For notwithstanding the words of the Quaker are of thy owne framing and that they lye patent before thee yet thou hast not had so much honesty in thy answer as to subsume them aright The Quaker sayes I use not flattering titles and give thee not heathenish salutations and bowings least I should sin and be found an Idolater in answer to which thou beginnest with a false subsumption saying thou wonderest that he should call salutations and bowings heathenish and Idolatrous Indeed it is no strange thing that thou and others misrepresent us and belye us in repeating our words at a distance when in this manner of writing thou canst not truly repeat those words which thou placest for ours when they be just written before thee Is it not one thing to say that Salutations that are heathenish or heathenish salutations cannot be used without sin and idolatrie and another thing to say that salutations and bowings are heathenish and idolatrous Who is so blind as not to see here a vast difference As to the first who dares deny it to be a truth that vvill offer to call himselfe a Christian to vvit that salutations and bovvings that are heathenish cannot be used vvithout idolatrie and sin But as to the other that Salutations and bovvings are heathenish and idolatrous being taken in generall vvas never said nor judged by the Quakers and therefore to charge them vvith it is utterly false and a lye for such salutations as Christ commands and the Apostles practised the Quakers dearly ovvne and frequently use and find in them great refreshment becaus there through the life flovves and is communicated from one vessell to another but such salutations thou art ignorant of and of the life that is there through communicated vvhich bears testimonie against all that is heathenish and idolatrous and leads out of it and therefore in thy dark mind vvouldst from thence plead for the customary salutations of the heathen as appears by the proofs thou bringest vvherein thy folly is very much manifested Christ sayest thou commanded his disciples vvhen they entred into a house to salute it hee did so and what more And if the house be vvorthy their peace shall be upon it to vvit the peace through the salutation intimated or offered becaus they brought to that house the tender of the Gospell and glad tydings vvhich vvas a good salutation but vvhat vvouldst thou inferr from that that vve ought to doe of our hats one to another a thing vvhich they never did by vvhose example thou vvouldst presse us to doe it and it is knowne that it is a thing unusuall in that part of the world to this day That other proof alledged from Paul saluting the Churches makes as litle if not far lesse to the purpose Paul in his Epistles who was at a great distance vvisheth grace and peace to the Churches from God the Father and the Lord Iesus Christ Ergo wee ought to take of our hats Can there be any thing more ridiculous is this the great esteeme yee put upon the scriptures to take the salutations of the blessed Apostle Paul signified by the motions of the Holy Spirit vvhich vvas the very blessing of Paul to the Churches or rather of the Spirit through him for to prove your doing off hats one of the corrupt customs of this vvorld Is not this to make a mock of the Scripturs and a stretching them to plead for that against vvhich is the naturall tendencie of their testimonie Next thou givest us Abrahams practise but every practise of Abraham is not a rule to us nor to you either the like may be said of that of Moses Though Moses did obeisance to his father in law that makes nothing against us far lesse his kissing of him and asking him of his vvelfare both vvhich things the Quakers deny not Thou acknovv ledgest that religious vvorship given to the Creature is idolatrie What is Religious Worship but that vvhich is given to God and is not the bovving of the body and uncovering of the head the signification of your Worship to God And if yee give the same to the Creature also where is the difference for in the external signification it is not distinguished unles it be said to be the intention which if it be wee shall have the Papists pleading the same for their adoration of images and the relicts of the saints And truly your being found in these things gives them advantage in that matter That courtesie and Christianity are not repugnant vvee deny not and therefore for Christians to be Courteous one to another is very fit vvhich indeed that the Apostle commands wee acknowledge But that Courtesie consists in taking off hats and bovving to one another that rests for thee to prove In the next place to prove the indifference of using the plurall number instead of the singular to one person thou sayest thou art very confident the Kingdome of God consists not in vvords so am I too yet I strange thou shouldst say so considering thy principles for vvhat is all your preaching but words yea vvhat is the Scripture it selfe I meane that vvhich yee have of it to vvit the letter but words And seing the very Gospell according to you is but a company of words being a declaration of vvhat past many hundred years agoe hovv has thy zeale here to oppose the Quakers made thee forget thy selfe in this matter Thou sayest that to vvhich the singular number is agreeable the plurall may be applyed to without making a lye The proofs alleged for that be Matth. 23. 37. Luk. 22. 31. 3 Epistle of Iohn vers 13 evince nothing in this matter for the Contexts being rightly considered vvill clearly make out that the vvords are not applyed to one single person only exclusively of others and that of Luke is to a flock comprehending the disciples to vvhom hee vvas speaking just before but there is no confounding of the number vvhere one single person is only spoken to and that vvithout understanding of any more And though indeed it vvere good that the difference vvere not greater yet the differences in these things evidence that there be differences in greater matters And in respect that yee are estranged from the principle that leads out of corruption in all things therefor yee cannot see the vveight that is in these things vvhich is more then yee are avvare of Pag. 3. Thou seemâ—t to take great advantage of these words Heretofore I walked according to my light and the same I doe still and while in the integritie of my heart I walked in the way thou art now in I dare not say but God countenanced me in it Here thou makest a great stirr as if thou hadst brought the Quaker to a great Dilemma But to passe by thy examining of the weak objection which thou makest in the Quakers behalfe which I beleive was never alledged by any of them unto thee as that wherwith they either only or cheifly defend
supposeth it night be other wise where he sayeth least preaching the Gospell to others I my selfe become a cast away And though some fall away the dishonour of the foolish builder cannot be cast upon God but upon them who fall away for it standeth very well vvith the wisdome and power of God to suffer them to fall away who knowingly and wilfully depart from the Lord and will not concurre with him in the work as subordinate Instruments but resist him though her invite and call yea draw them The next thou citest is 1. Peter 15. Answ. Such as are so kept by the power of God it is through Faith but as they abide not in that power through Faith but wandâ—r from it they fall and cannot but fall away And as for Ierem. 32. 40. cited by thee it should be translated thus I will putt my fear into their hearts that they may not depart from me so Iunius and Tremellius version or not to depart from me as the Septuagint hath it Now to say that they may not depart is one thing and to say they cannot depart is another Yet where the fear of God coms so to be raised and established in the heart over all wee beleive such cannot depart but every one is not attained to that State where yet the fear of God may have some place And as touching these other Scriptures Ioh. 10. 27. 28. 29. And John 13. 1. and. 1. Iohn 2 19. they speake of those who are come to a through Regeneration who wee doe beleive can never fall away as being be got into the perfect Nature of the elect sheep and Children Nor doth it follow from this that one may be a Child of God to day and a Child of the divell to morrow for these who are once properly the children of God through a true and through regeneration can never become the children of the divel nor be cast out of Gods speciall love that hee beareth to his owne children For to end this matter thou sayest it is safer to question the truth of the graces of those that fall away then the doctrine of the perseverance of the Saints But doest thou looke upon the Quakers as having fallen away if thou doest how comes it that thou bespeakest them in thy Epistle as those who have had reall Grace saying to them did yee attaine to that knowledge of and acquaintance with God which yee have in the use of ordinances and againe yee did run well who did hinder you And againe why should they asperse these ordinances which have beene the means of their conversion Or are these words only a Ioabs kisse by vvhich thou vvouldest kisse the Quakers vvhile in the meane tyme thou hast a svvord hid under thy cloak to strike them thorough under the fifth rib But the Quakers are avvare of thee and having on the armour of God are out of thy reach In the last place Pag. 50. thou undertakest to prove that our errors as thou callest them tend to irreligiousnes and Atheism becaus they tend to take avvay the vvorship due to God but it hath beene heretofore proved that vvee deny not true VVorship but only your idolatrous superstitious worships vvhich cannot truly be called the VVorship of God Our vvay thou sayest tends to irreligiousnes becaus frequently wee goe to meat and come from it vvithout seeking a blessing or returning thanks which is to deny God a part of that Worship vvhich is due to him 1. Tim. 4. 