as the ordinary and common allowance and priviledge of all God's Saints and People and not only to Saints but to Men and Women in order to their becoming Saints they need God and Christ inwardly to speak unto them for it is the inward Voice and Speaking of Christ that quickneth the dead Souls of Men according to the words of Christ The Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live John 5.25 CHAP. III. Of the Supream Judge and Rule of Controversies of Religion IT hath been already acknowledged in the first Chapter that the holy Scriptures are a sufficient outward Rule and Standard whereby to try all Doctrins of Men however so holy or wise they may be or however much indued with the holy Spirit because the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets and as the holy Spirit of Truth is one so the words of it do all agree in all the true Prophets Apostles Evangelists Pastors and Teachers and as is already said the Noble Bereans were commended in Scripture for searching the Scriptures to see and examin whether the Apostles Doctrin was according to the Doctrin of the ancient Prophets that wrote the Old Testament and until the Apostles Doctrin was generally received they did appeal to the Scriptures of the Old Testament for a proof of their Doctrin although that was not their only proof for they had a greater proof than that outward was even the inward Witnéss and Testimony of the holy Ghost that made both them and their Doctrin manifest in the Hearts and Consciences of their Hearers whose Hearts God was pleased to open 2. And therefore in respect of any outward Rule and Standard the Scripture is sufficient and to be preferred in all respects to any other latter Writings or Testimonies or Records whatsoever first because writ from a greater measure and depth of divine Wisdom for though the Spirit be one yet it hath diversity of Gifts and Operations and Administrations and all Men divinely inspired had not the same clearness of divine Knowledge Numb 12.6 7 8. Moses exceeded the Prophets generally David and Solomon exceeded many of them and Isaiah and Jeremiah exceeded others of them and among the Prophets some were as Fathers some as Sons hence we read in Scripture that God is the Father of Lights and of these Lights as to us some are higher and some lower which some mystick Writers both among Jews and Christians have taken notice of out of the Scripture it self hence they say Moses drank at the Fountain Samuel David Solomon and some others drank at the Streams and others of an inferior degree at the Pond or Cistern And they further say Moses had his Revelations from Binah Abraham from Gedulah a step lower Isaac from Geburah yet lower Jacob from Tipheret yet lower but partaking of both signified by his dwelling in Tents betwixt the Tents of Abraham and Isaac David sometimes from Tipheret and sometimes from Nezah and Hod hence we read some of the Inscriptions of his Psalms to Nezah and sometimes from Mulcuth and they say that the ordinary Prophets had their Revelations from these two divine Measures Nezah and Hod called Exod. 38.8 The Looking-Glasses of the Lords Hosts that Assemble at the door of the Tabernacle see the Heb. text But Moses had liberty to go into the heavenly Tabernacle it self and so had some others And that God did make himself more known to Moses than to Abraham Isaac and Jacob is clear from these words of his to Moses at the Bush I appeared to Abraham Isaac and Jacob by the Name of God Almighty but by my Name Jehovah was I not known to them Exod. 6.3 And concerning this distinction of divine Gifts and Illuminations Paul declareth saying To one is given the Word of Wisdom to another the Word of Knowledge to another Faith all by the same Spirit Hence we read in the Proverbs Wisdom Understandang and Knowledge distinguished Wisdom buildeth the House Vnderstanding establisheth it and Knowledge filleth the Chambers with all precious and pleasant Riches Prov. 24.3 4. Therefore Wisdom is a degree above Understanding and Understanding a degree above Knowledge all which divine Measures are set in order as the parts of a Tree with Root Branches and Tops or as the Members of a Mans Body by way of Allegory and Analogy Cochmah Binah and Daath belonging to the Head Gedulah Geburah to the right and left Hand and Arm Tipheret to the Body Nesah Hod and Jesod to the Thighs and Legs c. and Mulcuth lowest of all all which make up by way only of allegory and analogy the Parts and Members of the Son of Man or heavenly Adam as both Ezekiel and John saw him upon his Throne The English Names of these Hebrew words all which are found in Scripture in their true order are these following Cochmah i e. Wisdom Binah i. e. Understanding or Prudence Daath i. e. Knowledge see 1 Chron. 29.11 Gedulah i. e. Magnificence Geburah i. e. Power Tipheret i. e. Beauty Nesah and Hod i. e. Victory and Glory Jesod i. e. Foundation and Mulcuth i. e. the Kingdom And secondly and most especially we give the Preheminence to the Scriptures beyond all latter Writers because we are well assured that the Scriptures throughout are pure without all mixture of Error or Mistake and this is generally granted by all Christians that the Scriptures are really so being duly and rightly translated but we are not assured that any mans or mens Writings since are altogether pure and free of all mixture of Error and human Weakness until they be duly examined and found to agree to the holy Scriptures and to the inward testimony of the holy Spirit for altho' whatever the Spirit of God inwardly revealeth is infallible and pure from all mixture of Error and whatever any man saith or writeth as he hath receiv'd it from that his Testimony is pure and without mixture yet we are not assured that any man or men are in that state of Perfection that they may not by human frality in some measure or way more or less decline or depart from the pure and infallible Teachings of the Spirit of God for as it is possible they may purely and chastely keep unto them so for want of due watchfulness and holy care they may more or less depart from them and so there may be a mixture of Truth and Error both in their Understandings and Words and therefore they are not to be taken on trust but both their Doctrin in all things is to be tryed by the Scripture and their Spirit by the Spirit of Truth as every one is able according to what he hath received All which doth not hinder but that the Spirit of God in our day both teacheth and leadeth infallibly although the Disciples and professed Followers of it at times by weakness may be liable to mistakes 3. And as concerning that phrase or expression that some use That
