then what were their Epistles Prâ—achings Testimonies c. which proceeded from or were effects of their knowledge they had of God Were they sinful If not the cause and ground thereof could not be sinful therefore away with such sinful stuff and false conclusions upon the Apostles as thou hast uttered For the Wisdom which is from above is pure but yours is from beneath which is corrupt and sinful Priest It s false absurdity put upon our Doctrine that we by it strengthen the hands of wickedness For Answ. Your bad fruits and those that follow you who have learned from your corrupt Doctrines to plead and contend for Sin both from the Pulpits to the Alehouses Taverns and Play-houses do manifest you guilty herein and we not to have wronged you in saying you have strengthened the hands of wickedness by your sinful Doctrine and many of you by your corrupt Lives also Priest For we teach that believers should be dayly by the strength of the Spirit fighting against the flesh Answ. That 's but a cover what incouragment give you them to fight against it when you deny they shall ever over-come and be freed here Priest Paul and Barnabas sinned either both or one of them in that sharp contention Answ. Not all their Life time that contention held not so long as thy and your pleading for sin Priest Who strengtheneth then the hands of wickedness Whether you who teach a believer may not onely Sin but fall away from Truth Grace c. Or we who teach that we do sin but that we cannot thereby fall wholly from Faith from Grace from God c. Answ. Not we but you We exhort to diligence and watchfulness to keep the Faith to make their Calling and Election sure that they may never fall as the Apostles did and warn such as are not come to that growth least they fall and draw back to perdition which tends to beget into more fear watchfulness and circumspection and not into a false security ease and liberty as your Doctrine doth which is for Sin term of Life and yet tell people they shall not therâ—by fall away from Grace c. Priest Dare any of you say there is never any vain thoughts c. in Prayer or anger against those that injure you If you dare say so your Light within is but meer darkness c. Answ. The Controversy is not about our attainment and for us to affirm what we have in that case would not decide it but we do affirm that state is attainable through Faith in the power of God which purifies the heart and our Light is not darkness and the thoughts of the just are right and you that are in your vain thoughts and having anger when you Pray How do you fullfil Gods Command and the Apostles Doctrine To hold up holy hands without wrath and doubting Do not you offer up a Cains sacrifice herein And is not your Light or that which you put for Light darkness Priest There is need even for a David to say cleanse me from my secret sins Answ. Not all his Life time for then he received not an answer to his â—rayer but hâ— testifies otherwise That God heard his Prayer and granted his requests and câ—mmended the state of the undefiled in the way who do no iniquity c. but to argue that because he prayed to be cleansed from his secret sins and therefore was not clean so long as he lived is all one to say therefore God heard him not which is gross and absurd Priest The Commands of God are of use to a believer that cannot fulfil them in his Graces namely to convince him of sin that he may be driven to lay hold on Christ for imputed Righteousness for further supply of his Grace c. Answ. The intent of Gods Commands were that they might be obeyed and fulfillâ—d through that grace and ability God gives for that end and not to be broken and transgressed for unbeleivers yea the world many times are convinced of Sin by the Spirit so thou hast grosly wronged the beleivers in representing their state here but as a convinced state which many who are unconverted are come to whereas they to whom God imputeth Righteousness and not Sin their Sin is covered and in their Spirits is no guiâ—e Psal. 32.1 2. see thy error and confusion Priest For Perfect Righteousness Inherent there is no promises to this sence in all the Scriptures to any beleiver Answ. The work of God and his Righteousness or Image which man was made in is Perfect and this Christ comes to restore into again and God hath promised and made known him for this end And I will wash them from all their filthiness saith the Lord c. The word Inherent is not mine but obtruded upon me from a false intent Priest There are promises of a growth unto Believers and of a fullness but this is to be meant of such as is consistent with some defects and a body of Sin Answ. A growth and a fullness and yet denies Peâ—fection and so the Apostles Doctrine Eph. 4. A gâ—owth and a fullness consistent with a body of Sin Is this the Principle and Faith of the Kirk of Scotland Surely here 's darknâ—ss to be felt Who can raise an absurdiy and confusion from this grosser then it self Doâ—h not this growth and fullness consist by Christ and in him If so By whom consists Sin and its body Do they consist together Or is not the body of Sin put off where the Circumcision of Christ is experienced Priest Zecharias his walking in all the Commands and Ordinances of God blameless This Perfection was consisting with misbelief Luke 1.6 20. Answ. A gross errour again his blamelesness was in his walking in all the Commands of God but his mis-belief was after and was reproved or blamed by the Angel for he was smitten for it But thy Doctrine tells us quite contrary as much as mis-belief is blameless because blamlesness consists with it as thou implyest But this is like much more Priest David Job Daniel their failings are noted which I might cite if I did not study brevity Answ. So are their deliverances noted and if thou wert not partial and of a wrong Spirit thou wouldest note them How hast thou studied brevity to stuff up near 10 sheets of paper with quarrelling and cavilling against us in reply to so little as was writ to thee Priest How shall they believe without a Preacher Gods ordinary appointed Way for begeting Faith is by Preaching and not by immediate teaching alone without Preaching Answ. Gods appointed Way for begeting Faith is the Word of Faith whcih is nigh in the heart which the Apostles Preached and the inward teaching of the Spirit without which there is no true and effectual Preaching which directs and brings to the Word Christ the Word is the Author of Faith whom God hath appointed for Salvation and he teaches both immediatly and instrumentally both inwardly and
