and Presumption His doctrine is tryed and found light and Contradictory to Christ his Prophets and Apostles yea and Eversive of all Christianity and Religion We grant saith he that the Scriptures give ample testimony to the chiefe doctrines of christianity And what a reproach of the Scriptures this concession containeth we have showne above We are saith he for no new Gospel but for new revelations of the old Gospel The Gospel which Christ and his Apostles brought was but a new Revelation of the old Gospel and no new Gospel essentially different from the old dispensation Thus their Revelation may be as new and as far different from that of Christ and his Apostles as theirs was from what was under the Old dispensation and yet it must be received with the same Faith Obedience that we receive the Revelation of Christ and his Apostles is this tolerable Thinks this man that we are as mad as he and his brethren are Be it known to him we will hold by the old foundation Christ and the sole Revelation which He hath given us for sad experience hath taught the world what devilish doctrine hath been vented under the notion of New Revelations such as these by the Enthusiasts at Munster and by Paracelsus Weigelius and others That a man might have moe wives at once That the Eternal God hath flesh That God made to himself out of himself a Wife on whom he begot a Son That God careth not for outward sins That the literal sense of the Scripture is antichristian That our Christ is the Antichrist and the Man of sin That Christ was not born of Mary our baptisme is a profane thing adamitick flesh is not capable of remission Hearing of sermons and coming to the sacraments are impediments of Regeneration There should be no preaching in Templos Hell is Heaven and Heaven is Hell and both are one What thinketh he of these and of the blasphemies of David Georg who said That the doctrine of Moses of the Apostles yea and of Christ himself was Imperfect and unable to bring any to salvation only his doctrine was perfect and efficacious for that end That he was the true Christ and the Messias born not of flesh but of the holy ghost and of the Spirit of Iesus which Spirit of Christ his flesh being annihilated was wholly given to him That he can save and condemne that he shall judge the whole world at the last day That he is greater than Christ who in the flesh was borne of a woman but he himself was the Spiritual Christ borne of Holy Ghost These had as much to say for their Revelations as he hath to say for his and if we open the door once unto such Pretenders we way see what will be the issue it may be called at first but a New more Glorious more Excellent Revelation and may come at length to be a quite Overturning of the Old Gospel too Therefore we judge it the best course to keep the door closse which Christ hath shut and not to receive his abominations 45. He will not grant that the Scriptures are a compleet Canon and if they be not a Compleet Canon they are no Canon at all for a Rule and that which is to be Regulated thereby are Relatives and must correspond yet he thinks we must confesse what he saith to be true and why so Because in all the Scripture we read not this necessary article of faith That these books are only canonick Scripture But this is no new Revelation for it was revealed long since to Bellarmine de Verbo Dei Lib. 4. Cap. 4. and to other Papists and so this man is but playing their game and yet neither he nor they can gaine any thing for this necessary article of faith is declared by the whole Scripture and so needeth not be set down in so many words The characters of Divine Light and Power which are peculiar to the Scriptures do discriminate them from all Others and so declare themselves and themselves only to be the Word and Law of God and more is needless for it is not a Rule to it self but to other things no discipline or Science prove their own principles Actâ— of parliament need not say that such a book containing so many acts or lawes of this or that nature are the true acts of parliament when a Husband writteth Ten letters to his Wife he needs not say in plaine termes that Ten letters are his for she knoweth That Ten are his by his owne hand write and other indicia which agree to no other letters and so discriminate them from all others and the numerus numerans is sufficiently expressed by the numerus nuâ—eratus This man possibly will not beleeve that he hath five fingers in one of his hands because he no where seeth it written on his hand that he hath five fingers in one hand And by this he may understand how we can prove this or that book in Scripture to be Scripture without fleeing to his senseless and imaginary Shifts as we have showne above when speaking of the whole Scriptures CHAP. V. Of Mans Natural State 1. WE come now to Examine the doctrine held forth in the 4 Thesis which though I finde a little more clearly expressed as to the latine in the second edition than it was in the first yet I finde it not helped as to the matter so that still I finde several mysteries wrapped up in his words which will not without some difficulty be unridled for after the usual manner of that Seck of the Quakers who speak ordinarily in a dialect peculiar to themselves the beginning of this Thesis is very enigmatical and in all his discourse upon this Thesis in his Apology he speaketh nothing that can contribute any thing to the clearing of his Meaning to us who are not much acquanted with his Mysteries only he enlargeth himself on two maine Heads of which we shall speak hereafter And though he could not be offended if we should only examine his doctrine as to these two Heads leaving the rest which he shortly touched in his Thesis yet â—or the Readers satisfaction we must take some notice of what he saith 2. Passing that insufficient division of Mankinde or the Posterity of Adam which he maketh when he saith both Iewes and Gentiles whereby he excludeth from this race of Adam all that lived before this distinction began to take place that is all that lived before Abraham Isaac Iacob the posterity of whom complexly considered only did beare the name of Iewes and that not so early for the first mention we have of the word in Scripture is Esther 2 5. 2 King 16 6. And all those who lived before this issue appeared or were known as such can not be called Heathens seing some of them at least worshiped the true God I take notice that he acknowledgeth and asserteth that all Mankinde is Fallen Degenerated and Dead but how or upon what occasion
by the Covenant of works for that is broken and all are become heires of hell wrath because of the violation of that Covenant Not by the Covenant of Grace for that requireth faith before persons be interessed in these special favoures privileges And the Scripture tels us that all men have not faith how then come all men to share of these highest privileges or of this divine and glorious life which are promised in the Covenant of grace through Jesus Christ by whom they are purchased Is this divine and glorious life so meane and common a thing that even Heathens and Reprobats share of it Sure the divine and glorious life pointed forth in the Scriptures is a rare thing and is the privilege of very few and even of few of those that are members of the visible Church Will this Quaker tell me if this â—ivine and glorious life whereof all Iaponians Brasilians Cannibals are made partakers be distinguished from the divine and glorious life peculiar to the Saints And if it be distinguished how Or if it be the same in kinde why Regeneration Union with Iesus Christ by faith the Effectual Working of the grace of God and a through Renovation is requisite to the enjoyning of that in some greater measure which all have Naturally in some measure 8. He saith this measure of the divine and glorious life is a seed But whereof Is it the seed of the Eternal weight of glory that the Saints live in the hope of Wherever that seed is it cometh at length to the harvest of glory as the Scripture teacheth us and if this seed be sowne in all all shall at length be saved If it be not the seed of Glory whereof I pray is it the seed Is it the seed of Grace This seed abideth 1 Ioh. 3 9. and is incorruptible and is by the Word of God even that Word of God which is preached by the gospel 1 Pet. 1 23 25. So that this seed is no common thing but peculiar to such as are borne againe who by Christ do believe in God who raised him up from the dead and who have purified their souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit 1 Pet. 1 21 22. 9. He saith this seed inviteth and inclineth all men to good But doth it invite and incline the Iaponians Braâ—ilians Artigovanteans and such Heathens who never heard of Christ nor had any shew of Religion to faith in Christ Or even to all that is enjoyned by the Law of Nature or the Law of the two Tables How cometh it then that Paul who was far better versed in the Law than Heathens are saith he would not have known concupiscence unless the Law had said thou shall not covet And how can this consist with the sinful state of every natural person whose thoughts and imaginations incline and invite to evil Read Rom 3 10 to 20. All are under sin vers 9. all have sinned and come short of the glory of God vers 23. Nay how can this be seing the carnal minde is enmity against God and is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom 8 7 Is not the heart of every man by nature deceitful above all things and desperatly wicked Ier. 17 9. is not their very minde and conscience defiled Tit. 1 15. Where then can this good seed lodge It lodgeth neither in Heart Minde nor Conscience And shall it lodge in the Flesh It is true there is left in every Man a bit of a Natural Conscience informing concerning some Natural good requisite for self-preservation and for the preservation of Societies and inclineing thereunto but what is this to that Spiritual good required now by the Gospel and discovered by its Light Alas I see the hieght of the Quakers divinity is what a Natural Conscience can teach a Man-eater and this is their Gospel and this is their divine and glorious life O poor wretches 10. This seed he calleth the Vehicle of God A wonderful expression savouring more of a distracted braine and of an audacious blasphemous spirit than of a sober Christian fearing God 11. He calleth it the Spiritual body of Christ But by what Scripture I know not Christ is called the Saviour of the body Ephes. 1 23. Is Christ the Saviour of this seed The spiritual and mystical body of Christ is the Church Ephes 4 4. 1 Cor. 10.17 12 12 13 20. Rom. 12 4 5. Col. 1 24. Ephes. 2 23. Râ—m 12 27. Ephes. 3 6. 4 12 16. Col. 1 18. 2 19 What are the members of this body the body is not one member but many 1 Cor. 12.14 12. He saith it is the flesh and bloud of Christ that came out of heaven But had Christ no other flesh and blood than this Then the whole Incarnation of Christ is denyed And where is our Christian Religion then where is the Death of Christ where is his Resurrection where is his Ascension where is all the History of his life Is all that but dreames and lies whither will the Quakers lead us Christ gave his flesh for the life of the world Ioh. 6 51. did he give this seed for the life of the world was this seed a sacrifice to satisfie the justice of God what foolries be these Now the man in deed appeareth in his colours a Quaker in graine speaking non-sense at random and hereby evidencing what Spirit acteth him But one word more where readeth he that Christ's flesh and bloud came out of heaven They mean that Christ had the same Spiritual flesh and blood within his carnal flesh and blood which they have and so they are as much the Christ's of God as he was O dreadful blasphemy 13. He saith all the Saints eat of this What do only the saints eat of this while it is in every Man Every man by this mans doctrine is partaker of Christ's Spiritual body and hath Christ's flesh and bloud in him but they do not all eat thereof a strange phancy that persons have food in their belly before they eate it that persons are partakers of Christ's flesh and blood before they eat him by faith what wilde Notions be these Men are partakers of a glorious and divine life by having the spiritual body of Christ in them and the flesh and bloud of Christ that came out of heaven and that before they make any application of him to themselves by faith where read we of such things Christ tels us the contrary that except we eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood we have no life in us Ioh 6 53. and that with a doubled asseveration verily verily And he tels us moreover that he dwelleth in such as eate his flesh that is in beleevers vers 56. and not in others and vers 57. that he that eateth him even he shall live by him But these Impudent Quakers whose work is as it seemeth to câ—ntradict Christ and all the Gospel tell us that even
a corrupt Original and that we ought to be sure that the Ground and Original of our Knowledge be such as we may saifly trust to and build upon But whether the Original which He and other Quakers do follow and which he would prescribe unto us be the true and genuine Original and Ground of saving Knowledge he must allow us liberty seing the danger here is great as himself confesseth and such as enter not by the door are Theevs and Robbers to examine and to try whether the Ground he holdeth forth be Saife or the Ground we build upon be not Sufficient CHAP. III. Of inward and immediat Revelations 1. The maine scope of his second Thesis which is concerning Inward and Immediat Revelations is to give us the true and genuine understanding of the right original and fundation of Knowledge So that this Thesis must point out unto us this Original and Ground of true and saving Knowledge and by the title which he hath prefixed unto this Thesis we learne that his opinion is that Inward and Immediat Revelation is the only right Original and Foundation of Knowledge and this Inward and Immediat Revelation is given us in place of the holy Scriptures as his adjoining the third Thesis concerning the Scriptures and what he saith of them therein make manifest 2. We should now come to the examination of what he saith of this Inward and Immediat Revelation but in the entry of his explication of this Thesis in his Apology Pag 4. we are staved off by a hudge Preoccupation and meet with a dangerous Dilemma for either we must give our assent unto what he saith in this Thesis or bear the stigma and blake mark of Carnal and Natural Christians ignorant of the motions and operations of the Spirit of God in our hearts But perceiving an open way of escapeing from betwixt the hornes of his dilemma and waving his uncharitable censure of such as oppose him as being not only strangers to these motions of the Spirit in their hearts but as accounting them no way necessary yea as mocking them as foolish and ridiculous and much more to this purpose wherein as he manifesteth what Spirit he is of and with what Spirit he is led so he bewrayeth much ignorance of the minde and assertions of his Opposites which would be both endless and unprofitable for me once to take any notice of let be to answere seing a simple contempt of his Calumnies is sufficient Waveing I say these his impertinencies as the native fruite of his imbittered Spirit against all that do not applaud his wilde Notions I shall tell him that I cordially give my assent unto that of Paul Rom. 8 9 14. now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sones of God And I know no Christian whether Private Person or Doctor Minister or Divine that will not homologate with me in this howbeit he flander us as not only denying this but also as contradicting it 3. But he would hence deduce that no Knowledge of God can be acquired without a Divine and Immediat Revelation and for this cause he distinguisheth betwixt a Certane and an Vncertane a Spiritual and a Literal a Saving and an Empty Aery and Brainy Knowledge of God and sayeth the One can be many wayes acquired but the Other not without an Inward and Immediate Manifestation of the Spirit of God shineing in the heart and enlightening the understanding By which we see what Darkness and Confusion occupieth this mans minde and how either through blinde Ignorance or wicked Prevarication he laboureth to pervert the true state of the Question and leadeth his Readers into the same ditch of Ignorance and Prejudice wherein himself is fallen If he cannot we know how to distinguish betwixt the Spirits Inward and Immediat Revealing and making known the minde of God as he did of old unto the Prophets and Apostles whether by Dreames Visions Vive voice or inward efficacious Inspirations and the Spirits gracious In-working and Impressing the Truthes other wayes revealed and made known mediatly upon the soul of a man giving him through the spiritual Illumination of his minde and the gracious and effectual Moving of his heart grace to See to Imbrace and to Close with and savingly Improve the Truths revealed These things which are most manifestly distinct clearly different he is pleased either out of meer Ignorance or our of Designe all alongs to jumble together and confound that he might the more darken the Reader and prejudge him both of the right state of the Question and at the orthodox truth which he maliciously misrepresenteth The difference betwixt these two Operations of the Spirit without running forth here into a tedious and unnecessary digression for the clear information of the Reader and for preventing our further labour afterward we shall thus make plaine and manifest The first Operation of the Spirit mentioned is that which he the rest of the Quakers endeavoure to assert plead for in prejudice of the Scriptures which now to us under the New Testam supplieth richly and with advantage the want of the Immediat and Extraordinary Revelations of the minde and will of God concerning duty whether as to Faith or Practice by which the Lord was pleased formerly after diverse manners and wayes to make the same known The other which we assert and maintaine is an Efficient and not Objective Revelation and confirmeth the authority and truth of the Objective Revelation of the minde of God both touching Faith and Manners and so reserveth to the Scriptures their due place as our compleet Objective Canon and Rule and confirmeth them therein bringing home with power and saving grace upon the heart the Truths therein revealed and casting the soul into the mould of these saving Truths The One which they plead for taketh away all the use of the letter of the Scriptures all the study thereof or all the paines to be used in Acquireing the knowledge of the Original tongues in Reading of Commentaries for attaining to the knowledge of the letter in Preaching and Hearing of preachings in Useing other meanes for reaching the knowledge of the Truths delivered in the Scriptures The Other which we maintaine presupposeth in ordinary this knowledge of the letter of the Scriptures and the use of means contributing thereunto as a meane appointed of God whereby we may come through his Grace cooperating on our Understandings Wils unto the saving soul-captivating knowledge of the same Truths As the saving and gracious beleeving and improving of the Truths of God revealed of old by his immediatly and extraordinarily inspired Prophets unto others did presuppose their hearing and understanding the letter of what these Prophets and extraordinary Messengers revealed as the minde of God and did not destroy and make useless that meane as the way of Quakers would necessarily have done for they alleidge
Infallible Revelation of the Spirit of truth declared in the Scriptures writen by men infallibly acted by the holy Spirit of God and to beleeve and follow the dictats of the Father of lies As for the second Proposition It is unquestionable from history of all such Persons from the Montanists Circumcelliones Donatists Euchites and the like Enthusiasts of old from Mahomet that great Impostor and pretender to Revelations from the many Enthusiasts in the Church of Rome of which read D. Stillingfleet in his book above cited Especially Ignatius Loyola the Father founder of the Jesuites our Quakers great Friends if not Fathers from the Enthusiasts in Germany the Swenckfeldians Weigelians and particularly Iohn of Leyden and his complices in and about Munster c. to the Quakers this very day All which have given undoubted evidences of their delusions by their Errours Heresies sometimes Scandalous Actings Nay it hath been found that these desperat Adventures have pretended to these Revelations of purpose to put off with more cunning their desperat Errours and cheat souls unto the market of their pernicious Wares If this man be of another judgment I challenge him and all the Quakers this day to name to me a Seck of such Pretenders of whom this may not be verified And as for himself and the rest of the Quakers if the Scriptures be the word of truth and given out by Infallible Inspiration whâ—ch he dar not deny they bear as manifest Marks and give out as palpable Evidences of their being led and acted by a Spirit of Errour as any of their Predecessours as this and other of their writings put beyond all question Sure the Spirit which Christ promised to lead all his people by was a Spirit of Truth and a Spirit that leadeth into all Truth Ioh. 16 13. But thâ— Spirit acting them is a Spirit of Errour as the Scriptures of truth evidence The Spirit promised was a Spirit that would glorify Christ and take of his shew it unto his People but the Spirit acting them is a Spirit opposite to all the Institutions of Christ and a Spirit seeking to debase our Lord Jesus in his Person Offices and Work all which our following discourse will evince 33. Having thus proposed and enforced the Objection we need not take notice of hiâ— triffling Answers adapted to the shaâ—ow he made himself It â—s enough to us that he cannot say that such as the Spirit of â—od leadeth in seed are led into Errour seing by this fruite and their sinful carriage Christ hâ—th told us that we may know false Prophets Mat. 7 15 20. And that he himself confesseth that true divine Revelations are not contrare to the Scriptures and therefore having Scriptures and sound Reason on our side we value not his brag in saying that by happy experince they finde hithertil that the Spirit hath never deceived them or led them unto any evil seing all such Pretenders of old should have said the same with as great Confidence they that are given up of God to strong delusions to beleeve a lie know not that it is a lie which they beleeve Wisdome is justified of her children As for Munster business he professeth § 14. his abhorrence thereof but with all addeth that as great evils have been practised by such as owne the Scriptures which doth not touch the Objection framed by me Beside that it is not very probable that God would have left these Miscreants to such acts of villany if the way to which they pretended had been of God considering how they were the first that in that age and at that season of Reformation did appear for it and openly professe it a parallel of such as owned any part of Truth long under contempt and against so much opposition will not I suppose be showne The rest of this paragraph being a meer Rhapsodiâ— and with all an Excreation of much gall and nothing to the purpose in hand I meddle not with It wil satisfie him if I say that I am none of those who will reject the guidance of the Spirit of God though some profane Wreatches say that they are led by him He knoweth our disput is not about the guidance of the Spirit but about the manner of this Guidance and Teachings 34. What he saith § 15. in Vindication of the last part of his Thesis hath been obviated already See above § 18 and 19. only I shall take notice of a word or two which he hath To prove the self evidence of the Spirits working in souls he maketh use of these words of David Taste and see that God is good of Paul saying I am perswaded nothing can separate me from the Love of God and then citeth 1 Ioh 4 13. and as if it were to the same purpose addeth 1 Ioh. 5 6. and hence inferreth that the Revelations which they have being the Revelations of the Spirit who is truth must certanely be true and not contrary to either Scripture or Reason Alas doth not the man know that the Spirit may work grace in the soul and for a time for holy ends keep up the sensation thereof and that others may deny or not observe the work of the Spirit in their souls through Mistakes Prejudice or other Corruption as others may imagine a work of grace without ground Knoweth he noâ— that we are speaking here of Immediate and Objective Revelations which are Extraordinary and which himself in a few lines before said the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles had not naming any others and not of the Ordinary workings of the Spirit of grace Waving these Impertinencies I would ask only How came it to passe that Others pretending as much to Immediat Revelations as he have been deceived If others have been deceived why may not he It is true The Spirit of God is alwayes a Spirit of Truth but a Spirit of Errour and Delusion which some may take to be the Spirit of God is not the Spirit of Truth Why will he not try by the Scriptures and by sound Reason what sort of Spirit that is which acteth him the rest No that is needless And why so Because their spiritual senses are awake so that at the very first they can perceive their revelations to be of the Spirit no less infallibly than a wise Mathematician can diseerne the truth of the most clear mathematick demonstrations Happy they say I if it be so But hereby he must needs reproach his Predessours the Enthusiasts and Phanaticks of former ages as being asleep at best in the midst of their Revelations and not having their spiritual senses awake for they have been deceived and yet no doubt were as confident of the contrarie as this man is But this man's testimony is of himself and so the less to be valued and it is inward and invisible and so the harder to be confuted Only I would know how he will perswade us of it a Mathematician can demonstrat the grounds of his
