may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 1 Tim. 4. 11. These things command and teach Vers. 13. 15. Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all Chap. 3. 14 15. These things write I unto thee that thou mayest know how to behave thy self in the house of God 2 Tim. 2. 2. The things which thou hast heard of me among many Witnesses the same commit thou to Faithful men who shall be able to Teach others also Vide etiam Tit. 1. 9. and 2. 15. Here then are Ministers of the Doctrine which they had learned and had been taught of men and of things committed to them by others and studying Ministers If they had received the word by Revelation like St. Paul what need he teach and direct them Did he teach and direct the other Apostles thus Was the word committed to them by men Had they learned it of others Were they who were sent forth immediatly by Christ and the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost chosen of men as being judged Faithful 3 But now let us view the Text from whence you have taken occasion to speak as you do a little consideration of which would have delivered you from your errors viz. 2 Cor. 3. 5. c. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficience is of God Thus having told them from whence they had their ability he next tells them what a word it is which they Preached Vers 6. Who also hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit For the letter Killeth but the Spirit giveth Life And so goes on in commendation of the same Doctrine comparing it with the Law that the glory of it might appear to exceed the Glory of the Law saying The Law is the Ministration of Death and Condemnation but this the Ministration of Life and Righteousness And Moses put a Veil upon his Face and until this day remaineth the same Veil untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament but this Veil is done away in Christ and we use plainness of Speech and with open Face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image Vid. vers 7. to 12. as by the Spirit of the Lord. Wherefore he concludes Chap. 4. 1. Therefore seeing we have this Ministry as we have received mercy we faint not So that the Letter is such a word as is external obscure dead and lifeless which is without the Spirit and which Concondemns And therefore by no means can be the Doctrine of the Gospel which on the contrary is of an internal nature perspicuous quick and powerful which is accompanied with the Spirit and which holds forth justification And that it is the Law is manifest in that as the Letter Killeth so he tells us of the Ministration of Death which you your selves will acknowledge to be the Law and this Ministration which is the Law so exactly answers the Letter that it is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Letters and as the Letter signifies that which is external Rom. 2. 28 29. so this Ministration is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Engraven in Stones vers 7. In this sense we find him using the same terms Rom. 7. 6. We are delivered from the Law that we should serve in newness of Spirit and not in oldness of the Letter And as for the killing of the Letter we read it thus v. 11. Sin taking occasion by the Commandment deceived me and slew me Again c. 8. 2. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death But I have an argument which I dare say you will not deny viz. G. Fox says the Letter here is the Law Treatise of Swearing p. 52. And so the Apostles were made able Ministers of Christ and of the New-Testament and not of the letter of the Prophets and of the law in the Old Testament in which there was Swearing for the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life Why the Apostle calleth the law the letter in opposition to the Spirit belongs not to our present business to explain I only therefore refer the Reader for satisfaction to vers 7. 8 17 18. Heb. 8. 10. 10. 1. 9. 10. Gal. 3. 2 24. 4. 3 9. 1 Cor. 12. 8 9 10. Tit. 3. 6. Joh. 7. 39. Rom. 5. 5. And how it Kills and is the ministration of Death and Condemnation he may learn from Rom. 7. 5 8 11. with Mat. 6. 17. 27 28 31 32 33 34 38 39 43 44. Rom. 8. 3. Heb. 9. 9. 10. 4 10. Gal. 3. 10 21. 2. 16. Act. 13. 39. G. F. Christian Liberty p. 9. It was matter of Conscience towards God that Mordecay did not bow to Haman Esther 3. 2. Clarks Wise pag. 59. If they had put off their hats before you Judges respecting your persons then they had transgressed the Law Jam. 2. 9. Christ respected no mans person and God saith ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment thou shalt not respect the person of the poor nor honour the person of the mighty Lev. 19. 5. Mordecay would not bow to Haman nor do him reverence according to the King's command which was contrary to God's command And yet I say God commands to honour all men Which is not to rise up and bow down to them and to stand bare-headed before them but to do good to all men and to love them Parker's Discovery p. 30. Doffing the Hat is honour below which men seek and give one to another respecting persons bowing to the Rich giving them titles of Lords Masters Sirs but do not so to the poor who are in vile rayment Ibid. p. 65. Christ respected not the persons of men as his Enemies did confess Luk. 15. 21 22. 1 If Mordecay refused to bow to Haman and shew him reverence out of Conscience I wonder his Conscience permitted him to receive greater honour himself in riding cloathed with the Royal Apparel and upon the King's Horse through the City with Proclamation made before him of the King's favour Est. 6. If the King had commanded him to see this honour performed towards Haman I believe he would have refused as well as he did to bow and that he would likewise have refused to run before him or to wait upon him at his Table if he could have done it with equal safety For that his refusal was not out of Conscience we have this evidence Many of as good Conscience as he both gave and received this reverence you take for granted that no other bowing and reverencing is meant than what is ordinary among us at this day and they gave and received also titles of Honour 1 Kings 1. 23. Nathan the Prophet bowed himself before the King with his face to the ground and said My
