then what were their Epistles Prâ—achings Testimonies c. which proceeded from or were effects of their knowledge they had of God Were they sinful If not the cause and ground thereof could not be sinful therefore away with such sinful stuff and false conclusions upon the Apostles as thou hast uttered For the Wisdom which is from above is pure but yours is from beneath which is corrupt and sinful Priest It s false absurdity put upon our Doctrine that we by it strengthen the hands of wickedness For Answ. Your bad fruits and those that follow you who have learned from your corrupt Doctrines to plead and contend for Sin both from the Pulpits to the Alehouses Taverns and Play-houses do manifest you guilty herein and we not to have wronged you in saying you have strengthened the hands of wickedness by your sinful Doctrine and many of you by your corrupt Lives also Priest For we teach that believers should be dayly by the strength of the Spirit fighting against the flesh Answ. That 's but a cover what incouragment give you them to fight against it when you deny they shall ever over-come and be freed here Priest Paul and Barnabas sinned either both or one of them in that sharp contention Answ. Not all their Life time that contention held not so long as thy and your pleading for sin Priest Who strengtheneth then the hands of wickedness Whether you who teach a believer may not onely Sin but fall away from Truth Grace c. Or we who teach that we do sin but that we cannot thereby fall wholly from Faith from Grace from God c. Answ. Not we but you We exhort to diligence and watchfulness to keep the Faith to make their Calling and Election sure that they may never fall as the Apostles did and warn such as are not come to that growth least they fall and draw back to perdition which tends to beget into more fear watchfulness and circumspection and not into a false security ease and liberty as your Doctrine doth which is for Sin term of Life and yet tell people they shall not therâ—by fall away from Grace c. Priest Dare any of you say there is never any vain thoughts c. in Prayer or anger against those that injure you If you dare say so your Light within is but meer darkness c. Answ. The Controversy is not about our attainment and for us to affirm what we have in that case would not decide it but we do affirm that state is attainable through Faith in the power of God which purifies the heart and our Light is not darkness and the thoughts of the just are right and you that are in your vain thoughts and having anger when you Pray How do you fullfil Gods Command and the Apostles Doctrine To hold up holy hands without wrath and doubting Do not you offer up a Cains sacrifice herein And is not your Light or that which you put for Light darkness Priest There is need even for a David to say cleanse me from my secret sins Answ. Not all his Life time for then he received not an answer to his â—rayer but hâ— testifies otherwise That God heard his Prayer and granted his requests and câ—mmended the state of the undefiled in the way who do no iniquity c. but to argue that because he prayed to be cleansed from his secret sins and therefore was not clean so long as he lived is all one to say therefore God heard him not which is gross and absurd Priest The Commands of God are of use to a believer that cannot fulfil them in his Graces namely to convince him of sin that he may be driven to lay hold on Christ for imputed Righteousness for further supply of his Grace c. Answ. The intent of Gods Commands were that they might be obeyed and fulfillâ—d through that grace and ability God gives for that end and not to be broken and transgressed for unbeleivers yea the world many times are convinced of Sin by the Spirit so thou hast grosly wronged the beleivers in representing their state here but as a convinced state which many who are unconverted are come to whereas they to whom God imputeth Righteousness and not Sin their Sin is covered and in their Spirits is no guiâ—e Psal. 32.1 2. see thy error and confusion Priest For Perfect Righteousness Inherent there is no promises to this sence in all the Scriptures to any beleiver Answ. The work of God and his Righteousness or Image which man was made in is Perfect and this Christ comes to restore into again and God hath promised and made known him for this end And I will wash them from all their filthiness saith the Lord c. The word Inherent is not mine but obtruded upon me from a false intent Priest There are promises of a growth unto Believers and of a fullness but this is to be meant of such as is consistent with some defects and a body of Sin Answ. A growth and a fullness and yet denies Peâ—fection and so the Apostles Doctrine Eph. 4. A gâ—owth and a fullness consistent with a body of Sin Is this the Principle and Faith of the Kirk of Scotland Surely here 's darknâ—ss to be felt Who can raise an absurdiy and confusion from this grosser then it self Doâ—h not this growth and fullness consist by Christ and in him If so By whom consists Sin and its body Do they consist together Or is not the body of Sin put off where the Circumcision of Christ is experienced Priest Zecharias his walking in all the Commands and Ordinances of God blameless This Perfection was consisting with misbelief Luke 