which gave them forth and to him whom they testify of to wit Christ by whom they are to be fulfilled unto the true believer that reads them in a right mind and Spirit Secondly But where having Life in them Viz. in the Scriptures is laid down as following believing This is an error depending upon the former and a contradiction to the Scripture that saith That believing ye might have Life through his name he doth not say in the Scriptures nor by searching them but through his name of whom they testify and those to whom these things were written that they might beleive that Jesus is the Christ c. and have Life through his name They were in some measure prepared by the Spirit or Light of Christ allready manifested to receive those things which tendâ—d to the furtherance of their Faith and confirmation of their Belief concerning Christ that they might have life through his name Pr Whoso holdeth this denieth them really and interpretatively Answ. Is this thy proof of thy false accusation against us of denying the Scriptures that we deny them interpretatively so then our denying the Priests Interpretations upon Scripture which are not Scripture must be deemed a denial of Scriptures as if they were either the same or of equall authority with Scripture or when they tell us of finding Life in the Scriptures we must take it for granâ—ed that they mean in their Interpretations upon them whereby in many things they contradict plain Scripture as hath been proved any times so however when they bid People search the Scriptures for Life Eternal in them they intend they should take their meanings along with them and believe as they say and so people must run into an implicite Faith if they take things on their Authority and Credit for by their meanings and Interpretations they can sit as Judges over Scriptures and tell people they must give the sence and reconcile them and over the Ligâ—t and Spirit within and tell them its but an Enthusiastick Fancy but who are not so Ignâ—ble as to receive a Belief or Faith from them on such a dark implicite and slender account as this of Priests But wait in the Light of Christ within for a right understanding of things that are Spiritual relating to Faith and Salvation Such find they have cause from the certain demonstration and testimony of the Spirit of Truth within to believe Christs Light and Spirit rather then the Priests meanings and private Interpretations wrestings and perverting of Scriptures Priest It is not about the expression of the Word of God that debate should be kept up if in a sound sence granted that they are called the Words of God Answ. So Then the Scriptures are granted to be words of God why then holdst thou debate against us but to shew thy cavilling Spirit For the Word was that from whence words and Scriptures procâ—eded and came to the Prophets and Messengers of God before they spoke the words to Write them Priest Ye deny that Faith cometh by hearing of the Scriptures which is the Word of God for that we receiving them by Faith are saved which is plainly asserted Joh. 5.39 Answ. We deny that Faith comes barely by hearing the Scriptures for if it did so come then all that hear or read Scriptures must have Faith and hear the Word but we see the contrary and Christ told the Jewes they could not understand what he said because they could not hear his words and yet they could hear Scriptures and him speak outwardly to them But this is a mistery hid from such as thou art and there were those whom the Word Preached did not profit bâ—cause it was not mixt with Faith in them Priest Your selves acknowledg that they are the words of God then this or that perticular saying is the Word of God seeing there is a singular where there is a plural Answ. But Singular and Plural differs and though there be a Singular included where there is a Plural is it therefore good Logick to say that Singular includes Plural or they are both one Or to saâ— that because there are Words of God in the Scriptures and where there are words in the Plural there must needs be a word in the Singular therefore these words are the Word and so are the Scriptures Is this thy Lâ—arning and Logick Surely thou art so far from knowing the Word which lives for ever and was before either the Scriptures or words in it were given out that thou art yet as one senceless and confounded in thy expressions and cavilling against â—ruth Priest The Scriptures in the Bible are called the Word of God Mark 7.13 Answ. This is a very general expression of the Scriptures in the Bible being the Word of God when they do not say so of themselves whereas all the Scriptures in the Bible are so far from terming themselves the Word of God in such an eminent expression that they cannot all be truely termed his Words there being in many places Recorded both words of Wicked men and Devils though the Historical part that relates these things be true as to the narration of them And they Mark 7.13 that made the word of God of none effect by their Tradition and rejected his Commandment did really act contrary to the Word within which Moses preached and against the Law of God without so that 's no proof of the Scriptures in the Bible being called the Word Priest That which maketh wise to Salvation or maketh the man of God perfect c. is inspired of God that is the Word of God which maketh wise profiteth 2 Tim. 3.15 Answ. Here again hast thou fallen short of proof of thy matter for where it is said All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God c. Is is added So it 's All Scripture given by inspiration But if that must be called the Word of God in thy sence then it may be read All the Word of God is given by Inspiration of God How will that sound and signify Or All the Word of God given by inspiration of God c. See thy ignorance and impertinency for though we grant that all Scripture given by Divine Inspiration is profitable to the man of God for the making Wise to Salvation but it is through Faith which words through Faith I find theâ— to have taken little notice of if any or of his being the man of God first that knows the profit of the Scriptures which are given by Inspiration that he may be Perfect which the Priests deny in denying Perfection and that he may be thorowly furnished And many things were written and directed to the Saints and not to the world c. But what thou concludest from hence doth not follow Priest Is there any Prophesie almost or Book of the Scripture but it calleth the things contained in them the Word of God Thus saith the Lord c. Answ. For as was hinted there are many things written in the Scripture
they can serve him no longer Pr. They may mean and understand that the perfect holiness of both Soul and Body is not to be till the Resurrestion which is nothing differing from that which I say I do not say that the Body in the grave is capable of holiness till it be raised Answ. If this doth nothing differ from what thou sayest it s very strange didest not say a little before upon his dying What 's done upon his dying Is he made wholy free from Sin yea or nay If thou meanest onely the Soul that that 's onely freed from Sin at death or upon dying and not the Body till it be raised as thou sayest Then what becomes of the Sins and impurity of the Body in the mean time or the defilments and pollutions thereof Doth it dye with the Body seeing the Soul is pure when it ascends to God Or if the Body be not capable of Sin in the grave Then where is the being of unholiness and corruption to be done away so long after death as is imagined Or to say that perfect holyness of both Soul and Body is not till the Resurrection how long after death you know not Doth not this make for the Papists imagination of a Purgatory For if the being throughly purged from all unholiness be not till after death it must be some where but this your Doctrine is contâ—ary to the Apostles who said How can we that are dead unto sin live any longer therein And being made free