immortal power which is over all Transgressors and above the Devil contrary to which the Rulers Act through their corruptions and to which those higher powers are to be subject G. F. Catech. p. 71. If they were acquainted with the Gospel Christ Jesus which is the power of God Rom. 1. 16. they would be all in unity The Text says not I am not ashamed of the Gospel Christ but the Gospel of Christ so distinguishing it from him As St. Paul again doth when he faith Christ hath brought Life and Immortality to to light through the Gospel And God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Left the Reader should think the Printer hath omitted the word of let him know that they frequently thus write Return to Priests about Beverly p. 10. You have put the Books Mathew Mark Luke John for the Gospel which are the carnal letter and part of the declaration of the Gospel which Gospel is Christ. G. F. Catech. p. 59. The Teachers of the World say To the Law and to the Testimonie and they call the Scripture so The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy and the Scriptures are not the Spirit and the Law is Light Rev. 19 10. Pro. 6. 23. And the Testimony was put in the Ark and the pot of Manna was laid up before it unto it the Tribes went up unto Jerusalem and the Testimony Jehojada brought sorth and gave it to Jehoash The Spirit of Prophecy was not put in the Ark nor the pot of Manna laid up before it nor to it went the Tribes unto Jerusalem nor did Jehojada bring forth the Spirit of Prophecy and give it unto Jehoash Again the Gentiles had not the Law we are not now under it we are delivered from it But the Gentiles had the Law within which is Light and we are still under this we are not delivered from it Again the Law is Light Then we may be sure that is so which Moses wrot sorasmuch as that is the Law The just conclusion therefore is that there are more Laws and Lights and Testimonies than one Yes and more Testimonies of Jesus there are than the Spirit of Prophecy for the Scriptures testifie of him and you your selves say they are not the Spirit Well be it known unto you that as there is a Law within so there is a Law without and this is a greater and more perfect Light being added to that within since the corruption of it by the Fall for the better information of mankind insomuch that all that partake hereof are in a better condition than they that want it as partaking of a peculiar priviledge and special benefit This was the difference of the Jews and Gentiles they had the Law these not And what I pray you was this Law which the Jews enjoyed but that which was published by Moses and the Prophets for as for the internal that the Gentiles had as well as they Rom. 2. 14. When the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things conteined in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves Chap. 3. 1 2. What advantage then hath the Jew much every way chiefly that unto them were committed the Oracles of God Chap. 9. 4. To them was the giving of the Law and the Services of God and the Promises Now when God saith to the Jews to the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no Light in them Isa. 8. 20. Let any man judge whether he sends them for the knowledge of his Will to the Law of the Gentiles or to that given by Moses which is peculiarly called their Law It is written in your Law Joh 8. 17. and 10. 34. Moses gave you the Law Chap. 7. 19. whether to the Light of their own hearts or to his Oracles Statutes and Judgments as they were externally published Or when he says the same to us Christians whether he sends us to the Light in us that we may know whether this Doctrine or the other which Men Teach be the Truth or to the Scriptures the Light especially in every one to whom this is said being not perfect especially not so perfect as the Scriptures in which God hath declared all his Will every one being not like Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles Let any man judge since God hath sent Prophets and by them hath published his Will and that in writing he yet sends us to the Light in us for the knowledg of his Will and for the determination of all controversies And whether if he had not externally published a Law and Testimony by his Servants the Prophets he would say to us To the Law and Testimony Let me know whether the Light in the Jews told them God would have them circumcise burn incense offer sacrifice and slay such and such Beasts and not others keep holy the seventh day abstein from several sorts of Meats from Blood and things strangled and if a controversie should arise about these whether they were to go to the written Law of Moses or to the unwritten Law of Light