but that only the true Saints and Children of God belong to the invisible Church And again tho such who have true Desires and true living Breathings raised in them after the Lord may be said as such to belong to him and be of his Sheep yet they are still but as scattered and driven from the true Fold and as wandering for most part upon the barren Mountains and the dry and desolate Hills seeking the living among the dead until they come to be gathered into the True and Living Way of God and of Christ so as to know and be acquainted with the Lord and his inward Leadings Rule and Government in them and to be able to distinguish his Voice and inward appearance in them from that of a stranger and to worship him in Spirit and in Truth and serve him in the newness of the Spirit and in pure Holy Fear and Love as Sons and Children in his House And this State ye are generally strangers unto and therefore tho some of you may be allowed in true Charity to be the Sheep of Christ yet ye are but scattered until ye are returned unto Christ the Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls and know him revealed in you to lead rule and guide you and feed you with the living Bread and give you the living Water to drink which he himself is inwardly revealed and that ye be turned away from all false Teachers and Shepherds which is the earnest breathing and cry of my Soul unto God for you G.K. Heads or Principles OF Christian DOCTRIN CHAP. I. Concerning the Holy Scriptures 1. THe Holy Scriptures of the old and new Testament being generally and worthily acknowledged by all Christians to be writ by Divine Inspiration without any mixture of Error are a sufficient outward Rule and Standard whereby to examin and try all Doctrins of men 2. They contain a full and intire Declaration of all Christian Doctrin and therefore whatever Doctrins or Principles of Christian Religion men presume to teach which they cannot prove and demonstrate from the Holy Scriptures they lay no obligation upon any to believe them 3. The Scriptures are only sufficiently and savingly believed and understood by the inward Illumination and Revelation of the Holy Spirit which is the same in kind to that which God gave to the Saints of Old 4. Although they contain a full and sufficient Declaration of all Christian Doctrin yet they do not contain the whole Mind Will and Counsel of God as some say they do Because there are many things wherein God doth reveal of his Counsel to his Children which are not in Scripture either expresly or consequentially altogether necessary to their Peace and Comfort as to instance in some particulars First It is a part of the counsel of God for a Christian to know his inward Calling and whether he be indeed one of God's called and chosen Ones whether in favour with God and justified and sanctified And though the Scripture doth give infallible Signs and Marks of such an estate yet no Scripture nor Scripture-consequence can infallibly assure any man that he hath these marks but it is the spirit of God that only can and doth give them this assurance Rom. 8.16 2 dly All true Preachers and Ministers of Christ ought to know the mind and will of God whether they be called of God to the Work of the Ministry which Call is an inward Call that is altogether necessary to their faithful discharge of so great a Work but this they cannot know simply by the Scripture 3 dly Every true Christian should know his inward Call to Pray or give Thanks or perform any Religious Duty or Service unto God as David said When thou said'st Seek my Face my Heart answered thy Face O Lord I will seek hide not thy Face from me Psal 27.8 Again 4 thly It is commonly granted that it is a Duty belonging to every Christian to enquire the Mind and Counsel of God in every weighty matter and concern of our Life as if we be visited with any great Affliction inward or outward to enquire with Job Shew me O Lord why thou contendest with me And as Rebecca when the Twins strugled in her Womb enquired at the Lord and said Why am I thus And the Lord answered her Also in the case of Marriage every true Christian man and woman ought to enquire and wait for God's counsel with whom to be joyned in Marriage that they may know indeed the Lord's joyning of them and that they marry in the Lord But this cannot be known by any Scripture or consequence from Scripture but the Spirit of the Lord must reveal it even the same that led Abraham's Servant to take a Wise to his Son Isaac And every Christian should know the will and counsel of God in his outward Vocation that it is of God and so abide therein as the Scripture saith Let every man abide in the Calling wherein he is called of God And as the Servants of God in days past in traveling and sojourning from place to place received the counsel of God so do these now that wait for it in uprightness of Heart as really as holy men did of old and as Philip received the Word of God which he could not find in the Scripture either expresly or consequentially when the Spirit said unto him Joyn thy self to this Chariot when he was sent to preach Christ to the Eunuch and as Peter was sent to Cornelius and Ananias to Saul and many other the like instances and as James declareth Men ought not to be rash or hasty to say to day or to morrow we will go into such a City c. for that ye ought to say If the Lord will James 4.13 15. Now how can a man know what the Lord willeth in such a case unless it be given him by the Spirit of the Lord inwardly to feel either a Command or Permission to do such a thing For whereas too many make the outward passages of Providence their rule as to say If Sickness or some outward Impediment hinder not they constitute that to be the Will of God And whereas many remove from one place to another and Divine Providence doth not hinder them and yet in that removal they have not had God's approbation and it hath not had a blessing to follow it but on the contrary for leaving their place they have been exposed to sad Temptations and have fallen under them And lastly there are many precious living Soliloquies and Intercourses betwixt the Lord and the Souls of his dear Children while he answers the returns of their Prayers in living Testimonies and words of his Holy Spirit which though they are agreeable to Scripture yet are not express Scripture words but are the real Words and Dictates of the Holy Ghost speaking Peace and Consolation to them beyond all utterance or demonstration of Speech and wonderfully quickning and strengthning them in the inward man as we find in the Psalms and in the Song of Solomon and other places of holy Scripture for
of Truth but the Spirit of Truth they have not and who have it not cannot minister it And therefore Paul imputeth all the good Fruit and Success of his Ministry not to himself but to the Grace of God that was with him and in him 1 Cor. 15.10 How then can a graceless Man have any fruit or success in his Ministry seeing all fruit and success belongeth not to the Man however so well furnished with natural or acquired parts but to the Grace of God It is Grace Grace that maketh a Man's Preaching effectual to the Hearers and that Grace is in the Minister and worketh both in him and with him in the Hearts of the Hearers where God is pleased to concur and give the blessing and increase and thus the Grace of God is like a good Seed and Plant that not only bringeth forth Fruit in that little spot of Earth where it was first planted but spreadeth abroad and filleth many other parts and places with it and hath new Roots and Seeds continually encreasing and multiplying 7. And as concerning the Call to the Ministry It is worthy of great observation how they are pinched and narrowed to give any colourable account of their Call who deny all inward and immediate calling to the Ministry and especially such of them who say The Church of Rome is no true Church but a Harlot and the Pope is Antichrist as the Westminster Cenfession of Faith doth expresly call him cap. 25. sect 6. and yet the Presbyterian Ministers generally derive their Call from him and I have heard divers of them expresly affirm it being questioned about their