otherwayes than unclean To whâ—ch words of Iob we may adde the words of Eliphaz Iob 15 14. what is man that he should be clean and he which is borne of a woman that he should be righteous Origens words Hom. 11. super Levit. are considerable Omnis qui ingreditur hunc mundum in quadam contaminatione effici dicitur Propter quod Scriptura dicit Nemo mundus a sorde nec si unius diei suerit vitaejus he meaneth this place of Iob as it is rendered by the 70. Hoc ipso ergo qui in vulva matris est positus qui materiam corporis ab â—rigine paterni seminis sumit in patre in matre contaminatus dici potest Aut nescis quia cum quadragint a dierum factus fuerit puer masculus offertur ad altare ut ibi purificetur tanquam qui pollutus fuerit in ipsa conceptione vel patâ—rni seminis vel uters materni Omnis ergo homo in patre in matre pollutus est 27. An argument for our purpose may be taken also from these words Gen. 5 3. And Adam begat a son in his own likeness after his image compared with vers 1. In the day that God created man in the likeness of God made he him As that Image of God in which Adam was first created did denote that Original Righteousness and Integrity which Adam had so this likeness and image of Adam in which Seth was begotten must denote Adams corrupted state whereof Seth in his very generation was a partaker and this was Original sin which was thus traduced and propagated from Adam to his posterity It is true Cain and Abel both were so also generated but it is thus expresly said of Seth because Abel had no posterity and Cains posterity was excluded from the Covenant Seths was to continue within it and therfore it is said of him that even his posâ—erity might know their true Original and be humble notwithstanding of this privilege As also to shew that no length of time betwixt the fall and this generation of Seth had worne this corruption away 28. The ancient Fathers made use of to this end these words of Christ to Nicodemus Ioh. 3 5.6 Except a man be born of watter and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit And indeed the proof hence deduced is irrefragable for Christ the Amen and faithful witnesse asserts with a double asseveration verily verily that a man and every man no exception made of Infants must be regenerated before he can enter into the Kingdom of God so that his first generation if there be no change will advantage him nothing And the Reason is added for by the first generation he hath a fleshly birth which is corrupt and not meet for the Kingdom of God what is borne of the flesh is flesh and nothing else and this probation annexed sheweth that Christ meanâ—th here even original natural and habitual corruption and this must principally be put from its dominion by Regeneration Beside that the words flesh and Spirit opposed thus to other in Scripture denote Natural Corruption and Grace reforming Rom. 7 14. 8 1 3. c. Gal. 6 vers 16 17. 1 Pet. 2 vers 2. 29. The ancients to this purpose made use of Gen. 17 14. and said the Covenant which these infants did violate who were not circumcised by their Fathers neglect or carelesness was the Covenant made with Adam See Vossii Hist. Pelag. Pag. 143. I shall not urge this place upon that account only seing the Text saith expresly that the uncircumcised man childe was to be cut off because he had broken God's Covenant we see that they were under a Covenant Law in some sense capable of breaking it therefore obnoxious to off cuting Now we heard above this Quaker say that Infants were under no Law therefore obnoxious to no punishment Let him chew his cood upon this place contradict Moses as he did lately contradict Paul They cited also Esai 48 8. Yea thou heardest not Yea thou knewest not yea from that time that thine eare was not opened for I know that thou wouldest deal very treacherously and was called a transgressour from the womb So did they make use of Rom. 7 23. I see another Law in my members and vers 18. for I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing As also 1 Cor. 15 22. of which we have already spoken a little And indeed this last place clearly pointeth forth that we are made alive by Christ through his merites conveyed to us by spiritual Regeneration as we died in Adam through his Sin and Corruption made ours by Natural Generation 30. Augustine as the forecited Author sheweth us Pag. 151.152 made much use of the Paines Torments Death which Infants were subject to as an irrefragable argument for Original sin and we have spoken something of it already The Fathers also made use of the initial Sacraments as a confirmation of this But I know this Quaker will regaird little any thing we can say of Baptisme for among the rest of his Errours he must not want this of Antibaptisme of which in due place Pelagius was much puzzled with this perplexing Argument was forced to grant that Baptisme to them was not for remission of sins so made it useless And as for Infants that died before baptisme he knew not what became of them quo non eant scio quo eant nescio and he devised a mid place betwixt hell heaven for them And so made two kinds of felicities one with in the Kingdom of God one without the Kingdom of God And he said that by baptisme they were brought out of the middle state into the highest See for this the forecited Author Pag. 192.193 Thus that man his followers were miserably Entangled But this Quaker I confess taketh a more consequential course but whether more consonant to Truth Piety I doubt when he denyeth all Baptisme But not to speak of Baptisme now for which there is a proper place reserved what will he say of Circumcision He cannot deny but that was an ordinance appointed of God And that it had reference to the body of sin Paul tels us Col. 21 11. And therefore it could not but presuppose sin in the Infants It is called by Paul Rom 4 11. a seal of the righteousness of faith and did point out the circumciseing of the heart Deut. 30 6. 31. The Fathers made much of this Argument That by this opinion of the Pelagians Infants were wholly excluded from any Interest in the Death and Merites of Christ. And how this man will evite this I know not nor know I how he will accord with himself in asserting Universal Redemption as we shall hear But to put a close to this I would only ask this
Essence of God considered some other way whence it appeareth that all men are partakers of the very Essence of God though not as considered precisely in it self but some other way What blasphemy is wraped up here let any juâ—ge that will 5. But why may not this seed and light be meaned of the Nature and Essence of God simply in it self considered Because saith he that can not be divided into parts and measures being most pure and simple free of all composition and division so can neither be exstinguished nor wounded nor crucified nor killed by all the strength of men Ans. Yet it would seem by him that the Essence and Nature of God though not as considered simply in it self yet as considered some other way may be Divided into parts and Compounded and so Exstinguished Wounded Killed yea Crucified and I would only know of him in what respect we can so consider the Essence and Nature of God as that we may say of it it may can be Wounded Killed Crucified or Exstinguished He leaveth us here in the mist. 6. We have heard what he understandeth not by this Seed Light c. He tels us next what he understandeth by it viz. a Spiritual heavenly and invisible principle principium organ in which God as he is the Father the Son the Spirit dwelleth a measure of which divine and glorious life is in all as a seed which of its own nature inviteth and inlineth all to good and this saith he we call the vehicle of God the spiritual body of Christ the flesh and bloud of Christ which came out of heaven and of which all the Saints do eat and are nourished unto eternal life Here we have a mysterious revelation of their mysterious conceptions by which we can understand as little of their meaning as before for 1. What is this Principium this Principle Is it a principle of Natural Actions Or a principle of Gracious and Saving Actions If of Natural actions how doth it differ from the soul and the Faculties thereof If of saving and gracious actions how is it given to and implanted in every man how Atheistical and wicked soever he be The Scripture tels us of a principle of wickedness in every man by nature whereby they are inclined to all evil and only evil and that continually And we hear of the God of this world in them that are lost blinding their mindes 2 Cor. 4 4. and of the Prince of the power of the aire the Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2 2. And that this is the common condition of all till they be quickened together with Christ and brought out of that state of death by faith in Christ Ephes. 2 3 4 5. and by beleeving the Gospel 2 Cor. 4 3 4. 2. How or what way is this to be called an Organ Of what is it an instrument or Organ Of God or of the Soul Instruments must be instruments of some principal cause Or is this word properly taken or improperly Is it a Suppositum or a Vertue and Principle superadded to the Suppositum siting it for action Or is it to the soul as our members and organs are to the body What he meaneth hereby he would do well to explaine for his expressions are dark and dubious and give no distinct sound 3. In what respect is this Principle and Organ called spiritual Is it spiritual as opposite to Carnal and Bodily as not being Corporeal Or as opposite to Natural Or as opposite to Sinful and Corrupt If he mean the first it may be nothing but the Soul or the Faculties or Natural Qualities thereof and so a meer natural thing But if he take it in the two letter senses how cometh it to passe that every one lying in their natural state are made partakers thereof It must be wrought by the special Operation of the Spirit and this special Operation of the Spirit is not common to all men breathing but is peculiar to the chosen ones and to beleevers as the whole Scripture informeth us 4. We may move the samâ— doubts touching the other two termes Celestial and Invisible The soul may be called Celestial as being immediatly created of God put into the body and it is Invisible as not being the object of our corporeal senses But it may be he taketh these termes in some other more limited sense 5. He saith God dwelleth in this Principle and Organ but how can that be That God is said to dwell among his people in respect of the signes of his Presence and of the effects of his Love Care and Tenderness of them we read Exod. 25 vers 8. 29 45 46. Numb 5 3. 35 34. Deut. 12 11. Ezra 6 12. Deut. 33 12. 1 King 6 13. Ezech. 43 7 9 Zech. 2.10 11. 1 Chron. 23 25. But this was not common to all Nations but was the special privilege of that people So we hear of God's of the Spirits and of Christs dwelling in the souls of his beloved and sanctified ones by more special significations of his Favour and gracious Workings of his Love Rom. 8 9 11. 2 Cor. 6 16. Ephes. 3 17. Revel 21 3. Ioh. 14 17. 1 Cor. 3 16. 2 Tim 1 14. 1 Ioh. 3 24. 4 12 15 16. But that this in dwelling of God or of his Spirit or of Christ is common to all men and not the peculiar privilege of the Saints the places cited do abundantly manifest to be false Of God's dwelling in such a Principle or Organ the Scripture maketh no mention and we must not be wise above what is wriâ—en He would do well to explaine this out of the Scriptures for we value not his dreames and phancies 6. What meaneth that expression That God dwelleth there as the Father as the Son and as the Spirit Doth God Father Son and Spirit dwell in all the ungodly Heathens Barbarians any other wayes than as He is omnipresent or by his Natural and Common works in and about them as in and about all his creatures who proportionably live move and have their being in Him as men and women have for all are his workmanship and get life and breath anâ— all things from him Act. 17 24 25 28. 14 15 But what meaneth that as the Father c. It may be he doth not acknowledge a Trinity of Persons in one Divine Essence as sure Other Quakers do not And then all the Trinity of Persons whereoâ— the Scripture speaketh must be nothing but some different unintelligible wayes of God's manifesting himself and dwelling in all and every one of Adam's posteritâ— and it may be too in all â—he Creatures sensible insensible 7. He calleth this a divine and glorious life whereof all are partakers in some measure It is a divine life indeed and glorious to have God dwelling in the soul in love and power But by vertue of what Covenant cometh He to dwell in every man Not sure
and consequently it is no part of the image of God in man 3. How can the man not be denominated from this seed and accounted an holy man upon the account thereof seing he called it before a Spiritual Principle and Organ and the Vehicle of God and that wherein God dwelleth and from which God and Christ cannot be separated And a divine and glorious life Shall a man have a Spiritual Principle of holiness in him and a divine Life and yet not be accounted a spiritual and holy man Nay shall a man have Christ in him dwelling and abideing in him yet not be called an holy man Shall a man have God dwelling in him as Christ had though not in that measure and yet not be accounted a spiritual holy man 4. The Scripture acquanteth us with no Seed or Principle of a spiritual life communicated to every man by his Birth or Conception nor to any but in Regeneration when they are borne againe not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Ioh. 1 13. And these are they who receive Christ offered in the Gospel and by beleeving on his name receive power to become the Sons of God vers 12. for that which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Ioh. 3 6. This being so we passe his comparison and that which he addeth as being founded thereupon all being grounded upon a fundamental errour his reasons for which are afterward to be examined 14. In the fourth place § 15. he saith That hereby they do not derogate from the Sacrifice and propitiation of Christ. But how is this imaginable seing this Seed which is born with every man will sufficiently save them if they will but suffer it to work in them so that there is no necessity for a man once to hear the name of Christ named in reference to Salvation And what improvement doth or can this Seed or Light in Heathens that never heard of Christ make of the Sacrifice of Christ We are told that Christ the true Messias by his knowledge that is by the knowledge of him as making his soul an offering for sin and as bearing their iniquities should justifie many Esai 53 10 11. And further we heard before how this Man joyneth with Socinians in denying the Deity and Incarnation of the Son of God and how having done this he can plead for or maintaine Christ's Sacrifice and Propitiation is intelligible only to Quakers who can as they pretend understand unintelligible things But let us heare how he vindicateth himself and the rest from this imputation He saith They beleeve all that is written of Christ's Conception Birth Life Miracles Death Resurrection and Ascension to be true And what then Socinians will say the same and yet are no friends to Christ's Sacrifice and Propitiation Do you beleeve that that body which was crucified at Jerusalem rose again and is now in glory Speak your minde here if you dar that that Body was personally united to the Godhead we think saith he further all to whom these things are revealed are bound to beleeve them But what will the beliefe of them signifie seing the devil believeth them to be true Yea saith he we think incredulity here damnable And why so Because that divine seed would incline all to believe for it assenteth to all truth that is declared But all this being but an historical faith can effectuate no salvation Hath the devil who is no stranger to this historical faith this divine Seed in him also inclineing him to beleeve this truth If not then this divine seed is not requisite unto this Faith if yea then God and Christ dwelleth in the devil and he is partaker of a glorious and divine life for this and more was said above of this seed as we heard 15. We hear nothing yet said for the Sacrifice and Propitiation of Christ Therefore he addeth that they firmly beleeve that Christs coming was necessary that by his death and passion he might offer himself a sacrifice to God for our sinnes and who ever obtaine remission of sins it is by vertue of his Satisfactory sacrifice These are faire words but containe nothing that can satisfie any understanding person for the Socinians themselves will say as much as may be seen in Hoornb Socinianismi Confut. lib. 3. Cap. 1. Pag. 490.491 Doth he say that the Quakers grant that Christs sufferings were a proper punishment suffered by Him as a cautioner in the room and stead of any sinner and that thereby He did truely and properly make satisfaction to the justice of Goâ— for the sinnes of his people and so purchase unto them Grace and Glory Remission of sins having pacified God and reconciled him unto them by a true and proper sacrifice and so properly and truely did redeem his people As the Socinians make Christ only a Metaphorical God in respect of his Office so they ascribe to him a Metaphorical Redemption and Satisfaction And if this patron of the Quakers can say no more on their behalfe it is too too manifest how small account they have of the Sacrifice and Propitiation of Christ. And what if all this be meant of the Christ within them 16. Yet he would make us beleeve that they magnifie and exalt Christ's propitiation above what we do we beleeve saith he that as all men were made partakers of the evil fâ—uits of Adam's fall though thousands never heard of him so many may feel the vertue of this divine seed and by it be turned from evil to good albeit thâ—y be utterly ignorant of Christ by whose obedience and suffering they obtaine this benefite Ans. 1. All men are actually made partakers of the evil fruits of Adam's fall so soon as they have a being because this is propagat by nature all mankinde being in Adam as their head and root But grace is not propagat by nature Had Adam this seed in him after he fell and before the promise of the seed of the woman was made to him Then he lost it not by the fall but by the fall sure he lost all inclination to spiritual good If he represented all Mankinde in the New Covenant of grace as he did in the Old Covenant of works then as his fall did redound in the one to the actual condemnation of his posterity so should his faith for we charitably suppose he was a beleever redound in the other to the actual salvation of all of what necessity then should the sacrifice of Christ be 2. All were partakers of the evil fruits of Adam's fall actually and not potentially only for there is none that escapeth but the feeling of the vertue of this divine seed is but a possibility so that notwithstanding this divine seed be said to be in all yet it might so fall out that not one should be saved for to have a power only to feel this seed importeth no actual
that every individual soul before they could savingly beleeve and understand the Truth of God behoved of necessity to have the same as Immediatly Inwardly and Extraordinarily revealed to themselves as it was to the Prophets and thus every man was to be an immediatly inspired Prophet to himself and what need was there then of immediatly Inspired Prophets singularly pitched upon and raised up for the use and benefite of others 4. This being plaine a sure basis whereupon we may stand and such a cleare stateing of the Question betwixt us and the Quakers that none needeth be ignorant of the true difference betwixt us and them we may very shortly dispatch this Man and his Doctrine which for the most part as we shall see runeth upon this Confusion and Mistake for thus he beginneth Pag. 5. to tell us That in all ages this hath been acknowledged viz That there is no saving knowledge of God to be had without the Spirit and to this end citeth some passages out of Augustin Clemens Alexandr Tertul. Hierom Athanasius Gregorius Magnus Cyril Alexandr Bernard Luther and Melanchâ—on None of which speak any other thing than what I have already granted and asserted and no true orthodox Christian or any that I know will deny except Pelagians Arminians the like with whom this Man doth too much conspire as we shall heare But can he produce any of the Fathers or of our Reformers maintaining such Inward and Immediat Revelations of the Spirit as the Quakers with their predecessours the Enthusiasts do assert now to be necessary and do pretend to If he be so well acquanted with the writings of the Fathers as by these his citations he would have us beleeve he hath done wisely for himself but not very honestly in concealing what several of the same Fathers and Others write expresly against such high Pretenders as the Quakers now are and in whose footsteps they in many things now tread Theodoretus in Epit. Haeret. Fab. Cap. 3. giveth us Cerinthus as the first Patriarcâ— of Fanaticks pretending to such Revelations Irenaeus lib. 1. advers Valentinum c. Cap. 9. sheweth how Marcus Valentinianus had a great Impostor a certane Devil for his Assessor by whom he himself seemed to Prophecy and foretel things and how he made some certane women whom he accounted worthy of that honour to prophecy and speak some braine-sick discourses when warmed by that empty Spirit so that they supposed themselves to be Prophetisses Theodoret in the forecited book Lib. 3. Cap. 11. tels us that one Montanus out of an ambition to excel all others alleidged that he had all his Opinions from the instinct of his Spirit the Paracleâ—e and did pretend to Enthusiasmes and Revelations and that he took unto him Priscilla and Maximilla as two Prophetisses calling their writings Prophecies or Prophetick Books and preferring them unto the divine Evangel And from this Montanus borne at Pepuza in Phrygia came the Seck of Cataphrygians and Pepuzians Augustine may also be read concerning this Catal. Haeret. Num. 26. and 27. And these men because they pretended much to the Spirit as our Quakers do now were usually called Spirituales and they called and accounted others Carnal Persons Psychici Animales Eusebius Hist. Eccles. Lib. 5. Cap. 16 and 17 may be read to this purpose relateing some of the pranks and opinions of these Cataphrigians and how one Apollonius wrote against them and their revelations and how Serapion and others gave witnes against them Let him if he please read also Epiphanius contra Haeres Tom. 1. Lib. 2. Haeres 48. 49. Where he will meet with some things not unworthy of his consideration Of this sort also were the Euchites who came of the Messalinians who were also called Enthusiasts concerning whom see Theodoretus Epit. Haeret Fab. Lib. 4. Cap 11 and Phylostr Haeres 49. A wonder it is that he citeth not Tertullian's books written de Ecstasi after he turned a follower of Montanus whom and whose ecstasies he laboured to defend in these books sure such could he have fallen upon them had been more apposite to his purpose then what he here citeth out of his book de volandis Virginibus we could also cite his book de praâ—cript advers Haeres Cap. 52. where he inveigheth much against such Prophets Among others of the predecessours of Quakers may the Circumcelliones and Donatistae be reckoned who did pretend to Visions and such Revelations and we may take in Quintius the Liberâ—ine though much later and others of the like stamp 5. In his § 3. he goeth on ranting at the same rate inveighing against all Doctors learned Persons who are not of his judgmeâ—t as being void of the Spirit and so no more to be called Christians as subserving in their writtings and labours the designe of Satan being only instructed in the external letter of the Scriptures whileas others that had only this inward and immediat revelation were true Christians hence he very profoundly doth inferre That the inward and immediat Revelation is only that sure and undoubted methode of true and saving knowledge I shall not be the man that shall plead for Doctors or Professours that deny or are strangers to the workings of the Spirit of God only I may say that the Quakers have not as yet given such irrefragable demonstrations of their being illuminated and led by the Spirit as may make us secure and confident as to the truth of all which they say I suppose the Spirit of God would teach them to speak more soberly of such as they are yet great strangers unto But to what purpose is all this waste of words if he meane nothing else by his Inward and Immediat Revelation than what we formerly § 3. did owne and explaine against whom doth he fight But if he meane as he must if he speak to the purpose what we said was the opinion of the Quakers all his wit and skill shall never be able to inferre his Conclusion from the Premises I grant that the knowledge of the letter of the Scriptures will never bring a man to heaven if with that there be not some gracious and saving Work of the Spirit working up the man to an Imbraceing Closeing with and rightly Improving of the Truths there contained yet I dar not say that the very letter of the Scriptures in its kinde as a compleet Canon and Rule is not able to make us wise unto salvation seing the Apostle is express for this 2 Tim 3.15 nor will I say that to the end the Truths revealed in the Scriptures may be savingly beleeved there is a necessiâ—y that every one have these same Truths revealed and declared unto them Objectively by new Inward and Immediat Revelations as the Prophets and Apostles had the Truths revealed unto them which they delivered unto others in the name of the Lord. And when he shall be able to inferre this Conclusion from solide Premises we shall think our selves concerned to