1.6 20. Answ. A gross errour again his blamelesness was in his walking in all the Commands of God but his mis-belief was after and was reproved or blamed by the Angel for he was smitten for it But thy Doctrine tells us quite contrary as much as mis-belief is blameless because blamlesness consists with it as thou implyest But this is like much more Priest David Job Daniel their failings are noted which I might cite if I did not study brevity Answ. So are their deliverances noted and if thou wert not partial and of a wrong Spirit thou wouldest note them How hast thou studied brevity to stuff up near 10 sheets of paper with quarrelling and cavilling against us in reply to so little as was writ to thee Priest How shall they believe without a Preacher Gods ordinary appointed Way for begeting Faith is by Preaching and not by immediate teaching alone without Preaching Answ. Gods appointed Way for begeting Faith is the Word of Faith whcih is nigh in the heart which the Apostles Preached and the inward teaching of the Spirit without which there is no true and effectual Preaching which directs and brings to the Word Christ the Word is the Author of Faith whom God hath appointed for Salvation and he teaches both immediatly and instrumentally both inwardly and
through Preaching openly he is not limitted yet no Preaching is truely effectual without him who is the chief Teacher For Priest It might have been answered by one of your oppinion 2. Paul your question is idle and vain for most men believe without a Preacher they shall believe the Light within teaching them Answ. If they cannot Preach except they be sent then who must send them and give them power for that work but Christ Secondly Neither do we so accuse Pauls question with being idle nor say that most men believe without a Preacher especially if they believe the Light within teaching them for that is Christs Light who is the true Teacher which brings to the substance of true Preaching and Teaching which proceeds from the Light within Priest The Scriptures Preached or the things contained in them is the ordinary way of begeting Faith Answ. The things contained in them seems a little to mend thy matter which things contained were before the Scriptures or Writings were and extend farther for some had and performed the things contained in the Law which had not the Law Viz. outward and many in this day can testify that the Spirit and Light within hath manifested within many things contained in Scripture before they read them outwardly there Priest The whole council of God Paul sheweth forth Act. 20.27 yet no other things then those which Moses and the Prophets did say the Scriptures Act. 26.22 Answ. All Pauls Preaching or his whole council from God is noâ— Recorded there but little in comparison of what he Pâ—eached Recorded he continued his Speech or Preaching till midnight ver 7. and talked even till break of day Where is this Sermon Recorded Many Scriptuâ—es and Books were writ by the holy men which we have not in the Bible were it not grose and false therefore to exclude them as no part of the councel of God Priest Is not that another Gospel that all the world over are taught Christ and his Gospel Answ. It is not our Gospel therefore unjustly charged against us for not all the world over are taught or are learned Christ and his Gospel though all have a Light from him sufficient to teach Priest In the use of Scriptures we are to expect he will beget Faith by his inward Teachings and Workings on the heart Answ. the matter is somwhat mended in confessing to his inward Teaching and Working on the heart but in that it seems to be tyed up or limited to the use of the Scriptures this dâ—nyes the sufficiency and extent of the Spirits inward Teaching which many have who cannot read nor use Scriptures and those who having not the Law were a Law to themselves and shewed the works of the Law written in their hearts c. though the Scriptures of Truth in their place we must needs own in that Spirit that gave them forth but whereas other-whiles Preaching is made the cause but now the Scriptures this is to make the Scriptures and Preaching all one and â—hen people may spare their mony they give to Priests for Preaching and giving their Interpretations to the Scriptures and onely read them with expectation of Christs inward teaching and working on the heart which indeed ought to be inwardly and Spiritually expected and waited for Priest He bid them search the Scriptures for in them they thought to have eternal life and they testified of him Joh. 5.39 this thought could not be a delusion Ans If this thought of their having Eternal Life in the Scriptures was not a delusion then they had Eternal Lâ—fe according to their thought but Christ testifies the contrary against â—hem in the following words saying Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life so to affirm they had it in the Scriptures is to affirm they had Christ in the Scriptures and that their searching them was their coming to Christ which is both contrary to their state and opposite to Christs own words of them that they would not come unto him that they might have Life And this contradicts thy former and much of thy stuff about Scriptures Priest â—f the searching and believing the Testimony of