4. 5. Ansvv. to receive the gifts and benefits of God vvith thanks giving and to vvitnes it blessed and sanctified to us by the word and prayer is ovvned by us and to knovv this so vvithout taking off the hat or using of formall speaking of vvords though it be a thing frequently used by us also tends to no irreligiousnes for it is a thing usuall among us vvhen vvee sit dovvne to eat to vvait upon the Lord for some time that vvee may feel his presence and knovv ourselves stated in his fear to vvhich the blessing isâ— and as vvee there stand if any outvvard expressions be required of any then in Gods fear they may utter them and this is to knovv the blessing indeed and to be in the place that is blessed But for people that are conversing out of Gods fear stated in a Light airy Spirit not only many tymâ—s laughing and scoffing but some times even blaspheming presently so soone as the meat cometh to clap off their hats and speake a fevv vvords in a custome and so soone as they have done fall to their former vvork againe is not this Atheisme and irreligiousnes for if such did think of God aright and knovv vvhat it vvere to fear him they vvould be far from addressing themselves in such postures unto him neither could they be so impudent as to expect a blessing from him while they stand in that condition to which the curse is annexed In the second place Pag. 51. Thou sayest Doth not the taking men off from prayer tend to Irreligiousnes and Atheisme Now you teach wee must not pray in private nor in families without an impulse therefore Answ. This is no sound argument to take men off from prayer tends to irreligiousnes is granted but to say that a man cannot nor ought not to pray without the Spirits drawing and motion which you commonly name by impulse a vvord vvhich common people doe not understand hath no such tendency or that it takes any off from prayer truly so called is denied For hath that a bad tendencie which take's men off from such Prayers as are abomination are not true Prayers but hypocritical and deceitful As all such Prayers are that are performed without the help of the Spirit Wee say whosoever can pray to the Lord indeed let them pray wee are not to forbid them but that any can pray without the Spirit that wee deny according to 1. Cor. 14. 15. I will pray with the Spirit c. And Rom. 8. 26. likewise also The Spirit helpeth your infirmities for wee know not what wee should pray for as wee ought Now if wee know not what to pray for without the Spirit how can wee pray without it Paul durst not adventure upon this duty without the assistance of the Spirit yea hee said no man could say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost but here an arrogant generation will needs by praying without it which yet is not Prayer and such families where this only is used cannot be truly said to call upon God while such truely may be said so to doe that wait upon the Lord and stand in his fear and bring forth the fruits of righteousnes though they be not so much in the external signification of words which also at times is found in our families as the Lord requireth it and giveth utterance And whereas thou sayest That thou beleivest it will be found that some of us for the space of a whole Yeare have
and vertue as a candle extinguished For by the fall the lamb the witnes came to be slaine and remained so until the Spirit of life againe was sent from God into it to give it life and power to witnes against mens transgressions for a witnes that is wholly dead cannot witnes unto particular things of fact against men as this inward witnes in all men doth who doe not againe crucifiâ— it in themselves And seing Christ tasted death for every man and the grace that brings salvation hath appeared to every man and the Gospel is preached in every creature as it is according to the Greek in Hebr. 2. Tit. 2. Col. 1. 23. It is manifest that the illumination given to every man is a new and fresh visitation of Gods love in Christ freely given unto them for salvation Now as to the word Nature if it be rightly understood there shall be no great difference about it For if by Nature thou understandest the Nature that is corrupt and fallen and that which simply is derived from Adam then wee deny that that Nature can claime any right to this Light or that it can be said to proceed from that Nature But if thou understandest by nature the nature that is spiritual and heavenly and is derived from Christ the second Adam the quickning Spirit the Lord from Heaven then I say the Light may properly be called the Light of that Nature in which sense is to be understood that place of the Apostle Rom. 2. v. 14. cited by thee where hee sayeth The Gentiles which have not the Law did by nature the things contained in the Law For who will be so grosse as to say that the Gentiles by the corrupt Nature could doe the things contained in the Law which is pure and Holy But by that Nature which is one with the Law towit divine and heavenly they might doe them So that thou canst not but still be accounted a wilful enemy to the Light whilest thou opposest it and dost not turne to it and by it come to see the evil of thy wayes and forsake them Pag. 12. Though it â—e here asserted in name of the Quakers that the Scriptures are of excellent and blessed use yet thou wilt not beleeve it and alledgest they will not make the due use of them for these Reasons First Because a Bible thou sayest Is not to be seene in all our meetings But that will inferre nothing at all for wee meet not to read the Scripture but to wait on the Lord and be taught of him and receive from his Spirit what hee pleaseth to administer either in our selvs or through the mouthes of his servants wee meet to Worship God whos worship is to be performed in Spirit and in truth and not in externall reading Thou sayest Christ tooke the book of the prophet I saiah and read out of it But was not this the performance of a legal duty and in condescendence to the Iewes manner for it was in the synagogue but did he ever coustitute it as a part of the Christian worship for one man to take the bible and speak upon it and all the rest to be excluded from speaking while hee pratles his owne barren empty notions about it shew me where that was the practise or order among the Apostles and primitive Christians In the churches way 1. Cor. 14. there is no such thing but on the contrary vers 29. let the Prophets speake two or three and let the other judge if any thing be revealed to another that sits by let the first hold his peace for yee many all prophecy one by one that all may learne and all may be comforted By which it plainly appears there was no such setled custome among them but it is one of the maine inventions brought in in the Apostacy wherby barrennes and drynes hath entred and wherby the quickning unlimited life has beene stopped from flowing through many vessels It is true the Apostles at times cited Scriptures out of the law and the Prophets to shew their fulfilling or to open the mind of the Spirit concerning them which is frequent is our meetings to cite Scriptures and open them in the same life and Spirit that gave them forth in the order of the Spirit but not in the order and way of mans wisdome and Spirit as is your way which savours more of Aristotles School then of the Church of Christ. Secondly as to what thou sayest that it is not our way to encourage the People to read the Scriptures and to try doctrines by them 't is utterly false for wee desire that all may come to try doctrines even by the Scripture but wee bid them also come to the light in them to read and try doctrines and understand the true sence of the Scriptures therein and if People did so wee know that then your jugjuglings about them would be made manifest but indeed wee are far from desiâ—ing People to heed your false Glosses and commentaries upon them wherby yee darken them rather then interpret them Thirdly thou sayest when you want an inward command to a duty I trow the 〈◊〉 command of the Scripture is not regarded Ans here thou writest as one unacquainted vvith the Law and new Covenant vvritt in the heart the inward command is never vvanting in the due season to any duty as it is vvaited for and the outvvard testimony or signification of the command vvee regard in its place Is it not a regarding the outvvard to mind the inward unction and spirit to vvhich it directs vvhich invvard teacheth all things and leadeth into all truth 1. Ioh. 2. 