be asked profitably when they be asked sincerely yet these are the times wherein many men frame querieâ— to pick quarrels and in that respect better some silence then more strife If therefore I had answered none of his queries he had no reason to be querulous yet some I answered briefly because that was sooner done and by that all men may see how willing the wayward questionist is to be informed T.S. Did noâ— Paul and other Saints witness Jesus Christ to come whenas he lived in them Pag. 32 and was in them their hope of glory strength life peace W.T. A. Christ is come already in the flesh to us in the Spirit into us but is not come yet nor till the last day is to come in his power and glory Matt. 24.30 Of the Ministry and calling of Ministers T.S. I Judge those Ministers of Christ Pag. 32 who run not before they are sent of him and do abide in the Doctrine of Christ who have received that gift not by expence of money in a University but freely from the Lord by which they are made able Ministers of the New-Testament not of the Letter but the Spirit who preach him in words and own him by their works W.T. A. Thanks be to God that there are so many publike Teachers in this Nation to which this description may be justly applyed they having received a gift to be able Ministers of the New-Testament freely from the Lord though there were money expended in the University that they might receive it freely â—n God waâ— that is in the obedient serving of free grace and doing their own endeavor in reading meditating studying to shew thâ—mseâ—vâ—s 〈…〉 as Timothy was charged to do who had that gift freely from God 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15 16. 2 Tim. 2.15 But how true his profession is that such men are precious in his eyes let his precious Epistle â—o â—ll the publike Teachers in this Nation shew As for the coâ—trary sort whom he describeth and judgeth not to be Ministers if his meaning were only to shew a dislike of men vitious in the Ministry there be Ministers enough that would join with him in that who yet cannot consent with him in saying such are no Ministers becaus even among men unquestionably call'd as te Priests and Levites were there hath still been a corrupt mixture But that any tell the people as he saith they do p. 33. that a heap of stones is the Churcâ— is I think his tale yet may the place where the Congregation meets which is not an heap of stones but is or should be a decent house be as properly called the Church as that place is called the Court where Tenants do at times meet together to wait upon their Lord when it is said that the Centurion built the Jews a Synagogue a Here this Writer comes and complains That the Elders of the Jews call an heap of Stones a Congregation for that the word Synagogue * signifies But he that complains without reason must go home again without relief T.S. Where is it written that one was made a Minister by ordinary call mother by extraordinary W.T. A. The thing is written Gal. 1.1 Act. 14.23 T.S. Is there so much as mention made iâ— either of those Scriptures of a Call ordinary or extraordinary and have you yet the confidence positively to assert that it is so written in these Scriptures Must your dreams and drâ—wsie meanings passe for Scripture W.T. A. Its wonder that this quick-sighted youth that speaks so much here and otherwhere of dreaming and drowsinesse should be so dull and obtuse himself as not to see that I said The thing is written and not the words are written Why doth he not awake himself and prove that those two Scriptures do not in their true sense and meaning lay before us a Calling of two sorts one from Christ immediately and so Paul was called himself which we call extraordinary because it was but of certain persons and but for a certain time and accompanied with extraordinary miraculous gifts this the first Scripture shews Gal. 1.1 The other from Christ mediately by the Ministry of men and so Elders were ordained by Paul and Barnabas as the other Scripture shews â—ct 14.23 this we call ordinary as being common to all Ministers and to continue in all ages of the Church Nor doth this make two doors into the Sheepfold as this caviller would collect but two ways of entring in by the same door T. S You say This distinction hath ever â—een us'd in the Churches of God Pag. 34 wâ—en it was never us'd among any of the Churches mentioned in the Scripturâ—â— W.T. A. I said so in an usual way of speaking yet not meaning to extend it to all that time wherein God hath had a Church which hath been from the beginning of the world but to declare only that it hath been of long and continual use in the Churches of God and so the word ver is ordinarily used viz. to signifie a long and yet limited term of time as 1 Sam. 27.12 Exod. 12.24 21.6 Besides that in the Scripture-Churches there was as hath been shewed this distinction