for a certain Person or Persons to give a positive Judgment and pronounce it as Obligatory upon others because the Foundations and Ground thereof is not because they are Infallible but because in these Things and at that Time they were Led by the Infallible Spirit And therefore it will not shelter any in this Respect to pretend I am not bound to obey the Dictates of Fallible Man is not this Popery I not being perswaded in my self Because it is not to be disobedient to them but to the Judgment of Truth through them at such a Time and one or more their not being perswaded may as probably proceed from their being hardned and being out of their Place and in an Incapacity to hear the Requirings as that the Thing is not Required of them which none can deny but it may as well be supposed as the Contrary But for the further clearing of this Matter before I Conclude I shall not doubt both to affirm and prove these following Propositions First That there never will nor can be wanting in Case of Controversy the Spirit of God to give Judgment through some or other in the Church of Christ so long as any Assembly can properly or in any Assert 1 tolerable Supposition be so termed Secondly That God hath ordinarily in the communicating of his Assert 2 Will under his Gospel imployed such whom he had made Use of in gathering of his Church and in feeding and watching over them though not Excluding others Thirdly That their de Facto or effectually Meeting together and Assert 3 giving a positive Judgment in such Cases will not import Tyranny and Vsurpation or an Inconsistency with the Vniversal Priviledge that all Christians have to be led by the Spirit neither will the Pretences of any contradicting them or refusing to Submit upon the account they see it not or so excuse them from being really guilty of disobeying God For the First to those that believe the Scripture there will need no Assert 1 other Probation Proved than that of Matth. 28.20 And lo I am with you alway even unto the End of the World And Vers 18. And the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Now if the Church of Christ were so destitute of the Spirit of God that in Case of Difference there were not any found that by the Infallible Spirit could give a certain Judgment The Infallible Spirit the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against would not then the Gates of Hell prevail against it For where is Strife and Division and no effectual Way to put an End to it there not only the Gates but the Courts and Inner Chambers of Darkness prevail for where Envying and Strife is there is Confusion and every Evil Work But that there may be here no Ground of Mistake or Supposition that we were annexing Infallibility to certain Persons or limiting the Church to such I understand not by the Church every particular Gathering or Assembly circumscribed to any particular Country or City for I will not refuse but divers of them both apart and together if not Established in God's Power The Erring Church or People may Err. Nor yet do I lay the absolute Stress upon a General Assembly of Persons as such picked and chosen out of every one of those particular Churches as if what the Generality or Plurality of those Conclude upon were necessarily to be supposed to be the Infallible Judgment of Truth though to such an Assembly of Persons truly stated as they ought in God's Power he hath heretofore Revealed his Will in such Cases and yet may as the most probable Way which shall be spoken of hereafter yet such as a meer Assembly is not Conclusive Nor yet do I understand by the Church every Gathering or Assembly of People who may hold Sound and True Principles or have a Form of Truth for some may lose the Life and Power of Godliness Having the Form of Truth who notwithstanding may retain the Form or Notions of Things but yet are to
of the Romish Church and are so far such as to understand their own Principles do unquestionably acknowledge First That no General Council can be lawfully called without the Bishop of Rome as Christ's Vicar and Peter 's Successor call it Secondly That either he himself or some for him as his Legates must be there present and always preceed Thirdly That the Members having Vote are made up of Bishops or Presbyters or Commissioners from the several Orders being of the Clergy Fourthly That what is Concluded on by Plurality of Votes and Agreed to by the Pope and his Legates must necessarily be supposed to be the Judgment of the Infallible Spirit Fifthly That all the Members of the Church are bound Implicitly to Receive and Believe it because it proceeds from a Council to be accounted Lawful in the Respects above-mentioned without Regard to the Intrinsick or Real Truths of the Things prescribed or bringing them in any Respect to the Test or Examination of the Spirit of God in themselves or the Scriptures Testimony or their Agreement or Disagreement with Truths formerly believed and received for so much as to Prove or Try them by Way of Doubt they reckon a Breach of the first Command as on the other Hand a matter of Merit Implicitly to receive and believe them however inconsistent with the Testimony of the Spirit in ones own Heart Scripture Truth and Reason Sixthly That no Man as a Member of the Church of Christ in that simple Capacity unless a Clergy-man or the Ambassadour of some King c. can be admitted to Sit Vote or give his Judgment Seventhly That it is in no Respect to be supposed that any Members especially Laicks whether in a particular City Country or Nation may meet concerning any Things relating to the Faith and Worship of the Church and give by the Spirit of God any Judgment but that all such Meetings are to be accounted Schismatical and Unlawful And Lastly That the Promise of Infallibility and the Gates of Hell not prevailing is necessarily annexed to the Pope and Council called and authorized in the Manner above-expressed Now if to deny every one of these Propositions wherein all Understanding Men know the Errors and Abuses of the Romish Church consist be to be Popish then indeed may we be supposed to be one with the Papists in this Matter but no otherwise So that the very mentioning of these things is sufficient to shew the Difference betwixt us and them But if any will needs plead our Agreement with them thus The Papists affirm an Infallibility of Judgment in the Church of Christ Objection and so do you therefore you are one with Papists I Answer That proves no more our Oneness in this Matter than if Answ. 1 it should be said The Papists plead that God ought to be Worshipped and so do you Therefore ye Agree Notwithstanding of the Vast Differences as to that which is known not only betwixt us and them but betwixt them and all Protestants who Agree more with them in the matter of Worship than we do Next again Infallibility in the Church according as we hold it Answ. 2 and I have above Defined it no man upon our Supposition or Hypothesis can deny it For since we first Assert as a Principle That no Gathering no Church nor Assembly of People The true Church is Led by the Infallible Spirit however True their Principles or Exact their Form be are to be accounted the Church of Christ except the Infallible Spirit lead and guide what can be the Hazzard to say that in such a Church there is still an Infallible Judgment Indeed this is so far from Popery that it resolves in a Proposition quite Contradictory to them The Romanists say That the Infallible Spirit always accompanies the Outward Visible Professors and is annexed to the External Succession of Bishops and Pastors though ever so Vitious as to their Lives yea though perfect * For some Popes have been known to deny or at least to doubt the Truth of the Scriptures as to the History of Christ and to call in question the Immortality of the Soul and the Resurrection Atheists and Infidels in their private Judgments yet if outwardly professing the Catholick Faith and Subjection to the Church they must be partakers of the Infallible Spirit We say the quite Contrary That where there is either Vitiousness of Persons or Vnsoundness of Judgment in the particular Members these cannot by Virtue of any outward Call or Succession they have or any Profession they make or Authority they may pretend to so much as claim an Interest in any part of the Church of Christ or the Infallible Spirit So then if we admit none to be Members of the Church but such as are led and guided by the Spirit The Infallible Judgment where it is it will be no Popery in the Second Place to affirm That were there is a Company of People so gathered who are not any longer to retain justly the Name of the Church of Christ than they are led and guided by his Spirit or a Church so qualified and designed there is still an Infallible Judgment So that this Infallibility is not annexed to the Persons to the Succession to the bare Visible Profession though true which the Church of Rome is denied to be or to any Society because of its Profession but singly and alone to the True Real and Effectual Work of Sanctification and Regeneration the New Creature brought forth in the Heart And this is the Spiritual Man which the Apostle saith Judgeth all Things 1 Cor. 2.15 To affirm there is an Infallibility here cannot well be Condemned by any or whoso doth must needs say the Spirit of God is fallible For we place the Infallibility in the Spirit and in the Power not in the Persons And so these are the Degrees we Ascend by Because such and such Men are led by the Spirit of God and are obedient to the Grace in their Hearts therefore are they Members and Officers in the Church of Christ. And because they are Members of the Church of Christ in the Respect before declared therefore there is an Infallible Judgment among them We do not say Because such men profess the Christian Faith and have received an outward Ordination and so are by a lawful Succession formally established Officers in the Church when they Meet together according to certain Rules above-declared there is an Infallibility annexed to their Conclusions and they cannot but Decide what is Right or rather what they Decide must needs be supposed to be Right Who seeth not here a vast Disproportion Now we differ herein fundamentally that is as to the very Basis and Foundation upon which we build and that not only from the Church of Rome but also from the Generality of Protestants in this matter All Protestants do acknowledge a General Council to be useful The Constitution of a Synod or General Council among yea necessary
as is hoped solidly Refuted THESES THEOLOGICAE year 1675 To the CLERGY of what Sort soever unto whose hands these may come but more particularly to the Doctors Professors and Students of Divinity in the Vniversities and Schools of Great Britain whether Prelatical Presbyterian or any other Robert Barclay a Servant of the Lord God and one of those who in Derision are called Quakers Wisheth Vnfeigned Repentance unto the Acknowledgment of the Truth FRIENDS UNto You these following PROPOSITIONS are Offered in which they being Read and Considered in the Fear of the Lord you may perceive that Simple Naked Truth which Man by his Wisdom hath rendred so Obscure and Mysterious that the World is even Burthened with the great and Voluminous Tractates which are made about it and by their Vain Jangling and Commentaries by which it is rendred a hundred fold more Dark and Intricate than of it self it is which Great Learning so accounted of to wit your School Divinity which taketh up almost a Man's whole Life-time to learn brings not a-whit nearer to God neither makes any Man less Wicked or more Righteous than he was Therefore hath God laid aside the Wise and Learned and the Disputers of this World and hath chosen a few despicable and Unlearned Instruments as to Letter-learning as he did Fisher-men of old to publish his pure and naked Truth and to free it of these Mists and Fogs wherewith the Clergy hath Clouded it that the People might Admire and Maintain them And among several others whom God hath Chosen to make known these things seeing also have Received in Measure Grace to be a Dispenser of the same Gospel it seemed good unto me according to my Duty to Offer unto You these Propositions which though short yet are Weighty Comprehending much and declaring what the true Ground of Knowledge is even of that Knowledge which leads to Life Eternal which is here witnessed of and the Testimony thereof left unto the Light of Christ in all your Consciences Farewel R. B. The First Proposition Concerning the true Foundation of Knowledge SEeing the Height of all Happiness is placed in the true Knowledge of God This is Life Eternal to know the true God and Jesus Christ John 17.3 whom thou hast sent the true and right Understanding of this Foundation and Ground of Knowledge is that which is most necessary to be known and believed in the first place The Second Proposition Concerning Immediate Revelation Seeing no Man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son Revealeth him Matth. 11.27 and seeing the Revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit therefore the Testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the true Knowledge of God hath been is and can be only Revealed Who as by the moving of his own Spirit Converted the Chaos of this World into that Wonderful Order wherein it was in the beginning and Created Man a living Soul to Rule and Govern it so by the Revelation of the same Spirit he hath Manifested himself all along unto the Sons of Men both Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles Which Revelations of God by the Spirit whether by outward Voices and Appearances Dreams or inward Objective Manifestations in the Heart were of old the formal Object of their Faith and remaineth yet so to be since the Object of the Saints Faith is the same in all Ages though set forth under divers Administrations Moreover these Divine Inward Revelations which we make absolutely Necessary for the building up of true Faith neither do nor can ever Contradict the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or right and sound Reason Yet from hence it will not follow that these Divine Revelations are to be subjected to the Examination either of the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or of the Natural Reason of Man as to a more noble or certain Rule and Touch-stone For this Divine Revelation and inward Illumination is that which is evident and clear of it self forcing by its own Evidence and Clearness the well-disposed Understanding to Assent irresistibly moving the same thereunto even as the Common Principles of Natural Truths move and incline the mind to a Natural Assent such as are these That the Whole is greater than the Part That two Contradictory Sayings cannot be both true or false Which is also manifest according to our Adversaries Principle who supposing the possibility of inward Divine Revelations will nevertheless Confess with us that neither Scripture nor sound Reason will Contradict it and yet it will not follow according to them that the Scripture or sound Reason should be subjected to the Examination of the Divine Revelations in the heart The Third Proposition Concerning the Scriptures From these Revelations of the Spirit of God to the Saints have proceeded the Scriptures of Truth which contain 1. A faithful Historical Account of the Actings of God's People in divers Ages with many singular and remarkable Providences attending them 2. A Prophetical Account of several things whereof some are already past and some yet to come 3. A full and ample Account of all the chief Principles of the Doctrine of Christ held forth in divers pretious Declarations Exhortations and Sentences which by the moving of God's Spirit were at several times and upon sundry occasions spoken and written unto some Churches and their Pastors Nevertheless because they are only a Declaration of the Fountain and not the Fountain it self therefore they are not to be esteemed the principal Ground of all Truth and Knowledge nor yet the Adequate Primary Rule of Faith and Manners Nevertheless as that which giveth a true and faithful Testimony of the first Foundation they are and may be esteemed a secondary Rule subordinate to the Spirit from which they have all their Excellency and Certainty For as by the Inward Testimony of the Spirit we do alone truly know them so they testify that the Spirit is that Guide John 16.13 Rom. 8.14 by which the Saints are led into all Truth Therefore according to the Scriptures the Spirit is the first and principal Leader And seeing we do therefore receive and believe the Scriptures because they proceeded from the Spirit therefore also the Spirit is more originally and principally the Rule according to that received Maxim in the Schools Propter quod unumquodque est tale illud ipsum est magis tale Englished thus That for which a thing is such that thing it self is more such The Fourth Proposition Concerning the Condition of Man in the Fall All Adam's Posterity or Mankind both Jews and Gentiles Rom. 5.12 15. as to the first Adam or Earthly Man is fallen degenerated and dead deprived of the sensation or feeling of this inward Testimony or Seed of God and is subject unto the Power Nature and Seed of the Serpent which he sows in mens hearts while they abide in this Natural and Corrupted State from whence it comes that not their words and deeds only but all their
not sufficient neither were ever appointed to be the adequate and only Rule nor yet can guide or direct a Christian in all those things that are needful for him to know We shall leave that to the next Proposition to be Examined What is proper in this place to be proved is That Christians now are to be led inwardly and immediately by the Spirit of God even in the same manner though it befall not to many to be led in the same measure as the Saints were of old § X. I shall prove this by divers Arguments and first from the Promise of Christ in these words Joh. 14.16 And I will pray the Father and he will give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Vers. 17 Even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him Christians are now to be led by the Spirit in the same manner as the Saints of old for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Again vers 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance And 16.13 But when that Spirit of Truth shall come he shall lead you into all Truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear he shall speak and shall declare unto you things to come We have here first Who this is and that is divers ways expressed to wit The Comforter the Spirit of Truth the Holy Ghost the Sent of the Father in the Name of Christ. And hereby is sufficiently proved the Sottishness of those Socinians and other Carnal Christians who neither know nor acknowledge any internal Spirit or Power but that which is meerly Natural by which they sufficiently declare themselves to be of the World who cannot receive the Spirit because they neither see him nor know him Secondly Where this Spirit is to be He dwelleth with you and shall be in you And Thirdly What his Work is He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance and guide you into all Truth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã As to the first Most do acknowledge that there is nothing else understood than what the plain words signify Who is this Comforter Which is also Evident by many Query I other places of Scripture that will hereafter occur neither do I see how such as Affirm otherways can avoid Blasphemy For if the Comforter the Holy Ghost and Spirit of Truth be all one with the Scriptures then it would follow that the Scriptures is God seeing it is true that the Holy Ghost is God If these mens Reasoning might take place wherever the Spirit is mentioned in relation to the Saints thereby might be truly and properly understood the Scriptures Nonsensical Consequences from the Socinians belief of the Scriptures being the Spirit Which what a Non-sensical Monster it would make of the Christian Religion will easily appear to all men As where it is said A manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal it might be rendred thus A manifestation of the Scriptures is given to every man to profit withal What notable Sense this would make and what a Curious Interpretation let us consider by the Sequel of the same Chapter 1 Cor. 12.9 10 11. To another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit to another the working of miracles c. but all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will What would now these great Masters of Reason the Socinians Judge if we should place the Scriptures here instead of the Spirit Would it answer their Reason which is the great guide of their Faith Would it be good and sound Reason in their Logical Schools to affirm That the Scripture divideth severally as it will and giveth to some the gift of healing to others the working of miracles If then this Spirit a Manifestation whereof is given to every man to profit withal be no other than that Spirit of Truth before-mentioned which guideth into all Truth this Spirit of Truth cannot be the Scripture I could infer an hundred more Absurdities of this kind upon this sottish Opinion but what is said may suffice For even some of themselves being at times forgetful or ashamed of their own Doctrine do acknowledge That the Spirit of God is another thing and distinct from the Scriptures to guide and influence the Saints Secondly That this Spirit is inward in my opinion needs no Interpretation nor Commentary He dwelleth with you and shall be in you This indwelling of the Spirit in the Saints as it is a thing most needful to be known and believed so it is as positively asserted in the Scripture as any thing else can be If so be the Spirit of God dwell in you saith the Apostle Query II to the Romans 8.9 and again Know ye not that ye are the Temple of the Holy Ghost Where is his place and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 6.19 without this the Apostle reckoneth no man a Christian. If any man saith he have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his These words immediately follow those above-mentioned out of the Epistle to the Romans But ye are not in the flesh if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you The Context of which sheweth The Spirit within the main Token of a Christian. that the Apostle reckoneth it the main Token of a Christian both positively and negatively For in the former verses he sheweth how the Carnal mind is enmity against God and that such as are in the flesh cannot please him Where subsuming he adds concerning the Romans That they are not in the flesh if the Spirit of God dwell in them What is this but to Affirm that they in whom the Spirit dwells are no longer in the flesh nor of those who please not God but are become Christians indeed Again in the next verse he Concludes Negatively That if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his that is he is no Christian. He then that acknowledges himself Ignorant and a Stranger to the Inward In-being of the Spirit of Christ in his heart doth thereby acknowledge himself to be yet in the Carnal mind which is Enmity to God to be yet in the flesh where God cannot be pleased and in short whatever he may otherways know or believe of Christ or however much skill'd or acquainted with the letter of the Holy Scripture not yet to be notwithstanding all that Attained to the least desire of a Christian yea not once to have embraced the Christian Religion For take but away the Spirit and Christianity remains no more Christianity than the dead Carcase of a man when the Soul and Spirit is departed remains a Man which the living can no more abide but do
and Leading of this Spirit to be Ceased must also suppose Christianity to be Ceased which cannot subsist without it Query III Thirdly What the Work of this Spirit is is partly before shewn which Christ compriseth in two or three things What is the Work of the Spirit He will Guide you into all Truth he will Teach you all things and bring all things to your Remembrance Since Christ hath provided for us so good an Instructor what need we then lean so much to those Traditions and Commandments of men John 16.13 and 14.26 wherewith so many Christians have burthened themselves What need we set up our own Carnal and Corrupt Reason for a Guide to us in matters Spiritual The Spirit the Guide as some will needs do May it not be Complained of all such as the Lord did of old concerning Israel by the Prophets Jer. 2.13 For my People have committed two Evils they have forsaken me the Fountain of Living Waters and hewed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that hold no water Have not many Forsaken Do not many Deride and Reject this Inward and Immediate Guide this Spirit that leads into all Truth and cast up to themselves other ways broken Ways indeed which have not all this while brought them out of the Flesh nor out of the World nor from under the Dominion of their own Lusts and sinful Affections whereby Truth which is only rightly learned by this Spirit is so much a Stranger in the Earth A perpetual Ordinance to Gods Church and People From all then that hath been mentioned concerning this Promise and these Words of Christ it will follow That Christians are always to be led inwardly and immediately by the Spirit of God dwelling in them and that the same is a standing and perpetual Ordinance as well to the Church in general in all Ages as to every Individual Member in particular as appears from this Argument The Promises of Christ to his Children are Yea and Amen and cannot fail but must of Necessity be fulfilled But Christ hath promised That the Comforter the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Truth shall abide with his Children for ever shall dwell with them shall be in them shall lead them into all Truth shall teach them all things and bring all things to their Remembrance Therefore The Comforter the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Truth his Abiding with his Children c. is Yea and Amen c. Again No Man is Redeemed from the Carnal Mind which is at Enmity with God which is not subject to the Law of God neither can be No man is yet in the Spirit but in the Flesh and cannot please God except he in whom the Spirit of God dwells But Every true Christian is in measure Redeemed from the Carnal Mind is gathered out of the Enmity and can be subject to the Law of God is out of the Flesh and in the Spirit the Spirit of God dwelling in him Therefore Every true Christian hath the Spirit of God dwelling in him Again Whosoever hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his that is no Child no Friend no Disciple of Christ. But Every true Christian is a Child a Friend a Disciple of Christ Therefore Every true Christian hath the Spirit of Christ. Moreover Whosoever is the Temple of the Holy Ghost in him the Spirit of God dwelleth and abideth But Every true Christian is the Temple of the Holy Ghost Therefore Every true Christian hath the Spirit of God dwelling and abiding in him But to Conclude He in whom the Spirit of God dwelleth it is not in him a lazy dumb useless thing but it moveth actuateth governeth instructeth and teacheth him all things whatsoever is needful for him to know yea bringeth all things to his Remembrance But The Spirit of God dwelleth in Every true Christian Therefore The Spirit of God leadeth instructeth and teacheth Every true Christian whatsoever is needful for him to know c. § XI But there are some that will Confess Object That the Spirit doth now lead and influence the Saints but that he doth it only Subjectively or in a blind manner by inlightning their understandings to understand and believe the Truth delivered in the Scriptures but not at all by presenting those Truths to the mind by way of Object and this they call Medium incognitum Assentiendi as that of whose Working a man is not sensible This Opinion though somewhat more tolerable than the former Answ. is nevertheless not altogether according to Truth neither doth it reach the fulness of it First Because there be many Truths which as they are Applicable to Arg. I Particulars and Individuals and most needful to be known by them are no wise to be found in the Scripture as in the following Proposition shall be shewn Besides the Arguments already adduced do prove that the Spirit doth not only subjectively help us to discern Truths elsewhere delivered but also Objectively present those Truths to our minds For that which teacheth me all things and is given me for that end without doubt presents those things to my mind which it teacheth me It is not said It shall teach you how to understand those things that are written but It shall teach you all things Again That which brings all things to my Remembrance must needs present them by way of Object else it were improper to say It brought them to my Remembrance but only that it helpeth to Remember the Objects brought from elsewhere My second Argument shall be drawn from the Nature of the New Covenant by which and those that follow I shall prove That we are led by the Spirit both immediately and objectively The Nature of the Arg. II New Covenant is Expressed in divers places and Proof 1 First Isa. 59 21. As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put into thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy Seed nor out of the mouth of thy Seed 's Seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever The Leadings of the Spirit By the latter part of this is sufficiently expressed the Perpetuity and Continuance of this Promise It shall not depart saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever In the former part is the Promise it self which is The Spirit of God being upon them and the Words of God being put into their mouths 1. Immediate First This was Immediate for there is no mention made of any Medium he saith not I shall by the means of such and such Writings or Books convey such and such words into your mouths but my words I even I saith the Lord shall put into your mouths 2. Objective Secondly This must be Objectively for the Words put into the mouth are the Object presented by him He saith not The words which ye shall see written my Spirit shall only Inlighten your
Guidance proved Seeing then we have already proved that Christ hath promised his Spirit to lead his Children and that every one of them both ought and may be Led by it If any depart from this certain Guide in deeds and yet in words pretend to be Led by it into things that are not good it will not from thence follow that the true Guidance of the Spirit is Vncertain or ought not to be followed no more than it will follow that the Sun sheweth not Light because a blind man or one who wilfully shuts his Eyes falls into a Ditch at noon day for want of Light or that no words are spoken because a deaf man hears them not or that a Garden full of fragrant flowers has no sweet smell because he that has lost his Smelling doth not smell it The Fault then is in the Organ and not in the Object All these Mistakes therefore are to be ascribed to the weakness or wickedness of men and not to that Holy Spirit Such as bend themselves most against this certain and infallible Testimony of the Spirit use commonly to alledge the Example of the Old Gnosticks and the late Monstrous and Mischievous Actings of the Anabaptists of Munster all which toucheth us nothing at all neither weakens a whit our most True Doctrine Wherefore as a most sure Bulwark against such kind of Assaults was subjoined that other part of our Proposition thus Moreover these Divine and Inward Revelations which we Establish as absolutely Necessary for the founding of the true Faith as they do not so neither can they at any time Contradict the Scriptures-Testimony or sound Reason By Experience Besides the intrinsick and undoubted Truth of this Assertion We can boldly Affirm it from our certain and blessed Experience For this Spirit never deceived us never acted nor moved us to any thing that was amiss but is clear and manifest in its Revelations which are evidently discerned of us as we wait in that pure and undefiled Light of God that proper and fit Organ in which they are Received Therefore if any Reason after this manner That Because some Wicked Vngodly Devilish Men have committed Wicked Actions and have yet more wickedly Asserted that they were led into those things by the Spirit of God Therefore The Absurdity of the Consequence No man ought to lean to the Spirit of God or seek to be led by it I utterly deny the Consequence of this Proposition which were it to be received as True then would all Faith in God and Hope of Salvation become Vncertain and the Christian Religion be turned into meer Scepticism For after the same manner I might Reason thus Because Eve was deceived by the Lying of the Serpent Therefore she ought not to have trusted to the Promise of God Because the Old World was deluded by Evil Spirits Therefore ought neither Noah nor Abraham nor Moses to have trusted the Spirit of the Lord. Because a lying Spirit spake through the four hundred Prophets that perswaded Achab to go up and fight at Ramoth Gilead Therefore the Testimony of the true Spirit in Micaiah was uncertain and dangerous to be followed Because there were seducing Spirits crept into the Church of old Therefore it was not good or Vncertain to follow the Anointing which taught all things and is Truth and no Lie Who dare say that this is a necessary Consequence Moreover not only the Faith of the Saints and Church of God of old is hereby rendered Vncertain but also the Faith of all sorts of Christians now is liable to the like hazzard even of those who seek a Foundation for their Faith elsewhere than from the Spirit For I shall prove by an Inevitable Argument Ab Incommodo i. e. from the Inconveniency of it That if the Spirit be not to be followed upon that account and that men may not depend upon it as their Guide because some while pretending thereunto commit great Evils that then nor Tradition nor the Scriptures nor Reason which the Papists Protestants and Socinians do respectively make the Rule of their Faith are any whit more Certain 1. Instances of Tradition The Romanists reckon it an Error to Celebrate Easter any other ways than that Church doth This can only be decided by Tradition And yet the Greek Church which equally layeth claim to Tradition with her self doth it otherwise Yea so little effectual is Tradition to decide the Case that Polycarpus Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. 5. cap. 26. the Disciple of John and Anicetus the Bishop of Rome who immediately succeeded them according to whose Example both sides Concluded the Question ought to be Decided could not Agree Here of necessity one behoved to Err and that following Tradition Would the Papists now judge we dealt fairly by them if we should thence Aver That Tradition is not to be Regarded Besides in a matter of far greater Importance the same Difficulty will occur to wit in the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome for many do Affirm and that by Tradition That in the first six hundred years the Roman Prelates never assumed the Title of Vniversal Shepherd nor were acknowledged as such And as that which altogether overturneth this Presidency there are that Alledge and that from Tradition also That Peter never saw Rome and that therefore the Bishop of Rome cannot be his Successor Would ye Romanists think this Sound Reasoning to say as ye do Many have been Deceived and Erred grievously in trusting to Tradition Therefore we ought to reject all Traditions yea even those by which we Affirm the Contrary and as we think prove the Truth Lastly In the * Conc. Flor. Sess. 5. Docreto quodam Concil Eph. Act. 6. Sess. 11. 12. Concil Flor. Sess. 18 20. Concil Flor. Sess. 21. p. 480. seqq Council of Florence the Chief Doctors of the Romish and Greek Churches did debate whole Sessions long concerning the Interpretation of one Sentence of the Council of Ephesus and of Epiphanius and Basilius neither could they ever Agree about it Secondly As to the Scripture the same difficulty occurreth the Lutherans Affirm they believe Consubstantiation by the Scripture which the Calvinists deny as that which they say according to the same Scripture is a Gross Error The Calvinists again Affirm Absolute Reprobation 2. Of Scripture which the Arminians deny Affirming the Contrary wherein both Affirm themselves to be Ruled by the Scripture and Reason in the matter Should I Argue thus then to the Calvinists Here the Lutherans and Arminians grosly Err by following the Scriture Therefore the Scripture is not a good nor certain Rule and è contrà Would either of them accept of this Reasoning as good and sound What shall I lay of the Episcopalians Presbyterians Independents and Anabaptists of Great Britain who are continually buffeting one another with the Scripture To whom the same Argument might be alledged though they do all unanimously acknowledge it to be the Rule 3.