Call whether immediate or mediate they have answered mediate from the Apostles and then being urged to shew the Line of Succession through which that mediate Call is conveyed unto them they have plainly said The Popes of Rome as one lately a Preacher in New-England said before some Hundreds of People That their Call to Preach was by the Popes of Rome and so according to their own Doctrin by Antichrist Surely these men do not believe that Christ is in them either to call or furnish them in their Ministry who must go so far as Rome to bring it and from him too whom they call Antichrist But they think Rome and the Pope however much distant from them is much nearer than Christ and Heaven from whom the true Ministers have their Call 8. And as all true Preaching ought to be by the Inspiration and moving of the Spirit of God so all true Praying and Singing both in private and in publick for still that is it which the Scripture enjoyneth Ephes 6.18 to Pray always with the Spirit or in the Spirit and no man can say that Jesus is the Lord either in Preaching or Praying but by the holy Ghost And I charge them to produce one Instance where Praying without the Spirit is commanded any where in Scripture or was ever practised by any of the Saints without the Inspiration of the Spirit Do they not grant that all the Prayers recorded in Scripture did proceed from divine Inspiration and Revelation And if their Prayers do not they are quite of a Bastard kind for the true Worshippers Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth and the Father seeketh such to Worship him and none else And whereas some say Then men who neglect Prayer are excusable because they have not the Spirit to move them to Prayer I answer Not they are not in the least excusable for as he that oweth a sum of Mony to his Prince though he hath not wherewith to pay his Debt is still Debtor and yet must not pay with false Coyn but true so he who hath not the Spirit 's assistance and help to Pray is still obliged to Pray but not without the Spirit and that he hath not the Spirit 's help at all seasonable and requisite times for Prayer it is his own default who hath resisted the Spirit and provoked him to with-draw his necessary assistance from him for the Spirit of the Lord is ready to give his seasonable help to all men to help them both in Prayer and Thanksgiving and all other commanded Duties and Performances And as for Singing on a Book and with artificial Musick and notes or tones it is no part of Gospel-worship being no where either commanded or practised in the New-Testament And it is strange that these men should be against Praying on a Book and yet Sing on a Book for if the one be not Spiritual the other is not 9. There are others such as these called Independents and Baptists who deny all immediate Call to the Ministry and yet betake themselves to as poor and shiftless evasion about their Call as the former They say They have the Call of the Church But still the question is Whence had the Church her Power either immediately or mediately And then the former difficulty returneth for they cannot say their Church hath been visible from the Apostles days and besides the Church is posterior to the Ministry for by true Preachers and Ministers people come to be converted and so to be made fit Members of a Church and therefore the Ministers by whom their Church was first raised or gathered cannot have their Call from the same for that were to put the Effect before the Cause or to say the Church called the Ministers and the Ministers called the Church is to run into a Circle as to say the Egg bringeth forth the Hen and the Hen bringeth for the Egg to wit first of all which is impossible 10. And as concerning true Gospel-Maintenance to the Ministry any Maintenance that may be necessary to any that are poor and have not of their own according to the Scripture it ought to be free and voluntary without force of human Law and compulsion for the Scripture saith He that Preacheth the Gospel should Live by the Gospel It doth not say by human Laws and straining of mens Goods and Cattle as the Preachers both of Old and New-England have done and they ought to relie upon the gracious Care and Providence of God that never suffered his Ministers to want for when Christ sent forth his Disciples without Bag or Scrip at their return they said they wanted nothing Secondly there should be no bargaining in the case betwixt the Minister and the People for that is altogether mercenary and proveth them to be Hirelings and the Servants of Men who have so hired them Thirdly they should receive only to supply their present Necessities and labour with their Hands as honest Paul did that he might make the Gospel of Christ without charge who would not abuse his Power in the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.18 and 2 Cor. 11.9 I was chargeable to no Man And 1 Thes 2.9 Because we would not be chargeable and 2 Thes 3.8 For why may not Ministers when they do not Preach or otherwise labour in the ministerial Work work with their Hands to supply their Necessities to
live honestly and worthily as many Preachers at this day as well as formerly do both Work and Preach by turns and as they have freely received so they give freely and these no Man can charge them that they have made their Gospel chargeable as the Preachers both of Old and New-England have done who have put the People to great charge of many Thousand Pounds yearly and yet the People is not profited under them and they have by force taken or caused to be taken from many who did not hear them nor own them to be Ministers of Christ for which they have no president either in the Old or New Testament 11. And whereas they who plead That true Piety is not essential to a Gospel-Minister First bring Judas for a president to which it is easily answered first that it is said Judas fell from his Ministry by Transgression and therefore some time he stood and it is more than ever they can prove that Judas never had any measure of true Piety or Sanctification when Christ did first send him forth for although he might have covetous and evil Inclinations that doth not argue that he had nothing of true Sanctification according to their own Doctrin who affirm That a Man may have true Sanctification and yet have not only strong evil Inclinations but very evil Practices But 2 dly when Judas was called the pure Gospel dispensation had not taken place and did not until Christ rose from the Dead and gave the holy Ghost Next they say Christ told the People that the Pharisees sate in Moses Chair and he did not forbid them but rather encouraged them to hear them saying Do what they say but do not as they do To this it is answered The Pharisees and Scribes teaching belonged to the Law and so they pass from the true state of the Question which is whether Ministers of the Gospel need not true Holiness to make them true Ministers 3 dly They object Paul's words concerning some that preached Christ not sincerely and yet he said Christ was preached and therein he rejoyced To which I answer that doth not justifie their Preaching but it holdeth forth the great Power and Wisdom of God that causeth all things to work together for his own Glory and the good of his as when by Persecutions and Reproaches and Slanders and false Accusations and contending against the Truth the Truth doth the more spread and flourish as hath