Christ given by the Scriptures be not really to find Eternal Life but an error c. such a thought as we blind Priests have then Christ would have told them of that error and bid them look for Life by following the Light within Answ. Believing the Testimony of Christ and searching the Scriptures are to things and the belief of which Testimony comes not barely by sâ—aâ—ching them for if it did then all that searched them had that belief and so Life c. which is contrary to the truth of what is apparent concerning many and to Christs own words of them they thought to have Eternal Life in the Scriptures and yet had neither heard the voyce of God at any time nor seen his shape they not believing him whom he sent nor would come to Christ that they might have Life Priest The Fathers before the Scriptures were written had the things contained in them by Revelations audable Voices Visions Dreames c. not by the Light within your Enthusiastick Fancy Answ. Yes It was by the Light within that they had the knowledge of those and had Revelations Prophecies c. For the Word of Prophecy was a Light to them and the inspiration of the Almighty gave them understanding when God spoke in a dream or vision of the night c. and God hath promised to pour down his Spirit upon all flesh that sons and daughters may prophecy young men may see visions c. Joel 2. was this a fancy Or to be mockt at as thou hast done Your Enthusiastick Fancy thou sayâ—st what grose error and ignorance hast thou herein shewed Priest That Christ will now beget Faith without the Scriptures Preached or known it were as good an inference to say because that by faith in Jesus Christ to come in the flesh the Fathers under the old Testament were saved therefore though one should not believe that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh yea though he should deny he is come he may be savâ—d if he believe he is to come Answ. An unequal parallel and false inference and abuse against us to compare the Scriptures with Christs coming in the flesh or to bring them in competition therewith and how did the Fathers know he was to come but by the Light or Spiâ—it of Prophecy within And how did the Saints truly and effectually know he was come but by the understanding and Eternal Life he had given them From whence Scriptures were given and from whence they spoke and wrot Priest 1. You deny the main end of Scriptures which is that we by believing what is written of Christ. 2. In them may have Eternal Life Joh. 20. 3. That we may find Eternal Life by searching they testify of him Answ. Nay the main end of Scriptures we cannot deny whilst we own and testifie to that Spirit
they can serve him no longer Pr. They may mean and understand that the perfect holiness of both Soul and Body is not to be till the Resurrestion which is nothing differing from that which I say I do not say that the Body in the grave is capable of holiness till it be raised Answ. If this doth nothing differ from what thou sayest it s very strange didest not say a little before upon his dying What 's done upon his dying Is he made wholy free from Sin yea or nay If thou meanest onely the Soul that that 's onely freed from Sin at death or upon dying and not the Body till it be raised as thou sayest Then what becomes of the Sins and impurity of the Body in the mean time or the defilments and pollutions thereof Doth it dye with the Body seeing the Soul is pure when it ascends to God Or if the Body be not capable of Sin in the grave Then where is the being of unholiness and corruption to be done away so long after death as is imagined Or to say that perfect holyness of both Soul and Body is not till the Resurrection how long after death you know not Doth not this make for the Papists imagination of a Purgatory For if the being throughly purged from all unholiness be not till after death it must be some where but this your Doctrine is contâ—ary to the Apostles who said How can we that are dead unto sin live any longer therein And being made free from sin c. He hath washed us from our sins in his own blood c. Pr. From Pro. 24 16 It cannot be so properly said The godly fall seven times into trouble and riâ—e again Answ. Yes The godly falls into many troubles and afflictions but God delivereth them out of them all And he is with them in six troubles and in seven he will not forsake them And its plain from that of Pro. 24.15 16. that the just mans falling sevâ—n times and rising again is of another nature then the wickeds falling into mischief for in verse 15 16. its said Lay not wait O wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous spoyl not his resting place For a just man falleth seven times and riseth up again but the wicked fall into mischief It is not said as many of you have wronged the Scripture that the Righteous man sins seven times a day yea some of the Priests and Professors have not onely said so but have also said that the most Righteous man that is or ever was sins seven times a day which is a deceit and corruption put upon Scripture Pr. As for my saying a day it was a mistake of the citation of the place though it s not contrary to sence for Christ saith to Peter that he should forgive his Brother seventy times seven times which implyeth that a Brother may offend in the