Seditious Multitude of the Lutheran Citizens being stirred up by the daily Clamours of their Preachers did not only violently take up the Houses of the Reformed Teachers overturn their Libraries and spoil their Furniture but also with reproachful words yea and with stones Assaulted the Marquess of Brandenburgh the Elector's Brother while he sought by smooth words to quiet the Fury of the Multitude they killed ten of his Guards scarcely sparing himself who at last by Flight Escaped out of their hands All which sufficiently declares that the Concurrence of the Magistrate doth not alter their Principles but only their Method of Procedure So that for my own part I see no Difference betwixt the Actings of those of Munster and these others whereof the one pretended to be led by the Spirit the other by Tradition Scripture and Reason save this that the former were rash heady and foolish in their proceedings and therefore were the sooner brought to nothing and so into Contempt and Derision but the other being more politick and wise in their generation held it out longer and so have Authorized their Wickedness more with seeming Authority of Law and Reason But both their Actings being equally Evil the Difference appears to me to be only like that which is betwixt a simple silly Thief that is easily Catched and hanged without any more ado and a Company of Resolute bold Robbers who being better guarded though their Offence be nothing less yet by violence do to evite the danger force their Masters to give them good Terms From all which then it evidently follows that they Argue very ill that despise and reject any Principle because men pretending to be led by it do evil in case it be not the natural and consequential Tendency of that Principle to lead unto those things that are evil Again It doth follow from what is above asserted that if the Spirit be to be Rejected upon this account all those other Principles ought on the same account to be Rejected And for my part as I have never a whit the lower Esteem of the blessed Testimony of the Holy Scriptures nor do the less respect any solid Tradition that is answerable and according to Truth neither at all despise Reason that noble and excellent Faculty of the mind Let none reject the Certainty of the Vnerring Spirit because of false Pretenders to it because wicked men have abused the name of them to cover their wickedness and deceive the simple so would I not have any reject or diffide the Certainty of that Vnerring Spirit which God hath given his Children as that which can alone guide them into all Truth because some have falsly pretended to it § XV. And because the Spirit of God is the Fountain of all Truth and sound Reason therefore we have well said That it cannot Contradict neither the Testimony of the Scripture nor right Reason yet as the Proposition it self Concludeth to whose last part I now come it will not from thence follow that these Divine Revelations are to be subjected to the Examination either of the outward Testimony of Scripture or of the humane or natural Reason of man as to a more noble and certain Rule and Touch-stone for the Divine Revelation and inward Illumination is that which is evident by it self forcing the well-disposed understanding and irresistibly moving it to Assent by its own Evidence and Clearness even as the Common Principles of Natural Truths do bow the mind to a Natural Assent He that denies this part of the Proposition must needs Affirm That the Spirit of God neither can nor ever hath manifested it self to man without the Scripture or a distinct discussion of Reason or That the Efficacy of this Supernatural Principle working upon the Souls of men is less Evident than natural Principles in their common Operations Both which are false For First through all the Scriptures we may observe that the Manifestation and Revelation of God by his Spirit to the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles was Immediate and Objective as is above proved which they did not examin by any other Principle but their own Evidence and Clearness Secondly To say The Self Evidence of the Spirit that the Spirit of God has less Evidence upon the mind of man than natural Principles have is to have too mean and low thoughts of it How comes David to invite us to Taste and see that God is good if this cannot be felt and tasted This were enough to overturn the Faith and Assurance of all the Saints both now and of old How came Paul to be perswaded That nothing could separate him from the love of God but by that Evidence and Clearness which the Spirit of God gave him The Apostle John who knew well wherein the Certainty of Faith Consisted judged it no ways Absurd without further Argument to Ascribe his Knowledge and Assurance and that of all the Saints hereunto in these words Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 Joh. 4.13 and again John 5.6 It 's the Spirit that beareth witness because the Spirit is Truth Observe the Reason brought by him Because the Spirit is Truth Of whose Certainty and Infallibility I have heretofore spoken We then Trust to and Confide in this Spirit because we know and certainly believe that it can only Lead us a-right and never Mis-lead us and from this Certain Confidence it is that we Affirm The Spirit contradicts not Scripture nor Right Reason That no Revelation coming from it can ever Contradict the Scriptures-Testimony nor right Reason not as making this a more Certain Rule to our selves but as Condescending to such who not discerning the Revelations of the Spirit as they proceed purely from God will Try them by these Mediums yet those that have the Spiritual Senses and can savour the things of the Spirit as it were in primâ Instantiâ i. e. at the first blush can discern them without Natural Demonstrations from Astronomy and Geometry or before they Apply them either to Scripture or Reason Just as a good Astronomer can Calculate an Eclipse Infallibly by which he can Conclude if the Order of Nature Continue and some strange and Vnnatural Revolution Intervene not there will be an Eclipse of the Sun or Moon such a day and such an hour yet can he not perswade an Ignorant Rustick of this until he Visibly see it So also a Mathematician can Infallibly know by the Rules of Art that the Three Angles of a Right-angled Triangle are Equal to Two Right-Angles yea can know them more certainly than any man by measure And some Geometrical Demonstrations are by all acknowledged to be Infallible which can be scarcely discerned or proved by the Senses Yet if a Geometer be at the pains to Certify some Ignorant Man concerning the Certainty of this Art by condescending to measure it and make it obvious to his Senses it will not thence
follow that that Measuring is so Certain as the Demonstration it self or that the Demonstration would be Vncertain without it § XVI But to make an end I shall add one Argument to prove That this Inward Immediate Objective Revelation which we have pleaded for all along is the only sure certain and unmoveable Foundation of all Christian Faith which Argument when well weighed I hope will have weight with all sorts of Christians and it is this That which all Professors of Christianity of whatsoever kind are forced ultimately to recur unto Immediate Revelation of all Christian Faith the Immoveable Foundation when pressed to the last That for and because of which all other Foundations are Recommended and Accounted worthy to be believed and without which they are granted to be of no weight at all must needs be the only most true certain and unmoveable Foundation of all Christian Faith But Inward Immediate Objective Revelation by the Spirit is that which all Professors of Christianity of whatsoever kind are forced ultimately to recur unto c. Therefore c. The Proposition is so Evident that it will not be denied The Assumption shall be proved by parts Papists Foundation their Church and Tradition Why And first As to the Papists They place their Foundation in the Judgment of the Church and Tradition If we press them to say Why they believe as the Church doth Their Answer is Because the Church is always led by the Infallible Spirit So here the Leading of the Spirit is the utmost Foundation Again If we ask them Why we ought to trust Tradition They Answer Because those Traditions were delivered us by the Doctors and Fathers of the Church which Doctors and Fathers by the Revelation of the Holy Ghost Commanded the Church to observe them Here again all lands in the Revelation of the Spirit And for the Protestants and Socinians both which acknowledge the Scriptures to be the Foundation and Rule of their Faith Protestants and Socinians make the Scriptures their Ground and Foundation Why the one as subjectively influenced by the Spirit of God to use them the other as managing them with and by their own Reason Ask both or either of them Why they trust the Scriptures and take them to be their Rule Their Answer is Because we have in them the Mind of God delivered unto us by those to whom these things were inwardly immediately and objectively Revealed by the Spirit of God And not because this or that man wrote them but because the Spirit of God dictated them Christians by Name and not by Nature hold Revelations ceased contrary to Scripture It is strange then that men should render that so Vncertain and Dangerous to follow upon which alone the Certain Ground and Foundation of their own Faith is built Or that they should shut themselves out from that holy fellowship with God which only is enjoyed in the Spirit in which we are commanded both to walk and live If any reading these things find themselves moved by the strength of these Scripture-Arguments to Assent and Believe such Revelations necessary and yet find themselves Strangers to them which as I observed in the beginning is the Cause that this is so much gainsaid and contradicted Let them know that it is not because it is Ceased to become the Priviledge of every Christian that they do not feel it but rather because they are not so much Christians by Nature as by Name And let such know that the Secret Light which shines in the heart and reproves Vnrighteousness is the small beginnings of the Revelations of God's Spirit which was first sent into the World to Reprove it of sin Joh 16.8 And as by forsaking Iniquity thou com'st to be acquainted with that Heavenly Voice in thy heart thou shalt feel as the Old Man the Natural Man that savoureth not the things of God's Kingdom is put off with his evil and corrupt Affections and Lusts I say thou shalt feel the New Man the Spiritual Birth and Babe Raised which hath its Spiritual Senses and can Prop. 3 see feel taste handle and smell the things of the Spirit but till then the Knowledge of things Spiritual is but as an Historical Faith Who wants his Sight sees not the Light But as the Description of the Light of the Sun or of curious Colours to a blind Man who though of the largest Capacity cannot so well understand it by the most acute and lively Description as a Child can by Seeing them So neither can the Natural man of the largest Capacity by the best words even Scripture words so well understand the Mysteries of God's Kingdom as the least and weakest Child who tasteth them by having them Revealed inwardly and objectively by the Spirit Wait then for this in the small Revelation of that pure Light which first Reveals things more known and as thou becom'st fitted for it thou shalt Receive more and more and by a living Experience easily Refute their Ignorance who ask How dost thou know that thou art acted by the Spirit of God which will appear to thee a Question no less Riculous than to ask one whose Eyes are open How he knows the Sun shines at Noon-day And though this be the surest and certainest way to answer all Objections yet by what is above-written it may appear that the mouths of all such Opposers as deny this Doctrine may be shut by Vnquestionable and Vnanswerable Reasons PROPOSITION III. Concerning the Scriptures From these Revelations of the Spirit of God to the Saints have proceeded the SCRIPTURES of TRUTH which contain I. A faithful Historical Account of the Actings of God's People in divers Ages with many singular and remarkable Providences attending them II. A Prophetical Account of several things whereof some are already past and some yet to come III. A full and Ample Account of all the Chief Principles of the Doctrine of Christ held forth in divers pretious Declarations Exhortations and Sentences which by the Moving of God's Spirit were at several Times and upon sundry Occasions spoken and written unto some Churches and their Pastors Nevertheless because they are only a Declaration of the Fountain and not the Fountain it self therefore they are not to be Esteemed the Principal Ground of all Truth and Knowledge nor yet the Adequate Primary Rule of Faith and Manners Yet because they give a true and faithful Testimony of the first Foundation they are and may be esteemed a Secondary Rule Subordinate to the Spirit from which they have all their Excellency and Certainty For as by the Inward Testimony of the Spirit we do alone truly know them so they Testify that the Spirit is that Guide John 16.13 Rom. 8.14 by which the Saints are led into all Truth Therefore according to the Scriptures the Spirit is the First and Principal Leader Seeing then that we do therefore receive and believe the Scriptures because they proceeded from the Spirit for the very
hereunto we stand there for this Word always proceedeth and doth Eternally proceed from God in and by which the Vnsearchable Wisdom of God and Vnsearchable Counsel and Will Conceived in the Heart of God is Revealed unto us That then the Scripture is not the Principal Ground of Faith and Knowledge as it appears by what is above spoken so it is provided in the latter part of the Proposition which being Reduced to an Argument runs thus That the Certainty and Authority whereof depends upon another and which is received as Truth because of its proceeding from another is not to be accounted the Principal Ground and Origin of all Truth and Knowledge But The Scriptures Authority and Certainty depends upon the Spirit by which they were dictated and the Reason why they were received as Truth is because they proceeded from the Spirit Therefore They are not the Principal Ground of Truth To Confirm this Argument I added the School-Maxime Propter quod unumquodque est tale illud ipsum est magis tale Which Maxime though I Confess it doth not hold Vniversally in all things yet in this it both doth and will very well hold as by Applying it as we have above Intimated will appear Neither are they the Primary Rule of Faith and Manners The same Argument will hold as to the other Branch of the Proposition That it is not the Primary Adequate Rule of Faith and Manners thus That which is not the Rule of my Faith in believing the Scriptures themselves is not the Primary Adequate Rule of Faith and Manners But The Scripture is not nor can it be the Rule of that Faith by which I believe them c. Therefore c. But as to this part we shall produce divers Arguments hereafter As to what is Affirmed That the Spirit and not the Scriptures is the Rule it is largely handled in the former Proposition the Sum whereof I shall Subsume in one Argument thus That the Spirit is the Rule If by the Spirit we can only come to the True Knowledge of God If by the Spirit we be to be led into all Truth and so be Taught of all things Then the Spirit and not the Scriptures is the Foundation and Ground of all Truth and Knowledge and the Primary Rule of Faith and Manners But the First is True Therefore also the Last Next The very Nature of the Gospel it self declareth that the Scriptures cannot be the Only and Chief Rule of Christians else there should be no Difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel As from the Nature of the New Covenant by divers Scriptures described in the former Proposition is proved Wherein the Law and Gospel differ But besides these which are before-mentioned herein doth the Law and the Gospel differ In that the Law being outwardly written brings under Condemnation but hath not Life in it to save whereas the Gospel as it declares and makes manifest the Evil so it being an Inward Powerful thing also gives Power to Obey and delivers from the Evil Hence it is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is Glad Tidings The Law or Letter which is without us kills but the Gospel which is the Inward Spiritual Law gives Life for it consists not so much in Words as in Vertue Wherefore such as come to know it and be acquainted with it come to feel greater Power over their Iniquities than all Outward Laws or Rules can give them Hence the Apostle concludes Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace This Grace then that is inward and not an outward Law is to be the Rule of Christians Hereunto the Apostle Commends the Elders of the Church saying Acts 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an Inheritance among all those that are sanctified He doth not commend them here to Outward Laws or Writings but to the Word of Grace which is Inward even the Spiritual Law which makes free as he elsewhere Affirms Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death This Spiritual Law is that which the Apostle declares he preached and directed People unto which was not Outward as Rom. 10.8 is manifest where distinguishing it from the Law he saith The Word is nigh thee in thy heart and in thy mouth and this is the Word of Faith which we preach From what is above said I argue thus The Principal Rule of Christians under the Gospel is not an Outward Letter nor Law outwardly written and delivered but an Inward Spiritual Law ingraven in the heart the Law of the Spirit of Life the Word that is nigh in the heart and in the mouth But The Letter of the Scripture is Outward of it self a dead thing a meer Declaration of good things but not the Things themselves Therefore it nor is nor can be the Chief or Principal Rule of Christians § III. Thirdly That which is given to Christians for a Rule and Guide The Scripture not the Rule must needs be so full as it may clearly and distinctly Guide and Order them in all things and occurrences that may fall out But in that there are many hundred of things with a regard to their Circumstances particular Christians may be concerned in for which there can be no particular Rule had in the Scriptures Therefore the Scriptures cannot be a Rule to them I shall give an Instance in two or three Particulars for to prove this Proposition It is not to be doubted but some men are particularly called to some particular services their being not found in which though the Act be no general positive Duty yet in so far as it may be Required of them is a great Sin to Omit forasmuch as God is zealous of his Glory and every Act of Disobedience to his Will Manifested is enough not only to hinder one greatly from that Comfort and Inward Grace which otherwise they might have but also bringeth Condemnation As for Instance Some are Called to the Ministry of the Word Paul saith There was a Necessity upon him to preach the Gospel Wo unto me if I preach not If it be Necessary that there be now Ministers of the Church as well as then then there is the same Necessity upon some more than upon others to occupy this place which Necessity as it may be Incumbent upon particular persons the Scripture neither doth nor can declare If it be said Object That the Qualifications of a Minister are found in the Scripture and by applying these Qualifications to my self I may know whether I be fit for such a place or no. I Answer The Qualifications of a Bishop or Minister Answ. as they are mentioned both in the Epistle to Timothy and Titus are such as may be found in a private Christian yea which ought in
some measure to be in every True Christian so that that giveth a man no Certainty Every Capacity to an Office giveth me not a Sufficient Call to it Next again By what Rule shall I judge if I be so Qualified How do I know that I am sober meek holy harmless Is not the Testimony of the Spirit in my Conscience that which must Assure me hereof And suppose that I was Qualified and Called yet what Scripture-Rule shall Inform me whether it be my Duty to Preach in this or that place in France or England Holland or Germany Whether I shall take up my time in Confirming the Faithful Reclaiming Hereticks or Converting Infidels as also in Writing Epistles to this or that Church The general Rules of the Scripture viz. To be diligent in my Duty To do all to the Glory of God and for the good of his Church Can give me no Light in this thing Seeing Two different things may both have a respect to that way yet may I commit a great Error and Offence in doing the one when I am called to the other If Paul when his face was turned by the Lord toward Jerusalem had gone back to Achaia or Macedonia he might have supposed he could have done God more acceptable Service in Preaching and Confirming the Churches than in being shut up in Prison in Judea but would God have been pleased herewith Nay certainly Obedience is better than Sacrifice and it is not our doing that which is good simply that pleaseth God but that good which he willeth us to do Every Member hath its particular place in the Body as the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 12. If then I being the Foot should offer to exercise the Office of the Hand or being the Hand that of the Tongue my Service would be Troublesome and not Acceptable and instead of helping the Body I should make a Schism in it So that that which is good for another to do That which is good for one to do may be sinful to another may be sinful to me For as Masters will have their Servants to Obey them according to their good pleasure not only in blindly doing that which may seem to them to tend to their Master's Profit whereby it may chance the Master having business both in the Field and in the House that the Servant that knows not his Master's Will may go to the Field when it is the Mind of the Master he should stay and do the business of the House Would not this Servant then deserve a Reproof for not answering his Master's Mind And what Master is so Sottish and Careless as having many Servants leaves them in such Disorder as not to Assign each his particular Station and not only the general term of doing that which is profitable which would leave them in various doubts and no doubt land in Confusion Shall we then dare to ascribe unto Christ in the Ordering of his Churches and Servants that which in Man might justly be accounted Disorder and Confusion The Apostle sheweth this Distinction well Rom. 12.6 8. Diversities of Gifts Having then Gifts differing according to the Grace that is given us whether Prophecy let us prophesy according to the proportion of Faith or Ministry let us wait on our Ministrings or he that Teacheth on Teaching or he that Exhorteth on Exhortation Now what Scripture-Rule sheweth me that I ought to Exhort rather than Prophesy or Minister rather than Teach Surely none at all Many more Difficulties of this kind occur in the Life of a Christian. Of Faith and Salvation can the Scripture assure thee Moreover that which of all things is most Needful for him to know to wit Whether he really be in the Faith and an heir of Salvation or no the Scripture can give him no Certainty in neither can it be a Rule to him That this Knowledge is exceeding Desirable and Comfortable all do unanimously acknowledge besides that it is specially Commanded 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your selves Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates And 2 Pet. 1.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Now I say what Scripture-Rule can Assure me that I have True Faith That my Calling and Election is sure If it be said By Comparing the Scripture-marks of true Faith with mine I demand wherewith shall I make this Observation What shall ascertain me that I am not Mistaken It cannot be the Scripture That 's the Matter under Debate If it be said My own heart How Vnfit a Judge is it in its own Case and how like to be partial especially if it be yet Vnrenewed Doth not the Scripture say The Heart of Man is deceitful that it is Deceitful above all things I find the Promises I find the Threatnings in the Scripture but who telleth me that the one belongs to me more than the other The Scripture gives me a meer Declaration of these things but makes no Application so that the Assumption must be of my own making thus as for Example I find this Proposition in the Scripture He that believes shall be saved Thence I draw this Assumption But I Robert Believe Therefore I shall be saved The Minor is of mine own making not Expressed in the Scripture and so a humane Conclusion not a Divine Position so that my Faith and Assurance here is not built upon a Scripture-Proposition but upon an humane Principle which unless I be sure of elsewhere the Scripture gives me no Certainty in the matter Again If I should pursue the Argument further and seek a New Medium out of the Scripture the same difficulty will occur thus He that hath the true and certain Marks of True Faith hath True Faith But I have those Marks Therefore I have True Faith For the Assumption is still here of my own making and is not found in the Scriptures and by consequence the Conclusion can be no better since it still followeth the Weaker Proposition This is indeed so pungent that the best of Protestants who plead for this Assurance The Inward Testimony of the Spirit the Seal of Scripture Promises ascribe it to the Inward Testimony of the Spirit as Calvin in that large Citation cited in the former Proposition so that not to seek further into the Writings of the Primitive Protestants which are full of such Expressions even the Westminster Confession of Faith affirmeth Chap. 18. § 12. This Certainty is not a bare Conjecture and probable Perswasion grounded upon fallible Hope but an infallible Assurance of Faith founded upon the Divine Truth of the promise of Salvation the inward Evidences of these Graces unto which these Promises are made the Testimony of the Spirit of Adoption witnessing to our Spirits that we are the Children of God which Spirit is the Earnest of our Inheritance whereby we are sealed to the day of Redemption
harder to understand their Expositions than the Things which they go about to Expound what may We say then cosidering those great Heaps of Commentaries since in Ages yet far more Corrupted § VI. In this respect above-mentioned then we have shewn what Service and Vse the Holy Scriptures as managed in and by the Spirit are of to the Church of God wherefore we do account them a Secondary Rule Moreover because they are commonly acknowledged by all The Scriptures a Secondary Rule to have been written by the Dictates of the Holy spirit and that the Errors which may be supposed by the Injury of times to have slipt-in are not such but that there is a sufficient clear Testimony left to all the Essentials of the Christian Faith we do look upon them as the only fit outward Judge of Controversies among Christians and that whatever Doctrine is Contrary unto their Testimony may therefore justly be rejected as False And for our parts we are very willing that all our Doctrines and Practices be Tried by them which we never refused nor ever shall in all Controversies with our Adversaries as the Judge and Test. We shall also be very willing to admit it as a Positive Certain Maxime That whatsoever any do pretending to the Spirit which is Contrary to the Scriptures be accounted and reckoned a Delusion of the Devil For as we never lay claim to the Spirit 's Leadings that we may Cover our selves in any thing that is Evil so we know that as every Evil Contradicts the Scriptures so it doth also the Spirit in the first place from which the Scriptures came and whose Motions can never Contradict one another though they may appear sometimes to be Contradictory to the blind Eye of the natural Man as Paul and James seem to Contradict one another Thus far we have shewn both what we believe and what we believe not concerning the Holy Scriptures hoping we have given them their due place But since they that will needs have them to be the only certain and principal Rule want not some shew of Arguments even from the Scripture it self though it no where call it self so by which they labour to prove their Doctrine I shall briefly lay them down by way of Objections and Answer them before I make an End of this matter Object 1 § VII Their first Objection is usually drawn from Isaiah 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them Now this Law Testimony and Word they plead to be the Scriptures To which I Answer That that is to beg the thing in Question and Answ. 1 remains yet Vnproved Nor do I know for what Reason we may not safely Affirm this Law and Word to be Inward But suppose it was Outward it proves not the Case at all for them neither makes it against us For it may be Confessed without any prejudice to our Cause that the Outward Law was more particularly to the Jews a Rule and more principally than to us seeing their Law was Outward and Literal but ours under the New Covenant as hath been already said is expresly Affirmed to be Inward and Spiritual To Try all things by what So that this Scripture is so far from making against us that it makes for us For if the Jews were directed to Try all things by their Law which was without them written in Tables of Stone then if we will have this Advice of the Prophet to reach us we must make it hold Parallel to that Dispensation of the Gospel which we are under So that we are to Try all things in the first place by that Word of Faith which is preached unto us which the Apostle saith is In the heart and by that Law which God hath given us which the Apostle saith also expresly is Written and placed in the Mind Lastly If we look to this place according to the Greek Interpretation of the Septuagint our Adversaries shall have nothing from thence to Carp yea it will favour us much for there it is said That the Law is given us for a help which very well agrees with what is above Asserted Their second Objection is from Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures c. Object 2 Here say they we are commanded by Christ himself to search the Scriptures Answ. 1 I Answer First That the Scriptures ought to be Searched we do not at all deny but are very willing to be Tried by them as hath been above declared But the Question is Whether they be the only and principal Rule which this is so far from proving that it proveth the Contrary for Christ Checks them here for too high an Esteem of the Scriptures and neglecting of him that was to be preferr'd before them and to whom they bore Witness as the following words declare For in them ye think ye have Eternal life Search the Scriptures c. and they are they which testify of me and ye will not come unto me that ye may have Life This shews that while they thought they had Eternal Life in the Scriptures they neglected to come unto Christ to have Life of which the Scriptures bore Witness This Answers well to our purpose since our Adversaries now do also Exalt the Scriptures and think to have Life in them which is no more than to look upon them as the only Principal Rule and Way to Life and yet refuse to come unto the Spirit of which they Testify even the inward Spiritual Law which could give them Life So that the Cause of this People's Ignorance and Vnbelief was not their Want of Respect to the Scriptures which though they knew and had a high Esteem of yet Christ testifies in the former verses that they had neither seen the Father nor heard his Voice at any time neither had his Word abiding in them which had they then had then they had believed in the Son Moreover that place may be taken in the Indicative Mood Ye search the Scriptures which Interpretation the Greek word will bear and so Answ. 2 Pasor translateth it which by the Reproof following seemeth also to be the more genuine Interpretation as Cyrillus long ago hath observed § VIII Their Third Objection is from these words Acts 17.11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the Word with all readiness of Mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Here say they The Beroeans are commended for Searching the Scriptures Object 3 and making them the Rule I Answer That the Scriptures either are the Principal or Only Rule Answ. 1 will not at all from this follow neither will their searching the Scriptures or being Commended for it infer any such thing for we Recommend and Approve the use of them in that respect as much as any yet will it not follow that we Affirm them to be the Principal and Only Rule Secondly It is to
Ineffectual to bring them the least step towards Salvation and do only Contribute to render their Condemnation the greater and their Torments the more Violent and Intolerable Having thus briefly Removed this false Doctrine which stood in my way because they that are desirous may see it both learnedly and piously Refuted by many others I come to the Matter of our Proposition which is That God out of his Infinite Love who delighteth not in the death of a sinner but that all should live and be saved hath sent his Only-begotten Son into the World that whosoever believeth in him might be Saved Christ tasted Death for every man Which also is again affirmed in the sixth Proposition in these words Christ then tasted death for every man of all kinds Such is the Evidence of this Truth delivered almost wholly in the Express words of Scripture that it will not need much probation also because our Assertion herein is Common with many others who have both earnestly and soundly according to the Scripture pleaded for this Vniversal Redemption I shall be the more brief in it that I may come to that which may seem more singularly and peculiarly ours § VI. This Doctrine of Vniversal Redemption Christ's Redemption is Vniversal contrary to the Doctrine of Absolute REPROBATION or Christ's dying for all men is of it self so Evident from the Scripture-Testimony that there is scarce found any other Article of the Christian Faith so frequently so plainly and so positively Asserted It is that which maketh the preaching of Christ to be truly termed the Gospel or an Annunciation of glad Tidings to all Thus the Angel declared the Birth and Coming of Christ to the Shepherds to be Luke 2.10 Behold I bring you good Tidings of great Joy which shall be to all people He saith not to a few people Now if this Coming of Christ had not brought a possibility of Salvation to all it should rather have been accounted Bad Tidings of great sorrow to most people neither should the Angel have had reason to have sung Peace on Earth and good Will towards men if the greatest part of Mankind had been necessarily shut out from receiving any Benefit by it How should Christ have sent out His to Preach the Gospel to every Creature Mark 16.15 a very Comprehensive Commission that is To every son and daughter of Mankind without all Exception He Commands them to Preach Salvation to all Repentance and Remission of sins to all Warning every one and Exhorting every one as Paul did Col. 1.28 Now how couldd they have preached the Gospel to every man The Gospel is preached to Every man as became the Ministers of Jesus Christ in much Assurance if Salvation by that Gospel had not been possible for all What! If some of those had asked them or should now ask any of these Doctors who deny the Vniversality of Christ's Death and yet preach it to all promiscuously Hath Christ died sor me How can they with confidence give a certain Answer to this Question If they give a Conditional Answer as their Principle obligeth them to do and say If thou Repent Christ hath died for thee doth not the same Question still Recur Hath Christ died for me so as to make Repentance possible for me To this they can Answer nothing unless they run in a Circle whereas the Feet of those that bring the glad Tidings of the Gospel of Peace are said to be beautiful for that they preach the Common Salvation Repentance unto all offering a door of Mercy and Hope to all through Jesus Christ who gave himself a Ransom for all The Gospel Invites all and certainly by the Gospel Christ intended not to deceive and delude the greater part of Mankind when he Inviteth and Crieth saying Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and ' I will give you Rest. If All then ought to seek after him and to look for Salvation by him he must needs have made Salvation possible to all for who is bound to seek after that which is Impossible Certainly it were a mocking of men to bid them do so And such as deny that by the Death of Christ Salvation is made possible to all men do most blasphemously make God mock the World in giving his Servants a Commission to preach the Gospel of Salvation unto ALL while he hath before decreed The Absurdity of that Doctrine of Absolute Reprobation that it shall not be possible for them to Receive it Would not this make the Lord to send forth his Servants with a Lie in their mouths which were blasphemous to think commanding them to bid all and every one to believe that Christ died for them and had purchased life and Salvation whereas it is no such thing according to the fore-mentioned Doctrine But seeing Christ after he Arose and perfected the work of our Redemption gave a Commission to preach Repentance Remission of Sins and Salvation to all it is manifest that he died for all For he that hath Commissionated his Servants thus to preach is a God of Truth and no mocker of poor Mankind neither doth he require of any man that which is simply Impossible for him to do for that No man is bound to do that which is Impossible is a principle of Truth ingraven in every man's mind And seeing he is both a most Righteous and Merciful God it cannot at all stand neither with his Justice nor Mercy to bid such men Repent or Believe to whom it is Impossible § VII Moreover if we Regard the Testimony of the Scripture in this matter where there is not one Scripture which I know of that affirmeth To Pray for all for Christ died for all Christ not to die for ALL there are divers that positively and expresly Assert he did as 1 Tim. 2.1 3 4 6. I exhort therefore that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for all men c. for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who will have All men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time Except we will have the Apostle here to Assert quite another thing than he intended there can be nothing more plain to Confirm what we have Asserted And this Scripture doth well answer to that manner of Arguing which we have hitherto used For first the Apostle here Recommends them to Pray for all men And to obviate such an Objection as if he had said with our Adversaries Christ prayed not for the World neither willeth he us to pray for All because he willeth not that All should be saved but hath ordained many to be damned that he might shew forth his Justice in them He obviates I say such an Objection telling them That it is good and acceptable in the sight of God who will have all men to be saved I desire
strange ways seeing according to this most true Doctrine the Gospel reacheth all of whatsoever Condition Age or Nation Eleventhly It is Really and Effectively though not in so many words Cons. 11 yet by deeds established and confirmed by all the Preachers Promulgators and Doctors of the Christian Religion that ever were or now are even by those that otherways in their Judgment Oppose this Doctrine in that they all wherever they have been or are or whatsoever People Place or Country they come to do preach to the People and to every Individual among them That they may be saved Intreating and Desiring them to believe in Christ who hath died for them So that what they deny in the general they acknowledge of every particular there being no man to whom they do not preach in order to Salvation telling him Jesus Christ calls and wills him to believe and be saved and that if he refuse he shall therefore be Condemned and that his Condemnation is of himself Such is the Evidence and Vertue of Truth that it constrains its Adversaries even against their wills to plead for it Cons. 12 Lastly According to this Doctrine the former Argument used by the Arminians and Evited by the Calvinists concerning Every man's being bound to believe that Christ died for him is by altering the Assumption rendred Invincible thus That which every man is bound to believe is True But Every man is bound to believe that God is merciful unto him Therefore c. This Assumption no man can deny seeing his Mercies are said to be over all his Works And herein the Scripture every where declares the Mercy of God to be in that he Invites and Calls sinners to Repentance and hath opened a way of Salvation for them so that though those men be not bound to believe the History of Christ's Death and Passion who never came to know of it yet they are bound to believe that God will be Merciful to them if they follow his Ways and that he is Merciful unto them in that he Reproves them for Evil and Incourages them to good Neither ought any man to believe that God is unmerciful to him or that he hath from the beginning Ordained him to come into the World that he might be left to his own evil Inclinations Our Adversaries unmerciful Assertion of God and so do wickedly as a means appointed by God to bring him to Eternal Damnation which were it true as our Adversaries affirm it to be of many Thousands I see no reason why a man might not believe for certainly a man may believe the Truth As it manifestly appears from the thing it self that these good and excellent Consequences follow from the belief of this Doctrine so from the Probation of them it will yet more evidently appear To which before I come it is requisite to speak somewhat concerning the State of the Controversy which will bring great light to the matter For from the not right understanding of a matter under Debate sometimes both Arguments on the one hand and Objections on the other are brought which do no way hit the Case and hereby also our Sense and Judgment therein will be more fully understood and opened § XII First then by this Day and Time of Visitation which we say Quest. 1 God gives unto all during which they may be saved The Stating of the Question we do not understand the Whole Time of every man's Life though to some it may be extended even to the very hour of Death as we see in the Example of the Thief Converted upon the Cross but such a season at least as sufficiently exonerateth God of every man's Condemnation which to some may be sooner and to others later according as the Lord in his Wisdom sees meet So that many men may out-live this day after which there may be no possibility of Salvation to them That many may out-live the Day of God's Visitation and God justly suffers them to be hardned as a just punishment of their Vnbelief and even raises them up as Instruments of Wrath and makes them a Scourge one against another Whence to men in this Condition may be fitly applied those Scriptures which are abused to prove That God incites men necessarily to sin This is notably express'd by the Apostle Rom. 1. from v. 17. to the end but especially vers 28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them up to a Reprobate Mind to do those things which are not Convenient That many may out-live this Day of God's gracious Visitation unto them is shewn by the Example of Esau Hebr. 12.16 17. who sold his Birth-right so he had it once and was capable to have kept it but afterwards when he would have inherited the Blessing he was Rejected This appears also by Christ's weeping over Jerusalem Luke 19.42 saying If thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes Which plainly imports a Time when they might have known them which now was removed from them though they were yet alive But of this more shall be said hereafter § XIII Secondly By this Seed Grace and Word of God and Light Quest. 2 wherewith we say every man is Inlightned and hath a measure of it which strives with them in order to Save them and which may by the stubbornness and wickedness of man's Will be quenched bruised wounded pressed-down slain and crucified we understand not the proper Essence and Nature of God precisely taken which is not Divisible into parts and measures as being a must Pure Simple Being void of all Composition or Division and therefore can neither be resisted hurt wounded crucified or slain by all the Efforts and Strength of men The Light what it is and its Properties described But we understand a Spiritual Heavenly and Invisible Principle in which God as Father Son and Spirit dwells a measure of which Divine and Glorious Life is in all men as a Seed which of its own nature draws invites and inclines to God And this we call Vehiculum Dei or the Spiritual body of Christ Vehiculum DEI. the flesh and blood of Christ which came down from Heaven of which all the Saints do feed and are thereby nourished unto Eternal Life And as every unrighteous Action is witnessed against and reproved by this Light and Seed so by such Actions it is hurt wounded and slain and resiles or flees from them even as the flesh of men flees from that which is of a contrary nature to it Now because it is never separated from God nor Christ but wherever it is God and Christ are as wrapped up therein therefore and in that respect as it is Resisted God is said to be Resisted and where it is born down God is said to be pressed as a Cart under sheaves and Christ is said to be slain and crucified And on the contrary as