in every one of their own Hearts Let me know whether the Light within sufficiently tells us that the Meslias is come or indeed that one was promised that Jesus Born of Mary is he or indeed that he was Born at all of a Woman and had real Flesh that he Died and by that Death redeemed us and through his Blood shed we are Saved upon our Repentance and an holy Life that our Spirits do not Die we shall be made Alive again and rise from the Grave the Wicked shall have endless Torment the Righteous endless Joy insomuch that if Christ and his Apostles had never spoken a word and we had never received the Scriptures nor had heard a syllable of all this Preached by Men we should have known it all and as firmly have believed it as now we do For it is said we are built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles And Jesus Christ hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel The Life was manifested and we have seen it and shew unto you the Eternal Life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us The mystery hid from Ages is now made manifest The things which God hath prepared for us have not entred into the heart of Man but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit And these things were Preached unto others that they might know them and believe and have Eternal Life Lastly the Spirit of Prophecy in the Text you cite Rev. 19. 10. is not the Spirit as it is in every man as you understood it unless you will say contrary to St. Paul all are Prophets 1 Cor. 12. 29. Eph. 4. 11. for it is the Spirit as Prophesying and that in the strict signification of the word which is to praedict as the Angel and St. John
did of whom it is here spoken For thus are the Words I fell at his Feet to worship and he said unto me see thou do it not I am they Fellow-Servant and of thy Brethren which have the Testimony of Jesus worship God for the Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy Which is to say I am but as thy self thou hast the Spirit of Prophecy as well as I I am but a Prophet testifying of Jesus like thy self As Chap. 22. 9. I am thy Fellow-Servant and of thy Brethren the Prophets So that when Isaiah faith to all to the Testimony exhorting them to keep close to that word and to enquire there whether that which any man shall spake be Truth he cannot mean the Spirit of Prophecy because all have it not in themselves nor is it the Will of God they should for he dispences the gifts of the Spirit severally to one Wisdom to another Miracles to another Prophecy 1 Cor. 12. Let me hear you say all men Heathens as well as Christians have the Spirit of Prophecy in their Hearts which testifies of Jesus and Prophesies of him speaks of things to come of his Name his Servants his worship his Enemies his Kingdom and Church as it spake testified and prophesied in the Angel and the Apostle as appears by the whole Book G. F. Truth and Deceit p. 10. To all as stumble at the silent waiting upon the Lord. Hear what Isaiah faith Sit thou in silence get thou in darkness O Daughter of the Caldeans thou shalt no more be called Lady of Kingdoms Isa. You must witness silence before you come to speak For when the Devil was cast forth the Dumb spake Let the Lips be put to silence that spake grieveus and proud things contemptuously against the Righteous All you lying Lips that speak contemptuous things against the Righteous you are to be put to silence before you speak Ps. 31. 18. Kir of Moab was brought to silence because he was in the Night Isa. 15. 1. In all these places Destruction and Miserv that which is to be dreaded is meant by silence and not waiting upon the Lord which is desireable and which we are exhorted unto In Isa. 47. 5. it is manifest from the latter words Sit thou in silence get thee in darkness thou shalt no more be called Lady of Kingdoms And from vers 1. Come down and Sit in the Dust O Virgin Daughter of Babylon sit on the Ground there is no Throne O Daughter of the Caldeans for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate In the other of Isaiah it is likewise manifest from the Text it self which if you had cited it fully would have discovered your abuse Chap. 15. 1. The Burden of Moab because in the Night Kir of Moab is laid waste and brought to silence As clear is it in that of the Psalmist Let the Wicked be ashamed and let them be silent in the Grave Let the lying Lips be put to silence which speak grievous things and contemptuously against the Righteous Ps. 31. 17 18. Doth this signifie they must wait on the Lord in the silence of their Souls before they speak Or doth it not signifie they shall be punished As Ps. 12. 3. The Lord shall cut off all Flattering Lips and the Tongue that speaketh proud things Vers. 5. For the oppression of the Poor now will I arise saith the Lord I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him And Ps. 52. 4. 5. Thou lovest all devouring words O thou deceitful Tongue God shall likewise destroy thee for ever He shall destroy thee for ever He shall take thee away and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place and root thee out of the land of the living Such is the silence before spoken of as when the Psalmist saith Unless the Lord had been my help my Soul had almost dwelt in silence Psal. 94. 17. G. F. General Epistle p. 10. The Apostle saith Tongues must cease Then that which makes as you say Orthodox Divines must cease And in the same place he saith Prophecies shall fail and knowledge shall vanish away 1 Cor. 13. 