is not Whether Infants or persons at age shall be Baptized but Whether any are to be Baptized The Question is not Whether Presbyterians or Anabaptists c. are to Baptize but Whether any whether true Ministers of Jesus Christ whoever they be are to Baptize For if any Ministers whatsoever are to baptize any persons whatsoever with water then their Doctrine is false then the Question in hand must be yielded up that Baptism with water is an Ordinance of Christ binding us To prove the point Arg. 1. What God hath instituted for his Church and not repealed is still binding But God hath instituted Baptism with water for his Church and not repealed it Therefore Baptism with water is still binding Obj. Against the Major Proposition they object No Dictate binds but what proceeds from the Light within for p. 13. We are to worship God in newness of Spirit Answ As if we could not worship God in newness of Spirit when we obey the Dictates of God himself in the Scripture Psal 119.4 5. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy Precepts O that my wayes were directed to keep thy Statntes A gracious soul keeping Gods Statutes in Scripture and Gods Commands to keep them can from Faith and Love heartily and with longing desire embrace and close with them Those therefore that care not to obey Gods Voice or Institutions in Scripture have reason to suspect themselves strangers to this newness of Spirit But the Major is evident from the binding power of the Scripture The Minor hath three parts That Baptism was instituted of God That it was instituted for the Church That it was never repealed I prove them singly 1. Baptism with water hath been instituted of God First God gave John Commission to baptize with water John 1.33 He that sent me to baptize with water The Institution was after confirmed by Christ Mat. 28.19 Go teach all Nations baptizing them Obj. Saith G. W. Here is no mention of water It is spiritual Baptism we are to understand Answ That we are to understand Baptism with water these Arguments Arg. 1. Christ commands them their Duty But though it be their duty to endeavour to baptize spiritually or convert men yet it is not their duty to convert men for supposing their diligence 't is not their sin if persons be not converted or spiritually baptized God never gave them power thus to change mens hearts Their work is one the Holy Ghosts another Arg. 2. If teaching be external baptizing is external You may as well say they are to do the Spirits Office in teaching internally as the Spirits Office in baptizing internally It s evident they are enjoyned a work in their power and a work distinct from the work of the Spirit in that his presence to do his work is promised whilst they do theirs Arg. 3. Paul would not have thanked God he baptized so few 1 Cor. 1.14 if baptizing spiritually had been his work Arg. 4. If we are to understand spiritual baptism then as many as the Apostles baptized were certainly sanctified but what was Simon Magus Acts 8.13 Arg. 5. If this be Christs meaning and there be no other Baptism in the Church than spiritual then every Believer and sanctified person is already baptized and no more is to be done to him as signified by this word But Christ requires that even Believers be baptized Mark 16.16 Cornelius was a devout man sanctified already and the Holy Ghost fell on him yet after all this he is baptized Acts â—0 Crispus and many Corinthians believed yet were also baptized Acts 18.8 Nay therefore baptized because Believers Arg. 6. If the Apostle did afterwards baptize with water then we are to understand Christ as commanding Baptism with water but they did This was denied in the Dispute proved from Acts 8.36 See here is water what doth binder me to be baptized And Chap. 10.47 Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized I asked how can we assure our Consciences better of the meaning of Christ than by the practice of the Apostles It was answered The Apostles knew not the mind of Christ Here Robert Ludgater's Impudence called for pity Here 's a Fellow said I takes upon him to know the mind of Christ better than the Apostles Upon which he was blank'd and neither he nor any of the rest attempted to give any Answer to this Argument 2. Baptism with water was instituted for the Church Mat. 28. Teach all Nations baptizing them It was not instituted for one or several persons by name but all Nations Acts 8.5 In the City of Samaria Philip baptized both men and women Acts 18.8 Many Corinthians believed and were baptized So the Eunuch was baptized with water Cornelius also and his Company Acts 8.36 10.47 already mentioned The extent both of the Institution and of the Practice prove it was instituted for the Church 3. This Institution of Baptism by water for the Church was never repealed Shew when Obj. John must decrease Christ must increase Answ John's honour must As the Light of the Morning-Star decays by the Rising of the Sun Here is no Repeal and Christ confirmed the Ordinance after John's death Obj. There is but one Baptism Answ True but this hath two parts the Outward or the Sign which is water applied by the Minister the Inward or thing signified which is the Question of a good Conscience This we obtain by the Spirit rendring the outward means effectual which is far from repealing it Obj. Then 't is but the outward part of Baptism that is contended for Answ We agree in this that the question of a good Conscience is necessary We differ in this whether the use of water as signifying it be a binding Ordinance Obj. There is a distinction between Baptism of water and of the spirit as between Johns Baptizing with water and Christs with the holy Ghost and fire Answ 1. The Scripture calleth sometimes the work of the Minister sometimes the work of the spirit Baptism and they differ as much as the sign and the thing signified in one and the san e Ordinance 2. Johns Baptism and Christs are in substance the same for when John Baptized with water the spirit of Christ was given to purge and sanctifie and when Christ Baptizeth with the Holy Ghost it was in the use of water Eph 5.26 He sanctifieth the Church with the washing of water by the word Here is nothing yet to prove a Repeal Ob. Divin of Christ Second part p 49. The substance come the shadows fly Answ 1. By the substance do you mean sanctifying grace and the Question of a good Conscience Lord what wilt thou have one to do since Christ saith Go Teach Baptizing had you that substance you would stand for this Ordinance of Baptism with water When the Eunuch the three thousand Lydia the Jaylor were converted they were for it 2. The true substance abolishing shadows is not Christ in us or his Image drawn over our
handle the six Questions in Order Opening them as far as I judge needful laying down Scripture or Reason for what we hold examining what the Adversary hath said against it whether in the Dispute or in the Narrative since or in his Book stiled the Divinity of Christ or any other of his Writings that come to hand And herein I hope I shall deal more candidly with my Adversary then I have been dealt with all my self not bauking his strength but improving it rather For Truth fears no Weapons Doing this I shall commit all to a good God even the Bishop of our souls who will bring all his sheep into his fold and cause them to hear his voyce and give them eternal life never suffer them to perish nor any to pluck them out of his hand You that are Godly do and will strike in with the design of my endeavours by your prayers That Truth might prevail and find more generally entertainment in the hearts of men to the advancement of Christs Kingdom glory of Gods name and eternal blessedness of never-dying souls And my request for you is that having received the Love of the Truth you might by Christ be rooted and grounded therein for ever and so at last be presented holy unblameable and unreproved in his sight This God will do for you and it is the rejoycing of One unworthy to be reckoned among you STEPHEN SCANDRETT To the Misguided FLOCK Commonly Termed QUAKERS Especially in and about Samford YOU will bear with me in this Application allowing every man to speak according to the Light of his own Conscience For your sakes Brethren did I engage in Disputation for your sakes in good will and true compassion to your souls do I also now write My design in it falls in with your desire even that you might have an undeceiving perswasion touching the way to Heaven and Glory that walking therein you may not miss of everlasting Rest when you are departed hence How you may attain this perswasion is a matter of very great importance and well worth a strict inquiry Do but think with your selves how others might attain it A Jew a Turk a Papist an Independant a Presbyterian an Anabaptist If they should say our present perswasion is undeceiving because our hearts assure us therein or because our Teachers do so instruct us or because we have an infallible spirit which will not suffer us to be deceived in any thing your Light would tell you they took not a 〈…〉 But if looking up to God for illumination and 〈…〉 â—earch for and examine the grounds of their own and others Opinions and what they see upon good grounds to be truth that they embrace whoever rejects it what they see upon good ground to be error that they cast aside whoever countenanceth it would not your Light tell you this were a better and a safer course for them Now be your own Judges is not that a good and a safe course for you to take which is so for others You may not then say it is impossible I should be deceived touching my present Opinion because my heart perswades me it is right As a Papist may not thus argue so neither may you For the Heart is deceitful above all things He that trusts to his own Heart is a Fool. Lean not saith God to thine own understanding Neither may you say it cannot be that I should be mistaken in this for such and such have taught it A Turk a Socinian may not thus pin his Faith on anothers sleeve for deceitful workers transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ therefore neither may you Our Saviour cautions you take heed that no Man deceive you commands you call no man Master on Earth and threatens too Cursed be the man that trusteth in man Nor may you say it is impossible I should be out for I have an infallible spirit that will not suffer me to erre in any thing As a Presbyterian an Independant an Anabaptist may not thus build his considence so neither may you It is