day time A. If he who is a Brother may offend in the day time Doth it therefore follow that all the godly or brethren do fall into sin seven times a day And wilt thou to serve thy perverse and corrupt end say in that a Brother may offend seventy times seven therefore he Sinneth seven times every day all his time Surely thy implicite consequence is a mistake and error and thou hast wronged the Scriptures as well as thy citation of the place mentioned But we see thou wilt stand by the Devils Cause though thou comest never so feebly off yea and fall with it Pr. I grant that the Child of God cannot Sin totally and finally and whoso doth it is of the Devil Answ. Herein again thou hast wrested and added to the Scripture as often before Totally and Finally are thy own words and not the words of John who affirmed That he that 's born of God sinneth not neither can he To say he that commits Sin Totally and Finally is of the Devil Is this all the distinction of the Devils Servants and Children from the Children of God How miserably hast thou pleaded Gods Childrens cause Surely they have no Reason to be beholding to thâ—e but may justly exclude thee for wronging of them Pr. In the sence ye imply it that he who Sinneth at all or in whom their 's any defect thus none living then ever knew or saw him Those who are commended for knowing him Sinned Secondly Job cursed his day David what sad falls he had is known Jeremiah the Apostles all of them Answ. That he that Sinneth and is of the Devil and that he that Sinneth not who is of God are two contrary births and that which is born of the spirit is spirit as that which is born of the flesh is flesh which if thou knewest the difference of and were seperated from the evil and joyned to the good thou wouldest not go about to confound them nor grosly to pervert the Scriptures and to accuse Gods Birth or Child as thou hast done Secondly And why doest thou not tell us of their deliverances as well as their falls and of their conquest which by dâ—grees they obtained in their Life time But this would make against thee and thy ill cause for Sin and Sathan whose work thou art in Pr You say a Believer is free from all Sin which we suppose you meant of a Believer from the very instant that he begins to be a Believer as ye said that the Spirit cannot be united unto Sin Answ. Nay It is not our Principle that a Believer from the very instant that he begins to be a Believer is free from all Sin thy supposition herein and much of thy matter grounded upon it is false thou hast gone about to overthrow our Principles when thou art yet to learn what we hold in this matter For a man is a Believer whilst in the faith he is warâ—ing against Sin and waiting to obtaine victory over it and to come into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God The victory is not obtained at the very first beginning of Gods work in a Soul but by degrees through Faith which purifies the hearts of them that believe and receive power in the Light of Christ and Spirit of Life to become the Children of God and of the Light which hath no unity with Sin nor can have with persons but as they forsake Sin and come out of it Pr. As you contradict your self so you do the Truth For can Sin be in any man and the actions flowing and the man not be Sinful If Sin be in a man doth it not defile him Answ. If the actions of Sin be flowing from a man he is sinful but there is a time when the Beleiver warreth against Sin and can say as Paul did It s not I that Sins but Sin that dwelleth in me And there 's a time wherein there be Sins that do easily beset and when Sin is presented in the Temptation when it is not yeilded unto but withstood and by degrees overcome by Faith in the power
the Books of Exod. Lev. Num. and Deut. and 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4 5. They cat the same spiritual bread and drank the same spiritual drink drank of the Rock which was Christ yet many of them were Idolaters lusters after evil thoughts committed Fornication Tempters of God Murderers c. See how fully these Priest have proved the falling away from Grace for which they have so much accused us with Popery and Arminianisme what a Babel are they in and Was not that spiritual Bread and Drink and Rock which they did eat and drink of saving Grace Baptizm Viz of Infants brought them to the Church is an ordinary means for Salvation pag. 37. We are baptized into Jesus Christ and his death Rom. 6.3 and it s Instituted for the remission of sins Act. 2.38 It s that which signifies our putting on Christ our renewing by the Spirit our washing by remission of Sins our being buried with Christ c. Then it s not the Sign nor Shadow but the Substance that brings into the true Church that saveth that Baptizeth into Jesus Christ and his death and this is that one Baptisme of the Spirit Infants Baptisme or Sprinkling approved its the Initial Seal of the Covenant which the Children of believers ought to be under The Apostle Peter sayes Act. 2.38 39. That those to whom the promise is should be Baptized and vers 38 repent and be baptized Mat 28. Go teach all Nations Baptizing them Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved And Rom. 6.3 We are baptized into Jesus Christ and his death pag. 37. Those that are capable of