some other Abomination lurking under this To wit That this manifestation of the Father by the Son is not to be understood of a Gospel Manifestation but of a Natural Manifestation had in and by the works of Creation and so not of a Manifestation peculiar to the Church and people of God but of a Manifestation common to Heathens and all without the pale of the Church otherwise he shall hereby destroy what afterward he laboureth to build viz. the Universality of this Manifestation But whoever considereth the Scriptures by us cited shall finde that Christ meaneth a manifestation and declaration of the Father in and by the Gospel and Gospel Ordinances to the destruction of this mans Universality 9. He cometh § 6. to the clearing of his second Proposition viz. That there is no knowledge of the Son but by the Spirit And who will deny this as to that Knowledge which is truely and eventually saving of which Saving Certane and Necessary Knowledge his Proposition is to be understood as himself expresly showeth us with an Observandum and 1 Cor. 2 11 12. 12 3. whereby he proveth this are cleare enough but I see not the necessity of adduceing as a proof hereof Revel 3 20. behold I stand at the door c. Yet beside this Saving knowledge there is a Literal knowledge had by the common gifts of the Spirit which is also true in its kinde and though as to any Saving Effect it be Ineffectual yet we must not say with him Pag. 12. that the Spiritual Truths in the Gospel are as lies in the mouth of carnal persons for they are true even as to them Heb. 10 26. Some may sin wilfully after they have received the knowledg of the truth for whom no more sacrifice remaineth and 2 Pet. 2 20 21. Some may have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ and have known the way of righteousness who after they have known it turne from the holy commandement c. I cannot then say with him that this Knowledge of Christ is no more properly to be called a Knowledge of Christ than the speaking of a Parot is properly humane knowledge for I cannot think that when Christ sent Iudas to preach the Gospel it was as a man sending an ambassage by the hand of a Parot or that Balaam had no real knowledge of what was revealed unto him in his trance 10. But not insisting on this which is not much to the maine purpose I Observe that the thing which concerned him chiefly to clear up provâ— is not once touched by him here He should have proved tâ— us That this teaching of Christ by the Spirit is and was alwayes by Immediat Revelation that is by Enthusiasmes and such Extraordinary Wayes Nor doth he which is also remarkable distinguish betwixt Christs teaching by the Spirit in the Prophets of old and the Apostles of late and Christs own teaching Immediatly in his own Person while Incarnate which two the Apostle clearly differenceth Heb. 1 1 2. 2 3 4. Nor doth he speak any thing of Christs Mediat teaching whether by Apostles extraordinarily assisted or by Ordinary Ministers or by his Word nay by his language we might suppose that he excludeth these wayes from being wayes of Christ's teaching contrare to Math. 10 20. 1 Thes. 4 8. 2 Cor. 5 19 20. Mat. 28 18 19. and many other places 11. Let us proceed and see what he saith § 7. in confirmation of the third Proposition viz. That God did alwayes make himself manifest to the Sons of Men by the Spirit For this cause he would have us considering how God from the beginning did manifest himself in his creatures But our enquiry should be how he did manifest himself to his creatures These words in creaturis suis in his creatures cannot but be understood of the way of his manifesting himself But to Manifest Himself in or by the Creatures is not the same with Manifesting Hâ—mself in or by the Spirit For confirmation of his Proposition he adduceth Gen. 1.2 And the Spirit of the Lord moved upon the face of the waters Is not this a pregnant proof of Gods revealing his minde unto Men who were not yet created Bâ—t passing this ridiculous Argument which moreover perverteth the genuine meaning of the Spirit of the Lord in that passage let us see what he adduceth further I think faith he no man will deny that from Adam to Moses Gods communion with man was by immediat manifestation of the Spirit I answere Though it be true that Christ as the great Prophet of his Church did by the Spirit reveal the Counsel of God concerning mans salvation yet that he did this by the Spirit 's Immediat Revelation unto every Individual Person will never be proved now this being the matter that he would have us grant and which only maketh for his purpose he must prove it ere we assent to it That the Lord was pleased to reveal his mind Immedialy to Some and by them to Others from Adam to Moses we know but that every individual Person even of the people of God were advanced to this privilege I deny Yea even dureing that time we read in Scripture but little of these Manifestations We know what was spoken immediatly to Adam to Cain we read also of the Prophecy of Enâ—h in Iud's Epistle which yet was not any new Truth revealed we read also of what was revealed to Noah and to Abraham to Isaac and to Iacob and to soâ—e few others But what will all this make for his point Sure these few persons were not all that lived dureing that long tract of time what then became of the rest how were they instructed was it not Mediatly by those Patriarchs and selected Persons And did not the Fathers instruct their children from generation to generation that the right worship and knowledg of God might be propagated from hand to hand 12. This proof evincing nothing let us see the next afterward saith he in the times of the law the Lord spoke no other way to his children which cannot be denied by such who acknowledge the Scriptures to have been written by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost Answere That the Scriptures of the Old Test. were so written I grant That the persons imployed in that work had immediat Revelations to this end I grant Nay moreover I grant that all other true Prophets who were raised up of the Lord whose Prophecies the Lord thought not fit to make a part of the Canon of the Scriptures had Divine Inward and Immediat Revelations But this Reason is as childish as the preceeding Doth he think that this is enough to prove his point Doth he think that all the rest of the people of God in those generations had those Immediat Revelations or that this followeth as a clear consequence from his Argument What folly is here He might as well prove that all the people of this
here mentioned is not the Scriptures and he learnedly proveth this from other Scriptures As if any sober Christian ever Asserted such a thing But in the bye as if he had no friendship with the Socinians he redargueth their incogitancy that do not acknowledge any Inward Spirit or Vertue but a meer Natural one But in what Socinian doth he read such a thing I think He rather and the Socinians are one denying this Spirit and Paraclete to be a person and a divine person as to Essence one with the Father and the Son but as to subsistance distinct The Socinians do say that the Spirit and Holy Ghost is but the Inward Spiritual Vertue of God and are not so carnal and natural as to say that it is a meer Natural Spirit or Vertue Thus he helpeth us to know what himself meaneth by the Spirit here and elsewhere mentioned viz. Not a distinct person of the Trinity but an Inward Vertue which they call the Light within The second paâ—ticular is That this Spirit is inward and for this he citeh Rom. 8 v. 9 10. 1 Cor. 3 v. 16. and that all noble works are ascribed to this Spirit citeing Ioh. 6 v. 63. Act. 2 v. 4. and 8 ver 10. Rom. 8 ver 2 13 15 16 26. 1 Cor. 2 ver 10. and 12. v. 8 9 10 13. and closeth with a saying of Calvines Institut Libr 3. Cap. 2. By all which what he would say and against whom he would disput I know not do we deny the Spirits work in his children Do we deny his Union with them that he is in them and dwelleth in them or their Union with Him that they are in Him and walk with Him All the question is about the way how this is Conceived and Expressed Will he say That the Spirit so is and dwelleth in and abideth with beleevers that hereby they become personally united with Him and so are one person with Him Some indeed have said little lesse and therupon inferred that beleevers were Godded c. as they loved to speak But if this be his meaning I account him a Blasphemer Supposeth he that the Spirit is in â—elievers as a Vertue or Spiritual power and is the Light within them Then as he contradicteth himself saying that this light and vertue is within every man which here is but promised to believers so he giveth us a shreud presumption that he is a Socinian denying the personality of the Holy Ghost which the texts cited by himselfe and many others of the like import do manifestly evince The third particular is the work of the Spirit to guide into all truth c. which we shall be loath to deny whatever his friends the Arminians and Pelagians do Do we cry up the Traditions and Precepts of Men Do we exalt corrupt and carnal Reason Let himself see to this who cryeth up the Light within which is but Nature under a new name as shall be showne in due time This is his first Argument but what is his Conclusion Ergo The holy Spirit abideth and dwelleth in and leadeth his owne All true Christians have the Spirit of God dwelling in them as in his Temple and Ergo For this Argument must be branched-out into many so fertile is the mans invention The Spirit moveth instructeth and leadeth every true christian into the knowledge of such things as are necessary unto salvation Ans. Concedo totum and what would he have more But poor man knoweth he not what is the point in difference Hath he Concluded that the Spirit communicateth the knowledge of Gods minde to all his saints in the same manner and way as he did of old to the Prophets who were extraordinarily Inspired and that that immediat way of communication of Truths to be beleeved and Duties to be performed which was peculiar to Patriarchs and Prophets or to the Apostles is continued and common to all believers No This point is too hot for his fingers to touch and we must be satisfied to heare him prove that which he can prove though it be the same which we assert and so to no purpose 28. Before he come to this second Argument he tels us § 11. That there are some who do confess that the Spirit doth now breath upon and lead the Saints but this is Subjectively and in a blinde way coeco modo but not objectively that is He illuminats the understanding to beleeve what is revealed in the Scriptures but presents not any verity objectively and this they call medium incognitum assentiendi an unknown medium of assent that is of which the man is not certaine nor sensible Ans Whom he doth particularly here meane I know not and so I cannot judge whether he reporteth their opinion faithfully or not nor how they explaine the termes here expressed I know men may have various conceptions of the same Truth and so may have various and different-like Expressions and yet meane one and the same thing And for my part though I cannot assent to some expressions here used yet I think the substance of the truth which I owne is held forth here The Scriptures are a compleat Rule to us in all things concerning Faith and Manners in reference to Salvation and hold forth the revealed Mind of God here anent as an outward Objective meane or an external Rule And therefore we need now no new Revelation either as to Truths to be beleeved or as to Duties to be obeyed in order to Salvation but we need the Breathing Light and Power of the Spirit both to cause us see the matters already revealed and to close with them as divine Truths and Commands Let us see however what he answereth Though this opinion sayeth he be more tolerable than the former yet it is not true And why First because there are many truthes which as they respect every one ut singulos respiciunt it may be he meaneth and should hâ—ve said Personas singulares are not all found in the Scriptures But what are these Truths Are they Truths concerning salvation if so I deny what he saith and shall waite his proofs in the Next Thesis where he promiseth to shew this Secondly because saith he the Arguments adduced do also prove that he proposeth truths to us Objectively But suppose that several of the Scriptures by him formerly adduced should conclude this as to the Apostles and some others yea and more viz. That they should be filled with the Spirit and Immediatly and Extraordinariâ—y Inspired and acted to pen Scripture and infallibly to hold forth Gospel Truths to set downe immutable Gospel Rules to establish Gospel Ordinances and the like which also was so will he think that the promises in this extent belong to every individual Beleever so that each of them by vertue of these promises are Infallible Dictators writters of Scripture and the like let him assay the proof of this and we shall consider what he sayeth But further though I should grant what he here sayeth
say as well as he that beleevers now have free accesse to Christ the great Teacher of his people alwayes to get his minde known and writen in their hearts but not to get Prophetick Revelations and even as to the Scriptures of which this man speaketh so basely though they also had the Law and the Testimony Esa. 8 20. and were to search the Scriptures Iob. 5 39. we cannot think they had the advantage of us in respect of the many Immediat Revelations made unto the Prophets because of what the Apostle Peter saith 2 Pâ—t 1 19. Beside that every one may see that the Word of God Writen and delivered by men immediatly Inspired is as sure a ground of faith to others as the Word of God Spoken by a man immediatly Inspired and that the former hath the moe advantages And whereas he talketh of the discrepancy of mens judgments as to the meaning of the Scriptures is he so blinde as not to see that the very words of immediatly Inspired High Priests and Prophets were obnoxious to the same mistakes and more Is a Set Long Continued Discouse more intelligible to judgments of all syzes than the same discourse Writen and put into every mans hand to Read and Meditate upon to Ponder and Consider all its Parts Coherence c What shall we then say of this Man who reasoneth thus against Truth and common Sense 31. His third and last Reason is from 1 Ioh. 2 27. which place together with Ier. 31 34. hath been alwayes perverted by the Phanaticks as also by the Author of Theologia Germanica Cap. 18. thereby turning the grace of God into lasciviousness and turning his goodness into licentiousness for ordinarily these and the like places are adduced to Countenance their Despiseing and Rejecting of the Ordinances of Christ and of Teaching while yet notwithâ—tanding hereof themselves are as busie as possible to pervert with teaching and scriblings as if all this Unction could not take away the necessity of their Teaching albeit it may take away the necessity of all other Teaching whatsomever But is it not strange that if this were the meaning of the words that Iohn should not know it or if he know it that notwithstanding thereof he should write thus unto them and acquant them with what he judged necessary and particularly should decyphre by so many marks the Antichrist's and Seducers Strange it is that this Unction that teacheth all things could not teach them to know the usefulness of it until Iohn did thus signifie it unto them and yet more strange that if matters be thus the Spirit of God should have Inspired and Acted Iohn unto the writing of this Epistle and other holy Men of God to have writen Scripture for by their Interpretation this Unction maketh the whole Scripture useless And indeed this Man is not aâ—hamed to tell us that this Unction is a more sure Rule for finding out and discerning Seducers than Iohn's writings which not only hath no shadow of countenance from the text but doth also render the whole Ministrie of the Apostles in teaching Useless and Unnecessary and so destroyeth at one blow all Gospel Dispensations But were not beleevers under the law made partakers of his Unction if not what do all the Immediat Revelations which they had import where is the Onenesse or sameness of the formal Object of their faith and ours under the New Test And then what is become of all his former reasonings But if even beleevers under the Law were made partakers of this Unction in some measure why did the Lord raise up Prophets Why might not they have examined and tryed all their Prophecies by this Unction What advantage had they by the Immediat Revelations made unto the High Priests Why were they commanded to go to the Law and to the Testimony Why doth Christ send them to the Scriptures and not to this Inward Unction These things cannot well hang together Moreover what understandeth he by this Unction Will he say that by it must be understood Immediat Objective Revelation How can this be more sure and certane than the Immediat Objective Revelations which the Apostles had and are set down in Scriptures Is one Immediat Objective Divine Revelation more sure and certane than Another But it may be that by this Unction he meaneth the Light within Yet neither can this hold for the Light within is common to all men but this Unction he maketh common only to the Saints Enough of this which hath been abundantly answered by others and else where to wit in the book against Velthusius I had occasion to speak to it and shall not here repeat what is there said 32. Having thus proved as well as he could what he thought convenient for his purpose he tels us that he will now answere Objections and the first and only objection which he taketh notice of § 13. is That these Revelations are uncertane And when he hath thus ignorantly or unfairely proposed the Objection he cryeth out of the Ignorance of his Adversaries and very learnedly tels us that he distinguisheth betwixt the Thesis and Hypothesis and that it is one thing to say that the true and undoubted revelations of the Spirit of God are certane and infallible and another thing to say that this or that man hath infallible revelations and that he affirmed the first Which his adversaries will affirme as well as he and that the last may be questioned But with his leave I shall frame the Objection thus If since the Apostles and the extraordinary Officers whom God was pleased to imploy at the laying the foundation of the Gospel Administration fell asleep and after the canon of the Scriptures was compleated all that ever pretended to these Immediat Revelations and Inspirations as a ground of Faith Obedience have borne the signal marks of the displeasure of God and given by their Practices or by their Opinions or Both evident toakens of their being acted and led by a Spirit of Errour and Wickedness and of their being given up of God to strong delusions then we may saifly inferre that this is not the way of Christ now the Gospel is clearly and fully revealed the canon of the Scriptures is perfected whereby He teacheth and leadeth His people nor ought to be owned as such But the former is true Therefore so is the other The connexion or Major Proposition is such I think as no man can except against who regairdeth the Works of the Lord and the Operation of his hands And who can imagine that if such a way of God's manifesting of his minde now were the only way of God's leading of all his owne he should put such Open Manifest and Undoubted Marks of his displeasure upon those men who of all the rest of the world were most giving up themselvs to the only saife and Christian Way of understanding God's minde Or that these should be specially given up to crosse and contradict the Immediat Objective and
sandy ground as Mr Rutherfoord witnesseth in his Spiritual Antichrist P. 19. Richard Farnworth said to Mr Stalham as he reporteth Pag. 3. of his forecited book That the Scriptures are the word of God and eternal life as thou wouldest have them thou canst not prove nor all the Magicians to help thee So P. 43. he tels us that one of them in a sheet called Christ exalted c. P. 4. had these words He Christ is the word and the Scripture is not He is the light and the Scripture is not He is the Rule and Guide and Teacher and Iudge and the Scripture is not but a Declaration of Him to be so By which and the like we may see how low an account they have of the Scriptures And how fond and absurd this is to debase the Scriptures under a pretence of exalting of Christ who seeth not Seing the Lord spoke in and by the Prophets unto the Fathers and spoke by the Mouth of the holy Prophets Heb. 1 1. Luk. 1 70. And the word of the Lord came unto them as unto Ieremiah Chap. 1 2 4. 2 1. 14 1. 29 30. unto Ezechiel Chap. 1 3. 3 16. to Hosea Chap. 1 1. to Ioel Chap. 1 1. to Ionah Ch. 1 1. 3 1. to Micab Ch. 1 1. to Zephania Chap. 1 1. to Zechariah Chap. 1 1. 7 4. 8 1. and by Haggai Chap. 1 1. And they declared what they spoke as the word of the Lord and the Lord owned it as His word See moreover 2 Chron. 36 21. Micah 4 4. Act. 28 25. Esai 1 20. Deut. 30 8 Num. 25.5 Ier. 23 28. and the like And seing the Scriptures containe nothing but a Revelation of the will and good pleasure of God it is manifest and clear that they are the Word of God and should bear that title To speak nothing of the Law which the Lord spoke and gave himself immediatly from mount Sinai what he inspired the Prophets to deliver and spoke himself in and by them and moved them infallibly in the very writing thereof cannot but be the Word of God That word which was given by immediat divine Inspiration cannot but beare the name of the Word of God Nay this name is expresly given unto the Scriptures for Mark 7. what is called the commandement of God vers 8. spoken and written by Moses vers 10. is called the Word of God vers 13. The roll written by Baruch Ier. 36 from the mouth of â—eremiah vers 4. is called the words of the Lord vers 6. The sword of the Spirit which is a piece of the Spiritual armour of Christian souldiers wherewith they resist the devil as Christ their Captane did Mat 4 4 7 10. with an it is written see also Mat. 22 31 32. is called the Word of God Ephes. 6 17. I shall not urge that place Heb. 4 12. because it seemeth more to be spoken of Christ than of the Scriptures though several take it as meaned of the Scriptures But that equivalent Expression of the Word of Christ Col. 3 16. may confirme us in this Truth as also that equivalent Expression the Oracles of God Rom. 3 2. and that the sincere milk of the word 1 Pet. 2 2. and that the word of the Lord 1 Pet. 1 2â— what else can the Psalmist's speaking to God and manifesting his affection to his word useing this expression Thy word above thirtie times Psal. 119. import but that the Scriptures are and are to be called the Word of God So these equipollent Expressions have the same import The word which I command you Deut. 4 2. I have written to him the great things of my law Hos. 8 12. when the Spirit of the Lord speaking of the Scriptures useth these expressions well spoke the Holy Ghost saying Act. 28 25 26. As the Holy Ghost saith Heb. 3 7. He spoke in a certane Place Heb. 4 4. He said in David vers 7. See Heb. 5 6. Exod. 20 1. Deut. â— 6. Heb. 13 5. Gal. 3 16. Rom. 10 21. 15 10. 1 Cor. 9 10. Others of this kinde might be cited If this man be of another judgment herein he should clearly express himself howbeit he thereby dissatisfie some of his Brethren But instead of this in his Apology P. 36. he alleigeth that we but calumniate them and speaking in the name of all the rest he saith they account them the most excellent writings in the world but how will he make this agree with their sayings formerly cited and afterward to be adduced He would do well to endeavour some reconciliation but I see not how he can do it 3. As for us we assert that no Prophecie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation For they were not conceived by the mindes nor framed and formed by the Understandings and Reasonings of men nor were they the product of their Study Paines as other books are of their Authors assisted by the Spirit of God Howbeit the penmen of the Scriptures studied the writtings of others as Daniel did understand by books Dan. 9 2. and David was much in the meditation and study of the Law yea they searched and made narrow enquiry after the meaning of what was spoken and delivered by themselves so far as concerned their own faith and Practice as Peter tels us 1 Pet. 1 10 11. yet the work of delivering the Scriptures by Word and Write was not the result of their studious Labour wherein their Mindes Judgments and Memories were exercised and busied nor did these Scriptures proceed from private phancied Revelations and Enthusiasmes they were not the issue of mens Dreams Imaginations Conceptions of fancie or self-Afflation because no way of private Interpretation or Revelation but on the contrary holy men of God spoke as they were not only determined but moved by the Holy Ghost and that in contradistinction both from the acts of mens Phancy and Imagination and the acts of their Will 2 Pet. 1 20 21. The Holy Ghost did Immediatly and Extraordinarily dictat what was written Matter and Expressions as well such things as they had Seen Heard Read Studied and Known before as these they were Ignorant of or had forgotten Hence it is that the Lord spoke in the Prophets by the mouth of the holy Prophets and his word came unto them and by them see Heb. 1 2. Mark 14 36. Heb. 3 7. 9 8. 10 15. Luk. 1 v. 70. 2 King 10 10. 21 10. 2 Sam. 23 2 3. and hence it is that this very word of Prophecy or Prophetical word coming thus unto the Prophets the holy men of God when it was to become a Prophecie of write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was also committed to write through the Spâ—cial acting of the Spirit singularly movâ—ng these Amanuenses hence the Scripture the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given by Inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3 16. on which place the words of Corn a
to the excluding of Christ and that in the New Test. there is a clearer Manifestation of Christ as the End of the Law and as Life than was under the Law and we know that Christ by his Spirit writteth his Law in the hearts of his children by giving them a Spiritual Principle of Obedience and this he did also to his owne under the Law and all this without annulling the Letter of the Law as a Rule as we have showne elsewhere abundantly against the Antinomians 6. will he say that all the Scripture is written in tables of stone and yet of that doth the Apostle speak 2 Cor. 3. v. 7. the place he hath in his eye But saith he Gracâ— and not the external law is Christians Rule Rom. 6 14. And yet the External Law taught him this otherwise he citeth this passage with an evil conscience but Grace there is not taken for a Rule but for that Spiritual Assistence whereby we are enabled to withstand Corruption and so to be more conformed Outwardly and Inwardly unto the Law and for the Gospel dispensation wherein grace is promised and secured in and through the Mediator to help in time of need to more Conformity unto the revealed will of God But by what authority can he take Grace here and Act. 20 32. for Immediat Revelations The grace of Christ and the power of his Spirit in regard of that Efficacy it hath to Restraine from sin and to Constraine sweetly unto duty is assimulated unto a Law the native End and Designe whereof is this Rom 8 2. for thereby his children are Effectually and Efficiently delivered from the Tyranny and Power of Sin and Death So that this man knoweth not what he saith when he would reason thus against the Scriptures as our Rule for the Apostle in that same Epistle Chap. 13.9 urgeth the very decalogue as a binding Law and in several other places of the same Epistle citeth passages out of the old Test. not only to Confirme his Doctrine but to Enforce Duty yea he expresly tels us that the very Scriptures of the Old Test. are of this use unto us Chap. 15 4. 25. Before we proceed and examine what he saith against the Perfection of the Scriptures in the following Pages we would first vindicate some Grounds of our owneing of it as our Rule which he mentioneth afterward and also in the first place clear it to be so from other Grounds which he taketh no notice of And in all this we have this Advantage that he hath already granted the Scriptures to be of divine Inspiration and of Immediat Revelation and to be the Scriptures of Truth and so without manifest Retracting of what he hath said and Contradicting of what he hath granted he cannot but assent to all which these Scriptures of truth say as truth and as unquestionable truth wherefore if they shall give testimony to their being our Rule above any thing that men may fancie as a Rule the testimony must be true and we must without further debate Acquiesce therein and while he doth dispute to the contrary he calleth in question their Truth and in effect controleth their Truth and Authority Let us see then what they say of themselves as to this That parable which Christ adduceth Luk. 16. speaketh faire for what we say for who would not think that one riseing from the dead should be hearkened to and beleeved above all who would doubt of the divine authority of his Message especially when calling for Repentance who could think that such an One so comeing and that with such a message were not to be received as cloathed with divine authority And yet we see by Abraham's answere in the parable that Moses and the Prophets are to be preferred so that if the testimony of Moses and the Prophets that is of the writings of Moses and the Prophets could not to bâ— Beleeved such a testimony with a miracle would be Ineffectual Shall we then think that this word preferable to such a testimony as every one would think were unquestionable should not be rested upon as our Supream Rule will any think it reasonable that we leave this and betake ourselves to private Inspirations and Revelations as a Superiour more Sure and Full Rule and Declaration of the Minde of God concerning Faith and Manners when all men must see that they come far short in point of Light and Certainty unto the testimony of One risen from the dead beside that we know not by any infallible toaken out of what airth they come Sure this should be Madness and Folly 26. Further when the Apostle is pressing Timothy 2 Tim. 3 16 c. to stedfastness in the truth and to a progress and continuance in the work of the Gospel he assureth him that the Scriptuâ—es which he had been acquanted with from his child hood and was the sure ground and rule of his doctrine would beare him thorow without mentioning any superiour yea or collateral Rule as requisite in this case saying they were able to make wise unto Salvation and to make the man of God perfect and further as a confirmation hereof he tels him that the whole Scripture was of divine Inspiration superiour to which as a Rule nothing is imaginable unless we blasphemously imagine some thing above God or some manner of Revelation of God's minde superiour and preferable unto that which is by his Immediat Speaking and Inspiration As also he tels him that the Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect throughly fournished unto all good works and so he denyeth the Use and Necessity of the auxiliary supply of any other whether collateral or superiour Rule Sure had the Spirit been in his judgment a Superiour and more adequate Rule he had never attributed all this unto the Scriptures and that without all exeption of one thing or other So that place of Peter 2 Pet. 1 18 19 20 21. evinceth the matter beyond a contradiction for what can be more ceâ—taine as to its divine Authority than a voice from heaven and that from the excellent glory Dar this man his fellow-confidents Averre that their private Revelations whether Dreames Visions or Inspirations are to be preferred to such a Voice from heaven from the Excellent glory saying This is my beloved Son which Peter Iames and Iohn did hear If modesty will not suffer them to be so bold let them then forbeare to preferre their Fancies in point of Rule unto the Scriptures When Peter saith we have a more sure word of Prophecie a light that shineth in a dark place and what was this word of Prophecy even that which holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost shall we not then look upon that as our supreame Rule which God hâ—th given out with more evidence as to us than a very Voice from heaven and a Voice which had full Certainty in its selfe And shall we be so sottish as to preferre to