this Seed is received in the heart and suffered to bring forth its natural and proper Effect Christ comes to be formed and raised of which the Scripture makes so much mention calling it the New man Christ within the Hope of Glory This is that Christ within which we are heard so much to speak and declare of every where preaching him up and exhorting People to believe in the Light and obey it that they may come to know Christ in them to deliver them from all sin But by this as we do not at all intend either to Equal our selves to that Holy man the Lord Jesus Christ who was born of the Virgin Mary in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily nor to Destroy the reality of his present Existence That the Fulness of the God-head dwells in Christ bodily c. so neither do we as some have falsly calumniated us For though we Affirm that Christ dwells in us yet not immediately but mediately as he is in that Seed which is in us whereas he to wit the Eternal Word which was with God and was God dwelt Immediately in that holy man He then is as the Head and we as the Members he the Vine and we the Branches Now as the Soul of man dwells other ways and in a far more immediate manner in the Head and in the Heart than in the Hands or Leggs and as the Sap Vertue and Life of the Vine lodgeth far otherwise in the Stock and Root than in the Branches so God dwelleth otherwise in the Man Jesus than in us We also freely reject the Heresy of Appollinarius who denied him to have any Soul but said the Body was only acted by the Godhead As also the Error of Eutyches who made the Manhood to be wholly swallowed up of the Godhead wherefore as we believe he was a true and a real Man so we also believe that he continues so to be glorified in the Heavens in Soul and Body by whom God shall judge the World in the great and general Day of Judgment § XIV Thirdly We understand not this Seed Light or Grace to be Quest. 3 an Accident as most men ignorantly do but a Real Spiritual Substance which the Soul of man is capable to feel and apprehend That the Light is a Spiritual Substance which may be felt in the Soul and apprehended from which that Real Spiritual Inward Birth in Believers arises called the New Creature the New Man in the heart This seems strange to carnally minded men because they are not acquainted with it but we know it and are sensible of it by a true and certain Experience though it be hard for man in his natural Wisdom to Comprehend it until he come to feel it in himself and if he should holding it in the meer Notion it would avail him little Yet we are able to make it appear to be true and that our Faith concerning it is not without a solid Ground for it is in and by this Inward and Substantial Seed in our Hearts as it comes to receive nourishment and to have a Birth or Geniture in us that we come to have those Spiritual Senses raised by which we are made capable of tasting smelling seeing and handling the things of God For a man cannot reach unto those things by his natural spirit and senses as is above declared Next We know it to be a Substance because it subsists in the hearts of Wicked Men even while they are in their Wickedness as shall be hereafter proved more at large Now no Accident can be in a Subject without it give the Subject its own Denomination as where Whiteness is in a Subject there the Subject is called White So we distinguish betwixt Holiness as it is an Accident which denominates man so as the Seed receives a place in him and betwixt this holy substantial Seed which many times lies in man's heart as a naked grain in a stony ground So also as we may distinguish betwixt Health and Medicine Health cannot be in the Body without the Body be called Healthful because Health is an Accident but Medicine may be in a Body that is most Vnhealthful for that it is a Substance And as when a Medicine begins to work The Degrees of its Operation in the Soul of man the Body may in some respect be called Healthful and in some respect Vnhealthful so we acknowledge as this Divine Medicine receives place in man's Heart it may denominate him in some part holy and good though there remain yet a corrupted unmortified part or some part of the evil humors unpurged out For where two contrary Accidents are in one Subject as health and sickness in a body the Subject receives its denomination from the Accident which prevails most So many men are called Saints good and holy men and that truly when this Holy Seed hath wrought in them in a good measure and hath somewhat leavened them into its Nature though they may be yet liable to many Infirmities and Weaknesses yea and to some Iniquities For as the Seed of Sin and ground of Corruption yea and the capacity of yielding thereunto and sometimes actual falling doth not denominate a good and holy man Impious so neither doth the Seed of Righteousness in evil men and the possibility of their becoming one with it denominate them good or holy .. § XV. Fourthly We do not hereby Intend any ways to lessen or derogate from the Atonement and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ but on the contrary Quest. 4 do Magnify and Exalt it That Remission of sins is only and alone by Christ. For as we believe all those things to have been certainly Transacted which are Recorded in the Holy Scriptures concerning the Birth Life Miracles Sufferings Resurrection and Ascension of Christ so we do also believe that it is the duty of every one to believe it to whom it pleases God to Reveal the same and to bring to them the Knowledge of it Yea we believe it were damnable Vnbelief not to believe when so declared but to Resist that Holy Seed which as minded would lead and incline every one to believe it as it is offered unto them though it revealeth not in every one the outwardly and explicite Knowledge of it nevertheless it always assenteth to it ubi declaratur where it is declared Nevertheless as we firmly believe it was Necessary that Christ should come that by his Death and Sufferings he might offer up himself a Sacrifice to God for our sins who his own self bore our sins in his own Body on the Tree so we believe that the Remission of Sins which any partake of is only in and by virtue of that most satisfactory Sacrifice and no otherwise For it is by the Obedience of that One that the Free Gift is come upon all unto Justification For we affirm that as all men partake of the fruit of Adam's Fall in that by reason of that Evil Seed which
all unto Salvation and able to save Clemens Alexandrinus saith lib. 2. Stromat Clem. Alex. The Divine Word hath cried calling all knowing well those that will not obey And yet because it is in our power either to obey or not to obey that none may have a pretext of Ignorance it hath made a righteous Call and requireth but that which is according to the ability and strength of every one The self-same in his Warning to the Gentiles For as saith he that Heavenly Ambassadour of the Lord the Grace of God that brings Salvation hath Appeared unto all c. This is the New Song Coming and Manifestation of the Word which now shews it self in us which was in the beginning and was first of all And again Hear therefore ye who are afar off hear ye who are near the Word is hid from none the Light is common to all and shineth to all There is no darkness in the Word The Gathering unto the One and alone Love let us hasten to Salvation to the New birth that we being many may be gathered unto the One alone Love Ibid. he saith That there is Infused into all but principally into those that are trained up in Doctrine a certain Divine Influence ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And again he speaketh concerning the Innate Witness worthy of belief which of it self doth plainly chuse that which is most honest And again he saith That It is not Impossible to come unto the Truth and lay hold of it seeing it is most near to us in our own Houses as the most wise Moses declareth living in three parts of us viz. in our Hands in our Mouth and in our Heart this saith he is a most true badge of the Truth which is also fulfilled in three things namely in Counsel in Action in Speaking And again he saith also unto the Unbelieving Nations Receive Christ receive Light receive Sight to the end thou may'st rightly know both God and Man The Inlightning Word The Word that hath inlightned us is more pleasant than Gold and the Stone of great value And again he saith Let us receive the Light that we may receive God let us receive the Light that we may be the Scholars of the Lord. And again he saith to those Infidel Nations The Heavenly Spirit helpeth thee Resist and Flee Pleasure Again Lib. Strom. 5. he saith God forbid that man be not a partaker of Divine Acquaintance ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã who in Genesis is said to be a partaker of Inspiration And Paed. lib. 1 cap 3. There is saith he some lovely and some desirable thing in man which is called the In-breathing of God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The same man lib. 10. Strom. directeth men unto the Light and Water in themselves who have the Eye of the Soul darkned or dimmed through Evil up-bringing and Learning let them Enter-in unto their own domestick Light or unto the Light which is in their own house ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã unto the Truth which manifests accurately and clearly these things that have been written Just. Martyr Justin Martyr in his First Apology saith That the Word which was and is is in all even that very same Word which through the Prophets foretold things to come The Writer of the Calling of the Gentiles saith lib. 1. cap. 2. We Believe according to the same viz. Scripture and most religiously Confess Auth. de Voc. Gent. that God was never wanting in care to the generality of men who although he did lead by particular Lessons a people gathered to himself unto Godliness yet he withdrew from no Nation of men the Gifts of his own Goodness that they might be Convinced that they had received the Words of the Prophets and Legal Commands in services and testimonies of the First Principles Cap. 7. he saith That he believes that the help of Grace hath been wholly withdrawn from no man Lib. 2. cap. 1. Because albeit Salvation is far from sinners yet there is nothing void of the presence and virtue of his Salvation Cap. 2. But seeing none of that people over whom was set both the Doctrines were justified but through Grace by the Spirit of Faith who can question but that they who of whatsoever Nation in whatsoever Times could please God were ordered by the Spirit of the Grace of God which albeit in fore-time it was more sparing and hid yet denied it self to no Ages being in Virtue one in Quantity different in Counsel unchangeable in Operation multifarious Prop. III § XXIV The Third Proposition which ought to be proved is That it is by this Light Proved Seed or Grace that God works the Salvation of all men and many come to partake of the benefit of Christ's Death and Salvation purchased by him God's Salvation wrought by the Light in all By the Inward and Effectual Operations of which as many Heathens have come to be partakers of the Promises who were not of the Seed of Abraham after the flesh so may some now to whom God hath rendred the Knowledge of the History Impossible come to be saved by Christ. Having already proved that Christ hath died for all that there is a Day of Visitation given to all during which Salvation is possible unto them and that God hath actually given a measure of Saving Grace and Light unto all preached the Gospel to and in them and placed the Word of Faith in their hearts the matter of this Proposition may seem to be proved Yet shall I a little for the further satisfaction of all who desire to know the Truth and hold it as it is Jesus prove this from two or three clear Scripture-Testimonies and Remove the most-Common as well as the more-strong Objections usually brought against it Our Theam then hath two parts First That those that have the Part 1 Gospel and Christ outwardly preached unto them are not saved but by the working of the Grace and Light in their hearts Secondly That by the working and operations of this many have been Part 2 and some may be saved to whom the Gospel hath never been outwardly preached and who are utterly ignorant of the outward History of Christ. As to the First though it be granted by most yet because it 's more Part 1 in words Proved than deeds the more full discussing of which will fall-in in the next Proposition concerning Justification I shall prove it in few words And first from the words of Christ to Nicodemus Joh. 3.3 Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Now this Birth cometh not by the outward preaching of the Gospel The New Birth or Regeneration cometh not by the Outward Knowledge of Christ or knowledge of Christ or historical Faith in him seeing many have that and firmly believe it who are never thus Renewed The Apostle Paul also goes so far while he Commends the Necessity and Excellency of this New Creation as
the Medicine is prepared what the Ingredients are nor often times who made it The like may also hold in Spiritual things as we shall hereafter prove The Outward Knowledge not Essential to Salvation Instance Infants and Deaf persons § XXVI First If there were such an Absolute Necessity for this Outward Knowledge that it were even of the Essentials of Salvation then none could be Saved without it whereas our Adversaries deny not but readily Confess that many Infants and deaf Persons are saved without it So that here they break that general Rule and make Salvation possible without it Neither can they Alledge that it is because such are free from sin seeing they also Affirm that all Infants because of Adam's sin deserve Eternal Condemnation as being really guilty in the sight of God and of Deaf people it is not to be doubted and Experience shews us that they are subject to many Common Iniquities as well as other men Object 1 If it be said That these Children are the Children of Believing Parents Anws What then They will not say that they Transmit Grace to their Children Do they not Affirm that the Children of Believing Parents are guilty of Original Sin and deserve death as well as others How prove they that that makes up the Loss of all Explicit Knowledge * Object 2. If they say Deaf people may be made sensible of the Gospel by signs * Answ. All the signs cannot give them any Explicite Knowledge of the History of the Death Sufferings and Resurrection of Christ. For what Signs can Inform a deaf man That the Son of God took on him Man's Nature was born of a Virgin and suffered under Pontius Pilate And if they should further Alledge That they are within the Bosom of the Visible Church and partakers of the Sacraments Object 3 All that gives no Certainty of Salvation for as the Protestants Confess they Confer not Grace ex opere operato And will not they acknowledge Answ. 1 that many are in the bosom of the Church who are visibly no Members of it But if this Charity be Extended towards such who are where the Gospel is preached so that they may be judged Capable of Salvation because they are under a simple Impossibility of distinctly knowing the Means of Salvation what reason can be alledged A Chinees or Indian excusable for not knowing the History of the Death of Christ c. why the like Charity may not be had to such as though they can hear yet are under a simple Impossibility of hearing because it is not spoken unto them Is not a man in China or in India as much to be Excused for not knowing a thing which he never heard of as a deaf man here who cannot hear For as the deaf Man is not to be blam'd because God hath been pleased to suffer him to lye under this Infirmity so is the Chinees or the Indian as Excusable because God hath with-held from him the Opportunity of Hearing He that cannot Hear a thing as being necessarily Absent and he that cannot Hear it as being naturally deaf are to be placed in the same Category Secondly This manifestly appears by that saying of Peter Acts 10.34 Answ. 2 Of a truth I perceive that God is no Respecter of persons But in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him Peter was before liable to that Mistake that the rest of the Jews were in judging that all were Vnclean except themselves and that no man could be saved except they were proselyted to their Religion and Circumcised But God shewed Peter other ways in a Vision and taught him to Call nothing Common or Vnclean And therefore seeing God regards the prayers of Cornelius a Stanger to the Law that God regarded the prayers of Cornelius who was a stranger to the Law and to Jesus Christ as to the outward yet Peter saw that God had accepted him and he is said to fear God before he had this outward Knowledge therefore Peter Concludes that every one that in every Nation without respect of persons feareth God and worketh Righteousness is Accepted of him So he makes the Fear of God and the working of Righteousness and not an outward Historical Knowledge the Qualification They then that have this wherever they be they are saved Now we have already proved that to Every man that Grace is given whereby he may live God-likely and Righteously and we see that by this Grace Cornelius did so and was accepted and his prayers came up for a Memorial before God before he had this outward Knowledge Also was not Job a perfect and upright man that feared God and eschewed evil Who taught Job this From what Scripture did Job learn his Excellent Knowledge how knew Job Adam's Fall And from what Scripture learned he that Excellent Knowledge he had and that Faith by which he knew his Redeemer lived for many make him as Old as Moses Was not this by an Inward Grace in the heart was it not that Inward Grace that taught Job to eschew Evil and to fear God and was it not by the Workings thereof that he became a Just and Vpright man how doth he Reprove the Wickedness of men Chap 24 and after he hath numbred up their Wickedness doth he not Condemn them vers 13. for rebelling against this Light for not knowing the Way thereof nor abiding in the Paths thereof It appears then Job believed that men had a Light and that because they Rebelled against it therefore they knew not its Way and abode not in its Paths even as the Pharisees who had the Scriptures are said to Err not knowing the Scriptures And also Job's Friends though in some things wrong Job's Friends their Excellent Sayings yet who taught them all those Excellent Sayings and Knowledge which they had Did not God give it them in order to save them or was it meerly to Condemn them Who taught Elihu That the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Vnderstanding That the Spirit of God made him and the Breath of the Almighty gave him life And did not the Lord accept a Sacrifice for them And who dare say that they are Damned But further the Apostle puts this Controversy out of doubt for if we may believe his plain Assertions he tells us Rom 2. That the Heathens did the things contained in the Law From whence I thus Argue In every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is Accepted Arg. But Many of the Heathens feared God and wrought Righteousness Therefore They were Accepted The Minor is proved from the Example of Cornelius But I shall further prove it thus He that doth the things contained in the Law feareth God and worketh Righteousness But The Heathens did the things contained in the Law Therefore The Heathens feared God and wrought Righteousness Can there be any thing more Clear For if to do the things contained in the Law be not to
Fear God and work Righteousness âhen what can be said to do so seeing the Apostle calls the Lawâ spiritual holy just and good But this appears manifestly by another Medium taken out of the same Chapter vers 13. So that nothing can be more Clear The words are The doers of the Law shall be justified From which I thus Argue without Adding any word of my own Arg. The doers of the Law shall be justified But The Gentiles do the things contained in the Law The Gentiles Justified in doing the Law All that know but a Conclusion do easily see what follows from these Express Words of the Apostle And indeed He through that whole Chapter labours as if he were Contending now with our Adversaries to Confirm this Doctrine vers 9 10 11. Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul of man that doth evil to the Jew first and also to the Gentile For there is no respect of persons with God Where the Apostle clearly homologates the Sentence of Peter before-mentioned and shews that Jew and Gentile or as he himself explains in the following verses both they that have an outward Law and they that have none when they do good shall be Justified And to put us out of doubt in the very following verses he tells That the doers of the Law are Justified and that the Gentiles did the Law So that except we think he spake not what he intended we may safely Conclude that such Gentiles were Justified and did partake of that honour glory and peace which comes upon Every one that doth good even the Gentiles that are without the Law when they work good seeing with God there is no Respect of persons So as we see that it is not the having of the Outward Knowledge that doth save without the Inward so neither doth the Want of it to such to whom God hath made it Impossible who have the Inward bring Condemnation And many that have wanted the Outward have had a Knowledge of this Inwardly by virtue of that Inward Grace and Light given to every man working in them by which they forsook Iniquity and became Just and Holy as is above proved who though they knew not the History of Adam's Fall yet were sensible in themselves of the Loss that came by it Many wanting the History were sensible of the Loss by Adam and Salvation come by Christ in themselves feeling their Inclinations to sin and the Body of Sin in them and though they knew not the Coming of Christ yet were sensible of that Inward Power and Salvation which came by him even before as well as since his Appearance in the flesh For I question whether these men can prove that all the Patriarchs and Fathers before Moses had a distinct Knowledge either of the one or the other or that they knew the History of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and of Adam's Eating the forbidden Fruit far less that Christ should be Born of a Virgin should be Crucified and treated in the manner he was For it is justly to be believed that what Moses wrote of Adam and of the first times was not by Tradition but by Revelation yea we see that not only after the Writing of Moses but even of David and all the Prophets who prophesied so much of Christ how little the Jews How little the Jews knew Christ mistaking the Prophets that were expecting and wishing for the Messiah could thereby Discern him when he came that they Crucified him as a Blasphemer not as the Messiah by mistaking the Prophecies concerning him for Peter saith expresly Acts 3.17 to the Jews that both They and their Rulers did it through Ignorance And Paul saith 1 Cor. 2.8 That had they known it they would not have Crucified the Lord of Glory Yea Mary her self to whom the Angel had spoken and who had laid up all the Miraculous things accompanying his Birth in her heart she did not understand How when he disputed with the Doctors in the Temple that he was about his Father's business And the Apostles that had believed him Conversed daily with him and saw his Miracles could not understand neither believe those things which related to his Death Sufferings and Resurrection but were in a certain respect stumbled at them § XXVII So we see how that it is the Inward Work and not the Outward History and Scripture that gives the True Knowledge The Heathens were sensible of the Loss received by Adam and by this Inward Light many of the Heathen-Philosophers were sensible of the Loss received by Adam though they knew not the outward History Hence Plato asserted That Man's Soul was fall'n into a dark Cave where it only conversed with shadows Pythagoras saith Man wandereth in this world as a stranger banished from the Presence of God Heathen-Philosophers Divine Knowledge Plato Pythag. Plotiâ And Plotinus compareth man's Soul fall'n from God to a Cinder or dead Coal out of which the fire is extinguished Some of them said That the Wings of the Soul were clipped or fall'n of so that they could not flie unto God All which and many more such Expressions that might be gathered out of their Writings shew they were not without a sense of this Loss Also they had a Knowledge and Discovery of Jesus Christ Inwardly as a Remedy in them to deliver them from that Evil Seed and the Evil Inclinations of their own hearts though not under that particular Denomination Some called him a Holy Spirit as Seneca Epist. 41. who said There is a Holy Spirit in us that treateth us as we treat him Cicero calls it an Innate Light Lactan. In Sect. Cicero calleth it an Innate Light in his Book de Republicâ cited by Lactantius 6. Instit. where he calls this Right Reason given unto all Constant and Eternal calling unto duty by Commanding and deterring from deceit by Forbidding Adding that it cannot be abrogated neither can any be freed from it neither by Senate nor People that it is One Eternal and the same always to all Nations so that there is not one at Rome and another at Athens who so obey it not must flee from himself and in this is greatly tormented although he should escape all other punishment Plotinus also calls him Light saying That as the Sun cannot be known but by its own Light so God cannot be known but with his own Light and as the Eye cannot see the Sun but by receiving its Image so man cannot know God but by receiving his Image and that it behoved man to come to purity of heart before he could know God Calling him also Wisdom a name frequently given him in Scripture see Prov. 1.20 to the end and Prov. 8.9 34. where Wisdom is said to Cry Intreat and Invite all to come unto her and learn of her And what is this Wisdom but Christ Hence such as came among the Heathen to forsake Evil Philosophers Whence Called and cleave to Righteousness were
touching those who according to the common Opinion of Protestants have been Converted whom albeit they confess they persist always in some Misdeeds and sometimes in hainous Sins as is manifest in David's Adultery and Murder yet they assert to be perfectly and wholly Justified How comes he then so often to Complain to Expostulate so much throughout the whole Scripture with such as our Adversaries Confess to be Justified telling them That their sins separate betwixt him and them Isa. 59.2 For where there is a perfect and full Reconciliation there is no Separation Yea from this Doctrine it necessarily follows either that such for whom Christ died and whom he hath thus Reconciled never Sin or that when they do so they are still Reconciled and their Sins make not the least Separation from God yea that they are Justified in their Sins From whence also would follow this Abominable Consequence That the good Works and greatest Sins of such are alike in the sight of God seeing neither the one serves to Justify them nor the other to break their Reconciliation which occasions great Security and opens a door to every lewd Practice â Proof III. Thirdly This would make void the whole practical Doctrine of the Gospel and make Faith it self Needless For if Faith and Repentance and the other Conditions called for throughout the Gospel be a Qualification upon our part necessary to be performed then before this be performed by us we are either fully reconciled to God or but in a Capacity of being Reconciled to God he being ready to Reconcile and Justify us as these Conditions are performed Which latter if granted is according to the Truth we profess And if we are already perfectly Reconciled and Justified before these Conditions are performed which Conditions are of that Nature that they cannot be performed at one time but are to be done all one's life time then can they not be said to be absolutely Needful Which is contrary to the very express Testimony of Scripture which is acknowledged by all Christians For * Hebr. 11.6 John 3.18 Luke 13.3 Apoc. 2.5 Rom. 8.13 without Faith it is Impossible to please God They that believe not are Condemn'd already because they believe not in the Only begotten Son of God Except ye Repent ye cannot be Saved For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die And of those that were Converted I will Remove your Candlestick from you unless ye Repent Should I mention all the Scriptures that positively and evidently prove this I might transcribe much of all the Doctrinal Part of the Bible For since Christ said It is finished and did finish his Work sixteen hundred years ago and upwards if he so fully perfected Redemption then and did then actually Reconcile every one that is to be Saved not simply opening a Door of Mercy for them A Door of Mercy opened by Christ upon Repentance offering the Sacrifice of his Body by which they may obtain Remission of their Sins when they Repent and Communicating unto them a measure of his Grace by which they may see their sins and be able to Repent but really make them to be Reputed as Just The Antinomians Opinion of Reconciliation and Justification either before they believe as say the Antinomians or after they have Assented to the Truth of the History of Christ or are sprinkled with the Baptism of Water while nevertheless they are actually Vnjust so that no part of their Redemption is to be wrought by him now as to their Reconciliation and Justification then the whole doctrinal Part of the Bible is useless and of no profit in vain were the Apostles sent forth to preach Repentance and Remission of Sins and in vain do all the Preachers bestow their labour spend their lungs and give forth Writings yea much more in vain do the people spend their money which they give them for preaching seeing it is all but Actum agere but a vain and uneffectual Essay to do that which is already perfectly done without them Proof IV But lastly To pretermit their humane Labours as not worth the disputing whether they be needful or not since as we shall hereafter shew themselves Confess the Best of them is Sinful this also makes void the present Intercession of Christ for men What shall become of that great Article of Faith Christ's daily making Intercession for us by which we Affirm That he sits at the right hand of God daily making Intercession for us and for which end the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered For Christ maketh not Intercession for those that are not in a possibility of Salvation that is absurd Our Adversaries will not admit that he prayed for the World at all and to pray for those that are already Reconciled and perfectly Justified is to no purpose To pray for Remission of Sins is yet more Needless if all be Remitted past present and to come Indeed there is not any solid Solving of this but by acknowledging according to the Truth that Christ by his Death removed the Wrath of God so far as to obtain Remission of sins for as many as Receive that Grace and Light that he communicates unto them and hath purchased for them by his Blood which as they believe in they come to know Remission of sins past and power to save them from sin and to wipe it away so often as they may fall into it by unwatchfulness or weakness if applying themselves to this Grace they truly Repent For to as many as receive him he gives power to become the sons of God So none are sons none are justified none reconciled until they thus receive him in that little Seed in their hearts and life Eternal is offered to those who by patient continuance in well-doing seek glory honour and immortality For if the righteous man depart from his righteousness his righteousness shall be remembred no more And therefore on the other part none are longer Sons of God and justified than they patiently continue in righteousness and well-doing And therefore Christ lives always making Intercession during the day of every man's Visitation that they may be Converted and when men are in some measure Converted he makes Intercession that they may Continue and go-on and not faint nor go back again Much more might be said to Confirm this Truth but I go on to take notice of the Common Objections against it which are the Arguments made use of to propagate the Errors Contrary to it § VI. The First and Chief is drawn from that saying of the Apostle before-mentioned 2 Cor. 5.18 19. God hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not Imputing their Trespasses unto them Object 1 From hence they seek to Infer That Christ fully perfected the Work of Reconciliation while he was on Earth I Answer If by Reconciliation be understood the Removing of Wrath
expresly commanded to Turn away from such as have a Form of godliness but deny the Power of it For we may well Object against these as the poor man did against the proud Prelate The Answer of a poor Rustick to a proud Prelate that went about to cover his vain and unchristian-like Sumptuousness by distinguishing That it was not as Bishop but as Prince he had all that splendor To which the poor Rustick wisely is said to have answered When the Prince goeth to Hell what shall become of the Prelate And indeed this were to suppose the Body of Christ to be defective and that to fill up these defective places he puts counterfeit and dead Stuff instead of real living Members like such as lose their Eyes Arms or Legs make Counterfeit ones of Timber or Glass instead of them But we cannot think so of Christ neither can we believe for the Reasons above adduced that either we are to account or that Christ doth account any man or men a whit the more Members of his Body because though they be really Wicked they hypocritically and deceitfully Cloath themselves with his Name pretended to it for this is contrary to his own Doctrine where he saith expresly Joh. 15.1 6 c. That he is the Vine and his Disciples are the Branches that except they abide in him they cannot bear fruit and if they be unfruitful they shall be cast forth as a branch and wither Now I suppose these Cut and Withered Branches are no more true Branches A Wither'd Branch can draw no Nourishment so has no life nor virtue nor Members of the Vine they can draw no more Sap nor Nourishment from it after that they are Cut off and so have no more Virtue Sap nor Life What have they then to Boast or Glory of any Authority seeing they want that life virtue and nourishment from which all Authority comes So such Members of Christ as are become dead to him through Vnrighteousness and so derive no more virtue nor life from him are Cut-off by their sins and Wither and have no more any true or real Authority and their Boasting of any is but an Aggravation of their Iniquity by hypocrisy and deceit But further would not this make Christ's Body a meer shadow and phantasm Yea would it not make him the Head of a lifeless rotten stinking Carcase having only some little outward false shew while inwardly full of rottenness and durt A Living Head upon a Lifeless Body what Monster would that be And what a Monster would these men make of Christ's Body by assigning it a real pure living quick Head full of virtue and life and yet tied to such a dead lifeless Body as we have already described these Members to be which they alledge to have been the Church of Christ Again the Members of the Church of Christ are specified by this definition to wit as being the Sanctified in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1.2 But this notion of Succession supposeth not only some unsanctified Members to be of the Church of Christ but even the Whole to consist of unsanctified Members yea that such as were professed Necromancers and open Servants of Satan were the true Successors of the Apostles and in whom the Apostolick Authority Prop. 10 resided these being the Vessels through whom this Succession is Transmitted though many of them as all Protestants and also some Papists Confess attained these Offices in the so called Church not only by such means as Simon Magus sought it but by much worse even by Witchcraft Murther Traditions Money and Treachery which Platina himself confesseth * In the life of Benedict 4. of Joh. 16. of Silvester 3. of Boniface 8. of Steph. 6. of Jean 8. Also Onuphrius Annotations upon this Papass or Popess towards the end of divers Bishops of Rome § XI But such as Object not this Succession of the Church which yet most Protestants begin now to do distinguish in this matter affirming That in a great Apostasy such as was that of the Church of Rome God may raise up some singularly by his Spirit who from the Testimony of the Scriptures perceiving the Errors into which such as bear the name of Christians are fall'n may instruct and teach them and then become Authorized by the people's joining with and accepting of their Ministry only Most of them also will affirm That the Spirit herein is subjective and not objective But they say Object That where a Church is Reformed such as they pretend the Protestant Churches are there an ordinary orderly Call is necessary and that of the Spirit as extraordinary is not to be sought after alledging that Res aliter se habet in Ecclesiâ Constituendâ quà m in Ecclesiâ Constitutâ that is There is a difference in the Constituting of a Church and after it is Constitute I Answer This Objection as to us saith nothing seeing we Accuse Answ. and are ready from the Scriptures to prove the Protestants guilty of gross Errors and needing Reformation as well as they did and do the Papists A Difference Objected between a Constituting Church and one as Constituted and therefore we may justly lay claim if we would to the same Extraordinary Call having the same Reason for it and as good Evidence to prove ours as they had for theirs As for that Maxim viz. That the Case is different in a Constituting Church and a Church Constituted I do not deny it and therefore there may be a greater measure of power required to the one than to the other and God in his Wisdom distributes the same as he seeth meet But that the same Immediate Assistance of the Spirit is not necessary for Ministers in a gathered Church as well as in gathering one I see no solid Reason alledged for it For sure Christ's promise was To be with his Children to the end of the world and they need him no less to preserve and guide his Church and Children than to gather and beget them Nature taught the Gentiles this Maxim Non minor est Virtus quam quaerere parta tueri Englished thus For to Defend what you Attain Requires no less strength than to Gain For it is by this inward and immediate Operation of the Spirit which Christ promised to Lead his Children with into all Truth and to Teach them all things that Christians are to be lead in all steps as well last as first which relate to God's Glory and their own Salvation as we have heretofore sufficiently proved and therefore need not now Repeat it And truly this Device of Satan 'T is a Device of Satan for Men to put the Spirit 's Leadings far off to former times whereby he has got people to put the Immediate Guidings and Leadings of God's Spirit as an Extraordinary thing afar off which their Fore-fathers had but which they now are neither to Wait for nor Expect is a great Cause of the growing Apostasy upon the many gathered Churches
and is one great reason why a dry dead barren lifeless spiritless Ministry which leavens the people into the same death doth so much abound and is so much over-spreading even the Protestant Nations that their Preachings and Worships as well as whole Conversation is not to be discerned from Popish by any fresh living zeal or lively Power of the Spirit accompanying it but meerly by the difference of some Notions and Opinions Object § XII Some unwise and unwary Protestants do sometimes Object to us That if we have such an immediate Call as we lay claim to we ought to Confirm it by Miracles Answ. But this being an Objection once and again objected to the primitive Protestants by the Papists we need but in short return the Answer to it that they did to the Papists Whether Miracles be now necessary to Confirm the Gospel John Baptist and divers Prophets did none to wit That we need not Miracles because we preach no new Gospel but that which is already Confirmed by all the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles and that we offer nothing but that which we are ready and able to Confirm by the Testimony of the Scriptures which both already acknowledge to be true And that John the Baptist and divers of the Prophets did none that we hear of and yet were both immediately and extraordinarily sent This is the Common Protestant Answer therefore may suffice in this place though if need were I could say more to this purpose but that I study Brevity § XIII There is also another sort of Protestants to wit The English Independents The Constitution of the Independent Church who differing from the Calvinistical Presbyterians and denying the Necessity of this Succession or the Authority of any National Church take another way affirming That such as have the benefit of the Scriptures any Company of People agreeing in the Principles of Truth as they find them there declared may Constitute among themselves a Church without the Authority of any other and may Chuse to themselves a Pastor who by the Church thus Constitute and Consenting is Authorized requiring only the Assistance and Concurrence of the Pastors of the Neighbouring Churches if any be not so much as absolutely Necessary to Authorize as Decent for Order's sake Also they go so far as to affirm That in a Church so Constitute Gifted Brethren any gifted Brother as they call them if he find himself qualified thereto may Instruct Exhort and Preach in the Church though as not having the Pastoral Office he cannot Administer that they Call their Sacraments To this I Answer That this was a good step out of the Babylonish Darkness and no doubt did proceed from a Real Discovery of the Truth and from the sense of a great Abuse of the promiscuous National gatherings Also this Preaching of the Gifted Brethren as they called them did proceed at first from certain Their Loss and Decay lively Touches and Movings of the Spirit of God upon many But alas because they went not forward that is much decayed among them and the Motions of God's Spirit begin to be denied and rejected among them now as much as by others The Scripture gives no Call to persons Individual But as to their pretended Call from the Scripture I Answer The Scripture gives a meer declaration of true things but no Call to particular Persons so that though I believe the things there written to be true and deny the Errors which I find there Testified against yet as to these things which may be my particular duty I am still to seek And therefore I can never be Resolved in the Scripture whether I such a one by name ought to be a Minister And for the Resolving this doubt I must needs recur to the Inward and Immediate Testimony of the Spirit as in the Proposition concerning the Scriptures more at large is shewen § XIV From all this then we do firmly Conclude that not only in a general Apostasy it is needful men be extraordinarily Called and Raised up by the Spirit of God but that even when several Assemblies or Churches are gathered by the Power of God not only into the belief of the Principles of Truth so as to deny Errors and Heresies but also into the Life Spirit and Power of Christianity so as to be the Body and House of Christ indeed and a fit Spouse for him that he who gathers them doth also for the preserving them in a lively fresh and powerful Condition raise up and move among them by the inward immediate Operation of his own Spirit Ministers and Teachers to Instruct and Teach and Watch over them True Ministers Qualifications Call and Title who being thus Called are Manifest in the hearts of their Brethren and their Call is thus verified in them who by the feeling of that life and power that passeth through them being inwardly built up by them daily in the most holy Faith become the Seals of their Apostleship And this is answerable to another saying of the same Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 13.3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me which to you wards is not weak but is mighty in you So this is that which gives a true substantial Call and Title to a Minister whereby he is a Real Successor of the Virtue Life and Power that was in the Apostles and not of the bare Name Their Laying on of hands a Mock of God and Man a Keeping up the Shadow whilst Substance is a-wanting and to such Ministers we think the outward Ceremony or Ordination or laying on of hands not necessary neither can we see the Vse of it seeing our Adversaries who use it acknowledge that the Virtue and Power of Communicating the Holy Ghost by it is Ceased among them And is it not then foolish and ridiculous for them by an Apish Imitation to keep up the Shadow where the Substance is wanting And may not they by the same Rule where they see blind and lame men in Imitation of Christ and his Apostles bid them see and walk yea is it not in them a mocking of God and Men to put-on their hands and bid men Receive the Holy Ghost while they believe the thing Impossible and Confess that that Ceremony hath no real Effect Having thus far spoken of the Call I shall proceed next to treat of the Qualifications and Work of a true Minister § XV. As I have placed the True Call of a Minister in the Motion of Quest. II this Holy Spirit so is the power life and virtue thereof The Quâlifications of a Minister and the pure Grace of God that comes therefrom the Chief and most Necessary Qualification without which he can no ways perform his Duty neither acceptably to God nor beneficially to men Our Adversaries in this case affirm that three things go to the making up of a Minister viz. 1. Natural Parts § I. Philosophy and School-Divinity will never
and not false The Example of the Pharisees and Priests under the Law will not answer to the Gospel-times because God set apart a particular Tribe for that Service and particular Families to whom it belonged by a Lineal Succession and also their Service and Work was not purely Spiritual but only the performance of some outward and carnal Observations and Ceremonies which were but a shadow of the Substance that was to come The Service under the Law was not purely Spiritual but Figurative for the performance of which as they behoved to be purified from their outward Pollutions so the Ministers of the Gospel must be inwardly without blemish and therefore their Work made not the Comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the Conscience seeing they were appointed only according to the Law of a carnal Commandment and not according to the Power of an endless Life Notwithstanding as in the Figure they behoved to be without blemish as to their outward man and in the performance of their Work they behoved to be Washed and Purified from their outward pollutions so now under the Gospel-times the Ministers in the Anti-type must be inwardly without blemish in their Souls and Spirits being as the Apostle requires blameless and in their work and service must be pure and undefiled from their inward pollutions and so clean and holy that they may offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 As to Judas the Season of his Ministry was not wholly Evangelical as being before the Work was finished and while Christ himself The Ministry of the Disciples of Christ before the Work was finished was more Legal than Evangelical and his Disciples were yet subject to the Jewish Observances and Constitutions and therefore his Commission as well as that which the Rest received with him at that time was only to the house of Israel Matth. 10.5 6. which made that by virtue of that Commission the Rest of the Apostles were not Impowered to go forth and preach after the Resurrection until they had waited at Jerusalem for the pouring-forth of the Spirit So that it appears Judas's Ministry was more Legal than Evangelical Secondly Judas's Case as all will acknowledge was singular and extraordinary Judas was Immediately Called of Christ and preached freely which our Adversaries will not do although they make of him a Pattern of their Graceless Ministry saying he had not the least Measure of God's Grace at that time he being Immediately Called by Christ himself and accordingly furnished and impowered by him to Preach and do Miracles which Immediate Commission our Adversaries do not so much as pretend to and so fall short of Judas who trusted in Christ's Words and therefore went forth and preached without Gold or Silver or Scrip for his Journey Giving freely as he had freely received which our Adversaries will not do as hereafter shall be observed Also that Judas at that time had not the least measure of God's Grace I have not as yet heard proved But is it not sad that even Protestants should lay aside the Eleven good and faithful Apostles and all the Rest of the holy Disciples and Ministers of Christ and betake them to that one of whom it was testified that he was a Devil for a Pattern and Example to their Ministry Alas it is to be Regretted that too many of them resemble this Pattern over much Another Objection is usually made against the Necessity of Grace Object * Ibid. Nic. Arnoldus That in case it were necessary then such as wanted it could not truly administer the Sacrament and consequently the people would be left in doubts and infinite scruples as not knowing certainly whether they had truly received them because not knowing infallibly whether the Administrators were truly gracious men But this Objection hitteth us not at all Answ. because the Nature of that Spiritual and Christian Worship which we according to the Truth plead for is such as is not necessarily attended with these carnal and outward Institutions from the administring of which the Objection ariseth and so hath not any such Absurdity following upon it as will afterwards more Clearly appear § XVIII Though then we make not Humane Learning necessary § II. What True Learning is yet we are far from Excluding true Learning to wit that Learning which proceedeth from the Inward Teachings and Instructions of the Spirit whereby the Soul learneth the secret Ways of the Lord becomes acquainted with many inward Travels and Exercises of the Mind and learneth by a living Experience how to overcome Evil and the Temptations of it by following the Lord and walking in his Light and waiting daily for Wisdom and Knowledge immediately from the Revelation thereof and so layeth up these Heavenly and Divine Lessons in the good Treasure of the heart as honest Mary did the sayings which she heard and things which she observed and also out of this Treasure of the Soul as the good Scribe brings forth things new and old according as the same Spirit moves and gives a true Liberty and as need is for the Lord's Glory whose the Soul is and for whom and with an Eye to whose Glory she which is the Temple of God The good Learning which is necessary to a true Minister learneth to do all things This is that Good Learning which we think necessary to a true Minister by and through which Learning a man can well Instruct Teach and Admonish in due season and Testify for God from a certain Experience as did David Solomon and the holy Prophets of old and the blessed Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ who testified of what they had seen heard felt and handled of the Word of Life 1 Joh. 1.1 ministring the Gift according as they had received the same as good stewards of the manifold Grace of God and preached not the uncertain Rumors of others by hear-say which they had gathered meerly in the Comprehension while they were strangers to the thing in their own Experience in themselves as to Teach people how to believe while themselves were unbelieving or how to overcome sin while themselves are slaves to it as all Vngracious men are or to believe and hope for an Eternal Reward which themselves have not as yet Arrived at c. Literature is first the Knowledge of Latine Greek and Hebrew to the Scriptures § XIX But let us Examin this Literature which they make so necessary to the being of a Minister as in the first place the Knowledge of the Tongues at least of the Latine Greek and Hebrew The reason for this is that they may Read the Scriptures which is their Only Rule in the Original Languages and thereby be the more capable to Comment upon it and Interpret it c. That also which made this Knowledge be the more prized by the primitive Protestants was indeed that dark Barbarity that was over the World in the Centuries immediately