incumbent on you as well as on them to try the spirits whether they be of God Your work then is looking up for special assistance to examine the grounds of what you and others hold to prove all things that you may hold fast that which is good And truly a well grounded knowledge is a very choice mercy Wisdome and knowledge saith God shall be the Stability of thy times and Strength of Salvation For your furtherance herein if the Lord shall adde his blessing I put this small book into your hands It will present you with the grounds of what your Teachers hold for truth and what we hold Read and Judge which have clearest reason for what they hold which have Scripture taken in its true sense and meaning And as Elijah said to Israel If God be God follow him if Baal be God follow him So say I to you If what we teach be well built upon a sure foundation embrace it If what yours teach be rightly drawn from sound Principles cleave to it for ever Remember it speaks a Generous and a free Spirit to be able with Candor and Impartiality to read an Adversary But unless Gods spirit enlightens your mind you may see truth and not perceive it unless he sanctifies your heart you may perceive it and not embrace or practise it You must therefore needs beg for the gracious presence of God with you if you would benefit your souls by reading Examine your selves also whether you have a Love of the Truth a Readiness to acknowledge and close with it whether it shall appear to be your own opinion or ours If you are resolved in heart to cast away our doctrine though it should never so clearly appear to be the truth of God to retain what you have received from your Teachers though it should never so plainly be discovered error to what good intent can you read It is not Truth you are for but a Party But if you can be willing to take in Truth on which hand soever you find it then are you capable to aim at and receive profit by Reading What do you say How do you find it with you If our present Opinion shall appear to be Truth we can hold to it That 's not so difficult a business But what if the contrary Opinion proves true If it should indeed we hope through Gods grace we should not reject it Only Truth leads to Heaven we should otherwise provoke God to give us up to strong delusions to believe a lie that we might be damned This is like Persons that are in good earnest for Heaven But it is good for you to consider before hand that it is no easie thing to part with an Opinion you have been long wedded to and it may be commended and contended for to be reconciled to an Opinion at which you have it may be for several years taken distast and opposed and to expose your self
supernatural Revelation direct any to take one step towards Salvation I shall first examine whether this Light can be proved a full Rule then confirm what 's here laid down G. W. affirmed The Light in every man to be a full Rule And thus undertook to prove it Arg. 1. If it he a spiritual Light as wrought by the Spirit of God then 't is a full Rule But I had acknowledged it thus a spiritual Light Answ I do still acknowledge that if its Denomination be taken from its Efficient 't is to be called spiritual for 't is the Spirit creates Reason in us But 't is improper to take a Denomination thence Rather it should be taken from its End and Use and then because it reveals only Moral Duties it would be properly termed Moral But as to his Argument I bid him prove his Consequence he bogles and could make no work of it Then I bid the people mind what pure Argument he brought As though one should say If the stars were created by the Spirit of God they are a full light able to make it Day The Scriptures are as the Sun a full Light to guide us to Heaven The Light in every man but as a Star no full Light to travel by Arg. 2. If it convinceth of Sin Righteousness and Judgment then 't is a full Rule But so it doth Answ It convinceth not of Justifying Righteousness viz. The active and passive Obedience of Christ for it reveals not Christ at all Rep. It doth reveal Christ Proof 1. Rom. 2.14 If the Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the Law then it reveals Christ Answ They may do things contained in the Law and never know Christ 'T is not the Law but the Gospel that reveals Christ Proof 2. If the Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared to all men and teacheth to look for the appearance of our Saviour then it revealeth Christ This Grace appears by the Gospel where it comes and the Gospel teacheth to look for our Saviours appearance Prove that the Light in every man reveals this Grace or teacheth to look for the appearance of Christ He adds Proof 3. p. 29. The Light was given to believe in before they were Believers Therefore it reveals Christ to Unbelievers Answ The Light which we are to believe in is Jesus Christ himself and not that Principle of Knowledge that is in every man And before we believe in Christ even that we may believe in him he is revealed to us by the Gospel not by the Light that is in every man Proof 4. Ibid. The Light shined in mens hearts before they did believe to give them the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ Therefore it reveals Christ to all even Unbelievers Answ Read the place 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ A. 1. Mark 'T is not said the Light but God hath shined 2. The true sense is God by the Gospel propounding the Object and by his Spirit enlightning the Eye gives and encreaseth the saving knowledge of Christ in his chosen and thus first they become Believers and afterward more and more are strengthened in their Faith And doth this prove that the Light in every man reveals Christ to all to those that have not the Gospel or that without the Gospel it reveals Christ to any hath shined into our hearts Had not they the Gospel Arg. 3. If the Light in every man be an increasing Light p. 28. doth gradually lead men out of Darkness and Sin as men take heed unto it though it reveals not all things at once then 't is a full Rule But 't is an increasing Light for 't is said To every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Christ gives such a measure now a greater afterwards And p. 29. The path of the Just is as the shining Light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Answ This Argument though not so well managed in the Dispute of any had the greatest shew of reason in it But when it was Answered that the Light in every man never grew up to make of it self and without the Scriptures any discovery of Christ all was dasht presently And there needs no more to be said now For though the use of Reason grows in a Child and now it reveals Stealing unlawful then Lying c. and these first dimly then more clearly yet never attaining of it self to reveal Christ it must needs leave men in that dark state in which Damnation is unavoidable The Gospel must deliver from this dark state The Light in every man cannot do it If it were possible this Light could lead out of all Sin whatever unable to reveal Christ it must needs still leave men in a state of Damnation The Grace that indifferent measures is given to Believers enjoying the Gospel as also the path of the Just who embrace Christ as revealed to them in the Gospel these put men into the state of Salvation indeed but they are one thing the Light in every man another Obj. It might be thus objected If we obey what this Light can reveal according to the measure of it God will accept us For in every Nation he that worketh Righteousnes is accepted of him And what is not revealed doth not bind p. 33. The Church of Corinth was not to make the Epistle of the Church of Rome their Rule Answ 1. Promulgation indeed is necessary to the Obligation of a Law till therefore the Church of Corinth had knowledge of the Epistle to the Romans they were not bound to make it their Rule But after knowledge they were bound Therefore if we should obey this Light only which in its highest measure cannot reveal Christ we should not work Righteousness that we might be accepted For God having given us Scriptures requires more of us than this Light reveals And neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love Obj. p. 32. The Saints of old were according to their several attainments to walk by the same Rule and God would reveal to them Ph. 3.16 Therefore this Light is a full Rule Answ 1. The Saints what 's that to every man 2. They were to walk according to their several attainments what they had got out of the Scriptures By the same Rule the Will of God laid down in the Scriptures so far as they understood it What 's this to those that have not the Scriptures What is it to the Light that is in every man 3. God would reveal more to the Saints But where is any promise that God will reveal Christ to every Heathen that walks according to his Light though he never enjoyes the Scriptures or the Gospel Much less where hath God ever promised that he will
