from good consequence from the Scripture indeed I have seldom met with any that have appeared so Impertinent and Ridiculous in their consequences as thou hast done in this matter though thou countest thy consequence of Divine Authority as well as express commands But they bear no such Authority with us who see thy perverting and abusing Scriptures to maintain and patch up a popish tradition and humane invention which thou hast no express command for and then thou hast in this doubly confuted thy self for is there some command of Divine Authority now which is not Scripture when before thou laid such a great stress upon Scripture and deniedst Revelation Immediate teaching c. from the Light within and hast dirided it under the name of Enthusiasme when now thou pleads for something being of Divine Authority which is not Scripture viz your sprinkling Infants which in Page 37. thou sayest brought to the Church is the ordinary way of putting on Christ and ordinary means for Salvation and sayest we are Baptized into Jesus Christ and his death from Rom. 6. and 3. whereas before the Scriptures were cryed up as the ordinary way and meanes c. But now that which no where the Scriptures repuires and that of Rom. 6 and 3. So many of us as where baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death how impertinent is this for thy turn as if sprinkling did Baptize Infants into the death of Christ or as if the Apostles and Believers then were so baptized when Infants as thou pleadest which is absurd to imagine and I should think thou canst not really intend such a thing in this proof as sprinkling Infants which thou wouldest also make us believe is a standing Ordinance of Christ to continue till the end of the world from Mat. 28. and Mar. 16.16 where they are commanded To teach all Nations baptizing them And He that believes and is baptized shall be saved But did thâ—y go to teach Infants of a week old Or Were such the Believers that were Baptized How blind sottish and ridiculous hast thou appeared in this matter as also in counting it one while the ordinary meanes for Salvation or that which Baptizeth into the death of Christ another while as in the thirty eight Page that which signifies our putting on Christ inward washing c. so here it doth but signify inward washing and therefore is not the putting on Christ not that which brings into the Church neither doth it really signify inward washing for thou speakest as that being washed all over best signifies our inward Renovation and one while pleads for this thy pretended great Ordinance as belonging to the Seed of Believers and of such as have received the Spirit another while the Children of which are prophane and drunkards that profess the Gospel whom thou sayest are in this sence accounted Believers and thirty ninth Page reckons it not needful for Ministers to be perswaded that they are Righteous so it appeares such Ministers as thou art will be easily satisfied for their own ends and upon slender grounds receive men as Believers if they do but profess the Gospel though they be drunkards and prophane and thus the Parish Priests of the Presbyterian gang have deceitfully daubed their hâ—arers and acted like hypocrites towards those whom they knew to be drunkards prophane and so really unbelivers unholy unrighteous c. yet if they will from their teeth outward say they believe and profess the Gospel though they be known to the contrary the Priest will not deny them their Seal of the Covenant to their Children though they deem them unholy also which other whiles they deem as such a sacred thing as onely belongs to the Seed of Believers and such as are within the Covenant And another sorry shift and come off in the thirty eight Page is concerning the Jewes that fell into gross sins who all drank of the Rock which was Christ from hence thou sayest that to profess Christ is called a drinking of Christ and where provest thou that Doctrine that to profess Christ is a drinking of Christ this is a very easie way thou hast prescribed for drinking of Christ if to profess him be it and then all that profess him drink of him by this Doctrine the falshood whereof we need not say much to But whereas thou sayest concerning those Israelites That ate the same spiritual bread and drank the same spiritual drink that drank of the Rock which was Christ how-be-it thou confessest they fell into gross sins as is cleared from the History of the Books of Exod. Levit. Numb Deuteronomy and 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4 5. and that many of them were Idolaters lusters after evill committed fornication tempters of God murtherers as thou sayest by all which thou hast sufficiently confuted thy self and given a deadly blow to thy own Cause and proved a falling away from Grace which before was an Arminian and Popish Doctrine with thee or Damnable Popery for Was not that spiritual meat and spiritual drink and that Rock spoken of saving Grace And thy saying for Infants Baptisme that it is the Seal of the Covenant and to be given to those that are within the Covenant but Are Drunkards prophane Persons and their Seed and whole Parishes within the Covenant Compare thy matter together Yet thou hast confessed the Spirit is the inward Seal but sayest Baptisme is the outward Seal and then instead of proof askest why may not the Covenant now have outward Seales joyned with the inward Seal of the Spirit How faintly comest thou off here And Where provest thou sprinkling Infants a Seal of the New Covenant or that the Covenant hath two such Seales as thou implyest and how knowest thou that its joyned with the inward Seal of the Spirit upon the Children of drunkards and prophane persons or on such as turn drunkards swearers c. who come under this thy Seal which hath no impression of Scripture or Divine Authority in it but now seeing that to gloss over thy groundless Tradition and Confusion uttered in mantaining it thou hast often made use of divers Scriptures which the Baptists were wont to bring for Baptizing or Plunging such as repent or believe I have not entered here into controversy with rhee about that point it being not thy own but onely thou wouldest make it serve for a cover yet when thou turnest Baptist and intendest to be real in pleading for Plunging believers thou mayest let me or us know and that point probably may be treated of as whether or no it be of necessity to Salvation and so of continuance to the true Church But however under the sence of the Baptisme of the Spirit which baptizeth into one body we do know present sattisfaction and do acquiess in our Spirits above the Traditions of men and Rudiments of the world E. J. Thy Book came but to my hands this summer it seems it was delayed in the hands of some otherwise I had answered it
which the Light within would never have discovered if there had not been the knowledg of the Law contained in the Scriptures An. Are all unbelievers then and have no Light in them but who have the Scriptures Thy blindness in this is detected before And What contradiction is it to tell of some having no Light in them when before thou hast confessed all men to have a natural Light or the Light of a natural Conscience in them Secondly And was it the Scriptures or the Law as it is in the Letter that discovered to Paul his sins and desires or the Law inward For he had the Law outward before he knew or was turned to the Law in his mind or was clâ—arly convinced in himsâ—lf Pr. Did ever the Prophets or Apostles try the Doctrines of persons deluded by Satan with the Spirit without the Scripture Deut. 13. An. The Prophets and Apostles had the Spirit and knew its sufficiency before they gave forth Scriptures and these were not deluded by Satan as falsly thou hast accused us to be An. Have not some of your way been so blasphemous as to aver Jesus Christ to be a type as to call themselves the Messiah to whom Hosanna should be said An. I know none in our way that either calls themselves the Messiah or that own such a thing but coâ—fess to Jesus Christ as bâ—ing the substance and the end of types shadows and figures but as for those whom thou hints of about their saying Hosanna they were not in our way but testified against and some of themselves came after to see confess and repent of their error so to upbraid us with any one 's failings or miscarriage espetially when t is both disowned and testifyed against by us this is both unequal and unjust and wouldest thou be so dealt by if I should go to reckon up how many drunken and whoreing Priests thâ—re be and should charge all of you and your whole Kirk with their wickedness Wouldest thou take it well Which indeed I might better do whilest such are owned and upheld as teachers of others among you thâ—n thou mights accuse us with persons and actions that are cast out from amongst us Pr. What is the Rule whereby the motions of the Spirit are to be tryed whether they be such or the motions of Satan and our deceitful hearts Ye answer the Spirit is the Rule but this cannot be for the Spirit hath given the Scriptures Secondly Neither