8. And then that which you say makes Orthodox men and Divines must cease So that the Apostle speaks no more against Tongues than against Prophecy and knowledge Ibid. p. 10. 11. The word which was in the beginning is called the word of Reconciliation by this word are men sanctified and made clean which is Christ whose name is called The Word of God True his Name is the Word of God but his name is not the Word of Christ and yet something is so called Say Christ is the Word of Christ and prove there is no incongruity in that saving Christ is manifestly distinguished from his word as every man is from what he speaks and teaches as the Philosopher is from his institutes For it is called his Word his Doctrine his sayings that which he spake with his lips and the people heard with their ears Ioh. 15. 20. 14. 23 24. 7. 16. 8. 31. And the same is the Word through which the Text says men were made clean it being in the very terms clearly distinguished from himself Ioh. 15. 3. Now are ye clean through the word which I have spoken unto you Which is no more Himself than Blessed are the Merciful the poor in Spirit the pure in Heart Love your Enemies ask and you shall receive believe on me and whatsoever else he taught is himself For thus you read again Ioh. 4. 41. 42. Many more believed because of his own word and said unto the woman Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves c. 8. 30. As he spake these words many believed on him Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us with the word of Truth Such also is the word of Reconciliation committed unto the Apostles viz. The doctrine of the Gospel which they had heard and learned of Christ and had also received by the inspiration of his Spirit and Preached unto the world as is likewise manifest from the Text 2 Cor. 5. 18. God hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the Ministry of Reconciliation Which is the same as He hath committed unto us the word of Reconciliation And what that is you may understand by this which follows We pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Go said he Preach the Gospel to all Nations teach them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you He that Believeth and is Baptised shall be Saved And told them that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached in his Name Accordingly they Preached Act. 13. 38 39. Be it known unto you that through this man is Preached to you the forgiveness of Sins and by him all that believe are justified from all
things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Act. 2. 38. Repent and be Baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of Sins They laboured in the Word and Doctrine and exhorted the Believers that the word of Christ should dwell in them richly By all this you may understand what is the word of Reconciliation committed to the Apostles the word of Christ the word which he spake through which his Disciples were made clean and may learn to distinguish it from himself Farnsw Priest's Ignorance p. 4. 5. The Teachers of the world say that the Spirit is the Letter and they are inseparable when the Spirit saith The Letter killeth and is Death And thou who wouldest raise the Spirit out of the dead Letter art a Conjurer They say that Salvation is in the Scripture and that the Power goeth along with the Letter which is Death Burroughs Trumpet p. 20. You say Christ commands it when the Letter doth but declare it and say in such a Verse of such a Chapter such a command is not having received the command by the same Spirit You are in Witchcraft who observe commands without from the Letter thereby drawing from the teachings within by the Spirit They that obeyed Christ were led by the Spirit and not by the Letter for they were not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit Return to Priests about Beverly p. 10. You put the Books Matthew Mark Luke John for the Gospel which are the carnal Letter G. K. Help p. 27. The finest truest words out of a bad mans mouth can never reach the seed of God either to the raising it up or refreshing it but kills and burdens it as said the Apostle of the false Apostles who had the Letter and were Ministers of it out of the Spirit and Power The Letter Kills I begin to believe that some of you understand by the Letter and the Scriptures the very Characters and the Books forasmuch as it is usual with them to call them Ink and Paper But others of you are more skilful calling them also words spoken By which yet I hope they do not mean the sounds only which are made by the mouth which if they do they mend not the matter at all the sounds being to the Ear no other than what the characters are to the Eye but I would believe they mean as they ought to do the sense and doctrine for Scripture is all one whether it be expressed by the Pen or spoken by the Mouth or only conceived in the mind that is to say the doctrine is Now we are to consider whether the Doctrine of the Scriptures be dead and liveless carnal and killing Here you differ again some saying it is so in it self alone without the Spirit or as it is Preached from the Scriptures without immediate revelation to the Preacher though that Preacher be neither wicked nor a seducer others saying it is so as Ministred by such vile persons We are again to consider of what Scriptures or Doctrine the Apostle speaks when he saith We are not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit And 1 can you in good