oft been known and therein God's Servants have rejoyced yet this doth not justifie these Persecutors Lyers and false Accusers CHAP. V. Concerning God his Decrees and Election and Reprobation and the general state of Mankind by means of Adam's fall and the Way of Restoration by Christ 1. IT hath been a common thing among both Presbyterian and Independent Teachers in Old and New-England to accuse the honest People called in derision Quakers of being guilty of Blasphemy against God and Christ and the holy Ghost for no other cause but that they express their Faith of the great Mystery of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost in Scripture words and have not freedom to use the words of Man's wisdom and that come only from the Spirit of Man and have not proceeded from the Spirit of God whereby to express and declare their Faith of so great and glorious Mystery And by means of this so great Accusation and others as false and injurious they prevailed with the Magistrates of New-England to cause to be put to Death three dear and precious Men-Servants of the Lord and one dear and precious Maid-Servant of the Lord beside many other cruel Sufferings inflicted upon others for which great Cruelty and Barbarity the Hand of the Lord hath been manifestly stretched out against them in manifest Judgments and Plagues that divers among them have since acknowledged And therefore let all Men know to whose Hands this may come that the People called Quakers never denyed but on the contrary faithfully believed and do still faithfully believe whatever is recorded in the holy Scriptures of that great Mystery to wit that God is one and that the Father the Son and the holy Ghost is that one only true and living God the Creator and Upholder of all and Lord and King of all visible and invisible things and that the Father is begotten of none the Son is begotten of the Father from everlasting and before all Time and the holy Ghost hath proceeded from the Father and from the Son from Everlasting and before all Time and that the Son is God manifest in Flesh who came in the Flesh in the fulness of time as the Scripture declareth and that the Lord Jesus Christ whom the Apostles preached that dyed for our Sins and rose again for our Justification and is ascended and gone into Heaven is that alone Son of God and the only begotten of the Father in whom the fulness of the God-head dwelleth bodily and the Lord Jesus Christ in the intire and perfect nature of Man consisting of Soul and Body is gone into Heaven and is in Heaven and that his Body that was crucified and buried did not see Corruption but was raised on the third day and after forty days did ascend and was glorified according to which glorious Body of the Lord Jesus Christ we believe that at the Resurrection of the Dead our Bodies shall be changed and be made like or conform Acts 1.11 and that the same Jesus who is ascended and was taken up into Heaven shall so come in like manner as they did see him go into Heaven 2. And as concerning God we believe that he is a Spirit infinite unchangeable and incomprehensible omniscient omnipotent and omnipresent infinitely wise holy powerful good merciful and gracious just and righteous that he is Light and Love and whatever the Scripture doth declare of him we faithfully believe although this Name of him to wit Light the Faith-publishers at Westminster have altogether omitted in their Confession whether heedlesly or designedly that I leave but it seemeth they knew little of him if any thing at all by that Name and yet it was the Message that the Apostles heard from him and declared unto Men that God is Light and that he is in the Light to wit in Christ who is the Light of Men and that if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have fellowship one with another and the Blood of his Son Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin 1 John 1.5 6 7. And indeed it suits most with their Doctrin that all inward divine Revelation is ceased either to conceal or deny that God is Light as to us and in us or in any of his Saints or that Christ is Light to and in his Saints for the nature of the Light yea of all true Light is to reveal and make it self manifest by it self as well as other things and this description the Apostle Paul giveth of it Ephes 5.13 Whatever maketh manifest is
transmit the Beams of his divine Light Life and Love into our Souls through Means and Instruments as good Men and good Books and especially in reading or meditating in the Scriptures and also good Angels who are ministring Spirits and do minister to the Heirs of Salvation so many times it pleaseth him to bring them into a solitude or solitary place Hos 2.14 and there to speak unto them and reveal himself to the unspeakable satisfaction of their Souls without all means whatsoever save only that great and always most necessary and desirable Mean the Lord Jesus Christ in and through whom the Father doth always speak and reveal his Glory to his dear Children even as Christ declared saying No Man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him For none of all the Prophets or Apostles did know or converse with God but as the Son did reveal him who is that most lovely and aimable skreen cloathing or vail through which the Glory of the Father shineth forth into our Souls meekly and gently and yet most sweetly according as every one is able to receive 3. And they who deny all inward divine Revelation of God in his Saints ever since the Apostles days and would wholly exclude the Saints from all inward enjoyment of God and Christ in their own immediate Light Glory and Brightness may be justly charged with Blasphemy against the great love and kindness of God to his People And such of the Priests of New-England who have blasphemously called the Light of God in his People A stinking Vapour from Hell and do blaspheme against the Light of God and Christ in all Men in a Day of Visitation that is given to lead and bring them unto God a meer human and natural Light corrupt and dark as some of them have called it and as they generally esteem of it And yet for this their Blasphemy we would not have the Magistrate to hang them or any way to punish them but our desire and Prayer unto God is for them if it be his good will that such of them who have not out-lived the Day of Visiation may find Mercy to repent and believe and acknowledge the Truth they have so long gain-sayed And whereas these Faith-publishers at Westminster in Old-England and at Cambridge and Boston in New-England do say in their Confession cap. 26. sect 3. This Communion which the Saints have with Christ doth not make them in any wise partakers of the Substance of his God-head and that to affirm it is impious and blasphemous It deserveth our serious consideration and to examin where the Impiety and Blasphemy lieth whether at their door who deny it or theirs who affirm it Even that the Saints are partakers of the Substance of his God-head And first as to their Proof from Scripture they cite Col. 1.18 19. And he is the Head of the Body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the Dead that in all things he might have the preheminence for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell But this place of Scripture saith not that the Saints are not partakers of the Substance of the God-head of Christ but the contrary may be proved from this very place which