27. 1. Cor 14. 15. Iohn 16. 13 yea doe not such more regard the outvvard then they vvho under a pretence of an outward command doe run about these things in their ovvne natural will and Spirit neglecting to vvait upon the Lord for the leading and help of his Spirit Thy comparing us to servants who will not be moved to work by their masters letter c. is vaine and riduculous nor doth it reach us for our Masters letter is vvritt in our hearts and ther wee ar to find it neither is our Master separated from us as those Masters are vvho use to vvrite letters to servants to set them on vvork while they are absent and cannot help them by their presence for our Master is alvvayes vvith us and hee requires us to doe all our vvorks by his imediate counsell direction and assistence as present vvith us and in us And that nature vvee vvitnes brought forth in us vvhich does not shift his vvill but delight in it to doe it and knovv it vvhether told us by a lively voice or by any other invvard signifification of his Spirit Fourthly and becaus thou art ignorant of that great duty of wayting upon the Lord in silence out of all thy ovvne thoughts and words and art trampling it under foot thou lookest upon it as mispent time or a meer
looking upon the ground vvhereas if ever thou comest to knovv the Scriptures a right or to confer a right concerning them so as to proffit thou must first come to that silence thou novv so much despisest So that these things very vvell consist though the vvorld may judge othervvayes vvhom thou vvilt have to be judges in the case but in the judgement of those vvho are redeemed out of the vvorld vvee shall be found to put the scriptures in their true place Thou canst not but smile thou sayest that a man of understanding should grant the Scriptures to be a declaration of Gods mind and yet deny them to be Gods VVord for what is a VVord but a declaration of ones mind Ansvv. Here thy lightnes appears vvhich darkens thy understanding if thou must needs smile doe it at thy impertinent reason for though a mans VVord be the declaration of his mind yet every declaration of his mind is not his word for signes may be a declaration of a mans mind without his word and people usually distinguish betwixt a mans VVord and his writ And so though the scripture be a declaration of Gods mind yet it is not his VVord properly nor can those properties which are declared of the VVord belong to the scriptures as hath oft beene demonstrated but to that inward and living VVord as it doth declare it selfe whether in the heart or in the mouth The VVord of God is like unto himselfe spirituall yea Spirit and life and therefore cannot be heard or read with the natural externall senses as the Scriptures can nor does the Scriptures cited by thee as Hosea 1. 1. Ioel. 1. 1. Isaiah 38. 4. Ieremiah 14. 1. prove thy intent For that VVord vvhich came unto the Prophets vvas that from vvhich the scriptures vver given forth vvhich VVord you confesse vvas immediate from God but you say it is ceased to come novv And did not all the Prophets prophecie from Christ the Word Thou mightest ss vvell reason thus that vvhen it is said the Spirit of the Lord came upon such a one or to such a one that therefore the scripture is the Spirit and so deny all Spirit but that vvhich is the Scripture as some doe in other Sects calling the vvritings of the Apostles and Evangelists the Spirit and denying the necessity of any other thing vvhich is abominable deceâ—pt and vvresting of Scriture and that the Prophets declaring their message said thus saith the Lord provs that vvhat God spake in them and through them as the living VVord declared it selfe vvas the VVord of God but not the letter or vvriting And vvhereas thou sayest it is all one to say the scripture saith and God sayeth Answer by vvay of inference and collection it may be said they are one becaus of their agreement yet the living VVord and speech of God is not the scripture more then the sun beame is the shadow â—hough the one agrees vvith the other every one that reads or hears the scriptures read hears not God immediatly now that vvhich God speaks to any or in any immediatly that is only his VVord properly unto them As they vvho only read my Letter cannot be said properly to hear me by VVord of mouth Christ said to the jewes yee have not heard his voice though they heard the scriptures and though the Apostle useth some scriptures out of the old Testament it prove not hee had not the VVord of the Lord speaking them immediatly in him and to him That scripture thou biddest remarke 1 Thess. 2. 13. provs not thy intent neither for the VVord which they heard of the Apostles was that living VVord declaring it selfe through the Apostles which was answered by the same in them who heard they heard Christ of in and through the Apostles does it therefore follow that Christ is the Scripture And lastly Mark 7. 13. Servs thy purpose no more then the rest for the Pharisees in striking at the fift commandement did conesquentially strike at the living inward VVord which gave it forth as those who strucke at any of the Apostles struck at Christ yet none of the Apostles was Christ as nether is the 〈◊〉 as it is outwardly vvritt to speak properly the VVord of God And truly the reason why vvee may not call the Scriptures the VVord of God to speak properly is that people may be directed to that invvard living VVord for by their being so much called the VVord of God they have beene putt in Christs stead and have beene set up as an Idoll in stead of that from whence they came so that to avoid this hazard vvee have putt them in their due place Pag. 14. To prove that it is the mind and VVill of God that the Scriptures should be the Rule thou citest Isay. 8. 20. To the Law and to the testimony c. But it rests to be proved that the Law and testimony vvas not the inward Law and that that Word according to vvhich they vvere to speake vvas not the inward VVord vvhich is said to be in the heart It is observable that to prove this thou bringest Ioh. 7. 49. vvhere the Pharisees say have any of the Rulers or Pharisees beleived in him but this people that know not the law are accursed This place sutes the matter very vvell but makes much against thee For the Pharisees here were crying up the outward Lavv and the knowledge of it averring that the ignorance of it caused the meane people to beleive in Christ. So doe yee novv yee pretend to cry up the Law and say the ignorance of it occasions so many to leave you And as they then were setting the Law above Christ and covering themselves with a zeal for it persecuting him and reviling his followers as ignorants So yee now whilst yee are boasting of your great knowledge in the Law and in the scripture and your high esteeme of them yee are despising crucifying the same Christ in his spirituall appearance and upbraiding his followers now as thâ—y did then as ignorants and contemners of the Law And as to Luk. 10. 26. how readest thou This was spoke to one that was a Lawyer or interpreter of the Law and relyed upon it so Christ spoke this to check him and beside the dispensation of the Law which this Lawyer was under was different from that of the Gospel in this matter as may appear Heb. 8. 10. Againe as for Christ and his Apostles useing the Scriptures for convincing of their opposers so doe wee and yet this proves not that either hee or wee judge them to be the Rule wherby to try all things and Spirits yea even the Spirt of God himselfe Pag. 15. Thou seemest to lay much stresse upon this that it wer impossible for us to prove to a Iew or a Turk that Iesus the Son of Mary is in very deed the Christ without the Scripture But I Answer thee to that easily by what way wilt thou perswade a Turk to believe the Scriptures or