6. Rev. 22 18. and others of the same import as Gal. 1 8. Mat. 15 6. So that it is hence cleare that the Doctrine contained in the Scriptures is full and Compleet for to it nothing must be added not must any thing be diminished therefrom Now to these this Maâ— replyeth with Bellarmine That Iohn in the Revelation meaneth only that particular book That notwithstanding thereof the Prâ—pheâ—s of old did adde their Prophecies But how vaine these shifts are who seeth not Seing what is spoken of that Book and elsewhere of the Commands of God is consequently to be understood of all and as none might adde to the law delivered by Moses nor to the Word held forth by the Prophets so the Canon being closed and the same prohibition renewed at the close thereof we are assured hence that the Canon is Perfected as for the Prophecies of the Prophets these were properly no Additions to but Explications of the law of God and beside the Lord did not binde up his owne hand when he tyed up mans from adding or diminishing But he tels us further that there were Prophets even after Iohns dayes and at the Reformation and since Which is nothing to the purpose for these who foretold events took not upon them to prescribe thereupon doctrines to others nor did they make any such Revelation the Ground and Rule of Faith and Manners eiâ—her to themselves or others far less did they plead upon this account against the Perfection of the Scriptures as our Quakers do Wherefore it is manifest that the Spirit of Divination which tâ—ey plead for is a corrupt Antichristian Spirit But in end he sayeth that these places are to be understood only of such as adde new doctrine contrary to the old of such as adde humane words to God's but not of them who only bring a new and more copious revelation of ancient doctrine As if additions of new Revelations to the canon did not â—eclare the canon Imperfect This is the same which Bellarmine and other Papists say for their Traditions viz. That they are not Additions but Explications yet both their Traditions our Quakers new Revelations must thereby be as highly valued as the writtings of the prophets and Apostles which were but further Explications and Revelations of the same old foundamental doctrine deliverd by Moses and thus what our Quakers do deliver by such Revelations as they pretend unto must be looked upon as of the same authority with what the holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and with the Scriptures which are of divine Inspiration and what they speak thus are not mens words but Gods and must be received as such though they contradict what we have registrate in the Scriptures of truth Here is prodigious and blasphemous Audacity beyond what Papists though audacious enough dar be guilty of for they willingly grant that there is no place now left for adding to the Scriptures or doctrine delivered by the Prophets and Apostles any new Prophecies or Revelations But I would ask him one thing If he speak truth here when shall our Canon be compleated that no more needs be added Sure it must never he Perfected as long as they live or the time will come when they will need no moe Revelations and consequently according to their doctrine will nead no more help of the Spirit or of the Light within or that the Revelations which they shall then have will be useless Let him unriddle this mysterie if the can 31. Before I speak any more of their unreasonableness in this I would first see what Grounds he hath to decry the Perfection of the Scriptures Pag. 40. c. He tels us first That there are innumerable things which in reguard of particular circumstances are of great consequence unto Christians and yet there is no precise rule in the Scriptures concearning them But did ever any Rational man suppose that this was necessary to a Compleet Law and Rule to determine particularly and precisely of all and every particular action considered as to all its particular and individual circumstances Reasonable men will say that it is enough if it determine of aâ—l specifick actions and give general rules by which judgment may be made of all individual actions now this the Scripture doth richly and abundantly But he adduceth an instance to the contrary thus of a Minister called to preach the necessity of which office and ministrie himself denyeth though he make use of this argument ad hominem who can produce no call out of the Scriptures nor will the qualifications required of Minâ—sters evince that this man in particular is called nor can he be certaine that he is endued with these qualifications without the testimony of the Spirit and though he be endued and called no Scripture can tel him when and where he should preâ—ch Generals will not serve here for he may sin when doing this or preaching here when he should be doing that and preaching in another place Answere 1. I might tell him that by his reasoning here he must grant that he and the rest of the Quakers must have a Real New Distinct and Particular Revelation for every action every word or silence every thought or no thought and so for their Eating Drinking Sleeping Wakeing Walking Sitting Standing Looking Hearing c. or their rule shall be as imperfect as ours for in all these and in respect of their circumstances they may sinne and so bring condemnation on themselves and yet as we will hear afterward he dar not say so much His saying that the Instance which he hath adduced is a matter of greater moment will not helpe the matter for if he will I shall prove to him that in the least of these particulars I have hinted he can sinne against God and that is enough by his owne confession here to render the matter momentous 2 To him it is true who denieth the Ministrie it self its Work and Exercise it cannot be that the Scriptures should Regulate particular persons in their taking on of the Office and in the Exercise thereof But to us who owne this as an Institution of Christ and shall in due place vindicate it from his Exceptions there is no Impossibility in the matter For we can prove from Scripture and shall do it in due time and place that there is such a standing Ordinance in the New Testament That there is an established Order whereby persons shall be duely Invested with the Office That there are certaine Qualifications required in the Person who is to be admitted to the Office That there is concurring an inward Work of the Spirit inclineing the man whom the Lord calleth unto this Office upon pure and spiritual grounds and motives and for holy and heavenly ends and this may be cleared also out of Scripture Therâ— are passages of providence and circumstantial Works of the Lord which are great and sought out of all them that have pleasure
therein Psal. 111 2. which speak out God's minde as to circumstantial individual actions There are many General Rules which must be applied by Christian Wisdome Prudence and Discretion according to exemplary instances registrated in Scripture so that a person walking in the Light of the Lord and hanging upon Him singly for Light to understand the Rule and Wisdome to regulate his individual Actions thereunto shall see and be convinced of the Perfection of the Law of God and abhore the thoughts of tempting of God by looking for or asking New and Immediat Revelations yea and if any thing should occurre that by reason of its unusualness should seem to be some what extraordinarie and have some farr-resemblance unto that which some would call a Revelation will not rest till their Obedience be bottomed upon the unerring Rule and look upon such unusual manifestations as Confirmations rather than Grounds for their Faith and Obedience And in this the Lord may think good to consult the weakness of such well meaning persons who cannot see that in the Rule of the Scriptures as particularly applicable to their case which Others more mighty in the Scriptures and of more spiritual sharpnesse would easily discover All which tendeth to the Confirmation of the Fulness and Perfection of the Rule and no way to the crying-up and owneing of Inward and Immediat Revelations to the disparagment of the Law of the Lord which is Perfect Matters than being thus the Scripture-Rule able to regulate as a Rule when studied and wisely improven in all the particulars by him mentioned as might be showne Nay more might by shown that the Scripture can sufficiently Regulat the Christian deportment of every servant maide as to the very sweeping of the house how much more shall it be sufficient to Regulat a Minister the Man of God as to all his Deportment in the house of God What needs more to shame this effronted man than to recommend to his serious thoughts if he will do this upon my Recommendation without a new and distinct Revelation the study of these words of Paul already cited 2 Tim. 3 16 1 All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable c. that the man of God may be perfect perfected or thorowly furnished to all good works If this be true and I doubt he hath the forehead yet to say otherwayes he may see Paul here answering all his Instances and telling him that his Allegations are not true And if he will not beleeve Paul immediatly Inspired it were unreasonable in us to expect that our more particular confronting his alleiged Instances out of Scripture should prevaile with him and as for Others who rest satisfied with the Testimony of the Apostle it were needless for us upon this light occasion to digresse further unto a scriptural discovery of these things Thus then we might have dismissed him But for further satisfaction to the Reader we shall goe on and see what he saith more 32. He tels us very honestly that Paul saith 1 Cor. 12. that every member must have its owne place in the Church and consequently their Church must be a monster that hath no distinct members every member must performe its owne function or else cause a schisme in the body and againe That the Lord will have each of his servants do the work which he putteth him to Which who can deny but Quakers who counteract this as is and shall be abundantly showne I know not and againe to the former purpose he citeth Rom 12. And we thank him for it But with all he addeth that no Scripture can tell him whether he should attend exhâ—rtation or Prophecy or ministry or doctrine And this is very true for he is no Church Officer of whom the Apostle there speaketh and having none of those gifts of Office he hath nothing to do with the Work peculiar to these Offices But others whom the Lord according to the Order established in His house whereunto this man is both a stranger and an enemy hath called to Prophecy and Teaching or Exhorting should wait upon it and performe their work according to the proportion of faith and such as are called to Ministry and to Giving should wait upon it and do it with simplicity cheerfulnesse and these who are called to Rule should do it with diligence Could not the man read this in the text But he would say The Scriptures say not that Iohn Iames or Peter should take on this or that Office Nor say I is this required of a Rule as such But how Iames Iohn or Peter shall know by the Scriptures that God calleth them to this or that imployment I have showne above 33 But the weightiest point of all is Pag. 41.42 That the Scriptures cannot give a man any certainty that he is in the faith and an heire of Salvaton And as for me if the Scriptures give not full Certainty in full measure heaped up and running over so farr as is competent to a Rule to do I shall despaire thereof What are there no marks given in Scripture whereby this may be known Yes sayes he But who shall perswade me that I have those marks that I beleeve that I obey c. Is this man in his wits that thinketh this should be done by a Rule Thinks he the Lawes of the land must say that Robert Barclay is a Quaker or that this or that man hath broken this or that Law If Robert Barclay had murthered a man and were impannelled thereupon would he think it a defence good enough in Law to say that in all the Acts of Parliament nay nor in all the Bible too it cannot be read that I Robert Barclay have murthered such a person Therefore tâ—e inference that I must die is founded upon no Law What shall a rational man think of this ridiculous Folly What doth he next He citeth our Confession of faith Chap. 18. Sect. 2. shewing how Assurance is had to which I heartily subscribe for as I shall be loath with this ignorant Man to confound the work proper to the Spirit of God with that which is proper to the Rule of the Scriptures so I shall be loath to decry the Scriptures and rob them of their due as this man doth under a pretext of setting up the Spirit or to deny to the Spirit of God any of his gracious works in the souls of his owne whatever this man think under a pretext of maintainâ—ng the Scriptures Perfection I only here assert and maintaine the Scriptures Perfection as a Rule granting to the Spirit with all cheerfulness and readiness of soul all that work which the Scriptures teach me to do and therefore I grant that the Spirit beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8 16. and what can be rationally deduced from 1 Ioh. 4 13. 5 6. which he citeth I know that it is the Spirit that causeth us know the things that are
not full and compleet and â—o unable to reach the end for which they are appointed Shall we say that God could not reveal his whole Will and Counsel Or that he was not so Good and Gracious as to do it I dar say Neither Nay this book of the Scriptures is a called a Testament 2 Cor. 3 6 14. And who dar adde to God's Testament when it is unlawful to adde to a mans Testament Gal. 4 15 And the places formerly cited do clearly evince it sufficient for the ends for which it is designed to which these may be added Psal. 119 105. Rom. 1 16. 1 Tim. 4 16. Ioh. 17 20. And if we must admit new Revelations not only as a part compleating our Rule but as a Supream Rule we declare the Scriptures useless as a Rule for what is not an Adequate and Perfect Rule is no Rule at all nor doth it deserve that name and withal we lay ourselves open to Satans Delusions and to false Revelations wherewith the world hath been too much filled and too long deceived or at best to Revelations and Enâ—husiasmes which we know neither whither they go nor whence they come and let them speak never so highly of their Revelations we judge by their doctrine which is for the most part either False or Dubious and not consonant to the Scriptures of truth We have heard of Impostors who were the greatest of Pretenders as of Simon Magus Act. 8. of Mahomet of several in the Church of Rome and others we have heard also of false Prophets of old and Christ hath foretold us of such Mat. 7. 24 24. and hath bid us beware of them Are we assured that the devil cannot or shall not play his game under these Enthusiasmes One thing is certane that the Lord sendeth us not to these Enthusiasmes to understand his Minde but to the Law and to the Testimony and to the more sure Word of Prophecie One thing I would know Whether he beleeveth that Christ and his Apostles did teach all that was necessary to salvation I suppose he will not deny it considering what Paul alone saith Act. 20 20 21 27. If he confess it then I would ask whether we have not the summe of that doctrine faithfully set downe to us in the Scriptures This cannot rationally be denyed seing Paul saith he taught nothing but what was foretold by Moses and the Prophets Act. 26 22. and seing hence it would follow that God was not so careful of the Church of the New Testament as he was of the Church of the Old Test. nor so careful of us as of the Primitive Church Neither let any say that we have Revelations now to make up our want For beside that we know no warrand for us to look for such in the primitive times there were Persons extraordinarily Inspired having Revelations notwithstanding of which there was a full and compleet declaration of all that was necessary to Salvation Againe why did the Lord commit any thing to write seing he would not commit his whole Counsel unto write Why would he not leave us wholly to Revelations It may be the Quakers will say that we are indeed left wholly to Revelations And this is the true tendency of this Mans doctrine But then of what use are the Scriptures Can he loose this knot and give satisfaction 41. He tels us as to this Pag. 46. The Lord thinks good to comfort some by others whom he raiseth up and inspireth for this end to speak and write seasonable words and so make them perfect And this with him is the whole import of Rom. 15 2. 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17. So that the Scriptures are but like their writings one to another tending to Comfort and Encourage one another who are delighted as he speaketh with the words or writings that come from the same Spirit in another Bellarmine saith They containe only some profitable Admonitions And both this man and Bellarmine deny them to be a Law Compleet and Full. Bellarmine thinketh that their Traditions are of as great authority as the Scriptures and this Quaker thinketh their owne Scriblings are of as great authority And where are we then And what is left us as a ground of our Faith and Hope by the Papists â—nd the Quakers â—ut he citeth as a proof of this 2 Pet. 1 12. which can prove nothing for him for we grant that the Scriptures are for Comfort and Encouragement but we say also They are Profitable for Doctrine and for Reproof and for Correction and for Instruction 2 Tim. 3 16. And that they are able to make the man of God Perfect Yes saith he They make the man of God perfect as Pastors and Doctors do who are ordained for this end viz. Ephes. 4 11 12. And yet as Pastors are not to be preferred to the Spirit so neither are the Scriptures Nay but he should say if he would speak consonantly to himself Though Christ hath ordained Pastors c. for the Perfecting of the Saints and given us Scriptures inspired of God that the man of God may be perfect yet we may lay both aside as useless and betake us to the Spirit for all and thereby declare that we are wiser than Christ was and that we have nothing to do either with the fruits of his Ascension the Ordinance of Officers or with the fruites of his Love and Care of the Church to the end of the world that is the Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to show unto his servants But who would not pity such a poor blinded self-deceiving Creature Thinks he that the Appointments of Jesus Christ cannot be owned as meanes perfect in their kinde and for their end but the Spirit as a Principal Efficient Cause must be enjured and that we must lay aside the Scriptures as a Law and Rule that the Spirit may do all and have all the glory I should then think that he were more to be prayed for than disputed with and were it not for satisfaction to Others whom their faire speaches may deceive I should think it hardly worth my paines to blot so much paper in confutation of him 42. Then in the next place he tels us that the Lord would have us see in them that is in the Scriptures as in a glase the conditions and experiences of old saints that observing their case and ours to agree we may be confirmed comforted instructed in righteousness and by the Spirit within us observing the signature of the Spirit in them we may see them fulfilled in us Hence only the Spiritual man of God can profite by them and of such speaketh the Apostle also Rom. 15. others pervert them as Peter tels us By all which we see That the Scriptures are no Law or Rule no not a subordinate Rule or Law for what is such must have some Obligeing force with it binding us to conformâ—ty But according to this Man the Scriptures have no obligeing Force at all
himself By this accusing of conscience Paul proveth here that the Gentiles had the Law in their heart 10. He would know that there is a twofold writing of the Law in the heart One is whereby the knowledge of the Law is so fixed in their mindes as that it cannot be utterly delet howbeit their wils cannot and will not comply therewith and of this the Apostle is here speaking for the Heathens have this Law of nature so imprinted and fixed in their Mindes as to several things concerning God and their carriage and walk in the world that they cannot but see a difference betwixt Righteousness and Iniquity Honesty and Dishonesty in several particulars and in their judgment preferre the one to the other though their hearts and wills be not reconciled thereunto and made to comply therewith even according to thâ— measure of their Knowledge and Judgment The Other is whereby the whole will of God revealed in Law and Gospel is by the Spirit of God deeply imprinted in the soul of Beleevers so that as their Mindes know it and their Judgments approve it so their Wills imbrace it with love and desire and their native Endeavour is after Full Pure Sincere and Spiritual conformity thereto in the strength of the same Spirit and it is their griefe and matter of unfaigned sorrow when through the workings of a remanent body of death they come short of what is commanded whether as to Matter or Manner or End intended c. If he shall evince that Paul speaketh of this here he shal do more than all the Socinians no persons else ever dreamed of this ever have been able to do to this day But the truth is I apprehend all this is a riddle to this man who understandeth no other writing of the Law in hearts than the first for as he is an enemy so is he a stranger unto the Gospel of the Grace of God as will evidently enough appear ere we have done 25. He addeth a second reason for his Interpretation Pag. 57 saying that if nature here be understood of the proper nature of Man then the Apostle should contradict himself who elsewhere saith that the natural man cannot perceive the things of God but among these things of God the Law is comprehend seing Paul Rom. 7 12 14. itâ—oly â—oly just and good and Spiritual and calleth himself carnal which must be understood as he was unregenerat I answere 1. Paul no way contradicteth himself except in this mans dreaming fancy for these spiritual things whereof the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 2 14 are not the things of Nature or of the Law or Light of Nature But the things of the Spirit of God which must be spiritually understood vers 14. which none can know without they have the minde of Christ vers 16. which concerne Christ and Him Crucified vers 2. the same which Paul preached in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power vers 4. which was Wisdom among such only as were perfect vers 6. and which only the Spirit which is of God did reveal and not the Spirit of the world vers 11 12. and which eye had not seen nor eare heard c. vers 9. It was the preaching of the Crosse of Christ which even the Wise and Understanding and such as had not only Natures Light but the Light of the Law could not know It was that which even to the Jewes was a stumbling block and to the wise Grecians was foolishness Chap. 1 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. Hence we see the Law which was written in the hearts of the Gentiles is not among those things whereof Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 2. 2. It is truâ— the Law both that which is written in the heart of the Gentiles and that which was more clearly and amply declared and explained by God to the Jewes was Good Holy Just and Spiritual yet was it not the same with the things of God whereof the Apostle spoke 1 Cor. 2. 3 This man must have a strange antipathy at â—ruth and against the Orthodox for he will joyne with any before he take part with them we heard but just now how he joyned with Smalcius the Socinian and here in interpreting Rom. 7 14. c. he deserteth the orâ—hodox and joyneth himself with Pelagians Arminians and Socinians who will have the Apostle there speaking not of himself but as assumeing the person of one in nature not yet regenerated as if such were not wholly â—in and whâ—lâ—y flesh or had an Inward man delighting in the Law of God or â—ad a Law in their minde contrary to the Law in their members or were capable of this captivity when they are willing slaves or could groan under a boâ—y of death and account themselves miserable upon that account or thank God through Jesus Christ because of the begun delivery and certane expectation of the full victory or as if they with their minde could serve the Law of God 4. His sole reason viz. because the Apostle said he was carnal proveth nothing for what the Apostle speaketh in a certane respect must not be understood in an absolute sense He was it is true carnal as all â—egenerat persons are not absolutly nor wholly but in part in so far as the old man remained in which respect the best have a Law in their members warring against the Law of their minde and have the flesh lusting against the Spirit as they have the Spirit lusting against the flesh Gal. 6.17 And the Apostle calleth even such babes in Christ carnal in a certane reâ—pect 1 Cor. 3 1. 26. Thereafter he tels us That when we are urged with this testimony by Pelagians anâ— Socinians and by them so â—hat we see with whom he and his party are birds of one feather we use to answere that there were some remnants of the spiritual image left in Adam But sayes he this is affirmed without probation In which he either speaketâ— aâ—ainst his Light or he â—aâ—â— neâ—er read what hath been said upon this by the orthodox against Socinians and Arminians and such as would defend that there were some speculative Atheisâ—s unto whom this Mans assertion doth no small service as we may shew hereafter But next he saith that hereby we contradict ourselves and destroy our own cause Why so For saith he If by these relicques they could fulfil the law then either Christ's coming was not necessary or men could be saved without him or that these thâ—ugh they keeped the Law were damned because ignorant â—f Christ to come which the Lord had made impossible for them to know Answere 1. We never said that they could fulfil the Law by these relicques nor doth the Apostle say so It is true they did and could do by nature somethings contained in the Law and this was sufficient for the Apostles designe not all Even Paul though many stages above many heathens while in the state of nature did not know till the written Law told him that