in the ground and thing it self though not in the form of words W.T. Our gifts abilities and fitnesse for the Ministry which are Gods inward call were first tryed Pag. 35 and testimonials of our carriage were given T.S. Doth the Scripture anywhere say That gifts abilities and fitness for the Ministry are Gods inward call or that any of the Saints sought Testimonials in order to their being made Ministers or did Pauâ— Peter keep any Chaplains to try men W.T. A. 1. Is it anywhere said in Scripture that faith love and holy desires are inward Graces Is there not enough therefore in Scripture to gather that they are so when as we find there that such vertues are placed in the iâ—ner and hidden man of the heart that in opposition to outward and bodily things Ro. 7.22 10.10 1 Peâ—. 3.3 4.2 Coâ— 4.16 So it is in this case Paul describes the qualities of those that are to be made Ministers which are inward and whereunto are opposed other qualifications which are outward These qualities namely abilities for and strong desires to the Work of the Ministry are a Call because God plants them in the heart as pointing to putting them into a capacity for and as it were leading unto that Calling and they are an inward Call because they are seated in the inner man 2. Whatever Paul and Peter did in their own persons we are sure that Paul requires of Tâ—mothy to see that the Deacons be proved and for the same reason the Bishops and Presbyters also before they could use that Office 1 Tâ—m 3.10 why are the things required in Ministers so fully and distinctly prescribed Why is such a precise commandment given to lay hands suddâ—nly upon no man but that diligent search was to be made into those that were
fiery work to burn up in them and take off their hearts from hanging after old dispensations wayes and discoveries So that in this way they look to be purged from that which they have received formerly from the Truth and Ordinances of God 2. It is conceived from their own words to be for their justification for they say They must be brought to suffer as Christ did and to undergo as great a sense of wrath as Christ did when he cryed My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Thus reckoning saith the Relator of these things as far as I am able to determine that upon this account they must be justified before the Lord Worlds wonder pag. 23. Now let all men judge what agreement there is between this and Scripture-quaking 4. I wonder that among all the quaking which they would have us suppose ariseth from the fear of God they did never tremble in conformity to that Scripture wherein God himself saith VVherefore were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses but in stead of that are still inveighing against men of Moses his minde and Office Numb. 12.8 VVhether Scripture be the Saints Rule T.S. NO Scripture saith so in terminis W. T. 1. That is Scripture which is necessarily deduced from it though it be not in so many words expressed in it Our Saviour to shew that the Scriptures hold forth the Doctrine of the resurrection to all knowing men produceth this Scripture I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Mark 22.29 32. Now shall a Quaker come to our Saviour and say Your proof is nothing because the Scripture you bring saith not in terminis There shall be a resurrection 2. That in Deut. 5.31 32 33. is all one to a rational man as if it had been said in plain terms You shall walk perfectly according to the Rule and direction of my word 3. Add hereunto that Gal. 6.16 the word Rule is expressed to shew the Doctrine laid down there is the Rule they must walk by that look for peace and mercy Hence Scriptures are called Canonical because they are a Canon and Rule to walk by T.S. Let me ask you and many others who have been Teachers were those things that you have taught so many yeers together necessarily deduced from Scriptures if not then by your own confession you have taught falshood if they were then all that you have so taught is infallible for you say it is Scripture and the Scripture is infallible W.T. A. Here is an horned Argument wherewith he pusheth hard but wants strength One horn is this If the things you have taught were not necessarily deduced from Scripture then by your own confession you have taught falshood To which I answer That what he saith had something in it if it were not a falshood that I made any such confession I was not so lost as to confesse that to be a falshood which neither my self nor any man well in his wits ever thought to be so Was all that Moses learned from the Egyptians or Daniel from the Chaldeans a meer falshood A Minister may have occasion to deliver divers things for peoples help not necessarily deduced from Scripture and yet very true as Paul said of what a Poet said Tit. 3.12 13. This witness is true yet what we have taught people to believe and