is that place which ye cite to the purpose Viz. The Anoynting teacheth all things for though he teach it is by this Rule An. Yes The Spirit of God is sufficient a Rule sufficient both to try the motions of Satan and your deceitful hearts it searcheth all things The Lord searcheth the hearts and tryeth the reines telleth unto man his thoughts And if the Anoynting within teacheth of all things Must the Scriptures be a Rule to the Anoynting that thou seemest to tye it to the Scriptures Or Is not the teaching of the Anoynting Scripture as well as it was in them that spoke Scripture from it Or Must not people believe the Anoynting till they have searched the Scriptures to try it by them If so then when the Anoynting would tell and shew them their perticular states and thoughts and motions which the Scriptures do not tell them nor perticularly charge upon them then they are not at all in such cases to believe nor follow the Anoynting according to thy Doctrine and what is this but to set up the Scriptures above the Anoynting and the Letter above the Spirit which is a gross error and bespeaks great ignorance Pr. In the Synod at Jerusalem Act. 15. the Apostles searched the Scriptures for what they determined before they said it seemed good to the holy ghost and us An. Where provest thou that they searched the Scriptures for what they determined before they said it seemed good to the holy ghost and us Doth not this plainly confute thee that what they said was from the holy ghost And Was not its teaching their Rule then And What Scripture had they then to forbid Circumcision as they did Nay Had they not Scripture raâ—her for it If then they had not Scripture to forbid it they should not have dâ—nied or forbid it nor have believed the holy ghost in this case by thy Doctrine what silly work hast thou made on 't and How hast thou broken the neck of thy own cause Pr. The gift of discerning of Spirits was a peculiar gift given but to some but this was not for tryal of Doctrine None who had that gift of discerning of Spirits did try any Truths or Doctrine or practice but by the Scripture An. This is a strange Doctrine that they must onely try Spirits by the gift or Spirit of Truth and not any Truths or Doctrine Whether is greater the tryal of Spirits or of Doctrines Whâ—reas the Spirit searchâ—th all things and is a Spirit of true Judgment that giveth true understanding but according to thy false Doctrine that none who had discerning of Spirits did try any Truths or Doctrine or practice but by the Scriptures Then by this when the Apostles in their Epistles writ divers things that were not before in the Scriptures they were not to be believed by them in the Churches that had the gift of discerning and when the Spirit of Truth shall lead to speak or prophesie concerning a perticular Place People or Nation that which they have no Scripture for this therefore is not to be believed for want of Scripture to prove it by Thy ignorant and sottish stuff which also excludes all those Books and Prophesies of the holy men of God spoken of which are not recordâ—d in the Bible And those of our Friends which foretold of the late calamities befallen the City of London both that of the â—lague and that of the Fire which were both fore-seen and fore-told yet they had no Scripture to prove it but alass such as thou are silly and shallow in these matters being but as those Seers and Watchmen that are blind who would insinuate into people that both Prophesying Visions and Revelations are ceasâ—d and lay all upon the Scriptures and then how know you the Doctrine contained in them to be true without the Spirit Pr. Ye say Must the Scriptures be the Rule to discern or try false Spirits when they speak Scripture Ans. When the Devil spake Scripture to Christ he confuted him by Scripture which shewed he had perverted them and so he confounded the Scribes and Pharisees alwayes An. But could not Christ discerne the Devils spirit without the Scriptures What gross error and ignorance is implyed and couched in this thy impertinent answer Thou tellest us Christ confuted him by the Scripture which was when the Devil brought Scripture words to back his Temptations withal which is not an answer besides the Devils tempting Christ in these words Command that these stones be made bread and Cast thy self down
the Father the word and the spirit and those three are one Then we own what the Scriptures assert of the Deity oâ— the Father Word and the Spirit which are one this is no blasphemy no fancies as malitiously we are accused Except ye call all the words of Scriptures clearly confered together a cavilling Viz. touching three distinct Persons in the Deity c. Although the Scriptures do not in so many words make mention of the three Persons c. who are one God we disalow all Traditions or any unwritten Rule which is not Scripture Then three dictinct Persons in the Deity distinct in the personal Subsistance are not the words of the Scriptures but a Tradition and why do you then alow of that which is not Scripture but that There are three that bear record in heaven and these three are one is Scripture The Apostles telleth that the Corinthians were to shew forth Christs death till he came again The Bread spoken of to them behoved to be this of outward Bread c. It behoved to be such a coming againe as was yet future and unaccomplished in the Corinthians time Were the Corinthians then to eat and drink outwardly after their time or so long after their deceases What absurdity and grosness is here Infants Baptism was approved by the Orthodox Church and the Renouned Teachers and Guides thereof and sound Father as Tertullian Ciprian Lactant Augustine Jerom Basil c. It s derived from the Church when pure We disallow all Traditions or any un-written Rule which is not Scripture whether they be under pretence of Revelation which Enthusiasts hold or Traditions as Papists in this agree Then Infants Baptisme not being Scripture but a popish Tradition is therefore to be disalowed of Children of believers should be under the Initial Seal of the Covenant as Abrahams were Circumcision was the Seal of the old Covenant and it was administered on Males onely page 35. Circumcision of the Males onely was in its time Commanded of God which is no proof of sprinkling Infants both Males and Females which was never cammanded of God pa. 38. The Fathers or Isralites who fell into gross sins professed the same Doctrine of Salvation to profess Christ is called a drinking of Chrâ—st c Abraham and his Seed under the old Covenant had the same Mediator which is Jesus Christ he was the same yester-day to them that he is to day to believers Their having the same Mediaâ—or Jesus Christ the same c. And drinking of Christ was more then to profess him or the Doctrine of Salvation And Did such fall into gross sins What fell they from if not from Grace Ye say thereis no express command for sprinkling of the Infants of believers pa. 36 But we disalow all Traditions or any unwritten Rule which is not Scripture pa. 35. You ' have confest what I said that there is no express command for sprinkling Infants therefore in alowing of it you contradict your selves Though there be no express command yet it s of Divine Institution and Warrant if it be drawn by good consequence from the Scriptures Truths and Doctrines is to be tried by the Scriptures so far as can be found in the Scriptures page 29. Christ bid search the Scriptures they reveal the Misteries page 27. I deny any immediate teaching by God page 14. Although a great stress and necessity is laid upon the Scriptures and immediate teaching so confidently denied yet no Sprinkling Infants to be found or required in Scripture and whilst any imediate teaching is denied How is it of Divine Institution Surely Edward Jamisons consequence herein is not Divine who denies any immediate teaching pa. 37. If I had said it Viz. Infants Baptism brought them to the Church those places and many others do hold it as Gal. 3.27 it s the ordinary way of putting on Christ c. I said not that it did bring them into the Church but that it is a Seal of our entry into the Church page 26. sprinkling of water is enough to signify inward washing If it doth not bring into the Church it is but a signe of inward washing it s not a putting on Christ neither can the Scripture prove it when there is no Scripture for it and were the Scriptures deemed the ordinary way and means but now sprinkling Infants What ignorant and gross contradictions are these Ye say Baptisme doth not bring them into the Church it s a bold Sacrilegious usurpation in detracting from the words of the Book of God which shall be punished with all the curses of that Book Though there be no express command for sprinâ—ling Infants yet it s of Divine Institution if it be drawn by good consequence pa. 36. See what Curses these Priests have laid upon them that deny the Infants Baptisme their Scripturles Tradition to bring into the Church and are not they herein evidently Guilty of Sacrilegious usurpation and adding to the words of the Book of God by their