sure then that VVord light life and Spirit from which they came Had not the Scriptures all their sureness from the inward testimony of the spirit How then can they be more sure Thy example of the Schoolmaster the coppy servs not thy turne for the Spirit is unto the Saints both their teacher their Coppy And they need not goe forth for a Coppy if they vvalk according to this by looking upon it eying it they shal be good Schollers Proficients hee writes them a living Coppy in their hearts engraves it on fleshly tables whereas they who looke upon no other Coppy but the VVords without them are those who are ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Pag. 19. Thou askest why wee disjoine the Spirit and the Scriptures citing Isaiah 50. 21. Answ. Wee are not to disjoine what the Lord putteth together somtimes the Spirit joineth or concurreth with the Scripture VVords and sometimes not how many preach and pray and read the Scriptures and talke of them without the joint concurrence of the Spirit Which wee say they ought not to doe the Scriptures should never be used to preach and pray c. But in the concurrence and assistance of the Spirit for they are not of true use to any without the Spirit but yee disjoine them who would have praying in the letter and useing of it without the motion of the Spirit to such the Scripture is indeed but a dead letter and it is nowayes a reproach unto them to be so called Yea what are the best of men without the Spirit but dead men and this is not a reproach to them but their Glory so nor is it to Scripture Thou sayest they are said to be a killing letter and this shewes that they are not dead Answ. A poor argument indeed Can not dead things kill if men feed upon them If thou feedest upon sand gravell stones shells will not these things kil thee though they be dead And if thou feedst upon the letter without thee and not upon the life thou canst not live yea if one that lived did depart from feeding upon the life to feed upon the letter it would kill him And as for that Scripture cited by thee it makes very much against thee to wit Isaiah 59. 21. For it is one thing for God to put VVords into mens mouths and far another for men to gather these VVords from that without and put them into their owne mouths nor doth it say that the VVords God shall put into their mouths shall be no other words more or lesse but the expresse scripture words why art thou not ashamed to cite this scripture doe yee not say to speake as the infallible Spirit givs utterance is ceased aâ—d consequently Gods putting VVords into the mouth Gods furnishing them with VVords suggested from his owne Spirit and life which the holy Prophets and Apostles vvitnessed to speake as moved by the holy Ghost doe yee not say this is ceased why then citest thou a scripture which is so plaine and clear for it but that thou art in blindnes and confusion Pag. 19. In thy procedure upon the point of justification thou makest a large step in that crooked path of deceipt wherein Thou hadst too much traced from the beginning but now more abundantly then ever thou displayest the Banner of thy disingenuity and gatherest all thy forces together it should seeme resolving to give the Quakers a finall over throw And to make the matter misty in the very entry of it thou raisest Dust to thy self venting thy own filthy imaginations under the notion of coming from them applauding thy endeavours as if thou wert studying to preserve pure the principle of justification in a point where none is jumbling it among us as thou advancest a litle further Pag. 20. 21 having given a very scant account of their doctrine in this matter couching it in most disadvantagious terms thou takest great liberty to extend thy selfe in a foolish and vaine excursion as if having fathomed the Quakers thou hadst discovered them to be either turned or turning rank Papists therefore to trace thee throughly in this matter that if it be possible thou maist come to have a discovery of thy Vanity and malice or though thou shouldst prove irrecoverable yet others may have a view of both I shall first in honesty and plainnes declare the principle of truth in this matter thereby observing thy misrepresentations Secondly shew what vast difference is betwixt us and the Papists therein And thirdly make manifest how much nearer of kin yee are to the Papists even as to this particular and the things relating thereunto then wee which may serve as a seasonable shower to allay that windy triumph vvhich thou endeavourest to establish unto thy selfe As to the first vvee are justified by Christ Jesus both as hee appeared and was made manifest in the flesh at Ierusalem and also as hee is made manifest and revealed in us and thus wee doe not divide Christ nor his righteousnes without from his righteousnes within but wee doe receive and embrace him wholly and undivided THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNES Ieremiah 23. 6. 1. 30. By which wee are both made and accounted righteous in the sight of God and which ought not nor cannot be divided And the manner and way wherby his righteousnes and obedience death and sufferings without become profitable unto us and is made onrs is by receiving him and becoming one with him in our hearts embraceing and entertaining that holy seed which as it is embraced and entertained becometh a holy birth in us which in Scripture is called Christ formed within Christ within the hope of glory Gal. 4. 19. Coloss. 1. 27. By which the body of sin and death is done away and wee cleansed and washed and purged from our sins not imaginarily but really and we really and truly made righteous and holy and pure in the sight of God which righteousnes is properly enough said to be the righteousnes of Christ for it is immediatly from him and stands in him and is as unseparable from him as the beams are from the sun and it is through the union betwixt him and us his righteous life and nature brought forth in us and wee made one with it as the branches are with the vine that wee have a true Title and right to what hee hath done and suffered for us for being so closely united to Christ his righteousnes becometh ours his obedience ours his death and suffrings ours thus wee know hiw and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffrings being made conformable to his death Philip. 3. 10. By which nearnes and fellowship wee come to know an unity with the suffring seed both in our selves and others and therein to travell for its raising and deliverance which yet no wayes derogats from the worth of the sacrifice hee offred up unto God without the gates of Jerusalem while
hee humbled himselfe unto death even unto the death of the crosse tasting death for every man This is an honest and plaine and true account of our beleife in this matter and is in substance one and the same with that which at sundry tymes thou and thy brethren hast received from us notwithstanding the bare scanty and disingenuous account thou givest of us in this matter Secondly As to the vast difference that lyeth betwixt us and the Papists any who are not willfully blind may see it who know their Doctrine and ours in this thing It is not the works of Christ wrought in us nor the works which wee work in his Spirit and power that wee rest and relye upon as the Ground and foundation of our justification but it is Christ himselfe the worker revealed in us indwelling in us his life and Spirit covering us that is the Ground of our justification and wee feeling our selvs in him feeling him in us and his Spirit his life covering us wee feel our justification and peace with God in him and through him the alone Mediatour betwixt God and Man Now this manner of justification by the indwelling of Christ in the Saints and of his Spirit is not held by the Papists but is expressly denied by them and disputed against particularly by Bellarmine And Christ Iesus himselfe is both first and last our justification and foundation of it and as to being justified by works the Scripture is plaine for it and so wee may not deny it but plead for it according to the true sence and mind of the Spirit as wee are taught of him But to be justified by him is more then to be justified by works and therefore are wee justified in our works which wee work in him because wee are in him and work them in him and because the Lord accepteth and justifieth us in him therefore hee accepteth and justifieth our works wrought in him and accepteth and justifieth us in relation to these works and though it hath beene said by us that Good works which are wrought in Christ and are rather his then ours are meritorious yet wee understand it not any otherwayes then thus that all their Merit or worth is from Christ and seing they are said in Scripture to have their reward and Reward and Merit are relative terms inferring one another in that sence wherin they are said to be rewarded they may also be said to be meritorious which yet hinders not the freedome of Gods grace in justification for wee doe verily beleive and confesse that both the VVorks and the Reward are of the free grace of God and that the Lord giveth us all things not of Debt or as being in our Debt but of free gift and his infinite goodnes and VVisdome hath seene it meet to promise a Reward to good works and so hee doth reward them becaus of his goodnes and faithfulnes and not because he is addebted unto any of us otherwise then as hee hath bound himselfe by his promise And this is contrary to that â—alse Popish Doctrine which affirms that men deserve a Reward from God for good works upon the account of strict justice without respect to the Promise And if it be answered that all Papists doe not say so but are more moderate well then I say If some of them be moderate and passe from the erronious opinion of Popery and speake that which is true if others speake what is true