practise as the mind of God that we have prov'd to them out of the word of God But now the other horn seems stronger T. S. If they were necessarily deduced from Scripture then all that you have so taught is infallible Pag. 6 W.T. A. So it is but not because we taught it but because it lies in and was necessarily deduced from that Scripture which is infallible T.S. Why then do you not adjoin all your Sermons to the Scripture for if necessarily deduced thence they are Scripture and a part of the Saints Rule but what a sad condition would many poor souls be in whose small Estates would not amount to the purchase of a Bible so voluminous would it be c. VV.T. A. When it is said why do you not then adjoine all your Sermons to Scripture that sure is something simply spoken for what need that be adjoined and added to Scripture that is already in it as all is that is necessarily deduced from it for how could it be gathered from it and that necessarily if it were not in it who can take any thing from thence where it is not to be had The poor souls therefore of whom he speaks need not trouble themselves about the purchasing of a bigger Bible any more then of another well in the place of that living Fountaine from whence water hath been drawn which when it was drawn was that well-water this hundred or thousand yeers T.S. Whereas you quote Christ his proving the resurrection of the dead c. I answer That what Christ spake was infallible he neither did nor could erre in what he said W.T. A. It 's true that what Christ spake was infallible but this he saith to no purpose for Christ doth not speak there as one that would presse them to receive what he delivers upon his bare word but as one that would convince them of the truth of what he spake by Scripture that is by his necessary and unanswerable reasonings from it He doth not say Ye do erre not knowing me to be an infallible Teacher whom you ought to believe upon his word but not knowing the Scriptures and the Power of God both which plainly prove that there shall be and may be a resurrection T.S. Were you as infallible in those meanings and interpretations which you force upon the Scriptures as he was in what he spake from the Spirit of the Lord I should readily close with them as the Oracles of God W.T. A 1. If all Pastors and Teachers were Apostles then these men would presently be Converts This is like them that said to our Savior Let him now come down from the Cross and we will believe him but they who contemn that means which God in his wisdom ordains and will do nothing without that means which they in their folly demand justly perish 2. Neither is this device of any value for the question is not whether we be infallible in our meanings and deductions but whether that which is deduced and drawn from Scripture that is necessarily and upon supposal that we are not deceived in the deducing be Scripture or a thing truly contained in Scripture which I affirm it is Let him not talk to no purpose but keep him to his work and prove the contrary T.S. Either say to the people plainly that you are infallible or else say that you are fallibles that so they may take liberty of proving both your actions and Doctrine W.T. A. We willingly acknowledge we are fallible or men that may be deceived therefore do not onely give liberty but give counsel to people and exhort them
is expressed Gal. 6.16 Is therefore the Scripture the Saints Rule Pag. 7 W.T. Answ. Here he puts down a word or two of what I spake leaving out the rest and then makes as if I had spoken that which I never spake for I never said that because the word Rule was there therefore the Scripture is the Saints Rule but the force of the Argument lies in this That the very word Rule is expressed there for the end and purpose to declare hold forth the Scripture to be a Rule For here 's an happy end Peace and Mercy a walk prescribed for the attaining of that end a Rule revealed to guide that walk to wit that Word of God which is written in the two verses immediately going before viz. v. 14 15. wherein all men are directed to glory in the Cross of Christ v. 14. and that so as to become new Creatures v. 14 15. that is they are guided to faith accompanied with holinesse as the sure way to happinesse For the further opening and confirming whereof let it be observ'd that the Apostle doth in the close of this Epistle knit up the Doctrine of the whole Epistle yea of the whole Gospel yea of the whole Bible whereupon this is justly extended by Divines to the whole Canonical Scripture and the Doctrine is this That we are to look for Justification and life not in the works of the Law either without Christ or with Christ but in Christ crucified alone apprehended by Faith and yet that faith is not alone but appears in the novation of our nature within and in working by love without in the keeping of all Gods Commandments This