from sin c. He hath washed us from our sins in his own blood c. Pr. From Pro. 24 16 It cannot be so properly said The godly fall seven times into trouble and riâ—e again Answ. Yes The godly falls into many troubles and afflictions but God delivereth them out of them all And he is with them in six troubles and in seven he will not forsake them And its plain from that of Pro. 24.15 16. that the just mans falling sevâ—n times and rising again is of another nature then the wickeds falling into mischief for in verse 15 16. its said Lay not wait O wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous spoyl not his resting place For a just man falleth seven times and riseth up again but the wicked fall into mischief It is not said as many of you have wronged the Scripture that the Righteous man sins seven times a day yea some of the Priests and Professors have not onely said so but have also said that the most Righteous man that is or ever was sins seven times a day which is a deceit and corruption put upon Scripture Pr. As for my saying a day it was a mistake of the citation of the place though it s not contrary to sence for Christ saith to Peter that he should forgive his Brother seventy times seven times which implyeth that a Brother may offend in the day time A. If he who is a Brother may offend in the day time Doth it therefore follow that all the godly or brethren do fall into sin seven times a day And wilt thou to serve thy perverse and corrupt end say in that a Brother may offend seventy times seven therefore he Sinneth seven times every day all his time Surely thy implicite consequence is a mistake and error and thou hast wronged the Scriptures as well as thy citation of the place mentioned But we see thou wilt stand by the Devils Cause though thou comest never so feebly off yea and fall with it Pr. I grant that the Child of God cannot Sin totally and finally and whoso doth it is of the Devil Answ. Herein again thou hast wrested and added to the Scripture as often before Totally and Finally are thy own words and not the words of John who affirmed That he that 's born of God sinneth not neither can he To say he that commits Sin Totally and Finally is of the Devil Is this all the distinction of the Devils Servants and Children from the Children of God How miserably hast thou pleaded Gods Childrens cause Surely they have no Reason to be beholding to thâ—e but may justly exclude thee for wronging of them Pr. In the sence ye imply it that he who Sinneth at all or in whom their 's any defect thus none living then ever knew or saw him Those who are commended for knowing him Sinned Secondly Job cursed his day David what sad falls he had is known Jeremiah the Apostles all of them Answ. That he that Sinneth and is of the Devil and that he that Sinneth not who is of God are two contrary births and that which is born of the spirit is spirit as that which is born of the flesh is flesh which if thou knewest the difference of and were seperated from the evil and joyned to the good thou wouldest not go about to confound them nor grosly to pervert the Scriptures and to accuse Gods Birth or Child as thou hast done Secondly And why doest thou not tell us of their deliverances as well as their falls and of their conquest which by dâ—grees they obtained in their Life time But this would make against thee and thy ill cause for Sin and Sathan whose work thou art in Pr You say a Believer is free from all Sin which we suppose you meant of a Believer from the very instant that he begins to be a Believer as ye said that the Spirit cannot be united unto Sin Answ. Nay It is not our Principle that a Believer from the very instant that he begins to be a Believer is free from all Sin thy supposition herein and much of thy matter grounded upon it is false thou hast gone about to overthrow our Principles when thou art yet to learn what we hold in this matter For a man is a Believer whilst in the faith he is warâ—ing against Sin and waiting to obtaine victory over it and to come into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God The victory is not obtained at the very first beginning of Gods work in a Soul but by degrees through Faith which purifies the hearts of them that believe and receive power in the Light of Christ and Spirit of Life to become the Children of God and of the Light which hath no unity with Sin nor can have with persons but as they forsake Sin and come out of it Pr. As you contradict your self so you do the Truth For can Sin be in any man and the actions flowing and the man not be Sinful If Sin be in a man doth it not defile him Answ. If the actions of Sin be flowing from a man he is sinful but there is a time when the Beleiver warreth against Sin and can say as Paul did It s not I that Sins but Sin that dwelleth in me And there 's a time wherein there be Sins that do easily beset and when Sin is presented in the Temptation when it is not yeilded unto but withstood and by degrees overcome by Faith in the power
c. were not Scripture but he falsly went about to have backed them with Scriptures contrary to the end and intent of the Scriptures Pr. You answer blasphemously that they thought to have Eternal Life in the Scriptures as if our Lord Jesus Christ was fomenting them in a deceit of their own hearts in bidding them search the Scriptures for to find him in them and so Eternal Life An. Thy charge against my answer is false and I vallue it not that Christ should bid them search the Scriptures to find him in them this is a strange Doctrine and worse then the former to lay that upon Christ which he never intended nor spake his words were not that they might find Christ in the Scriptures nor Eternal Life but in them ye think to have eternal life whereas they would not come to him that they might have Life and so Doest thou think that Christ that dyed at Jerusalem was to be found in the Scriptures Pr. That Christ has paid a ransome for those that wilfully trample under foot the blood of the Son of God those places are understood by you of every individual person in the world that he tasted death for them is false contrary to the Scriptures and maketh the death of Christ to be vain and exalteth free will An. what we understand of those places of Scripture is neither false nor contrary to the Scriptures as falsly and erroniously thou hast accused us for that Christ died for all that were dead in sins tasted deaâ—h for every man gave himsâ—lf a Ransom for all is the propitiation not for our sins onely but for the sins of the whole world is plain in the Scriptures which ignorantly thou quarrels against Pr. If Christ did pay a Ransom for the Soul of Judas he hath Redeemed him those for whom he hath given himself he Redeemed from all iniquity but the damned and reprobates are not Redeemed Those for whom Christ came he is a Saviour unto and saveth them from their sins How are they lost if he came to save them But this argueth either defect of wisdom that he did not foresee such an intention of his death would prove frustrations or else want of power to effectuate his intention of saving them An. Christs absolute intention and will is not made voyd nor wants he power to effect it but such an intention we did not lay upon his death to save all And