also in that particular should the truth be accused and condemned for ranck Popery because some Papists at times confesse to it You your selvs know that Papists contradict one another in divers things and where men directly contradict one another one of the sides must speake true But as to that wherin the justification stands and on which it is grounded to wit Christ himselfe as in dwelling in the Saints none of all the Papists for ought wee ever heard or read doe owne it but are against it Againe as to the works by vvhich the Papists seeke to be justified they are such as vve beleive none can be justified by viz. their outward observations their invocation of Saints bovving to images saying Ave maries telling their Beads their Pilgrimages their whipping themselvs their keeping Lent and many other such like works of voluntary humility by which they seeke to be justified though they are evill vvorks as not done in the faith and povver of God nor does it serve thy turne to say that Papists think not that vvorks considered as evill and sinfull are sufficient to justify them for that is not the question vvhether the Papists think to be justified by vvorks sinfull and evill but this is the Question vvhether the Papists think to be justified by VVorks vvhich are really sinfull and evill hovvever they may imagine them to be good and herein I say vvee differ vastly from Papists they think and seek to be justified by such VVorks as are evill in the sight of God vvhereas vvee beleive that by no such vvorks can any man be justified Other vveighty differences cold be shevved in relation to this matter but vvhat is here in short declared may suffice to evince that vvee differ vvidely from the Papists concerning justification Thirdly looke hovv near a kin yee are to Papists as in many other things So in these relating to justification First doe yee not say that yee are not justified by Christ in dvvelling in you so say the Papists Secondly Doe yee not say that the vvay to attaine to a state of justification is not by beleiving in the VVord of faith vvhich is in every man and in the Light vvhere vvith Christ has enlightned every man that coms into the vvorld And so say the Papists vvho though they talk of universall Grace yet they deny that this Vniversall Grace is an Evangelicall principle of Light by beleiving in which men can attaine unto a state of justification immediatly 3. Doe yee not say that Gods act of justification is not an immediat testimony of his Spirit declaring or pronouncing men righteous And so say the Papists 4. Doe yee not say that men are not to know their justification or that they are in a justified state by an immediate testimony of the Spirit in them by vvay of object for this vvere to assert immediate revelation so doe the Papists So by these fevv instances given here and by many other instances given by others in other particulars try your selvs and first clear your selvs of Popery before you or thou doest throvv it upon us Now wher as thou alledgest that the Apostle in the matter of justification excluds all works even those of Christ his working in the Saints and which they work in him 'T is falfe nor doe the Scriptures cited by thee prove thy intent as Rom. 3. 20 gal 2. 16. Tit. 3. 5. thou sayest the Apostle speaks of works in generall without any limitation But herein thou contradictest the very expresse
vvhich vvee knovv of it vvee may knovv perfectly Thirdly Thou pleadest for the imperfection and uncleannes of the Saints obedience from Eccles. 7. But that place is not to be understood concerning all men in all states and times There is an earthly unrenewed state and while men are here there is not a just man among them as Rom. 3. ver 10. There is none righteous no not one and there is a heavenly renewed state wherein a Man is borne of God and sinneth not Ioh 3. ver 9. And said the Apostle Let no Man deceive you hee that doth righteousnes is righteous which imports that there are righteous Men who doe good and said the Lord to the Servants that used their talents VVel done good and faithful Servant Matth. 25. ver 21. 23. And that other Scripture thou citest Isai. 64. 6. Servs nothing thy turne For the Prophet sayeth not all our righteousnes which is of thy working in us vvho are Saints is as filthy rags but all our righteousnes vvhich vvee even the best of the Saints can performe of and from themselves are as filthy rags mans best works his best righteousnes which is of and from himselfe is filthines and unrighteousnes before God and hee is to cease from all his ovvne works Hebr. 4. ver 10. And it is plaine that vvhen the Prophet in that place sayeth VVee are all as uncleane and there is none that calleth upon thy name he does understand the multitude of the Jevves vvho generally vvere a carnal People and relyed upon their outvvard observations and did not Worship God in Spirit and in but did not understand it of all and every one among them for hee himselfe did call upon his Name and that the Saints vvere vvashed and cleansed see 1. Cor. 6. 11. But yee are walked are sanctified are justified in the Name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God And Ioh. 15. 3. Now yee are cleane through the word which I have spoken to you And Ezekiâ—l 37. 33. At which time I shall cleanse you from all our iniquities I shall also cause the cities to be inhabited Which imports a tyme upon earth vvherein they should be made cleane from all their iniquities And hovv art not thou and you ashamed to affirme that the best vvorks of the Spirit of Christ in his Saints are as a filthy rag Does not the Apostle say that a meek and quiet Spirit is an ornament which is of a great price even in the sight of God hovv then can it be a filthy or menstruous rag A filthy and menstruous rag is good for nothing but must be throwne avvay upon all accounts and if that holynes and righteousnes and meeknes vvhich is of Christ his vvorking in men be as filthy rags then according to your doctrine men should throvv them avvay as being not only unprofitable to justification bâ—t to any other use yea a filthy and menstruous rag men doe hide from the sight of another and doe never vvear it as an Ornament vvhereas the Saints put on the meeke and quiet and sober and righteous Spirit as an Ornament of great price not only in the sight of the Saints but even in the sight of God Pag. 24. Thou pleadst though that the good works of Christ in the Saints are defiled imperfect because the Saints who are subservient instrumentall in them are uncleane and who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane Iob. 14. 4. Answ. It is granted that the Saints are subordinate co workers with Christ but yet it follows not that his works in them aud by them are defiled and though it be said who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane this hinders not but that the Lord can and doth make Cleane those who have beene uncleane and so out of them who are made cleane bring forth cleane things And though every one in whom the work of sanctification is begun be not wholly cleansed but that there may be an uncleane part in them for a time yet there is also a cleane part in them who are in the least measure sanctified and so these who work with the Spirit of Christ work with him according to this cleane part and it is the cleane part in them which hee maketh use of as his instrument and as for the uncleane part it is not to worke vvith Christ but to be chained dovvne and fettered and bound up from working to the end it may be vvrought upon that it may be cleansed and thus by degrees the cleane part encreaseth and the uncleane is diminished till all the uncleannes be vvrought out and vvher the uncleane part is let loose to vvork the pure Spirit of Christ doth never joine in vvorking with it but judgeth and reproveth it and therefore in so far as the uncleane part vvorketh in any that man in whom it worketh is not throughly justified and approved by the Lord but there are who vvitnes the cleansing from all the uncleannes and so as cleane vessels and instruments throughout bring forth cleane things cleane works The example hovv that cleane water passing through an uncleane pipe receivs a tincture of uncleannes hits not the case For the Spiritual VVater is not like the common grosse outvvard VVater vvhich an uncleane pipe can defile but like the fire and the light vvhich though it touch uncleane things cannot be defiled by them Every thing of the Spirit is undefilable as the Spirit is vvhich no uncleane thing can defile And if thou vvert vvel skilled in the outvvard creation thou mightst find an outward water so pure that passing through an uncleane pype shall not be defiled vvith it but if thou knovvest not these earthly things and beleivest them not as Christ said Ioh. 3. 12. How shalt thou believe if vve tell thee heavenly things Pag. 25. Thou chargest us VVith erring grievously in confounding justification and sanctification Answ. Justification is either taken for God his adjudging a man unto eternal Life and in that sence it is not to be confounded vvith Sanctification yet it is not be separated there from for God adjudgeth no man but the sanctified unto eternal life or happines or it is taken for the making a man righteous and then it is all one vvith Sanctification And that thou sayest the vvord is most frequently used in Scripture in that sence of adjudging being opposed to condemnation doth imply thou hast not the confidence to assert that it is alwayes so used as indeed it is not And wheras thou citest Philip. 3. 9. to prove that the choisest Saints upon earth have disclaimed all righteousnes wrought in them by which they chould be justified I say that Scripture provs no such thing and thy observation to prove it is insufficient to wit that the Apostle doth not speake of his righteousnes whilest he was a Pharisee for that he disowned ver 6. 7. for admitting it yet hee was still to deny and disowne the work and