to Rejoice therefore even that we are sensible of this Power that hath often-times laid hold upon our Adversaries and made them yield unto us and join with us and confess to the Truth before they had any distinct or discursive Knowledge of our Doctrines So that sometimes many at one Meeting have been thus Convinced and this Power would sometimes also reach to and wonderfully Work even in little Children to the Admiration and Astonishment of many § IX Many are the blessed Experiences which I could relate of this Silence and manner of Worship Yet silence is no Law but words may follow yet do I not so much commend and speak of Silence as if he had a Law in it to shut out praying or preaching or tied ourselves thereunto not at all for as our Worship consisteth not in the words so neither in silence as silence but in an holy dependence of the mind upon God from which dependance Silence necessarily follows in the first place until words can be brought forth which are from God's Spirit And God is not wanting to move in his Children to bring forth Words of Exhortation or Prayer when it is needful so that of the many Gatherings and Meetings of such as are Convinced of the Truth there is scarce any in whom God raiseth not up some or other to Minister to his Brethren that there are few Meetings that are altogether silent For when many are Met together in this one Life and Name it doth most naturally and frequently excite them to pray to and praise God and stir up one another by mutual Exhortation and Instructions yet we judge it needful there be in the first place some times of Silence during which every one may be gathered inward to the Word and Gift of Grace from which he that Ministreth may receive Strength to bring forth what he Ministreth and that they that hear may have a sense to discern betwixt the precious and the vile and not to hurry into the Exercise of these things so soon as the Bell rings as other Christians do Yea and we doubt not but assuredly know that the Meeting may be good and refreshful though from the sitting down to the rising up thereof there hath not been a word as outwardly spoken and yet Life may have been known to abound in each Particular and an inward growing up therein No absolute Necessity for words thô from the life at times and thereby yea so as words might have been spoken acceptably and from the life yet there being no absolute Necessity laid upon any so to do all might have chosen rather quietly and silently to possess and enjoy the Lord in themselves Which is very sweet and comfortable to the Soul that hath thus learned to be gathered out of all its own thoughts and workings to feel the Lord to bring forth the Will and the Deed which many can declare by a blessed Experience Though indeed it cannot but be hard for the Natural man to receive or believe this doctrine and therefore it must be rather by a sensible Experience and by coming to make proof of it than by Arguments that such can be Convinced of this thing seeing it is not enough to believe it if they come not also to enjoy and possess it Yet in Condescension to and for the sake of such as may be the more willing to Apply themselves to the practice and experience hereof that they found their understandings Convinced of it and that it is founded upon Scripture and Reason I find a freedom of mind to add some few Considerations of this kind for the Confirmation hereof besides what is before mentioned of our Experience § X. That to wait upon God and to watch before him To Wait and Watch Commanded in the Scriptures is a Duty incumbent upon all I suppose none will deny and that this also is a Part of Worship will not be called in question since there is scarce any other so frequently commanded in the Holy Scriptures as may appear from Psal. 27.14 37. v. 7. 34. Prov. 20.22 Isai. 30.18 Hosea 12.6 Zach. 3.8 Matth. 24.42 25.13 26.41 Mark 13.33 35. 37. Luke 21.36 Acts 1.4 20.31 1 Cor. 16.13 Col. 4.2 1 Thess. 5.6 2 Tim. 4.5 1 Pet. 4.7 Also this Duty is often recommended with very great and precious Promises as Psal. 25.3 37.9 69.6 Isai. 40.31.42 23. Lam. 3.25 26. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength c. Now how is this Waiting upon God or Watching before him but by his Silence of which we have spoken Which as it is in it self a great and principal Duty so it necessarily in Order both of Nature and Time preceedeth all other But that it may be the better and more perfectly understood as it is not only an outward Silence of the Body but an inward Silence of the Mind from all its own Imaginations and self-Cogitations let it be considered according to Truth and to the Principles and Doctrines heretofore affirmed and proved that Man is to be considered in a twofold respect to wit in his Natural unregenerate and fal'n State and in his Spiritual and Renewed Condition from whence ariseth that distinction of the Natural and Spiritual man so much used by the Apostle and heretofore spoken of Also these two Births of the mind proceed from the two Seeds in man respectively to wit the Good Seed and the Evil And from the Evil Seed doth not only proceed all manner of Gross and abominable Wickedness and Profanity but also Hypocrisy and these Wickednesses which the Scripture calls spiritual Whence wickednesses rise that are spirituals because it is the Serpent working in and by the natural man in things that are spiritual which having a shew appearance of good are so much the more hurtful dangerous as it is Satan transformed transforming himself into an Angel of Light And therefore doth the Scripture so pressingly and frequently as we have heretofore had occasion to observe shut out and exclude the Natural man from meddling with the things of God denying his Endeavours therein though acted and performed by the most eminent of his parts as of Wisdom and Vtterance Also this spiritual Wickedness is of two sorts though both one in kind as proceeding from one Root yet different in their Degrees and in the Subjects also sometimes The one is From whence all Heresies did spring when as the Natural man is meddling in and working in the things of Religion doth from his own Conceptions and Divinations affirm or propose Wrong and Erroneous Notions and Opinions of God and things spiritual and invent superstitions ceremonies observations and rites in Worship from whence have sprung all the Heresies and Superstitions that are among Christians The other is when as the Natural Man from a meer Conviction of his understanding doth in the forwardness of his own Will and by his own natural strength without the influence and leading of
what the Spirit of God furnisheth him with not minding the Eloquence and Wisdom of Words but the Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power and that either in the Interpreting some part of Scripture in case the Spirit which is the good Remembrancer lead him so to do or otherwise Words of Exhortation Advice Reproof and Instruction or the sense of some Spiritual Experiences all which will still be agreeable to the Scripture though perhaps not relative to nor founded upon any particular Chapter or Verse as a Text. Now let us Examine and Consider which of these two sorts of Preaching be most agreeable to the Precepts and Practice of Christ and his Apostles and the Primitive Church recorded in Scripture For First as to their Preaching upon a Text if it were not meerly Customary or Premeditated but done by the Immediate Motion of the Spirit we should not blame it but to do it as they do there is neither Precept nor Practice that ever I could observe in the New Testament as a part of the Instituted Worship thereof Object But they Alledge That Christ took the Book of Isaiah and Read out of it and Spake there-from and that Peter preached from a sentence of the Prophet Joel Answ. I Answer That Christ and Peter did it not but as Immediately acted and moved thereunto by the Spirit of God and that without Premeditation 1. Christ's and Peter's speaking was not by Premeditation which I suppose our Adversaries will not deny in which case we willingly approve of it But what is this to their Customary Conned Way without either Waiting for or expecting the Movings or Leadings of the Spirit Moreover that neither Christ nor Peter did it as a settled Custom or Form to be constantly practised by all the Ministers of the Church appears in that most of all the Sermons recorded by Christ and his Apostles in Scripture were without this as appears from Christ's Sermon upon the Mount Matth. 5.1 c. Mark 4.1 c. and Paul's Preaching to the Athenians and to the Jews c. As then it appears that this Method of preaching is not grounded upon any Scripture-precept so the Nature of it is contrary to the preaching of Christ under the New Covenant as exprest and recommended in Scripture For Christ in sending forth his Disciples expresly mentioneth that they are not to speak of or from themselves or to fore-cast before hand but that which the Spirit in the same hour shall teach them as is particularly mentioned in the Three Evangelists Matth. 10.20 Mark 13.11 Luke 12.12 Now if Christ gave this Order to his Disciples before he departed from them as that which they were to practise during his Abode outwardly with them much more were they to do it after his Departure since then they were more specially to receive the Spirit to lead them in all things and to bring all things to their remembrance Joh. 14.26 And if they were to do so when they appeared before the Magistrates and Princes of the Earth much more in the Worship of God when they stand specially before him seeing as it is above shewn his Worship is to be performed in Spirit and therefore after their receiving of the Holy Ghost it is said Acts 2.4 They spake as the Spirit gave them Vtterance not what they studied and gathered from Books in their Closets in a premeditated Way Franciscus Lambertus before cited speaketh well Franc. Lambertus his Testimony against the Priests studied Inventions and Figments and sheweth their Hypocrisy Tract 5. of Prophecy Chap. 3. saying Where are they now that glory in their Inventions who say A brave Invention A brave Invention This they call Invention which themselves have made up but what have the Faithful to do with such kind of Inventions It is not Figments nor yet Inventions that we will have but things that are Solid Invincible Eternal and Heavenly not which men have Invented but which God hath Revealed for if we believe the Scripture our Invention profiteth nothing but to provoke God to our Ruine And afterwards Beware saith he that thou determine not precisely to speak what before thou hast meditated whatsoever it be for though it be lawful to determine the Text which thou art to Expound yet not at all the Interpretation lest if thou so dost thou take from the Holy Spirit that which is his to wit to direct thy speech that thou may'st prophesy in the Name of the Lord denuded of all Learning Meditation and Experience and as if thou hadst studied nothing at all committing thy heart thy tongue and thy self wholly unto his Spirit and trusting nothing to thy former studying or meditation but saying with thy self in great confidence of the Divine promise The Lord will give a word with much power unto those that preach the Gospel But above all things be careful thou follow not the manner of Hypocrites who have written almost word by word what they are to say as if they were to Repeat some Verses upon a Theatre have learned all their preaching as they do that act Tragedies And afterward when they are in the place of prophesying pray the Lord to direct their Tongue but in the mean time shutting up the way of the Holy Spirit they determine to say nothing but what they have written O unhappy kind of Prophets yea and truly Cursed which depend not upon God's Spirit but upon their own Writings or Meditation Why prayest thou to the Lord thou false Prophet to give thee his Holy Spirit by which thou mayâst speak things profitable and yet thou repell'st the Spirit Why prefer'st thou thy Meditation or study to the Spirit of God otherwise why committ'st thou not thy self to the Spirit § XIX Secondly This manner of Preaching as used by them 2. The words man's Wisdom brings beget not Faith considering that they also affirm That it may be and often is performed by men who are Wicked or void of true Grace Cannot only not Edify the Church nor beget or nourish true Faith but is destructive to it being directly contrary to the nature of the Christian and Apostolick Ministry mentioned in the Scriptures For the Apostles preached the Gospel not in the Wisdom of words lest the Cross of Christ should be of none effect 1 Cor. 1.17 But this Preaching not being done by the actings and movings of God's Spirit but by man's Invention and Eloquence in his own will and through his natural and acquired parts and Learning is in the Wisdom of words and therefore the Cross of Christ is thereby made of none effect The Apostles Speech and Preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power That the Faith of their Hearers should not stand in the Wisdom of men but in the Power of God 1 Cor. 2.3 4 5. But this preaching having nothing of the Spirit and Power in it both the Preachers and Hearers confessing they Wait for
Iniquity to thee that shews thee thy Barrenness thy Nakedness thy Emptiness is that Body that thou must partake of and feed upon but that till by forsaking Iniquity thou turn'st to it com'st unto it receiv'st it thô thou may'st hunger after it thou canst not be Satisfied with it for it hath no Communion with Darkness 2 Cor. 6.14 Nor canst thou drink of the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of Devils and be Partaker of the Lord's Table and the Table of Devils 1 Cor. 10.21 But as thou suffer'st that small Seed of Righteousness to arise in thee and to be formed into a Birth How the Inward Man is nourisht that New Substantial Birth that 's brought forth in the Soul naturally feeds upon and is nourished by this Spiritual Body yea as this Outward Birth lives not but as it sucks-in Breath by the Outward Elementary Air so this New Birth lives not in the Soul but as it draws-in and breathes by that Spiritual Air or Vehicle and as the Outward Birth cannot subsist without some Outward Body to feed upon some Outward Flesh and some Outward Drink so neither can this Inward Birth without it be fed by this Inward Body by this Inward Flesh and Blood of Christ which answers to it after the same manner by way of Analogy And this is most agreeable to the Doctrine of Christ concerning this matter For as without Outward Food the Natural Body hath not Life so also saith Christ John 6.53 Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood ye have no life in you And as the Outward Body eating Outward Food lives thereby so Christ saith That he that eateth him shall live by him John 6.57 So it is this Inward Participation of this Inward Man of this Inward and Spiritual Body by which Man is united to God and has Fellowship and Communion with him He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood saith Christ dwelleth in me and I in him John 6.56 This cannot be understood of Outward Eating of Outward Bread And as by this the Soul must have Fellowship with God so also in so far as all the Saints are Partakers of this One Body and this One Blood they come also to have a Joint-Communion Hence the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.17 in this respect saith That they being many are One Bread and One Body And to the Wise among the Corinthians he saith The Bread which we break is the Communion of the Body of Christ. Ver. 16. This is the True and Spiritual Supper of the Lord which Men come to partake of by hearing the Voice of Christ and opening the Door of their Hearts The True Spiritual Supper of the Lord. and so letting him in in the manner above-said according to the plain words of the Scripture Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me So that the Supper of the Lord and the Supping with the Lord and partaking of his Flesh and Blood is no ways limited to the Ceremony of Breaking Bread and Drinking Wine at particular times but is truly and really Enjoyed as often as the Soul retires into the Light of the Lord and feels and partakes of that Heavenly Life by which the Inward Man is nourished which may be and is often witnessed by the Faithful at all times tho more particularly when they are Assembled together to Wait upon the Lord. § IV. But what Confusion the Professors of Christianity have run into concerning this matter is more than obvious who as in most other things they have done for want of a true Spiritual Vnderstanding have sought to Tie this Supper of the Lord to that Ceremony * Man is not tied to the Ceremony of Breaking Bread and Drinking Wine which Christ did use with his Disciples This only was a Shadow used by Christ before his Death of Breaking Bread and Drinking Wine with his Disciples And tho they for most part agree in this general yet how do they Contend and Debate one against another How strangely are they pinched pained and straitned to make this Spiritual Mystery agree to that Ceremony And what monstrous and wild Opinions and Conceivings have they invented to inclose or affix the Body of Christ to their Bread and Wine From which Opinion not only the greatest and fiercest and most hurtful Contests both among the Professors of Christianity in general and among Protestants in particular have arisen but also such Absurdities irrational and blasphemous Consequences have ensued What makes the Christian Religion hateful to Jews Turks and Heathens The Papists Faith of Christ his Flesh and Blood as make the Christian Religion odious and hateful to Jews Turks and Heathens The Professors of Christianity do chiefly divide in this matter into Three Opinions The first is of those that say The Substance of the Bread is Transubstantiated into the very Substance of that same Body Flesh and Blood of Christ which was born of the Virgin Mary and crucified by the Jews so that after the Words of Consecration as they call them it is no more Bread but the Body of Christ. The Second is of such as say The Substance of the Bread remains but that also that Body is in The Lutherans Faith and with and under the Bread so that both the Substance of the Bread and the Body Flesh and Blood of Christ is there also The Calvinists Faith The Third is of those that denying both these do affirm That the Body of Christ is not there Corporally or Substantially but yet that it is Really and Sacramentally received by the Faithful in the use of Bread and Wine but how or what way it 's there they know not nor can they tell only we must believe it is there yet so that it is only properly in Heaven It is not my Design to enter into a Refutation of these Several Opinions for each of their Authors and Assertors have sufficiently Refuted one another and are all of them no less Strong both from Scripture and Reason in Refuting each their contrary Party's Opinion than they are Weak in Establishing their own For I often have seriously observed in reading their respective Writings and so it may be have others that all of them do notably in so far as they Refute the contrary Opinions but that they are mightily pained when they come to Confirm and Plead for their own Hence I necessarily must conclude that none of them had attained to the Truth and Substance of this Mystery Let us see if Calvin * Inst. lib 4. cap. 17. after he hath Refuted the two former Opinions be more successful in what he affirms and asserts for the Truth of his Opinion who after he hath much laboured in overturning and Refuting the two former Opinions plainly confesseth that he knows not what
according to you it is your Principal Rule of Faith and if we can prove from your own Principal Rule that we are Inspired then the Scriptures Testimony is not Fallacious else your Principal Rule would be Fallacious Stud. But that is not according to your Principle G. K. But it is an Argument ad Hominem which ye know is lawful And besides though we do not acknowledge them to be the Principal Rule of our Faith yet we Affirm that they are a true Testimony and the best outward Testimony and Rule in the World And besides there is a Manifestation of the Spirit in many where there is not an in-dwelling of the Spirit and by this Manifestation of the Spirit all men may understand the Scriptures as they do improve it Stud. We will go to another Argument R. B. People take notice this Argument is left upon this Point that according to the Quakers Principle these Young-men say The Scriptures may beguile People which we utterly deny as proved or that can be proved Al. Shirreffe I argue against the latter part of the second Thesis where ye affirm That Inward Immediate Revelations are necessary to the building up of true Faith We confess that Subjective Revelation is necessary but we deny that Objective Revelation is necessary which ye Affirm G. K. Explain what ye mean by Subjective and Objective Revelation that the People may understand according to the Articles A. Sh. I explain it from this Scripture Luke 24.17 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself Here is the Objective Revelation to wit the Scriptures so that they needed not any new Objective Revelation but only that which was before but needed a Subjective Revelation or Divine Illumination to make them understand the Objective Revelation to wit the Scriptures G. K. That is not a sufficient Explanation of Objective and Subjective Revelation therefore I desire to be heard that I may open it more sufficiently according as is provided in the Articles of Agreement Objective Revelation or the Object of our Faith is twofold to wit first the Material Object secondly the Formal Object Stud. Do the People understand this G. K. I shall explain it to them for it is necessary to the matter in hand The Material Object is that which is to be believed the Formal Object is that for which principally we are to believe or the principal Motive of Credibility Now to apply I say The Scriptures are the Material Object or a part of the Material Object of our Faith but not the Formal Object of our Faith Al. Shir. I prosecute my Argument against such Objective Revelations as being necessary to Faith G. K. We confess the Scriptures are sufficient to move us to an Historical Faith and that to a more excellent degree of Historical Faith than any other Histories in the World because it hath more excellent outward Motives of Credibility as the Consent of all Ages since they were written and of all Christians however differing among themselves c. but they are not sufficient to beget in us a Saving Faith without Inward Objective Revelation Al. Shir. I prove such Inward Objective Revelations are not necessary to beget Saving Faith by this Argument If there be no such Seed in Men as the Quakers maintain then there are no such Revelations as the Quakers maintain But there is no such Seed in Men as the Quakers maintain Therefore there are no such Revelations c. R. B. After he had repeated the Argument I deny that second Proposition Al. Shir. I prove it If there be no such Seed in Men as a substantial living Principle distinct from the Soul that can be heard seen savoured tasted and felt then there is no such Seed in Men as the Quakers maintain But the first is true Therefore the last And then the said Alexander Shirreffe read a passage at length out of G. K. his Book of Immediate Revelation page 6 7. That the Seed was such a living substantial Principle and that in the Seed these Revelations were only received R. B. This is a Digression from the Matter and a passing from the Theses which should have been the Subject of this Day 's Debate to G. K. his Book of Immediate Revelation G. K. I must now appear to defend my Book and Apologize to R. B. because I am necessitated to put my Hand in another's Harvest Therefore I distinguish upon the Word Such in the first Proposition If by Such thou meanest a Substantial Principle c. I say that is altogether Extrinsick to the Subject of the Debate and besides it will engage us into the greatest Nicities and Obscurities of Philosophy and School-Divinity that is not proper for this Auditory But if by Such thou meanest an Vniversal Principle of God's Saving Grace in Men whereby they are capacitated both to know and do the Will of God I Affirm and am ready to maintain there is such a Principle in all Men. Al. Shir. But I prove That that Seed in Men is not of a Substance or Substantial Principle G. K. I am ready to defend That it is a Substantial Principle But that belonging to the Second Proposition we ought not to come to it before the Distinction of the First Proposition be discussed Here the Students made a great Noise and G. K. appealed to the Praeses And. Thomson Who answered discreetly That G. K. did not refuse to defend That the Seed of God was a Substantial Principle but this was not its proper Place until the Distinction of the former Proposition be discussed Al. Shir. I shall wave the Word Substantial c. and I offer to prove That there is not a Seed of God in Men as the Quakers Affirm If there be such a Seed it is either Created or Uncreated But it is neither Created nor Uncreated Chuse you whether G. K. After he had repeated the Argument I distinguish the Word Seed as being either a Concrete Term or an Abstract Term. J. L. Doth the People understand this Distinction G. K. I hope ye understand it and I shall explain it to them who understand it not A Concrete Term comprehendeth two things the one in Recto as they say the other in Obliquo that is to say the one hath the other belonging to it As Merciful is a Concrete Term which is as much as to say One that hath Mercifulness in him and so Mercifulness is the Abstract which signifieth that one thing belonging to the Concrete Now to Apply If we understand Seed as the Concrete it is both Vncreated and Created for it is God himself discovering himself to the Creatures Capacity in his Work of Manifestation which Work is Created but he who doth manifest himself in that Manifestation is Vncreated And because he manifests himself at first in a low and small degree unto the Soul therefore he in that Manifestation is compared unto a Seed even as
bring them down to it also For seeing it is a Truth acknowledged both by them and us The Spiriâ 's working in us as an efficient Cause That all true Christians and Children of God have the Spirit of God working in them at least as an Efficient Cause from this we urge them thus Either they have the Spirit of God working in them as an Efficient Cause or they have not If they say they have not they confess They are not true Christians or Children of God which we suppose they will be loth to say If they say They have the Spirit of God as an Efficient Cause of Faith working in them and subjectively inlightening them let them prove it or give us an Evidence of it Who doth not see that Poor Men they are taken in their own Snare We know all Rational and Sober Men will acknowledge that we are not bound tb receive their Affirmations without Proof more than they are bound to receive ours nor indeed so much we being as the Case stands but Defendents As touching their Answer to R. B. his Retortions about an Evidence it shall be examined in the Next Section In pag. 60. they tell That we assign them at last some Shadows of Evidence namely 1. our own Declaration 2. The Scriptures 3. The immediate Testimony of the Spirit But that these are not Shadows will appear to the Judicious and well-disposed if they consider these two things 1. That by our Declaration we mean not a bare verbal Declaration having no Vertue or Manifestation of Life in it for we confess such might be as good a Ground for an Heretick in way of Evidence A Declaration proceeding from the Spirit no Heretick has it but by our Declaration we mean such a Declaration as doth really proceed from the Spirit of God in us and is therefore a living Declaration having a Manifestation of Life in it and with it and which is not only in Words of Life or Living Words uttered through us from the Spirit of Life but also in Works of Life or Living Works which are the Fruits of the Spirit as said Christ By their fruits shall ye know them Now such a Declaration can no Heretick have however he may pretend to it If our Adversaries say That we only pretend to such a thing We answer them with their own Rule Affirmanti incumbit probatio i. e. The Affirmer ought to prove Let them prove us only to be Pretenders which yet they have not done nor can do And indeed such a Declaration from the Spirit of God in the Apostles as when John said We are of God c. was an Evidence That no Heretick could justly pretend to 2. It is a most Unjust and Unreasonable thing to require of us any other Evidence of our having the Spirit than that which every true Christian may and ought to give seeing we pretend to no other Spirit but that which every true Christian hath nor to any Revelations but these which are the Priviledges of all true Christians nor to any Doctrines which are not conform to the Scriptures of Truth As we are ready to prove and as G. K. hath already shewed in his Book of Immediate Revelation which neither the Students nor their Masters have given us any Refutation of Now have not all Good Christians these three Evidences for them year 1675 And we can prove by the help of the Lord that they are as applicable to us as to any upon Earth And here note that when we say The Scripture is the best outward Evidence that can be given We mean it not as a particular Evidence but as a general Common to all good Christians The Scripture an Evidence For we grant That the Scripture cannot prove that any particular Man hath the Spirit of God in such a way as true Christians have it but it proves in general that all true Christians have it yea and all Men to Convince them at least In pag. 61 62. They reject the Scriptures-Testimony as an Evidence to us Because according to us the Scriptures Testimony hath no Evidence without the Spirit In answer to which we say But it hath an Evidence with the Spirit his Inward Evidence going along with it which Inward Evidence we say doth go along with it sufficiently to Convince every well-disposed Intellect And this we can prove from the Scriptures-Testimony Nor is this to commit an Unlawful Circle as they foolishly alledge which is but an old thread-bare alledgance of Papists against the Protestants as Turnbull alledged on Paraeus That he proved the Spirit by the Scripture and the Scripture by the Spirit Some Protestants in our Days do miserably seek to extricate themselves of that Circle that they know the Spirit by the Scriptures Objectively and they know the Scriptures by the Spirit Effectively and so indeed they get free of the Circle as not being in eodem genere i. e. in the same kind But they affirm a gross Untruth That the Spirit 's Influence is only Effective and ex parte subjecti whereas we know it is Objective and can prove both from Scripture and Primitive Protestants see G. K. his Book of Immediate Revelation and Quakerism no Popery where the same is at length proved But we have a most clear way to extricate our selves of that Circle imposed on us by Papists and these Students The Scriptures Testimony known by the Spirit c. to wit That we know the Scriptures Testimony by the Spirit tanquam a priori as we know the Effect by the Cause and we know the Spirit 's Testimony by the Scriptures tanquam a posteriori as we know the Cause by the Effect and so both are Objective and yet in a divers kind because the Objective Evidence of the Spirit is a self-Evidence and primary the Objective Evidence of the Scripture is but derived and secondary In their answer to G. K. his Retortion from the Practice of Christ who though his own immediate Testimony was to be received referred them unto the Testimony of the Scriptures They most miserably betake themselves to their Old Trade of Affirming Things without any Proof and yet on the Proof of these Things the whole Stress of their Answer lieth As 1. they say The Jews rejected only the outward immediate Testimony of Christ However dare they say but that the Outward Immediate Testimony of Christ was to be believed and yet he referred them unto the Testimony of the Scriptures 2. They say They have no such Testimony themselves as the Inward Objective Testimony of the Spirit 3. They say According to Christ the Scriptures were the Rule meaning the Primary Rule and so they set the Scripture above Christ his own immediate outward Testimony a most gross Disorder year 1676 All which we reject as meer Affirmations without any Proof Their Insinuation That G. K. acted the Part of a cunning Sophist when he spake these Words repeated by them pag. 4. Is no less
Students gift of Contradicting themselves take one here in their own Words * The Students contradicting themselves about the Rule of Faith They say this above-mentioned Retortion doth not meet their Argument why Do we conclude that the Spirit is not the Rule of Faith because they cannot give an Evidence which will actually Convince that they are led by the Spirit No such thing Compare this with J. L's Medium of his second Argument where he undertaketh to prove That the Spirit is not the Rule of Faith as it is expressed by themselves because there can be no Evidence given of it in the World But if they think to creep out here that there may be Evidences given though not such as do actually Convince because of the want of a subjective Evidence or disposition of the mind as they afterwards add and that we can give no Evidence of this last sort It remains then for them to prove that their minds are well disposed seeing they are the Opponents and we the meer Defendents and that the Evidences assigned by us or such as are not manifest even to the well-disposed and yet to go round pag. 59. Paragraph 19. They account this of the well-disposed mind ridiculous though it was the best Answer their Master could give the Iesuit in the like case as above is shewn But thou may'st perhaps judge Reader that these that are so nice and scrupulous in receiving Evidences from others would give some very solid ones for their own Rule when pressed the same way to give us an Evidence that they have the Scripture to be their Rule from God and that they have the true sense of it Take then notice of them here Reader and see how satisfactory their Answer is Now say the Students pag. 59. The Solution is easie for they who make the Scripture their principal Rule are either our own Churches or they are Sects dissenting from us If the first have not our Divines frequently proved both from the intrinsick Characters of Divinity that appear in the Scriptures themselves and also from the outward Motives of Credibility that we have these Scriptural Revelations from God And have they not often assigned sufficient objective Evidences and Proofs of the senses of the Scriptures taught by our Churches as to every point controverted by us and all Sects whatsoever So that Dissenters remain Vnconvinced for want of subjective Evidence and disposition of mind and really ought to believe us teaching such senses of Scripture c. Is not this rarely well solved Do the Students give any better Evidence for all this than their own declaration And is not this according to themselves as good for other Hereticks as for them Is it not strange with what confidence they should print such stuff Besides as to the first part of it it is manifestly false for Calvin the Chiefest of their Divines hath in plain words asserted viz. That all the Objective Evidences and Motives of Credibility are not sufficient to establish the Conscience in the belief of the Scriptures certainly Calvin's Testimony for the Spirit and that thereunto is necessary the secret and inward Testimony of the Spirit yea that the same Spirit that was in the Prophets and Apostles enter into the heart c. So say all the publick Confessions of the Protestants abroad and seeing of this according to the Students there can be no Objective Evidences in the World given then neither can there of the Scripture which they confess is their Rule So the Reader may see that their Work is like the Viper's Brood that destroyeth it self and tends to overturn the Certainty of all Christian Religion landing in Scepticism Which because they cannot shun they end their Section in vain Boasting and Railing saying pag. 77. They provoke all the Papists and Quakers of the World to argue against them so if they can Here are high Words indeed but seeing they are so busie in Boasting we accept the Challenge and offer to prove before as publick an Auditory as the last Dispute was that their Arguments against the Quakers are no better than the Iesuit's against their Master And here to conclude they add Let the Reader therefore judge whether Railing Robin shews forth more of an Ass 's than of a Viper 's nature where he brands our Argument with the black mark of Popery Well! we leave to the Reader 's judgment who also may judge if this be not Railing And it the Students who talk at this rate be to be trusted in their Preface saying That they have abstained from all personal Criminations and have not rendred evil for evil And what may be thought of Men that are not ashamed thus to belie themselves SECTION III. Wherein the Students Arguments concerning the Supper and against Perfection and Women's Speaking are Considered and Answered contained in their Sub-section 3. from pag. 66. of their Book to pag. 78. FIrst They say They might argue that the Quakers have not Revelations from the Spirit because of their mad and impious Practices And then they turn this Assertion into a Question asking Have not the Quakers committed such Practices saying Lying Books writ against the Quakers they were commanded by the Spirit And for this they refer the Reader to several Books writ against the Quakers by their declared Adversaries Which signifie nothing unless they will prove that these Men spake Truth which they neither have nor can do and so are no more valued by us then Cochleus's Lies against Luther But to Confirm this They place at large a Citation out of H. More whom they say The Quakers have reported to be a Quaker This is a false Calumny which they are dared to prove That H. More hath in a Letter to G. K. owned some of the Quakers Principles is true as particularly that of Immediate Objective Revelation called by them The Head of the Monster and that the Seed is a Substance which they count one of the Quakers grand Errors As for that Citation of H. More he wrote it upon Trust and was not an Eye-Witness of these things and it recurs upon him and them to prove the things true The Story there mentioned of J. N. seeing it was at that very time disowned by the Quakers and since Condemned by himself militates nothing against us no more than other horrid things yea that which in the Students own esteem is down-right Treason being done by some of the Chief of their Ministry as Commanded by the Scripture doth against them In Conclusion they give a Proverb used by Will. Dundas in a Book of his as a further Instance which they call a Bundle of Ridiculous and Non-sensical Expressions But will they deny but the Presbyterian General Assembly of which W. Dundas so writes was a Mingle-mangle of Omni gatherums particularly that Assembly that Excommunicated and gave to the Devil B. Spotwood and these other called Reverend Prelates of the Church the Students own Or let the
Outward Miracles discussed But further these stout and hardy Warriours could have used these same Arguments against the Prophets when they wrought Miracles for they could have alledged The Miracles were not true Miracles but false and such as may be done by the power of the Devil And so if any could produce Miracles now as there have been they would no more be believed than the unbelieving Jews believed the Miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles For they still looked upon them to be Deceivers It is clear from Scripture that Antichrist shall be permitted to work false Miracles but that they shall so Counterfeit the true that it will be hard to discern the one from the other without God's Immediate Direction and Teaching And therefore the preaching of sound Doctrin accompanied with a holy Life is a better Evidence of a true Prophet than all outward Miracles whatsoever The Fruits prove the Doctrin as Christ said By their Fruits ye shall know them he doth not say by their Miracles but by their Fruits Now we are most willing to be tryed by this Rule if both our Doctrin and Life and manner of Conversation be not answerable to that of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles then let them say we have not that Spirit which was in them But if they cannot make out this they but fight as Men beating the Air. Pag. 80. They Argue That there is no Substantial living Principle in Man that is the good Seed because then the evil Seed or Principle should also be Substantial But this is absurd Therefore That this is Absurd they argue For then it should be Created by God and so God should be the Author of Evil and Sin or it should be Uncreated and consequently God To this we answer The same Argument militates as much and rather more against their own Principle for seeing they hold Sin to be somewhat whether a Substance or an Accident is all one as to the Argument we Argue by a Retortion against themselves Either it is Created or Vncreated and so the same Inconvenience would follow But to answer directly we say Sin considered in its formal Reason is rather a Privation than any real being as Blindness or Lameness in a Man's body or Corruption in Wine or any other Liquor But if they enquire about the Subject of this Privation whether it be a Substance We answer It is Sin a privation in the Subject And it is clear from the Scriptures Testimony that as Christ rules in the Saints so the Devil rules in the wicked and is in them and as God hath his Seed and Birth in the Saints so the Devil hath his seed and birth in the Wicked which is of the Devil's nature But if it be asked further whether it is a Substance We answer first with inquiring at them another Question and Retorting the Argument upon them Whether the Devil is a Substance yea or nay If yea either he is Created or Vncreated if Created then God is the Author of the Devil If Vncreated then he should be God their own Consequence which is Blasphemy But 2. the true Answer to both is that he who is now the Devil was Created of God a good Angel but by his own voluntary Fall he hath reduced himself to be a Devil not by any real Creation but by a Degeneration and as is the Devil himself so is his Seed a corrupted degenerated Principle from what it was originally before Sin was But if we take the Seed of the Devil distinctly The Seed of Sin as distinct from himself we do not say it is any percipient Principle that seeth or knoweth c. for it is rather of the nature of a Body than of a percipient intelligent Spirit and the Scripture calleth it a Body to wit the Body of Death But whether the Seed of Sin be a Substance or not the Students Argument is altogether impertinent to argue that because the good Seed is a substantial living Principle c. then the evil Principle or Seed should also be substantial living c. for the same Reasons We deny this Consequence for there are greater Reasons whereby to prove the one than the other If they think to argue from the Rule of Contraries they think foolishly for it would as much follow that because a Man is a Substance who seeth and heareth c. that therefore a Mans blindness and deafness and lameness are also Substances and that blindness seeth deafness heareth lameness walketh Do they not know the Maxim in Logick that telleth them Substantia substantiae proprie non contrariatur i. e. One Substance properly is not contrary to another But last of all we may more justly retort this blasphemous Consequence upon many of their own Church who hold That God stirreth up the Devil and all wicked Men unto all their wicked Actions by an irresistible Motion or Quality which he infuseth into them commonly called Praedeterminatio Physica Is not this to make God the Author of Sin Original Sin so called As also many of them teach that Original sin is a positive quality infused into the Souls of Men at their Creation Concerning which positive quality we thus argue Either it is Created or Vncreated c. and so the Inconveniences of their Argument will fall much more upon their own heads for they cannot alledge that this positive Quality at its first Creation was first good and afterwards became changed into evil because no Quality can admit any such Transmutation As for Example Whiteness can never become Blackness nor Sweetness Bitterness nor Streightness Crookedness although a Substance that is White may lose its Whiteness and may become Black and that which is Sweet may become Bitter and that which is Streight become Crooked In the prosecution of their second Argument they bring their matter to this Issue That G. K. holds the Seed it self to be contradistinct from the Manifestation because the Manifestation is in the Seed but we deny the Consequence Their Arguments about Manifestation of the Will of God Answered Do not they say that the Manifestation of God's Will is in the Scripture And also that the Scripture it self is the Manifestation of God's Will That G. K. calleth the Seed both a Substance and a Manifestation is as reasonable as to say There are outward Manifestations of God's goodness power and wisdom in the Heavens and Earth and yet the Heavens and Earth are the very outward Manifestations themselves Are not our Meat and Drink and Cloathing natural and outward Manifestations of the goodness of God to us And are not these things Substances And doth not God manifest his Goodness also in them What blind Reasons are these which those poor blind Men bring forth against the Truth Again they Argue That this Manifestation which we say is a Substance depends not a solo Deo cannot exist without a Subject nay not without the Vnderstanding to which it is made