such teachings repenting believing are not Infants of a week old and teach baptizing into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost was by the Power and Spirit that went along with their Teaching and Mynistring pag. 28. They have no Light in them who speak not according to the Law and the Testimony and tell us of a faith in Christ without the Scriptures pag. 31. Wicked men who rebel against the Light have the Light of a natural conscience spoken of Rom 2.14 and the common work of the Spirit The Work of the Spirit of God in the hearts of wicked men convicting them is not natural nor from a natural Light for it is the Spirit that so worketh in them which you call common but your confessing a natural Light in them contradicts your saying they have no Light in them but the Law is Light and the Testimony of Jesus the Spirit of Prophecie which the true Prophets spake from and they that spake not according to this Light there is 〈◊〉 morning to them but they are in the dark where the Light 〈◊〉 before it shine out of darkness Some Queries of Alexander Skein sometime Baily of Aberdeen upon his forsaking the publick Worship there and joining with the People of God in scorn called Quakers Query I WHether or not should any Act of Gods Worship be gone about without the motions leadings and actings of the Holy Spirit Query II If the motions of the Spirit be necessary to every particular duty Whether should he be waited upon that our whole acts and words may be according as he gives utterance and assistance Query III If every one that bears the name of a Christian or professes to be Protestants hath such a uninterupted measure thereof that at any time they may without waiting go immediately about the duty Query IV If there be an indisposition and an unfitness at some times for such exercises at least as to the spiritual and lively performance thereof Whether the duty ought to be performed in that case or at that time Query V If any duty be gon about under pretence that it is in obedience to the external command without the spiritual life and motion necessary Whether such a duty thus performed can in faith be expected to be accepted of God and not rather reckoned as bringing strange fire before the Lord seeing it is performed at bâ—st by the strength of natural and acquired parts and not by the strength and assistance of the holy ghost which was typified by 〈◊〉 Fire that came down from heaven which alone behoved to 〈◊〉 the Sacrifice and no other Query VI If duties gone about in the mere strength of natural 〈…〉 parts whether in publick or in private be not all really 〈…〉 matter an Image of mans invention as the popish worship though it be not so gross in the outward appearance and therefore as real superstition to countenance any worship which is of that nature as it is to countenance popish worship though there be a difference in the degree Query VII Whether it be ground of offence or just scandal to countenance the worship of those whose professed Principle is neither to speak for edification nor to pray but as the holy ghost shall be pleased to assist them in some measure less or more without which they will rather chuse to be silent then to speak without his Influences ERRATA Pag. 10. lin 8. for Polythrites read Polytheites pag. 16. lin 21. for to read two pag. 18. lin 30. for to write read or writ pag. 31. lin 9 for Christs read Christ pag. 32. lin 12. read in it for spake read speaks pag. 33. lin last for Revelation read relation pag. 41. lin 20 for imperative read Superiour pag. 53. lin 14. read subjoyne pag 56. lin 37. for Answer read reply from pages 56. and. 66. the pages are misfigured pag. 62. lin 33. read Pr. An. pag. 64. lin last read Pr. An. pag. 72. lin 27. not read nor l. in .32 for which read such as p. 80. l. 9. del which p. 81. l. 33. r. a perfect cleansing p. 82. l. 5. r. work in part p. 83. l. 1. f. that as r. that a. p. 84. l. 5. f. is r. Iesus l. 33. r. your deceitful p. 85. l. 31. del 31. l. 30. r. p. 35. l. 37. r. and cup. p. 87. l. 5. r. such a great l. 7. f. any r. all l. 19. r. we are not 29. r. theire infants p. 88. l. 8. f. 85. r. 35. l. 17. f. the r. theire 24. f. the. r. theire 39. del the. FINIS
corruption remaining still in them whereas his Will was to the good his Mind and Affections were on things above when converted and victory obtained and the viâ—e affections and desires mortified which they that are Christs have crucified and his saying With my mind I serve the law of God but with my members the law of sin related to the state of his Warfare and shewes an opposition in his mind against serving sin But thy Doctrine signifyes thus much as if he had said with my Mind I serve sin and with my Members I serve sin yea with my Mind Will and Affections I serve sin and the Law of God both this were a serving two Masters And then where 's the contrarâ—eâ—y and opposition thou speakst of afterward Pr. I said There was Flesh and Spirit in him so that neither the operations of the Flesh or Spirit were compleat and perfect because of the opposition they have one to the other the Flesh and Spirit are contrary one to another Ans. Thy making the opposition between the Flâ—sh and the Spirit and their contrariety one to the other thy reason to prove that neither the operations