calleth him the Head of the Body the Church For as it is the same Substance of Life that is in the Head and in the Body and every Member of it So it is the same divine Life and Spirit that is in Christ the Head and all his Members and that Spirit is the holy Spirit and that Life is the Word and the Word and the Spirit are one Substance and Being with God as the same Confession saith cap. 2. sect 3. And that the Saints are partakers of the divine Nature and of the holy Ghost the Scripture expresly declareth it 2 Pet. 1.4 and Heb. 6.4 So that it is marvelous blindness or inadvertency in these Men so to contradict the express Scripture testimony And for the Word Substance with respect to the inward enjoyment of God and Christ the Scripture hath it expresly in several places Prov. 8.21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit Substance and I will fill their Treasures And Heb. 10.34 Knowing that in your selves for so the Greek doth bear it ye have in Heaven a better and more enduring Substance For as they had it in Heaven so they had an earnest of it on Earth in their Hearts and that all fulness dwelleth in Christ doth not prove that his Saints enjoy none of that fulness but on the contrary Out of her Fulness as said John we have all received and Grace for Grace John 1.16 And not only the Saints receive Gifts and Graces from Christ but they receive him and the Father in him and with him to live and dwell in them according to John 17.23 I in them and thou in me And yet this doth not infer that the Saints are equal with Christ that they have the same Spirit and Life with him and through him and by and from him as it doth not prove that the Foot is equal with the Head because the same Soul or Spirit that is in the Head is in the Foot and the same Life that is in the Root of a Tree is in the Branches and as Christ said I am the Vine ye are the Branches And if the Saints do no wise partake of the Substance of the Godhead of Christ I ask them what do they partake of him Do they partake only of the Substance of his Manhood without the Godhead or of neither If the first then the Manhood of Christ as they partake of it is without the Godhead which is Blasphemy indeed or if the second that is to say the Saints do neither partake of the Substance of his Godhead nor of the Substance of his Manhood then they partake nothing of Christ at all substantially according to their Doctrin O miserable Teachers What then do they partake of him if nothing Substantially Of his Accidents as they commonly say All Graces are nothing but Accidents Then here is a new sort of Doctrin of Transubstantiation as these of Rome say The consecrated Wafer or Cake hath the Accidents of Bread in it as the colour taste and smell of Bread but nothing of the Substance of Bread is there So say these Faith-makers The Saints that did see smell taste and feel of Christ in ancient times that which they did spiritually see smell taste and feel with their Souls and Hearts is only Accidents and no Substance This is more strange than that other that there is no Substance of Bread in the Cake but only the Accidents But why was not your reverend Brother as ye called him John Owen taxed with Blasphemy for affirming That the holy Ghost doth well in Believers really and as he worded it personally together with his Graces And Samuel Rutherfold a great Presbyterian who said in one of his Printed Epistles He
them by his holy Spirit and not only Faith but Love Hope true Righteousness and Holiness Meekness Temperance and Humility and all other Evangelical Virtues and Fruits of the holy Spirit are the Instruments and Means whereby men obtain free Justification through Christ Jesus and whereby they are enabled and fitted or qualified to apply Christ Jesus and his Righteousness unto them so as to have the same imputed unto them and made theirs to wit Christ and all his spiritual Blessings Gifts and Benefits and his Death and Sufferings and Obedience with all the blessed Effects and Fruits of it For as a Line that is straight cannot be applyed unto another Line that is crooked but unto a Line that is straight so cannot the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Righteousness of God be applyed unto men for Justification unless these men be made righteous as he is in likeness or conformity unto him although not equal unto him And therefore John did seasonably give the warning and caution fore-seeing that many would claim to be righteous or justified when they were not really doers or workers of Righteousness 1 John 3.7 Little Children let no man deceive you he that doth Righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous And the same John said Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life c. Which is equivalent to their being justified seeing Justification doth include in its Nature a Right or Interest in Christ who is that Tree of Life 5. It is therefore a gross Error and a false and Antichristian Doctrin in these Faith-publishers at Westminster espoused by the Presbyterians and Independant Teachers in New-England That God doth justifie men not by infusing Righteousness into them but by pardoning their Sins and accepting them as righteous c. cap. 11. sect 1 2. And also that they say Faith receiving and resting on Christ and his Righteousness is the alone Instrument of Justification is another great Error For as Faith may well be compared to one Hand of the Soul whereby it receiveth and embraceth the Lord Jesus Christ so Love which is an inward Evangelical Grace and Virtue that is shed abroad or infused into the Soul by the holy Ghost may be compared to another Hand and Arm whereby it doth receive and embrace him And all the inward Evangelical divine Virtues and Graces that are wrought and begot in the Soul by the holy Spirit of Christ are so to speak as a whole intire Body consisting of many Members whereby the Soul doth embrace and cleave unto the Lord Jesus Christ and thus a perfect Union cometh to be witnessed betwixt the faithful Soul and the Lord Jesus Christ when it is joined unto him receiveth him and cleaveth unto him not by one single Grace or Virtue called Faith but by all other divine Graces and Virtues which make up a whole intire Body having many Members and Joynts whereby the Soul cleaveth to him as one streight Line is joyned to another or as one streight Body to another not in part only but in all parts And thus also doth the Lord Jesus Christ embrace the whole Soul in all its spiritual and divine Powers and Virtues that he hath freely conferred upon it And hence it is that true Believers are said to put on the Lord Jesus Christ as a man putteth on a Garment Now he that putteth on a compleat or intire Garment every part of his Body cleaveth to it even so the Soul that putteth on Christ cleaveth to him by all its spiritual Members which are the divine Evangelical Virtues wrought in it by the holy Spirit of Christ even as the Sins and evil Lusts are called the Members on Earth Col. 3.5 6. But though real inward Holiness and Righteousness as well as Faith be the Instruments whereby men are justified yet they are not the Foundation and Ground of Justification but the Lord Jesus Christ alone even Jesus of Nazareth who dyed for our Sins without the Gates of Jerusalem and rose again in his intire and perfect Obedience and Righteousness is the alone and only Foundation and ground of Justification