exercising their Reason and Vnderstanding naturally they may know many things Which we do not deny and so they might have spared that Labour But whereas they Alledge That there is nothing needful to be known and believed by the Heathens but what the Book of Nature and their Natural Understanding and Reason as Men can teach them according to the Quakers Principle and consequently the Heathens need not these Supernatural Revelations This they affirm without any Proof We shall give manifest Instances to the Contrary For the Quakers say All Men need both to have and to know a Supernatural Influence and Work of the Spirit of God in order to their Salvation And this also our Adversaries grant Heathens need a Divine Revelation Now the Heathens need a Divine Revelation to make this known to them For the Book of Nature or the meer Natures of things being considered cannot teach Men what is Supernatural and so it cannot teach Men that in all their Actings they are to have a Supernatural End Nor can it teach them that they are to Love Fear Serve and Worship God from a Supernatural Principle of God's Grace which are the greatest Duties required of Man and if it cannot teach Men and convince them of their greatest Duties it followeth that it cannot convince them of the great sins that are contrary unto those Duties Also Nature cannot teach Men the Mystery of Regeneration which yet is needful to be known For Men who are but too much addicted to Natural Reason and Searchings into the Book of Nature and despise the Divine and Supernatural Illumination of Christ in them think Regeneration a Fiction or unnecessary thing Other Instances could be given but lest they should call them the Quakers Errors we shall forbear contenting our selves with such as our Adversaries acknowledge to be true But 2. if it were granted that the Book of Nature could in some sort discover all things necessary to Salvation without Supernatural Light which yet we deny it doth not follow That therefore Divine Supernatural The Book of Nature is short of Divine things Objective Revelation is not necessary Because the Discovery that the Book of Nature and Natural Reason gives to Men of Divine Things as of the Power Wisdom Justice Goodness Love and Mercy of God is but Dim Weak Faint and Barren and is no more a proportionate Object to the Spiritual Sensations of the Soul than a Report of Meat and Drink and Cloathing are a suitable or proportionate Object to the Tast and Feeling of the outward Man The Souls of men need not only to be Convinced That there is a God who is Good Loving Merciful Powerful and Just but they need also in order to their Salvation to have a Feeling of his Divine Power to see and tast that he is Good to handle that Word of Life to know Christ in themselves to have the Love of God shed abroad in them by the Holy Spirit Which Love is a sensible and perceptible Object and so is Objective For if the Scriptures be not a sufficient Objective Revelation of God and the things of his Kingdom much less the Book of Nature c. But the first is true therefore the Second is true also Now that the Scriptures are not a sufficient Objective Revelation of God c. G. K. hath proved at large in his Book of Immediat Revelat. and we need not produce any new Arguments here until the Students or their Masters Refute those already set down in that Book Only this we say in short Nature and Scripture tell us That there is a God but they can neither give us a Sense Sight or Tasting of him or of his Love or of his Spiritual Judgments as these things are inwardly experienced where God Reveals them Nature cannot Refresh or Comfort the Soul nor pour in Wine and Oil into it when it is wounded with Sin and although it could tell that God can do this what Comfort could that be to the Soul unless God himself do it and make the Soul sensible of his Hand reaching unto it the Spiritual Things themselves that Nature cannot afford Also Nature cannot discover the Spiritual Judgments of God in the Soul whereby he cleanseth it from Sin as by Water and Fire Now as to the Second Branch of their Argument That the Scriptures are a sufficient objective Revelation of all things necessary to Salvation this we altogether deny as is said For although the Scripture is a full-enough Declaration of all Doctrines and Principles both essential and integral of Christian Religion yet the Scripture doth propose Divine Things and Objects but as a Card or Map doth a Land The Scripture a Map and the Fruits of it to the outward Eye Now as this is not a sufficient Objective Proposal because we need to see the Land it self and to tast and eat and drink of the Fruit of it so our Souls need a more near and Immediate Discovery of God than the Scripture which is but a Report of him that he may Feed and Nourish us by his Divine Manifestations And here in the Prosecution of this Argument they are at great Pains to prove That the Scriptures are given from God which we deny not although same of their Proofs be weak But whatever Reasons can be brought to prove That the Scriptures are given from God if the Inward Testimony of the Spirit of God be not believed and received these Reasons cannot beget any Divine Saving Faith whereof only we speak but a meer Human and Natural Faith or Conviction As to that Place of Scripture 2 Cor. 4.3 4. If our Gospel c. that is If our Gospel be hid c. say they the Outward Gospel But doth Paul say so Nay Look the Greek Text and you will find the contrary that the Gospel he spake of was hid in them that are lost so the Greek * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Therefore it was Inward And this Scripture they bring to prove That the Scriptures have Objective Evident and Perspicuity in themselves whereas Paul doth not say of the Scripture but of the Gospel which is the Power of God And whereas they query If a person may have Immediate Objective Revelations who hath not his Mind well disposed and if so what Advantage would he have by them which he might not have without them by the Scriptures We answer Much every way Because the Scripture is not able to Dispose his Mind as our Adversaries grant but these Immediate Objective Revelations are also really Effective and have sufficient Power and Ability in them to Dispose his Mind if he do not resist them Again whereas they query May a Person be well disposed who hath not such Revelations We answer No Yet he may want some and have other some but if he may yet there is need of such Revelations Even as if a Man's Eye or Tast were never so well disposed he needeth the Objects themselves And as
some Extraordinary Degree of Faith or the Faith of Miracles so the Discerning must be some Extraordinary Degree or as in Relation to Miracles seeing there were Spirits of Devils that wrought false Miracles And such a Discerning as to that we do not plead for as Common to all but that a Discerning of Spirits so far as to discern betwixt them who were Godly and VVicked and who were Ministers of the Spirit and who not was Common to all we prove Because it is promised as a General Priviledge Mal. 3.18 Then shall ye return and Discern between the righteous and the wicked c. again all are commanded To Try the Spirits 1 Joh. 4.1 Therefore all have a measure of Discerning whereby to try them otherwise they were required to doe an Impossible thing which is Absurd If it be said He giveth a Rule whereby to try them viz. Every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh is of God ver 2. To this we answer The Rule is one thing the Discerning is another and differ as the Object and the Eye Now the Eye is as much required to see as the Object Therefore all need a Spiritual Eye to apply the Rule in a suitable manner The Spiritual Eye sees and discerns the true Confessor from the false so as to know who do truly confess Christ come in the Flesh. For John cannot mean a bare Verbal Confession because Antichrist himself may have that therefore he meaneth a True living Confession in Life and Power which no Hypocrite can have Having thus answered all their Arguments we shall conclude this Particular with one Argument against them one part of which is their own Confession They who can be certainly known and discerned to be Impious and Vnholy ought not to be admitted into the Ministry But Impious and Vnholy men can be certainly known to be Impious and Vnholy Therefore they ought not c. The first Proposition is proved and sufficiently confirmed from their own Confession That None ought to be Admitted but who in the judgment of Charity are to be esteemed truly Pious Therefore they who cannot be so Esteemed ought not to be Admitted But if they be certainly known to be Impious they cannot be so Esteemed therefore c. The Assumption is proved above partly by Arguments and partly by the Refutation of what they have said against it Divine Inspiration In the Second Part they Dispute Against an Immediate Enthusiastick Call as they call it by way of Inspiration being necessary and for the necessity of a Mediate and Outward Call And because we plead for the blessed Inspiration of the Spirit of God they call us Enthusiastical Impostors and if the Apostles themselves and Primitive Christians were now living they would give them the same Name For we plead for no other Inspiration but that which was given unto those Holy men But seeing they use the word Enthusiasm so much in a way of Reproach it is fit that it be opened Let them tell us then if they mean any other thing by it than true Divine Inspiration If they mean another it concerns us not Enthusiasm its proper Signification for we plead for no other But if they mean that as the word properly signifies being derived from a word that signifies God within as the best Greek Dictionaries shew they should not Reproach us with that which was the Glory of the Primitive Christians and by which the Scriptures were writ to wit Divine Inspiration And here they tell us of an Inward Call which consists in the Disposition of the Soul but they will not have it to be an Inspiration But if by this Disposition they mean any spiritual or supernatural Gift they must needs acknowledge that it is an Inspiration at least in the general sense For how can it be Spiritual unless it be Inspired Is not every good thing that is spiritually good from the Spirit Surely the National Confession of Faith published in Knox's time doth expresly say That Faith is the Inspiration of God But if they say they deny not Subjective but Objective Inspiration we put them to prove this unnatural Division and Separation As if there were Inspiration in Mens Souls that is not Objective which we altogether deny But as to this Inward Call The Call of Ministers we ask them If it hath not in it the Nature of a Command so that he who hath it is bound to obey it If they say Not Then a man may lawfully Disobey it and Resist it although it be of God If they say It is a Command then it is Objective for it is the nature of all real and true Commands to be Objective Again If by Disposition they mean the meer Qualification that enables a Man to be a Preacher how can that be a Call Seeing a Man may be fit or able for an Office that hath not a Call thereunto being already in another Office that he is fit for also So that they bewray gross Ignorance in confounding the Ability and the Gall which are distinct things And here they require of us to prove our Immediate Call by Miracles or any extraordinary thing which can only be from God and so cannot agree to false Teachers And it having been told them by R. B. that the Papists made the same Objection against the first Reformers they call this an Impertinent Pratling but for all the disparity they shew the Impertinent Pratling falls upon themselves They confess The first Reformers had an extraordinary Call in respect of their Heroick Gifts First Reformer's Call yet they also had a mediate Call They owned the holy Scriptures for their principal Rule and Preached no other Gospel c. To this we answer that all of them had a mediate Call is a meer Alledgance without any proof yea the History of the Reformation sheweth the Contrary Again it is abundantly Evident out of their own Writings that the most Eminent of them did lay no weight upon that Outward Call which some of them had from the Popish Church but did plead that seeing the Visible Succession of the Church and Ministry was interrupted by the Apostacy that they needed no Outward Call but did betake themselves to the Extraordinary Sadeel de Voc. Min. See for this Sadeel de Legit. Vocatione Ministrorum and when they used any Argument of a Mediate Call it was but by way of Arg. ad Hominem As now if any of us called Quakers had ever had the Mediate Call from the National Churches as some in England indeed had namely S. F. who was a Parish Priest Nor will it prove that the first Reformers had an Extraordinary Call because they owned the Scriptures as their principal Rule and preached no other Gospel otherwise all the National Preachers now would have an Extraordinary Call because they pretend to own the Scriptures as their principal Rule and to preach no other Gospel Yea The Scriptures an
they want of that yet such a Measure of this Light Seed Life and Word is communicated to all as is sufficient truly to Convert them from the Evil of their Ways purify and cleanse them and consequently bring them to Salvation And in the Affirming of this they do not at all Exalt Self or Nature as do the Socinians in that they freely acknowledge that Man's Nature is defiled and corrupted and unable to help him or further him one step in order to Salvation judging nothing more needful than the full and perfect Denying and Mortification of Self in order thereunto Nor do they believe this Seed Light and Grace to be any part of Man's Nature or any thing that Properly and Essentially is of Man but that it is a Free Grace and Gift of God freely given to all Men in order to bring them out of the Fall and lead them to Life Eternal Neither do they suppose this Seed Word and Grace which is sufficient to lead to Salvation to be given to Men without Christ for they believe it to be the Purchase and Benefit of Christ's Death who tasted Death for every Man So that they Confess all to be derived to them in and by Christ the Mediator to whom they Ascribe all Yea they believe this Light Grace and Seed to be no other but a measure of that Life and Spirit that was in Christ Jesus which being in Him who is the Head in the Fulness of it is from Him in whom it Resideth as He is Ascended up unto and Glorified in the Heavens Extended to all Men in order to Redeem them from sin and Convert them to God Thus according to this Principle without Attributing any thing to Self or to the Nature of Man or Claiming any thing without Christ The Vniversal Love of God to all Men is Exhibited whereby the means of Salvation by Christ and Reconciliation unto God is so Asserted that no Man is altogether Excluded from it but each so Reached as puts him in a Capacity to be Saved Such then as Believe and Preach this Doctrine must of necessity be Esteemed great Advancers and Assertors of Vniversal Love as those that truly Establish it not through any Vncertainty or Doubtfulness in themselves but upon their own firm and acknowledged Principle since that doth necessarily Extend their Charity to the not only Supposing Salvation possible to Heathens in the most Barbarous and Unciviliz'd places of the World but even Concluding Salvation possible not only to the several sorts of Christians but even to such who by the Disadvantage of Education and the Remoteness of their Habitation are Ignorant of the Name of Christ. Providing that this Seed Grace Word and Light which is in them all and the Free Gift of God to them all Receive place in their Hearts so as to work out the Fruits and Nature of Vnrighteousness and to beget them unto Righteousness Purity and Holiness which according to this Principle is believed to be very possible where the External Knowledge is thus unavoidably wanting For albeit those who hold this Principle do believe that the outward Knowledge of Christ and those other Advantages which from the Vse of the Scriptures are enjoyed among Christians are very Comfortable and conducing to facilitate Salvation yet they reckon them not absolutely Needful holding them only to be Integral and no Essential parts of Christianity For they place the Essence or Being of Christianity only in the True and Real Conversion of the Heart by vertue of the Operation of this Light Seed and Grace there Let not the Reader thinkstrange that I Assert this Principle and enter not upon the probation of it having done that largely else-where as in my Apology it not being my business here so to do but only to shew how such and such Principles do not agree with Vniversal Love As on the other hand when I make mention of other Principles I do not offer to Refute them it being enough here to demonstrate that they are Contrary to Vniversal Love Even as the Essence and Being of a Man Consists in the Vnity of Soul and Body which is enough to Denominate one a Man albeit he should want a Leg or an Arm an Eye or an Ear or have some other Defect or even should be destitute of some of the Faculties of the mind as of the Memory c. that other Men have yet such a one would still and that truly be called a Man albeit not a Compleat and Entire Man Yea those that live in the most Barbarous and Vnciviliz'd places of the World where they are destitute and ignorant of all the Liberal Arts and Sciences used among us and of all those Conveniences which so much Conduce to the facilitating of Humane Society and accommodating of Man-kind in their Living together I say those are still truly accounted Men as having that which is truly Essential or Constitutive of a Man as such In like manner this Principle supposeth the possibility of Salvation both to those commonly called Heathens and to many among the Dark and Erroneous Sects of Christianity in that this Essential Part of Christianity is Extended to them albeit they want those other Integrals and Comfortable parts which may in and with respect to the Spiritual Man be fitly Compared to these Defects that those Barbarous Nations want which we Enjoy as to the Natural Man As none can deny but this Principle is most agreeing to Vniversal Love so the Practice of all even of those that deny it doth evidence and shew how agreeable it is as well to the Love of God as to Right Reason where when ever any of the Sects come to deal with a Heathen or any such against whom they cannot urge any thing from Scripture or Tradition as being Principles not acknowledged by them then they are always forced to recur to an Inward Innate Light in the Soul to which they labour to make manifest their Principles albeit they differ about the Nature and Sufficiency of it yet they are forced to Concede that this is God's Love to Man-kind and that in this the Vniversal Love of God is extended to all So that to every one to whom they come to Preach they may find something by which they may urge or commend their Doctrine of which I shall give one singular Example out of the words of Franciscus Xaverius a Jesuit whom that Tribe for the high Esteem they have of him term the Apostle of the Indies as it is Recorded in Bernhardus Varenus his Descriptio Regni Japoniae p. 195. Cap. 8. where he puts down the words of Francis Xaviers Letter thus p. 247. The Amargurians before they received Baptism Franc. Xavier his Letter of the Conversion of the Japonians were straitned with an odious and troublesome Scruple to wit That God seemed not unto them Merciful and Benign who had Condemned all the Japonians before our Coming to Eternal Punishment especially who ever did not
hot for his Fingers that he durst not meddle with it His Proofs from Westminster Confession and Catechism preferring them before Scriptures At last he comes to an Honest and Ingenuous Confession That in most of the Heads he hath adduced for Confirmation only their Confession of Faith and Catechism A very plain Acknowledgment of the Nature of his Work for he is very good at begging the Question and proceeding upon Principles denied by him he hath to do with But the Judicious Reader may Judge whether his Proofs be very Valid and Binding which are only Confirmed by that which is Denied by me and which needs to be Confirmed no less than the Arguments deduced from it since I account it no Confession of the True Faith This is just as if a Papist Arguing against a Protestant should tell him He useth only for Confirmation the Decrees of the Council of Trent how Ridiculous this is any Judicious Man may Judge But since he hath so great a Veneration of the Confession of Faith and also such an Itch of Scribbling methinks he should not suffer it to lie so long under the Censure of that Examen which was written several years ago and lieth yet for ought ever I could learn Vnanswered all the Notions of which albeit I will not Espouse yet I think all J. B's Clergy and Reason will not solidly Reply to it and I am well Assured it hath disgusted Hundreds of that Confession who are not Quakers and also how weakly the Confession is Confirmed and how grosly the Scriptures are perverted to make them serve it I have given a Tast in the last Chapter of my Book Intituled A Catechism and Confession of Faith which is not only Extant in English but he will find it also printed in Low-Dutch and should in Reason have been removed by him ere he had used it only for Confirmation in Controversy against me But there is something more in this Expression for when the Confession of Faith and Catechism is only adduced for Confirmation what becomes of the Scriptures that in words are so highly Exalted It seems notwithstanding all these Verbal Commendations he has no more use for them than for an Old Almanack the Confession of Faith and Catechism is that which is to be minded It seems what he brings of them in this Controversy is only pro forma for the Confession of Faith is only adduced for Confirmation it is the good Antidote against the many Errors of the Times And whereas he speaks of Apposite passages of Scripture those that will Compare them with the things they are pointed to prove will find in most not the least Correspondence of which I have given some Proof in that place before-mentioned ¶ 6. But indeed he hath spoken out the Truth of the matter For all their great Talk of the Scripture it is manifest to such as will narrowly look into it that not the Scripture but the Confession of Faith and Catechism is their Rule of Faith and Manners For the Scriptures must serve the Confession of Faith not the Confession of Faith answer the Scriptures which must be turned twin'd and wrested to sute to the Confession of Faith Hence if a Man believe the Scriptures ever so firmly and square his Faith accordingly unless he agree to every point of the Confession of Faith all is to no purpose he must pass for an Heretick At last to Conclude he having it seems said all he has to say makes Provision not to be put upon the Necessity to Vindicate his gross Perversions and Calumnies As for his Comparison of Rats and Mice their dealing with Books he must know I Intend not to square these Observations to gratify his Humour it will be enough for me to satisfy the Candid and Judicious Reader He doubts not to make a Judgment of things not yet in being J. B. presumes to be Judge in his own Cause and therefore Expects no Answer that shall savour of Reason Religion Candor and Plainness We have seen that of him which gives us ground to believe he has had enough Thoughts of us But however he must not expect to be Judge in his own Cause And whereas he saith He will not be troubled at our Railings and Barkings one may wonder the Man has the Confidence to Accuse others of what himself is so highly guilty of but he shall not need fear to be troubled with such Stuff and whether he gives or gets most of that is Referred to the Judicious Readers to whose Judgment and Censure whether he will or not as his Writings will be liable so to them and to their Christian Consideration I freely Submit what is written in these Observations SECT II. Wherein his Two First Chapters containing Remarks upon my Preface and the First These Of the true Ground of Knowledge are Considered ¶ 1. UPon the Preface of my Theses which is but about half a Dozen of Lines he bestows no less than twelve pages all which being either bare Assertions or Railing as cannot escape the diligent Reader 's Observation will therefore Require the shorter Reply He hath not got the length of a Dozen of Lines when with a piece of Confidence he will seem so Modest J. B.'s vain Pretence to Modesty as Not to Pre-occupy the Reader 's Judgment by calling the Theses Ethnical or Diabolical but methinks if he has not forgotten his Epistle which we will in Reason suppose the Reader to have first Viewed in which as is above observed there is enough of that sort said to Pre-occupy his Judgment So that he must needs put out his Eyes that doth not see that his pretended Modesty and Forbearance is not Real ¶ 2. Next because these Theses are directed by me to Clergy-Men of all sorts in the Christian World he will needs have it that I acknowledg a Christian World to which my self and those I patronize do not belong but how he makes this Consequence appear he leaves us to Divine For there is no Proof brought for it but his own Assertion He needs not Wonder that I acknowledge a Christian World The Christian World so called from its outward Profession of Christ. unless he had known me somewhere to deny it for in respect of Profession which Distinction himself elsewhere useth all these may be accounted of it who make an outward Profession of Christ Besides that I have sufficienly acknowledged my belief that in severals of them the Inward Life of Christianity is to be found As for what follows he needs not doubt but I am as much against the Distinction of Laity and Clergy The Word Clergy used by the Author for Distinction's sake as himself can be But since I writ to such many whereof Own it my Vsing it to them for Distinction's sake will not infer my Approving of it With his Vsual Candor he will have this Direction to import no less than a Chartal to provoke all those it is directed to
to be written by the Spirit both which I deny and he has not so much as offer'd to prove and therefore his Argument if I should go no further can Conclude nothing Next his Minor to wit That all pretending to Immediate Revelation have been led by a Spirit of Error is not at all proved by him For albeit it might be said of all those Old Sects named by him and of the German Enthusiasts yet that is not sufficient Proof unless he can make it appear that there was never any other but were so also which yet remains for him to Prove and will trouble him to Effect For to Affirm there were never any because he has never heard nor read of them were an Argument a great deal more Ridiculous than Rational And for his Challenging me to shew them albeit the Instance of the Quakers be enough to spoil all his Argument as will after appear yet by his good Leave I am not bound Affirmanti incumbit probatio And that this Answer is sufficient I have the Testimony of his Learned Brother John Menzies Professor of Divinity at Aberdeen in his Book Intituled Papismus Lucifugus where he Answers the Jesuit's Minor the same way and proveth it to be Sufficient And surely he has not taken notice that by this he has Condemned as led by a Spirit of Error all the Primitive Protestant-Martyrs that Prophesied at any time such as John Huss and George Wishart our Country-Man and many others by reason of whose Prophesying J. B. and his Brethren have valued their Cause J. B's condemning the Primitive Martyrs as led by a Spirit of Error since these Prophecies were said by them to proceed from Inward and Immediate Revelation and so they pretended to it albeit not as the ground of their Faith and Obedience in all matters of Doctrine and Worship yet as the ground of that Faith by which they believed these Revelations to proceed from God and not from the Devil and of that Obedience by which they published and declared these things Moreover he Overturns all by the last Instance which he gives to prove it to wit That the Quakers who pretend to Immediate Revelations are led by a Spirit of Error For Proof of which we have only his bare Affirmation and yet till this be proved his Objection is naught For indeed this is a rare way of debating with an Adversary to make use of an Argument by which he must be Concluded already as Erroneous in order to Convince him that he is such If this be not as they say To put the Plough before the Oxen I know not what can be said to be so For J. B's Argument to make it plain amounts to this J. B's Argument against Immediate Revelation If the Quakers be led by a Spirit of Error Then the Quakers Err in affirming Inward and Immediate Revelation to be the Ground and Foundation of true Faith But The Quakers are led by a Spirit of Error Therefore c. Which is just as if I should Argue thus If J. B. be a Knave a manifest Lyar and Calumniator Then he is not a true Minister of Christ nor fit to write in Religious matters But J. B. is such Therefore c. Is not this a notable way of Arguing and a quick Way to dispatch Controversies What saith Robert Macquair Doth not this well become his singularly Acute solidly Learned and truly gracious Author Postscript pag. 559. The next thing to be considered is His Stating the Controversy Where according to his Custom he all along beggs the Question For having writ down his Opinion and taken it for granted without offering to prove it he goes on and builds thereon without more difficulty as if it were not to be further questioned This appears in pag. 20.28.29.30.34.35.36.37.40.43.44 in which places he states his Opinion of the Immediate Revelation of the Spirit What J. B. will have Revelation by the Spirit to be as not being such as presents any Truths to be believed objectively but only in removing the Vail of the Eye of the Vnderstanding and spiritually Illuminating the Mind and Working effectually upon the Heart to embrace and receive the Truth already Revealed and Proposed in the Scriptures Now for not using this Distinction and holding Revelation in this his sense he greatly blames me as jumbling things together and darkning and pre-judging the Reader and bestows upon me ever and anon many Railing Words with the Repetition of which I will not trouble the Reader And yet notwithstanding this Accusation in Contradiction of himself he cites me pag. 42. and 28. taking notice of this very Distinction as used by some and also Refuting it Surely the Man must have miserably forgot himself and will verify the Proverb Lyars should have good Memories Next Since he judges I Err in not holding this manner of Revelation and that he builds all his Superstructure upon it as the Truth he should have offer'd to prove it to be such For since he saith They willingly grant to these Scriptures noted by me As many as are led by the Spirit of God c. Rom. 8.9 14. together with 1 Joh. 2.27 Joh. 6.45 Joh. 14.16 17. By which Scriptures he cannot deny but the manner of the Apostles being led as well as of all Christians is Included since some of them were directed to the Apostles particularly In all which there is no ground for his Distinction and Assertion It is not said The Comforter that I will send shall lead you the Apostles immediately by proposing Truth to be believed objectively to you and this shall be accounted Extraordinary but after you it shall only lead other Christians by Illuminating their Understandings and that shall be the Ordinary Leading And since then it is a Rule granted by all that we must hold to the plain Words of Scripture unless an Vrgent Necessity force us to the Contrary he should shew us where this Necessity lies and prove his Assertion to be the true and genuine Meaning of the Words and that we ought not to take them as we do according to their plain and naked Signification and Import For I would willingly hear any ground from Scripture of this Nature of Extraordinary and Ordinary Revelations as pertinent to this Debate For albeit Things Extraordinary may be Reveal'd to some and not to others that only respects the Things Revealed not the manner of Revelation For a Man telling me Extraordinary things and Ordinary albeit the things may differ in their Nature yet neither my manner of Hearing nor his of Speaking do thence necessarilly differ ¶ But perhaps the Man doth Apprehend that what he saith pag. 20.30.31.40.44.45 is some Proof of his Assertion which if he do the Reader may easily observe his Mistake where he would Insinuate As if the manner of Immediate Revelation by the Spirit asserted by me rendred all other Means Mediate Instruction not Inconsistent with Immediate Revelation even those of Teaching
and Exhorting which are appointed by God useless and took away all Obligations of Obeying the Commands of God conveyed by others And yet he taketh notice pag. 23. that I acknowledge Other Means of Knowledge as profitable neither has he ever heard me deny But Men are obliged to obey the Commands of God through one another as well as in themselves as the Children of Israel were those of Moses and the Prophets and the Christians those of Christ and his Apostles But I suppose he will Affirm with me That no Man's Obedience to any Command will avail him any thing unless upon Inward Belief and Conviction that the thing Commanded is of God since whatsoever is not of Faith is sin If he say That albeit I do not deny such an obligation yet it necessarily follows from my Principle That this is untruly Alledged will easily appear since I suppose he will deny but the Rest of the Apostles who were alive when Paul's Epistles were written were obliged to receive them and obey them as the Dictates of the Spirit yea and were benefitted by them and so the Apostle Paul by others Albeit on both sides he will acknowledge them to have had such Revelations as he accounts Immediate and Extra-ordinary And so we see that to have such Revelations and yet to be Mediately Instructed are not Inconsistent nor do they render one another Vseless And indeed to affirm they do so is rather a presumptuous Accusing of God who has Appointed both in their Order for the Edification of his Church than a Refuting of such as Assert them Such are his Reasonings pag. 45. Besides that this Objection may be easily Refuted for since J. B. affirms as particularly pag. 42. That the Scripture is a Compleat Rule in all things concerning Faith and Manners in reference to Salvation might it not be said that this takes away the Vse of all Commentaries and Expositions Then J. b's c. Exposition and Commentaries are of no use and other Books especially since he and his Brethren do withal Affirm that it is Clear and Intelligible to all in things Essential to Salvation Let him shew how this is weaker as to him than the other as to me With the like presumption he blasphemously Asserteth That even these Revelations which he himself calleth and acknowledgeth to be Inward Immediate and Extraordinary are Vncertain for this Reason because many Men have been deluded by the Devil On which he also Insists in the following page And pag. 34. and 48. where he sums up his matter in this Question How comes it that others pretending to Revelation as much as I have been deceived But as I said before How comes that others pretending to be led by the Scripture as the Rule as much as J. B. have been deceived since the Scripture declares nothing but Truth But how silly this is I have above shewn and more largely in my Apology in those Paragraphs which I observed he most foully Omitted And indeed this is a fine Argument he has provided for Atheists and Scepticks for it renders all Faith even that of the Patriarchs Vncertain For since the Ground and Warrant of their Writing the Scriptures was in his own account Inward Immediate and Extraordinary Revelations and if such be as he affirms Vncertain J. B. Asserts Revelation to be Vncertain then the Truth of the Scriptures which depends upon such must necessarily be Vncertain since the Stream cannot be more pure than the Fountain nor the Superstructure more sure than the Foundation And therefore most weak is his Reasoning pag. 46. where he pleadeth That such Revelations cannot be more sure than the Scriptures which are the Objective Revelations of the Apostles written down since the Certainty of these Writings depends upon the Certainây of these Revelations by which they were Written And Certainly if in any Case that Maxim of the Schools do hold it must in this Propter quod unumquodque est tale illud ipsum est magis tale ¶ 5. It will not be amiss here in the Third place to take notice of his most Uncharitable and Unchristian Insinuations contrary to all Christian and Fair Rules of Debate As first pag. 24. where he will needs Infer our Denying of the Trinity albeit he cannot deny but he finds it owned by me groundlesly coupling us with the Socinians And to help him in this he brings in the Testimony of one Mr. Stalham as he terms him an open Opposer of ours which Witness to receive against us is most Unjust But I desire here in the Entry that it be observed that I intend to take little or no notice of his many Citations to prove what we Hold out of the Writings of our open Opposers and shall give such a sufficient Reason for my so doing ere I make an end as I am hopeful shall satisfy all Judicious Readers as well of our Innocency as his Injustice therein But by this the Man's Temper may be seen and that his Design is not so much to Refute what we truly hold as to make the world believe that we hold what we do not to render us the more Odious J. B's Enforcing false Beliefs and Doctrines upon the Quakers from the lying Books of their Opposers And thus he proceedeth also basely to Insinuate That I deny Jesus of Nazareth to be the Son of God albeit he doth not so much as pretend to any Color for it from my Words Only he finds Some Quakers give an Indistinct Answer in this matter but who they are or what their Answer is he tells not In pursuance of this in the following page he Insinuates As if I mean'd not the first but the second Creation and so joined with Socinus Which is a gross Calumny like the former As also is what he saith pag. 31. num 18. where he raileth against me as Writing things contrary to the Scriptures and as one whose Revelations are not from God but from Satan For all this the only proof is I B. saith so which I must plainly tell him is with me of no Weight at all Of the same nature is what is Asserted by him pag. 33. num 20. wherein he insinuates That we Contemn the Scriptures telling a lying Story from his Author Mr. Hicks of one Nicolas Lucas which I desire him to prove the next time not by Hicks for he is Accuser but by some more Indifferent Witness else to be justly held as a Calumniator And whereas he saith We should not obtrude any thing upon them without Scriptures This is another lying Insinuation For where do we obtrude any Doctrines without offering to Confirm them by Scripture as much as he and his Brethren For if he say That our Confirmations are not Valid that is not to the purpose we can easily say so of his and do as truly believe it But the Question is Whether we obtrude any Doctrines upon any to be believed telling them they ought to believe it albeit we
either will not or can not Confirm them by the Scripture Now he knoweth in his Conscience this to be a lye since I Affirm of the Scriptures Apol. Lat. Ed. p. 47. n. 60. That they are the most fit Outward Judge of Controversies of which himself also taketh notice in that place And lastly of the Nature of these malitious Insinuations is what he saith pag. 48. and 49 and last Paragraph of this Chapter where after he has Repeated what he terms my Monitory Conclusion he infers That I mean that a man should believe that Nature's dim Light is the Spirit of God and the Holy Ghost and that he may burn the Bible J. B ' s. Calumnious Meaning he puts upon the Author and with Confidence assert he is led by the Holy Ghost whatever Scripture or Common Sense say to the Contrary This is all Affirmed by him without the least Proof which as it is the Height of Injustice so it is with respect not only to my Words but Belief and Intention God the Searcher of Hearts knows a most-horrid Falshood and Calumny ¶ 6. Now albeit what is said may seem sufficient for a Reply to this Chapter and is indeed enough to give any sober Man a Disgust of it yet that he may not have reason to Complain that any thing wherein he may judge there is Weight and is directly to the purpose is Omitted I will now in the last place Consider and Answer what he saith against the Validity of my Arguments to which an Answer hath not been Included in what is already said To begin then like himself which to be sure is with some Calumny or other he saith pag. 14. I stigmatize with the black mark of being Carnal and Natural Christians all that Assent not to what I say But he takes no time to prove it and indeed cannot For albeit I say that It is like many Natural and Carnal Christians will Condemn what I say yet it will not follow I account them all such who will not fully agree with me in this matter Of the same kind is his Calumny p. 22. n. 5. where he alledgeth The Citations of the Fathers so called prove no more than his sense of Revelation above expressed But whether he speaks true here or not the Reader may Judge by seriously Reading over these Citations and then let him see if they do not hold out An Inward and Immediate Teaching of the Spirit of God in the Soul as the firm ground of Knowledge without which all outward Teaching is in vain But to Infer this he tells They writ against such as being Impostors and led by the spirit of the Devil pretended to Revelations What then Can not men write against false Revelations without they deny the Necessity of true Ones That is an odd Conclusion If I. B. were well acquainted with the Writings of the Quakers so called he would find them as much against false Pretenders as any other But pag. 24. and 25. he findeth fault with my Argument deduced from these words That there is no knowledge of the Father but by the Son because I take notice as a First Instance of God's Creating all things by Jesus Christ adding Was this so difficult a point to be proved that I was constrained to go back to the first Creation for an Argument Answ. No But I judged it not Improper however he may to shew first as Preparatory God's more general way of working by his Son Jesus Christ ere I come to that which is more particular and this was the Reason as well of my putting these Propositions into that Order as of my using of that Instance by which that pretended Abomination which he pretends lurks under words evanisheth For the Man is very good at drawing Inferences from other mens Words which they that spake and wrote them never thought of as I for one can very well witness since the least can be allowed me is to know my own Thoughts and Purpose which how he should come to Assure himself he knows better than I is more than I can fathom For the same Reason above mentioned I used the Instance of God's moving in his manifesting himself in his Creatures and of the Spirit of the Lord 's moving upon the face of the waters which pag. 26. he flouts at but doth not Answer And it is strange that he of all men should be offended with such Preparatory Considerations where the Matter is in a few pages after closely come to who has used so many Remote Arguments and several not pages only but sheets yea quires of paper in order to prove the First Day of the Week to be the Christian Sabbath He objects pag. 26. against my affirming That God's Communion with man was by Immediate Manifestation of the Spirit Immediate Revelation under the Law not Ceased under the Gospel from Adam to Moses because so few are mentioned and he supposeth the Rest not-mentioned had it only by their Instruction But since these few that are mentioned are said to have had Immediate Revelation and that the Rest had no written Rule as I. B. will Confess it seems there was more of God's Immediate Revelation in those dark Times even by his Confession than now under the Gospel where the Chief Pastors of the Church according to him are to Expect no such thing Neither is it proved that others not mentioned had no Immediate Revelations albeit they might have been Instructed by these Patriarchs which I have shewn before to be very Consistent And thus may be easily Answered setting aside his Railings what he saith pag. 27. against my Urging the Frequent Revelations that men had during all the time of the Law betwixt Moses and Malachy by which himself confesseth the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to have been written that that doth not prove that every one had such Revelations What then I lay not the stress of the Proof of Every one's having Immediate Revelations upon this but this is clearly proved from it That since Immediate Inward and Objective Revelations were so frequent during all the time of the Law which was the less-glorious Administration and that of the Letter it is grosly absurd to say as I. B. and his Brethren do that they are now Ceased under the Gospel which is said to be more-Glorious and the pouring forth of the Spirit more abundant and Universal and that not only for a little time to wit to the Apostles with Restriction to them and their Times for which he never produc'd the least proof from Scripture but to the End of the World And if so that Immediate Revelation be not Ceased there is a great deal of the point gained albeit I. B. confidently Affirms J. B. believes God spake his last Words to his Church at the End of the Revelations that there can be proved nothing by these Reasonings but what no body will deny since the Divines of Westminster have denied and I. B.