of Christ and all his Benefits is made unto Gal. 3 22. That the Promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe This is the Condition of the Promise of purchased Salvation Mark 16.16 He that believeth shall be saved How can any be supposed to obtain Interest in Christ and Salvation purchased by him that hath not the Qualifications to which Christ is promised that comes not up to the Condition of the Promise Again whom God hath decreed to save on them he doth infallibly bestow Faith and the Knowledge of Christ Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed All that are to be saved shall know Christ Isa 54.13 All thy Children shall be taught of God That it is to know Christ See John 6.45 They shall be all taught of God every one therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me Further This work he hath committed unto Christ to bestow the knowledge of himself on all that are to be saved John 17.2 3. Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him And this is Life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Those that are given to Christ are all to be saved Eternal Life is to be given to them all and since this is eternal Life to know Christ it follows that the knowledge of Christ is to be given to them every one And this follows too to whomsoever the knowledge of Christ is never given to them eternal life is never given The Minor I prove That the Light in every man reveals not Christ Had not God said Gen. 3.15 I will put enmity between thee and the Woman ond between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy Head How could Adam with all the Light that was left him after the Fall ever have understood that it was the Gracious Design of God to save lost man by a Saviour the Seed of the Woman 1 Cor. 2.11 What man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Hence it is that the whole Doctrine of Jesus Christ in Scripture is called a Mystery 1 Tim. 3.16 And without Controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentils believed on in the World received up to Glory Christ's Love to his Church is a Mystery Eph. 5.31 32. For this cause shall a man leave his Father and his Mother and shall be joyned unto his Wife and they two shall be one flesh This is a great Mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church Every Truth that bears any relation to Christ is a Mystery precious but secret hid in God that which the Light every man hath that comes into the world could never find out were it not for Supernatural Revelation Yea the very Angels of God who greatly excel us in knowledge the Church being supernaturally taught of God have from it received Light to understand this Mystery Eph. 3.9 10. To make all men see what is the Fellowship of the Mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God To the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in Heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God The Light of every man cannot possibly give the knowledge of Christ Only Christ himself can do this Luke 10.22 No man knoweth who is the Son but the Father and who the Father is but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Where therefore the Gospel comes not for Christ reveals himself by the Gospel for all the Light men brought with them into the World they have been there utterly destitute of all knowledge of Christ Isa 55.5 Thou shalt call a Nation that thou knowest not and Nations that know not thee shall run unto thee Yea Christ hath not been so much as named amongst them Rom. 15.20 I have strived to preach the Gospel not where Christ was named Obj. G. W. in a Book stiled The Light and Life of Christ within would prove That this Light can reveal Christ p. 46. because it can reveal God And Christ is God If it be told him that Christ is not our Saviour considered meerly as God but as God-man that hath suffered for us he objects John 8.58 Before Abraham was I am John 17.5 Glorifie thou me with the Glory I had with thee before the world was He was before he took our Nature and was he not a Saviour then A. Let it be considered how Christ is our Saviour He is our Saviour by purchasing Forgiveness and Salvation for us by his Blood and he is our Saviour by applying that purchase to us This purchase is the Ground-work of our Salvation Had there been no purchase there had been no application of the things purchased Before Abraham was Christ was our Saviour as God who was to become man and shed his Blood for us to purchase our Pardon and Salvation and so he applied to us what he was to purchase Now he is our Saviour as God-man that hath already purchased our pardon and Salvation by shedding his Blood for us To prove that he is our Saviour considered meerly as God is to prove that he saves us though he never did nor ever was to take our Nature upon him and shed his Blood for us Truly had he never been desigued to this he had not been our Saviour any more than he is the Saviour of the Fallen Angels whose Nature he was not to take on him Those therefore who before Abraham was knew not Christ as he was to be the Seed of the Woman knew him not as the Saviour And so now those that know not Christ as God in our Nature who by his death hath purchased forgiveness and salvation for us know him not as our Saviour Obj. He objects further John 6.41 I am the Bread which came down from Heaven Eph. 4.10 He that descended is the same that ascended Ans Doth this prove that Christ is not our Saviour as God-man purchasing forgiveness for us suffering in our stead but as God only This rather confirms the contrary For this was his main end in coming down from Heaven that he might take our nature on him and by dying purchase forgiveness for us that having finished this work he might ascend again This proves him our Saviour as God-man Obj. p. 70. His Divine Nature hath given us all things that pertain to Life and Godliness 2 Pet. 1.3 To which may be added Isa 45.15 O God of Israel the Saviour These Scriptures prove him a Saviour as God A. As his Man-hood concurs with his God head in applying his purchase to us Rom. 5.10 We shall be saved by his Life Chap. 4.24
for men to found their contrary opinions on the Scripture Paul p. 17. l. 5. enjoying Scripture but for all this Light missing the sence persecutes the Saints 4. Yet this Light may possibly stumble upon the true sense of Scripture in all points necessary to Salvation the Scripture is perspicuous in these and many destitute of the special Illumination of the spirit and all saving grace have been Orthodox in these points 5. The Spirit of God doth by a common operation help men to understand the true sence of Scripture hence the ungodly amongst us believe those truths which Turks and Jews p. 16. l. 3. Will not be convinced of 6. The Spirit of God by a special operation helps the Saints spiritually to apprehend the true sense of Scripture p. 15. The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth understand And this in all points necessary to Salvation The spirit saith Christ shall lead you into all Truth The duty of all is to look up to God by prayer for his spirit in a right manner to understand the Scriptures 1. They are in themselves an infallible Rule That is 1. A Rule that cannot deceive us 2. A Rule which if we practise in all it requires of us we cannot possibly miss of Salvation Three things necessarily concur to make a Rule thus Infallible 1. It must reveal truth for this only leads to heaven 2. It must reveal nothing but truth it must be incapable of revealing any error instead of truth otherwise it may possibly deceive us and we miss of heaven 3. It must reveal the whole truth at least all necessary to salvation otherwise following it we may come short of Heaven That the Scriptures are in themselves an Infallible Rule I proved in the first dispute for there I then began 2 Tim. 3.16 17. All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine c. that the man of God might be perfect throughly furnished to every good work He fled from the argument by a rambling discourse but neither then nor since in his book hath he answered it Let the judicious read p. 15. The proof here is clear For that reveals Truth to us nothing but Truth all Truth necessary to salvation must needs be in it self an Infallible Rule to heaven But the Scriptures reveal Truth given by divine Inspiration Nothing but Truth all Scripture is given no part given by the suggestion of Satan nothing dictated by a principle of darkness Psal 12.6 The words of the Lord are pure words All Truth able to furnish to every good work Therefore an Infallible Rule in themselves 2. They are an Infallible Rule to us That is we can be sure or good and undeceiving grounds that all dictates and directions out of the Scripture are from God and sufficient to guide us to salvation The Miracles of the Pen-men the Efficacy of the word working so good a change on so many in all ages The Innate Characters of divine Authority stamped on the word as the Holiness Majesty Sublimity and Truth of Prophecy suffice abundantly to satisfie our hearts they are from God all from God And satisfied in this their own Testimony their excelling fulness compared with any other Rule what ever and the Consolation of our Spirits upon our Universal and sincere obedience to God speaking in them give us sweet assurance that they are a sufficient guide to Salvation From one of the Characters mentioned the Truth of Prophecy the Apostle Peter hath full assurance that the Scriptures are a most safe Rule to walk by 2 Pet. 1.19 Nevertheless we have a more sure word of Prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take beed Can so much be said for the dictates and directions of every mans heart That they are an Infallible Rule to us That as men may be sure that all directions out of the Scriptures are from God so they can be sure on good undeceiving grounds that all directions out of their hearts are from God It will be said the comparison is not rightly stated it should be so all directions of the Light in every man are from God To this I answer So far as men make the Light within their Rule they have nothing to walk by but dictates or counsels out of their own hearts Let but the Question then be stated as that it might meet with the concerns of men as to their practice and it must be thus I shall not therefore alter the stating of this Question though in the handling of it I shall not wave that Query whether all directions of the Light be infallibly from God 1. Can it be said that out of our hearts we are sure proceed no dictate or direction from darkness or error within as we are sure no directions out of scripture proceed from any such principle Not only in the Unregenerate is there darkness ye were sometimes darkness but in the Regenerate also The word of Prophecy shines in the hearts of believers yet it shines there in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.1 19. compared And this darkness abides whilst on earth 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see in a Glass darkly That Now is whilst on Earth 1. Because opposed to Then which is after this Life is ended 2. Because it is as long as Faith Hope and Charity abideth vers 13. And Now abideth Faith c. and that is whilst we live on Earth darkness and error within will be prompting amiss Have all Men that know the Scriptures as much reason to say we are sure no iuward Counsel that we have proceeds from the suggestion of Satan as to say no Scripture-Counsel is suggested by him Within men are to be found many evil motions from Satan 1 John 4.1 Try the spirits for many false Prophets are gone out into the World The Devil is a busie Agent He filled the heart of Ananias and Saphira to lie to the Holy Ghost He put it into the heart of Judas to betray his Master Obj. These were unconverted Answ Are all Converts free from his Temptations Remember the Devil had access to Adam even in Innocency to Peter And why are Saints bid resist him stedfast in the Faith And to put on the whole Armour of God It is now impossible for men to go astray walking after the Counsels they find within as it is impossible to go astray walking after the Counsels that are found in Scripture Eccles 11.9 Rejoyce O young Man in thy youth and walk in the waies of thy bea rt and in the sight of thine eyes but know that for all these things God will bring thee to Judgement If a man saith I shall have peace though I walk after the imagination of mine own heart the Lord will not spare but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man Can this please God that every man should do what is right in his own eyes 3. Can it be said that the Light in every man dictates in his