Heathens and all before they come to eat Christ by faith have Christ dwelling in them have a divine and glorious life are partakers of the body and blood of Christ and of that bread that came down from heaven What more contradictory to Christ's express sayings 14. He tels us that all the Saints are nourished by this unto life eternal Is not this doctrine of the Quakers a rare Gospel wherein that whereby the choisest of Mankinde the people of God the Saints and Renewed ones live and are nourished unto life eternal is nothing but what is common to Turks and pagans 15. It is true they give this common thing which is nothing but Nature many goodly names and titles wherein they outvye that cheating enemie of the grace of God Pelagius and are greater and more blasphâ—mous cheaters and deceivers than he was for he gave the goodly name of Grace unto corrupt Nature which he pleaded for but they adde That it is a Spiritual Celestial and Inâ—isible Principle and Organ the dwelling place of God as Father as Son and as holy Ghost the Vehicle of God the Spiritual bâ—dy of Christ the Body and bloud of Christ the Food of the Saints and their Nourishment to life eternal And when all is done it is nothing but Nature if we believe the Scriptures What manifest absurd and impudent deceivers must they then be who thus think to deceive the world with new coined brainesick and non-sensicall titles and notions with which they guilde the poisonous pile of Pelagianisme yea the very dregs thereof which they would have us swallow over and thereby make us good Heathens but no Christians Is their Religion any thing but meer paganisme under Christian abused expressions 7. We must have patience and heare more for he addeth And as this Light and seed beareth witness against all evil deeds so is it crucified extinguished killed by them and it fleeth from evil abhâ—rreth it as mans flesh fleeth from and abhorreth that which is noxious and contrary to it Answ. 1. doth this Light and Seed bear witness against all evil deeds How or what way doth it bear witnese in the Heathens against their not believing in Iesus Christ the Son of God that was Crucified at Ierusalem or is that no evil deed against their not Mortifying the deads of the body through the Spirit Rom. 8 1â— But not to mention the duties which are revealed to us only by the Gâ—spel How came it that this Light and Seed did not bear witness against the Cilicians who lived upon thifâ— and against the Messagetians Who used their wives in common and against the Persians who of old maryed their own daughters Nay it is observeâ— that there is hardly any one point of the law of nature which some Nations have not violated not only by their Customâ—s and constant Carriage but by their very Lawes Did this Seed then and Light bear witness in them against these evil deeds what thinks he â—f the Achaeans and Heniochians of whom Aristotle reporteth that they used to kill men and eat them and we hear of such to day in New England commonly called Men eaters What saith their Light and Seed to this What thinks he of Zenon Chrysippus and the magi of Persia who allowed the Son to lye with his owne Mother and Brethren and Sisters to lye together and of those who approve Sodomy and of Theodorus Phylosophus who thought Theft Sacrilege Adultery lawful How came it that this Seed did not bear witness against the people of Derbe and Lystra when they went about to sacrifice unto Paul and Barnabas and had followed vanities so long and did not turne unto the living God Act. 14 13 15 why did it not bear witness against the people of Athens for thinking that God could be worshiped with mens hands and that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver or stone graven by art and mans device Act. 17 25 29 As also for their mocking at the Resurrection vers 32 But enough of this notorious falshood 2. He saith this Seed is killed c. but tels us not by whom and the last persons mentioned were the Saints 3. He saith it fleeth from evil c. It cannot then be the Grace of God which opposeth resisteth anâ— fighteth against evil The Spirit lusteth against the flesh Gal 5 17. The work of the Grace of God in souls is to work out sin to root it out kill it and mortifie it and crucifie it But this great Nothing of theirs hath no affinity with Grace 8. He addeth And seing it is never separated from God and Christ but where it is there is God and there is Christ involved therefore in that respect when it is resisted God is said to be resisted and Christ is said to be crucified and killed Ans. 1. We know there is in every man a Natural Conscience which as God's deputy and vicegerent in the soul pleadeth and testifieth for Him and his Law according to its light and information which in some is more and in some less more in such as live under the Gospel than in such as live without that light and in those that have but the light of nature it testifieth for the God of Nature according to the relicques of the Law of Nature in some more and in some less but in all these because of the darkness of their Mindes and the corruption of their Hearts whereby they are subject unto sin and to the Prince of the Powers of the aire the Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience it giveth not full testimony for God and his Law but partial and in some more grosse abominations 2. We deny that where this Natural conscience is there Christ as mediator betwixt God and man can be said to be that is It is not true that this Light in Heathens without the Church declarâ—th any thing of Christ and of the Gospel of Salvation in and through Him or that Christ as Mediator can be said to be crucified and killed when this is resisted or disobeyed by them for the great things of the grace of God revealed in and brought to light by the Gospel are not to be read upon the works of Nature but are of pure Revelation and have had their different measures of Revelation and now the greatest under the Gospel dispensation whence it is called a mystery which from the beginning of the world hath bin hid in God Ephes. 3 â— and hid from ages and from generations but now is made manifest to his saints Col. 1 26. And all the various and gradual manifestations thereof have been in all ages the peculiar privilege of the Church and not common to all so that others without the Church remained without Christ being aliens from the Common wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world Ephes. 2 vers 12. Never read we that the Heathens without the Church
Light and Grace whereof he talketh and which he will have common to all men breathing His saying that the Word of which he spoke is lively and penetrating c. Is no proofe For that word is not a Word or Seed or Grace implanted in every man as we shewed He addeth this seed is called the manifestation of the Spirit given to every man to profite for it is written that by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body And Peter ascribeth this birth unto this seed 1 Pet. 1. being born againe not of corruptible seed c. Ans. 1. If this Seed be the manifestation of the Spirit whereof Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 12 7. It is not common to all the world for the Apostle is there speaking of the Church whereof the Corinthians who were sanctified in Christ Jesus called saints 1 Cor. 1 1. were a part and being an homogeneal part are called the Body of Christ 1 Cor. 12 27. Where doth this Quaker read in the Scriptures that Heathens and such as are without the Church are called the Body of Christ 2. Nay if this seed be the manifestation of the Spirit it is so far from being common to all men that it is not common to all Church members For these gifts as they are called vers 4. were peculiar only to some members of the Church given in order to Administrations Operations vers 5 6. are particularly specified vers 8 9 10. Therefore saith the Apostle vers 11 12. But all these worketh that one and the self same Spirit divideing to every man severally as he will for as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ. Which is abundantly confirmed by the scope and whole contexture of the discourse 3. The Apostle for pressing of union and concord among the members of the Church of Corinth with an edifying use of their several gifts saith vers 13. That by one Spirit all we are baptized into one body c. that is that by baptisme all the Professours of the Name of Iesus are outwardly made members of the visible body of Christ and such as are really baptized by the Spirit and made partakers of his grace are made members of the invisible mystical body of Christ and so should lay forth themselves in the use of their gifts and graces for the common good of the whole body And what I pray can this make for the Quakers point Doth the Apostle say that this is common to all such as never were baptized nor heard thereof or did never partake of the other Sacrament imported by these words made to drink c. in the end of the verse as some suppose And if not what way will this Quaker hence prove the operation of the new birth by that which is common to all men breathing The Apostle it is true saith here whether Iewes or Gentiles Yet he meaneth only such as are comprehended under we that is such as were already members of the Church Will this Quaker say that all and every man are baptized by the Spirit and have bin made to drink into one Spirit Then I suppose he will next say That all must needs be saved 4. As for that Word or Seed whereof Peter speaketh every one may see that will beleeve Peter himself Chap. 1. vers last that this word of the Lord which is the incorruptible seed which liveth abideth for ever is not any thing abideing in all men but is that which is preached by the Gospel 14. He proceedeth and saith Though this seed in the first manifestation be small as a graine of mustard seed Mat 13 31 32. and though it be hid in the earthy part of mans heart yet life and salvation is hid in it and is revealed according as they yeeld unto it And in this seed the kingdom of heaven doth potentially lurk to be produced or rather exhibited as it getteth ground is nourished and is not suffocated Answ. 1. Are not these noble proofs Do the Quakers think that we are bound to take their groundless and inconsistent assertions for probations 2. How can this seed have its manifestation and yet be hid and latent 3. Hath a natural carnal unregenerat and heathen man a spiritual part of an heart or is the heart of every man partly earthly and partly heavenly and why doth this seed lye hid in the earthy part and not in the heavenly part of the heart are these any thing but Quakers dreames or new Pelagian Notions sufficiently confuted above 4. This must needs be a hid salvation which is hid in a seed which is hid in the earthy part of mans heart and that even in its first manifestation What idle fancies do these men feed upon 5. This hid salvation must be a wonderful salvation for it is revealed according as these in whom it is hid yeeld unto it But must it not first work appear in its operations before men can yeeld to it who can yeeld to a latent lurking thing that worketh not nor appeareth not 6. If Salvation be hid in this seed the kingdom of heaven is more then potentially in it for we say not that an apple is hid in the seed especially seing he saith that this kingdom of heaven is not produced as the seed can produce in its way a tree its fruit but rather exhibited 7. This seed he saith is already hid in the earthy part of mans heart and if so sure it hath ground how can he then say that it is exhibited as it getteth ground 8. The summe of all is pur◠Pelagianisme or worse viz. that there is something in every man which is sufficient of it self to Produce Grace Glory Life and Salvation if man will be but that well natured as to suffer it to work not suffocate it so that there is no need either of the outward Preaching of the Gospel or of the inward Operation of the Spirit upon the minde which Pelagius at length did acknowledge let be of the special Operation of the Spirit of grace renewing the will and creating a new heart of flesh c. This is doctrine for Pagans indeed 15. But how is this proven He citeth Luk. 17 20 21. and would have n◠beleeve that Christ saith there that the Kingdom of Heaven was in the Pharisees But judicious Calvin thinketh these words were spoken to the disciples upon occasion of that question of the Pharisees And though we take them as spoken to the Pharisees it will not hence follow that this Kingdom was already in them though the greek preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be used which as was showne above doth not alwayes carry this import as might be evidenced by a number of places as Luk. 14 1. Mark 13 24. where it importeth after So Mat. 20 26. Luk. 16 15. Rom. 16 7. 1 Cor. 2 6 Rom. 8 29. 1 Thes. 5
be justified from the imputation of anothers righteousness is both ridiculous and dangerous whence came that usual saying amongst many professours of Religion That God looks not upon them as they are in themselves but as they are in Christ. And Pag. 25 See Mr Hicks Pag. 51. c. Iustification 〈◊〉 not from the imputation of anothers Righteousness but from the actual performing and keeping of God's righteous statutes and Pag. 25 30. It is a great abomination to say God should condemne and punish his innocent Son that he having satisfiâ—d for our â—innes we might be justified by the imputation of his perfect Righteousness And againe I caution and warne men by no meanes to entertaine this principle of Christs dying to make satisfaction to divine Justice by whomsoever recommended And againe Pag. 26. He i. e. Christ fulfilled the Law only as our pattern or example And ib. Christ is so far from telling us of such a way of being justified as that he informes us the reason why he abode in his Fathers love was his obedience he is so far from telling us of being justified by vertue of his obedience imputed that unless we keep the commands and obey for our selves c. And P. 30. was not Abraham justified by â—orks we must not conceive as the dark imputation of this age that Abrahams personal offering was not a justifying righteousness Ib. p. 30. I do say Abraham had not the imputation of anothers righteousness to him his personal obedience was the ground of that just imputation And elsewhere Apol. p. 148. justification by the righteousness which Christ fulfilled for us in his own person wholly without us we boldly affirme to be a doctrine of Devils and an arm of the sea of corruption which doth now deluge the world This is suâ—ficiently plaine And Sand. found Pag. 30.31 I farther tell thee that Iustification by an imputed righteousness is both irrational irreligious ridiculous and dangeroâ—s and Pag. 27.29.30 Iustification goes not before but is consequential to the mortifying of lusts and the sanctification of the soul. More might be added but here is I suppose enough to discover how these Quakers homologate in the point of Justification with Papists Socinians and Arminians in denying the imputation of Christ's Righteousness in Iustification and substituting another ground or formal reason thereof even works done by us And how dangerous an errour this is undermineing the very cardinal point of Christianity every true Christian may know The Quakers in this are one with their Predecessours the old Anabaptists too 4. We come now to our Quaker and must see how he expresseth himself in this matter In his Thesis he saith who receive the illumination of this light that is as we evinced above the dim light of nature it that must be the Light or the Natural Conscience becometh in them a holy pure and spiritual birth produceing piety righteousness purity and other excellent fruites most acceptable to God This sure is a wonderful metamorphosis But how cometh it that this light is so much beholden to man in whom it is that if he do not resist it but receive its illumination religiously it will become a glorious and mighty powerful thing but if he do resist it and receive not its illumination it remaineth what it was Is this the Christian New birth and Regeneration whereof the Scripture speaketh Is this to be borne of the Spirit There is no infusion of any gracious principle or habite of grace and virtue here for the seed of all was in the man from his mothers womb and his kinde nature in receiving the illumination of this connatural light blew the coale and it became a burning fire warming the soul into all Christian vertues Is this Gospel doctrine or rather is it not Pelagian-quakerisme What followeth upon this By this holy birth saith he to wit Christ Iesus formed within a goodly title but it is but the Quakers Jesus that is blake Nature or the product of Corrupt nature produceing his works in us these sure are nothing but works of darkness as we are sanctified so are we justified in the sight of God Then Iustification and Sanctification â—tand upon one and the same ground and if there be any difference betwixt them Iustification must follow Sanctification Thus it is manifest how he homologateth with other Quakers and how they all agree with Papists in the doctrine of Iustification He addeth and one may wonder at the mans confidence and boldness according to the Apostles words but ye are washed but ye are sanctified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God But if either his sanctification or Iustification as now explained to us be either in the name of the Lord Iesus or by the Spirit of God I am far deceived Nay it is manifest that they are rather by the Power and Authority Vertue and Efficacy of Free will and the Natural Spirit of man receiving kindly the Illumination of that natural Light in every man and so transforming that natural thing to produce such works as by which the man is both Sanctified and justified Though this be the native sense and import of his words yet marke his effrontedness Therefore sayes he it is not done by our works produced by our will nor yet by good works considered by themselves What a shameless man is this to deny these works to be mans owne works which flow from a principle borne and brought into the world with him and not only so but actuated and transformed into a new pure and spiritual spring by the sole will of the man not resisting its light but receiving the same If these be not properly the mans owne works it is a great question if man have any works that can be called his owne But let it be so that they goe under the name of works done by a new infused principle and yet the Quakers are more Pelagian then the Iesuites and all the Papists for these acknowledge infused habites which Quakers know nothing of yet they may be called mans works and works produced by mans will to wit now regenerated and principled of new otherwise they are produced in man and mans will hath no elicite or imperat acts thereanent This is indeed Phanaticisme in folio But how can men be Sanctified or Iustified according to the Quakers by that which is none of theirs nor wrought by them Againe he must know that the Scripture excludeth all these holy works even produced by that new principle from being the ground or formal reason or ratio formalis objectiva of our Iustification as all our Divines shew writting against the Papists on this head And in this he giveth further evidence of his conspireing with Papists against the truth Finally I wish he had explained that to us nor by good works considered in themselves for it importeth that good works considered some other way possibly in conjunction with some other thing and what that
is I know not are the ground of our Iustification But seing Iustification and Sanctification stand upon the same ground with him he must also say that we are not Sanctified by good works considered by themselves and if good works or works of Sanctification and holiness considered as such will not ground the denomination of Sanctification I would faine know what will 5. But if they neither be Sanctified nor Iustified by these good works by what are they Sanctified or Iustified It is by Christ saith he who is the gift and the giver and the cause produceing the effects in us But this Christ is nothing else but a Creature produced in man by mans industry and goodwill not stubbornly resisting but piously receiving the illumination of the light and that out of this light which is in every Son of Adam for he told us that this Light when thus religiously entertained becometh a holy pure and spiritual birth and this is the Christ formed in us who is the gift and the giver and producer of all the fruits of holiness which are acceptable unto God Are we not then Iustified by our works when Iustified by this Christ or Principle produceing these works in us especially seing this Christ is a Christ formed within and not that Christ who laid downe his life a ransome for sinners and offered up himself a sacrifice to divine justice to satisfie justice and the Law by his Obedience and Death for the Redemption of his people We heard lately that this Christ and his Blood is far off in their account and cannot cleanse or do us any good But further I think that even in this Quakers are far worse then Papists for when Papists will have us Iustified by works they speak of works wrought in the soul by the Spirit real works of grace flowing from an inward principle of grace but our Quakers though they give goodly words yet really their works by which they are Sanctified and Iustified are but works wrought at best by the Power of Nature For that Light within every man as was shewed above is but pure Nature and whatever is borne of or proceedeth from this seed is but Nature for that which is borne of the flesh it flesh Ioh. 3 6. And from nothing that is in man by nature or in all men can that which is heavenly and spiritual spring unless we turne Pelagians this is to be held And that Light within them if its eyes were not blinded with prejudice though it be not sanctified nor of the Spirit might even cauâ—e them understand so much And when all the Efficient cause that we hear of from him produceing this pure and spiritual birth or educeing it out of its matter or causing its change and being some other thing than it was is only man and man doing nothing but receiving the illumination of this light can we suppose this to be any thing else than a pure product of nature which Heathens and Pagans Turks and Tartars who never heard one word of Christ may be partakers of And can this Sanctification and Justification be that mentioned in the Scriptures when it is common to infidels who are without God and without Christ in the world if they will but obey the light of nature Is this which he talketh of to be borne of God No certainly but rather it is to be borne of bloud or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man but so are not any borne that receive Christ and beleeve in his name Ioh. 1 12 13. One thing more Seing this Light which the Quakers say is in every man is in Devils and that in a greater measure than in man may it not also be said of them that if they will receive this light and not resist it it shall become an holy pure and spiritual Birth and Christ formed within And shall not they likewise upon this account be capable of this Sanctification and Justification I must still put Sanctification first that I may speak according to the Quakers Language and shall we have no other Sanctification and Justification preached to us by Quakers than what Devils are capable of and have the real feed of already O poor deluded wreatches Is this the top of all their endeavours and the upshot of all their hopes Sall we get nothing at most but a Paganish Iustification and Sanctification 6. He closeth his Thesis thus who i. e. Christ when he reconciled us while enemies according to his wisdome doth save and justifie us this way as the Apostle saith else where He hath according to his mercy saved us by he lawer of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Ans. But what way did he reconcile us while enemies was it by his bloud and by his crosse Ephes. 2 16. Or by the bloud of his crosse or in the body of his flesh through death Col. 1 20 22. Or was it by his death Rom. 5 10. If so then sure he died for the ungodly Rom 5 6. And for sinners vers 8. that they might be reconciled to God by his death vers 10. And then the grace of God and the gift by grace must abound unto them vers 15. and that unto justification vers 16 18. Then sure Christ died in their roome and place as their Cautioner and Surety and as their Surety made satisfaction to justice that they should be redeemed and delivered from Law Justice and Wrath for what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his owne son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8 3 4. And if so as the Scriptures do richly witness then that mediatory Righteousness of Christ the Redeemer and Cautioner must legally be made over unto them to the end that they may be legally acquit and freed from the Accusation and Condemnation of the Law And by vertue of that Righteousness of Christ the Cautioner imputed unto them by God they as cloathed therewith by faith and appearing therein must be Iustified before God and not by any thing wrought in them at what hand so ever And thus all that he hath said in his Thâ—sis is overturned 2. It is true that the Lord in wisdom hath ordered things aright and appointed the way how we should be partaker of the benefites which he hath purchased and particularly of Iustification and Sanctification But that the wisdom of God hath appointed that we should be Iustified by any thing done by us whether from a principle of Nature or of Grace wrought in us even by the Spirit of God as the formal objective reason or that upon the account of which we can be accounted Righteous and Absolved from Accusation and have our inquities pardoned is not revealed to us in all his word but the contrare rather as hath been seen 3. Nor doth these words of Paul to Titus Chap.