on which the Souls of all the Faithful are to rest for Justification and Remission of all Sin and therefore no man is to rest or relie upon the best Works or Righteousness or Obedience that he doth or can do even when helped to perform the same by the help of the holy Spirit For this were to put good Works in the room of Christ which ought not to be for no Works of Righteousness or Holiness done by us even by the help of the holy Spirit is the Foundation of the Saints Faith or Justification but Christ alone and the free Love Mercy Grace and Favour of God the Father revealed in him and by him through the holy Spirit For seeing all men generally have sinned no mans best Obedience for Sin formerly committed can be a Ransom unto God but Christ alone is the Ransom even he who was Crucified and rose again 1 Pet. 3.18 The Just having suffered for the Vnjust that he might bring us unto God And as no man can redeem the Soul of his Brother so nor can he redeem his own Soul For the Redemption of the Soul is precious and ceaseth forever Psal 49.8 viz. to be the Work of man but it is only and alone the Work of him who is both God and Man according to verse 15. But God will redeem my Soul from the Power of the Grave for he shall receive me Selah See further these other Scriptures Ephes 1.7 Col. 1.14 Heb. 9.12 15. Gal. 3.13 1 Pet. 1.18 Rev. 5.9 Mat. 20.28 1 Tim. 2.6 Job 33.23 24. 7. And seeing Remission and Pardon of Sin for Christ's sake is a part or branch of Justification as these Faith-publishers do acknowledg and that repentance is of such necessity that none may expect pardon without it as they confess cap. 15. sect 3. Is it not very manifest by their own Confession though in plain contradiction to their own Doctrin that Repentance is a necessary Instrument and Condition whereby to obtain Justification And indeed the Scripture layeth equal weight upon Repentance and Conversion as it doth upon Faith in order to obtain Remission or Pardon of Sins Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your Sins may be blotted out Acts 26.18 To turn them from Darkness unto Light and from the Power of Satan unto God that they may receive Forgiveness of Sins c. And when the Scripture saith Titus 3.5 Not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us It is clear that Works before or without true Faith are understood and not the inward Work of Sanctification as is clear from the following Words by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost And if the real inward Work of Sanctification and Obedience had not been necessary to Salvation the Scripture would
the sixth also seeing they believe it only to be but a Figure to wit that called the Eucharist And to say the truth they have not one whit more probability but rather less for the two Sacraments that they have reserved than for the other five that they have rejected And they have no cause to accuse the People called Quakers of Sacriledge for denying these two until they clear themselves of Sacriledge for denying five and give better grounds for reserving these two than as yet they have given 2. And as for Infants Baptism and sprinkling a Child of eight days or more or less on the Fore-head and call it Baptism it hath no footing in all the Scripture neither of Precept nor Practice as will easily appear by considering the places of Scripture they cite for it And first for Sprinkling on the Fore-head instead of Dipping they cite Heb. 9.10 to 22. But this Sprinkling was not of Water but of Blood and we do not read that it was only on the Fore-head and the Cups and Vessels that were sprinkled with Blood or Water were sprinkled all over and not in one single place And why did John baptize Christ by dipping into Water and others that he baptized if sprinkling on the Fore-head was sufficient in that day Next as to the baptizing of Infants they cite for it Gen. 17.9 Where God commanded Abraham that every Man child of his Posterity should be Circumcised and therefore every Infant of one or both the believing Parents are to be sprinkled with Water But this Consequence is meerly begged but nothing proved For the first we find an express command to Abraham For the second we find neither Command nor Practice in all the Scripture nor was the practice of baptizing Infants in use for an hundred of Years and more after the Apostles days among Professors of Christianity And let it be granted that Infants have a right to the Grace signified by Water Baptism it doth not therefore follow that the Figure or Sign belongeth unto them because they have also a right to Christ's Body and Blood and yet they confess the Supper is not to be administred unto them The next place they cite is Coloss 2.11 12. where Circumcision and Baptism are joyned together but neither the Circumcision nor the Baptism there mentioned is outward as is clear especially of Circumcision that is said to be made without Hands and therefore it is not the outward of the Flesh but the inward of the Heart and so is also the Baptism there mentioned verse 12. Buried with him in Baptism wherein also you are risen with him through the Faith of the operation of God Ye see here is nothing of outward Water Nor are all they who are baptized with outward Water either buried with Christ or risen with him but many still alive in old Adam and that too generally The next place they cite is Matth. 28.19 But this saith nothing of Water and if it were granted that Water-Baptism is understood as it neither is nor ought to be granted yet it will not prove that Infants should be any more baptized than taught seeing teaching and baptizing are joyned together Another place they cite is Luke 18.15 16. where Christ biddeth to suffer little Children to come unto him and forbid them not and that he blessed them and laid his hands upon them we read in Scripture but that he baptized them either with dipping or sprinkling we read not but on the contrary it is expresly said That Jesus himself baptized none to wit with Water see Joh. 4.2 Their last place they cite is Rom. 11.16 If the Root be holy so are the Branches but this doth not prove that Infants are more to be baptized than to have that called the Supper administred unto them And these Branches mentioned by Paul in that place Rom. 11.16 were really the unbelieving Jews that because of their Unbelief were broken off at that time yet the Root being holy to wit Abraham and the promised Seed Paul had hope of their conversion as many as did belong to God's election as he expresseth it verse 28. and these were not the immediate Children of Abraham but forty Generations after Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and therefore this Scripture saith as much for the aged unbelieving Children of unbelieving Parents if they have descended from any of their Fore-Fathers upwards of forty Generations that were Believers and if up to forty why not up to sixty and further Yea to Noah who is the common Father of all Men with whom God established his Covenant and with his Seed after him until the end of the World that all his Seed through Christ might receive the benefit of the same unless they do wilfully reject it of which I have said something already in Chap. 6. 