heart the whole Truth as much as is necessary to salvation What though it should be able infallibly to tells us that we ought not to commit murther or adultery and direct us in some other few moral duties Yet as long as it cannot infallibly reveal all Truth necessary to salvation for as hath been shewn 't is no full Rule it cannot possibly be an infallible Rule to heaven 4. Can it be said that every man hath an infallible Spirit of discerning the Counsels of this Light within him from the Counsels of darkness sin and error within him and of Satan that hath access to him If every man had such a spirit yet were not this Light to be preferred because it reveals but few truths in comparison of the Scriptures But the unconverted have not p. 16. Paul mistaken was unconverted And saith our Saviour They that kill you shall think they do God service They find no counsel in Scripture putting them upon this therefore they must find it in their own hearts 'T is the Counsel of darkness and error yet taken for the Counsel of their Light for they approve it and think it to be from God They are not therefore infallibly guided in judging the counsels of their hearts Nor have the converted this infallible spirit of discerning the dictates of Light within from the dictates of Darkness The young Prophet could not discern when the old one counselled in the name of the Lord to come back and eat Bread 1 King 1.18 David thought he should please God by bringing up the Ark though in a Cart 'T was by the Counsel of his own heart not of the Scriptures Nathan thought David might build God a Temple 2 Sam. 7.2 3. Since no man hath an infallible Spirit of discerning between the Counsels of Light and Darkness in the heart how can men say of every motion in their hearts I am as sure this is and this is not from God as they can say of all the Counsels in the Scripture I am sure these are from God When men have their right sense of what is counselled in their hearts they may possibly take Error for Truth When they have the right sense of what is counselled in Scripture they cannot We need no infallible Spirit to help to discern the Counsels of Light and Darkness in Scripture for all there comes from God To make the Counsels of the Scripture our Rule is safe To make the Counsels of our hearts dangerous 'T is the way to be led into a thousand errors A deceived heart hath turned them aside 5. May it not be possible for the Light in every man to dictate some error for Truth at least through our fault forcing it to speak when it should be silent Obj. It might be objected that I confessed it to be a Light wrought by the spirit of God in every man and how possibly can a Light of the Spirit of God direct amiss Answ 1. The Spirit the Creator who speaks in the Scripture cannot possibly fall from his goodness and dictate Error But things created are in their nature mutable may fall from their goodness and dictate Error as is to be seen in many of the Angels and in our first Parents Consider Evahs Judgement which was wrought by the Spirit of God Gen. 3.6 The Woman saw that the Tree was to be desired to make one wise She saw 't was an act of her Judgement or that power of judging which the spirit of God had in perfection created in her She saw that the Tree was to be desired 't was false She erred Here you see what the Spirit of God reveals is mutable and falls from its goodness and so dictates Error And if Evahs Judgement failed her may not our power of judging what is Gods will what not call it Light or what you will fail us though created by the spirit of God 2. This Light that Gods spirit hath created in us is now placed there where it meets with much Darkness and Vice to corrupt it But a corrupt Judge will pass a wrong sentence 3. Paul persecuting the Church acted according to his conscience Act. 26.9 I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth The Scripture sets forth Conscience by thoughts Ro. 2.15 Their Conscience bearing witness and their thoughts mean while accusing or excusing one another Therefore Pauls Conscience put him on to persecute The great Query is whether Pauls Conscience did act according to Pauls Light or against his Light or according to his Darkness only his Light standing Neuter Not against his Light for Paul not having studied the Scriptures sufficiently concerning Christ not having attended to the Doctrine of Christ preached by his Disciples was not informed concerning Christ the light he brought with him into the world unable to reveal that there should be a Christ much less that this Jesus of Nazareth is he he therefore had no Light concerning Jesus of Nazareth for his Conscience to act against further though a man may act against his own light yet a mans Conscience never acts against his Light Hence is it that when a man acts against his Light he acts against his Conscience also this ever siding with his Light If it should be said Pauls Conscience acted according to his darkness only his Light standing Neuter I ask what Light was that that stood Neuter Any Light able then to reveal Jesus of Nazareth to be the Christ Since he had no such Light no such Light could stand Neuter Let it be considered God sets up Conscience in man to act according to the best present Light in him This cannot be denied Hence when Conscience hath not satisfying light to act by it is doubtful and refuseth to encourage to act when it hath light discovering such an action contrary to Gods Will it restrains from doing it if it be done it accuseth condemneth When it hath light representing such an action pleasing to God it puts on to do it excuseth approveth a man for doing it And doth it with any confidence encourage to do a thing unless a mans best present light be positively for it Since Pauls Conscience did positively put him on to persecute the Church and this with all confidence I thought verily I conclude Pauls Light stood not Neuter but his present Light his best present light all his best present light was positively for persecuting the Church of Christ Now judge whether this light within may not dictate Sin for Duty Errour for Truth 4. It is possible for darkness to prompt Errour in stead of Truth But this Light which the Spirit of God hath created in every man is darkness Therefore it is possible nay very easie for this Light to prompt Errour and hard in some cases to do otherwise That it is darkness I prove Matth. 6.23 If thine Eye be evil thy whole Body is full of darkness Some peoples eyes are evil and if
their whole bodies be full of darkness it follows that there no true Light at all in them the Light that is is real darkness It therefore is added If the Light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness Luke 11.35 Take heed that the Light which is in thee be not darkness If there were no danger that a mans Light should be darkness what room were there for this warning It is therefore uudeniable that there is a Light in man which is but darkness And I ask what Light is that Not Christ himself in the Saints not his holy Spirit that dwelleth in them not the Light of the Gospel taken in by Faith not the special illumination of the Holy Ghost Tell us then what Light can it be but the Light we brought with us into the world the Light that is in every man He that hath no more but this Light is all Darkness Therefore it is said Eph. 5 8. Ye were sometimes Darkness All darkness Ye had then not one Drachm of Light in you the Light you had was but Darkness Q. But how can this be If it be Light 't is Light how can it be and not be the same thing Ans It can of it self without Scripture teach Moral Duties that God is to be worshipped Parents obeyed c. as hath been hinted often and in this respect 't is Light But it cannot reveal Christ of it self When he is revealed by the Striptures and preaching of the Gospel it cannot discern him nor any other spiritual Mystery of the Gospel for they are spiritually discerned the Natural man with all his Light cannot reach to this And in these two respects 't is meer darkness no more able to guide a man to Salvation than darkness it self Obj. We may not put Light for Darkness Ans When Christ evidently hints the Light within may be darkness must he be thus reproved You may not put Light for Darkness That which in respect of Morals is Light he calls Light and the same being in respect of Spirituals real Darkness he properly calls it so He doth not therefore put Light for Darkness And G. W. himself acknowledgeth Div. of Christ in Answer to Mr. Dawson p. 42. That the Natural man bath not power to discern spiritual things Is not his Light darkness then What he adds yet he hath a power to receive them is very odd For how do men receive spiritual things into their Souls but first by discerning them then approving and embracing them His Reason is miserable for after Conversion he doth saith he receive them He might as well have said the Unconverted hath power to receive spiritual things for after Conversion he doth discern them 'T is as if he should have said When Sampson was an Infant he had power to carry the Gates of a City up the Hill for when he was a man he did it In Conversion we receive a new Light and a new Heart which is a new power to receive spiritual things This Light that is wrought in us by the Spirit of God when put upon it to direct us how to obtain Pardon and Justification bids us seek it by the works of the Law never pointing to Christ therefore at least being forced to speak through our fault where it should be silent as being unable to direct herein it both can and doth misguide It will be yielded in terms I think that there is no Pardon or Justification without Faith in Christ And it hath been proved that this light of it self cannot speak one Syllable of Christ therefore it cannot tell us how to obtain Pardon and Justification If then we will