as for the death of Christ and his intention of saving being made vain and frustrations either from defect of wisdom or want of power these are both false for his intention therein consists with his good will and freeness towards all for I did not say that his intention was absolute to save all but I do say it was an intention of good to all according to the good will of God towards all who willeth not the death of sinners but rather that they may return and live But Christ in his suffering and death was passive and the putting forth of his power to save such as are saved stood not barely therein though his good will therein appeared but we are saved by his life But are the damned and reprobates such because ordained of God so to be or because Christ died not for them according to thy Doctrine And so Must the cause of their destruction be laid upon God and Christ or upon them for rejâ—cting free Grace resisting the councel of the Lord not liking to retain God in their knowledg and trampling under foot the blood of the Son of God as thou hast confessed before to thy own contradiction who so much hast cavilled against us for confessing to the free Grace of God and Christs dying for all or every man But this is like your pitiful narrow and partial Presbiterian Spirit and Principle that would so limmit God in the dispensation of his Grace and tye it up in such a narâ—ow compass and What was the cause of Judas his fall And Who was the Authour of his Transgression Was God or he to be blamed therein And Had not he Grace given him before seeing that by Transgression he fell Will thy telling us so often of Judas clear thee or confute us How silly aâ—d weak hast thou shewed thy self in this matter Pr. Those all for whom he dyed cannot be meant of every individual person for they live to him and not to themselves but the wicked that perish live not to Christ. Secondly Neither would Christ evâ—r give himself his blood a Ransom for them for whom he would not pray but he saith he prayeth not for the world Joh. 17. An. Thou hast herein wronged the Scripture and erred for it is not all for whom Christ died that live to him for 2 Cor. 5. chap. ver 14 15. If one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again Now they which live unto him are not those all for whom he died And Christ praying not for the world at that time 2. John 17. is no argument that he did not give himself a Ransom for all for though at that time he prayed not for the world but for the disciples or such as were chosen out of the world who were in the world before they were chosen out of it yet at other times he did pray for his persecutors and such as were of the world as also exhorted his to pray for their enemies and persecutors c. Pr. Judas never got saving Grace nor that same Grace that Peter got and therefore could not reject it An. Judas had part of the Ministry that the other Apostles had and Did not that proceed from saving Grace Or What Grace How blind art thou And wherefore was Judas condemned then Was it because God refused to give him saving Grace or for his own transgression Pr. The Scriptures import that Christ is a propitiation for all the Elect which are called all the world An. John said He is the propitiation for our sins and were not they the Elect and not for ours onely but for the sins of the whole world Must we believe thy meaning contrary to the very words of Scripture or were the whole world all the Elect How hast thou wrested plain Scripture herein Pr. Who is it that hath put the difference betwixt Peters believing from Judas mis-believing Whether it be Gods Grace to Peter denied to Judas An. Where provest thou it was denied to Judas or that Judas had no part of the same Grace For before thou sayest wicked men have the common work of the Spirit but in contradiction sayest which is not supernatural from Rom. 2.14 Were thâ—y then wicked men spoken of there Which did by nature those things contained in the law and shewed the work or effect of the law written in their hearts What then are they that Rebel against the law if they that
taken from him by a greater then he We have peace with God but are all compassed about with infirmities and subject to passions as was Elias We are cleansed from all sin by the Blood of Christ. Aâ—l passions are not sinful passions for passions are sufferings for it could not be that Paul and Barnabas were subjects to the like sins with those Idollaters Act. 14.13 14 15. when subject to like passion with them Here is another Arminion and Popish error that believers may fall from Grace A believer may fall Peter and David sinned foully Surely their sinning so foully was not in the Faith but when they were turned from it which required their repentance That Peter and David fell from Faith is an Arminion and Popish error Evil works come not from Faith Then the evil works they did were out of and against the Faith and had they stood in the Faith they had been kept from those evil works Peter and David had their failings Viz. till deaâ—h Eliah an old Prophet subject to like passion as we are c. Christ said to Peter I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Doth signify when he should be fully recovered And surely Peter was so converted or fully recovered as to strengthen his Brethren before his decease and like passions were like sufferings which may relate to sickness Jaâ— â— 13 14. or other afflictions for Paul and Barnabas were not subject to the like Sins or Idollatry with those heathens Act. 14.15 It is not sad Doctrine as you say but comfortable that as believers may fall as Peter and David whereas he doth not fall wholly away but hath still the Seed of Grace remaining in him p. 24. The sad breach that Peters fall made on his Soul did weaken his Grace and cloud his comforts very much There are remains of sin within us which we are to mourn for If sin did very much cloud his comforts and be the cause of mournings as it was both to David and Peter then for you to plead for sin term of life cannot be a comfortable Doctrine unless to such as be hardened in sin and take pleasure in it Which improvment of the Light within must indeed come from free will and consequently ye hold Merit We must put on the whole armour of God and war against sin pa. 23. Do not they improve the Light who war against sin and this is not of or from mans will in the Fall but from the power that converts and works in him to will and to do There are remains of sin within us while we live here which we are to mourn for The kingdom of God is Righteousness Peace Joy in the holy ghost Twenty sixth Page Therefore sin which is the cause of sorrow hath no place in the kingdom of God which the Saints attain to here Faith is an habit and an imperfect creature Saving Faith is given of God and is a saving enlightning of the Soul to know Christ Faith is a Sanctifying Light What strange Doctrine is this that an imperfect creature is a Saviour an Enlightener a Sanctifier and doth the Kirk of Scotland receive this for Orthodox The Gift of God is perfect and every good and perfect Gift comes from God Those who tell us of a Faith in Christ without Scriptures have no Light in them pa. 28. Twenty sixth Pag. The Jewes wilfully rejected the Light and shut their