conscience say the doctrine of the Gospel is a dead and carnal word Or which is all one that those Scriptures are which express that Doctrine and that after the most lively manner even according to the mind of God himself who so delivered them by his own Spirit Thus we read there and thus it is spoken to us from thence by our Preachers Sinners you must forsake your evil ways and become new creatures not only outwardly reform but be inwardly holy and changed in your natures must cleanse your selves from all filthiness not only of the flesh but of the Spirit also you must walk in the fear of God and observe diligently all his Commandments love them and delight in them or else you cannot be saved but must burn as God hath pronounced in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone and suffer his wrath and indignation for ever His love is exceeding great to us who is not willing that any should perish but that all should have everlasting life and to that end hath given his only begotten Son to die an ignominious and painful death and to bear our sins on his own body on the Tree and to make atonement for us and hath set him upon the Throne with himself to rule over all things for our good and hath sent forth his mighty and gracious Spirit to enlighten convert strengthen and comfort us Courage poor Soul and look up Glory is provided for thee who hast offended greater than the most magnificent Prince on earth enjoys Harken to the holv Guide in thy Soul cease thy Rebellion and thou shalt inherit Heaven dwell with God in that supernal Palace beholding his Face in Peace and have fulness of joy all perfection and life for evermore Blessed art thou O man who hast subdued thy Lusts overcome the World and hast put on Jesus Christ for unto thee belongeth this blessedness Kingdom and Glory Though we Die we shall be made alive again and stand before the Judge which knoweth what we have done and what hath been in our hearts and who will accept no mans person but will render to all according to their deserts so that our portion in the end will be either that bliss or that misery and this is not our word but the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Now call you this a carnal Letter a dead insipid spiritless thing Hath it no more power in it to move the Soul than characters of Ink drawn upon a Paper It pierces the Sinner like a Sword and comforts the humble Soul more than Wine The very contrivance of the Scriptures spits shame in the face of your bold assertion they being adorned with all perspicuity that we may understand the truth and with the strongest arguments to perswade us to our duty as the love of God the Death of his Son the assistance of his Spirit the filthiness and incommodities of Vice the purity and beauty and benefits of Vertue the Resurrection and the Judgment the Glory of Heaven and the Torments of Hell And so long as men have understanding fear hope and love of themselves this word can not be as a mere block and stone to them And you may hence discern that there is a force in the very things themselves in that the same person works more upon the auditors when he Preaches clearly pertinently and the weightiest matters than when he speaks of more extrinsick Points and Doctrines of the least moment and makes Childish descants and involves all he says in obscurity I demand if the Scriptures be such a dead letter and killing thing death it self why the Apostle wrot or why do you Did he contradict his Tongue with his own hand at the same moment Did he believe that he sent the Corinthians a word as dead as his Ink and a letter that
Killeth or will you say it was not so with him because he had the Spirit and that went along with it from him to them If so you must tell us why the Spirit may not as well accompany the same to us which we likewise have received But know you however it was that life came into the dead thing they acknowledged that his Letters were mighty and powerful 2 Cor. 10. 10. And it seems some of you perceived that this Doctrine and these good works which the Scriptures contein are not altogether so weak and dead as others would make them for that they have added that out of a wicked mans mouth they can do no good and yet further that the Apostle speaks this of false Apostles The Letter kills Well then our Ministers may still Preach them with comfort if they be righteous out of such mouths they may do good reach the seed of God raise it up and refresh it and there is virtue in them if they be not Ministred by false Teachers who yet you should observe Minister not them but another thing the figments of their own brains in their place false Doctrine as they are false Teachers whereas I thought you had understood by the Letter the Scriptures without their corruption and so you do however you thus speak But I like not these words The truest words out of a bad mans mouth kill and burden the seed of God in others It might be more innocently said his sinfulness doth this or is the occasion of it than to lay the blame upon the pure and incorrupted Doctrine of God or to charge it with so dreadful and dismal an effect I hope such a conceit as this lies not at the bottom viz. that the sin in the man infects the Doctrine and so it becomes noxious to others that hear it like as breath receives contagion from a contagious Body and conveighs the same to them into whose Lungs it enters Nor do I like this saying The truest words out of a bad mans mouth cannot reach