doe so are wee disingenuous and deceitful becaus wee deny them in your acceptation vvhich only comprehends the shadow that passeth away If Baptisme which is really and truly the Baptisme of Christ wee owne and participation of the Body and Blood of Christ which is really so I say if these things be really owned by us as they are indeed can wee be said to deny them becaus wee use not the shadow as yee doe while yee are ignorant of and strangers to the substance Nay it may be retorted much more properly and without deceipt upon your selves that yee do but pretendedly in VVords owne these things while indeed yee deny them so that herein yee are found to be the Equivocators who are contending for the husk and will needs have it accounted the kernell and there can be no errour more dangerous then to place the shadow for the substance for suchas so doe are those that trample upon the precious ordinances of Iesus Christ in which the work of grace is begun and increased Pag. 32. To prove thy assertions particularly thou beginnest saying that singing of Psalms is an ordinance of Iesus Christ vvhereby if thou understandest that singing of Psalmes was used by the Saints that it is a part of Gods VVorship vvhen performed in his will and by his Spirit and that yet it may be and is vvarrantably performed among the Saints it is a thing denied by no Quaker so called and it is not unusuall among them wherof I have my selfe beene a witnesse and have felt of the sweetnes and quickning vertue of the Spirit therein and at such occasions ministred And that at times Davids VVords may also be used as the Spirit leads thereunto and as they sute the condition of the party is acknowledged without dispute but that without the Spirit in selfe-will not regarding how the thing sutes their condition for a mixt multitude to use and sing the expressions of blessed David wee deny For that was not the method the Apostle spoke of 1. Cor. 14. 15. when hee said I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the understanding also therfore though singing of Psalms in the true use of them be allowable yet as used by you it is abominable and is a mock worship becaus yee cannot deny but that the persons using it are a mixed multitude knowne to be Drunkards Swearers VVhoremongers c. Now such cannot praise God for they are dead in their sins and it is the living that praise him and not the dead Next all lying is abomination but many times it falls out that by singing of Psalmes the people come to lye in the presence of God in stead of worshiping him by saying I am not puâ—t up in mind I have no deceitfull heart I water my couch with teares and much more of this nature which were the particular experiences of David and may be safely said by those that vvitnesse the same thing but as to you that use them are false untrue I say as thou doest that though every Psalme does not sute our condition yet in every Psalm there may be meditaion for edification but this no wayes meets the case for there is a great difference betwixt meditating upon a Psalme singing one vvhereby vvee apply ourselves to the Lord in the vvords of David vvhich unless they sute our condition cannot be done without a lye Pag. 33 and 34. Thou comest to prove that Baptisme with water is an ordinance of Iesus Christ for which thou givest as a reason First because John baptised with water and was really sent of God Which thing is not denyed because Iohns baptisme vvas a Baptisme vvith VVater But that that vvas the Baptisme vvhich vvas to continue is the matter in question to prove vvhich thou bringest in thy Second reason that the baptisme of Christ and the baptisme of Iohn differed only in circumstance and not in substance because they agree in the Author in the Matter and in the End To which I answer that though they agreed in the Author that will not conclude them to be one because by the same reason it might be said that the Old Testament and the New are one or that Circumcision Baptism are one for that God was the Author of both As to the matter they are not one neither for the one was a Baptisme with VVater and the other a Baptisme with the Spirit and with fire as Iohn himselfe distinguisheth them Mark 1. 8. Now in respect baptisme with water can be administred where the other to wit with the Spirit is not therefore they are not one in Substance They also agree not in the end for the end of the one to wit Baptisme with VVater is but to point or shew forth the other So that as the shadow and the Substance differ in their ends in like manner doe these two for the end of the shadow is but to point to the substance the end of the Substance in this thing being to cleansc and purifie the heart produceing that effect to such as it is truly administred unto but the shadow is frequently administred and the heart not cleansed therfor they differ in their ends Now to shew that they differ in substance it is written Acts. 19. Vers. 2. 3. 4. 5. that there were of the baptisme of Iohn who had not so much as heard of the holy Ghost far lesse received it Now had the Baptisme of Iohn and the Baptisme of Christ beene one they could not have had the one and beene altogether ignorant of the other For a Third Reason thou sayest that Iesus Christ commanded and enjoined the Disciples to baptise and that baptising they used water But wher hee commands them to Baptise Math. 28. there is no command to baptise them with VVater or into vvater but into the name of the Father Son and holy Spirit So here is the baptisme into the Spirit but not into outward water and the Apostles vvere Ministers of the Spirit and ministred the Spirit unto those vvho beleived And though they used the water baptisme at tymes yet it rests to be proved that they did it in obedience to that generall command Math. 28. and not in condescendence to the people vvho had received a great esteeme of Iohn and vvere so nursed up vvith outward Ceremonyes that it vvas hard suddenly to vveane them from such as they did the like in other cases vvhich also servs for ansvver to thy Fourth Reason vvher thou instancest Peter his baptising Cornelius after he received the Spirit for Peters vvords imply no command but only that at that occasion the thing might be done Can any man said he forbid water that they may not be baptised Acts. 10. 47. And though it be said Vers. 48. that hee commanded them to be baptised in the name of Christ yet it holds forth no command from Christ only the thing being agreed upon that it might be done he bid doe it but that the Apostles received
seeketh after miracles and though Miracles should be given they who will not beleive the testimony of the Spirit of God in their consciences bearing witnesse to the truth will not also beleive becaus of Miracles as wee see plainly in the Jewes And whereas thou sayest Iohns immediate call is evident by the special predictions both of Malachy and Isayas concerning him So are there many speciall predictions concerning the Lord his pouring forth of his Spirit upon many in these latter dayes to prophecy or minister as the Spirit should putt words into their mouths And as for these Scripturs Tit. 1. 5. Ast. 14. 23. which thou bringst in the Fifth place they prove not that those Elders had not the Authority and call of the Spirit of God in themselves And whereas in the Sixth place thou sayest though Ministers be set apart and ordained by men yet their Ministry is not from men but from God I answer where the inward call and Authority of the Spirit of God is not witnessed it cannot be said to be of God And though Moses be said to consecrate Aaron yet it doth not follovv that Aaron had no immediat call from God Seventhly thou sayest The ministry is so necessary that it is the will of Iesus Christ that it should continue unto the end of the VVorld Eph. 5. 12. 