false consequence Baptizing of Children or others a standing Ordinance of Christ which he hath appointed to continue to the end of the world Mat. 28. and ordinary means for Salvation Maâ— 16.16 There be no express commands for sprinkling Infants Act. 2.38 repent and be baptized Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved They to whom Repentance and Faith was preached were not Infants such as the Priests sprinkle of a few dayes old which is not the Baptisme that saveth but that of the Spirit or the answer of a good conscience is saving Page 37. That many Ministers baptize the Children of those who are prophane and drunkards and so not believers They that profess the Gospel though they be not sincere believers yet they are in this sence accounted belivers Page 85. The Children of believers should be under the Initial Seal of the Covenant to believers and their Seed that promise belongeth those to whom that promise That God would be their God and the God of their Seed should be baptized Viz. Infants who are in the Covenant with God Page 36. It seems these Priests can make believers at an easie rate whilst they can take the prophane drunkards for believers upon their professing the Gospel but surely God is not the God of the prophane and drunkards nor are they in Gods Covenant as true believers are but under Satans power and their taking it for granted that the sprinkling Infants is the Initial Seal of the Covenant is false and but a beging the question Those who are under the profession of the Gospel are to be reputed as in Covenant pa. 39. Unbelievers who have a profession and yet have not sincere faith c. are not Righteous nor Holy c. Then it is not the profession of the Gospel that makes them believers or in Covenant with God An Arminion and Popish Doctrine that believers may fall from Grace The Fathers many of them fell into gross sins as is cleared from the Histories of
through Preaching openly he is not limitted yet no Preaching is truely effectual without him who is the chief Teacher For Priest It might have been answered by one of your oppinion 2. Paul your question is idle and vain for most men believe without a Preacher they shall believe the Light within teaching them Answ. If they cannot Preach except they be sent then who must send them and give them power for that work but Christ Secondly Neither do we so accuse Pauls question with being idle nor say that most men believe without a Preacher especially if they believe the Light within teaching them for that is Christs Light who is the true Teacher which brings to the substance of true Preaching and Teaching which proceeds from the Light within Priest The Scriptures Preached or the things contained in them is the ordinary way of begeting Faith Answ. The things contained in them seems a little to mend thy matter which things contained were before the Scriptures or Writings were and extend farther for some had and performed the things contained in the Law which had not the Law Viz. outward and many in this day can testify that the Spirit and Light within hath manifested within many things contained in Scripture before they read them outwardly there Priest The whole council of God Paul sheweth forth Act. 20.27 yet no other things then those which Moses and the Prophets did say the Scriptures Act. 26.22 Answ. All Pauls Preaching or his whole council from God is noâ— Recorded there but little in comparison of what he Pâ—eached Recorded he continued his Speech or Preaching till midnight ver 7. and talked even till break of day Where is this Sermon Recorded Many Scriptuâ—es and Books were writ by the holy men which we have not in the Bible were it not grose and false therefore to exclude them as no part of the councel of God Priest Is not that another Gospel that all the world over are taught Christ and his Gospel Answ. It is not our Gospel therefore unjustly charged against us for not all the world over are taught or are learned Christ and his Gospel though all have a Light from him sufficient to teach Priest In the use of Scriptures we are to expect he will beget Faith by his inward Teachings and Workings on the heart Answ. the matter is somwhat mended in confessing to his inward Teaching and Working on the heart but in that it seems to be tyed up or limited to the use of the Scriptures this dâ—nyes the sufficiency and extent of the Spirits inward Teaching which many have who cannot read nor use Scriptures and those who having not the Law were a Law to themselves and shewed the works of the Law written in their hearts c. though the Scriptures of Truth in their place we must needs own in that Spirit that gave them forth but whereas other-whiles Preaching is made the cause but now the Scriptures this is to make the Scriptures and Preaching all one and â—hen people may spare their mony they give to Priests for Preaching and giving their Interpretations to the Scriptures and onely read them with expectation of Christs inward teaching and working on the heart which indeed ought to be inwardly and Spiritually expected and waited for Priest He bid them search the Scriptures for in them they thought to have eternal life and they testified of him Joh. 5.39 this thought could not be a delusion Ans If this thought of their having Eternal Life in the Scriptures was not a delusion then they had Eternal Lâ—fe according to their thought but Christ testifies the contrary against â—hem in the following words saying Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life so to affirm they had it in the Scriptures is to affirm they had Christ in the Scriptures and that their searching them was their coming to Christ which is both contrary to their state and opposite to Christs own words of them that they would not come unto him that they might have Life And this contradicts thy former and much of thy stuff about Scriptures Priest â—f the searching and believing the Testimony of Christ given by the Scriptures be not really to find Eternal Life but an error c. such a thought as we blind Priests have then Christ would have told them of that error and bid them look for Life by following the Light within Answ. Believing the Testimony of Christ and searching the Scriptures are to things and the belief of which Testimony comes not barely by sâ—aâ—ching them for if it did then all that searched them had that belief and so Life c. which is contrary to the truth of what is apparent concerning many and to Christs own words of them they thought to have Eternal Life in the Scriptures and yet had neither heard the voyce of God at any time nor seen his shape they not believing him whom he sent nor would come to Christ that they might have Life Priest The Fathers before the Scriptures were written had the things contained in them by Revelations audable Voices Visions Dreames c. not by the Light within your Enthusiastick Fancy Answ. Yes It was by the Light within that they had the knowledge of those and had Revelations Prophecies c. For the Word of Prophecy was a Light to them and the inspiration of the Almighty gave them understanding when God spoke in a dream or vision of the night c. and God hath promised to pour down his Spirit upon all flesh that sons and daughters may prophecy young men may see visions c. Joel 2. was this a fancy Or to be mockt at as thou hast done Your Enthusiastick Fancy thou sayâ—st what grose error and ignorance hast thou herein shewed Priest That Christ will now beget Faith without the Scriptures Preached or known it were as good an inference to say because that by faith in Jesus Christ to come in the flesh the Fathers under the old Testament were saved therefore though one should not believe that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh yea though he should deny he is come he may be savâ—d if he believe he is to come Answ. An unequal parallel and false inference and abuse against us to compare the Scriptures with Christs coming in the flesh or to bring them in competition therewith and how did the Fathers know he was to come but by the Light or Spiâ—it of Prophecy within And how did the Saints truly and effectually know he was come but by the understanding and Eternal Life he had given them From whence Scriptures were given and from whence they spoke and wrot Priest 1. You deny the main end of Scriptures which is that we by believing what is written of Christ. 2. In them may have Eternal Life Joh. 20. 3. That we may find Eternal Life by searching they testify of him Answ. Nay the main end of Scriptures we cannot deny whilst we own and testifie to that Spirit