is apparent by v. 14. where Paul professeth his glorying in the Crosse of Christ alone that is his contentful and triumphant confidence in Christ crucified the rather for the blessed effect thereof which he found in himself to wit The worlds being crucified to him as he was to the world that is whereby he was made a new creature which is a thing so considerable that if we reckon of things as Christ doth all outward priviledges and preheminences are nothing v. 15. Hereupon it follows v. 16. As many as walk according to this Rule that is this Scripture-Doctrine which teacheth men by faith to rest on and rejoyce in Jesus Christ crucified and crucifying that is so working on and in them by their believing in him as that they are crucified with him and become new creatures Peace shall be upon them Rom. 5.1 and mercy 1 Tim. 1.14 whether they be Jews or Gentiles when otherwise nothing will avail either the one or the other for peace and life Now if any shall say as this Writer doth who gives forth a meaning himself when he cries out upon other men for doing the like that the Rule is the new Creature meaning thereby the Law and Direction of the Spirit in the heart of a person regenerated this falls in with the former for the Spirit suggesteth no other Rule to the heart then that which it expresseth in the Word But the Apostle sufficiently decides this matter and interprets himself Ch. 5. v. 5 6. where handling the same Argument viz. Resting on Christ by faith for righteousness and life and bringing in the very same reason that he doth here he doth a little vary the words and instead of the new Creature named here puts Faith working by love So that the Rule is plainly this To look for salvation by Faith in Christ Jesus working by love which is the character of a new creature who first is in Christ by Faith 2 Cor. 5.17 and then that Faith worketh by love and in holinesse because the new creature is Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph. 2.10 W.T. Saints must walk by one Rule or another I ask then what is the Rule if Scripture be not the Rule T.S. I know no new Rule nor own none but the same that Abel Pag. 8 Enoch Noah Abraham Moses David Paul and the rest of the holy men of God walked by And by the same touchstone that those holy men proved the Light they walked by whether it were of God or no the same and no other do I own still W.T. Abel Enoch Noah Abraham had the Word of God for their Rule delivered to them as God pleased in those times Moses David and Paul had the same thing for their Rule that is the Word of God but committed to Writing for the Churches use in their times To that Word new I answer That the Rule is the same still that is the revealed will of God there 's nothing new but the Writing and that 's now old But what 's this to my question which was If the Scripture be not the Rule what is the Rule Hereunto he gives a crafty but no clear Answer he seems to say That 's the Rule which the holy men of God whose Names he puts down walked by I ask him again But what was that Rule which they walked by If he think it to be the Word of God whether revealed without writing as at first or written as afterward why doth he not say so and so yeild that the word written is now our Rule If he think the inward Light which Quakers dream of to be the Rule then I ask him again How shall we trye whether that pretended Light be a Rule to walk by For he 's a fool that beleeves every thing Now this he huddles up and speaks something to no purpose generally and guilefully but nothing determinately All he sayes is this That by the same Touchstâ—ne that those holy men proved the Light they walked by the same and no other do I own a Here I shall not examine whether this Author that is so exact in Grammer in the latter part of his Book speak so good sense as he should do I leave that to the Reader But since he speaks of Holy Mens Touchstone I shall propound unto him the approved Example of the Bereans who proved Pauls Doctrine as Paul was willing they should prove it to wit by searching the Scripture Let him prove his Light by the same Touchstone that these holy and noble persons did and it shall suffice If he say Paul proved not his own Light so I reply 1. That there is a great difference between 〈◊〉 that received his Light immediately from Christ and himself and Quakers who too much manifest that they have not received their Light from him either immediately or mediately 2. It is enough that the Spirit of God commends that way of proving Pauls Light by others that were his hearers for thence it will follow either that that Scripture-search is the way to prove every mans Light that professeth he receiveth it from Christ or else the commendation of the Bereans for doing so is not a sufficient approbation of the wisdom of that course and so we shall come to question the spirit of God speaking to their