eyes against it wicked men who rebel against the Light have the Light of a natural Conscience and the common work of the Spirit Then they had the Light and the work of the Spirit is not natural but no Light in them excludes natural Light as well as spiritual from being in them whereas in that Isa. 8.20 it should be no morning in stead of no Light Jesus Christ bid them search the Scriptures for to find him in them They might have Life by the true spiritual knowledg of Faith these who believed and had Life did own the Light within and who denieth that is Christ sheweth by the Spirit of Revelation and Wisdom within Now Supernatural Knowledg Light within Spirit of Revelation and Wisdom within is confessed but another while imediate teaching power c. is denied by those who think to find Christ in the Scriptures but Is that Christ that suffered at Jerusalem to be found in the Scriptures How blind are you Priests of Scotland The Child of God cannot sin Totally and Finally There is no man liveth and sineth not Those for whom Christ hath given himself he Redeemeth from all iniquity How from all iniquity and yet sin so much contended for by you These all for whom Christ died cannot be meant of each individual person of the world how are they lost if he came to save them this argueth defect of wisdom to foresee want of power to effect his intention pa. 31. He died for all some have wilfully rejected the Grace given that wilfully trample under foot the blood of the Son of God There is neither defect of wisdom nor want of power in Christ but wilfulness and rebellion in man that lets he died for all his Grace is freely tendered that they may believe and be saved But this is not by absolute compulsion and force as if therefore he were absolutely intended to save all but Love and Good Will is shewed towards all many wilfully reject and trample upon it as is confest Motions of Satan and our deceitful hearts are to be tried it is comfortable Doctrine that a believer may fall as David and Peter Those that got a new heart from God and his fear put in them they do not depart nor revolt It is the deceitful hearts that are comforted with such Doctrine that is for falling as David and Peter did and not the new heart in which Gods fear is put The Scriptures do reveal the Mysteries pa. 27. Jesus Christ sheweth by the Spirit of Revelation and Wisdom within pa. 30. The Scriptures testifie of the Mysteries but then Christ by that Spirit within Reveales them The Scriptures being many words of God taken together they are called the Word of God pa. 25. The Scriptures calleth Christ the Word of God in some places Christ the Word was before the Scriptures or the Words besides one word is not many words nor many words properly to be taken for one word Is not the Father distinct from the Son and the Spirit in the personal Subsistance pa. 31. Both the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost are a Spirit pa. 33. Both â—or all a Spirit and yet distinct in personal Subsistance Where learned you this Doctrine Not from the Scriptures Ye do not own what the Scriptures assert but your own blasphemous fancies Viz. about the Deity three Persons distinct in the personal Subsistance pa. 32. Ye say ye own what the Scriptures of Truth assert of the God-head That there are three that bear record in heaven
the Father the word and the spirit and those three are one Then we own what the Scriptures assert of the Deity oâ— the Father Word and the Spirit which are one this is no blasphemy no fancies as malitiously we are accused Except ye call all the words of Scriptures clearly confered together a cavilling Viz. touching three distinct Persons in the Deity c. Although the Scriptures do not in so many words make mention of the three Persons c. who are one God we disalow all Traditions or any unwritten Rule which is not Scripture Then three dictinct Persons in the Deity distinct in the personal Subsistance are not the words of the Scriptures but a Tradition and why do you then alow of that which is not Scripture but that There are three that bear record in heaven and these three are one is Scripture The Apostles telleth that the Corinthians were to shew forth Christs death till he came again The Bread spoken of to them behoved to be this of outward Bread c. It behoved to be such a coming againe as was yet future and unaccomplished in the Corinthians time Were the Corinthians then to eat and drink outwardly after their time or so long after their deceases What absurdity and grosness is here Infants Baptism was approved by the Orthodox Church and the Renouned Teachers and Guides thereof and sound Father as Tertullian Ciprian Lactant Augustine Jerom Basil c. It s derived from the Church when pure We disallow all Traditions or any un-written Rule which is not Scripture whether they be under pretence of Revelation which Enthusiasts hold or Traditions as Papists in this agree Then Infants Baptisme not being Scripture but a popish Tradition is therefore to be disalowed of Children of believers should be under the Initial Seal of the Covenant as Abrahams were Circumcision was the Seal of the old Covenant and it was administered on Males onely page 35. Circumcision of the Males onely was in its time Commanded of God which is no proof of sprinkling Infants both Males and Females which was never cammanded of God pa. 38. The Fathers or Isralites who fell into gross sins professed the same Doctrine of Salvation to profess Christ is called a drinking of Chrâ—st c Abraham and his Seed under the old Covenant had the same Mediator which is Jesus Christ he was the same yester-day to them that he is to day to believers Their having the same Mediaâ—or Jesus Christ the same c. And drinking of Christ was more then to profess him or the Doctrine of Salvation And Did such fall into gross sins What fell they from if not from Grace Ye say thereis no express command for sprinkling of the Infants of believers pa. 36 But we disalow all Traditions or any unwritten Rule which is not Scripture pa. 35. You ' have confest what I said that there is no express command for sprinkling Infants therefore in alowing of it you contradict your selves Though there be no express command yet it s of Divine Institution and Warrant if it be drawn by good consequence from the Scriptures Truths and Doctrines is to be tried by the Scriptures so far as can be found in the Scriptures page 29. Christ bid search the Scriptures they reveal the Misteries page 27. I deny any immediate teaching by God page 14. Although a great stress and necessity is laid upon the Scriptures and immediate teaching so confidently denied yet no Sprinkling Infants to be found or required in Scripture and whilst any imediate teaching is denied How is it of Divine Institution Surely Edward Jamisons consequence herein is not Divine who denies any immediate teaching pa. 37. If I had said it Viz. Infants Baptism brought them to the Church those places and many others do hold it as Gal. 3.27 it s the ordinary way of putting on Christ c. I said not that it did bring them into the Church but that it is a Seal of our entry into the Church page 26. sprinkling of water is enough to signify inward washing If it doth not bring into the Church it is but a signe of