what his thoughts are and searcheth the heart who both can and doth spâ—ak what he pleaseth both of things declared in Scriptures and without them as he sees meet to the perticular states of men and persons and so to lay so much upon Scriptures which belongs to God and Christ and is properly their Work is unsound And Whâ—re provest thou the Scriptures search the thoughts And wherâ— say they so of themselves when they do not speak and direct to any perticular Person and shew him his thoughts and actions perticularly which the Light doth And the Spirit of Truth reproves and convinceth of the several evils whereof persons are guilty It s the Lord that sets their sins in order before them Priest It is false That any have a sincere supernatural Faith of the Scriptures that are ignorant of Christ c. They testify of him Answ. So then they must have some knowledg of Christ and from thence have a supernatural Faith of the Scriptures But how doth this agree with much more of thy work about searching the Scriptures for Life Eternal in them for begetting Faith c. Priest The foundation of the Saints and houshold of God are the Phrophets and Apostles Jesus Christ being the cheif corner-stone Eph. 2.20 Answ. Were not the Prophets and Apostles of that houshold of God If they were then they were their own foundation according thy to assertion here but thou hast wronged the Scripture for it was the foundation of the Propheâ—s and Apostles mark of the Prophets and Apostles they were built upon Christ Jesus the cheif corner stone Priest By the Prophets and Apostles that are the foundation is meant their Doctrine contained in the Scriptures not the persons Answ. Their Foundation was before their Doctrine or Scriptures Another foudation can no man lay then that which is already laid which is Christ But sure the Prophets and Apostles and Scriptures were not he Priest The Scripture makes known inward sins of thoughts and lusts Rom 7.7 Is able to makâ— the man of God perfect if they did not search into the thoughts of the heart discovering who are blind and carnal How can they make Wise unto Salvation Doth not the Scriptures make us Wise unto Salvation Therefore Are they not able to save us Christ as the principle cause of our Salvation is said alone to save us Answ. Thou meanest Christ as the principle searcher or the Spirit but the Scriptures as the instrument and then thou shouldest have said Christ makes known inward sins the Spirit searcheth all things And God Judgeth the secrets of men by Christ according to the Gospel without the knowledg of Christ there 's no supernatural faith of the Scriptures nor can any be made Wise unto Salvation but through that Faith And that Christ and the Spirit makes use of speaks and opens things contained in the Scripture many times Who denies that For then he speaks and opens those things immediately and thus the Law was made convincing to Paul not before it came thus and if on that account they be the instrumental cause then its Christ or the Spirit by hâ—s own speaking or teaching and openings that is the searcher and saviour And then it were most proper to lay the stress upon him as the searcher and Saviour and not thus often tell of the Scriptures being the searcher of the thoughts and of having in them Life Eternal lest also that ignorant persons go Idolatrously according to the tendency of much of thy matter to put them in the place of Christ or seek to make them the Saviour seeing that Christ the principle cause of our Salvation as thou confessest is said alone to save us and if he alone save its sufficient people be directed to him for that end for in him all sufficiency is who can now immediately speak matters contained in the Scriptures as well as when they were first given by inspiration And it is the inspiration of the Allmighty that giveth the true understanding without which the right use and end of the Scripture is not known Priest The Scriptures of Truth not I make four Saviours Viz. The ingrafted Word Faith Scriptures Timothy c. Answ. To us there is but one God one Christ one absolute Saviour one Faith c. Priest There is a Faith of the Scriptures that is historical this is not sufficient but this Faith may be of Christ as well and yet they not be saved but who has saving unfeigned Supernatural Faith of Scriptures cannot waâ—t it of Christ. Answ. Well Then this saving Supernatural Faith of Scripture and of Chrâ—st must come fâ—om a Supernatural Light or Christ who is thâ— Light and Author of Faith Priest How shall they believe without a Preacher sent Joh. 20. verse last They must have the Scriptures who have the knowledge of Christ for without this they cannot be kept from hell Answ. Who must send them if there be no immediate Teaching or Revelation now How provest thou thy Call from Scripture and that thou art Comissionated by Christ to Preach Thou shouldest rather have said they must have Christ who truely know the Scriptures and without him they cannot be kept from hell Priest In thâ—se Commandments written is our Life Deut. 30.15 16. Answ. The Word and Commandment was nigh them in their hearts that they might obey it and walk in the Commandments and live see Verses 11 12 13 14 15. how herein thou hast diminished and wrested Scripture and that Word which was nigh in the heart the Apostles preached It doth not say in the Commandments written is your Life Priest But that all Nations have the knowledg of Christ It s in an Enthusiastical Bible c These places He enlightens every man that cometh into the world and hath no respâ—ct of Persons are far wide from this conclusion therefore all have the knowledg of Christ all the Turks Jewes Pagans c. Oh! What monstrous horrid Doctrine c. Answ. It is not our Assertion nor Conclusion that all Nations or People have the knowledg of Christ herein hast thou abused us and our Principle for though he enlightens all they all do not walk in the Light nor believe in it But all Nations and People that come ever to know Christ and be saved must walk in his Light Who is the Way the Truth and the Life Priest Christ as he is God equal with the Father hath planted some Light of a natural conscience in every man of the world Answ. In him was life and the life was the light of men And he was that light which enlighteth every man that comes into the world who is not natural nor his Light that shines from him in the Conscience And God is Light who enlightens the World and gave his good Spirit in the dayes of old to the Rebellious and sent his Son a Light into the World That whosoever believes on him might not perish but have eternal life And here is the power and
for saying the cause of somâ—s condemnation is their rejecting the Light and their disobedience stubborness c. this is according to the Scripture Language as might be proved ar large For the fault is not to be laid upon God but upon man for his disobedience when he is consumed because of iniquity which is stubborness rebellion c. For God willeth not the death of sinners but rather their return that they may live and O man thy destruction is of thy self But thy help is of me saith the Lord so as God is clear when he judges Now we can thank God without boasting that he hath shewn such Love Mercy and Good will in Christ unto us and Christ that he hath shewn us Power Life and sufficiency in himself both to believe obey and give diligence and the name of God we may praise for all his Mercies and Blessings he attends us withal in the way whereunto he hath called us and indeed all Nations are called to praise the Lord which if all do not the fault is not Gods nor to be charged upon him or his free Grace but theirs that reject it And have treasured up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath and on the other hand they that count God a hard Master and they that blaspheme against him in their Torment and Anguish are but the slothful servants and such as have not recieved the truth in the love of it but have had pleasure in their unrighteousness And thereby have incurred displeasure from the righteous God whose severity follows on them that reject his Love and Good-will So these have not the Light as bright shining as we These being condemned from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power Priest How comes it that there is none among all these persons throughout the Nations where the Scriptures have never been heard that have Written in the defence of the Christian Faith and against the Paganish worship c. Travellers should have given some account of it c. Answ. As if the Scriptures were not onely the cause of Life Faith and Salvation according to thy former stuff but of all Writing in defence of the true Faith c. Then what was the cause and ground of Sciptures However it appears thou art no great Traveller nor hast had much acquaintance with such Travelers as we know have given account of more Christianity among divers of the heathen that have not Scripture then is among many in England and Scotland professing Christianity besides we find in divers of the heathens so called their Writings many things both Morral and Divine both favouring of Christianity and of some spiritual sence several of them had of the Nature and Life of Christianity which in it self is against all Idolatry of Pagans and others though not in your borrowed terms and expressions of Religion and Christianity And further why should the Apostle make use of some of the heathens expressions and Gentils experiences for proof if they had no tendence to Christianity Pr. But the best of those Nations and wisest were the greatest