the seed of God raise it up or refresh it For that hereby you spoil the word of Christ of all power and render the Doctrine of the Gospel as impotent in it self as is silence and a dead Mouth or as it is our hand to work any good upon the Soul which yet is of such a nature as I have shewed as that it must needs have a force in it and is called the power of God and even herein excels the Law in that it is more vivid and quickening And hereby you make all the efficacy and the effect to depend upon the goodness of the Preacher as if his Soul rightly moving affects the Holy Ghost with whom she is conjoined and that great Spirit which sills all places transfers the motions unto the Souls of others like as some say impresses being made upon the Spirit of nature are carried by the same from Body to Body just as a stroke given at one end of a line runs unto the other so that no good can be done let the Doctrine be never so right and excellent unless such a motion can be made and no such motion can be made but by a Pious Soul If this be the mystery I leave it to them that love it Only let me say The Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound of it but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is euery one that is born of the Spirit Joh. 3. 8. As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the Womb of her that is with Child even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all Eccl. 11. 5. So is the Kingdom of God as if a man should cast Seed into the Ground and should sleep and should rise night and day and the Seed should spring and grow up he knoweth not how For the Earth bringeth forth Fruit of it self first the Blade then the Ear after that the full Corn in the Ear. The Seed is good cast it into the Ground and as for the success leave that to God who we may be sure hath a blessing for his own word of truth and as his blessing accompanies the goodness of the Man so it doth the goodness of the Doctrine and his Spirit which waters and quickens and brings forth Fruit proceeds not from man nor depends upon his sanctity as to others reception of it but proceeds from himself and he sends it forth whither he pleases and it is willing to work in us all Paul Plants and Apollo Waters but God gives the increase So then neither is he that Planteth any thing nor he that Watereth but God that giveth the Increase 1 Cor. 3. That we may know whether the Spirit in one can act upon another let the Spiritual man keep silence and let a particular Doctrine or some particular Sins be proposed to him privatly and let us see whether he can instruct the minds of others in that Doctrine or convince them of those Sins St. Paul makes me despair of any effect in that he says the Spiritual man that speaks in an unknown Tongue and that is as much as he kept silence effects nothing 1 Cor. 14. 2 Because you condemn our Preaching from the Scriptures without immediate Revelation calling us for that cause alone Ministers of the Letter let me tell you that whilst our hearts are honest and we entirely desire and labour after the Conversion and Salvation of Souls and God hath blessed us with the knowledge of his Will and with zeal for his Glory and with the sanctification of our natures and with good success of our labours we will not be ashamed of this Ministry though it please him to give us no more than ordinary assistance of his Spirit which he that hath not is none of his and we receive not his word as the Apostles and Prophets did by extraordinary inspiration and by inspiration alone but meditate and study and so Preach as we have learned the truth from the Scriptures through the help of God which we have had in our diligence according to the good sense of divine things upon our hearts For whereas St. Paul received not the Gospel of man nor was taught it but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ Gal. 1. 12. you read otherwise of Timothy and Titus and other Preachers 2 Tim. 1. 3. Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast learned of me Chap. 3. 14. Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them and that from a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus All Scripture is given by Inspiration and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the man of God Timothy or any other such Preacher 1 Tim. 6. 11.
that heard Christ's Doctrine and saw his Miracles and yet believed not nor repented had not had Sin in comparison of what now they have their Sin had been less they had been more excusable Which sense is manifest from those Words in the Text But now have they no Cloak for their Sin For if they will not see when they have the clearest Light nor believe when they have multitude of miracles nor repent when they have the best instruction what can they plead for themselves And in like manner we had not had Sin if the Gospel had not come unto us our Sin would not have had those aggravations which now it hath it being now the abuse of far greater Grace G. W. Authority of Ministry p. 2. Baptizing people in outward Baptism doth not Baptize Men into the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost p. 7. That Baptism which Christ commanded Mat. 28. and Mark 16. is of necessity unto Salvation For by it they were to Baptize men into the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Now without being Baptized into this name a man cannot be saved For by no other name under Heaven comes Salvation but by the name of Jesus But