of the Flesh or the Spirit were compleat and perfect it proves the quite contrary for the Spirits opposition to the Flesh and its contrary operation proves that the Spirits operation is pure and compleat against that which lusts against it and so against the fruits and works of the Flesh which are absoluâ—ly also opposite to the fruits of the Spirit yet they through the Spirit came to mortify those deeds and works of the Flesh which were corrupt Pr. Ye cannot do those things that ye would because he could not Will them perfectly Ans. It s God that works in the believer both to will and to do and his Work is perfect and to whose Will mans Will ought to be subject Pr. If all the imperative faculties of the Will and Mind and inferiour of the affections be fully and strongly joyned for any action the members of the body cannot but be obedientially c. Ans. Then such as have the mind of Christ whose Wills and Minds are subject unto his as theirs whom he calls his Brethren and whose affections also are set upon things above such have unity with Christ and in their faculties as thou callest them and therefore their members must needs be obedientially subject as theirs who are sanctified throughout in Body Soul and Spirit Pr. What part of him did sin dwell in if neither in his Mind Conscience Affections c. Ans. He said In his flesh dwelt no good thing but it was not all his life time of continuance Pr. If you can find out any other faculty of the Soul which can be a seat for sin to dwell in then these three the Schooles will be beholding to you for your new Philosophy Ans. We may therefore see what Schooles and Discipline you have that would be beholding to us to find out some other faculty of the Soul for sin to dwell in but me-thinks thou shouldst intend better then thy words import and have said You would be bebeholding to us to shew you another which is no seat for sin and that you should not seek for more room for sin for it hath as much room amongst you as you can afford it in all the facultys both superior and inferior both in the Wills Minds and Affections But so it had not in the Children of the Light Pr. The pure Protestant Religion which is held out from Scriptures Answ. Is that your pure Protestant Religion that pleads for sin in all the facultyes of the Soul An impure Religion and Doctrine of the Ministers of sin pure Religion where it is there 's a keeping unspotted of the world Pr. There is a Righteousness of Christs Sufferings and Merit imputed c. which begets Peace which may consist with sin in a believer though thereby no Condemnation to him Answ. Christs Righteousness is known to be pure and perfect and not to consist with sin for they are inconsistant and the believer that 's come to a fellowship of Christs sufferings and a conformity to his death to know his Righteous Will by faith imputed he walks after the spirit not after the flesh and to such there 's no condemnation Rom. 1.8 Pr. Cleanse thou me from my secret sins Answ. Then let not secret sin remain in me all my Life time let not sin and corruption remain in all the faculties of my Soul so long as I live Pr. There is a Righteousness which is the same with Sanctification which is not perfect and compleat therefore no man by this inherent Righteousness is Justified Answ. What Righteousness and whose is it which is the same with Sanctification which is not perfect Is it Christs yea or nay And Is Sanctification imperfect in this Life And Is this that thou callest inherent Righteousness In this thou hast but acted the part of Sathans mâ—ssengers as hore-tofore and contradicted the Apostles Doctrine who preached to present men perfect in Christ and exhorted to purge themselves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit and so to a perfecting of holiness in the fear of God And Was not Christ made unto them Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption And is he devided or imperfect in what he is to the Saints What grose and faâ—se stuff hast thou implyed and vented And it was they that were washed and sanctified that were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God See 1 Cor. 6.11 Pr. You do not admit of this Doctrine Your new Light you pretend is nothing but old damnable Popery Ans. Our new Light as thou callest it is the Light of Christ the same the Apostles preached and bears witness to their Doctrine against thine and the Priests who oppose it And its Blasphemous and Damnable in thee to deem this our Light nothing but old damnable Popery it will appear that thou art nearer Popery then we in thy contending for sin term of Life but onely thou tellest us not of a Purgatory Pr Paul had victory begun but not compleated except from the the Condemning Power of Sin but the Reigning Power and Defiling was not subdued totally c. Ans. Confusion And contrary to Pauls Doctrine and state to tell of victory and yet the Reigning Power and Defiling not subdued totally as much as to say his Enemy was conquered and yet Reigned still whereas he said He had fought the good fight of faith and had kept the faith he was more then a conquerer through Christ that loved him And they to whom there was no condemnation were in Christ and walked not after the flesh but after the spirit And was there not such as were compleat in Christ to whom Paul wrote and dost not believe that he had attained to as high a growth as any of them to whom he writ or preached consider it Pr. In the present time I am sold under sin