Enemies to the Gospel Answ. How provest thou that for we deny it and the ground of this thy peremptory censure and judgmâ—nt against all them that had not Scripture Many of whom we believe were better then thy self and hast thou known the best and wisest of them that thou art thus positive against them Pr. You have no warrant to say that deaf persons to whom the Scriptures have no way been known shall be saved Answ. As much as to say They that know not the Scriptures know not Salvation or shall not be saved thou shouldest have said They that know not Christ or come not to him fall short of Salvation the coming to whom is through the Fathers drawings who drawes by his own Spirit and darest thou say that deaf and blind persons shall not be saved because they cannot hear and read Scripture Pr. Before the Scriptures he taught by audible Voices Revelations c. but now you make all to be the Light within Answ. No Revelation is truely known without the Light within for what may be known of God is manifest within Pr. We deny that the Power of God is immediate Viz. in his people Ans. You may as well deny its being in his people and their inward Communion with it and therein you deny the very tenuor of the new Covenant and hereby limmit that power to mâ—diate teaching Scriptures c. what in you lies which tends to eclipse and detract from that Glory Sufficiency and Prerogative that is in Gods Power this is very gross and ignorant Pr We grant it is true which the Metaphysitians and Divines say of God that he concurreth in all works of creatures immediatione vertutis suppositi but this ye know not what it meaneth Answ. This makes against your selves if rightly considered and falsly thou hast said of us or of me for I do know what that phrase means both as to words and matter but and if we did not know what is meant why didest thou use thy Latine phrases and Scholastick terms to such as thou deemest so illiterate Hast thou not herein shewed thy self a Bravado Pr. He told us he will exercise his power for us and in us Answ. He will exercise his power in us and yet not immediate What contradiction's here Pr. Why the Grace of hope should be Christs more then the Grace of faith c. Answ. Châ—ist is the Grace of all our Graces and our all a mystery hid from thee and those of thy spirit Pr. Faith is a habit and an imperfect creature for all habits are in the category of quallity which is an accident and so an imperfect creature Answ. What Scripture have you Priests of Scotland for that Of Faith being a habit an imperfect creature or accident and Is accident and habit all one Where learned'st this Phylosophy to define Faith True Faith is not natural nor a natural habit however for thou hast granted a supernatural saving Faith but t is but a habit an imperfect creature whereas Faith is a fruit of the Spirit which is pure and perfect and the mystery of it is held in the pure conscience but if thou meanest imperfect creature as to the kind or quallity its false Doctrine and its being received by degrees doth not prove it for it s as truly and purely Faith and that of God and supernatural in the least degree yea if but as a grain of mustard-seed as in the greatest measure of it Pr. It is as impossible it should be otherwise as it is that a man abiding a man should essentially be a beast Ans. Is it as impossible Faith should be otherwise then an imperfect creature as for a man to be essentially a beast Sad Doctrine This is worse and worse Faith ovâ—rcomes the world purifies the heart justifies the mystery of it is held in a pure conscience yet not possible
for it to be otherwise then an imperfect creature Darknâ—ss Confusion and Contradiction to Truth Pr. The Grace of hope is imperfect Christ is the hope of glory Answ. These are one opposite to another but Christ is perfect who is the Grace and Life of all the Saints Graces Pr. Christs Word was his audible Voice speaking his mind Answ. Other whiles his Word is the Scriptures with thee as if the Scriptures and his audible Voice were both one which if this be true all that read them hear Christs audible Voice Is this Authentick Doctrine But Christs own words shall stand against it for Joh. 8.43 Why do ye not understand my speech even because ye cannot hear my word and we know that who hear the Son heareth the Father also But this is a mistery hid from the Carnal minded who Idolatrously pervert the Scriptures Pr. Though Christ and the Spirit be one yet he is not Christs Word for Christ is not his own word Ans. They that hear Christs Word and receive it receive of his own Virtue and Life in and the words he spake unto his are Spirit and Life thou hast here but cavilled which thou mightest as well have done against several Scriptures and against Johns saying In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God c Pr. I call the Scriptures the Word of God and the Gospel the Word of Reconcilliation The Word of God is distinguished from the Word of Reconcilliation Answ. Other-whiles the Scripture is the Gospel and the Word of God with thee now they are distinct the Word of God distinguished from the Word of Reconcilliation What confusion's here Is not the Word of Reconcilliation Gods God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself Pr. The Gospel are a part of the Scriptures and may be called one with them the Gospel is contained in the Scripture Answ. The Gospel is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes it was preached to Abraham and was before the Scriptures and is everlasting but thou hast spoken blindly here as before for Is the power of God contained in the Scriptures Then all that have the Scriptures have that power in them or from them which is not true Pr. Rom. 16.26 The Preaching of Jesus Christ according to the Revelation of the Mistery which was kept secret since the world began and by the Scriptures of the Gospel according to the Commandment of the Everlasting God made known to all Nations for the obedience of Faith Answ. But thou and such do not so preach Christ nor are so commissionated to preach at the Commandment of the Everlasting God who deny Revelation and his imediate Teaching now and this contradicts much of thy dark stuff for here the Revelation of the Mistery is prefered before the Scriptures and the Preaching according to them was from that Revelation of the Mistery which the Apostles had in them but were the Scriptures that Revelation and kept secret since the world began The Revelation of Christ was the Mistery Christ within the hope of glory a mistery hid from Ages c. How was it by the Scriptures made known to all Nations for the obedience of Faith if in many Nations there be neiâ—her the knowledg of Christ nor Scripture according to thy former And of that Rom. 16.26 which thou sayest is the Scriptures of the Gospel thou hast wronged the Scriptures herein for it is the Scriptures of the Prophets c. Pr. The Gospel and Mistery of Christ is made manifest by the Scriptures of the Prophets preached to all Nations not by a Light within If it were not in the Scriptures How could it be manifest and made known by the Scriptures Answ. If not by the Light within How by the Scripture without it Have all that hear Scripture read or preached the knowledg of the Mistery of Christ without the Light within How then doth the Apostles speak of the Revelation as before Did nor he preach from the Light within or Revelation of the Son in him Gal. 1.16 How ignorant hast thou shewed thy self in this matter Again the Mistery was not made manifest by the Scriptures alone or barely for both Revelation and Preaching is mentioned before and to tell of the Gospel and Mistery being in the Scriptures is as much as to say the power of God or Christ is in the Scriptures Pr. Doth not Mark chap. 1.2 call what he wrot the Gospel Where he saith The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ c. Have you a forehead that cannot blush that tells us that the Gospel is not Scripture What a feared conscience and shameless boldness have ye attained to Answ. It is not from any feared conscience nor shameless boldness for me to assert the Gospel was before the Scripture and if Mark intended his Writing or what he writ to be the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ then it follows that the Gospel of Jesus Christ did not begin before Mark wrot that ReveRevlation and then how doth he mention what was written in the Prophets and tell of the Gospel of Jesus Christ And did not Jesus Christ shew forth his power and preach the Gospel before that of Mark was writ But seeing thou hast taken the liberty both to give thy meanings to Scriptures and pretends to compare one Scripture with another I may have liberty to tell the other Scriptures in this case as in Luke 1.1 he saith Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most truely believed amongst us and ver 3. It seemed good unto me also c. And Act. 1.1 The former Treatise have I made O Theophilus So what they writ it was a Treatise or Declaration of things spoken done and believed and much of which relates to the historical part of things and matters but if the written Declaration Treatise of things or Scripture without be the Gospel then hireling Priests may be silent and let people read them without spending their mony of them for their various meanings traditional Interpretations c. for the Gospel ought not to be added to nor another preached how-be-it there is a difference between true Preaching proceeding from the immediate Spirit and Power of God which Paul was a Minister of and the Scriptures or Writings outward without the Spirit or Life for Paul was not a Minister of the Letter but of the Spirit and New Testament And is not a living Ministry and Voice especially where it lives by vertue of the Power of God from whence it immediatly comes of more force and authority then the Letter or Writings which Scriptures signify Yea I do further affirm that the same Words or Dâ—clarations as immediatly proceeding from the Power or Spirit of God is of more force and effect then the same words would be as spoken onely from Scripture without Deny it you Priests if you can I can in