the Law What sayes he to this Argument He grants they are not profitable unto God but yet he saith they are profitable unto us he might adde and to others too and he might say that they are useful to set forth the Glory of God and several things more might he say of this kinde but all is to no purpose as to our present question The second Objection is from Rom. 3 20 21 by the righteousness of the Law shall no flesh be justified c. But he might have cited to this end whole Chapters of that Epistle as also of the Epistle to the Galatians where the Apostle in downe right termes is disputing against the interest of works in the matter of Justification But what replyeth he He saith the Apostle excludes the works of the Law that is such as are done by mans strength and will while he studieth conformity unto the outward letter of the Law which therefore are imperfect but not the works of the Gospel done by the Spirit of grace in the heart according to the inward and Spiritual Law which are therefore pure and perfect Answer 1. This explication of Law works and Gospel works is nakedly proposed to us here without any proof and is an arrow out of Bellarmines quiver all works done by mans meer strength and will without the Grace of God and the help of the Spirit are no good works at all because not performed in the right manner nor flowing from a principle of grace 2. That Gospel works even performed by the Spirit are not pure and perfect as he with Papists say shall be seen in due time 3. The Apostle excludeth all such works which are not that Righteousness of God without the Law which was witnessed to by the Law and the Prophets nor the Righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that beleeve Rom. 3 21 22 And all such as marre justification freely by grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ vers 24 As also all such as darken that declaration of the righteousness of God who must be just when he is the justifier of him which beleeveth in Jesus whereof mention is made vers 25 26. And all such works as give ground of boasting which is only excluded by the Law oâ— Faith vers 27. And all such as are opposite to justification by faith vers 28. 4. Nay Abrahams Davids works which were done by the Spirit are excluded Rom. 4 2 3 6 7 8. He goeth about to confirme this distinction from this that Paul to the Galat. speaketh directly against such as would presse the observation of the legal Ceremonies upon the Christian Gentiles Pag. 145 146. Answ. Though that might be the occasion of Pauls disput it be true that Paul speaketh much and particularlâ— against the ceremonial Law yet he doth not insist upon that hypothesis or branch of the question but taketh occasion thereby to discusse the point in Thesiâ— of all works in general even such as are done in conformity to the moral Law therefore he adduceth Chap. 3 10 12. that passage Deut. 27 26. and Levit. 18 5. which cannot be meaned of the ceremonial Law only and speaketh against all Justification by works which is opposite to Justification by faith Chap. 3 11 12. What he saith afterward of the necessity of good works we stand to in the sense maintained by Our against Papists that is as antecedent adjuncts and dispositions unto glory not as any way meritorious either of Justification or Salvation nor do we approve of the Papists second Justification by works He urgeth againe Tit. 3 5. And thence speaketh thus all grant that such as are saved are Iustified True what more Therefore when he saith he hath saved us he saith also he hath Iustified us Ans. True yet it will not follow that all that is antecedent to Salvation is also antecedent to Justification or that all that is requisite in order to final Salvation is also requisite in order to Justification The Apostle vers 5. presupposing Justification is shewing what way the Lord bringeth about their salvation to wit by washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost that he may clear up the first step of the work he speaks to Justification vers 7. that being Iustified by his grace c. and this grace excludeth all works for what is of grace it not of works otherwise grace is no more grace and what is of works is not of grace otherwise works are no more works Rom. 11 6 and to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt Rom. 4 4. What he saith afterward Pag. 147. of the difference betwixt works done by persons unrenewed and persons regenerated is not much to the matter in hand and tendeth clearly to disparage his own doctrine concerning the Sanctification and Salvation of Heathens And withall I see no ground to take in these last into Justification as he would have us for then as no man is sayed until all these works be ended so also shall no man be justified until he be glorified 42. The third Objection is taken from the impurity of our best works And he answereth with Bellarmine That works done by the Spirit and grace of God that is of persons regenerated are perfect Ans. His meaning must be that they do agree to the Law in all points otherwise a curse attendeth them Deut. 27 26. Gal. 3 10. And if so why did David say Psal. 143 2. and enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no flesh be justified And Ps. 130 3. If thou Lord should mark iniquittes O Lord who shall stand and why doth Iob say Chap. 9 15. whom if I were righteous yet would I not answere And why saith the church Esai 64 6. all our righteousneses are as filthy rags which though some cited by this man not regarding the interpretation of Bertius the Arminian think doth not immediatly prove that there is no merite in our works as not being spoken of all mankinde yet doth abundantly evidence that the penitent church considering her best wayes saw much defilement in them that might make the Lord abhorre them as filthy rags and persons in a penitent frame use to get a better sight of sin and of their wayes than others have or themselves formerly had His saying that hereby is not meant these works that Christ worketh in us but the works which we ourselves do in our owne strength Is vaine for such as are done in our owne strength cannot be called Righteousness But then sayes he it would follow that all holiness must be cast away as filthy rags So they must be cast away in the matter of Justification for we must not found our hope of acceptance with God and Justification before him on these but it will not follow that they must be laid aside in our practice and not be studied and endeavoured to God's
and Perfection is a Light within every man which serveth both for an Internal light for an Objective Light so that it is in their account both Grace the Bible serveth instead of both To this they give big names no less name give they to it then Christ or the seed of Christ and they call it saving yea and sufficient to salvation hence is it that they alwayes presse people to look and hearken to the Light within as if they needed no other Teacher nor Bible This is the theam and subject of their preaching Now this Light that is within every man can be no saife saving nor sufficient light it hath no affinity with the grace of Illumination being nothing but that natural Light of a Natural Conscience which is truely natural being planted in man in his very creation and abideing yet after the fall in some measure in all men and flowing from the principles of nature giving testimony of and assent to in a greater or lesser measure according as it is more or lesse freed from prejudices prevailing wickednesses corrupt education and the like maximes or principles of moral duties according to the Law of nature What natural Aptitude or rather how great an Ineptitude is and must be in this natural light now through the fall so much weakened to understand and discover the saving truthes of the Gospel which are not written in the book of nature but are a mystery revealed by degrees according to the good pleasure of God who may not see Especially considering how since the fall the minde and all the powers of the soul and whole man are stated enemies to God and his grace and will not submit to nor beleeve his very Revelations so often inculcated nor indeed can they understand them or submit unto them until the mighty power of God be exerted in working a change in minde will and affections And yet though these things be certain attested both by the Word and by Experience in all ages behold this generation of Quakers will cry up this Light as saving and sufficient though it never came from the grace of God in a Mediator nor was never promised in the Covenant of grace but is as the soile it groweth in Flesh Blindness Enmity to God Natural and Sensual savouring nothing but the things of the Flesh and of Nature This is the first ground stone of their building The next is this When the motions dictats and workings of this Light are yeelded unto then doth that same Light become a new birth Christ formed within and what not And thus the man is a Regenerated man a New creature Partaker of the divine nature Spiritual Sanctified and Justified Effectually called Adopted and what not Though not one ray of divine Illumination hath shined into his soul nor one act of grace hath reatched either his Intellect Will or Affections to cause this change Nay though he hath had no touch of assistance from the Spirit of God to draw or move him hereunto Nay more though he hath never heard whether there was a Christ and a Spirit or not and whether there was a Covenant of Grace or not or what are the termes thereof and thus the man is borne againe not of watter not of the word nor yet of the Spirit but of this Light and of his owne will that is of the Will of the Flesh of the Will of Man and not of God Upon these two pillars do they raise this high toure of Perfection And now let the Christian Reader judge if this can be any thing else thaâ— a Pagan Perfection Or if this Perfection of theirs have any the least affinity with the smallest measure of true Christianity 5. Though this might be enough to satisfie all true Christians concerning the Wickedness and Vnreasonableness of this Assertion of theirs upon their grounds and principles yet that we may give some light in this matter and helpe others to answere their cavils and to discover their cheatrie We shall propose a few things to consideration As first The Hebrew word which is sometimes rendered Perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth an Honest Plaine and Simple Disposition without guile or wickedness and therefore is sometimes rendered simplicity or integrity as Gen. 20 5 6. 2 Sam. 15 11. 1 King 22 34. see the magine answereable to what is imported by the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in this sense we finde the word frequently taken as denoting Uprightness Sincerity Singleness as Gen. 6 9. 17 1. Deut 18 vers 13. Iob. 9 22 2. Sam. 22 33. Psal. 18 32 64 4.119 1. And so it donoteth a truely godlyman who is no hypocrite nor dissembler but is serving God in sincerity truth and uprightness of heart and this same is imported by that expression of a Perfect heart Psal. 101 2. So the other hebrew word usually joyned with heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we see 1 King 8 61 15 15 2 Chron. 15 17. 2 King 20. 3 Esa. 36 3 1 Chron. 12 38. 2â— 9. 29.9 19. 2 Chron. 16 9. 19 9. and rendered by us a perfect heart hath the same import for it properly signifieth Peace Prosperity Saifty Integrity so that this perfect heart is an heart satisfied quiet and at peace with it self in doing this or that So the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is observed to have the same import with the hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to donote an Upright Sincere not Dissembling person for it is used by the 70. Deut. 18 13. and it oft signifieth one come to age or no more a childe but come to just maturity Heb. 5 14. And it may denote also one Devoted Initiated in holy things and consecrated as the verb it cometh from signifieth to consecrate as Heb. 2 10. 10 14. 11 40. and to be Immolated or Offered up in sacrifice Luk. 13 32. see Exod. 29 33 35. as translated by the 70. and D. Own on Heb. 2 10 And Pareus in Rom. 3. tels us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth most frequently signifie Sincerity 6. But leaving these things let us in the next place consider how and in what respects Beleevers may be called perfect or perfection may be ascribed unto them And 1. They may be called Perfect as being Initiaâ—ed in the holy things of God as devoted to his service and Consecrate to him and Sanctified by the holy Spirit And why it may not be so taken frequently in Pauls Epistles I see not saith D. Owen de ortu c verae Theologiae Pag. 8. See also Heb. 10 14. and Calv. on the place 2. They may be called Perfect as being Truâ—ly and Really what they profess themselves to be that is Christians and not Dissemblers Hypocrites and Made persons So the word is used 1 Ioh. 2 5. But who so keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected that is in
him is the love of God truely and really and not feignedly or by mere profession See Beza on the place As also 1 Ioh. 4 12. where the word hath the same import And the ground is clear because obedience to God's command must flow from love and love to God and our neighbours is the summe of all the commands Hence love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13 10. So Iames 3 2. the same is a perfect man who showeth by bridling his tongue that he offends not in word that he is a real Christian For the Apostle is here in the first verse meaning men like our Quakers of a supercilious spirit masterly quarreling with and superciliously inveighing against all though it be a certain truth that we offend all in many things And therefore he saith to such that if they would shew themselves good and excellent Christians who are so ready to be masters in their reprehensions of others they would first bridle their owne tongues I wish Quakers would learne this See Calv. on the place 3. They may be called Perfect in regard of the Uprightness Sincerity Honesty godly Simplicity and Singleness that is in their way thus the word frequently signifieth as we saw above and is rendered bâ— the Dutch and in the margine of our Bibles Vpright Gen. 6 9. 17 1 Deut. 18 13. Iob 2 3. and in several places it is rendered so in the text Ps. 18 23 25. 2 Sam. 22 vers 24 26. Iob 1 vers 1 8. 12 4. Psal. 19 v. 13. 37 18 37 and elsewhere Hence oft Perfect and upright are joined together as Iob 1 1 8. 2 2. 4 They may be and are called Perfect in regaird of Perfection of Parts as being compleet and wanting nothing of the integral parts of Christianity thus a childe may be called a perfect man as having all the Essential and Integral parts of a man though but in their infant and tender grouth The saints are thus perfect as having the Spirit and thereby the seeds and beginnings of all grace In regeneration the whole man is changed so that he is new borne a new creature sanctified wholly in Minde Heart Spirit Affections Conscience Memory and Body though but in a small degree and measure See 1 Thes. 5 23. 5. They may be called Perfect because Respecting all the commands of God Ps. 119 6. and yeelding impartial obedience through the grace of God unto all God's precepts waving none 6. In that their good works have all the Essential Parts requisite as proceeding from a right principle done for a right end c. though not in the degree called for by the Law 7. They may be called Perfect in regard that the state whereinto they are is a state that certainly tendeth to perfection they are advancing thereunto and shall certainly reach that top of perfection in end which they look for and strive to attaine Ephes. 4 13. Phil 3 15. For as the several lusts of the body of death are more more weakened and mortified dayly so they are more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces Rom. 6 6 14. Gal. 5 14. Rom. 8 13. Ephes. 3 16 17 18 19. And so are perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7 1. and advanceing Phil. 3 12 13 14. 8. They may be called Perfect Comparatively in respect of others who are yet lying in nature And they may be so called in comparison of what sometimes they were themselves while Blinde Ignorant Dead and Lifeless lying in the state of nature which is indeed a fearful state of imperfection misery and woe 9. So in respect of young believers weak in knowledge and babes in Christ Others who are further avanced may be and are called Perfect as having attained an higher degree and measure of grouth in grace Thus Beza thinketh the word is taken Phil. 3 15. 1 Cor. 2 6. And it is clearly so taken 1 Cor. 14 20. Heb. 5 14. Ephes. 4 13. where each hath his owne stature according to the measure of the gift of Christ vers 7. Rom. 12 3 6. and its meaning and import we may see 1 Cor. 3 1. where such an one is only called spiritual 1 Cor. 13 11. where such is called a man 10. Why may they not also be called perfect in regard of Justification seing the Righteousness wherewith they are cloathed which is imputed unto them upon the account of which thâ—y are justified is a Perfect Righteousness being the Rghteousness of Jesus Christ And seing the sentence pronunced upon them to wit of Absolution in their Justification shall never be recalled they brought againe into Condemnation Rom 8 1. As also seing the state they are brought into thereby is an unchangeable state so that once in a justified state alwayes in a justified state 7. But all this will not satisfie our Quakers who with Familists Antinomians and Libertines will have this to be the privilege of all Christians after their Mode that they be as Perfect as Adam was in the state of innocency free of all sin and from yeelding to Temptation or Corruption and this taketh-in much if not a Perfection of parts and degrees Now to assert this Perfection which even Papists are ashamed of and to assert this as common to all them in whom this new birth is fully produced as it must be in all Justified and Sanctified Persons according to his owne principles is false and dangerous For 1. There are in Christ's house diverse syzes and degrees of persons some babes 1 Cor. 3 1. Heb. 5 13. or children or little children 1 Ioh. 2 12 13. and others young men and old men or Fathers 1 Ioh. 2 13 14. 2. Christians are exhorted to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. last and to put off the old man which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts and to put on the new man Epes 4 22 23 24. And to mortifie their members which are upon the earth Col. 3 5. But to cry up this perfection is to render all Gospel commanâ—s useless whereof we have abundance in the Epistles 3. This takes away the exercise of Repentance for where there is no sin there can be no sense of nor sorrow for sin and the exercise of Faith in running to the fountain for washing and the exercise of Prayer in seeking grace to withstand Temptations to strive against Corruption in seeking for pardon in the bloud of Christ. And 4. So this maketh these petitions in the Lords prayer useless forgive us our sins and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil 5. This saith that either beleevers are fully freed from an indwelling body of death contrary to Rom. 7 11 17 18 23 24. or that the motions of this body of death are not sin or sinful contrary to Rom. 7 5 7 8 15. Gal. 5 v. 17. Iam. 1 ver 14 15. 6 This tendeth to foment Pride and Security
will so have it In the 3. place he comes to criticize tell us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken in the potential mood and so it signifieth who may not or cannot sin as Ps. 119 11. Ans. And why not also ought not seing this Mood is used to expresse that This is but vanity for the Hebrew hath not properly potential moods And though interpreters do usually render it so as more congruous latin yet the sense abideth the same and the Dutch translate it as we have it And what will this say to other places Nay the very scope of Solomon evidenceth our translation to be right his gloss to be but vanity as is obvious to every Reader 30. To that argument from Rom. 7 14. c. he answereth the same that Socinians and Arminians answered of old to wit That the Apostle is not there speaking of himself but of an unregenerate person While as all the circumstances of the text evince the contrary to wit that he is speaking of himself and that in the present time for he useth alwayes from vers 14. and forward verbs in the present tense and he distinguisheth betwixt the Old and New man in himself ascribeing to each their proper work and speaketh many things of himself which cannot be spoken of the Unregenerat as 1. To will and approve what is good and to nill and disapprove what is evil and that alwayes and to approve all good and disapprove all evil discovered to be such 2. To consent unto the Law that it is good and to delight therein and that according to the inner man which is the Regenerat part opposite to the Old man 3. Not to do evil not I it is no more I and that was according to the Renewed part 4. To have an inner man which is proper to the Regenerate Ephes. 3 19. 5. To feel a strife and warre betwixt the Flesh and the Spirit which also agreeth to the Regenerate Gal. 5 17. 6 To hate evil which no Unregenerate person can do 7. To approve of the Law as Spiritual 8. To have will present unto good even when he findeth not how to performe what is good 9. To be brought into captivity to the Law of sin while as the wicked are willing slaves 10. To be groaning under this body of death and accounting himself wreatched because of it 11. To have a Law in the minde against which the Law in the members maketh warre 12. To be expecting full delivery in Jesus Christ. 13. To be thankfull to God upon that account 14. To be serving the Law of God when the flesh is serving the Law of sin 15 And Chap. 8 1. being an inference from whaâ— is said Chap. 7. he inferreth that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ which supposeth that he was speaking of one that was in Christ otherwise his Inference had not been pertinent 31. These things are clear and might be further explained and confirmed if it were necessary Let us see what he saith against this 1. He saith The Apostle declared the contrary Chap. 6 2. Answ. No such matter for what he said there and what he saith here can well agree for he that is thus resisting sin striveing and protesting against it when he can do no more is abundanâ—ly evidencing that he is dead unto it as to its dominion and that he is not living therein 2. He saith Paul could not call himself a carnal man as vers 14. Answ. So said Schlightingius the Socinian So Arminius But we say Paul doth not call himself simply and every way carnal but only in a certain respect distinguishing betwixt his better part which he owneth as himself and this Flesh vers 18. And we finde also that Paul called the Corinthians who were babes in Christ carnal in some respect 1 Cor. 3 1 2. He saith 3. The Apostle Chap. 8. saith he was made free from the Law of sin and death and so he could not be then carnal Answ. Neither say we that he was carnal in so far but spiritual 4. He saith That Paul Chap. 8 35. saith who shall separat us from the love of Christ vers 37. that in all these things we are more then conquerours And vers last nothing can separat us But where sin is and is continued in there there is a separation for all sin is contrary to God 1 Ioh. 3 4. Answ. That sin where it is striven and wrestled against as Rom. 7 15. c. will make a separation from God I deny 2. That sin is contrary to God I no where read that it is a breach and transgression of his Law is true 32. To the instances of the failings of Noah and David He saith They are nothing to the purpose Why so The question is not saith he whether good men cannot sin num non possint peccare but whether they be able not to sin num possint non peccare And this may be true though they have sinned Answ. But our Argument lyeth thus If these men whom the Spirit of God stileth Perfect and men according to God's heart have had their failings and these failings are registrated for our use then we have no Scripture warrant for such a Perfection here as is not attended with sin But the former is true Let him of now apply his answere to this argument and see what it will say Or thus we may frame the Argument If we finde no instances in Scripture such persons as were so perfect as that they did not sin then to imagine such a perfection is but a groundless fancy a dream But the former is true Or If we finde sin consisting with a state of Regeneration than it is false that all Regenerat persons are in a sinless state Hereby also is that which he addeth in the second place obviated And further we say that from these instances we do not prove that the godly sin in all they do because of a body of death and corruption cleaving to them other Arguments evince that But from these instances we shew that his sinless state is but a Quakeristick dream 33. To that argument That this doctrine taketh away the study of Mortification and Usemaking of the blood of Christ and Praying for remission He very civilly tels us Tâ—at because of its absurdity he had almost forgoten it As if he had answered all the arguments we use against this errour But wherein consists its absurdity Is sayes he mortification of sin useless when its end is attained But he mistaketh after his usual manner our argument which in forme runneth thus If mortification be a duty pressed on persons regenerated then persons regenerated have sin and corruption in them to be mortified and so are not sinless But the former is true Therefore c. May it please him to shew the absurdity of this argument When all sin is mortified there is no more need of this duty of studying mortification and if all sin