force it to speak in this point it must needs speak Falshood if any thing See it thus directing Rom. 2.13 14. The doers of the Law shall be justified for when the Gintiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law to themselves The Apostle lays down the way of Justification by the Law of works The Doers of the Law shall be justified He proves it for the Light of Nature puts the Gentiles upon doing of the works of the Law that they may be justified having no knowledge of the Law of Grace which direct to Christ by Faith for Justification they walk by the Law of works which is no way to Heaven for a fallen Creature The like we may see in several of the Israelites Rom. 9.32 They sought for Righteousness not by Faith but by the works of the Law And that the Light within them did put them upon this we may see chap. 10.2 I bear them Record that they have a zeal of God This they did then in a zeal for God designing his Glory and to do his will But never doth a man any thing in zeal to Gods glory but when his Reason his Judgment his Conscience his best Understanding the best Light he hath puts him on And that this is not the way to obtain Justification is evident chap. 9.32 The works of the Law are called a stumbling Stone It is a truth indeed that the Doers of the Law shall be justified but no man can possibly be a Doer He that hath once in thought word or deed in all his life broken the Law is not a Doer of the Law but a Transgressor therefore this is no way for our Justification because in our hearts are motions of darkness and errour because Satan hath access to insinuate evil into us because the Light we brought into the world doth not reveal all necessary Truths because we have not an infallible Spirit to discern these few Truths it doth reveal from Errours suggested in our hearts and because 't is possible for this very light it self to suggest errour we are not sure upon good grounds that all Counsels out of our hearts are from God as werare sure all Counsels out of the Scriptures are from God No can we so safely walk after Counsels out of our own hearts for the Counsels of the light within come out of our own hearts as we can safely walk after Counsels out of the Scripture These are infallible to us the other not Before I end I must answer what he brings to prove this Light an infallible Rule Arg. 1. p. 17. l. ult Christ bids us believe in the Light He would not have us believe in that that might deceive us Answ John 12.36 Whilst ye have the Light believe in the Light The words intimate they were like to lose the Light according to the Threat Matth. 21.43 The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you The true sense here is Whilst ye have the Gospel believe in me the Light of the world 'T is not Believe in the Light you brought with you into the World Nor was this to be taken from them Not believing in Christ they were to cary this to Hell with them to torment them for their Sin Arg. 2. The
in our hearts within Answ 1. The spirit dwelling in all believers is sometimes a sweet mover to duty though no indwelling spirit yet by common convictions he strives with unbelievers who do resist the Holy Ghost The duty he puts men upon is agreeable to the Scripture and his motions are not to be quenched Answ 2. The things commanded in the Scripture are to be done whether the spirit inwardly puts men forwards or no Look over these Four last Arguments againe Otherwise supposing the spirit never putting forward within it had been no sin for the Jews before Christs time to reject all the Ceremonial Law nor for us to omit all those duties hinted in the Second Argument Gods commands cease not to be Gods commands either because the spirit doth not within put men on to obey them or because they are written therefore we are to obey them though the spirit within puts not on And this is to obey the spirit or to obey God Therefore according to the Fourch Argument Though men should say the spirit did never inwardly put them on they are certainly to be damned who obey not the voice of God in Scripture And to these I adde this Fifth Argument Otherwise some wicked men in living contrary to the Scriptures do not sin cannot be damned for so doing for some have sinned away the motions and strivings of Gods spirit are past feeling given up to reprobate sense 6. We are to hear what the Spirit of Faith saith to the Churches and this is written Answ 3. Yea Because a thing is written in the Scripture are we to do it If my Faith in God or Christ be weak and I find it written fear not I am with thee You believe in God believe also in me I will in Gods assistance rowl my self and act faith on God and Christ for this reason because I see these sweet words in the Scriptures of God If I feel any want what ever and light on these words Ask and ye shall have Call upon me in the time of trouble Be careful for nothing but in every thing let your requests be made known to God because I find these sweet commands in Gods book I will with Gods help take heart and fall to pray I appeal to any mans Conscience whether I do not well in so doing This Induction might pass for the First Argument and the Second is this For seeing a thing written in Scripture I am the more sure it is the mind and Will of God all Scripture being by divine inspiration therefore I thought for this very reson the rather perform it because I find it written Arg. 3. And why doth God command us to read but that we should obey Deut. 17.19 The King shall read in the book of the Law all the dayes of his Life that he might learn to keep all words of this Law to do them The end of our very reading must be practice A 4th Arg. from Examples see in the close of the Letter that follows The Scripture binds and that in those things of which the Light in every man by it self saith nothing And dares any man say that this Light doth bind the Church of God in those things the Scriptures do not teach Let no man be wise above what is written And now let the Reader judge which is the highest and safest Rule to Heaven the Scriptures or the Light in every man Gods will laid down in Scripture is a full only infallible trying binding Rule to Heaven and that in those things of which this Light saith nothing Gods will so much of it as is discovered by this Light is no Rule at all to heaven because no full Rule not the only Rule hardly distinguishable from the dictates of darkness Sin and Satan insufficient to try all Doctrines by not at all binding the Church in those things the Scriptures do not teach To conclude Mind what a dreadful thing 't is to walk by a false Rule to take that for the way to heaven which is not 1. It is Condemnation 2 Thes 2.11 12. God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a Lie That they all might be damned who believed not the Truth It is a fearful thing to be bound hand and foot for ever to be in utter darkness among Devils in a Lake of fire unable to die God langhing at our calamity because we rejected his Counsels and chose our own ways a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God 2. It is Damnation after hope Mistakers think they see the right way to Heaven and therefore hope but to be damned after hope how greatly will this augment the Misery 3. it is to be damned after pains-taking to be saved after Zeal after Conscientiousness in walking as a man supposeth according to the Will of God The Pharisees were conscientious in keeping the Law and setting up their own Righteousness for Justification but through their Errour missing of Christs Righteousness after all their Zeal and Conscientiousness in doing what they did they are damned and lost to all Eternity How unconceivably miserable it is to be deceived It is our safety our great wisdom to walk by such a Rule as cannot deceive us Scripture-Counsel is full and all by divine Inspiration Walk sincerely according to this Rule thou canst not erre thou canst not be damned If all the dictates of Light within were infallibly the Truths of God yet heart Counsels are some of them from Darkness and the Devil walk after these though never so warily thou maist possibly erre possibly thou maist lose thy Soul To say I will forsake all the Counsels of darkness that are within me and walk only after the Counsels of the Light within me is as if thou shouldst say here is a Cup of Wine mixed with poyson I will drink out only the wine and leave the poyson Friend the Scriptures are a Cup of pure wine no Counsels of Sin Errour Darkness Devils mingling with the Counsels of God Is it not safer drinking there Whether every man be enlightned with a saving Light SO much having been spoken by me and granted by the Adversary touching this Light compared with the Scriptures I did deservedly explode this Question out of the Second Dispute where I had but little time left for discussing the following Questions Yet now I must not decline it Upon two accounts may a Light properly be denominated Saving 1. If it reveals objectively all Truths to us necessary to Salvation This may be called saving because if we obey it in all things we shall certainly be saved Thus the Scriptures or the Gospel contained in them are an external saving Light External I say because it must have entrance by our Senses Rom. 1.16 The Gospel is the power of God to Salvation Eph. 1.13 The Gospel of Salvation Acts 11.14 Words by which we may be saved 2. If it enlightens our Understanding effectually to apprehend all Truths necessary to Salvation