the Name of the Lord largely demonstrate it against you Pr. The Scripture is Everlasting Viz. what is contained in them Answ. Confusion Are they both one This is like much more Pr. Is not the Gospel written by the Prophets the Scriptures written by them Aâ—sw Thâ—n Marks Writing was not the beginning of it here 's contradiction and error again the Apostle calls them the Scriptures of the Prophets but speaks of the Gospel Revelation and Mistery before see Rom. 16.25 26. where its very plain he makes a distinction between them and the Scripture Pr. I deny any immediate Teaching by God Answ. Then thou deniest God to Teach his people himself when he dwells in them wherein thou hast denied the truth of the Gospel and New Covenant Pr. Christs Immediate Teaching will no way follow for his opening the understanding to know the Scriptures for he doth by the same supernatural influence shine on the understanding and Scriptures Luk. 24.32 Answ. Doth Christ by a Supernatural Influence shine on the understanding and yet deniest thou his immediate Teaching What a Labyrinth of Confusion and Distraction art thou fallen into And it appears without this Supernatural Influence shining on the understanding the Scriptures are not truely known nor opened Pr. That Christ was first known himself or he gave the knowledg of the Scriptures The Apostle Paul Rom. 16 26. denies your consequence Answ. Have any a Supernatural knowledg or faith of the Scriptures who have not a knowledg of Christ It seemes thou hast forgotten thy former words and the Apostle doth not deny my consequence for he had a knowledg of Christ before he Preached him or writ Epistles concerning him and his knowledg of the Son of God was by his Revlation in him besides the very Order Tenour and Matter of the Apostles words cited by thee makes for me against thy self see Rom. 16.25 26. for they run thus Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the Revelation of the mistery which was kept secret since the world began But now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all nations for the obedience of faith c. this thou mayest peruse again to thy owne contradiction Pr. The Cause indeed must be before the Effect and yet not allwayes in order of time but of nature c. If there be a Pryority or Posteriority of Christ in the Soul certainly the Scriptures hath it in the order of nature though the Lord in the communicating the knowledg of them he is in his being first because the Cause must be before the Effect so the giver of knowledg before the knowledge given Answ. This being rightly considered we find both contradiction and Ignorance in them for Is the Cause before the Effect allwayâ—s in order of nature not of time and yet have the Scriptures the priority in the order of Nature Where learnedest thou this distinction not from the Scriptures nor from Christ Surely Christ hath the Priority in order of time for he is in his being first and if the Cause must be before the Effect alwayes in order of nature then he hath it in both for he was the cause both of Scripture and communicating the knowledg thereof as thou confessest as also that the Cause must be before the Effect so the giver of knowledg before the knowledg given And indeed He was before all things and by him all things consists and in all things he is to have the preheminence and priority Who is the First and the Last the Foundation the Beginning and the End But thy saying if there be a Priority or Posteriority of Christ in the soul certainly the Scriptures hath it in the order of nature in this thou comest off but very saintly and dubiously and bringest the controversy to no result nor clearness but art confused for if there be a Priority of Christ in the â—oul then it is not of the Scriptures it bâ—ing a Priority of Christ who also doth by a Supernatural Influence shine on the understanding c. But in these matters much might be said which time would fail thorowly to treat of Pr. The Juditious will think you a pittifull object who expose your self to shame and ludibrie c. Answ. Thy censure anâ— scorn herein I vallue not it will fall upon thy own head and theirs that have taken thy part herein Pr. Without the Sanctifying knowledge of Christ one may understand the Scriptures without error and â—angling Answ. This is both erronious and contradicts much that thou hast said before and after which I need not very often repeat Pr. Most men have both preached the Truths in the Scriptures and maintained them by Writing who never had any Sanctifying Knowledg of Christ. Answ. This is like the former and that most men have preachâ—d Truths in Scriptures is too large a word and contrary to what thou saidst before of other Nations but what do these things tend to but to set up unsanctified persons to be Preachers or Priests But too many there are of such already for of them and their pollutions many are grown sick and the earth will vomit them out and all that seek to maintain them against Christ and his Kingdom which he is setting up Pr. For Judas he preached the Truths c. The Scribes and Pharisees that sat in Moses seat preached Truths whereas Christ bad hear them Mat. 23.2 3 4. Answ. But doth this prove that Judas had no sanctifying knowledg of Christ Herein hast thou erred for Judas had part of the Ministery from which by transgression he fell Act. 1.17 25. So transgression was the caâ—â—e of his fall from the Ministery and that Scipture Mat. 23.2 3 4. proves not that Christ bad them hear the Scribes and Pharisees nor that they were true Ministers of Christ though wherein they sat in Moses seat and read or preached his Precepts when in force they were to be obeyed but Christ reprehends them in many places for corruptions got in amongst them contrary to the Law and for their vain Traditions and Precâ—pts of men and therein they were not true Ministers of the Law much less of Christ. Pr. Some preached Châ—ist out of envy and strife and not out of love c. yet preached Christ and the Scriptures without errors Phi. 1.15 16 17. Shall we say they had the Sanctifying Knowledg of Christ who had not love to him who hath not good will to him Answ. Thou hast not proved that they preached Christ and the Scriptures without Errors who were in Envy and Strife for they were guilty of Error in the ground Viz. Envy and Stâ—ife and where that is ther 's confusion and every evil work in that Christ was preached and his Name published in those dayes the Apostles rejoyced but not in the Envy and Error of such as preached him out
obey it be wicked Whereas the Apostle saith before That the doers shall be justified See how thou hast brought forth one error and falshood upon another Pr. Is not the Father distinct from the Son and the Spirit in the personal subsistance An. Where learnedst thou these words the Father distinct from the Son and Spirit in the personal subsistance these are not the words of Scripture or the words of Scripture clearly conferred together as thou sayest after but in contradiction after thou sayest although the Scripture doth not in so many words make mention of three Persons who are one God and three distinct Persons and that these cannot be three if they be not distinct for where there is no distinction there is perfect oneness c. What 's the consequence of this but that therefore there is not perfect oneness in the Deity or God-head because three distinct Persons or three distinct one from another in personal subsistance Is this good Doctrine Is not that oneness between the Father and the Son perfect And Did not Christ say I and my Father are one and prayed that his might be perfect in one as he and his Father were one And though thou hast said you disalow all Traditions or any written rule which is not Scripture and yet thou wilt use words and distinctions which are not Scripture according to thy own confession What confusion art thou â—n For whereas I answered thee that we own what the Scriptures of truth assert of the God-head Viz. That there