no doubt with them will deny That Immediate Revelation now is since they positively say That it is Ceased and James Durham whom I. B. applauds as a Reverend Brother and Pastor of the Church hath most absurdly affirmed in his Treatise upon the Revelation That when John finished that Book God spake his last words to his Church ¶ 7. When he cometh pag. 28. to my Proposition Asserting That these Revelations were of old the Formal Object of Faith he beginneth to Inquire and Conjecture what I mean by the Formal Object and upon that he bestows the following page For answering then his Scruples in that matter I say In a Divine Revelation two things are to be considered 1. The thing Revealed and 2. The Revelation The Thing Revealed is indeed the Material Object The Revelation is the Formal Object In which may be considered not only The Manner of the Revelation The Material and Formal Object of Faith distinguished that is the Voice or Speech of God unto the Soul or his Imprinting in the Soul by a Divine Manifestation the things Revealed but also God himself so Operating both which to wit Deus loquens id est God speaking is the Formal Object of Faith He himself his Veracity is the Original Ground of our Faith His Voice Holy Influence and Manifestation by which he Expresseth himself gives us the Certainty and Assurance that it is He and is very distinguishable by those of a Spiritual Discerning from the most subtile Appearance and Transformations of the Devil since Christ saith My Sheep hear my Voice and will not hear that of a Stranger Even as the Voice and Appearance of two Men of the most contrary and different Humours Statures and Complexions are different and distinguishable by a Man of a sharp Sight to whom those Men are well known But of this I wrote more largly in my Letter to a certain Ambassadour printed the last Year at Roterdam at the End of the Letter written to the Ambassadours of Nimmegen whereto I refer him for further Satisfaction But I wholy deny the Consequence deduced by him that if God's Veracity because it is God that speaketh and commandeth be the formal Object of Faith therefore it is all one whether it be Mediate or Immediate Since albeit that be the Original Ground yet the Immediate Revelation is necessary that we may certainly know that it is he For what avails it me to believe That all that God Commands is True and ought to be Obeyed if I do not certainly know the things I believe as Truth do come from him And the Question is Whether certain Knowledge can be had without Immediate Revelation And therefore to this his Question in the following page 30. What was the formal Object of the Faith of the People to whom the Patriarchs and Prophets said Thus saith the LORD I answer The Inward Testimony of the Spirit in their Heart assuring them That the things spoken were from the Lord and not the Divinations of the Mens Brains that spake them and therefore inclining their Hearts to receive and acknowledge these things as the Commands of God unto them Since as J. B. Confesseth They were not to believe them because spoken by those Men but because of the Authority of God It must be that which wrought this Perswasion and Assurance in them was the formal Object of their Faith as the things spoken were the Material Even as the Light serves by way of formal Object to make us see what is proposed unto us ¶ 8. Pag. 31 and 32. he acknowledgeth That Divine and Inward Revelations need not be tried by the Scripture as a more Noble Rule by him who hath such a Revelation but by those to whom he delivers it And then giveth the Instance of the Beraeans being Commended To which I shall willingly Assent judging no Man that delivers or declares a Revelation to another ought to be offended that he Try it by the Scripture which no true Revelation can Contradict The Spirit of God in the Heart to try Revelations by is a more noble Rule than the Scriptures But that such may not also Try it by the Testimony of the Spirit of God in their Hearts I cannot deny and that it is the More Noble Rule as being most Vniversal Since some Divine Revelations such as Prophecies of Contingent Truths or things to come cannot be Tried by the Scriptures as was that of George Wishart concerning the Cardinal's Death For had another taken upon him at that time to Prophesy the quite Contrary I would willingly be informed by what Scripture it could be deduced or known that the one was false or the other true yet who will be so absurd as to deny but that it could by the Immediate Testimony of the Spirit As for his Proof That the Scripture is the most certain Rule taken from those Words 2 Pet. 1.19 20. We have also a more sure Word of Prophecy c. It is but a begging of the Question in supposing that Peter by this understood the Scripture and indeed is most Ridiculous to Affirm For since the Apostle reckons this Word more sure than the Voice they heard with their outward Ears J. B. pleads the Scriptures to be the more sure Word of Prophecy and the Vision they saw with their outward Eyes it were absurd to affirm that the Description or Narration of a thing were more sure than the Immediate Seeing and Hearing it Can any Description I may receive of J. B. however True give me so certain a Knowledge of him as if I saw him and spake with him Yet without any absurdity it may be said That the Inward Word or Testimony of the Spirit in the Heart is more sure in things Spiritual than any thing that is objected to or conveyed by the outward Senses as that Vision was of which the Apostle there speaks since the Inward and Spiritual Senses are the most proper and adequate Means of conveying Spiritual Things to the Soul by which the Saints after they have laid down this Body and have no more the Use of the Outward Senses which are seated in it do most surely enjoy the Blessed Vision of God and Fellowship both with him and one another As for that of Isa. 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony c. and that of Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures c. mentioned here by him I shall have occasion to speak of them hereafter It 's true We are not to believe every Spirit but it will not thence follow that the Scripture is a more sure Rule than the Spirit for such a Trial. Pag. 35. he thinks My saying That the Divine Revelation moveth the Vnderstanding well disposed Confirmeth what he saith and spoieth all my Purpose because then Every Revelation pretending to be Divine is not to be submitted to But where did ever I say so What he talks further of this Well-disposed Intellect pag. 36. I spake to in my Answer to
But where doth he find me plead for Prophetick Revelations as Common to all And whether the former words do not grant Immediate Objective Revelation in the largest sense I plead for it I leave the Reader to Judge Here he accuses me of speaking basely of the Scripture but neither tells me Where Nor What I say Which is indeed a base way of Reviling though Familiar to him To my last Argument pag. 49. § 35. he Answers little but Railing The Minor to wit That whereas Protestants call the Scriptures their Rule yet if asked why they believe them Do say because in them is delivered the Will of God which was Revealed Objectively and Immediately to Holy Men he saith destroyeth the whole Argument But why I know not since surely that proves They at last recurr to the Immediate Testimony of the Spirit as the Certain and Infallible ground of Faith which is my Conclusion That I thence infer That Protestants are for the Uncertainty of Immediate Objective Revelation is most falsly and disingenuously Asserted by him For I seek not to Infer any such thing from the Medium of that Argument but having shewn thereby how they are forc'd to recur to this Revelation as the primary ground of their Faith I add That it 's strange then they should seek to Represent that as dangerous or uncertain which they are thus forced to Recur to And whether he doth not so ever and anon repeating the story of Delusions to Nauseating through this Chapter and that reads it may see and easily perceive his Base Dis-singenuity in that part As also in the following Lines where he saith Their Concession makes nothing for the falsly pretended Immediate and Objective Revelations which Quakers boast of For where doth he find me pleading for any such Neither is it the Question Whether the Quakers do falsely pretend to Immediate Revelation yea or nay But Whether Quakers do well and are sound in believing that Immediate Divine Inward Revelation is Necessary to every Believer for the building up of true Faith But it is usual with him where he cannot answer to Turn-by the Question and fill up the Paper with Railing and Reviling SECT IV. Wherein his Fourth Chapter of the Scriptures is Considered ¶ 1. WE may Judge of this Chapter of the Scriptures by the first Sentence which contains a Lye saying He finds the Third Thesis in somethings altered and more clearly set down in the Apology than in the single Sheet whereas there is not one word of difference but the misplacing of a word by the Printer But it is become so familiar with him to speak Untruth that he cannot forbear it Indeed this whole Chapter is a Complex of Railing Calumnies and Malitious Groundless Insinuations And indeed the Man is so troubled that he cannot find any thing in what I write which he ought according to his Title and Undertaking only to Examine and Confute that in stead of that he bestows several pages out of Stalham and Hicks J. B's Authors for his Lies and Calumnies c. and his Considerations upon them whose Lyes and Calumnies are long ago Answered and Unreplyed to by them So So that the Partys concerned having already Vindicated themselves it is not my place to meddle in it and if J. B. would do any thing in this to the purpose he should take up this Debate where his Friend Mr. Stalham and his Brother Mr. Hicks the Anabaptist whose Authority he useth so often and to whom he gives so much Credit have given it over by a Reply to these Answers Having solaced himself in the Repetitions of these Mens Calumnies for that appears to be his Delight he digresseth to prove The Scriptures to be the Word of God But if they be granted to be the Words of God which no Quaker The Scriptures are the Words of God and Christ the Word that ever I knew of did or will deny wherein are they derogated from since they are many Words and not one But if he will plead They are the Word of God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or per Eminentiam To say so seeing the Word of God is ascribed to Christ must either Equal them with him or speak Non-sense seeing that one Epithet cannot be predicated of two things ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã without a gross Contradiction That the Word of the Lord came to the Prophets and that what they spake was the Words that came from that Word is granted nor was it ever denied by us who are against all false Revelations and lying Fancies of Mens Imaginations as much as he which he here in this Chapter Repeats over and over again to nauseating But it will not thence follow that the Word spoken of by the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.19 is the Scripture which he has not yet proved and I have shewn the Contrary in the former Section ¶ 2. At last pag. 54. n. 5. he comes to Treat of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures and reckons it Confusion and Self-Contradiction in me to Assert J. B. Contradicting himself That the Authority of the Scriptures doth not depend upon any Efficacy or Vertue placed in these Writings but is wholly to be ascribed to that Spirit from whence they came and yet within half a dozen of Lines he confesseth the same saying We stoop unto the Authority of the Scriptures of Truth because delivered by the Inspiration of God so the Confusion and Contradiction is his own Yea the Examples he brings of the Acts and Statutes of Parliament do very well prove what I say for we do not submit to these Statutes because of the Matter in them or things Commanded but because of the Authority Commanding For when the Parliament by an Act appoints a Tax of so much Money to be levied from the Subjects it is not the Matter or Substance of this Act that makes us Obey it but because of the Magistrates Authority But he saith They are Divine Revelations and therefore must have the stamp of Divine Authority Answ. The Stamp of Divine Authority lies not in the things Revealed but in the manner of the Revelation as being the Voice and Manifestation of God else great Absurdity would follow As I shall briefly shew being to pursue him in this point as he has it lying up and down in his Rambling Discourse whose way is not to follow one matter to a Period but to touch it here and there Intermixing other things that so his nauseating Repetitions and oft reiterated Railings may be the more Covered And therefore I intend not to Tie my self to follow him page after page immediately lest I should Embark my self in the like Disorder and make such a Confused Hodg-Podg as he has done but to follow every matter as he has it scatter'd up and down And of this I thought fit to acquaint the Reader in this place once for all The Method the Author purposeth to use as being the Method I purpose to use throughout this
Sense And before he has answered this Challenge and free'd himself from the just Censure of a Calumniator albeit he take the help of his Author Hicks he will find his Folly in accusing Men at second-hand-Proofs and upon the Testimony of their Adversaries What follows in this Paragraph and p. 60. is meer Railing and Perversions Comparing us with Papists as is before observed and indeed all of it is overturned by that one Assertion of mine that What Revelations are contrary to the Scripture are to be Rejected ¶ 5. Pag. 57. n. 10. He saith I come nearer to the Core of my Design which is to set up Enthusiasmes in affirming That the Scriptures are not the Fountain but a Declaration of the Fountain And yet the Man within three or four Lines Confesseth it himself ascribing it to my Folly to Dream any Man thinks so thus he goes backward and forward Which he illustrates by the Example of Laws But if it be so are not they to be blam'd that account them the Principal Original of all Truth and Knowledge Whether the other branch of my Deduction follow from this That they are not to be accounted the primary Rule of Faith and Manners will appear when the Arguments and Objections relating to that come particularly to be mentioned And whereas he thinks this is Absurd and not making for my Design because God himself is the Fountain and yet not the Rule he mistakes the matter as urged by me For I Argue That the Scriptures are not the Original Ground of Knowledge The Scriptures are not the Original Ground of Truth but God but GOD not simply Considered but as manifesting himself in Divine Immediate Revelations in the hearts of his Children which being the New Covenant's Dispensation as in the last Section is proved is the Primary and Adequate Rule of Christians For I was never so Absurd as to call God simply considered or the Spirit of God in Abstracto not as Imprinting Truths to be believed and obeyed in Mens hearts not contrary but according to Scripture for he cannot Contradict himself the Rule of Christians And this may serve to Answer all his Cavils upon this Theam And whereas he wondereth in the following page 58. Why any Revelations even from the Spirit should be more Primary than the Scriptures since they are Confessed to come from the Inspiration of the Spirit for why he useth the Latine word Afflatus and doth not Interpret it I know not unless to fright Ignorant Folk that they may think it 's a piece of the Witch-craft of the Quakers whom he accuseth it is strange he should have so little sense as to make it a matter of Admiration as if that were not more Primary to a Man which cometh Immediately from the Spirit of God in his heart than that which albeit it come from the Spirit yet is thro' another and so must needs be but Secondary albeit it be confessed they writ them not for themselves but for others which I deny not Of the same Nature is and the same way is answered what he saith p. 65. n. 19. to wit That I Confound the Principal Leader with the Original Rule because I say The Spirit is the Prime and Principal Leader But I deny his Consequence neither doth his Example of the Wind and Compass prove it The Spirit is the Principal Leader as Imprinting upon Man's Soul the Rules he should walk by But indeed he would prove a very Vncertain Pilot that had no Compass but only a Description of it and a Journal how other Men had steered that Course and such Pilots is he and his Brethren according to their own Confession But he thinks I drive at something more Intolerable to wit That the Revelations the Quakers pretend to or the Light within is to be preferred as the more primary and principal Rule to the Scriptures If the Quakers did affirm any Revelations they speak of as coming from that Light either were or could be Contrary to the Scriptures he would say something otherwise it will amount to no more but that Commands as they are Imprinted upon the Soul that is The Law written in the Heart by the Spirit is more primarily and principally the Rule than the same things written and received only from another As to which I will only ask him Whether those things which the Apostles received immediately from the Spirit commanding them to go here or there to preach the Gospel or the like were as to these Ends more primarily and principally the Rule to them than any thing that was Recorded in the Scripture where they could not learn their Duty as to those particulars And that I make not the Scriptures and the Spirit all one I have above shewen and therefore his Malicious Insinuations of Socinianism falls to the Ground But he thinks he has found out a mighty Dilemma in the End of this Paragraph p. 66. Or will I say The Light within the Increated Spirit that the Light within me is really the Increated Spirit This saith he must be Blasphemy with a Witness to be heard with Horror and therefore needing no other Confutation Poor Man how apt is he to make a Noise about nothing If there be any Blasphemy it is his own For what if I Should say Is not GOD a LIGHT and is not he in every Man and is not this Light within the Increated Spirit The Reader may judge how easily these windy Boasts of his are blown away How the Spirit Ruleth us and yet is not confounded with the Rule I have above shewn so that what he saith to that in the rest of this Page where he Vapours and Rails is but superfluous Next after he has a little plaid the Pedant upon the Words magis Originaliter he concludes his 22. Paragraph with asking me Why the Revelations I pretend to should be accounted more One with the Spirit himself than these Revelations by which the Scriptures were dictated But this is his Allegiance none of my Affirmation Next I never said that the Revelations by which the Scriptures were dictated were less Primary than any other whatsoever albeit no Revelation which is written and transmitted to a Man only by the Report of another can be so Primary and Immediate to him as that which he Receives in himself He Confesseth here with me p. 67. That the Spirit is the Prime and Principal Leader whether that makes for my Cause as also what follows will after in its Place be Examined ¶ 6. But because he foundeth his Assertion of my detracting from the Perfection of the Scriptures J. B's Proofs for the Scriptures to be the Primary Rule because I deny them to be the primary and original Rule for he acknowledgeth that I Confess them to be a secondary one I will Examin the Ground by which he goes about to prove it as also his Answers to my Arguments proving the Contrary I. Moses and the Prophets to be heard
principally than to us to be a Railing and Roving and a Contradicting what I said in the former These But this Cavil often repeated before I did Answer above The like he Judgeth my Arguing there-from That as they were to Try all things by the outward Law so we are to Try all in the First Place by the Word within But here his base Disingenuity appears For he has leftâout these Words In the first Place that he might introduce the better the difficulty he fancieth to himself to have brought me to afterwards for by this Argument saith he I prove more than I ought to wit that the Scriptures shall not be so much as a less principal Rule Who will be so foolish as to Conclude that the saying Things ought in the first Place to be tried by the Word within The Scriptures a secondary and subordinate Rule excludes things in the second Place to be Tried by the Scriptures and is not that still to own it as a Secondary and subordinate Rule And so he may see my Feet here are easily Rid and that he held them not so fast as he fancied And as for the other part of his Alternative the Consequence is of the like Nature That what was a Principal Rule then is now only subordinate For albeit I said it was more Principal to them than now to us yet I said not it was the most Principal to them or then more Principal than what came immediately from the Spirit which he Confesseth to have been frequent under the Law yea more frequent than now according to his Principle and my saying so could only Infer that Consequence He Rejects what I urge from the Version of the Septuagint as spurious but for that we must take his Word else want a Proof And then because he cannot come off better according to his Custom he Concludes with a gross Perversion and Falshood saying It is my Opinion that the Law idâest the outward Law was given the Jews for a Rule even above the Spirit 's Revelations Which if it be mine as I utterly Renounce it I desire to know where I have Asserted it he might have been at the Pains to mark it but he knew it's like it was not Convenient Scriptures to be searched makes them not the Primary Rule Next he comes to prove that these Words Search the Scriptures c. Joh. 5.39 do Evince The Scriptures to be the Primary and Adequate Rule because if Christ's Doctrines should be Tried by them much more private Enthusiasms But who denies that Yet he doth not thence prove that the Scriptures are the Primary Rule by which all things must be Tried in the first Place which is the thing in Question Secondly I would ask him Whether the Words Christ spake to the Jews which are Recorded in Scripture were less a Rule to them or less binding and obliging upon them than the Sayings of Moses and the Prophets If he say They were less then he overturns all his own tedious Reasonings by which he labours to prove the Obligation of what Christ and the Apostles delivered p. 84. at the end as well as what Moses and the Prophets without the need of a New Obligation And likewise he must shew us how these Sayings come to be as binding upon us now as Moses and the Prophets or how they acquired greater Authority after Christ spake them than they had then Or why they wanted then that Authority If he say They were binding and obliging to the Jews because spoken by Christ then his Proof falleth to the Ground He is Angry that I say The Words may be interpreted Ye search the Scriptures as well as Search the Scriptures albeit the Greek Word signify the one as well as the other and for Answer very Magisterially tells ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ye Search and search ye It is quite Contrary to the very Words of Command Search the Scriptures But the Question is Whether that be the Words and that was what he should have proved But he makes no Bounds of begging the Question telling Tolet and Maldonat say It is so taken by all the Fathers except Cyrill And what then Did I undertake to subscribe to all these Authors Writings He must give me a Reason Why ere I do it And let him deny it if he dare that the Greek Word signifies Ye search the Scriptures as well as Search the Scriptures and if it do before I conclude the one more than the other I must have some better Argument than his bare Affirmation But to finish this he will conclude all by the Words of the Apostle James c. 1. v. 25. where he saith The Apostle calleth the Scriptures the perfect Law of Liberty The Perfect Law of Liberty the Royal Law in the Heart But that doth not prove them to be the Primary Rule Suppose it were granted the Apostle meant the Scriptures which remains yet by him to be proved and is not done by what he citeth Chap. 2.8 by his desiring them to Fulfil the Royal Law according to Scripture Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self which proves it not at all Yea to understand it of the Scriptures were to make the Apostle's Words scarce good Sense as if he had said Fulfil the Scriptures according to the Scriptures whereas it sutes the Place much better that the Apostle meaned They should fulfil the Royal Law in their Hearts which was one with the Scriptures that also command the same thing That the Apostle means the outward Law and not that Written in the Heart Chap. 4. 12. he hath Affirmed but not Proved Next Beroeans commended for searching the Scriptures he comes to the Beroeans being commended for Searching the Scriptures Acts 17.11 But this is the same way answered as the former For if the Beroeans were obliged to believe and receive Paul's Testimony because he preached the Truth to them by Authority from God then their Vsing or his Commending them for using the Scripture will not prove the Scripture to be the Primary Rule yea more a Rule than the Doctrine they Tried by it In the the rest of what he saith in this n. 28. he but fights with his Shadow for I never said They excluded the Law of Nature in affirming the Scripture to be the Rule or did I ever deny but that the Scripture Reveals things which Nature could never have Discovered But the Question is Whether that Truth that Man is the Off-spring of God from which the Apostle argues with the Athenians was discovered to any by meer Nature or by a Divine Principle And this is that he should have proved and therefore yet remains for him to do But to be like himself he concludes this also withh a gross Lie saying I affirm the Scripture to be no more our Rule than the Heathen-Poets which no ways follows from my Words neither hath or can he ever prove it ¶ 9. He thinks The Scriptures not determining of many
luck was himself was Judge What he would Infer hence I see not unless that their Version is free of Errors which if he will adventure to Affirm his Mistake may be shewn by the Testimony of Learned Men among themselves and his own Correcting it divers times which will after be Observed He saith My speaking soberly of the Scriptures is only out of Policy because the Quakers could not effectuate their point which was to have the Scriptures quite laid by as an Old Almanack But such malitious Lies and Railings need no Answer J. B.'s gross Calumnies denying our using Scripture-Testimonies To this he adds two other gross Calumnies to Conclude his Paragraph That it is the Quakers fixed Opinion that the Scriptures are not to be made use of in their Assemblies it being below them to Expound any Portion of it there or to Adduce any Testimony there-from for Confirmation of their Assertions This can be proved to be a Manifest Vntruth by the Testimony of many that are not Quakers who have been Witnesses of the Contrary The other which he calleth Their Constant Opinion is That when one cometh to hearken to the Light within he hath obtained the whole End of the Scriptures so that they become wholly useless to him This is also a horrid Calumny ¶ 10. In his Examining of what I Assert to be the End and Vsefulness of the Scriptures p. 83.84 he cannot find fault with what I Ascribe to them but that I give them not all and whether I do wrong denying that to them which he would seem to give the former Debate will shew But that he may be here like himself he seeks to Infer from my words most gross and malitious Consequences which are utterly false and till he prove them they need no other Answer but to observe them and deny them which I utterly do Such as That albeit Christ has ordained Pastors J. B's false Insinuations against our Asserting the Vsefulness and Truth of the Scriptures and the Scriptures under the Gospel to make the Man of God perfect yet the Quakers think they may be both laid aside as useless That according to me the Scriptures are not so much as a Subordinare Rule That the Quakers would have all others save themselves to look upon themselves as not concerned in the Scriptures that so they might be the sole Keepers of these Oracles and then he saith they shall quickly know what shall become of them And that the Quakers always suppose that what the Spirit within them saith cannot contradict the Scripture and therefore what they say contrary to the Scripture from the Spirit within must be supposed to be seeming and not real This he Repeats again according to his Custom in the next page If he mean the Spirit of God I hope he will not deny it and if he mean any other Spirit we deny it But he would be fastening that upon us here which may be justly said to them of their Exalting their Confession of Faith above the Scriptures as in the first Section upon his Preface I observed But he hath an Objection which he urgeth p. 67. and by which he thinks to overturn all asking If I believe the Testimony of the Scriptures to be True Yes I do believe them because the Testimony of the Spirit in my heart obligeth me so to do and therefore being perswaded they are True I make use of them though in respect to my self not in the first and primary place but in a secondary next to the Spirit yet as to him I may urge them every way because he accounts them so And as to their Testimony for the Spirit 's being the Principal Leader upon my using of which he founds his Objection albeit since he acknowledgeth it he has the less Reason to Carp at it I believe it from the Scripture-Testimony but not as the primary Ground of my Faith which I derive from the Spirit it self yet as a Ground and that a Very weighty One. As for his other Question Whether I be of the fame mind with other Quakers of whom Mr. Hicks Reporteth I answer That what is there Reported by Hicks is false and I here dare J. B. and his Author Hicks to prove it to have been said by any Quaker which till they can do by good and sufficient Proof they are both to be held as Lying Calumniators SECT V. Wherein his Fifth and Sixth Chapters Intituled by him Of Man's Natural State and Of Original Sin are Considered 1. AFter he has Repeated some of my words he Complains I speak darkly and having given his usual malitious Insinuations that I do it of Design and have some Mysteries under it He takes upon him to endeavour to guess at my Meaning and bestows many Pages to frame one Conjecture after another and then spends many words to Refute these Shadows and Men of Straw of his own making And yet at the end of all he Confesses He doubts whether he has got or hit my Meaning J. B. Confesses himself in the Dark with Trying his uncertain Conjectures And to be sure then he must be as Vncertain that he has Refuted it and therefore knoweth not but all his Reasonings against his own Conjectures are Impertinent For after he hath written one Conjecture and bestows much labour in Refuting it his own words are p. 91. n 5. If this be not his true meaning let us try another Conjecture which shews he knows not whether what he said before was to the purpose Thus he spendeth pag. 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98. in which last Page he is very Angry that I should Condemn the Socinians and Pelagians but the Reason is manifest because he would so willingly have it believed that I am one with them And albeit I could not in Reason be Obliged to say any thing more to these Pages yet that none of these fictitious and false Conjectures may catch any unwary Reader I do freely Affirm that I believe Man fell and was degenerated both as to Soul and Body and I understand the first Adam or Earthly Man to Comprehend both But that there was something in Adam which was no part of his Soul and Body nor yet Constitutive of his being a Man in my Judgment which could not degenerate The Fall of Man and the Breath of lives Spiraculum Vitarum remaining in Adam and which was in Adam by the Fall Reduced to a Seed and could never have been Raised in him again to his Comfort but by a New Visitation of Life which from Christ by the Promise was Administred unto him and is to all Men in a Day for to say the affirming such a Seed remained in Adam when he fell doth Infer his Vnderstanding was not hurt and as he doth p. 94. is a Consequence I deny and remains for him to prove That to believe there was such a thing in Adam which the Scripture calleth Spiraculum vitarum the Breath of
saith here He will ask one word more Where I read that Christ's Flesh and Blood came down from Heaven for so my words should be Translated it seems he is either very Ignorant J. B'S Ignorance of the Scriptures or forgetful of the Scriptures and therefore let him read John 6.51 where Christ saith he is the Living Bread that came down from Heaven adding that Bread to be his Flesh. In like manner is his other Malitious Perversion denied and returned upon him where he would Infer upon us That each of us esteemed our selves as much the Christ of God as Christ was so that the Blasphemy he exclaims against is his own who speaks evil of others without a Cause Another of his Perversions is p. 236. where repeating my words he rendereth them thus out of the Latine J. B. falsly Translates the Author to seek Advantage against him This is that Inward Christ of which we Only and so often speak whereas it should have been Translated Which we so much and so often speak for as the English Edition doth verify the Latine word tantum signifies so much as well as only and was so intended here by me that it must be so both the Context and what I say elsewhere sheweth But he would have it only that he might pervert and rail the more liberally albeit he cannot be ignorant that the Latine word tantum signifies so much as ordinary Dictionaries shew and Cicero saying Nec tantum proficiebam quantum volebam nec quicquam posthac non modo tantum sed ne tantulum quidem praeterieris Those who debate fairly use not to strain their Adversaries words to abuse them when they know they may bear a better Interpretation His next Perversion is yet more Gross and Abusive p. 238. where from my denying That we equal our selves to that Holy Man the Lord Jesus Christ c. in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily He Concludes I affirm him to be no more but a Holy Man and because I use the words plenitudo Divinitatis that I deny his Deity which is an abominable Falshood I detest that Doctrine of the Socinians and deny there is any ground for their Distinction and when I Confess him to be a Holy Man I deny him not to be GOD as this Man most Injuriously would Insinuate for I Confess him to be really both True God and True Man Christ true God and true Man And whereas he rails and exclaims here and in the following page at a monstrous rate as if the Comparison I bring of the Difference betwixt every Saint and the Man Jesus from the Sap its being other ways in the Root and Stock of the Tree than in the Branches did further Confirm our Equalling our selves to him he doth but shew his Folly since Christ himself useth the same Comparison Joh. 15.5 I am the Vine ye are the Branches to which I alluded And upon this he runneth out in a vehement strain of Railing p. 239. exclaiming against us as if we denied the Deity of Christ and his Incarnation which is utterly false and therefore his work there to prove what I deny not is in vain And yet he repeateth this Calumny p. 242. adding That my saying That we believe what is written of the Conception Birth Life and Death of Christ c. to be true doth not vindicate us from it and then he subjoins Do you believe that that Body which was Crucified at Jerusalem Rose again and is now in Glory Speak your mind here if you dare This Defiance to all Men of Reason will Insinuate as if I did not believe this or durst not speak my Mind of it and therefore if this be found false he must in the judgment of all sober Men pass for a malitious Perverter For answer then I say I do believe that the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was Crucified at Jerusalem Our Belief of the Body of Christ Crucified Raised again and Glorified was again Raised by the Power of God in which glorified Body the Lord Jesus Christ dwelleth and I dare him to shew where in my Apology or elsewhere I ever said or wrote any thing to the Contrary Of the like nature to these Perversions is what we saith p. 264. where from my urging from Heb. 4.12 13. the Word of God is said to be a Discerner of the Thoughts of the heart he would Infer That the Quakers then must know other Mens Thoughts who have this in them and are sensible of it But the Absurdity here is his own Do not they say Every true Believer has the Spirit of God in them And albeit the Spirit know all things yet Every Believer knoweth not all things Since he is so ready by Consequences to make Men Blasphemers for asserting Scripture-Truth how can he avoid passing this Censure upon the Apostle who saith 1 Cor. 2.15 He that is Spiritual judgeth all things and no Man can judge any thing He that is Spiritual judgeth all things but what he knows And whereas he Rails here in saying We ascribe to the Light within the property of God and have no other Christ as also to the same purpose p. 242.237 saying The Christ we Command to believe in is not the Christ the Scriptures testify of but one born with every Man neither God nor Man c. is all answered and the Absurdity he draws from it Removed by what George Keith hath said in his Book called The Way Cast up wherein he shews by the Extension of the Soul of Christ how this is no denying of the Man Jesus but on the Contrary And if either I or any other have called the Light within GOD or ascribed to it the Property of God it is no more upon this Hypothesis than they do who say The Man Christ is God and by reason of the Personal Vnion ascribe sometimes the Actions of the one nature to the Person denominated by the other The Personal Vnion in Christ. as the Westminster Confession it self acknowledges Chap. 8. And since R. Macquair hath promised a Refutation of that Book of G. K. by J. B. in his name when we see it this may be further spoken to if need be upon which also will depend the full Discussion of that Question mentioned p. 240 241. Whether the Seed be a Substance since he will not deny the Soul of Christ is a Substance and consequently distinct from Reason as also that of Christ's being Crucified in the Wicked which p. 246. he calls a Non-sensical Dream and of the Seed's being a distinct Principle from the Soul spoken of p. 247. The full Treating of all which being Referred until that promised Work of his appear As to that I shall only say in short at present that whereas I say This Seed is not the being of God simply considered he addeth p. 230. That then all Men are Partakers of the being of God some other way Considered and what Blasphemy
will not serve him with such as are not Blind To what I have said to shew that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is to be referred to the Light ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sc. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã That all Men through it the Light not John might believe and not to John he returneth his contrary Assertion in stead of Reason My shewing it by its being said That all might believe through him which all could not do through John as not hearing him in stead of Answering he tells me I may learn thence how to take the particle All which in Effect is nothing but by his own bare Authority to Command me to take All not Vniversally But I find no Vertue in his Order to perswade and therefore will wait for Probation ere I Obey That John as an Instrument might be useful to bring People to believe in the Light I deny not and therefore he might have spared his pains in this Page to prove that But it will not thence follow that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is referred to John until he first remove the Ground given against it by me in shewing All is not understood here Vniversally which is incumbent for him to do since he denies it ¶ 6. Pag. 256. N. 31. In answer to my arguing That this Light is saving and sufficient because it is the Light of Christ whereby all ought to believe he saith They know no Light sufficient which is not Efficacious that is which certainly doth not save But besides that this Answer is but a meer begging of the Question J. B.'s Quibbles against Saving Light it is Contrary to many Scriptures which I have at length shewen before in proving Many that have had a Day have resisted the Mercy and Grace thereof What he saith further here against those who affirm That the Improving of Nature aright shall obtain Grace Toucheth me not who affirm no such thing He beginneth his N. 32. p. 257. with a Perversion as if I denied that we received what is Natural and Common from Christ because I say The Evangelist John c. 1. is treating of what we receive from Christ as Mediator therefore I deny we receive from Christ what is Common and Natural But in Answer to my urging the Light 's being Supernatural to pass by his pedantick Quibble which he adventureth not to Insist upon because the Darkness that is Man in his Natural Estate Comprehendeth it not but Man in that Estate can Comprehend what is Natural to him he tells me they thence Infer That Man in that Estate is void of all Spiritual Light Is not this a Learned Refutation of my Reason Reader But suspecting this would not serve he adds another Quibble upon the Word Comprehend That though Man in his Natural State can Comprehend that which is Natural yet he cannot Comprehend the God of Nature I say not To Comprehend to receive or apprehend ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that in his Natural State he can nor yet in his Spiritual Comprehend being taken in the most Comprehensive Sense But otherwise being understood of Receiving or Apprehending for so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã may be understood he may Receive it by vertue of the Power which from the Light he Receives so to do That the Quakers exhort People to believe in a meer Creature Is a meer Calumny with which like Stuff this Page is filled And therefore my Argument of the Light being saving and Supernatural because we are commanded to believe in it Remains Unremoved Pag. 258. In answer to what I urge from the Parable of the Sower Matth. 13. and the Word of Faith Rom. 10. and the Engrafted Word Jam. 1.21 he only opposeth his meer Assertions and Railing calling it Quaker-Dotages and a fanciful Dream And to the Argument drawn from the Talents Mat. 25. he denieth them to signify Saving Grace of which above Pag. 259. When he comes to answer what I urge from Col. 1.23 of the Gospel's being preached in every Creature which is not only a Declaration of good Things but the Power of God he gives his meer Assertions That the Gospel was the Doctrine delivered by Men J. B. asserts the Gospel to be the Doctrine or Declaration of the Power of God but the Doctrine was not the Power of God which the Gospel is albeit it declared of it No more than a Receipt of Physick is the Ingredients Next he asserts That if the Gospel be in them it needs no Preacher but this he proves not A Man may have good Herbs in his Garden and yet need another to tell him the Right Vse of them yea and discover them unto him And what if I would say as he desires That it was preached from the beginning of the World in a Measure that it wrought in mens Hearts in order to save them albeit the full plain and manifest Discovery and pretious Effects thereof was reserved to the Ministration of Christ and his Apostles And therefore his Assertion in the next page 260. is false That according to the Quakers Principle the Gospel was alike manifest in all Ages Was not the promised Seed a Preaching of the Gospel to Adam How poorly he has shewn the Restriction of the Particle All albeit the Words here be Every Creature which is more pathetick in his Eighth Chapter is before Evinced And whereas he desires to know Where the Gospel is taken properly for that Inward Strength that is Common to all Men I have shewen him the Gospel is called the Power of God expressly Rom. 1. and that is an Inward Power and Strength And then again I have shewen him that this Gospel is preached to or in Every Creature which are plain Words what is preached to Every Creature is Common to all Men And therefore until he answer this his calling me a Babbler and a Pagan-Preacher as he doth in this Place with such like Stuff will have little Weight with Men of Reason To Assert the Manifestation of God in Man to be the Gospel J. B. calls Heathenism Pelag. Socin Armin. and Jesuitism The rest of this page and the following 261 and 262. is a Complex of Railing That the Quakers Gospel is meer Heathenism worse than Pelagianism Socinianism Arminianism and Jesuitism because they say that what is manifest from God in Man is by the Gospel and that which Revealeth Justice and Equity is the Gospel Which this Man supposeth only to be the Light of Nature and thereupon concludeth The Quakers Gospel is but Nature's dim and corrupt Light All which is but to beg the Question as he doth where he supposes That Man naturally can perceive the Eternal Power of the Godhead in the outward Creation without any supernatural Light Which he should prove and not mock at my being otherwise minded for this savours more of Pelagianism than any thing asserted by me He asks me by what Authority I make ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is what is to be known of God for