inward washing it s not a putting on Christ neither can the Scripture prove it when there is no Scripture for it and were the Scriptures deemed the ordinary way and means but now sprinkling Infants What ignorant and gross contradictions are these Ye say Baptisme doth not bring them into the Church it s a bold Sacrilegious usurpation in detracting from the words of the Book of God which shall be punished with all the curses of that Book Though there be no express command for sprinâ—ling Infants yet it s of Divine Institution if it be drawn by good consequence pa. 36. See what Curses these Priests have laid upon them that deny the Infants Baptisme their Scripturles Tradition to bring into the Church and are not they herein evidently Guilty of Sacrilegious usurpation and adding to the words of the Book of God by their false consequence Baptizing of Children or others a standing Ordinance of Christ which he hath appointed to continue to the end of the world Mat. 28. and ordinary means for Salvation Maâ— 16.16 There be no express commands for sprinkling Infants Act. 2.38 repent and be baptized Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved They to whom Repentance and Faith was preached were not Infants such as the Priests sprinkle of a few dayes old which is not the Baptisme that saveth but that of the Spirit or the answer of a good conscience is saving Page 37. That many Ministers baptize the Children of those who are prophane and drunkards and so not believers They that profess the Gospel though they be not sincere believers yet they are in this sence accounted belivers Page 85. The Children of believers should be under the Initial Seal of the Covenant to believers and their Seed that promise belongeth those to whom that promise That God would be their God and the God of their Seed should be baptized Viz. Infants who are in the Covenant with God Page 36. It seems these Priests can make believers at an easie rate whilst they can take the prophane drunkards for believers upon their professing the Gospel but surely God is not the God of the prophane and drunkards nor are they in Gods Covenant as true believers are but under Satans power and their taking it for granted that the sprinkling Infants is the Initial Seal of the Covenant is false and but a beging the question Those who are under the profession of the Gospel are to be reputed as in Covenant pa. 39. Unbelievers who have a profession and yet have not sincere faith c. are not Righteous nor Holy c. Then it is not the profession of the Gospel that makes them believers or in Covenant with God An Arminion and Popish Doctrine that believers may fall from Grace The Fathers many of them fell into gross sins as is cleared from the Histories of
through Preaching openly he is not limitted yet no Preaching is truely effectual without him who is the chief Teacher For Priest It might have been answered by one of your oppinion 2. Paul your question is idle and vain for most men believe without a Preacher they shall believe the Light within teaching them Answ. If they cannot Preach except they be sent then who must send them and give them power for that work but Christ Secondly Neither do we so accuse Pauls question with being idle nor say that most men believe without a Preacher especially if they believe the Light within teaching them for that is Christs Light who is the true Teacher which brings to the substance of true Preaching and Teaching which proceeds from the Light within Priest The Scriptures Preached or the things contained in them is the ordinary way of begeting Faith Answ. The things contained in them seems a little to mend thy matter which things contained were before the Scriptures or Writings were and extend farther for some had and performed the things contained in the Law which had not the Law Viz. outward and many in this day can testify that the Spirit and Light within hath manifested within many things contained in Scripture before they read them outwardly there Priest The whole council of God Paul sheweth forth Act. 20.27 yet no other things then those which Moses and the Prophets did say the Scriptures Act. 26.22 Answ. All Pauls Preaching or his whole council from God is noâ— Recorded there but little in comparison of what he Pâ—eached Recorded he continued his Speech or Preaching till midnight ver 7. and talked even till break of day Where is this Sermon Recorded Many Scriptuâ—es and Books were writ by the holy men which we have not in the Bible were it not grose and false therefore to exclude them as no part of the councel of God Priest Is not that another Gospel that all the world over are taught Christ and his Gospel Answ. It is not our Gospel therefore unjustly charged against us for not all the world over are taught or are learned Christ and his Gospel though all have a Light from him sufficient to teach Priest In the use of Scriptures we are to expect he will beget Faith by his inward Teachings and Workings on the heart Answ. the matter is somwhat mended in confessing to his inward Teaching and Working on the heart but in that it seems to be tyed up or limited to the use of the Scriptures this dâ—nyes the sufficiency and extent of the Spirits inward Teaching which many have who cannot read nor use Scriptures and those who having not the Law were a Law to themselves and shewed the works of the Law written in their hearts c. though the Scriptures of Truth in their place we must needs own in that Spirit that gave them forth but whereas other-whiles Preaching is made the cause but now the Scriptures this is to make the Scriptures and Preaching all one and â—hen people may spare their mony they give to Priests for Preaching and giving their Interpretations to the Scriptures and onely read them with expectation of Christs inward teaching and working on the heart which indeed ought to be inwardly and Spiritually expected and waited for Priest He bid them search the Scriptures for in them they thought to have eternal life and they testified of him Joh. 5.39 this thought could not be a delusion Ans If this thought of their having Eternal Life in the Scriptures was not a delusion then they had Eternal Lâ—fe according to their thought but Christ testifies the contrary against â—hem in the following words saying Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life so to affirm they had it in the Scriptures is to affirm they had Christ in the Scriptures and that their searching them was their coming to Christ which is both contrary to their state and opposite to Christs own words of them that they would not come unto him that they might have Life And this contradicts thy former and much of thy stuff about Scriptures Priest â—f the searching and believing the Testimony of Christ given by the Scriptures be not really to find Eternal Life but an error c. such a thought as we blind Priests have then Christ would have told them of that error and bid them look for Life by following the Light within Answ. Believing the Testimony of Christ and searching the Scriptures are to things and the belief of which Testimony comes not barely by sâ—aâ—ching them for if it did then all that searched them had that belief and so Life c. which is contrary to the truth of what is apparent