are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one c. and thou thy self in the next Page sayest that both the Father the Son and the holy Ghost are a Spirit howbeit my honest answer in Scripture words would not satisfy thee but thou hast villifyed and abused me in this matter in several reproaches and slanders as with shameless rayling and deriding c. with grose evasion with not being able to answer thee with not owning what the Scriptures assert and with blaspheamous fancyes blaspheaming Jesus Christ c. All which accusations I utterly deny as thy malitious lies and slanders against me and thy bundle is stuffed with many more of like nature and if thou didst not propound any of those quarrels as not knowing the answer of them as thou sayest c. then Didest thou propound them to cavil and get some advantages to carp at For thou hast shewed thy self in prejudice against us and hast reckoned me or us as wanting Learning c how-be-it thou hast shewed such Learning as thou hast to confute me with broken School phrases and words with some few fragments and traditional distinctions patched up together which we can have no Scripture for but thy consequences which much might be said to shew the weakness and shallowness thereof Pr. Those who had Christ the living bread yet were partakers of the outward bread as the disciples were Were not the Corinthians Saints c. An. That the disciples had outward bread Who denies But that it was to continue alwayes of necessity as an Ordinance after Christ the Living Bread and Life was received in them which is the substance that 's not yet proved that the disciples were to shew forth the Lords death till he come in the observation of the Bread and Cup or supper I grant Now what and when that coming was is the matter in controversie Christ came after when he was arisen was apparent he also spiritualy came and was more fully revealed within the Saints and was their Living Bread and Life as thou grantest now when he was with the disciples at supper before he was Crucified he intended by his coming a third coming till which they were to do it which coming not being in their dayes nor is yet by your Doctrine this is no where proved in Scripture as we know Pr. Were not the Corinthians Saints called in Christ And yet the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. he gave them the Bread and Cup which Christ gave to his disciples the night he was betrayed Secondly And whereas ye say that Christs coming again was when he rose again how false is this and absurd c. An. That 's very strange Doctrine that the Apostles gave the Corinthians the Bread and Cup which Christ gave to his disciples the night he was betrayed Where was it kept in the mean time that they both should have the same Bread and Cup the one so many years after the other Where hast thou learned this amongst the Popish Traditions and Reliques But t is probable thou meanest other-wise then thy words import Secondly And Is it false and absurd to say that Christs coming again was when he rose again Did he not come again after he rose And must that be reckoned for no coming And a third coming which is not yet and Was that an outward coming till which the disciples and Corinthians were to continue the Bread and the Cup whereas that coming is not yet according to thy Doctrine The Apostle to the Corinthians told them what Christ did and spoke to the disciples in the case but we read not that he imposed it upon them to continue it all their time or till a supposed coming of Christ which is not yet come for he said to them The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ And Was not this the substance Where then remained the necessity of the shadow or outward Representations or Mementoes as some calls them And When was the Church to shew forth the Life of Christ and by what if all their time they must needs and people still shew forth or represent his death and him as suffered as thou sayest by Bread and Wine Doth not the substance end the shadows And Where have you any example in Scripture for the manner of your administring Bread and Wine at certain times a year and calling it a Sacrament The Lords Supper c. Pr. The Apostle telleth that the Corinthians were to shew forth his death till he came again so it behoved to be such a coming again as was yet future and unaccomplished in the Corinthians time the Bread and Cup spoken of to the Corinthians behoved to be outward Bread as shewing forth his death Secondly Because it was the same that Christ took and devided and gave to his disciples An. What confusion's here Were they to use the outwaâ—d Bread and Cup after they were dead then If they were to observe it to a coming unaccomplished in their timâ— And if it was the same that Christ devided and gave to his disciples Was that the outward bread so given to both Or Was there not more in Christs words then the outward observation What was his Body and his Blood and the Cup of the New Testament in his Blood and the fâ—uit of the
vine in the kingdom Was it not spiriritual a mystery which the outward Bread Cup and Passover were but as signs or shadowes of Pr. There is no such passage written that Christ appointed it to be taken away by his suffering An. As oft as they did it it was to shew the Lords death till he came What coming and when was it or is it to be he intended Wa' st a first or a second or a third And was it inward or outward Pr Neither is the Bread and Wine a shadow Secondly For he being present and it representing him as suffered it cannot be called a shadow as of things to come An. Is the Bread and Wine the substance Then this is popish thus to deny the â—read and Wine to be a shadow and worse then the Episcopals that tell us of their Sacraments being outward and visible signes of an inward and Spiritual Grace Secondly If Christs being present makes Bread and Wine no shadow or not figurative then by the same reason the Passover which the disciples prepared to answer that part of the Law was not a shadow nor Circumcission Offerings c. when done either for Christ or in his presence which to affirm and make that the reason were grose and absurd whereas the mystery substance or end was not so fully manifest when Christ was outwardly present before his being offered up as after when they were indued with power from on high received the promise of the Comforter came to eat his flesh and drink his blood which saying the disciples for a time when he was with them were troubled at and counted hard Pr. It concerneth all who own the Doctrine contained in the Scriptures though they be for baptizing with sprinkling to propound a query to men that do with sacrilegious boldness take away the Ordinances instituted by Christ unto believers An. Is it not then sacrilegious boldness for thee and the Priests to teach or impoâ—e sprinkling Infants which is neither a Doctrine contained in Scriptures nor a baptizing believers howbeit such a great stress hath been laid on the Scriptures before as being the rule and means for Faith and Salvation revealing the Mystery for receiving Life Eâ—ernal in them Christ in them c. yet we find not sprinkling Iâ—fants in the Scriptures neither by command nor practice though so much pleaded for by one here that tels us Pag. 35. they disallow all Traditions or any unwritten rule which is not Scripture but sprinkling Infants is not Scripture but onely a Tradition of men And one main plea for it is that Infants baptisme was approved and practised in the Orthodox Church of Christ c. which is just like the Papists and Jesuits plea to believe as the Church believes taking it for granted that the Church is pure as he saith Orthodox in all her Traditions whether they be Scripture yea or nay whereas before all Traditions or any unwritten rule which is not Scripture are disallowed but instead of Scripture for proof in this matter we have mention made of the Teachers and Guides of the Church as he calls them as Tertullian Cyprian who lived about 247. after Christ and Lactanctius that lived about the year 317. As also the latter sound Fathers as he calls them as Augustin Jerom Bassil Viz. their being for Infants baptisme but what proves all this from Scripture if it be as he sayes they did Must we take it up upon an implicite faith because such and such approved of it And yet at other times lay such a stress on the Scriptures as the perfect rule of obedience of faith c. How hath E. I. undervallued the Scriptures in this matter and spoyled his own cause touching them And Do not the Papists plead for their Traditions and Ceremonys against Protestants and others in like manner as he hath done in this cause And Would he be willing to accept their Arguments against Protestants when they are of the same nature and bear the same face with his in this point Pr. That the Covenant Abraham and his Seed was under was the same in substance with that which believers now and their Seed are under and therefore the Children of believers should be under the Initial Seal of the Covenant as Abrahams were An. Where provest thou by Scriptures that sprinkling Infants is