Necessity to Salvation But why are they and they only Excepted In which resolves my Question which doth so vex him that instead of answering he tells me I am a deluded Quaker of which this is one Is not one in China or India as excusable for not knowing that which they never heard as a deaf Man that cannot hear since God that has permitted the one to be naturally Deaf has also permitted the other to be necessarily Absent To this I cannot find his Answer save only this That these Deaf Persons and Infants are Members of the Visible Church but not the other Of which this must be the Consequence That none can be saved but such as are Members of the Visible Church for his saying That none are Members of the Invisible Church but such as are of the Visible clearly imports it But has not he or at least the most-Eminent of his Way said That the Church was many Ages Invisible and in the Wilderness and yet denied that all were damned during that Time Or will he say The Church of Rome was the Visible Church of Christ all that Time of which they were Members What then becomes of the Testimonies of those who termed her Anti-Christ the Mother of Abominations the Synagogue of Satan which albeit True yeâ begins to be Eaten up again by the Clergy yea even the Presbyterians who begin by degrees to Creep back again to acknowledge their Old Father the Pope to establish their Succession and Ordination especially when pinched by by the Quakers as is at more length shewn in G. Keith's Book called Quakerism no Popery Outward Hearing makes no Church-Member But further It seems the outward Hearing is not necessary to make a Man a Member of the Visible Church and then what becomes of all his tedious Reasonings from Rom. 10. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard which he urged before so vehemently but now has overturned He thinks the Instance of Cornelius not to the purpose because he might have had the Knowledge of the Messias from the Jews But his bare Supposition is no Answer Besides that he was no Jews Proselyte is manifest else Peter should not have been quarrelled for Conversing with him and unless he had been such or had received the Gospel according to him he must be esteemed to have been within the Covenant And yet before any of these he is said to have been Heard of God and Accepted Pag. 289. He confesseth Job lived before Moses and was taught of God without Scripture And then is it not thence manifest that some have been saved to whom the Gospel was not preached by the Ministry of Men This also overturneth his Arguments from Rom. 10. Because he knows not how to answer my Argument drawn from Rom. 2. therefore to amuse his Reader he raises a Storm of Railing calling me no less with an Exclamation than a Miserable Miscreant who make the Apostle contradict himself My Argument lies in the Apostle's positive Words who saith The Gentiles did the things contained in the Law The Apostle does not contradict himself in saying The Doers of the Law are Justified and again in the same Chapter ver 13. The doers of the Law are Justified Whence in the very Words of the Apostle without any Commentary I argue That if the doers of the Law be Justified then the Gentiles who did the things contained in the Law are Justified Do I therefore make the Apostle Contradict himself Yea saith he because the same Apostle saith That by the Deeds of the Law no Flesh shall be justified but will he say that these two Sentences of this Apostle The doers of the Law shall be justified and By the deeds of the Law no Flesh shall be justified are Contradictory I say they are not If both these Sayings be true his Challenge is in vain if he will speak-out that which he must else manifest his Abuse of me and say they Contradict one another then let the Reader judge who is the Miscreant and observe how he falls himself into the Pit he had prepared for another But to shew how this distinct outward Knowledge was not absolutely needful to Salvation I instanced how that divers of the Patriarchs yea Mary and the Apostles themselves had not so Clear a Knowledge of it but appeared ignorant upon several Occasions To this p. 289. he would make the Reader believe that I Conclude The Patriarchs had no saving Knowledge of the Messias because the wicked Jews Crucified him Which is false I shew indeed according to Scripture That the Jews that Crucified him wanted this distinct Knowledge notwithstanding they had the Scripture His further answer to this Confutes himself saying The Apostles did understand so much at was then Revealed and if this was sufficient for them as he must say if he speak sense the like may be said of the Heathens For if the Apostles were not Condemnable for not believing nor understanding more than what was Revealed to them neither could the Gentiles But to make his unwary Reader believe as if all this said by me brought no Relief to my desperate Cause as he terms it he concludes this 11 Paragraph p. 290. with one of his sententious Sayings Quakers can dream waking I see He goes on in answer to my Proofs brought from the Ancient Philosophers to Confirm this to which he resumes little but Railing Wherein I will not trouble the Reader to follow him since without them the thing in Hand is sufficiently proved by Scripture Yet if he will affirm the Citations to be either False or Fictitious they may be proved by production of the Books themselves He thinks The Impertinency of my citing Augustin 's Words is discovered by the bare Reading and little less he saith to those of Buchanan Which I refer to the Reader 's Judgment as he will find them in my Apology towards the latter End of the Explanation of the fifth and sixth Propositions and I will leave him concluding this Chapter with Railing and Empty Threats which I neither Fear nor Value as being without Ground and the Fruits of no better Spirit than that of Rabshakeh SECT VII Wherein his Thirteenth Chapter of Justification is Considered ¶ 1. I Come now to his Thirteenth Chapter Of Justification where after he has begun by telling This Doctrine hath been principally questioned by Hereticks which I deny not and given us according to his Custom some large Citations out of their Confession of Faith and Catechism with the supposed Sense of other Quakers from some of his formerly mentioned partial Authors at last he comes pag. 296. N. 4. to Examine what I say in this Matter Where according to his Custom he begins with a Calumny upon his own false Supposition J. B. proceeds upon his own false Suppositions and Perversions As if the Justification I plead for were not the true Justification of the Saints because proceeding from the Light which saith
c. For he doth not say here that All he died for are made Alive but that they that are made Alive should so live neither doth the saying Christ has born the sins of all in his own Body on the Tree Import any being actually freed of the Guilt of Sin until they receive the Condition as above Be ye therefore Reconciled unto God But he overturns what he earnestly pleaded for before p. 310. N. 23. where he saith They own not that Reconciliation was so perfected by Christ on Earth that there is nothing to be done by Man in order to his Actual Justification If so than no Man is Actually Justified until something be done by him and this doing Imports a Work so here a Work of Man is necessary for Justification and this is rather more than I say And if something be to be done on Man's part ere Actual Justification be obtained then that which is done by Christ before must be only a Potential Justification and what is this more than a Capacity of being Justified Which yet he batters against in me J. B. proves to be One with the Antinomian Doctrines and yet he must Confess this to distinguish himself from the Antinomians whose Opinions albeit he divers times disclaims yet he shews not how he can liberate himself from it and therefore in Contradiction to what is here observed both his Assertions and Proofs resolve in the Antinomian Doctrine and conclude for it as much as for him which I might therefore pass all as Impertinent But for Instance his great Example of a Cautioner or Surety used often as pag. 299.310 311. for when a Cautioner pays a Man's Debt for him so soon as he lays down the Money which is a sufficient Intimation to him to whom the Debt is due the Person for whom it is paid is really Acquitted albeit he have done no Act yea know not of it and this as I observed before himself acknowledgeth in the Application saying p. 304. That some who are united to Christ by Grace and surely such are Justified can neither see it nor acknowledge it So then if this Example of his Surety hold true Men are Justified before they Believe The Antinomians Imputative Justification Refuted as say the Antinomians and therefore all the Scriptures brought by him p. 308. to prove That Christ made a proper real and full Satisfaction in the behalf of Men will conclude for the Antinomians as much as for him whereas p. 314. he looks upon it as a Calumny to say They speak not of a real Justification for he concludes p. 312. That Imputative Justification is Real He argues for the Antinomians also since he accounts this Imputation to be only of Righteousness wrought without Men by Christ in his own Person for if by this Imputation Men be really Justifyed then they are as much or at least as really Justifyed before they believe as after since Faith is an Act of Man's will and no such thing according to him can have place in Justification and yet to go round he saith p. 308. That they say not That God Justifieth any remaining in their Sins But do they not say so since taking his Opinion the safest way and furthest from Antinomians he concludeth A Man Justified in the Act of Conversion And such he supposes to have been great Sinners yea and that they may not be purged from them many years after yea and how can they if they must Sin daily as they say in Thought Word and Deed of which more hereafter Are not such then Remaining in their Sins according to them Justified Pag. 306. N. 26. he would Infer a Contradiction upon me from saying Good Works are necessary as Causa sine qua non for this he saith Contradicts my saying We are Justifyed by the Inward Birth Good Works are the Consequence or Effect of Regeneration and not by our Works seeing Works being but the Consequence of that Birth are but the Effect even as Causa sine qua non must be before the Effect on which he also insists p. 319. n. 38. But this Contradiction is founded upon the Supposition that this Birth is brought forth without good Works which I deny seeing Regeneration is a Work of the Spirit in us by which we are Justifyed that is really made Just and the Works which proceed therefrom are but a Consequence of it And now as to his Proofs and also his Examining of mine they are inserted pag. 204. n. 13. where he saith That the Redemption of Christ is a far other thing and hath far other Effects than to make Men Capable of Salvation even Remission of Sins But I never denied but that it brought Remission of Sins to such as embrace and receive it neither do the Scriptures cited by him prove more 2 Cor. 5.19 Dan. 9 24-26 Col. 1.19 20. Ephes. 1 11-15 Joh. 17.2 Heb. 9.12 13. 2 Cor. 1. v. 20. none of which speak of the Reconciliation made by Christ to be in it self more Reconciliation made by Christ laid hold on by Believers than procuring a Capacity of Salvation otherways than as received and laid hold-on by Believers and when it is spoken of with respect to such I never denied but it was more for the Capacity is brought unto Action He addeth The very Texts cited by my self make against me Eph. 2.15 He died to make in himself of Twain one new Man so making Peace ver 13. but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the Blood of Christ Asking Was this only a Capacity of coming near But the Apostle here speaks of those who had Received and not Resisted the benefit of that Capacity And whereas he saith 1 Joh. 4.10 The Son of God's being said to be a Propitiation for our Sins is more than a meer Possibility of Friendship But doth not the same Apostle say He is a Propitiation for the whole World yet he did not actually Reconcile the whole World save in a Capacity Ezek. 16.6 he giveth a Question instead of Answer 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree that we being dead to Sins should live unto Righteousness by whose Stripes ye were healed Noting 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ hath once suffered that he might bring us to God but it saith not that Christ by his Sufferings did bring us to God which would have more made for his purpose and though it had been so yet neither that nor what is above cited prove any thing being spoken to those who had received the Second Redemption as well as the first Then he notes these following Col. 1.14 Gal. 1.4.3 13.14.4 5. Rev. 5.9 10 and 14.3 4. Tit. 2.13 all which I have looked but find not that they prove what he intends some were spoken not only to those who had already received the Benefit of Christ's Death here but of such as were already glorified in Heaven if
are the Laws useless if Men obey them This saith he takes away the Exercise of Repentance the Exercise of Prayer and maketh the Petitions of the Lord's Prayer useless forgive us our Sins On this he also insisteth pag. 345 346.349 That because all have sinned they have need to Repent and pray for Forgiveness and the Continuance of it I have shewen in my Apology But if this his Argument hold true to prove That Men must sin all their Life time and break the Commands every day in Thought Word and Deed then the greatest Sinners and most Wicked profligate Villains do less make useless Gospel-Commands than others because they afford more Matter to Exercise Repentance and Prayer for Forgiveness of Sins J. B. believes Perfection foments Pride â and taketh away the Vsefulness of Ordinances But he proceedeth That this tendeth to foment Pride and Security and taketh away diligent Watchfulness and holy Fear Humility and the Vsefulness of the Ordinances of Christ But where dom from Sin is where can Pride and Security have place or Diligence and Humility be wanting But with him to sin is the way not to be proud and secure but to be watchful and humble Let the Judicious Reader judge whether they that break the Commands daily in Thought Word and Deed and affirm they must do so all their Life-time be more diligent and humble and less proud and secure than such as keep and obey them for such Ordinances as must be made useful by daily breaking God's Commands in Thought Word and Deed I resolve never to Cry up but always Cry down by the Grace of God however J. B. may Rail at me for it Some Scriptures here added by him will come herereafter to be Examined ¶ 2. Pag. 332. N. 9. When he comes to take notice of my stating this Matter as not being such a Perfection as cannot admit of a daily Increase but only a being kept from Sin and receiving Strength to fulfil the Will of God for these are my words he would upon this both in this Place and elsewhere pag. 333 341. c. urge this Absurdity That since the least Sin is a Transgression of the Law it follows that no Regenerated Man can sin and that no Man that sinneth is Regenerated But we will not wonder at his Inference here considering his many other Perversions But to shew he has no ground to urge this Absurdity let it be Considered Regeneration begun carrying on and perfected that we are to consider Regeneration as begun and carrying on and as perfected and accomplished he which hath begun a good Work in you saith the Apostle Paul Phil. 1.6 And again Ye did run well Gal. 5.7 with many other Places which might be mentioned Whereby it is clear That Regeneration is not wrought in an Instant and if he think so he must prove it ere he conclude any thing from it and those were already Converted and Regeneration begun in them Now albeit such may Sin and that every Sin doth Hinder and Impe the Work of Regeneration yet it doth not Destroy it nor wholly Annihilate it Physick given to a Man Physick doth not Cure in an instant in whom there is an Inward and Inveterate Disease doth not Cure Instantly and albeit by some heedless Actions he may hinder the Cure from being perefected so soon yet every one of these Actions do not render it altogether Vnsuccessful Also as to the Comparison of a Child which he accepts of A Child has not the Strength of a Man So those that are born of God albeit he have all the Integral Parts of a Man yet he has not that Vigour and Strength of Body nor yet that Vnderstanding nor Exercise of Mind that a Man hath and thence can neither defend himself nor do either in Body or Mind that a Man can do Now what I speak of such as are born of God saying That I dare not affirm but there may be some that cannot sin I understand this of Absolute Compleat and Full Regeneration Not that I deny but such as are Entred and in part Regenerated may be also said to be born of God though not in that absolute Sense and therefore still under the possibility of sinning and Capacity thereunto And thus his great Absurdity upon which he Insists so much is removed Next he proceeds p. 334. to shew my Agreement with the Pelagians but the very Citation he brings to prove it out of Vossius History bewrays his Weakness and shews the Contrary where it is manifest that the thing Condemned in Pelagius was his affirming Men might keep the Commands by the Power of Nature which I never said but always denied The Fathers believed a Freedom from Sin And whereas he cites the Fathers Saying That none by the Strength of Grace did live all their Days without sin That the perfection ascribed to some in Scripture was not from Nature but from Grace c. This clearly shews they believed Men might be free from Sin by Grace sometime though none had been so far all their Life-time Which shews they were far from believing Man must break the Commands daily in Thought Word and Deed Which is his Affirmation What he adds of the Fathers Arguments against the Pelagians and of the Opinions of the Socinians and others in this Matter I judge it not my Work to meddle with it I heed not in this what these Sects say but believe the Truth without respect to them as it is clearly proposed in Scripture I could easily Recriminate by shewing things wherein he Agrees with Papists Socinians Arminians Antinomians Pelagians Anabaptists and others against us if I judged it pertinent to be filling up Paper with such Stuff to make a Noise as he doth hundreds of Times to nauseating but I love to abstain from such Superfluities and come to the purpose And will now Consider What he saith in Answer to my Arguments ¶ 3. He begins pag. 337. n. 18. and to my saying Their Doctrine is against the Wisdom of God who is of purer Eyes than he can behold Iniquity he asketh Is it against these Attributes of God that Sin should be in the World But my following words shew I spake of the Godly neither will it follow what he adds after That then they must be as free of Sin here as in Heaven and that at first for I urge it to be Contrary to God's Wisdom to make this Freedom Impossible unto them only Means for their being free being given them and not his permitting Sin And whereas he proceeds in Answer to my saying That if Man be always joined to Sin he should be always disjoined from God according to Isaiah 59.2 whereas on the contrary they to wit the Saints are said to be Partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and one Spirit with him 1 Cor. 6.17 he answers All this would plead for a Sinlesness from the very first Instant of Regeneration In the absolute
understood of true and saving Grace but let him Inform according to Scripture How any Man can come to tast of the Heavenly Gift and of the Powers of the Life to come and be made partaker of the Holy Ghost without true and saving Grace For what he adds to this being built upon the Supposition of Election I refer it to what is abovesaid upon this Subject He Concludes Vossius's Testimony to be false in saying That this was the Common Opinion of the Ancients But if so little Credit be to be given him he did not well that made so much use of him to prove what was Pelagius's Doctrine as he has done throughout this Treatise For John Owen's Citations I have neither Accommodation nor Time at present to Examine them it is enough to me that this is Contrary to Scripture though all these he mentions had said so To prove That Men may have a good Conscience and yet want true Faith he bringeth Paul's Words Acts 23. v. 1. where speaking of himself while a Pharisee he saith He lived in all good Conscience before God c. but that will not meet this Case Those 1 Tim. 1.19 who are said to Make shipwrack of a good Conscience are such who believed the true Doctrine of Faith in Christ A Man may live in good Conscience to other Principles while Ignorant of the true Faith in Christ. as himself before acknowledgeth Now albeit a Man may be said to live in good Conscience to other Principles while Ignorant of this yet he should prove How a Man can be said to have a good Conscience with respect to the true Faith of Christ held by him and yet without saving or true Grace With Railing he tells me pag. 358. N. 18. that Phil. 1.6 and 1 Pet. 1.5 speak of God's beginning and perfecting the Condition And what then yet God doth not this against our Wills it is with a respect to our performing the Conditions on our part which yet we cannot do without him Then he goes about to prove That Paul could not fall in answer to my saying from 1 Cor. 9.27 That Paul supposeth a possibility that he might become a Reprobate But if the Reader Consider how I bring that in my Apology he will find he had no reason for this Cavil for I alledged it only to Reprove those that are too too secure shewing where Sin was there was always a Ground of Jealousy Since the Apostle did reckon it needful to keep under his Body to subdue Sin that he might not become a Reprobate Which since the Apostle did but upon this Supposition if he did not keep under his Body suppose possible others had no Reason to presume SECT XI Wherein his Sixteenth Chapter Of the Church his Seventeenth Of the Ministerial Call his Eighteen Nineteen and Twenty First Of their Qualifications Office and Maintenance and his Twentieth Of Womens Preaching is considered ¶ 1. HIs Chapter of the Church is soon dispatched for it contains scarce any thing but Perversions and Railing For after he has given a large Citation out of their Confession of Faith and then added some Enlargements of his own and some little nibbling Cavils to what I say of No Salvation being without the Church pag 361. he goes on with his old reiterated Calumny That I suppose Men may be made Members of the Catholick Church by the Light of Nature which is utterly false And upon this false Supposition is built his N. 5. pag. 362. as also what he saith pag. 364. But N. 4. he screws this to a greater Pitch of Falshood affirming J. B.'s gross Calumny That our Faith and Principles are only taught by the Light of Nature That what I say of a Particular Church gathered together in the Faith of the true Principles and Doctrines of Christ by the Spirit of God and Testimony of some of his Ministers is that these are Persons only taught by the Light of Nature and by such Ministers as preach nothing of the Gospel Against a Man thus desperately resolved and determined to Lie and Calumniate there can be no Guard bu sure all sober Readers will abhor such Dealing What I speak of a Church in this Respect is only of such as have the Advantage of the outward Knowledge of Christ as my Words afterwards shew where I say Such were the Churches gathered by the Apostles of which the Scripture makes mention And therefore what he Objects That cannot be done by Pagans is wholly Impertinent and doth but verify the grosness of his Calumny which he endeavours to inculcate as a Truth to his Reader pag. 363. as if what I say further of the things requisite to be a Member of this Particular Church were a third Sort and not a more particular Description of the former Which the Reader may easily observe by looking to the Place to be a meer Fetch of his to afford himself some matter of Cavil Which imagining he has got he fills up the Paragraph with gross Lies and Railing saying That the Quakers believe not the Holy Truths set down in the Scriptures because they oppose and contradict them J. B.'s further Lies against us of the Scriptures of Christ and our Faith That they believe not in nor make Profâssion of Jesus Christ Revealed in the New Testament because they oppose him and all his Institutions That Faith according to them is not wrought by the Spirit of God but that Nature can sweetly and naturally Incline yea Compel thereunto All which are Gross Calumnies And then he concludeth saying And thus we have Run round and are again where we began which is very true for he began with Calumnies and having run round the same way his Work Resolves in them Pag. 364. He affirmeth Men may be Members of the visible Church and consequently ought to be reputed such who are ungodly and without holiness and offereth to make it good if I will form a Dispute upon it but I leave him as to this to Dispute with his Learned Dr. Owen whose Works he has Applauded in this Treatise and whom his Postscript-Brother R. M. has in his Preface to this J. B.'s Book highly Commended as a Gracious Man As for his Silly Argument that from the Apostle's saying Act. 2.39 The Promise is unto you and to your Children and 1 Cor. 7.14 it follows Men become Members of the Church by Birth I leave him to debate it with his great Author Thomas Hicks who will tell him if he be Consonant to his own Principles it is a Babylonish Invention But J. B. hath here unawares Contradicted himself for if these Scriptures prove Men become Members of the Church by Birth then the Sprinkling them with Water sometime after they are born or their Baby-Baptism J. B. shuts out their Baby-Baptism from making them Church-Members is not necessary to make them Members of the Church and they are to be accounted such without it He saith I am mistaken when I say
Charge in this Chapter is indeed great enough J. B. calls the Movings of the Power of God upon the Quakers Devilry and that they are certianly acted by the Devil in their Assemblies if he could make it out and that is That the Quakers are guilty of Devilry and are certainly acted by the Devil in their Assemblies But this he only strongly affirms without Proof unless one which whether it be valid or not comes now to be Examined And that is pag. 418. from my saying That there will be sometimes an inward Struggling yea so as the Body will be strangely moved To this he adds a Story of one Gilpin long ago answered and describeth these Motions of the Quakers to be Foam Swell and Froth at the Mouth Which is false and returneth upon him as a Calumny however he compares these Motions of the Body as Asserted by me to the Work of the Devil and the old Pythonicks But it seems Malice hath wonderfully blinded the Man here else he would not have given his own Cause which he esteems The great Cause of God so deep a Wound For in the Book called The Fulfilling of the Scriptures a Treatise much applauded by them whose Author is said to be Robert Fleeming Vnusual Motions Asserted by J. B's party of their own Hearers as of the Power of God which J. B. calls Devilry in others one of their Non-conforming Brethren he relates as a Convincing Proof of the Power of God how some were so choked and taken by the Heart that they were made to fall over and so carried out of the Church And as a convincing Appearance of God and down-pouring of the Spirit that there was a strange and unusual Motion on the Hearers which by the Profane was called The Stewarton Sickness from the Name of the Parish Now what difference is betwixt this and my speaking of Mens being strangely moved by the Power of God Will not this prove as much that all this way Devilry and the passions of the old Pythonicks Since these Motions are made the great Argument why the Quakers are said to be Acted by the Devil let him the next time assign clear Reasons according to Scripture Why these Motions upon the Presbyterian Bodies are a Convincing Sign of the Working of the Power of God among them but that the Motions on the Quakers Bodies are enough to Confirm they are Acted by the Devil And if he do this effectually he may be in some Hopes of gaining a Proselyte Next to this I come to consider what he urges as a great Absurdity to wit That the Quakers turning their Minds inward which he will needs term Introverting and not interpret the Word that he may make Ignorant Folks believe For Men to abstain from their own Thoughts is in J. B's Sense a becoming worse than Brutes c. it is a piece of the Quakers Devilry and laying side all their own Thoughts and Imaginations were a laying aside both Christianity and Humanity a becoming no Men but Brutes and worse and most capable to be deluded by the Devil Upon this he insists pag. 414 422. and elswhere as if for Men to abstain from their own Thoughts and Imaginations were the way to Vnman them Yet if he will understand it of the Old Man the Man of Sin that is Corrupted we will say with the Apostle That ought to Die and be Crucified And are so far from thinking this is against Christianity that we believe according to Scripture it is the Way to become a Christian and to overcome the Devil not to lay our selves open to him And therefore his Railing against Man's Silence from his own Thoughts That God may speak and work in him doth evidence his great Ignorance in the work of a true Christian for this is so far from Descending from Humanity to Brutism that it is rather an Ascending from Humanity to Divinity so that albeit in one sense we are said to Die or be Emptied as to our selves To Die to Self is Life and Love in Christ the Crucified yet we do more truly Live and Exist And if he think this a Contradiction let him consider that of the Apostle Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and this if rightly Considered will answer his Questions pag. 422. by answering of which he would have me Clear my Way of Devilry As for any Arguments in this Chapter that have the least shew of solidity or weight I have looked narrowly but can find none only instead thereof he has some little nibbling Quibbles and Questions which albeit they be so Inconsiderable as scarce deserve the pains to Answer yet lest he may think something of them if omitted I will now take notice of them and Answer them As first pag. 412. he asketh Set times and places for to Worship do not stint the Holy One. Whether the appointing of set Times and Places be not a limiting of the Spirit Answ. If it were to Exclude other times and places when God moves thereunto it might be so judged but other ways it is not for Meeting together is not an Immediate Act of Worship but a matter of Outward Conveniency and therefore needs not always a particular Motion As for his desiring me in this page to Answer what he has said of the Sabbath the denying of which in their sense he accounteth a great Error I must wait then till he come to his matter which he has not done in his first Tome which I have only seen as yet albeit it be a Book about an hundred Sheets of Paper and when he has written all that he can say upon that Subject I doubt whether it may not be sufficiently Refuted by a few Lines which Calvin has written thereon Inst. lib. 2. cap. 8. § 34. from whom as well as the generality of Protestants I know not that I differ in this matter J. B.'s Preparation to Worship proceeds in Infinitum Pag. 413. he proposeth as an Exception against the manner of Worship expressed by me That it wanteth that preparation requisite which he accounts to be some Impression of that Divine Majesty with whom they have to do But I see no reason why he should Accuse us for Want Of this since none can be more fit than such as make Silence and an Inward Turning of the mind necessary to their Entring to Worship but if he understand this by Outward Prayer meaning this should be done first since it is an actual part of Worship by which we draw near to that Majesty there would be a preparation to that by the same Rule and another to that and so a progressus in infinitum But a Godly Frame of Spirit The true Preparation and a Studying to be found always in the sence of God's holy fear in all things is a good general preparation to all Acts of Worship And for his crying out against Silence as
no Body of Christ Carnal but believe That that Body which Christ took of the Virgin which was of the Seed of Abraham and David in which Christ walked upon the Earth and was Crucified did Arise the Third Day was glorified and remaineth in Heaven wherein the Centre of his most glorious Soul remaineth for Ever And let him shew if he can how this is a denying of the Christ of God or overturning of Christianity He proceedeth pag. 489. at a most violent strain of Railing upon the Supposition of his Old Calumny and here that it may be compleat J. B. makes a Preaching to the Devil he makes a preaching to the Devil For which Blasphemous Abuse I wish heartily the LORD forgive him that these Devils to whom he preacheth be not permitted to give him his Reward for his Sermon But seeing he blusheth not to do this in Print I shall not think the many gross Abuses I have heard to have been uttered by Presbyterian Preachers so Incredible as I have been apt to do especially that which I have been informed of of late of one A Presbyterian Preacher Praying to the Devil to take the Bishops and Curates to him that they might be quit of them who at a Conventicle in the South near Legerwood not far from Lauther made a Digression in his Prayer to the Devil saying O Devil thou hast troubled us much with the Bishops and Curates We beseech thee Devil take them to thee and make us quit of them This Prayer sutes with John Brown's preaching And indeed the Presbyterians will need a New Directory for the Old one by which they are instructed to preach to Men and pray to God will not serve for this New Ministry by which they begin to Preach and Pray to Devils And of the like Strain is his saying after much Railing pag. 490. That if the Quaker write Comments on Paul's Epistles it must be of Paulus Paganizans This sort of Stuff is enough to give all sober Christians a Disgust of this Man's Writings In this page after some Quibbles about Relation he comes pag. 491. N. 11. to affirm That there may be a Relation which is neither from the Nature of the thing nor from some Divine Precept such as a Promise and Divine Institution But is not a Divine Institution a Divine Precept And whereas he boasts here That my whole Discourse falleth as being built upon a Mistake the Reader may see the Mistake is his own and not mine and then judge of his Discourse that 's built thereon as also how Airy Vain and Ostentive he is in saying What will he now do The Declaring of the Lord's Death has no necessary relation with partaking of Christ's Body and Blood His Light has confounded him so as he knows not what he says Is this Language becoming a Gospel-Minister That what Luke saith doth not import a perpetual but temporary Command will after appear Of what Paul saith 1 Cor. 10. will be spoken hereafter To my shewing that 1 Cor. 11.26 Paul expreseth the End of this Ceremony to be a declaring of the Lord's Death which hath no necessary Relation with partaking of Christ's Body and Blood he answereth That a declaration of Christ's Death is a comprehensive End c. And what then That proves not the Necessary Relation nor yet what he adds in this Paragraph therefore I intreat him next time to speak to the purpose Pag. 492. n. 12. He Raileth at me as perverting the Apostle's words but giveth no Reason unless his own meer Affirmation and Queries be esteemed sufficient J. B.'s proofless Proofs for the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper so called He asketh What signified Christ's blessing of the Bread breaking giving it to his Disciples desiring them to eat Answ. Christ blessed the Bread brake it and gave it to his Disciples to eat and they to others where themselves confess no such Mystery or Sacrament as they would have here is deducible see Matth. 14 v. 19. Mark 6.41 He insinuates I speak falsly in saying there is no mention of this Ceremony 1 Cor. 10.16 but is not so Charitable as to point to me where if there be any such thing As for his meer Affirmations and Distinctions here about the Bread I will wait the next time to have them proved by Scripture then will judge them worth the Considering I have shewn in my Apology that the Corinthians being in the Vse of this Ceremony and the Apostles rectifying the Abuse they were in in the Vse of it nor yet its having been done upon a Religious Account or in a general respect to the participiation of the Body and Blood of Christ will not prove the Necessity of its being now to be performed and therefore what he saith pag. 493. n. 14. evanisheth And as for his adding here That then it was an Act of Will-Worship and Superstition and that I conclude the Apostle encouraged such a thing whence he taketh occasion to Rail at me as blasphemousty imputing Vnfaithfulness to the Apostle and to the Spirit of God that acted him I answer What is done by permission for a time is not Will-Worship and Superstition and he confesseth he argues not from the Corinthians practice and for his Railing the ground of it being false it needs no Answer As for his denying the Jews had such a Custom at the time of their Passover his meer Negation is not sufficient to Elide the Testimony of far more Credible Authors than he himself in this matter and as for the words of Luke Do this in Remembrance of me Do this in Remembrance is no perpetual Obligation It doth not infer perpetual Obligation upon the Church in all Ages He Raileth at this but without a reason pag. 495. instancing the Apostle's 1 Cor. 24 25. But I told him before that the Apostle gives here an account of matter of fact which infers not a Command and in this page the Man is miserably pinched to shew how the washing of one anothers Feet albeit commanded with as great Solemnity doth not oblige as much now but his Conjectures prove nothing What! albeit it was a Custom in the hot Countreys and that it was a sign of Christ's Humility how doth all that Abrogate the express Command to do it Let him shew an Exemption from this from plain Scripture The Washing of Feet commanded with as great Solemnity yet Ceased for his meer Assertions have but small weight and by which I am not like nor yet any Man of reason that is not resolved to set up John Brown as a Pope to believe all he saith from his bare words to conclude the differences He thinks pag. 496. That their not keeping exactly to the Method used by Christ in this thing signifieth nothing Professors not keeping to the Method Christ used in the Supper but he should prove by Scripture how they are safe in practising one part and not the other and by what Rule he accounts the
them hungry and hardly bestead for many years feeling after Life and Immortality but could not find that somewhat was raised in me that Words and Reports could not feed Names and Notions I minded little but Christ to dwell in me was that and is that more and more I press after And now I must for the Truth 's sake say somewhat which I humbly mention with a fresh Remembrance of the Love L. S. his first Convincement Power and tender Mercy of God who enabled me I know the Lord will not impute it to be boasting in that season wherein the Lord Revealed the true way to Life and Immortality to me by his Inward Appearance in my Soul it was a time wherein he had mercifully turned me from all that ever his Light inwardly and Law outwardly had Condemned me for my heart also did bear witness for me that whatsoever I had known would please him I was chusing to do that not that thereby I was seeking Justification in my own Righteousness but a sure Evidence of my Interest in him who was made unto us Righteousness Justification c This blessed Glimps of my begun Freedom was given me in a seasonable time that I might thereby be enabled to speak with mine Enemy in the Gate and be encouraged to believe in the Light and wait upon the Lord to feel his vertue perfectly to Cleanse me from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit Neither was I an Vnder-valuer of the Scriptures they were my Rule then and I hope for ever my Life shall answer them I think To whom and how the Scriptures are a Rule they honour the Scriptures most who live most according to them and not they who call them the Only Rule yet do not make them their Pattern The Scriptures of Truth were precious to me and by them was I taught not to walk nor worship in the Way of the People the Spirit shewing me his mind in them and then I saw in his Light that it is not the Scriptures many Adore so much as their own Corrupt Glosses upon them Neither can my Experience go along with what thou affirmest of the hazzard of Converse with that People It is very well known to all that lived in the place where I sojourned I was none who Conversed with them I was never at one of their Meetings I never read one of their Books unless accidentally I had found them where I came and lookt to them and laid them by again So now it remains with me to tell thee what was the Occasion I joined with them The occasion of L. S. ãâã joining with the Quakers since it was none of those thou mention'st which I will very singly and can very comfortably do It was that thing ye School-men call Immediate Objective Revelation which my desire is ye were more particularly and feelingly acquainted with whereby the Lord raising in my Soul his feeling Life I could not sit down satisfied with hearing of what the Son of God had done outwardly though I believe thereby he purchased all that Grace and Mercy which is inwardly wrought in the hearts of his Children until I should be a partaker of the Vertue and Efficacy thereof whereby I might possess the Substance of things hoped for I saw an Historical Faith would neither Cleanse me nor Save me if that could save any the Devils were not without a Door of Hope I felt I needed the Revelation of the Son of God in me all that ever I read or heard without this could not give me the Saving Knowledge of God None knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son Revealeth him through the Vertue whereof mine Eyes were more and more by degrees opened For the tender-hearted Samaritan had pity upon my wounded Soul when both Priest and Levite passed by and the Watch-men rent my Vail and when there was no Eye to pity nor Hand to help me he drew near and poured in Wine and Oil as he saw needful and fulfilled the Promise in measure wherein he had long caused me to hope He that follows me The Scriptures made Comfortable by the Spirit of Truth shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life and that sweet saying whereby I am confirmed and comforted If evil Parents know how to give their Children good things how much more will the Lord give his holy Spirit to those who ask him When your Children ask bread will ye give them a stone or when they ask a fish will ye give them a serpent These precious Scriptures and many such like being opened up and applied by the Spirit of Truth powerfully and seasonably in saying Be not faithless but believing times above number before and since hath made me set to my seal to these words of Christ The words that I speak are Spirit and Life and as I walk with him and abide in him watching at the posts of Wisdom's gates travelling in Spirit more and more to bring forth Fruit unto him and walk worthy of him unto all well-pleasing daily to die unto self that Christ may live in me I becoming a passive Creature and he an active Christ in the Increase of his Government I feel the Increase of my Peace And so My Friend thou hast here by some Touches at things occasion to see how far thou art mistaken concerning us and how far contrary to the Truth as it is in Jesus thou represent'st many things to the world speaking evil of things which thou knowest not and if thou dost the greater is thy sin Two Particulars indeed I cannot strain Charity so far as to believe Christ owned and the Scriptures thou thinkest Do we deny Jesus Christ and Justification through his Righteousness because we make the Sufficiency thereof of a more universal Extent than ye or because we love whole Christ so much and his seamless Coat that we will not have it divided Nay we dare not divide Justification and Sanctification neither confound them we have felt the Blood and the Spirit distinct things yet inseparable Neither canst thou think We make void the Scriptures because we honour the Spirit that was before the Scriptures were written and bear Testimony against all who deny the Spirit 's Immediate Teachings to be the Vniversal Priviledge of his People whereby ye take away the key of Knowledge and neither enter the Kingdom nor suffer others who would but monopolize Knowledge to your selves Monopolized Knowledge by Professors and intrude your Meanings upon the Consciences of men as the Rule which Meanings indeed I do not own either as the only or any Rule but as the Spirit of Christ in my Conscience answers it The Testimony of the Spirit of Truth in Thousands with me will stand and rise up against thee in the presence of the Lord when all thy Vnjust Reproaches and Malitious Accusations shall melt away before the presence of the Glory of the heart-searching God before whose