the effectual operation of the Spirit of grace renewing the whole man and working him up to an union and closeing with Christ conforme to the tenor of the Gospel that thereby he may come to the actual participation of the great and saving benefites which Christ hath purchased by his bloud What can we then judge or say of this state let us imagine it to be in its perfection but that it is a pure state of Nature and as the perfection of this state formerly mentioned can be nothing but corrupt Nature the constant and irreconcileable enemy of the grace of God and of the Gospel in its strongest fort of opposition and resistance to the Gospel-grace of God and in its strongest citadel of security wherein it is freest from the invasions and attacques of the grace of God whence experience hath proven it true that none have been greater enemies to the Gospel-grace of God and furthest from a yeelding thereunto than such as have attained unto the highest improvement of nature as they supposed and were accounted the wise men of their age for to such wise men the preaching of the crosse was foolishness And who seeth not that even within the Church such remaine most disobedient to the call of the Gospel and unperswadable by all its Reasons Motives and Allurements who suppose themselves to have attained to some more then ordinary Improvement of the Light of nature or correspondence in their walk with a Natural Conscience and Principles of morality especially if this be seconded or attended with an outward compliance with the outward ordinances of the Religion they profess for these seeking to establish their owne righteousness which is a piece of the heirshipe of corrupt nature which all have from Adam cannot and will not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God Rom. 10 4. Wherefore Perseverance in such a state can be no advantage but a manifest fixedness in the way of death and nothing can annul a perseverance in this state and cause a falling therefrom but the strong hand of the grace of God And that state of stability of which he talketh and from which there is no falling away can be nothing but the Lords holy and judicial giving up to blindness and unbeleefe and closeing their eyes that they should not see and stoping their eares that they should not heare and hardning their hearts that they should not beleeve conforme to Esai 6 9. Ioh. 12 vers 40. Math. 13 vers 14 15. Luk. 8 vers 20. Act. 28 vers 26. Rom. 11 vers 8. Mark 4 v. 12. 4. His saints then being such as we have mentioned and not such as we hold with the Scriptures to be saints indeed that is Such as being by nature children of wrath and dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephes. 2 1 2 3. are in due time effectually called out of nature into grace by the mighty power and operation of the grace of God having their Mindes and Understandings graciously Illuminated by divine Light and their Wills Renewed and powerfully Determined unto a closeing with Christ offered in the Gospel Ephes. 2 vers 5. Phil 2 13. 1 Cor. 2 10 12. Act. 26 18. Ezech. 11 19. 36 26 27. Ioh. 6 45. And hereupon are made partakers of the Spirit of Christ that dwelleth in them and reneweth their whole soul more and more so that having a new Principle of life and new spiritual supernatural Habites whereby they become wholly new creatures acting from new Principles for new Ends upon new Motives to the glory of God and their Redeemer Ephes. 2 6 8 10. Gal. 2 20. 1 Ioh. 5 12. 2 Cor. 5 17. 1 Ioh. 3 9. 1 Pet. 1 22 23. And thus translated into a new state from death to life Ephes. 2 2. 1 Ioh. 3 14. Col. 2 13. from darkness to light Act 26 â—8 Ephes. 5 v. 8. 1 Thes. 5 v. 4. from sin to holiness 1 Cor. 6 11. Ezech. 36 25. Ephes. 5 6. Tit. 3 5. from enmity to friendshipe Ephes. 2 12 13 14 15. Col. 1 21 being now Iustified Accepted of God having their sinnes pardoned and bâ—ing Adopted as heires of the inheritance Rom. 5 1. 8 1. Col. 2 10. Rom. 8 32 33. Ioh. 1 12. 1 Ioh. 3 1 2 And all this upon the account of the merites and purchase of Christ the Mediator in pursuance of the Covenant of redemption betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator conforme to the Covenant of Grace exhibited in the Gospel The saints whereof he speaketh not being such as these described to us in the Gospel of Christ we need not think ourselves concerned in the vindication of their stability and perseverance for we owne only the perseverance of such as are thus effectually Called out of nature into grace and endued with the Spirit of Christ. Esai 59 21. Rom. 5 5. 1 Cor. 6 9. Ioh. 14 16 17. Gal. 5 22. Psal. 51 11. Ezech. 36 27. to lead act and guide them Rom. 8 9 11. who differ far from his natural pagan-saints and have no affinity with them nor with natural outward-Christians And thus might we let this whole matter whereof he treateth in this Thesis and in his Vindication thereof passe without any further animadversions 5. Yet lest he according to the Genius and usual manner of that Seck should boast and say that we durst not contend with him upon this head and so triumph among his admirers we shall examine hâ—s doctrine with patience The truth which we owne is shortly and fully set downe in our Confes. of faith Chap. 17. thus They whom God hath accepted in his beloved effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace but shall certainly persevere therein to the end and be eternally saved Phil. 1 6. 2 Pet. 1 10. Ioh. 10 28 29. 1 Ioh. 2 9. 1 Pet. 1 5 9 This perseverance of the Saints depends not upon their owne free will but upon the immutability of the decree of election flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father 2 Tim. 2 18 19 Ier. 31 3. upon the efficacy of the merite and intercession of Iesus Christ Heb. 10 10 11. 13 20 21. 9 12 to 15. Rom. 8 33 c. Ioh. 17 11 24. Luk. 12 32 Heb. 7 25. the abideing of the Spirit and seed of God within them Ioh 4 16 17. 1 Ioh. 2 27. 3 9. and the nature of the Covenant of grace Ier. 31 40. from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof Ioh. 10 28 2 Thes. 3 3. 1 Ioh. 2 19. Nevertheless they may through the temptations of Satan and of the world the prevalency of corruption remaining in them and the neglect of the means of their preservation â—all into grievous sins Mat. 26 70 72 74. and for a time continue therein Psal. 51. title with v 14. whereby they incurre God's displeasure Esai 64 5 7 9. 2 Sam 11.27 and grieve his Holy Spirit Ephes.
taught can teach and opportunely admonish and by certain experience witness for God as did of old the Prophets and the Apostles of late 1 Ioh. 1 1. Ans. By this it seemes that all ministers learning of what soever kinde that is useful must be immediatly taught them they must have all by inward Instructions of the Spirit And it will not be enough to him that the Spirit teach us by ordinary meanes as he did Daniel Chap. 1 17. comp with vers 4 but it must be by Immediat Inspirations Revelations I would faine know if he learned his Latine Greek Hebrew so But who seeth not what a tendency this hath to banish all learning out of the world and to introduce palpable Paganisme Darkness Ignorance whereby people may become a prey unto such seducers as he is If so away with all Academies Schools of learning though even when Immediat Revelations were more ordinary there were schools of the prophets young prophets having others over them 1 Sam. 19.20 we hear of the sones of the prophets 2 King 2 3. of master scholer Mal. 2 12. See also 1 Sam. 10 5 10. 2 King 2 5 22 14. Away then with all Reading Studying or Searching of the Scriptures away with learning so much as to read with all study of arts of sciences that might help in the least to understand the Scriptures contrary to Deut. 17 19. 1 Tim. 4 13. 5 17. 2 Tim. 2 15. Revel 11 3. Ioh. 5 v. 39. for we have no more to do now but to waite for Immediat Revelations of all things which I should judge a manifest tempting of God an exposeing of our selves to delusions which God in his righteous judgment might give us up unto Doth not the Spirit in Paul's making use of the sayings of heathen poets Act. 17 28. Tit. 1 12. teach us that a good use may be made of humane learning even for carrying on a spiritual work Nay this principle followed forth would destroy all Teaching all Interpretation of Scriptures all Meanes of learning all Instruction of parents all Ministrie And what have we then to do with the Quakers teachings writtings This is no new thing it was the doctrine of the old Anabaptists 8. Then § 19. forward he comes to speak in particular to three parts of literature as if there were no moe nor none more excellent useful the first is the Knowledge of tongues Latine Greek Hebrew And he sayes we judge the knowledge of these necessary that we may read the Scriptures in the original languages which Scriptures he sayes we take to be our only rule Thereby declareing that he owneth then not as such and sure seing we owne the Scriptures for our only Rule it is but rational that we study these languages in which they were first written that we may thereby come the better to understand their meaning seing no translation can so fully emphatically express the original in all points as were to be wished But why mentioneth he the Latine for this end Thinks he that any part of our Rule was originally written in Latine Belike he would foist-in some apocryphal books into our Canon or give us the Popish vulgar version for the only authenticque And if so we should not stand in great need of the Knowledge of Hebrew Greek He sayes this study was commendable in the primitive Reformers because darkness before had overwhelmed the whole Christian world Answ. 1. Then it seemeth there was then a Christian world contrary to what he said above 2. If it was needful to dispel darkness it cannot be unnecessary to keep out darkness 3. But why might not the Spirit without their study have taught these things And why did they not waite till the Spirit taught them immediatly 4. How came it that the Spirit gave a blessing to their endeavours Will God bless sinful meanes But he addeth That true reformation was not placed in that knowledge for though Papists out of emulation set up that study yet we see that they are as much obdured in their errours as ever Ans. who saith that true reformation was placed in this It was a mean in it self to help towards the knowledge of the Scriptures And if Jesuites other Papists do not improve the same to a right end shall therefore the meane be condemned altogether This man tels us that Jesuites all men have a light within them which if well improven would prove saving and because they many others do not make a right use hereof will he think that it should be laid aside altogether I suppose not Therefore sayes he further this will not prove the necessity of this science unto ministers Whence doth he conclude this It is a conclusion without premisses for that which he said last would rather inferre the contrary Far lesse will it evince saith he that it is a qualification more necessary then is the grace and Spirit of God seing this can supply the want of that in rusticks and in ignorant persons Answ. I shall be far from saying that it is more necessary Let each have its owne place and I am satisfied things subordinat can well consists but this man will have these two contradictory What the Spirit may help illiterate persons to know by hearing in the things of salvation is nothing to the purpose for we are speaking of Ministers who should be knowing persons and able to teach others And Peter tels us what unlearned Persons are apt to do with the Scripture But says he Pag. 198. all the knowledge that is had by that learning is without the Spirit and so is fallible when as a rustick hearing the Scriptures read can say that it is true by the same Spirit also understand it and if needful interpret it by observing how his owne condition agreeth with the condition of the saints recorded in Scripture Ans. It is not without the Spirits ordinary assistance and we look not for immediat infallible Motions and Inspirations 2. Why may not the rustick if acted by an infallible and immediatly inspireing Spirit tell all this without hearing the Scriptures read And how should he even have heard them read in his owne language If they had not been translated And how had they been translated without this knowledge 3. May not the rustick mistake his owne condition and consequently misinterpret the Scripture or may he not misapply that passage wrest it contrare to its native scope and that through ignorance even of the letter of the Scriptures and so suppose an harmony or similitude where there is no such thing Such a thing I suppose is not impossible And what doth his argueing then evince But he hath a sufficient experience in some of his Quakers particularly in a shoe maker or cobler correcting a Professour in a citation of some passage of Scripture affirming that there was no such passage to be found Ans.
This man hath his fables ready at hand for we had such another before but few of his Readers can know whether he speaketh true or false all that I shall say is that this fable is impertinently here brought in for the question is not whether a Professour or Doctor may not have a failing memory Nor whether a mechanick cannot have a more happy one what more is in this fable I cannot see unless he would hence inferre that the Spirit teacheth them without book hearing or reading the very letter of the Scripture even the very translated words And if this be true it is little wonder they are at no paines in reading the Scriptures let be in studying of them But till I know the truth of this mystery better I crave his leave to suspend my beliefe 9. The next point of learning is Logick and Philosophy But whether is it Natural or Artificial Philosophy that he is against Though I judge that a man may be a minister yet be no profound Philosopher nor expert in that which goeth under that name Yet I think some measure of knowledge thereof can not well be wanted especially in such as have to do with wrangling sophisters like this Quaker that would pervert souls propagate errour it hath its owne profitableness to other uses also But what hath this man against it It is sayes he the root and original of all contention How doth he prove this we know the best things may be abused but the abuse of a science may bear its blame the science it self be blameless It draweth men away from that clear understanding of things which reason it self might furnish This if so is but its abuse He that is not very wise can be a perfect logician This may be doubted And it may be he will not deny that one not very wise may be a good Christian doth it not helpe in defending of truth refuting of hereticks The truth that is in men truely rational needeth not this help and it will not convince the obstinate but teacheth them many artifices and distinctions to oppugnate the truth saith he Ans. What meaneth he by that truth with is in men truely rational is it natural truth or supernatural common or saving Me thinks he had need of some science whereby to explaine himself for his language is dark 2. Though truth in it self should not need this help Yet it may stand in need of some such help to fix it in a subject that is doubting either because of the darkness of his owne understanding or because of the contrary argueings of Adversaries 3. This science is only used as an instrumental medium to convince or if not to convince yet to confute their errours and to defend truth from their exceptions and that in such a rational way as may be convinceing to such as will not be obstinate 4. If any use its distinctions to oppugne the truth they must beare the blame for this abuse the distinctions may however be good Truth saith he comeing from an honest heart and taught by the Spirit will sooner penetrate then thousands of demonstrations as the Instance of the old man convinceing the heathen Philosopher whom all the Bishops of the Councel of Nice could not overcome with their disputes Ans. This is only when it pleaseth the Lord to concurre with his blessing And such rare examples are not ordinary and are to teach us in all these wayes to depend upon the Lord for the blessing and not to loose us from the use of the meanes What saith he to natural logick He doth not deny the use of this because every man in his wits hath it he hath also used it in this treatise Ans. But if natural logick be so useful why is artificial or acquired logick so noxious seing it only serveth to accomplish and polish the other Though every man in his wits hath this yet I suppose some have more and some have less and such as have less may be allowed to take some help to increase it If he hath only used that logick here I could wish him to take some more of artificial logick to helpe it and yet I think he hath not wholly renunced it in this Treatise though by neither nor by both hath he been able to gaine his point whether in confirming his errours or in darkning of the truth What sayes he to other parts of Philosophy That part sayes he which is called the Ethicks may be better learned out of the Scriptures Which is very true they being a full and perfect rule in all morals But I think that this study should not be unprofitable for him who will not owne the Scriptures as a Rule and acknowledgeth the light of Nature for a guide and only rule which is in all heathens and by which light alone they wrote their morals or Ethicks so that I think if he would make use here of his natural logick he might see how consequentially he should speak to his owne principles if he would recommend to all the study of Aristotiles Ethicks or the morals of some other Hethenish Philosophers instead of the Scriptures For Physicks and Metaphysicks saith he they may be reduced to Medicine and Mathematicques But not to be too Philosophical in disputing here with him why may not the knowledge of them Yea and of Mathematickes too be of some use to whatsoever art or science they may be reduced I would faine heare what reason his natural logick could give us to convince us that they could not be useful because of that As for my dull natural logick it can perceive no reason nor shew of reason In fine He citeth Col. 2 8. and 1 Tim. 6 20. which speak nothing against the innocent and profitable use of philosophy which is all we defend we speak not of that philosophy which is vaine deceit after the tradition of men and which as Beza on the place thinketh is that Theology which is the product of humane vanity leaning only to Custome and Enthusiasmes let him consider this what Calvin on the place thinketh this Philosophy to be and it may be he may see his owne Theology comprehended under it if not mainely understood What is this Philosophy then in Calvines judgment Even wâ—atever men devise of their own head while they think themselves wise in their owne opinion and that not without some specious pretext of reason And a perswasive discourse insinuating in the mindes of men with faire and plausible arguments And nothing else then a meer corruption of spiritual doctrine And all adulterous doctrines which breed in mens braines whatever colour of reason they may have This is enough for Col. 2 8. And as for 1 Tim. 6 vers 20. The science falsly so called there spoken of is not Philosophy but a science of coineing and uttering new and vaine bombast words giving a sound without substance tending to corrupt and darken the simplicity of the Gospel A
acts of worship by Immediat Inspirations and Enthusiastical motions of the Spirit and the unlawfulness of entering upon Worshipe at what time in what place and upon what occasion so ever or continueing in it without these Previous Physical and Immediat Inspirations Impulses and Enthusiastical Motions but we shall see some other things spoken to and more insisted upon by him and but little spoken to this which mainly called for proof 2. However we must see what he says leaving his preamble wherein according to his usual manner he layeth an imputation on the Reformed Churches as keeping still the root of false worshipe when they cut off the branches of Romish worshipe We shall consider what he sayes for clearing of the Quakers way first he tels us Pag. 222. § 2. That he speaketh here of worship now under the Gospel not as requisite under the Law Yet I suppose he is speaking of worshipe as a moral duty or in reference to what is moral or natural which hath place in all ages of the Church and of what is essentially and necessarily requisite to all moral worship for he saith here expresly that the ceremonies under the Law were not essential to true worshipe nor necessary of themselves I suppose also he should speak of Institute Worshipe under the Gospel but all that is by the Quakers rejected and denied as we shall hear He tels us next § 3. That they do not condemne all prescribed times and places for worshipe for they have such But may I not ask whether they assemble at these times and in these places by the Immediat Acting Motion and Impulse of the Spirit or not It seemeth not but when they are assembled they must waite for these motions But is not that a limiteing of the Spirit as if he could not Act Move to publick worshipe at other times in other places And is not the time of their abode together at these several occasiones limited also 3. What do they then condemne They condemne our having a Preacher to preach excludeing others But the lawfulness of this we evinced above Next they are not satisfied that these ministers come not to meet with the Lord. Neither am I. and attend not unto his inward motions and operations Nor am I satisfied with this Nor pray not preach not as the Spirit moveth and breatheth in them and giveth utterance What if I say that I am not satisfied with this either more then they But the mystery of the business is They acknowledge no Motion or inward Breathing of the Spirit but what is Extraordinary and meerly Enthusiastick without all previous study or preparation and abstract from all meanes as if the Lord could not move and operate in and by the meanes and could not help a minister who had studied his sermon by his breathing and inward assistance to preach the Gospel and give utterance and helpe to the carrying on of the work to edification This is to oppose the Spirit of God and his motions to all meanes of his owne appointment condemneth all study and meditation on the Scriptures taketh away all paines and laboure for abilities and putteth men upon a sure way of tempting of God and of inviteing the devil to deceive and delude as was shown above 4. That nothing may be wanting to compleat their Systeme of errour they proclame all dayes alike and so reject the Lords day our Christian Sabbath concerning which if this man have any minde to dispute on that head I will wait his Answer to what I have said on it elsewhere What he saith Pag. 225. § 5. of their charitie towards many living in Popery is no very great business seing he will grant as much to Pagans notwithstanding of their palpable and manifest Idolatry and Heathenisme But why will he not give us charity too 5. He cometh more home to the business Pag. 226. § 6. and tels us that when they assemble every ones work is to attend on God to goe out of their own thoughts and imaginations or rather to thrust these away to feel Gods presence and in his name to acknowledge that assembly where He is in the midst according to his promise And where every one is thus assembled in Spirit as well as in body the secret power and vertue of life is known to refresh the soul and they feel pure motions and breathings of the Spirit of God flowing from which issue words of declaration prayer and praise and thus acceptable worshipe is performed by which the Church is edified and God is pleased yea though not one word be spoken or heard outwardly yet true spiritual â—orship is performed and the Church is edified Answ. This is a short account of their manner of worship which in his following discourse he largely laboureth to explicat and vindicate I shall only propose these few exceptions against it 1. Spiritual worshipe which only is acceptable with God who is a Spirit and will be worshiped in spirit and truth being a matter of no small difficulty for sinners to get performed aright would require some preparation before hand that the heart might be put in some frame for such an high and noble work being made sensible of its distance from and unsuteableness for approching unto such an holy and spiritual God and of the necessity of some impression of that divine Majesty with whom they have to do and of divine help for the right discharge of that duty now I finde no mention made by them of any such thing or of the necessity of wrestling with God in private for a right frame of Spirit in going about that work and for the assistence of his grace and Spirit in the discharge of it and for his blessing upon it It seemeth their heart is alway in a like good frame and they are alwayes in case for this solemne addresse unto God or they come together to get preparation and all from the inward motions without which nothing must de done 2. When the members of the Church are assembled and publick worshipe to beginne Nature it self would teach that there should be a solemne address made unto God by Prayer acknowledging their unworthiness of such an honour and favour their unfitness for such a solemne work their necessity of his divine help and assistance therein and his blessing thereupon that He may be glorified and they edified but here no such thing appeareth no invocating of the great God no supplication made to him no prostrating of themselves in prayer before him at the entry of their work can this then be accounted an assembling for the solemne Adoration Worshiping and Invocation of God 3. No word is there here in all their Assemblies of the Scriptures as the Law of God which should be read interpreted and applyed for the Instruction Reproof Consolation and Edification of the people No as the Scriptures are no rule to them in their walk so nor are they any rule to them in their