the Initial Seal of the Covenant Or that ti 's so called thou herein doest but beg the question and takest it for granted that it is the Initial Seal of the Covenant of Grace which I deny and then from thence fallatiously drawes thy inference and conclusions for its being to Believers Seed as Abrahams Children to wit the males were Circumcised and that the Covenant Abraham and his Seed was under was the same in substance with that which believers now and their Seed are under But what of this if it be granted it was Gods Covenant or Promise Must they therefore be under mans tradition which sprinkling Infants is To plead for it from believers being baptized is to ground it upon that you Priests are out of the practice of so as to that it 's not pertinent to dispute with such about it who own it not in practice but onely talk of it for a cover to a popish tradition and thereby shew their hypocrisie the more and Must now sprinckling Infants stand for the substance or antitype instead of Circumcision Or Was Circumcision the type of Infants Baptizme so called Whereas sprinckling Infants hath neither the true form nor matter of Baptisme outward in it for in the next page it 's confessed that the word in the first Language signifying Baptisme is rendered washing Mar. 7.4 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afterwards it 's said that being washed all over best signifies our inward renovation and burial with Christ and thus contradictions and confusions are heaped up in many places And to my saying that it s not commanded under the New Covenant to Baptize Infants thou replyest the Apostle Peter Act. 2.38 39. sayes That those to whom that promise that God would be their God and the God of their Seed should be baptized but to Believers and their Seed he saith that promise belongeth c. Now let the Reader but peruse that Scripture mentioned by thee and compare thy fallacious arguing from it for Peter said Ver. 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you c. Were they Infants such as the Priests sprinkle that he bid repent How grosly hast thou perverted Scripture And Ver. 39. The promise is to you and your Children and to all that are a far off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Now What can be inferred from hence for sprinkling Infants Were all they whom God should call Infants when called Or Did Peter intend they should all have their Children sprinkled before they were called But in contradiction afterward thou sayest though there be no express command yet it s of divine institution and warrant if it be drawn
taken from him by a greater then he We have peace with God but are all compassed about with infirmities and subject to passions as was Elias We are cleansed from all sin by the Blood of Christ. Aâ—l passions are not sinful passions for passions are sufferings for it could not be that Paul and Barnabas were subjects to the like sins with those Idollaters Act. 14.13 14 15. when subject to like passion with them Here is another Arminion and Popish error that believers may fall from Grace A believer may fall Peter and David sinned foully Surely their sinning so foully was not in the Faith but when they were turned from it which required their repentance That Peter and David fell from Faith is an Arminion and Popish error Evil works come not from Faith Then the evil works they did were out of and against the Faith and had they stood in the Faith they had been kept from those evil works Peter and David had their failings Viz. till deaâ—h Eliah an old Prophet subject to like passion as we are c. Christ said to Peter I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Doth signify when he should be fully recovered And surely Peter was so converted or fully recovered as to strengthen his Brethren before his decease and like passions were like sufferings which may relate to sickness Jaâ— â— 13 14. or other afflictions for Paul and Barnabas were not subject to the like Sins or Idollatry with those heathens Act. 14.15 It is not sad Doctrine as you say but comfortable that as believers may fall as Peter and David whereas he doth not fall wholly away but hath still the Seed of Grace remaining in him p. 24. The sad breach that Peters fall made on his Soul did weaken his Grace and cloud his comforts very much There are remains of sin within us which we are to mourn for If sin did very much cloud his comforts and be the cause of mournings as it was both to David and Peter then for you to plead for sin term of life cannot be a comfortable Doctrine unless to such as be hardened in sin and take pleasure in it Which improvment of the Light within must indeed come from free will and consequently ye hold Merit We must put on the whole armour of God and war against sin pa. 23. Do not they improve the Light who war against sin and this is not of or from mans will in the Fall but from the power that converts and works in him to will and to do There are remains of sin within us while we live here which we are to mourn for The kingdom of God is Righteousness Peace Joy in the holy ghost Twenty sixth Page Therefore sin which is the cause of sorrow hath no place in the kingdom of God which the Saints attain to here Faith is an habit and an imperfect creature Saving Faith is given of God and is a saving enlightning of the Soul to know Christ Faith is a Sanctifying Light What strange Doctrine is this that an imperfect creature is a Saviour an Enlightener a Sanctifier and doth the Kirk of Scotland receive this for Orthodox The Gift of God is perfect and every good and perfect Gift comes from God Those who tell us of a Faith in Christ without Scriptures have no Light in them pa. 28. Twenty sixth Pag. The Jewes wilfully rejected the Light and shut their eyes against it wicked men who rebel against the Light have the Light of a natural Conscience and the common work of the Spirit Then they had the Light and the work of the Spirit is not natural but no Light in them excludes natural Light as well as spiritual from being in them whereas in that Isa. 8.20 it should be no morning in stead of no Light Jesus Christ bid them search the Scriptures for to find him in them They might have Life by the true spiritual knowledg of Faith these who believed and had Life did own the Light within and who denieth that is Christ sheweth by the Spirit of Revelation and Wisdom within Now Supernatural Knowledg Light within Spirit of Revelation and Wisdom within is confessed but another while imediate teaching power c. is denied by those who think to find Christ in the Scriptures but Is that Christ that suffered at Jerusalem to be found in the Scriptures How blind are you Priests of Scotland The Child of God cannot sin Totally and Finally There is no man liveth and sineth not Those for whom Christ hath given himself he Redeemeth from all iniquity How from all iniquity and yet sin so much contended for by you These all for whom Christ died cannot be meant of each individual person of the world how are they lost if he came to save them this argueth defect of wisdom to foresee want of power to effect his intention pa. 31. He died for all some have wilfully rejected the Grace given that wilfully trample under foot the blood of the Son of God There is neither defect of wisdom nor want of power in Christ but wilfulness and rebellion in man that lets he died for all his Grace is freely tendered that they may believe and be saved But this is not by absolute compulsion and force as if therefore he were absolutely intended to save all but Love and Good Will is shewed towards all many wilfully reject and trample upon it as is confest Motions of Satan and our deceitful hearts are to be tried it is comfortable Doctrine that a believer may fall as David and Peter Those that got a new heart from God and his fear put in them they do not depart nor revolt It is the deceitful hearts that are comforted with such Doctrine that is for falling as David and Peter did and not the new heart in which Gods fear is put The Scriptures do reveal the Mysteries pa. 27. Jesus Christ sheweth by the Spirit of Revelation and Wisdom within pa. 30. The Scriptures testifie of the Mysteries but then Christ by that Spirit within Reveales them The Scriptures being many words of God taken together they are called the Word of God pa. 25. The Scriptures calleth Christ the Word of God in some places Christ the Word was before the Scriptures or the Words besides one word is not many words nor many words properly to be taken for one word Is not the Father distinct from the Son and the Spirit in the personal Subsistance pa. 31. Both the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost are a Spirit pa. 33. Both â—or all a Spirit and yet distinct in personal Subsistance Where learned you this Doctrine Not from the Scriptures Ye do not own what the Scriptures assert but your own blasphemous fancies Viz. about the Deity three Persons distinct in the personal Subsistance pa. 32. Ye say ye own what the Scriptures of Truth assert of the God-head That there are three that bear record in heaven