so revealed This may well be called saving because it puts us actually into a state of Salvation and infallibly brings us to Heaven Thus the special Illumination of the Spirit in Believers is an internal saving Light John 17.3 This is Life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent I say the special Illumination for there is a common Illumination not saving It causeth to receive the Seed with joy to taste of the heavenly gift and of the powers of the world to come but it doth not effectually prevail with the whole Soul to prize above life and so entertain and stedfastly cleave to the truths and ways of God This premised 1. I affirm that the Light in every man is not in this latter sense saving It doth not enlighten any mans Understanding effectally to apprehend all Truths necessary to Salvation though they should be revealed before him Arg. 1. What God gives not man hath not a man can receive nothing except it be given him from above But God doth not give to every man a savingly enlightned understanding Therefore every man hath it not I proved that God gives it not to every man Deut. 29.4 The Lord hath not given you eyes to see to this day This was urged the first Dispute G. W. p. 19. They did see v. 2. You have seen all the Lord did Ans What are we to understand by Eyes not given Not an understanding enlightned only with that Light that every man hath for with this they saw all the Lord did therefore an understanding effectually and savingly enlightned This had not been given them to that day He objects They did close their eyes therefore God did not enlighten them Answ It was impossible they should close the Eyes of an effectually savingly enlightned understanding for they never had such eyes to close All men then have not a saving Light Arg. 2. Darkness cannot savingly enlighten The Light in every man is darkness as hath been already proved And who puts darkness for light if not he that puts the dim light of every man for an effectual and saving Illumination Arg. 3. A saving Light breaks the heart for sin Luke 22.61 62. The Lord turned and looked on Peter and Peter remembred the words of the Lord and he went out and wept bitterly Changeth the heart 2 Cor. 3.18 All we beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory Giveth Soul satisfaction in God Psal 89.15 16. Blessed are they that know the joyful sound they shall walk O Lord in the Light of thy Countenance in thy Name shall they rejoice Causeth the Soul to come to Christ John 6.45 Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father comes to me And engageth the heart to Obedience Psal 119.102 I have not departed from thy Judgments for thou hast taught me 1 John 2.4 He that saith he knoweth him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Liar But all men have not their hearts broken changed satisfied in God closing with Christ and Gods ways Therefore every mans Light is not saving How can that be called effectual which doth not effect these things And if it doth not effect these things it never sayes And how can that be called saving which never saves Obj. p. 18. Many rebel against grieve resist the Spirit therefore are given up to hardness Answ But if they had had an effectual saving Light they had not rebelled against grieved and resisted the Spirit their hearts had been changed they had closed with Christ and his wayes This very Rebellion proves they never had a saving Light Obj. Man is not a Block or a Beast that saving Light inevitably and irresistably should force a change upon a Rebel Answ No no but it doth infallibly irresistably in a most sweet manner turn change and win and prevail upon him to close with Christ and his Commandments Saul was a Rebel but when it pleased God to reveal his Son in him Gal. 1.15 Immediately he consulted not with flesh and blood And there is 10 one taught of the Father but comes to Christ Not a Soul that knows God but he keeps his Commandments John 10.16 Other sheep I have which I must bring Then they must come and cannot stay back so irresistably by Love doth Christ win them Arg. 4. If a greater by far and a higher Light be not effectual and so saving much less is this Light that is in every man saving But as hath been hinted there is a common Illumination of the Spirit that goes along with the Preaching of the Gosplel yet not effectual This having the advantage of the Gospel can help a man to so far more than the dim light of Heathens can either reveal or discern Arg. 5. That Light that leaves men in a natural estate can never save For he that is in his natural estate is a Child of wrath But this Light within leaves all the ungodly in their natural estate Arg. 6. That Light which cannot help a man to understand Spiritually the things of God can much less effectually win him to embrace and live to Christ that he might be saved But this Light though it can help to understand literally yet not spiritually the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 with all his Light the natural man cannot know them Arg. 7. That which leaves men under a disability of coming to Christ of breaking off their sins of obeying the Law of God is far from saving But this Light leaves men under a disability of coming off from their sins Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his Skin then may you who are accustomed to do evil learn to do well Their Light could not deliver them from Impemtency A disability of coming to Christ John 6.44 No man can come unto me except the Father draw him Without drawing by a special Illumination for all his Light he is left under an impossibility of coming Rom 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed can be All his Light cannot rescue him from an impossibility of obedience Can such a Light save Arg. 8. If this Light could be effectual to mans Salvation then the special illuminations of the Spirit given or promised would be needless John 16.8 The Spirit shall convince of Righteousness Isa 54.13 All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord Jer. 24.7 I will give them an heart to know me But God doth nothing in vain therefore every man is not enlightned with a saving Light 2. I affirm that the Light in every man is not in the former sense saving It doth not objectively reveal all Truths necessary to salvation This is already abundantly proved when I proved this Light no full Rule To all there I shall here only add Arg. 1. If the natural man with all his Light cannot so much as understand those spiritual Truths which are
help no such Conclusion could appear hence deducible By the use of Reason the Spirit teaceth the Heathen Moral Duties The immediate teaching of Gods Spirit must be that which is done without means Thus God neither by Adams Reason nor any Scripture nor by the works of Creation but immediately by himself taught him that he must abstain from the Tree of Knowledge And after his Fall that the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head And afterwards enjoyned Circumcision to Abraham the Ceremonial Law to Moses speaking to him face to face Immediately by himself did he inspire into the Penmen of the Scripture what they were to write thereby to discover to his people what he would have them to do When he put Prophesies into the mouths of his Prophets sending them with Denunciations against any as the young Prophet against Jeroboam Jonah against Nineveh when he taught Paul the Gospel by Revelation all was by his immediate teaching The Terms opened I shall now lay down what I judge the Truth touching this Point in twelve Answers Answ He who is immediately taught of God his whole Duty hath higher honour than he that is taught it by the Scriptures Answ 2. He that walks by the immediate teachings of the Spirit cannot possibly err in so doing Gods Spirit is a Spirit of Truth But Answ 3. I know but one man of all who ever were in the world unto whom Gods immediate teachings were the highest and safest Rule to Heaven This was Moses Before the Scripture was written God did immediately reveal to him the Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Law The Ceremonial Law was their Gospel Here Moses had the full the then only the infallible the trying the binding Rule by immediate Revelation delivered to him Therefore I conclude Gods immediate teachings were to Moses the highest and the safest Rule to Heaven But can any man shew a second Adam had in innocency immediate revelation it was but part of his Rule and so no Rule of it self to heaven Had Adam obeyed Gods immediate prohibition and violated the Law of Nature written in his heart he had not retained his Innocency bare forbearing that fruit would not have brought him to heaven When afterwards Christ was immediately revealed suppose he had believed in Christ but wholly neglected that remnant of the Moral Law that still was in his heart would that Faith have saved him Single out any of the Prophets who had immediate revelation as to particular things did not the Book of the Law written by Moses bind them even those Commands which could not all certainly have any necessary and apparent connexion with what Truths God immediately inspired into them that they viewing only what was immediately taught them might herein see and hence conclude all their duty as to have no need of any recourse at all to any thing Moses wrote to help them to know and perform any part thereof David was so read though a Prophet in the Scripture and thence learned to fear God Deut. 17.19 Ans 4. It makes for our safety to look up earnestly to pray and use all means for the Illumination of Gods Spirit that the eyes of our understanding being enlightned we may know what is the hope of the Fathers Calling and what the riches of the glory of his Inheritance in the Saints Unto Believers God doth thus reveal that which Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor can enter into the heart of man to conceive Hereby 't is they see Eye to Eye that is brightly Faith being the Evidence of things not seen They see the King in his Glory And this he doth accompanying the Ministration of the everlasting Gospel Luke 4.18 He hath sent me saith Christ to preach recovering of sight to the blind The Gospel therefore is called the Ministration of the Spirit This we must attend upon as Lydia did that we might have our hearts opened and may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge This we may hopefully watch for God hath covenanted I will put my Laws into their minds and purposed to destroy the face of covering cast over all people A. 5. And for our furtherance in holiness let me step a little out we are to look up for Gods gracious Spirit to sanctifie assist and comfort us He is the Spirit of Faith and Love as well as of a sound mind The Spirit of Holiness And Gods Covenant is to put his Laws into our hearts as well as into our minds This obtained we shall be Vessels meet for our Masters use God hath likewise covenaned to put his Spirit into the hearts of his people to enable them to walk in his Statutes Without him we can do nothing But strengthened with all might according to his glorious power nothing shall be too hard for us If God be for us who can be against us We shall be able to do all things through Christ strengthening us And hath not the Son of God promised to send the Spirit as a Comforter Gods Spirit doth shed abroad Gods Love in the hearts of Believers doth make known to them the things freely given them of God doth witness with their Spirits that they are the Children of God doth seal them If we obtain the Spirit in this operation of his though we had even never so much desponding shut up against all comfort and hope we should presently find strong Consolation for when he giveth quietness who then can make trouble As we stand in need of so we may with good hope look up for Gods Spirit to sanctifie assist comfort us A. 6. To return again When we are at a loss at any time for Gods will and the way we should walk in we may very safely look up for the Mediate Objective Teachings of Gods Spirit to be directed As heretofore when Gods people wanted direction in a particular case they enquired of God as in the case of going to War or the like God did immediately shew them his will so now have Gods people good grounds to believe that God will mediately teach them and resolve all their doubts in necessary things if they heartily seek it of him Christ hath said The Spirit shall bring to your remembrance Acts 15. Gods Church was troubled with a doubt necessary to be determined Whether the Gentiles must be circumcised Peter brings an Argument from experience to prove they need not James minds his Argument v. 14. Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his Name And to this saith he agree the words of the Prophet Who brought this to his mind Here we see it fulfilled that the Spirit brings sutable Scriptures to remembrance to teach Gods people in doubtful cases This is the mediate objective Teaching of the Spirit A. 7. But what warrant have all men nay Gods people