13. But thy proofe from that Scripture is altogether impertinent as to you vvho believe not that the Saints can be perfected in this life seeing the Ministry is given for the perfecting of them And that this perfection is on Earth is clear from the follovving verse That hence forth wee be no more as Children tossed to and fro for in the other life there is no hazard of being so tossed And if the Ministry perfected not men in this life it no where perfecteth them for in the other life it hath no operation upon them The Law and Priesthood therof was abolished becaus it made nothing perfect and if the Gospell Ministrie should not make perfect it should also be abolished And seeing your Ministrie perfecteth not it is not the true Ministrie of the Gospell as indeed it is not for it standeth not in the power of God nor is it exercised in the will motion of God your Ministrie being such that the whole ESSE or BEING of it may be without saving grace or true holines you expresly affirming that holines is not necessary to the being of a Minister but that a man may be a Minister of the Gospell who ought to be received and heard though hee have not the least graine of holines Eighthly thou sayest they who cast off the Ministerie of the word wrong their owne soules c. Ansvv. if it be understood of the Ministry of Christ it is granted but of yours it is denyed In the Fifth place Pag. 44 Thou vvouldst prove that the Lords people are under a tye engagement to keep the first day of the vveek for a Sabbath For a First Reason thou sayest the Fourth commandement requires the keeping holy of one day of seven but as it requires the observation of one day of seven so it expresly instanceth that day to be the seventh vvhich day yee keep not vvherfor as to the Second Reason If the command be morall and perpetuall as thou callest it it ought to be kept in every point of it vvhich yee not doing therein condemne your selves but the outvvard Sabbath or the keeping one day of the vveek for a Sabbath is not perpetuall but abolished together vvith the new moons and other feasts of the Jevves see Coloss. 2. 16. 17. Let no man judge yâ—u in meat or drink or holy day or new moone or sabbath dayes which are a shadow of things to come See also Rom. 14. vvhich plainly holds forth all dayes under the Gospel to be alike and said Paul to the Galathians yee observe dayes c. I am afrayd of you For a Third Reason thou sayest that Iesus Christ plainly intimates the continuance of a Sabbath becaus that speaking of the desolation of Ierusalem he said pray â—hat your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath day Ansvv. but that Sabbath day is neither here nor else vvhere said to be the first day of the vveke The Jevves vvere to fly at that time and Christ holds forth their difficulties that it should be grievoâ—s unto them to be put to it to fly on their Sabbath day or be killed For they kept it in the strictnesse of it but as for any of your Sabbath keepers they are not so strait-laced but they will doe lesse necessary things then to fly from a danger on that day And as the outward Jew deâ—ireth that hee may not be putt to fly on his outward Sabbath so the inward Iew in Spirit desireth much more that hee may keep his Sabbath which is his Spirituall rest in Christ that the enemy oft seeketh to breake to cause him to fly on his Sabbath day but this to you is a Mistery Viz. what the Sabbath of them who beleive is Heb. 4. 9. 10. There remaineth therfor a Sabbatism to the people of God and hee that is entred into his rest hath ceased from his owne works as God did from his And that this Sabbath or rest is not an outward day is plaine becaus in the next verse hee saith let us labour therefore to enter into that rest But if it were an outward day it might be easily entred into but this is such a rest as none can enter into who hearken not to the voice of the Lord by beleiving and obeying it For a Fourth Reason thou sayest though yee keep not the same day the Iewes did yee have the same authority for keeping your day that they had for theirs Hence this day that wee keep sayest thou is called the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. it being set apart by the Lord for his service and as a Special memorial of his Resurrection Answ. but for all this here is no probation at all but meer assertions If yee have the same Authority produce it and let us see it Iohn was in the Spirit on the Lords day therfor the first day of the week ought to be kept how hangs this together Prove that Iohn meant the first day of the week wee read much in Scripture of the day of the Lord which is the Lords day but no where doe find it called the first day of the week or any other naturall day For it is spirituall and as God called the naturall light day so hee calleth the Spirituall light of his appearance where the Sun of righteousnes ariseth with healing under his wings Day And this is the day of the Lord wherin his people rejoice and are glad And whereas thou sayest it is set apart by the Lord as a Speciall memoriall of his resurrection This is thy naked assertion without any shadow of proofe if thou wilt say that therefore it is to be a holy
day becaus hee rose on it Is not this a faire inlet to all the Popish holy Dayes If yee keep one day for his Resurrection why not one day for his Conception another for his Birth another for the Annunciation of the Ange another for his being crucified another for his Ascension then wee shall not want holy dayes in good store Fifthly thou sayest who oppose the Sabbath day sin against mercy and equity and Iustice. Answ. It is granted bnt who oppose your day which yee have made or imagined to be the Sabbath doe not sin against any of the fore-said if in other things they keep unto the rule of mercy and justice First they sin not against mercy if through all the dayes of the week they be found in that which is for the good of themselves and their neighbours Not laying too heavie burdens upon their owne soules by excessive care and labour in outward things nor yet forcing their bodily strength beyond the rule of mercy and love nor imposing any things upon either servants or cattell contrary to mercy For if the Law required mercy even in these things much more the Gospell so that wee grant times of rest are to be given unto Servants and Beasts and Mercy is to be shewed unto them more then under the Law And thus is the end of the Sabbath answered which was made for man yea this is indeed to keep the Sabbath To undoe every burden and to let the oppressed goe free both as to the inward and the outward And the Lords People have frequent times more then once a week wherein laying aside their outward affairs for a season they may and doe meet together to wait upon the Lord and be quickned and refreshed and instructed by him and worship him in his Spirit And may be useful unto one another in exhortation or admonition or any other way as the Lord shall furnish And such who find any distemper upon their minds through letting them goe forth too much upon outward things may find the Lord allowing them any other day or time no lesse then that to gett their hearts reduced into a right frame And it were sad if the Lord had only allowed but one day of seven unto this effect The Lord inviteth and alloweth the weary and distempered who love to be cured of their â—â—â—â—empers to come unto him every day And as for those who abide not in a due care every day to have their hearts ordered arights but let their minds goe forth excessively in outward occasions all the week they provoke the Lord to shut them out from accesse to him upon the First day And our soules doe oft blesse the Lord in allowing us many times of refreshment and strengthning to the establishing and confirming us in his love and life and disburdening our minds of earthly things much more frequently then in one day of seven And as for sinning against Justice they cannot be charged with it who give up unto the Lord not onely one day of seven but all the seven even all the dayes of their life unto his service for equity and Jâ—stide calleth upon us to spend all the seven in his service that our hearts may continually be exercised in his fear and love and what ever wee doe wee may doe it to him and in him And as for the first day of the week we meet together even on that day as wee doe on other dayes according to the practise of the primitive Christians to wait upon the Lord and worship him but to plead so obstinately as yee doe that the fourth Commandement bindeth to a particular observation of that day and yet to be found so slack in the observation of it as you generally are is such an inconstancie as the Quakers cannot owne And so whereas thou wouldst confine the Lord his giving rest and comfort to the souls of his people and the falling of the Manna to the first dayes calling them spirituall market dayes as if there were no other wee cannot owne it knowing that the Lord giveth rest and comfort every day and causeth the Manna plentifully to fall every day to those that walk in his fear and wait upon him and hee has no such circumscribed Market day as thou dreamest of but that yee I meane the Priests make a Market day of that day So that yee may call