concerning many and to Christs own words of them they thought to have Eternal Life in the Scriptures and yet had neither heard the voyce of God at any time nor seen his shape they not believing him whom he sent nor would come to Christ that they might have Life Priest The Fathers before the Scriptures were written had the things contained in them by Revelations audable Voices Visions Dreames c. not by the Light within your Enthusiastick Fancy Answ. Yes It was by the Light within that they had the knowledge of those and had Revelations Prophecies c. For the Word of Prophecy was a Light to them and the inspiration of the Almighty gave them understanding when God spoke in a dream or vision of the night c. and God hath promised to pour down his Spirit upon all flesh that sons and daughters may prophecy young men may see visions c. Joel 2. was this a fancy Or to be mockt at as thou hast done Your Enthusiastick Fancy thou sayâ—st what grose error and ignorance hast thou herein shewed Priest That Christ will now beget Faith without the Scriptures Preached or known it were as good an inference to say because that by faith in Jesus Christ to come in the flesh the Fathers under the old Testament were saved therefore though one should not believe that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh yea though he should deny he is come he may be savâ—d if he believe he is to come Answ. An unequal parallel and false inference and abuse against us to compare the Scriptures with Christs coming in the flesh or to bring them in competition therewith and how did the Fathers know he was to come but by the Light or Spiâ—it of Prophecy within And how did the Saints truly and effectually know he was come but by the understanding and Eternal Life he had given them From whence Scriptures were given and from whence they spoke and wrot Priest 1. You deny the main end of Scriptures which is that we by believing what is written of Christ. 2. In them may have Eternal Life Joh. 20. 3. That we may find Eternal Life by searching they testify of him Answ. Nay the main end of Scriptures we cannot deny whilst we own and testifie to that Spirit
which the Light within would never have discovered if there had not been the knowledg of the Law contained in the Scriptures An. Are all unbelievers then and have no Light in them but who have the Scriptures Thy blindness in this is detected before And What contradiction is it to tell of some having no Light in them when before thou hast confessed all men to have a natural Light or the Light of a natural Conscience in them Secondly And was it the Scriptures or the Law as it is in the Letter that discovered to Paul his sins and desires or the Law inward For he had the Law outward before he knew or was turned to the Law in his mind or was clâ—arly convinced in himsâ—lf Pr. Did ever the Prophets or Apostles try the Doctrines of persons deluded by Satan with the Spirit without the Scripture Deut. 13. An. The Prophets and Apostles had the Spirit and knew its sufficiency before they gave forth Scriptures and these were not deluded by Satan as falsly thou hast accused us to be An. Have not some of your way been so blasphemous as to aver Jesus Christ to be a type as to call themselves the Messiah to whom Hosanna should be said An. I know none in our way that either calls themselves the Messiah or that own such a thing but coâ—fess to Jesus Christ as bâ—ing the substance and the end of types shadows and figures but as for those whom thou hints of about their saying Hosanna they were not in our way but testified against and some of themselves came after to see confess and repent of their error so to upbraid us with any one 's failings or miscarriage espetially when t is both disowned and testifyed against by us this is both unequal and unjust and wouldest thou be so dealt by if I should go to reckon up how many drunken and whoreing Priests thâ—re be and should charge all of you and your whole Kirk with their wickedness Wouldest thou take it well Which indeed I might better do whilest such are owned and upheld as teachers of others among you thâ—n thou mights accuse us with persons and actions that are cast out from amongst us Pr. What is the Rule whereby the motions of the Spirit are to be tryed whether they be such or the motions of Satan and our deceitful hearts Ye answer the Spirit is the Rule but this cannot be for the Spirit hath given the Scriptures Secondly Neither is that place which ye cite to the purpose Viz. The Anoynting teacheth all things for though he teach it is by this Rule An. Yes The Spirit of God is sufficient a Rule sufficient both to try the motions of Satan and your deceitful hearts it searcheth all things The Lord searcheth the hearts and tryeth the reines telleth unto man his thoughts And if the Anoynting within teacheth of all things Must the Scriptures be a Rule to the Anoynting that thou seemest to tye it to the Scriptures Or Is not the teaching of the Anoynting Scripture as well as it was in them that spoke Scripture from it Or Must not people believe the Anoynting till they have searched the Scriptures to try it by them If so then when the Anoynting would tell and shew them their perticular states and thoughts and motions which the Scriptures do not tell them nor perticularly charge upon them then they are not at all in such cases to believe nor follow the Anoynting according to thy Doctrine and what is this but to set up the Scriptures above the Anoynting and the Letter above the Spirit which is a gross error and bespeaks great ignorance Pr. In the Synod at Jerusalem Act. 15. the Apostles searched the Scriptures for what they determined before they said it seemed good to the holy ghost and us An. Where provest thou that they searched the Scriptures for what they determined before they said it seemed good to the holy ghost and us Doth not this plainly confute thee that what they said was from the holy ghost And Was not its teaching their Rule then And What Scripture had they then to forbid Circumcision as they did Nay Had they not Scripture raâ—her for it If then they had not Scripture to forbid it they should not have dâ—nied or forbid it nor have believed the holy ghost in this case by thy Doctrine what silly work hast thou made on 't and How hast thou broken the neck of thy own cause Pr. The gift of discerning of Spirits was a peculiar gift given but to some but this was not for tryal of Doctrine None who had that gift of discerning of Spirits did try any Truths or Doctrine or practice but by the Scripture An. This is a strange Doctrine that they must onely try Spirits by the gift or Spirit of Truth and not any Truths or Doctrine Whether is greater the tryal of Spirits or of Doctrines Whâ—reas the Spirit searchâ—th all things and is a Spirit of true Judgment that giveth true understanding but according to thy false Doctrine that none who had discerning of Spirits did try any Truths or Doctrine or practice but by the Scriptures Then by this when the Apostles in their Epistles writ divers things that were not before in the Scriptures they were not to be believed by them in the Churches that had the gift of discerning and when the Spirit of Truth shall lead to speak or prophesie concerning a perticular Place