now to expect a Revelation of all Truths necessary to salvation by the immediate objective teachings of Gods Spirit It is not for us to expect and promise our selves or others this if the Lord hath no where promised it Can it be proved when Christ saith The Spirit shall lead you into all truth that this is to be understood without means without the Scripture When God saith They shall teach no more every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me The sense is they shall not teach as the unconverted are to be taught who believe not who have no saving knowledge of God at all So they who have received the anointing need not as doubting and unbelieving persons that any teach them that Jesus is the Christ Can it be proved that the words are to be understood in that sense as to exclude the Ministry from edifying the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the Faith This Assertion That God is pleased objectively and immediately by his Spirit to reveal to all men or to his own people at least all Truths and all Duty necessary to Salvation so that they need not mind the Scripture but only wait for these immediate objective Teachings is the Wile of Satan whereby evil men take people off from what they acknowledge the full and the only Rule to lead them into a thousand Errours I prove it an Errour by these Arguments following Arg. 1. God hath promised that in order to his peoples instruction in matters necessary to Salvation his Word shall concur with his Spirit to the end of the world Therefore 't is not his pleasure to teach his people these necessary Truths immediately or without the word much less to teach all men The promise we have Isa 59.21 As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord my Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy Seed nor out of the mouth of thy Seeds Seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Arg. 2. God never from the beginning of the world to the Apostles days so taught his Church much less all men Therefore 't is without reason to imagine he doth so now Not in Innocency for the Moral Law he taught Adam by that Light he was created with which Moral Law contained necessary Truths to his Salvation In Moses's days though he himself was so taught yet none else the Church was taught mediately by Moses his Ministry In the Apostles days the Church was taught by their Ministry The Apostles themselves had immediate Revelation the Prophets also but 1 Cor. 12.29 Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Arg. 3. Excepting Moses there cannot a man be shewn to whom God by immediate Revelation discovered all Duties necessary to Salvation Paul might seem the most likely but though the Gospel was so manifested to him yet not the Law this was partly by the Law of Nature partly by the consideration of the works of Creation especially by the Scriptures How fond is the Conceit then that the whole Church should now be so taught Arg. 4. Had it been Gods purpose in Gospel times to teach all men nay to teach his whole Church immediately all their Duty then would he not have provided for this end Scriptures inspiring his word into Holy men and moving them to write it and enduing them with the Spirit of Prophesie and the Spirit of Miracles to render them credible that without hesitancy his Church might embrace the word wrote by them for the undoubted Truth of God Had this been Gods pleasure he would not have appointed a Ministry and that to continue to the end of the world for this very end to instruct his Church in those Truths that are necessary to Salvation Go preach saith Christ I am with you always to the end of the world And he gave some Apostles some Pastors and Teachers for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come into the unity of Faith Did God provide Scripture and appoint Ministers with an intent not to use them but to do all immediately by his Spirit without them When God gives Means he doth not ordinarily work without means but by them It is worth observation where the Scripture and Ministry are vouchsafed the Heathen attain only to know Moral Duties nothing of Christ Is it not because God concurs to teach them with the means they have the Law of Nature but doth not supply the want of means they have not to teach them immediately Jesus Christ Where therefore he hath given Scriptures and the Ministry he doth not ordinarily teach without them Men may as well expect God should ordinarily preserve life and strength without Bread Arg. 5. Immediate teachings were extraordinary things Therefore not to be expected by all men nor ordinarily and for continuance by the Church Look on them in Abraham in Moses in Samuel or any of the Prophets they were extraordinary Those persons chosen above any for God thus to reveal himself to The Revelation at certain times only 1 Sam. 3. The Lord called Samuel and to him denounced Judgment upon Elies House It was so extraordinary that all Israel v. 20. from Dan to Beersheba took notice of it and hereby knew that Samuel was established a Prophet of the Lord. And v. 21. It is said God appeared to him again in Shiloh This was no ordinary thing Daniel's and Ezekiel's Visions no ordinary things nor were Joseph's and Nebuchadnezzar's and Pharaoh's Dreams nor John's Revelation Every one nay every Believer must not look that the Sun should stand still at his Prayers or the Sea be driven back for him This were to confound ordinary with extraordinary Arg. 6. He that is by the Spirit immediately taught the Gospel can say I received it not of man neither was I taught it but by Revelation of the Holy Ghost But every Believer cannot say so Therefore every Believer is not immediately taught the Gospel Arg. 7. If immediate teaching be a sufficient Rule to Heaven then Believers need not hear the Word or read the Scriptures But God commanding Believers Be swift to hear Remember the Law of Moses my Servant Vnto the word of Prophesie ye do well to attend Thou shalt read Deut. 17.10 puts them not upon a needless duty Arg. 8. If every Believer hath immediate teachings then every one of them can write Gods mind as infallibly as the Pen-men of the Scripture Then every believer may add to the Scripture and enlarge the Churches Canon Whereas Heb. 1.1 God did deliver the Churches Canon by parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but now by his Son which opposed to the former discovers the whole Canon is by Christ delivered no more parts that may be added are now to be expected Arg. 9 They that hold this must either say
God immediately reveals the same Truth and Duty that are contained in the Scripture or divers from these If the same this is to say God doth that of which there is no need at all because 't is done already that he doth that in an extraordinary way which he hath already done in an ordinary He feeds Israel with Manna after that they are furnished with the Corn of Canaan If divers this is to say there is another way to heaven beside that that is laid down in Scripture But it is acknowledged that Gods will laid down in Scripture is a full Rule an only Rule Arg. 10. Satan casts evil motions into us the Spirits are to be tried false Teachers to be convinced Therefore 't is false that we need not mind the Scripture but only wait for immediate teachings Having already proved Satans access to believers the Antecedent is clear The Consequent I thus make good 1. If we cleave not to the Rule given the Scripture and try by it 't is easie for Satan to prevail with us to embrace his injections for good If our first Parents in a state of perfection and knowing it was the Devils Counsel not holding to the Rule given were prevailed upon much more may we who are not always so sure 't is Satan when he is busie with us and who have not attained to Adams perfection 2. Spirits cannot so well be tried false Teachers cannot at all be convinced by immediate teachings as a Rule By the Scripture they may Two things in order hereunto are to be examined the Doctrine of the Spirits and the Lives of the Teachers Suppose then a Jew should teach the Messiah is not come pretending immediate Mission and Revelation for this G. W. to convince him tells him 't is a false Doctrine for I am sent and taught by the Spirit immediately that he is come The Jew laughs at him and tells him he is deluded G. hath no more to say But when Apollos took the Jews to task Acts 18.28 He mightily convinced them and that publickly shewing by the Scripture that Jesus was Christ Again If a man walks naked in the Market-place crying out against sin if another kills himself by Fasting if a third gives himself up to commit Fornication and all these pretend immediate Revelation their warrant it is not sufficient to their Conviction for a man to tell them I am immediately taught of God that in you these are sins The other will deride you fancy your self so taught of God but you know not the depths of the spirit as I do I am a Prophetess saith Jezebel Rev. 2.20 But