there is not a necessity upon Water-Baptism and therefore it was not Water-Baptism but the Spiritual Baptism which was an effect of the Gospel which is the power of God which the Disciples Preached The Disciples obeyed this command when they Ministred the Spirit and turned men from darkness to light And a Testimony of this was manifest when the Holy Ghost fell on them that heard the Disciples Preach But 1 Water-Baptism is meant in that command of our Saviour Mat. 28. and Mark 16. For with Water the Apostles to whom the command was given Baptized and in all places and all sorts of persons both Jews and Gentiles and the very best converts three thousand Jews that repented at St. Peter's Sermon and gladly received the word Act. 2. Men and Women of Samaria Simon Magus and the Eunuch of Ethiopia Chap. 8. Paul Chap. 9. Cornelius his company Chap. 10. Lydia and her houshold and the Jailor and his Chap. 16. Crispus and many Corinthians Chap. 18. Twelve Ephesians which were John's Disciples Chap. 19. Now what necessity was there or what reason that the Apostles did thus constantly Baptize all sorts of proselytes the most Holy and the most Perfect not excepted and yet add those that did not desire it of them if they did it not in obedience to Christ's cammand And if they might altogether forbear why said Peter thus Can any forbid Water that these should not be Baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we And why commanded he them to be Baptized Act. 10. And why did he not forbear when he knew that to Baptize these Gentiles would give offence as it did to his Bethren of the circumcision vers 28. 34 35. Chap 11. 2. 3. And especially why did he not forbear for a season till he had satisfied his Brethren by certifying them of his Vision For might not such as you have said what need of Water whilst they Believe and have received the Holy Ghost what commandment is there for it what offence would be given to any if this arbitrary Ceremony were omitted which if they had said you see who would have reproved them as is manifest by his words Add we further and just as it is in our Saviour's command so the Apostles practised in their Water-Baptism Which is an indication that what they did was in execution of that command and therefore that Water-Baptism is there meant For as he said Preach the Gospel and them that Believe Baptize so we find they Preached and required Faith before they Baptized Act. 8. 12. When they Believed Philip Preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ they were Baptized Vers. 35. Philip Preached Jesus unto the Eunuch and the Eunuch said see here is Water what doth hinder me to be Baptized And Philip said if thou Believest with all thy heart thou mayest And he answered I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God And they went down into the Water and Philip Baptized him Further they Baptized such both Jews and Gentiles with Water as had been Baptized with the Holy Ghost and that as that signifies either Sanctification or other gifts of the Holy Ghost as appears in the former instances Act. 2. 37 41. 8. 12. 37 38. 9. 15 18. 10. 47 48. And if they did not thus upon the account of Christ's command you must produce some Scripture which tells you another reason why they did it But if you can produce no such Scripture then it is sure that Water-Baptism was meant in that command For when they ordeined that the Gentiles should abstain from Meats offered to Idols and from Blood and things Strangled the reason is assigned Act. 15. 21. And so likewise is it when Paul Circumcised Timothy and when again he purified himself with others Act. 16. 3. 21. 20. c. Finally whereas St. Paul says 1 Cor. 1. Christ sent me not to Baptize but to Preach it implies that he did send others to Baptize whom he also sent to Preach And moreover he speaking there of Baptizing Gentiles to what mission can his words relate but to this where we find the Gentiles expressed Go teach all Nations Baptizing them especially considering it was to the other Apostles that Christ spake those words St. Paul at that time being not chosen into the number and that when he was chosen it was not so said to him as it was to them Preach and Baptize but only Preach Act. 9. 22. 26. 16. c. And that he speaks there of Water-Baptism is evident and you grant it alledging the same words frequently against the necessity of it Wherefore according to St. Paul Water-Baptism was intended by our Saviour in that command to his Apostles And thus having proved this I need not prove the necessity of it unto Salvation and that hereby men were Baptized into the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost forasmuch as the Text asserts both as your selves grant of that Baptism whereof it speaks which I have proved to be the Water-Baptism But yet because these are the reasons why you cannot believe this external Baptism to be there meant I will proceed to shew the invalidity of them And therefore 2 I assert contrary to you that by water men were Baptized into the name of Christ or unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is said 1 Cor. 10. 2. All our Fathers were Baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto Moses This I prove from the following Texts 1 Cor. 1. 13. Were ye Baptized into the name of Paul The answer must be we were not but into Christ's name Vers. 14 15. I thank God I Baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius lest any should say I Baptized into my own