he ought not But as to these which are indeed owned by us thou wilt find them at large vindicated by Scripture and Reason either in my Apology or in this Treatise I could have made a further Remark in this his Index to shew thee how many of them he sets down as our Assertions are not nor ever were Asserted by any of us nor by him Affirmed to be so where he has them in his Book but only his own meer Conjectures and Consequences but I am loth to detain thee any longer in this by looking the Pages to which he referreth thou mayest easily observe it year 1686 THE POSSIBILITY NECESSITY Of the Inward and Immediate REVELATION OF The Spirit of God Towards the Foundation and Ground of True FAITH proved in a Letter writ in Latine to a Person of Quality in Holland and now also put into English by R. B. Advertisement to the Reader THIS serves to Inform thee That it is above seven Years since this Epistle was Printed in Latine The Person to whom it was writ the Heer Paets is a Man of no mean Accompt both in the Learned and Politick World The Conference I had with him was lately after his Return from Spain where he had been Ambassadour from the United Netherlands I discoursed with him on the same Subject last Year at London where he was one of the Commissioners for the Dutch East-Indian Company but could not find him propose any thing New nor what I could Conceive had any Weight towards a Reply What his Reasons were not to prosecute this Matter further I shall not determine But thus far he readily yielded That he had been mistaken in his Notion of the Quakers for he found they could make a Reasonable Plea for the Foundation of their Religion Vpon my reading it over again I found an Inclination in my self and was perswaded by some Friends to publish it in a Language more obvious to all my Country Men. It is a Question now frequently tossed The Ground of Faith and its Foundation Revelation What is the Ground and Foundation of Faith And when the Matter is sifted to the bottom it resolves in Tradition or Revelation For those who lay claim to the Scripture and would make it the Foundation of their Faith do resolve it but in a Tradition when the Motives of Credibility are Inquired into since the subjective Revelation which they yield comes but in the last place and is by themselves termed Medium Incognitum Assentiendi And such a Revelation those of Rome will not refuse to influence them to Assent to the determination of the Church So those Protestants who say The subjective Operation of the Spirit influences them though they know not how to believe the Scripture presented and conveyed to them by Tradition as the Dictates of GOD's Spirit and so understand them as their Preachers interpret them differ not much or at least have not Reason to differ from the Church of Rome who say The Church of Rome 's Belief concerning Scriptures The Spirit Influences them to believe the Scriptures as proposed by the Church and according as her Doctors and Councils Interpret them And neither has any better Foundation than Tradition And to speak the Truth plainly the Faith of both resolves in the Veneration they have for their Doctors but whereas the one affirms they do it by an Intire Submission they think it decent to say they judge them Infallible And certainly it is most reasonable that such as affirm the first believe the last The other because they pretend they believe the Church but conditionally have denied to her Infallibility though generally they be as Credulous as the other And I find the Doctors of their Church as angry to be Contradicted as the other that is an Ingredient goes to the Composition of all Clergy-men since it became a Trade and went to make a part of the outward Policy of the World from whence has flowed that Monster PERSECUTION In short the matter is easily driven into this narrow Compass We believe either because of an outward or inward Testimony that is because it is outwardly delivered to us or inwardly Revealed to us For my part I think the Papists do wisely in pleading for Infallibility for certainly the true Church never was nor can be without it And the Protestants do honestly in not claiming it because they are sensible they want it I should therefore desire the one to prove That they are Infallible and advise the other to believe They may and seek after it But I am sure neither the one is nor the other cannot without Immediate Divine Revelation Therefore as to deny Revelation is a bad way to prove Infallibility so to deny Infallibility is a bad way to make a Reformation Since they who do Reform had need to be certain they are doing so The asserting of Infallibility in the Church of Christ is not the Errour of the Church of Rome but the pretending to it when they have it not and placing it where they should not But since those who oppose Immediate Revelation do it on the accompt that they reckon it either Impossible or Unnecessary I hope there will be as much found in this Epistle as will evince the Contrary I have now Exceeded the Limits of an Advertisement but being known not to be a Man of Form I hope my Reader will Excuse me to whom I wish true Certainty of Faith and so bid him heartily Farewel The 9. of Octob. 1686. Robert Barclay My Friend ALBEIT I Judge I did fully Answer to all thy Arguments in that Conference we had concerning the Necessity and Possibility of Inward Immediate Revelation and of the Certainty of True Faith from thence proceeding nevertheless because after we had made an end and were parting thou would'st needs Remit to my further Consideration the strength of thy Argument as that in which thou supposedst the very Hing of the Question to lye That I might satisfy thy Desire and that the Truth might more appear I did further Consider of it but the more I weighed it I found it the Weaker And therefore that thou thy self may'st make the truer Judgment of it I thought meet to send thee my Further Considerations thereon which I had done ere now had not I both at London and elsewhere been diverted by other necessary Occasions wherein I doubt not but thou wilt perceive a full and distinct Answer to thy Argument But if thou canst not as yet yield to the Truth or thinkest mine Answer in any part to be defective so that there yet remains with thee any Matter of Doubt or Scruple I do earnestly desire thee that as I for thy sake and out of Love to the Truth have not been wanting to Examine thy Argument and to Transmit to thee my Considerations thereon so thou mayst give thy self the Trouble to Write and Send me what thou haft further to say Which my Friend N. N. who delivers
every Object is to have its proper Sense so must we judge of inward and spiritual Objects which have their proper Sense whereby they are to be perceived And tell me how God doth manifest his Will concerning Matters of Fact when he sends his Angels to men since Angels as is commonly received have not outward Senses or at least not so gross ones as ours are Yea when Men die and appear before the Tribunal of GOD whether unto Eternal Life or Death how can they know this having laid down their Bodies and therewith their outward Senses And nevertheless this Truth of GOD is a Truth of Fact as is the Historical Truth of Christ's Birth in the Flesh. And which is yet more near How Good Men know they are with God in Favor how do good and holy Men even in this Life most certainly know that they are in Favour and Grace with GOD No Outward Revelation doth make this known unto them but The Spirit as saith the Apostle beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of GOD. For the meer Testimony of a humane Conscience without the Inward Testimony of the holy Spirit cannot beget in us a firm and immoveable Testimony of our Sonship because the Heart of Man is deceitful and if the Tistimony thereof were true at most it is but a Humane Testimony which begetteth in us only an Humane Faith But that Faith by which holy Men believe they are the Sons of GOD is a Divine Faith which leans upon a Divine Testimony of the holy Spirit witnessing in them that they are the Sons of GOD. Moreover when a good Man feels in himself that undeclarable Joy of the holy Spirit concerning which the holy Scripture speaks year 1686 and which is the common Priviledge of the Saints how or whence feels he this Joy Truly this Argument concludes no less against this Heavenly Spiritual Joy which is begotten in the Souls of the Saints by the holy Spirit then it does against the Immediate Revelation of G0D for there is no natural Idea in Men of this spiritual Joy else meer natural Men yea such as are profane and ungodly would feel it as much as the Godly How Profane Men do feel the Wrath of God as Fire But because it is a Supernatural thing Therefore it can have no true Idea but what is Supernatural Moreover whence is it that profane Men feel sometimes in themselves the Wrath of GOD as Fire when all things as to the outward go as prosperously with them as with the Godly and oftentimes more prosperously For there is no Natural Idea in Men of this inward Wrath of GOD. There is also an inward Grief oftentimes raised up in Wicked Men from the sense of this Wrath of G0D which very much vexeth and tormenteth their Minds and nevertheless this Grief hath no Natural Idea in us For oftentimes wicked Men feel not this Sorrow for God sometimes is as it were silent while the Wicked sin as in Psalm 50. All which things do most clearly demonstrate that there are in Men Supernatural Idea's of Supernatural Beings which Idea's are nevertheless not perceived by us unless they be stirred up by some Supernatural Operation of GOD which raiseth up in us Supernatural and Spiritual Senses which by their Nature are as distinguishable from the natural Senses whether inward or outward as the natural Senses are distinguished one from another by their specifick Difference Of which Spiritual Senses the Scripture speaks frequently as Heb. 5. and 14. where is spoken of the Spiritual Senses in general by which the spiritual Man hath the discerning of Good and Evil Spiritual Senses discerning good and evil Which Good is of a Spiritual Nature and conduceth to feed in us a Spiritual and Divine Life and the Evil is of that kind by which the spiritual Life is in us hurt to wit Sins whether Carnal or Spiritual All which cannot be discerned but by such who have Spiritual Senses stirred up in them as saith the Apostle In other places the Scripture also speaketh of these Spiritual Senses in particular as of the Spiritual Seeing Psal. 34.9 Of the Spiritual Hearing Psal. 85. and 9. Of Spiritual Tasting Psal. 34.8 Of Spiritual Smelling Cant. 1.3 Of Spiritual Touching Act. 17.8 and in many other places of Scripture we read of those Spiritual Senses in particular Yea it is the Promise of the Gospel that The Glory of GOD shall be seen of holy Men such as are clean of Heart even in this Life Isa. 33.17 Mat. 5.8 Which were fulfilled in the Primitive Christians fee John 1.14 1 John 1.1 2 3 4. 2 Cor. 3.18 and Chap. 4.6 But what is this Vision of GOD and Divine Glory which the Souls of the Saints enjoy in this Life which is only as the Earnest or first Fruits of that more abundant glorious Vision in the Life to come concerning which the Scripture so much declareth which is the highest Happiness of the Immortal Soul For this Argument seemeth to do no less Injury to the Saints than to rob them of this most glorious Treasure both in this Life and that to come For there is in us no Natural Idea of this Divine Glory as there is not of GOD himself which is any ways proportionable unto so great Happiness which the Scripture so much declareth of by which the Godly are Rewarded partly in this Life and plenarily in that which is to Come The Existence of a most perfect Being Asserted We confess indeed there is in all Men as well the Godly as Vngodly some sort of Idea of GOD as of a most perfect Being and that therefore this Proposition There existeth a most perfect Being doth as clearly appear to Human Vnderstanding as that The whole is greater than the part And therefore this Proposition That a most perfect Being existeth ought to be numbred among the Principles that of themselves are manifest But this Idea of GOD is as manifest to Vngodly as to Godly Men yea is as clearly perceived by the Devil as by the most holy Angels For all the Devils know that GOD is but yet how blind is the Devil and all wicked Men as to the Vision of GOD which is the Chief Reward of the Saints There is then either no such Vision of GOD neither in this Life nor in that to come or there is a Supernatural Idea of GOD in us by which we are made capable of this Vision The Supernatural Idea of God differs from the Natural Which Supernatural Idea of GOD differeth much from that Natural Idea of GOD which Cartesius and his Followers so much talk of albeit others long before Cartesius did observe this Natural Idea of GOD and spoke of it But the Happiness of the Saints consists not in Contemplating this Natural Idea of God else the Wicked would be as happy as the Godly yea the very Devil as the most holy Angel Since as is said both the Devil and most Wicked Men
Reason as those false and pretended Revelations and Diabolical Inspirations from such as are truly Divine Now how many Men who would be esteemed Philosophers are miserably deceived by those false Likenesses of Reason Judging their false Reasons to be the true Similitudes of things and solid Ratiocinations which nevertheless moveth no Man of sound Reason to reject sound and solid Reason as doubtful and uncertain For even sound natural Reason is an Excellent Gift of G0D and very useful to mankind when used in its proper place Natural Reason comprehends not things Supernatural But let none think to comprehend by their natural Reason things that are of a Divine and Supernatural kind And as we use to do when any one is deceived by false Appearances of Reason we endeavour to reduce them to Contemplate the first natural Idea's of natural things and to meditate therein which is as a Test or Touch-stone by which all the Appearances and Likenesses of Reason are to be Examined if they Contradict them to be Rejected So also when any one is deceived by his own Imagination or the Cunning of Satan thinking any Evil Inspiration of the Devil to be a true Divine Revelation He that is so deceived is to be reduced to the natural Ideas of things if so be that pretended Revelation doth contradict them for no true Divine Revelation can Contradict the true natural Idea or to the Supernatural Idea's of Divine things which are most simple clear and obvious to the minds of men if they will turn their minds to the Divine Seed in them or at least those Ideas are readily and easily stirred up The Supernatural Idea's of divine things are most Clear Obvious to the mind For as in Natural Ideas so in Supernatural some are more easily raised than others For there is a certain Order both of Natural and Supernatural Idea's whereby they are gradually excited Nor is there any Mortal Man in whose Mind at some time or other there is not stirred up some Idea that is truly Supernatural and Divine and who hath not felt in himself both the Wrath and Judgment of GOD for his Sins and also some tender and gentle Tast oâ GOD's Love and Goodness by which wicked Men are invited to Repentance Now that which is thought to be a Divine Revelation and is felt to Contradict any Divine and Supernatural Idea which is clearly perceived in the Soul it is a manifest token that it is not a Divine Revelation but either a false Imagination or the wicked Suggestion of some Evil Spirit But to proceed God hath declared his Will even in Contingent Truths in the Scripture If we will hear the Scripture as all Christians ought it testifies to us That GOD hath declared his Mind and Will even concerning Contingent Truths to come in the Prophets as that of the first to the Hebrews doth evidently declare GOD who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke to our Fathers in the Prophets Yea let us hear the Prophets themselves Hosea Chap 1. saith plainly That the Word of the LORD was made in him as it is in the Heb. Habakkuk also says As he was standing on his Watch to see what Jehovah would speak in him And it is so manifest Revelations were in the minds of the Prophets by Inward ânspirations that the most Heavenly Revelations are by Inward Illustrations and Inspirations in the very Minds of the Prophets that it is strange how any that believes the Scripture should doubt of it And if it happened at any time such Revelations were made in the natural Imaginations of the Prophets or any of their Inward Natural Senses then it may be confessed they could not be Infallibly Certain they came from GOD unless they also felt God in the Divine and Supernatural Senses by which they did most neerly approach to him from these Superior and most-Inward Senses working upon the lower and less noble Faculties of the Mind But which ever way the Prophets were certain that they were Inspired of GOD even when they foretold Contingent Truths to come it is without doubt they were most certainly perswaded that they were Divinely Inspired Which were most-certain without any Outward Miraculous Demonstrations and that frequently without any outward Miracle For John the Baptist did no Miracle and many Prophesied where there appeared no Miracle as in the Scripture may be often observed And we also by the Inspiration of the same Divine Spirit by which the Prophets prophesied do believe their Words and Writings to be Divine concerning Contingent Truths as well past as to come else that Faith by which we believe the Scripture would not be Divine but meerly Humane And thence we need no outward Miracles to move us to Believe the Scriptures and therefore much less were they necessary to the Prophets who Writ them For we see in many places of the Prophets where they declare Prophecies as revealed to them of GOD there is not a word mentioned of any outward Miracle as that by Which alone they were Certain of it Moreover the Falseness of this Argument doth appear in that the Scripture doth declare many Contingent Truths to have been revealed to the Prophets in Dreams Divine Revelations by Dreams Now as natural and wicked Men do not see what they dream by a real perception of the Outward Senses but by Inward Idea's which are presented to the Mind and perceived by it so it is also in Divine Revelations of this nature Of which we have a clear Example in Joseph the Husband of the Blessed Virgin who when he observed his Wife with Child was told in a Dream That She had Conceived by the Holy Ghost Now I would know to which of Joseph's Outward Senses was this Revealed Or what Miracle had he to Induce him to Believe Which could neither be proved so as to make an Infallible Application to Mary by the Testimony of the Scripture and which being against the Order of Nature did Choke his Reason The Scripture mentions no Miracle in this matter and yet no doubt Joseph had highly sinned had he not Believed this Revelation and not withstanding rejected his Wife as an Adulteress But if thou say'st That according to thy Hypothesis there must have been a Miracle That is only to beg the Question And how false this Hypothesis is The Apostle shews clearly Corinth 2.14 The Natural or Animal Man knoweth not receiveth not the things of GOD. Now Divine Revelations are of this Nature The Outward Senses cannot discern the things of God for they are Spiritual and if either chiefly or only those things were to be Judged by the Outward Senses it would Contradict the Apostle For natural Men yea the most-wicked have the use of the outward Senses as true and exact as the most-Godly And whereas the Apostle adds For they are Spiritually Discerned It puts the Matter out of all Question For thence it abundantly appears that this discerning
Fire and outward Light of the Sun as a certain Preacher said 357. it may be resisted 331 333 338 398 399. by this Light or Seed Grace and Word of God he invites all and calls them to Salvation 352 354 none of those to whom the History of Christ is preached are saved but by the inward Operation of this Light 353 355. it is small in the first manifestation but it groweth 353. it is slighted by the Calvinists Papists Socinians and Arminians and why 354. none can put it to silence 357. there are and may be saved by the operation thereof who are ignorant of the History of Christ 318 319 331 336 337 352 356 362. an answer to the Objection That none can be saved but in the Name of Jesus Christ 358 359 367. The Light within being believed in and obeyed leads to the use of the Scriptures 11. where the Light is there is Christ himself ibid. 63. the Light is not contradistinguished from the Gospel but is the same 64 some may have saving Light and Grace who after a certain manner may be said not to have the Spirit 66 The Light of Jesus Christ in Men will discover the Intents of the heart and flatter none 711. the Light is no Introduction to paganism 67. concerning the Light 123. the Light is come into the World c. 126 165. Light of Nature objected 693. The Light seed and Grace of God no part of Man's Nature 694. the Inward Principle of Life and Light described 699. Deaf People c. the Light may Influence which Writings c. cannot 759 805 302. Objections against the Universality of the Light 797 798. 't is sufficient and saving ibid. 't is not nature's Light 829. the Testimony of Cyrill Alex. of the Light 344 Life The Principle of Divine Life is never Idle 644. the Life of Words witnessed ibid. see Christ no Nourishment no Life 414. Lifeless Members what Church they make ibid. Literature Humane Literature is not at all needful 421 c. see Minister Sciences Liturgy 444 455. Logick 423 424. â Aristotle's âogick by Papists and Protestants made the Hand-maid of Divinity so called 305 Lord There is one Lord 279 280. No Man can call Jesus Lord c. 276 468. the Name of the Lord how taken in Scripture 487 Lot Abraham's and Lot's bowing 874 Love Of a Love-Feast 509 510 679 694 704 Lucifer Lucifer's Spirit affecting honour 537 538 Lukewarmness of the Church of Laodicea 411. see Church Religion Luther 526. Luther and Calvin testifying against Persecution persecute themselves thereby encouraging Papists 526 527. Lutherans their Seditions against Reformed Teachers and Assault c. 292. their Principle of Persecution c. 690. they hold no Salvation without the Knowledge of Christ and the Scriptures 692 M. Macquare R. M's most abusive Railing against the Quakers and their Doctrine 880. and his shameless Flatteries to J. B. ibid. Magistrate Concerning his Power in-things purely Religious and that he hath no Authority over the Conscience 515 530. nor ought he to punish according to Church-Censure 517. concerning the present Magistrates of the Christian Word 563 564. Magistracy and the Offices thereof 157 159 171. is an Ordinance of God 710. its Lawfulness and Power 865. he bears not the Sword in vain 665. not to punish for Religious Matters but Evil in Civil Matters ibid. Priests call for the Magistrates Sword to defend their Doctrine against the Quakers 76 they make him their Executioner 667. Christ's Kingdom needs not outward Power to protect it 846. the Nature of the Gospel is Extrinsick from the Rule and Government of State 517. if Magistrates have Power to punish Hereticks then Nero was no Persecutor 521. then forcing a Conformity is not Compelling the Conscience as J. B. Asserts 865. see Heresies Mahomet prohibited all Reason and Discourse about Religion 527. he was an Impostor 338. Majesty your Majesty see Titles â excellent Majesty 875 Maintenance Minister's Maintenance 142. must be voluntary not coercive ibid. 143. the Gospel to be made without Charge 168 434. his necessities to be answered 432 661. God sends no Man away faring upon his own Charges 435. the Abuses Priests Maintenance brings 436. in the Primitive Times no stinted Maintenance was sought by the Ministers ibid. who hire a Teacher may pay his Stipend 438. what kind of Maintenance is denied 661 662. what Maintenance allowed to Ministers in Scripture 840. Malchus his Ear cut off see Titles Man see Knowledge his Spirit knoweth the things of a Man and not the things of God 275. the Carnal Man esteemeth the Gospel-Truths as Lies 276. and in that State he cannot please God 282. the New Man and the Old 294 593. the Natural Man cannot discern Spiritual Things As to the First Adam he is Fallen and Degenerate 294 308 310 317 318. his Thoughts of God and Divine Things in the Corrupt State are Evil and Unprofitable 310. nothing of Adam's Sin is Imputed to him until by Evil-doing he Commit his own 311 315 316. in the Corrupt State he hath no Will or Light capable of it self to manifest Spiritual things 311 314 367. he cannot when he will procure to himself Tenderness of Heart 389. whatsoever he doth while he doth it not by in and through the Power of God he is not approved of God 452 453. how the inward Man is nourished 495 497. how his Vnderstanding cannot be forced by Sufferings and how his Vnderstanding is changed 521 522. the Heart of Man is deceitful 301 312. his Imaginations evil ibid. the Natural Man discerns not c. 313. the Fall of Man did affect both Soul and Body 762. how Man's Mind is changed 522 Manifestation see Seed Marchandize what it is to make Marchandize with the Scriptures 426 Marriages the Care taken about them by the People called Quakers 210 211. Martyrs of Protestant Martyrs 523 528 J. B's condemning Primitive Martyrs falsly as led by a Spirit of Error 736. Mass 441 448 454 474. â the Popish Mass and Vespers 443. see Papists Mathematician 293 294 Meats and Drinks the Law was Meats and Drinks not so the Gospel 512. the observing of Meats Drinks Washings to be considered in a threefold respect 586. Mechanicks 431. they contributed much to the Reformation 432 Mediator see Christ. Meditation the Quakers are not against it 452 Meetings to have set Meetings to the Glory of God and the Good of the Church in their proper Times and Seasons doth not contradict the being led Immediately by the Spirit of God 204 235. Meetings to take Care for the Poor Widows and Orphans c. 206. the necessity of Meetings set Times and Places 442. Assemblies of Worship in publick described 444. Silent Meetings 445. a secret Travel in Silent Meetings 446. speaking to Edification in Meetings 446. the mocker in Meetings ibid. our Work and Worship in our Meetings 447. a sweet Sound of Thanksgiving and Praise in our Meetings 448. set Times and Places and the Use and
297 304. there is no necessity of Believing the Scripture to be a filled up Canon 308. many Canonick Books through the Injury of Time lost ibid. whether it can be proved by Scripture that any Book is Canonical 208 209. they were sometimes as a Sealed Book 422. to understand them there is need of the Help and Revelation of the Holy Spirit 271 272. no Man can make himself a Doctor of them but the Holy Spirit 271. Noah and Job were Preachers of Righteousness before the Scriptures were written 703. the Knowledge of the Scriptures to be of great Advantage is owned 7 117 162 700. the Synod of Paris their Opinion concerning the Scripture's certainty viz. to be by the Inward Testimony and Perswasion of the Holy Spirit 72 see 116 162. the Scriptures cannot beguile Men but Men may beguile themselves by a wrong use of them 577. the Scriptures the best Outward Rule in the World ibid. Scriptures are a Clear and Perfect Copy as to all Essentials of Christian Religion 603. that the Scriptures are a sufficient objective Revelation of all things necessary to Salvation is denied 631. the Scriptures are the Words of God 747. a Secondary Rule 754. that Supposition is false which supposes the Will of God can be only known by the Scriptures 759. John Calvin's Testimony concerning the Scriptures and the Spirit 72. to understand the Scriptures we need the Help and Revelation of the Holy Spirit Hierom 271. the Scriptures though they do declare the Mind of God are therefore not his Word which came from God immediately to the Prophets by which the Scriptures came which Word is ceased Professors say 14. the Canon of the Scripture not compleated 735 750. they are not the means of knowing God in Spirit 887 889 903. see Gifts Scriptures explained Gen. 2.17 p. 762. Isai. 8.20 p. 755 756 Prov. 10.11 p. 644. John 1.9 p. 797. 1 Cor. 11.5 p. 839. 2 Tim. 3.16 p. 755. 2 Pet. 1.19 20. p. 743. Jam. 1.25 p. 757. 1 John 4.1 p. 658. Sect The Ignatian Sect loveth Literature 423. they call those that are sent unto India Apostles 430. the Definition of a Sect 696 698. those cannot pretend to Universal Love who confine all Spiritual and Temporal Blessings to their Sect 691. one Mark of a Sect is when People seek to Advance and Propagate their Way in the Strength of their own Spirits c. 698. those whose Unity arises from Notions and Opinions do derive their Names and Designations from the first Authors Inventors and Fomenters of those Opinions 698 699. Security among hypocritical Professors 47. Seed of Righteousness 452. the Seed of Sin see Sin Redemption The Seed a distinct Principle from the Soul 795 579 580. Self-denial 451 Semi-pelagians their Axiom Facienti quod in se est Deus non ãâã gratiam 328. Sense supernatural 657 897 ãâ¦ã 904 905. Servant Whether it be lawfuâ ãâã I am your humble Servant 538. Servetus 527. Shoemaker he disputes with the Professor 423 424. Silence see Worship Silence and an inward turning of the Mind necessary to the entring upon Worship 845. Simon Magus 431. Sin see Adam Justification It shall not have Dominion over the Saints 298. the Seed of Sin is transmitted from Adam unto all Men but it is Imputed to none no not to Infants except they actually join with it by Sinning 310 311 315 318. Augustin's Testimony concerning Infants 768. and this Seed is often called Death 318. Original Sin of this Phrase the Scripture makes no mention 318. by virtue of the Sacrifice of Christ we have Remission of Sins 335 367. forgiveness of Sin among the Papists 365. a Freedom from actual Sin is obtained both when and how and that many have attained unto it 388 398. every Sin weakens a Man in his Spiritual Condition but doth not destroy him altogether 389. it is one thing not to sin another thing not to have Sin 395. whatsoever is not done through the Power of God is Sin 445. the fear of God remaining upon the Heart Sin is shut out 28. continuance in Sin ecclipses and takes away the Sense of God's Favour ibid. 884. Singing of Psalms and Musick 473. Society see Religion Principles Socinians see Natural Light their rashness is reproved 281. they think Reason is the chief Rule and Guide of their Faith ibid. 289. albeit many have abused Reason yet they do not say that any ought not to use it and how ill they argue against the Inward and Immediate Revelations of the Holy Spirit 288 290. yet they are forced ultimately to recur unto them 394. they exalt too much their Natural Power and what they think of the saving Light 354. their Worship can easily be stopped 337. they exalt Self or Nature 699. their scanty Confession does not reach to Universal Love 693. Son of God see Christ Knowledge Revelation Soul The Soul hath its Senses as well as the Body 272. by what it is strengthened and fed 453 499. Spirit The Holy Spirit see Knowledge Communion Revelation Scriptures Unless the Spirit sit upon the Heart of the Hearer in vain is the Discourse of the Doctor 271 279. the Spirit of God knoweth the things of God 275. without the Spirit none can say that Jesus is the Lord 272 275. he rested upon the seventy Elders and others 277. he abideth with us for ever 280. he teacheth and bringeth all things to remembrance and leads into all Truth 280 281 284 286 296. he differs from the Scriptures 280. He is God 281. he dwelleth in the Saints 281 284. without the Spiâââââristianity is no Christianity 282 297. whatsoever is to be desired in the Christian Faith is ascribed to him 28â 281. by this Spirit we are turned unto God and we Triumph in the midst of persecutions 282. he quickens c. 282.283 an observable Testimony of Calvin concerning the Spirit 282 284 296 297. it is the Fountain and Origin of all Truth and right Reason 292 293. it gives the Belief of the Scriptures which may satisfy our Consciences 296. his Testimony is more excellent than all Reason ibid. he is the chief and principal Guide 301. he reasoneth with and striveth in Men 342. those that are led by the Spirit love the Scriptures 304 405. he is as it were the Soul of the Church and what is done without him is vain and impious 423. he is the Spirit of Order and not of Disorder 427. such as the Spirit sets a part to the Ministry are heard of their Brethren 428. it is the Earnest of our Inheritance 444. to be led by the Spirit of God is a Priviledge common to all Christians and members of the Church if Obedience thereunto be yielded 703. all have the Spirit in a certain Day some to reprove some bringing forth of Fruits 8. the Spirât calls invites and draws but men resist his Drawings 8. J. Calvin preferreth the Testimony of the Spirit before all other Evidences 15 16. what proceeds not from the Spirit of God
from which there is no falling away Condition is Attainable because we are Exhorted to it and as hath been proved before the Scripture never proposeth to us things Impossible Such an Exhortation we have from the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure And though there be a Condition here proposed yet since we have already proved that it is possible to fulfil this Condition then also the Promise annexed thereunto may be attained And since where Assurance is wanting there is still a place left for Doubtings and Despairs if we should affirm it never attainable then should there never be a place known by the Saints in this World wherein they might be free of Doubting and Despair Which as it is most Absurd in it self so it 's Contrary to the manifest Experience of Thousands Thirdly God hath given to many of his Saints and Children and is ready to give unto all a full and certain Assurance A Certain Assurance and Establishment given of God to many of his Saints and Children that they are his and that no power shall be able to pluck them out of his hand But this Assurance would be no Assurance if those who are so Assured were not Established and Confirmed beyond all Doubt and Hesitation If so then surely there is no possibility for such to miss of that which God hath Assured them of And that there is such Assurance attainable in this life the Scripture abundantly declareth both in general and as to particular persons As first Rev. 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out c. which containeth a general Promise unto all Hence the Apostle speaks of some that are sealed 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath also sealed us and given the Earnest of his Spirit in our hearts wherefore the Spirit so sealing is called the Earnest or Pledge of our Inheritance Eph. 1.13 In whom ye were sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise And therefore the Apostle Paul not only in that of the Romans above-noted declareth himself to have Attained that Condition but 2 Tim. 4.7 he affirmeth in these words I have fought a good fight c. which also many good men have and do witness And therefore as there can be nothing more manifest than that which the manifest Experience of this time sheweth and therein is found agreeable to the Experience of former times so we see there have been both of old and of late that have turned the Grace of God into Wantonness and have fall'n from their Faith and Integrity thence we may safely conclude such a falling away possible We also see that some of old and of late have Attained a certain Assurance some time before they departed that they should Inherit Eternal Life and have accordingly died in that good hope Of and concerning whom the Spirit of God Testified that they are saved Wherefore we also see that such a State is Attainable in this life from which there is not a Falling away For seeing the Spirit of God did so Testify it was not possible that they should perish concerning whom he who cannot lie thus bare Witness PROPOSITION X. Concerning the Ministry Prop. 10 As by this Light or Gift of God all true Knowledge in things Spiritual is received and revealed so by the same as it is manifested and received in the heart by the strength and power thereof every true Minister of the Gospel is ordained prepared and supplied in the Work of the Ministry and by the leading moving and drawing hereof ought every Evangelist and Christian Pastor to be led and ordered in his labour and work of the Gospel both as to the place Where as to the persons to whom and as to the time wherein he is to Minister Moreover who have this Authority may and ought to preach the Gospel though without Humane Commission or Literature as on the other hand who want the Authority of this Divine Gift however Learned or Athorized by the Commission of Men and Churches are to be esteemed but as Deceivers and not true Ministers of the Gospel The Gospel to be preach'd freely Matth. 10.8 Also who have received this holy and unspotted Gift as they have freely received it so are they freely to give it without hire or bargaining far less to use it as a Trade to get money by yet if God hath called any one from their Emploiments or Trades by which they acquire their Livelihood it may be lawful for such according to the liberty which they feel given them in the Lord to receive such Temporals to wit what may be needful for them for Meat and Cloathing as are given them freely and cordially by those to whom they have Communicated Spirituals § I. HItherto I have treated of those things which relate to the Christian Faith and Christians as they stand each in his private and particular Condition and how and what way every man may be a Christian indeed and so abide Now I come in order to speak of those things that relate to Christians as they are stated in a Joint-Fellowship and Communion and come under a Visible and Outward Society which Society is called the Church of God The Church of God is the Spiritual Body of Christ. and in Scripture compared to a Body and therefore named the Body of Christ. As then in the Natural Body there be divers Members all concurring to the common end of preserving and confirming the whole Body so in this Spiritual and Mystical Body there are also divers Members according to the different measures of Grace and of the Spirit diversly administred unto each Member and from this Diversity ariseth that distinction of persons in the visible Society of Christians as of Apostles Pastors Evangelists Ministers c. That which in this Proposition is proposed is What makes or constitutes any a Minister of the Church what his Qualifications ought to be and how he ought to behave himself But because it may seem somewhat preposterous to speak of the distinct Offices of the Church until something be said concerning the Church in general though nothing positively be said of it in the Proposition yet as here implied I shall briefly premise something thereof and then proceed to the particular Members of it § II. It is not in the least my design to meddle with those tedious and many Controversies wherewith the Papists and Protestants do Tear one another concerning this thing but only according to the Truth manifested to me and Revealed in me by the Testimony of the Spirit according to that proportion of Wisdom given me briefly to hold forth as a necessary Introduction both to this matter of the Ministry and of Worship which followeth those things which I together with my Brethren do believe concerning the Church The Church then according to the Grammatical signification of the word as it is used in
the Holy Scripture signifies An Assembly or Gathering of many into one place The Etymology of the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Church and signification of it for the Substantive ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã comes from the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I call out of and originally from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I call and indeed as this is the Grammatical sense of the word so also it is the real and proper signification of the thing the Church being no other thing but the Society Gathering or Company of such as God hath called out of the World and worldly spirit to walk in his LIGHT and LIFE The Church then so defined is to be considered as it comprehends all that are thus called and gathered truly by God both such as are yet in this Inferior World and such as having already laid down the Earthly Tabernacle are passed into their heavenly Mansions which together do make up the One Catholick Church concerning which there is so much Controversy Out of which Church we freely acknowledge No Salvation without the Church there can be no Salvation because under this Church and its Denomination are comprehended all and as many of whatsoever nation kindred tongue or people they be though outwardly strangers and remote from those who profess Christ and Christianity in words and have the benefit of the Scriptures as become obedient to the Holy Light and Testimony of God in their hearts so as to become sanctified by it What the Church is and cleansed from the evils of their ways For this is the Vniversal or Catholick Spirit by which many are called from all the four Corners of the Earth and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob By this the secret Life and Vertue of Jesus is conveyed into many that are afar off even as by the Blood that runs into the Veins and Arteries of the natural Body the Life is conveyed from the head and heart unto the extreamest parts There may be Members therefore of this Catholick Church both among Heathens Turks and Jews may become Members of this Church Turks Jews and all the several sorts of Christians men and women of Integrity and Simplicity of heart who though blinded in something in their Vnderstanding and perhaps burthened with the Superstitions and Formality of the several Sects in which they are Ingrossed yet being upright in their hearts before the Lord chiefly aiming and labouring to be delivered from Iniquity and loving to follow Righteousness are by the secret Touches of this Holy Light in their Souls inlivened and quickned thereby secretly united to God and there-through become true Members of this Catholick Church Now the Church in this respect hath been in being in all Generations For God never wanted some such Witnesses for him though many times slighted and not much observed by this World And therefore this Church though still in being hath been oftentimes as it were Invisible in that it hath not come under the Observation of the men of this World being as saith the Scripture Jer. 3.14 One of a City and two of a Family And yet though the Church thus considered may be as it were hid from wicked men as not then gathered into a visible Fellowship yea and not observed even by some that are Members of it yet may there notwithstanding many belong to it as when Elias complained he was left alone 1 Kings 19.18 God answered unto him I have reserved to my self seven thousand men who have not bowed their knees to the Image of Baal whence the Apostle argues Rom. 11. the being of a Remnant in his day § III. Secondly The Church is to be considered as it signifies a Certain Number of persons gathered by God's Spirit and by the Testimony of some of his Servants raised up for that end unto the belief of the true Principles and Doctrines of the Christian Faith who through their hearts being united by the same Love and their understanding informed in the same Truths gather The Definition of the Church of God as Gathered into a Visible Fellowship meet and assemble together to Wait upon God to worship him and to bear a joint-Testimony for the Truth against Error suffering for the same and so becoming through this fellowship as one family and houshold in certain respects do each of them watch over teach instruct and care for one another according to their several measures and attainments Such were the Churches of the primitive Times gathered by the Apostles whereof we have divers mentioned in the Holy Scriptures And as to the Visibility of the Church in this respect there hath been a great Interruption since the Apostles days by reason of the Apostasy as shall hereafter appear § IV. To be a Member then of the Catholick Church How to become a Member of that Church there is need of the Inward Calling of God by his Light in the heart and a being leavened into the Nature and Spirit of it so as to forsake Vnrighteousness and be turned to Righteousness and in the Inwardness of the mind to be cut out of the wild Olive-tree of our own first fall'n Nature and ingrafted into Christ by his Word and Spirit in the heart And this may be done in those who are strangers to the History God not having pleased to make them partakers thereof as in the fifth and sixth Proposition hath already been proved To be a Member of a particular Church of Christ The Outward Profession of the Members of the True Church as this inward Work is indispensibly necessary so is also the outward Profession of and Belief in Jesus Christ and those holy Truths delivered by his Spirit in the Scriptures seeing the Testimony of the Spirit recorded in the Scriptures doth answer the Testimony of the same Spirit in the heart even as face answereth face in a glass Hence it follows that the Inward work of Holiness and forsaking Iniquity is necessary in every respect to the being a Member in the Church of Christ and that the outward Profession is necessary to be a Member of a particular gathered Church but not to the being a Member of the Catholick Church yet it is absolutely necessary where God affords the opportunity of knowing it And the outward Testimony is to be believed where it is presented and revealed the sum whereof hath upon other occasions been already proved § V. But contrary hereunto the Devil The Members of the Anti-Christian Church in the Apostasy their Empty Profession that worketh and hath wrought in the Mystery of Iniquity hath taught his followers to affirm That no man however holy is a Member of the Church of Christ without the outward Profession and that he be Initiated thereunto by some outward Ceremonies And again That men who have this outward Profession though inwardly unholy may be Members of the true Church of Christ yea and ought to be so esteemed This is plainly to put Light for