3. And as for Water-Baptism in general we say it did only properly belong to John's Ministry and Dispensation and is expresly contradistinguished from the Baptism of Christ both by John and also by Christ himself for John did baptize with Water unto Repentance but Christ who cometh after John and was before him who is more worthy than John he baptizeth with fire and with the Holy Ghost and no doubt there was a spiritual blessing and Grace conveyed unto People by John's Baptism while it stood in force for God never ordained any outward thing but as it was rightly done in its day and season it had some spiritual blessing accompanying it as all the Sacrifices and Services of the Law And if any were raised up by the Lord as John was and could prove and instruct their being sent to baptize with Water as he was these to whom they should be sent ought gladly to receive it but to do it by bare imitation or a meer pretended Call which they cannot prove to be either mediate or immediate is great presumption yea superstition and to call that a Command of God which he hath given them no command to practise is to set up the Precepts of Men in the room of God's Commandments as the Pharisees did of old and is a taking of his Name in vain for which he will not hold them guiltless And they can never prove by all their art and skill that Water-Baptism is commanded by Christ Mat. 28.18 19. for all God's commands and precepts especially of publick institution relating to the Church are express in so many express Words and are not left to be gathered by uncertain and doubtful Consequences When God sent John to baptize with Water Water was expressed but in the Apostles Commission to baptize no mention is made of Water nor no words of Institution commanded to be used but the command is Go teach and baptize all Nations into the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost And the Name of either the Father or the Son or the Holy Ghost is most frequently if not always used in Scripture to signifie Power and Life as the Name of the
Blastings and unfruitful Seasons and other Judgments and Plagues and Strokes upon you yet ye have not seen nor regarded it many of you yea most of you but ye are like unto them concerning whom the Prophet Isaiah testified saying Lord when thy Hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed for their Envy at the People And this is the Word of the Lord unto you all Teachers and People of all sorts of Boston and New-England all such of you who are Unbelievers and have not Faith in the Light of God and Christ within you but place all your Confidence Faith and Reliance upon the imputed Righteousness of Christ without you and what he did and suffered for you unto Justification while in the mean time ye know not Christ within you and so are in the state of Reprobation or rejection as such and while ye there remain opposing Christ without to Christ within professing to own him without but denying him within and the Revelation of him within in mens Hearts and crucifying him by your daily great Sins and Iniquities of all sorts But is Christ divided Or can any have a right and sincere Faith in Christ as he came and suffered Death in the Flesh and rose again and ascended into Glory unless they believe in him and own and witness him revealed in them their King Priest and Prophet Lord Judge and Lawgiver their Head and Foundation laid in them Christ in them the hope of Glory And all who sincerely own him within them have the benefit and comfort of his Death and Sufferings and Righteousness that he accomplished without them when he came in the Flesh and none others and this is unto you all the Word of the Lord whether ye will hear or forbear And oh Repent Repent of all your Self-Righteousness and Self-willings and Self-runnings and actings of all sorts in that ye call your Duties and Performances wherein ye are daily exercising your selves without the Lord 's holy Spirit and Power and Life inwardly revealed to which ye are Strangers and many of you wilfully ignorant hating and refusing to be informed or instructed even many or most of you And all ye who have made light of the cruel Sufferings of the Lord's Servants called in derision Quakers and some of whom have been put to Death at Boston by a most unrighteous and inhuman Law wherein they who either made or executed the same have shewed themselves more inhuman cruel and barbarous than many or most of all sorts of mankind Oh! mourn before the Lord for this great Sin and for shedding the Blood of the Innoccent wherewith your Land is still defiled and the Iniquity of it is not yet done away nor shall nor indeed can but by deep Repentance Mourning and Contrition of Soul and Godly Sorrow and unfeigned Repentance and turning unto the Lord and let it not be an excuse unto you that many of you were not the actors in that great Sin but ye have not mourned for it before the Lord many yea most of you and therefore it lieth upon you and this is the Word of the Lord unto you G.K. A Copy of this was set up in the most publick place in the Town of Boston the 21 st of the 4 th Month 1688. Boston the 12th of the 5th Month 1688. To James Allen Joshua Moody Samuel Willard Cotten Mather Preachers in the Town of Boston in New-England Friends and Neighbours I being well assured both by the Spirit of God in my Heart and the Testimony of the holy Scriptures that the Doctrin ye preach to the People is false and pernicious to the Souls of People in many things do earnestly desire and entreat you and every one of you the Preachers in the Town of Boston to give me a fair and publick hearing or meeting with you either in one of your publick Meeting-Houses or in any other convenient place where all who are desirous to come may have liberty and let the time be as soon as may as either to day in the Afternoon or to morrow in the Fore-noon but rather than fail if ye will give me any assurance to have a meeting with you I will attend your leasure for two or three days to come providing once this day you send me your positive answer and if ye give me a meeting with you I profer in true love and good-will by the divine assistance to shew and inform you that ye teach and preach unto the People many false and unsound Principles contrary to the Doctrin of Christ sufficiently declared in the holy Scriptures your Doctrin being according to the Catechism and Confession of Faith of the Church of Boston and New-England which I have diligently examined and find it to be the same with that published by the assembly of Presbyterians and Independents at Westminster in Old England about forty Years ago excepting some few small things wherein some of you may differ in Church Government and Discipline and if ye cannot receive my Information I profer to debate these things fairly with you which I call false Doctrin and to vindicate our Principles who in scorn are called Quakers whom ye have falsly charged for which some of our worthy Friends have suffered death at Boston and let the Scriptures Testimony be the only external Rule Test and Touch-stone of our said debate And the particular things I charge on you as being false Doctrin and contrary to the Doctrin of the holy Scripture beside many others that I could mention are these following 1. That God hath committed his Counsel wholly to Writing even since the Apostles days the former ways of God's revealing his mind to his People being ceased 2. That God hath fore-ordained what-ever cometh to pass 3. That God hath not afforded or provided sufficiency of Grace and means of Salvation unto all mankind whereby they may be saved 