Gods word written in the Scripture plainly condemning these things in all convincingly shews them odious every where and is enough to stop their mouthes that dare plead for their Lawfulness Arg. 11. I shall adde this The spirit doth not immediately reveal the whole Bible to Believers therefore he doth not reveal immediately to them all their duty For 't is their duty to believe all that is there taught to practice all that is there commanded The Scriptures a binding Rule to prove this Thus it appears immediate Revelation of our whole duty is not vouchsafed therefore have we no warrant to expect it To look for it is presumption to fancy we have it is to pride our selves in a Lye and will cause to despise the Scripture Answ 8. To refuse the teachings of Gods spirit in the Scripture unless so far as they agree with immediate teachings within cannot be safe It is to limit and tempt the Lord to impose upon him as saying thou shalt immediately teach me first or I will listen to nothing in thy Scripture According to this an Heathen coming amongst us and reading or hearing the Gospel must not entertain it because it was never immediately taught him by the spirit A Child must not obey any thing of the Scripture till it be first immediately taught him But If any shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life Rev. 22.19 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them Deut. 27.26 The Scriptures are binding Answ 9. It cannot but be very safe to attend unto and obey the Teachings of Gods Spirit in the Scriptures There is no inward Revelation can be more sure As to us the Scriptures are a more sure word of Prophecy and unto it we do well to give heed And Blessed is he that Readeth Rev. 1.3 If through the assistance of Gods Spirit with sincerity integrity constancy a man walks according to Scripture Rule he cannot possibly miss of Salvation Answ 10. The Holy Ghost will not be offended to have any of his other teachings tryed by his teachings in the Scripture This he approves in the Bereans safely may we therefore embrace what is agreeing with the Scripture safely reject what agrees not with it Gods will laid down in Scripture being the only Rule Answ 11. To make immediate teachings without tryal our Rule is to expose our selves to a thousand errors Answ 12. The teaching of Gods Spirit in the Scripture is the highest and safest Rule to heaven It is most safe to walk by this It is not safe to refuse the teaching of the Spirit in the Scripture because we find not immediate Teachings that agree therewith but very safe not to entertain immediate Teachings of the Spirit until we know they agree with Scripture because we are enjoyned to try the Spirits And now by all that hath been spoken hitherto it easily appeareth that Quakers have have no saving Rule by which they walk no sound foundation on which they build We are built on the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets laid down in Scripture This is our Rule this is our foundation here we fetch all Doctrines for our Faith hence all directions for our practice But what is their Rule their foundation If they say the Light in every man then they must fetch all their Doctrines all their directions hence But this is sand for it reveals but a small part of their duty and not a word of Christ This failing they usually fly to immediate Revelation If this be their Rule their foundation they must receive hence all Doctrine all direction necessary to salvation If they receive some only 't is but a sorry foundation they cannot build on it for full direction If they look for the knowledge of all Doctrines all Duties hence they build on a Castle in the Air a meer fancy for though God can he doth not he never did immediately teach his Church all they were to believe and practice Whether perfection that is a state free from all sin be attainable in this Life LEt the Reader consider one thing that though the Scripture speaks of perfection sometimes in this sense Heb. 12.23 The spirits of just men made perfect 1 Cor. 13.10 When that which is perfect is come Yet not
contrary to Scripture for what is contrary to Truth is Errour Yea we may safely reject as to Faith and Conversation what is beside the Scripture for what is more than our full Rule is more than what is needful is vain Mark 7.7 In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrine the Traditions of men Col. 2.18 Beware lest any spoil you through Philosophy or vain deceit after the traditions of men after the Rudiments of the world and not after Christ Therefore the Scriptures are a safe trying Rule Can so much be said for the Light in every man that we may safely try by this in all cases 1. Can that which is scanty discovering but a small part of Gods Will suffice to try in all Cases 2. Can that which Christ calls Darkness that which is fallible it self keep us from being deceived 3. Can that readily give us satisfaction in all doubtful cases which it self is oft to seek Looking within all that we can see when we are in doubt of a thing is a Dictate Inclination or Consideration for it and another against it Now we are to see and need another Rule to try which of these comes from our Light which from our Darkness Whereas every direction of Scripture is sure and needs not be tried Having our Rule to seek we are like to have our satisfaction to seek also 4. If this be a trying Rule then a man may do whatsoever is right in his own eyes Then publishing Heresie to infect others is no sin nor to be punished by God or man as long as the person doth it according to his Light within No nor Drunkenness nor Whoredom nor Theft nor Self-Murder by fasting supposing the Light within puts any upon it And it hath been proved the Light within may approve of sin as it did of Persecution in Saul 5. If this be the trying Rule then it follows contradictory Opinions may possibly be on both sides true G. W. saith his Light tells him that the Light in every man is a sufficient and safe Rule to guide to heaven I am assured in my very Conscience and from the Scripture it is not He saith Baptism with water and the Lords Supper are no Ordinances of Christ now binding the Church I am assured from all the Light within me and from the Scriptures that they are If what he speaks be according to his Light indeed as what I speak is according to mine then it follows we do both hold Truth whilst we contradict one another for whatsoever agrees with the trying Rule is Truth Obj. p. 18. He that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Ans If he had proved that the Scripture speaks here of the Light in every man he had done something vers 19. This is the condemnation saith Christ that Light is come into the world and men love Darkness Christ speaks of a more full Gospel-light which was then come into the world and not before whereas the Light in every man was in the world ever since men were in the world And we know what Christ calls darkness The sense then is this Gospel-light shines now more than before and at this day in the Holy Scriptures but men follow the dictates of their dark Understandin their Light within even their own apprehensions rejecting Gospel-light This is the Condemnation 5. I assert the Scriptures are a Binding Rule and that in those things which the light in every man doth not of it self teach Arg. 1. The Scriptures did bind in Moses time and after to Christs and in the Apostles time even speaking of things which this Light without extraordinary Revelation cannot discover And if so still To deny that the Scripture did in these things then bind is to say it had been no sin for the Jews before Christ death To reject the whole Ceremonial Law or for the Corinthians to reject the Apostles directions touching the Lords Supper Arg. 2. If the Scripture doth not bind us in such things it will follow we are not bound to believe that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are all three one and the same God or that there shall be a Resurrection of the body that we are not bound to keep the first day of the week a Sabbath to the Lord nor to seek for Regeneration nor to repent of our Fall in Adam nor mourn for our corruption of Nature or for any first motions to sin that we are not to be Baptized or Receive the Lords Supper no nor believe in Christ at all for justification nor to embrace the Gospel consequently that the contrary is no sin for this Light of it self without supernatural Revelation teacheth us none of these things Arg. 3. Gods commands cannot want Authority must therefore needs bind us even in those things this light cannot teach But the Scriptures contein such commands Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy This is his command that we believe in his Son do this in remembrance of me Go teach all Nations Baptizing them This argument was urged in the second dispute not answered there nor since in their book Arg. 4. If we are to be saved in obeying Christ fully that is in things this light speaks nothing of as well as in other things to be damned not obeying Christ in those things this light doth not of it self require then in these things the Scriptures do certainly bind us But the former is true Ezek. 18.21 If the wicked will turn and keep all my statutes he shall surely live not only do what the Light in every man teacheth but all my Statutes Heb. 5.9 Christ is the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey him and we know he hath commanded us in those things this light cannot of it self teach Jo. 12.48 He that receiveth not my word is not Do this Go baptize his word The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him at the last day Ro. 2.16 God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel The Gospel contains commands and mysteries this Light of it self cannot find out Luke 16.29 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them The Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets taught things above the reach of this Light if men therefore will escape that place of torments they must obey the Scripture in such things as well as other 2. Thes 1.7 8. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ The Gospel still prescribes things above what this light can of it self reaveal or reach The Lord God awaken these men How fearful is it to reject the Scriptures as not binding in those things this Light cannot teach us Obj. But we must not do any thing because we see it written in the Scripture but must obey the spirit of God moving