People or Nation that which they have no Scripture for this therefore is not to be believed for want of Scripture to prove it by Thy ignorant and sottish stuff which also excludes all those Books and Prophesies of the holy men of God spoken of which are not recordâ—d in the Bible And those of our Friends which foretold of the late calamities befallen the City of London both that of the â—lague and that of the Fire which were both fore-seen and fore-told yet they had no Scripture to prove it but alass such as thou are silly and shallow in these matters being but as those Seers and Watchmen that are blind who would insinuate into people that both Prophesying Visions and Revelations are ceasâ—d and lay all upon the Scriptures and then how know you the Doctrine contained in them to be true without the Spirit Pr. Ye say Must the Scriptures be the Rule to discern or try false Spirits when they speak Scripture Ans. When the Devil spake Scripture to Christ he confuted him by Scripture which shewed he had perverted them and so he confounded the Scribes and Pharisees alwayes An. But could not Christ discerne the Devils spirit without the Scriptures What gross error and ignorance is implyed and couched in this thy impertinent answer Thou tellest us Christ confuted him by the Scripture which was when the Devil brought Scripture words to back his Temptations withal which is not an answer besides the Devils tempting Christ in these words Command that these stones be made bread and Cast thy self down
the Books of Exod. Lev. Num. and Deut. and 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4 5. They cat the same spiritual bread and drank the same spiritual drink drank of the Rock which was Christ yet many of them were Idolaters lusters after evil thoughts committed Fornication Tempters of God Murderers c. See how fully these Priest have proved the falling away from Grace for which they have so much accused us with Popery and Arminianisme what a Babel are they in and Was not that spiritual Bread and Drink and Rock which they did eat and drink of saving Grace Baptizm Viz of Infants brought them to the Church is an ordinary means for Salvation pag. 37. We are baptized into Jesus Christ and his death Rom. 6.3 and it s Instituted for the remission of sins Act. 2.38 It s that which signifies our putting on Christ our renewing by the Spirit our washing by remission of Sins our being buried with Christ c. Then it s not the Sign nor Shadow but the Substance that brings into the true Church that saveth that Baptizeth into Jesus Christ and his death and this is that one Baptisme of the Spirit Infants Baptisme or Sprinkling approved its the Initial Seal of the Covenant which the Children of believers ought to be under The Apostle Peter sayes Act. 2.38 39. That those to whom the promise is should be Baptized and vers 38 repent and be baptized Mat 28. Go teach all Nations Baptizing them Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved And Rom. 6.3 We are baptized into Jesus Christ and his death pag. 37. Those that are capable of such teachings repenting believing are not Infants of a week old and teach baptizing into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost was by the Power and Spirit that went along with their Teaching and Mynistring pag. 28. They have no Light in them who speak not according to the Law and the Testimony and tell us of a faith in Christ without the Scriptures pag. 31. Wicked men who rebel against the Light have the Light of a natural conscience spoken of Rom 2.14 and the common work of the Spirit The Work of the Spirit of God in the hearts of wicked men convicting them is not natural nor from a natural Light for it is the Spirit that so worketh in them which you call common but your confessing a natural Light in them contradicts your saying they have no Light in them but the Law is Light and the Testimony of Jesus the Spirit of Prophecie which the true Prophets spake from and they that spake not according to this Light there is 〈◊〉 morning to them but they are in the dark where the Light 〈◊〉 before it shine out of darkness Some Queries of Alexander Skein sometime Baily of Aberdeen upon his forsaking the publick Worship there and joining with the People of God in scorn called Quakers Query I WHether or not should any Act of Gods Worship be gone about without the motions leadings and actings of the Holy Spirit Query II If the motions of the Spirit be necessary to every particular duty Whether should he be waited upon that our whole acts and words may be according as he gives utterance and assistance Query III If every one that bears the name of a Christian or professes to be Protestants hath such a uninterupted measure thereof that at any time they may without waiting go immediately about the duty Query IV If there be an indisposition and an unfitness at some times for such exercises at least as to the spiritual and lively performance thereof Whether the duty ought to be performed in that case or at that time Query V If any duty be gon about under pretence that it is in obedience to the external command without the spiritual life and motion necessary Whether such a duty thus performed can in faith be expected to be accepted of God and not rather reckoned as bringing strange fire before the Lord seeing it is performed at bâ—st by the strength of natural and acquired parts and not by the strength and assistance of the holy ghost which was typified by 〈◊〉 Fire that came down from heaven which alone behoved to 〈◊〉 the Sacrifice and no other Query VI If duties gone about in the mere strength of natural 〈…〉 parts whether in publick or in private be not all really 〈…〉 matter an Image of mans invention as the popish worship though it be not so gross in the outward appearance and therefore as real superstition to countenance any worship which is of that nature as it is to countenance popish worship though there be a difference in the degree Query VII Whether it be ground of offence or just scandal to countenance the worship of those whose professed Principle is neither to speak for edification nor to pray but as the holy ghost shall be pleased to assist them in some measure less or more without which they will rather chuse to be silent then to speak without his Influences ERRATA Pag. 10. lin 8. for Polythrites read Polytheites pag. 16. lin 21. for to read two pag. 18. lin 30. for to write read or writ pag. 31. lin 9 for Christs read Christ pag. 32. lin 12. read in it for spake read speaks pag. 33. lin last for Revelation read relation pag. 41. lin 20 for imperative read Superiour pag. 53. lin 14. read subjoyne pag 56. lin 37. for Answer read reply from pages 56. and. 66. the pages are misfigured pag. 62. lin 33. read Pr. An. pag. 64. lin last read Pr. An. pag. 72. lin 27. not read nor l. in .32 for which read such as p. 80. l. 9. del which p. 81. l. 33. r. a perfect cleansing p. 82. l. 5. r. work in part p. 83. l. 1. f. that as r. that a. p. 84. l. 5. f. is r. Iesus l. 33. r. your deceitful p. 85. l. 31. del 31. l. 30. r. p. 35. l. 37. r. and cup. p. 87. l. 5. r. such a great l. 7. f. any r. all l. 19. r. we are not 29. r. theire infants p. 88. l. 8. f. 85. r. 35. l. 17. f. the r. theire 24. f. the. r. theire 39. del the. FINIS