4. That there are reprobate Infants that die in Infancy and perish eternally only for Adam 's Sin imputed unto them and derived into them 5. That the Light that is in every Man that convinceth them of their Sins and calleth them to leave and forsake them is only natural and no ways sufficient to enable any Man to do any work acceptable unto God 6. That Christ hath not dyed for all Men. 7. That Justification is only by Christ's Righteousness without us imputed unto us and received by Faith alone and not by any Righteousness of God or Christ infused into us or wrought in us 8. That beginnings of true Sanctification cannot be fallen from totally 9. That no Man in this Life by any Grace of God given him or to be given him can perfectly keep the Commandments of God but doth daily break them in Thought Word and Deed. 10. That no Man ever since the Apostles days are assisted by any infallible Spirit to Preach Pray or Write and that to speak and pray by the moving of the holy Ghost as the Prophets and holy Men witnessed of Old is ceased 11. That human and outward learning without the saving Grace of God and the holy Spirits inward Revelation and Inspiration is sufficient to qualifie a Man to be a Preacher of the Gospel 12. That the Scriptures ought
to be believed only for their own outward Evidence and Testimony and not for the inward Evidence and Testimony of the holy Spirit in Mens Hearts I expect your Answer some time this day and remain your Friend G.K. Having received a Blasphemous and Heretical Paper subscribed by one George Keith our answer to it and him is IF he desires Conference to instruct us let him give us his Arguments in writing as well his Assertions If to inform himself let him write his Doubts If to cavil and disturb the Peace of our Churches which we have cause to suspect we have neither list nor leasure to attend his Motions If he would have a Publick Audience let him Print If a private Discourse though he may know where we dwell yet we forget not what the Apostle John saith Ephes 2.10 July the 12th 1688. James Allen Joshua Moody Samuel Willard Cotten Mather To James Allen Joshua Moody Samuel Willard Cotten Mather called Preachers in Boston I Received yours wherein ye give no satisfactory nor reasonable answer to my fair proposal ye call my Letter unto you A blasphemous heretical Paper But wherein it doth contain either Heresie or Blasphemy ye have not mentioned far less demonstrated I pity your Ignorance and I perceive ye are in the same darkness and blindness of Mind that the Jews were in who accused the Lord Jesus Christ of Blasphemy and if he were now among you in the Flesh he would meet with the same entertainment from you for the measure of the same Spirit of Truth which is in his Servants that dwelt in him in all fulness ye blaspheme against But it is well ye have not the Magistrates Sword now at command which your Brethren sometime ago had and made a woful and miserable use of it to turn it against the Innocent And now that ye have no Carnal weapons to fight with we can find no Spiritual weapons that ye have But by silly and frivolou Excuses ye seek to lurk and hide in Corners when ye are fairly and justly required to appear in open Field to defend your false Doctrin To whom shall I liken or compare you but to Night-birds and Beasts of prey as they are described Psal 104.20 21 22. Thou makest Darkness and it is Night wherein all the Beasts of the Forest do creep forth the young Lyons roar after their Prey c. The Sun ariseth they gather themselves together and lay them down in their Dens For now that your Sun of Persecution is gone down and the Sun of Peace is arisen ye have no courage to appear in the open and fair Field to defend your evil Cause only in your Dens and Houses into which ye have crept where the honest People called Quakers have not occasion to hear you ye speak Evil of things ye know not and lie and rail against the Truth And that ye and not we the People called in scorn Quakers are Blasphemers I have not only charged but demonstrated in sundry particulars in this Treatise And yet because I judge ye do so in ignorance I believe it is pardonable and if ye sincerely Repent of it it shall be forgiven you But why are ye afraid of the Light to appear in publick to try your Spiritual strength and weapons when your Carnal are gone Is not that Scripture fulfilled upon you Job 24 16 17. In the dark they dig through Houses which they had marked for themselves in the day time they know not the Light for the Morning is to them even as the Shadow of Death if one know them they are in the terrors of the shadow of Death I do say it in uprightness I writ not this boastingly or glorying in my strength as of self my alone glorying is in the Lord and in his Truth which is the strongest of all that God in his infinite Mercy hath made known unto me and the Truth in the Mouth or Pen of the youngest Child is too strong for all the Goliahs among you Remember that memorable passage of the Barley-Cake that tumbled into the Host of Midian as it was represented to one in a Dream which was the occasion of Gideon's taking courage to go out against the Midianites who was prospered with great success though he and his Men were but a small company Judge 7. And also remember how at the sounding of the Rams Horns the Walls of Jericho fell down flat to the Ground Men of an evil Conscience are commonly afraid Or if ye fear your People lest if any publick Dispute should be they might be in danger to change their mind Is it not the most effectual way to rescue your Sheep if they be in danger suppose we be Wolves as we thank God we are none to appear openly and in a manly way against us and not to suffer the Wolves to hunt the Shepherds for that were a strange thing but that if ye be Shepherds ye hunt the Wolves and seek them out every way and by all means and be glad of every occasion to find them And is your Preaching to the People so little effectual that many Years teaching them is not sufficient to save them from the danger of two or three Hours fair debating of things If your People were built on the Rock ye needed not fear that they would be so soon shaken In your very short Letter ye have very many idle and frivolous Suppositions If this and If that so that in six Lines or seven ye have five needless Suppositions and labour as Men in a Sweat or at least seem so to do to find out the design or intention of my Writing unto you the which is plain without any enquiry for I told you very plainly the end of my writing was to inform you That ye preach unto the People many false and unsound Principles pernicious to the Souls of People And if ye could not receive my Information I profered to debate these things fairly with you And though I neither had nor have the least mind to Cavil yet I most assuredly believe that the Peace of your Churches is not the true Peace of Christ but that both ye and they are set down in a false peace and rest And therefore he who at the command of Christ Jesus and by the motion of his eternal Spirit doth proclaim a holy War and soundeth an alarm in your Ears that Christ himself is come and more abundantly coming to take away your false Peace and to send a spiritual Sword and Fire unto you is really your best Friend and such a Friend I am unto you whether ye will hear or forbear For I came not unto you in my own will but a necessity from the Lord by his living