may be drawn over the rest to wit Ps. 25 3. 37 9. 69 6. Esai 40 v. 31. 42 23. Lam. 3 25. His concordance hath helped him here to no purpose He must not think for all this that I speak against that noble duty of waiting on the Lord in all our wayes which is accompanied with a care to keep all his wayes I speak only against his Waiting which is not upon the Lord but a waiting for an unhallowed motion of an evil Spirit like those of olâ— who were consulting the Oracles of the Devil waiting for Enthusiasmes diabolick Inspirations which needeth no other confirmation but this that this waiting is pleaded for to shut out the Ordinances of Jesus Câ—rist and to give God no more for all the solemne Worshipe service wâ—ich he requireth but a dumb mumtie Nay this is such a waiting as first requireth that the man lay aside all Christianity yea and Rationality and Humanity that he may become a perfect prey to the Spirit of Delusion for he addeth that this silence is not only outward but inward from all imaginations and thoughts So that the man must lay aside his very sanctified intellâ—ct if he have it and rational faculty and so first un-man himself that the Devil may make him a beast or worse What he saith of the two seeds in men hath been spoken to long ago and what he saith further of natural men and of their various kindes or actings is nothing to the purpose for we confess that a natural man for all his parts and enduements cannot Worshipe God in the Spirit And for any thing I can finde in all this mans writing concerning Regeneration I must needs say that if it be really with the Quakers according to this mans doctrine they know no more of Regeneration and true Sanctification than a Turk or a Pagan doth Further what will all his speaking Pag. 235. of a necessity of a natural mans retireing from himself as such going into his good seed which is a non-ens nothing but the ill and wicked seâ—d of Nature availe here Can a natural man do this of himself Can the blakamore change his colour or the Leopard his spotes And finally what saith all this for the dumb Worshipe that he calleth for even from the Regenerate Though the rambling discourse which he hath Pag. 233. be utterly impertinent Yet I wish him to take notice of some expressions He saith that one kinde of spiritual wickedness is when a natural man in matters of Religion affirmeth and proposeth from his own conceptions and divinations erroneous notions and opinions And whether he be not guilty of this let all sober understanding persons judge And againe he saith It cannot be said that there is so much as a forme of goodliness where there are erroneous opinions and notions Let him look to it And I must retorte his owne words Pag. 234. upon himself This kinde of Idolatry whereby a man loveth Idolizeth the Conceptions Inventions and Products of his owne braine is so incident to him and so seated in his lapsed nature that while his natural Spirit is his leader and chiefe Governour and while he is acted moved and led by it in the Worshipe of God and attendeth to no other he can never act any spiritual Worshipe nâ—r produce any thing but what is the fruite of his corruption For reflecting upon his false Principles and Carnal Natural grounds of Religion opposite to all true Religion and Christianity I know none beside himâ—elf and his party of whom this may be more truely verified 13. He imagineth Pag. 235. that God is speaking in every man as one man is quietly talking in the eare of another or as a Master teaching his schooler or a Prince is speaking to a person and that therefore the natural man should not be so rude and indocile as not to be silent and hearken and retire from all the operations of his soul that he may heare and the good seed may rise in him Ans. That is the natural man that he may hear and learne of God must lay aside all his senses inward and outward all his operations as a man good and evil and so fall into something like or rather deeper then a trance and ecstasie that he may receive the visions of God And till this be done he can goe about no act of commanded Worshipe Is not this a noble phancie We are waiting for the proof of this and how long shall we waite till we see it Is this the meaning of all these passages of Scripture that spoke of waiting and watching Is not this like Socrates his Demon that attended him and to which he must Introvert to hearken What shall the renewed man do Is not God as well talking thus in and to him and must he not also retire from his Humane or Christian acts and lay all aside that he may hearken Sure it is not seemly even for a courtier to be talking to his Prince while his Prince is speaking to him he should waite till his Prince had done And so because we may suppose that the Lord is alway speaking the whole Worshipe shall be this silent hearkening And indeed Pag. 236. he taketh-in with the rest of the actions that must be laid by Sense and Fear of sin Thoughts of Death Hell and Iudgment thoughts of Glory Prayers and other Religious Exercises Have we not then a clear delineation of this Quakeristick ecstasie and of this silent Worshipe of theirs And as if all this were not enough he saith agaiâ— This great duty of waiting upon God must be exercised in denying of themselves and in sole and meer dependance upon God within and without in being abstracted from all operations imaginations and ejaculations of their soul that being made void of themselves and wholly crucified to their natural productions they may be fit to receive God Is not this a clear thing The man then must become no man nay not an animal he must not be a living wight such an ecstasie must he give himself up unto But I am yet to learne if this be in mans owne power or if the Prophets of old were so far master of themselves as to fall into a trance or ecstasie to speak nothing of such an ecstasie as this is which taketh away all the use of the intellect and inward motions of soul when they pleased And yet more if this was called for at their hands alwayes when they went to Worshipe God or if this was their solemne worshipe or a chiefe part thereof Will this Quaker do me the favour to prove these things and clear his way from Devilrie by undoubted marks of distinction 14. But now let us suppose the man is brought to this state either by his owne wonderful dexterity of metamorphosinâ— himself or by some superiour Spirit or other what next Then saith he Pag. 236. the little seed of righteousness which God planted in the
beginning of this silence but this silence may continue a while before this birth be and so though the new by th will affright the devil away yet he may stay while it is out a forming and so may worke his work and play his game in the time of that silence Himself granteth Pag. 232 that this may be while there is but a silence as to words but when they once introverte receed from all things then they are in a castle and feel themselves to be without his reach But this is the maine thing to be proved and I am ready to think that then they are most in his power for when the strong man keepeth the house all is in peace Let them see to it then that this their greatest security be not their greatest bondage 18 The next excellency of this silence is That it cannot be hindered nor interrupted by the Devils malice which he laboureth to clear § 13. p 239. for saith he when we are scattered and separated one from another every one as he introverteth to the measure of life within himself keepeth a secret union and communion with the rest which neither the devil nor any of his instruments can hinder Ans. So can all true Christians have union with one another in the Spirit without this wilde introversion and so this is no peculiar excellency of theirs But yet sure their publick worshipe is in so fair impeded and hindered Againe he saith Their worshipe cannot be interrupted when assembled even by outward molestations which interrupt another worshipe And what wonder seing it is no worshipe but a silente mutenesse and a man may be mute in the midst of the greatest confusion But all the publick worshipe that we read of in the N. T. was such as could have been interrupted by wicked men Such as are possessed with a dumb and deafe Devil can hardly be made to speak or be interrupted in their silence is this therefore the excellency of their Condition He addeth Pag. 242. That as Christs kingdome is not of this world neither is his worshipe and so it needeth not the wisdom glory riches and splendor of this world This is true yet his solemne worshipe cannot be performed without visible and audible actions which can also be impeded and interrupted by Satans and mens malice It needeth not a carnal arme to defend protect and establish it Yet the Lord hath promised that Kings should be the Churches nursing Fathers and Queens her nursing mothers And when Saul's persecution was at an end it is said Act. 9 21. Then had the Churches rest-and were edified and were multiplied And Paul exhorteth that supplications prayers and intercessions be made for kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peacable life in all godliness and honesty 1 Tim. 2 1 2. Quakers need not do this for they can enjoy all their publick worshipe who will who will not for no man can hinder their silence yet he compleaneth elsewhere of wrong done them by such hinderances The worshipe of Christ's followers saith he is Spiritual defended by the Spirit but carnal worshipe hath need of a carnal arme to defend it Spritual worshipe doth not stand in need of a carnal arme to promove it but only to hold off injuries of wicked men interruptinâ— its free and publick exercise and as to this all the publick worshipe that ever God appointed whether in the Old or New Test. had this necessity But the Quakers worshipe seemeth to be that wherewith the Devil is well pleased and so cannot interrupt because he will not for a kingdom devided against it self cannot stand 19. He thinketh § 15. to prove this silent worshipe froâ— Ioh. 4 23 24. Let us see how Worshipe now saith he is not to be in outward observations gone about by man in his own will and proper strength at certain times Answ. And what then Doth Gospel worshipe put away all external actions then their Speaking Praying and Praising is no worshipe and so all their worshipe is perfect silence When Christ preached and prayed he performed no Gospel worshipe if this be true Nor the Apostles in any of their outward actions and yet Paul saith Act. 24 â—3 that after the way which his enemies called heresiel so worshiped he the God of his Fathers And we finde that by external actions worship was performed to Christ Mat. 2 11. 8 2. 9 1â— 15 25. 14 33. 28 9 17. Mark 5 6. Luk. 24 52. Ioh. 9 38. We finde in the book of the Revelation the worshiping of God opposed to worshiping of the Beast and the Beast was worshiped by visible works and actions But saith he God hath now instituted a spiritual worshipe opposite to the ceremonial worshipe under the law Very true but hath God discharged now all outward actions in worshipe or cannot God be worshiped in Spirit and in Truth wâ—ere there are any outward actions performed Beside that this argueing supposeth that God gote no spiritual service under the Law which is manifestly false we desire him to prove that spiritual worshipe is inconsistent with any outward action and consisteth only in silence and that Christ meaneth no other Ioh. 4. for all this we deny and this he undertook to prove but instead thereof he confuteth himself For he tels us in the end of Pag. 343. that God now taketh the heart of every Christian to be his temple and there instructeth how he will be worshiped in some N. B. external actions Now external actions are no silent worshipe We leave this self confutation and proceed 20. He tels us Pag. 244. § 16. That this way of worshipe of theirs was of old practised by some who therefore were called Mysticks and he citeth some sayings of papists And though I finde nothing in the words by him cited giving countenance to his opinion yet I am apt to think that his way oweth its original more to the Monkes Cels than to the Apostles and primitive Churches and am ready to fear that as it came from thence so it may lead back thither againe And though these mystick Monkes Friars had some ground to speak against the necessity of the Popish Observances which were but inventions of Men I can see no ground why he and his fraternity should enveigh so much against the appointed Ordinances of Christ And though they call themselves Witnesses for the Truth and for God yet it is manifest that they are real witnesses for Errour and for Satan 21. In the last place § 17. Pag. 246. c. he cometh to answere some Objections The first is That its a very unprofitable thing to do nothing and that it is better to be occupied in meditation good exercises And this is very true What answereth he That is not unprofitable which is absolutely necessary before any duty be done acceptably This is very true too but he hath not yet proved his Silence to be
where God is there is the Kingdom of heaven and of that speaketh Paul when he saith the Kingdom of heaven is in us And thereafter N. 138. he sayes when man hath laid all his imperfections aside and is carryed into the essence and nakedness he stareth God in his bare essence and with that stareing presseth in to God and uniteth himself with him and God carrieth the man with himself in himself and so he hath he an eternal ingoing into God and he is wholly embraced of God and loseth himself and so he drowneth into the bottomless sea of the Godhead and swimeth as a fish in the sea And in the following Chap. he speaketh much of a silence and an hearkening to the eternal word within And Ch. 23. he tels us that this inward speaking is in the essence of the soul where God speaketh when the soul turneth all to rest and silence is gapeing after in the fund of her naked substance And this hearing is nothing else then an inward feeling which floweth out of God in that essence of the soul which is so full that it runneth over in the powers And he that findeth this is happy 39. More of this and the like trash may be found in that book but here is I suppose enough to discover what affinity this Quakers doctrine hath with the fancies of Taulerus and whence possibily he and his fraternity have learned their rare Notions and Expressions to which end only I have troubled the Reader with these few passages as also to shew that there may be greater affinity and affection betwixt Papists and our Quakers then they will yet be willing to acknowledge or suffer us to say But a little time will discover much I now proâ—eed to Chap. XXIII Of Preaching 1. After his discourse concerning their manner of Worshipe this Quaker cometh to speak more particularly of some parts of worshipe such as Preaching Praying Singing against all which he hath something to say Pag. 248. c. § 18. And he beginneth with Preaching telling us that as Papists Protestants use it it is after this manner One taketh a certain place or verse of Scripture and speaketh upon it for an houre or longer these things which he had before studied or premeditated and had set together either out of his owne proper invention or from the writings or observations of others and committed them to this memory in opposition to this he tels us what their way is thus When the Saints assemble and every one introverts to the gift and grace of God in himself he who ministereth should speak acted by that grace in himself what the Spirit giveth unto him not affecting wisdom and eloquence of words but the demonstration and power of the Spirit and that either by interpreting some place of Scripture if so be the Spirit lead him to it or otherwayes exhorting reproving instructing or by speaking out the sense of some Spiritual experience all which are to be consonant to the Sâ—riptures though perhaps not relative to any particular chapter verse or text 2. Having thus laid down the two different wayes in such a manner as he thought most advantagious for himself he saith Let us now examine and consider which of these are most consonant to the precepts and practice of Christ his Apostles and primitive Church as recorded in the Scripture Before we come to this tryal I must tell him That I am glade to hear him insinuating so much as that the Scriptures are our Rule in worshipe and that that very mode of worshipe must be chosen as the best which agreeth most with the primitive way laid down in the New Test. Only I would entreat him to reconcile this with what he said on the Scriptures One thing more I must tell him If he can prove the very first step of his way that is the Introversion of all the members of the Assembly unto the gift or grace of God in themselves to be consonant to either Precept or Practice recorded in the N. T. I shall give up the whole cause in this mater We heard how straitened he was to finde an instance of this towards the end of the foregoing Chapter when he did run as far back as to Iob's dayes to seek one but as to the primitive Church we must have patience till he think of one and for precept he could give none that came within a look of Introversion 3. It is necessare before we proceed that we take a view of the proposal he hath made of our way and compare it with his that a just estimate may be made And 1. The speaking from a word of Scripture maketh not the difference for they do that themselves sometimes as he saith here though he said it not before Nor is it unlawful else I cannot think that the Spirit would prompt them to it if that Spirit be the Spirit of God And I finde that Christ spoke from a text and so did Peter Act. 2. from a passage of Ioel. And to say as he doth to this Pag. 249. that they did not this without an immediat motion of Spirit is but a confirmation of what I am now saying viz. that it is lawful So then as to this there can be no debate nor difference 2. That ministers read and study and make some use of their reading in their sermons can give no just ground of offence seing we finde the Apostle Paul in his sermon to the Athenians making use of what he had read out of one of their poets Act. 17 28. And we finde him pressing Timothy to study and meditation and that in order to preaching to and profiteing others 1 Tim. 4 15. Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them this sure importeth earnest and diligent study when the Apostle saith that he should be in these things as it were wholly exercised therein and taken up therewith that thy profiteing may appear to all And in that same Chapt. vers 13. he sayes till I come give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine So that this reading was not for his owne private satisfaction but in order to a fitting him better unto exhortation and doctrine And againe he recommends to him a continueing in the tâ—ings he had learned whereby we see that he had learned something and was to keep it being assured that it was truth knowing of whom he had learned 2 Tim. 3 14. And after that Paul had appointed him to continue in what he had learned him he recommends to him the diligent perusal of the Scriptures with which he had been acquanted from his youth as being able to make him wise unto salvation perfect as a man of God v. 15 17. Moreover among the qualifications which Paul requireth in ordinary teachers this is one 1 Tim. 3 2. that he be apt to teach so also 2 Tim 2 24. And this is such an Aptitude as must be tryed and known before hand as well as the other
This is Quakerisme indeed 13. What he addeth Pag. 256. § 23. of some turning superstitious some idolatrous and others formal upon this account if he meane it of all that oppose him and contradict his opinion I look upon it as a groundless calumny if he meane it only of some I have no minde to defend them in it Nor shall I need to retaliat and say that their leaning to these false Inspirations and diabolick Excitations having forsaken the good old way are direct meanes through the judgment of God to confirme them in their Paganisme and Paganish Antichristianisme for the matter is notoure enough though I mention none of their other miscarriages even after their Enthusiasmes wicked Inspirations and Introversions 14 Before he come to answer Objections he speaketh Pag. 25◠§ 24. to the defence of their irreligious profane and contemptuous carriage in our Assemblies for worshipe where they love to come to do open affront both â—o God and men for even in time of prayer or praise they will remaine covered He saith they do this only to keep their conscience unhurt But if there were such hazard of sin in joyning with us in our worshipe why come they to the place of Worshipe Their end can be nothing else but to do open contempt if they beleeve as he saith that our worshipe is an abomination they should keep far aback from it But the truth is their Antichristian Spirit which acteth them to an hight of rage will not suffer them to see Christ worshiped in his way And how knoweth he that our ministers pray alwayes without the Spirit Hath he the gift of discerning Spirits And can he go in to the heart and see how maters stand there We profess that we pray without the Spirit and have therefore our limited times sayes he But he is a liar we say no such thing The gift and the grace of Prayer both is of the Spirit and though it too often falleth out that there is not that faith in dependance on the Spirit that there ought to be both for the gift and for the grace yet it is not our profession that prayer should be without the Spirit and this praying with the Spirit can well consist with praying at such and such times But that Spirit without which we say we pray is your Spirit of delusion or your fantastical Dreames Impulses Drawings and Inspirations which for any thing we can see are diabolical But it seemeth they have a sagacious Spirit of discerning when one prayeth in the Spirit and when not for he sayes though one in our presence should beginne to pray not expecting the Spirit yet if it appeared that the Spirit of the Lord concurred with him we would also joyn And what is that I pray that will make this manifest unto them Is it talking in the Quakers dialect Or the Mimical posture of the body Or what is it I am apt to beleeve it must only be something of that nature As for Alexander Skeins Propositions I meddle not with them because some other hath answered them and the substance of them I have already confuted 15. He cometh after this digression to examine Objections Pag. 260. § 25. And the first is this If such inward motions and impulses be necessary to Outward acts oâ— worshipe why not also to Inward Nay much more they must be necessary for the special motions of the Spirit are more necessary unto the grace of prayer than unto the gift and in the outward exercises of worshipe there is more of a gift required than in inward What answereth he Vnto these general duties the motion and influence of the Spirit dureing the day of visitation is alwayes present striveing with the man so that if he but stand and be abstracted from his evil thoughts God is near to help him But external actions stand in need of greater and more particular influences Ans. Not to insist here on the confutation of the marrow of Pelagianisme which is laid downe for his ground thaâ— being done sufficiently above I only take notice here that with our Pelagian Quakers an Heathen or a Pagan can love God with all his heart adore fear believe in him and performe all inward worshipe of this kinde easily when he will he hath divine influences at his command nay the Spirit is within already for that end so that if he will but sist his course and abstract from his evil thoughts which he may very easily do God is at his hand and the work will go on but as to uttering of words much more is requisite that is if I be not far mistaken Nature can help him to perform â—ll Inward worshipe but he must have the supervenient Influence of an evil Spirit to act him before he performe any publick act of worshipe Such an enemie is this Spirit that acteth the Quakers unto all Publick profession of the name of Jesus and worshiping of him openly that he will never suffer any thing that looketh there away to be done until he have his hand so in it that he shall be sure it shall be more worshipe service to himself than to Christ 16. It is Objected againe That by this principle no man should do a morall duty as honour his parents do justice to his neighbours plow the land until the Spirit move him for no service else can be accepted He answereth There is a difference betwixt those general duties and particular acts of worshipe These are spiritual and are commanded to be done by the Spirit Those some way answere their end as to them whom they immediatly concerne though they proceed from a meer natural principle of self love Ans. Who denieth that there is a difference betwixt them yet each of them must be performed in the right manner else they are not acceptable and the right manner cannot be without the Spirit This he confesseth And therefore must yeeld the argument And we deny that worshipe is to be done in the Spirit according to his sense and no other way that is only by the immediat Inspirations and Imâ—ulses and Drawings of the Spirit we affirme worshipe ought to be performed in the Spirit that is by his gracious Assistance graceing the soul and breathing on his graces that they may act seasonably But sayes he further As a natural Spirit is required to performe natural acts so the Spirit of God is requisite to the performance of Spiritual acts All is granted yet he knoweth that to performe natural acts in a spiritual manner the Spirit of God is requisite and if natural acts be not performed in a spiritual manner they are not accepted of God and therefore according to his principles we must not eat drink sleep walk work plow c. till the Spirit stirre us up immediatly and carry us to the duty because without this previous motion of the Spirit we will but commit abomination in all these actions as well as in worshiping without the Spirit So