it your day as thou sayest Pag. 44. our day wee know wherein you sell and vend your Babylonish commodities and will be forceing and compelling all to come and buy of them or if nor to send you mony whither they receive ought or not or else yee will endevour by the help of the Magistrate to have them punished So that it is made manifest that it is only the inventions of men that wee disovvne and not any of the ordinances of Iesus Christ. Pag. 46. Thou grantest the vvord Originall sin is not found in Scripture and yet thou pleadst for it â—ecaus sayest thou the thing intended by it is contained and expressed in Scripture Ansvv. vvee deny that the thing by you intended is exprest in Scripture to vvit that all inâ—aâ—â—s are sinners before God only for Adams sin and that there are reprobate Infants vvho are sent to hell only for Adams first sine this vvee deny nor doe the Scriptures cited by thee prove it Psal. 51. behold I was conceived in sin But first if this place should prove the Infant guilty of any sin it should be of the sin of its ovvne immediat parents in inquity did my mother bring me forth Novv you say the infant is not guilty of the sin of its ovvne immediate parents but only of Adams and Eva's first sin of vvhich this Scripture speakes nothing 2. it doeth not say I vvas conceived and brought forth a sinner as you vvould have it vvhy make you infants guilty of Adams sin and not of the sins of then immediate parents Novv it is granted that there is a seed of sin derived unto Adams posterity but wee say none become guilty of sin before God until they close with this evil seed and in them who close with it it becoms an origine or â—oâ—intaine of evil thoughts desâ—res words and actions which are their sins vvho close vvith it But that the guilt of Adams first sin lyes at the door of Infants who never actually sinned vvee deny For a Second Proofe thou citest Rom. 5. 12. Alleadging it should be rendred that in Adam all sinned But it is no such matter For the words however they be truly translated can never be so rendred in Adam all sinned The strictest translation of the words is thus upon which all have sinned or in which all have sinned Now if the words be translated Vpon which all have sinned They hold forth hovv that Adam by his sin gave an entrance to Sin in the World and Death by Sin and so upon this occasion all others have sinned to wit actually in their ovvne Persons so
not so much as once bowed a knee to call upon God in their families What ground hast thou for this thy beliefe May they not bow their knees in their families though it be hid from the observation of malicious eyes who may so asperse them May they not pray in secret and be seene of the Father to pray according to Matth. 6. 6. Though they cannot be seene by the eyes of malicious Spyes And where a publick testimony in words is required it is also given nor doe wee know any friends of truth who have any whom they can joine with in Prayer in the family but doe meet together in the family and wait together breath together and pray together and that much oftener then thou insinuats sometimes without and sometimes with the outward signification of words so that wee returne this thy charge as false and malicious Thou sayest If this impulse be denyed for Years men all that while according to us must not pray But here thou speakest as one wholly unacquainted with the wayes and motions of the Spirit to suppose such a case which cannot be for the breathings and motions of the Spirit and especially unto Prayer are very frequent unto those who wait for them and are as necessary unto the Children of God as their dayly bread yea and more which the Father withholdeth not but giveth in due season But many times the Spirit of Prayer is felt to move and is answered when there is no liberty given to speake words in the hearing of others nor is thy other supposition lesse vaine and foolish that if aman were at the gates of death and in danger of present drowning yet without an impulse as thou callest it hee must not adventure to cry to God for mercy and help for suppose he did cry vvithout all help of the Spirit vvhat vvould it avail him vvould it have any acceptance vvith God Shew us vvherever a spiritlesse prayer vvas accepted of God or required Nay it is a vaine oblation vvhich is expresly forbidden and it is expresly commanded that praying be alvvayes in the spirit Eph. 6. 18. And as for the Saints vvhen they are dying or in any difficulty wee know the Spirit of prayer will never be wanting to breath through them at such occasions and to give words as there is a service for them But further thou alledgest that this Principle of ours leadeth to woefull security for what need you be dâ—â—quieted for refraining prayer before God thou sayest or any other piece of service seing you have salve at hand to heal this sore and that is the want of an impulse Answ. If any fall into security and refraine prayer it is not that our Principle leadeth into it for our Principle leadeth out of all security into continuall watching unto prayer and wating upon the motions of the Spirit of God now if any feel not these motions they are nothing the lesse guilty becaus by their neglect they provoke the Lord to withhold them and render themselves out of frame to feel or entertaine them and thus who neglect the worship of God are justly under condemnation and if they have peace it is but a false peace which will faile them and as for our peace wee have found it to be great peace but wee have not come by it after such a way as thou doest falsely and rashly judge as by neglecting the worship of God and stopping the mouth of conscience but by being turned to that living VVord and Law of God in our hearts by loving it and cleaving to it yea by receiving the reproofes chastisements of God through it and submitting to the judgement of it when it hath beene as a hammer and as a sword and as a fire in us breaking in pieces and destroying all that false unsound peace wee had created to our selves in the day of our alienation from the light of God in us And unto peace wee are come through great tribulation of soule even such as thou art a stranger unto being ignorant both of the one and the other and so hast therein shewed thy folly in judging what thou knowest not And as for woefull security wee know not where it more abounds then among hypocriticall professors who with the VVhore in the Proverbs offer up their sacrifices of morning and evening prayers and thereby create a peace to themselves though they let their hearts goe a whoring after their lusts all the day did not the Pharisees pray much outwardly and were much in orher outward practises of devotion and so created a false peace and esteeme unto themselves And can you deny but that there are many such among you who make up a false peace to themselves by leaning upon their outward performances Now what If I should charge this upon your Principle wouldst thou think it fair dealing Thirdly Pag. 52. Thou sayest Doth not that opinion tend to Atheisme which rendreth mortification of sin even in this life useless c. Answ. Here thou dealest disingenuously Is mortification of sin uselesse where the end of it is attained And is not perfection the end of mortification Againe thou sayest The opinion of a sinles perfection wounds the very vitals of Religion Answ. Who could have expected that one that pretends to Religion would have beene so brazen-faced as to put such an expression in print What is the end of true Religion but to lead out of sin Do the vitals of Religion consist in sinning or in not sinning If it consist in sinning then they that Sin most are most religious But if it consist in not sinning and keeping the commandements of God without sin then to plead for such a thing as attainable hurteth not the vitals of Religion What! Cannot the Saints live better without sin then with it Yea surely they can live well without that which is a burden and as Death unto their life they whose life is in sin cannot live but in sin but the Saints life is not in sin but in righteousnes And thy consequences are vaine and foolish as 1. That men need not pray for pardon of sin 2. That they need not the Blood of Christ to cleanse them from sin 3. That they need not repentance For wee grant that all have sinned and so need those things by which they may attaine unto perfection and who witnesse perfâ—ction are come to witnesse the true use of these things and as the Blood of Christ cleanseth from all the sin so is preserveth cleane and such have received the forgivenes of their sins being turned from them unto righteousnes which is the fulfilling of repentance And vvhereas thou sayest Bring me to the particular person that is sinlesse and I shall apply to him that of the Apostle 1. Ioh. 1. 8. Thou shevvest openly thy confusion for by thy applying to him that of the Apostle vvouldest thou inferre a sinlesse man to be a sinning man That is a contradiction but though vvee should bring a man to