c. were not Scripture but he falsly went about to have backed them with Scriptures contrary to the end and intent of the Scriptures Pr. You answer blasphemously that they thought to have Eternal Life in the Scriptures as if our Lord Jesus Christ was fomenting them in a deceit of their own hearts in bidding them search the Scriptures for to find him in them and so Eternal Life An. Thy charge against my answer is false and I vallue it not that Christ should bid them search the Scriptures to find him in them this is a strange Doctrine and worse then the former to lay that upon Christ which he never intended nor spake his words were not that they might find Christ in the Scriptures nor Eternal Life but in them ye think to have eternal life whereas they would not come to him that they might have Life and so Doest thou think that Christ that dyed at Jerusalem was to be found in the Scriptures Pr. That Christ has paid a ransome for those that wilfully trample under foot the blood of the Son of God those places are understood by you of every individual person in the world that he tasted death for them is false contrary to the Scriptures and maketh the death of Christ to be vain and exalteth free will An. what we understand of those places of Scripture is neither false nor contrary to the Scriptures as falsly and erroniously thou hast accused us for that Christ died for all that were dead in sins tasted deaâ—h for every man gave himsâ—lf a Ransom for all is the propitiation not for our sins onely but for the sins of the whole world is plain in the Scriptures which ignorantly thou quarrels against Pr. If Christ did pay a Ransom for the Soul of Judas he hath Redeemed him those for whom he hath given himself he Redeemed from all iniquity but the damned and reprobates are not Redeemed Those for whom Christ came he is a Saviour unto and saveth them from their sins How are they lost if he came to save them But this argueth either defect of wisdom that he did not foresee such an intention of his death would prove frustrations or else want of power to effectuate his intention of saving them An. Christs absolute intention and will is not made voyd nor wants he power to effect it but such an intention we did not lay upon his death to save all And as for the death of Christ and his intention of saving being made vain and frustrations either from defect of wisdom or want of power these are both false for his intention therein consists with his good will and freeness towards all for I did not say that his intention was absolute to save all but I do say it was an intention of good to all according to the good will of God towards all who willeth not the death of sinners but rather that they may return and live But Christ in his suffering and death was passive and the putting forth of his power to save such as are saved stood not barely therein though his good will therein appeared but we are saved by his life But are the damned and reprobates such because ordained of God so to be or because Christ died not for them according to thy Doctrine And so Must the cause of their destruction be laid upon God and Christ or upon them for rejâ—cting free Grace resisting the councel of the Lord not liking to retain God in their knowledg and trampling under foot the blood of the Son of God as thou hast confessed before to thy own contradiction who so much hast cavilled against us for confessing to the free Grace of God and Christs dying for all or every man But this is like your pitiful narrow and partial Presbiterian Spirit and Principle that would so limmit God in the dispensation of his Grace and tye it up in such a narâ—ow compass and What was the cause of Judas his fall And Who was the Authour of his Transgression Was God or he to be blamed therein And Had not he Grace given him before seeing that by Transgression he fell Will thy telling us so often of Judas clear thee or confute us How silly aâ—d weak hast thou shewed thy self in this matter Pr. Those all for whom he dyed cannot be meant of every individual person for they live to him and not to themselves but the wicked that perish live not to Christ. Secondly Neither would Christ evâ—r give himself his blood a Ransom for them for whom he would not pray but he saith he prayeth not for the world Joh. 17. An. Thou hast herein wronged the Scripture and erred for it is not all for whom Christ died that live to him for 2 Cor. 5. chap. ver 14 15. If one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again Now they which live unto him are not those all for whom he died And Christ praying not for the world at that time 2. John 17. is no argument that he did not give himself a Ransom for all for though at that time he prayed not for the world but for the disciples or such as were chosen out of the world who were in the world before they were chosen out of it yet at other times he did pray for his persecutors and such as were of the world as also exhorted his to pray for their enemies and persecutors c. Pr. Judas never got saving Grace nor that same Grace that Peter got and therefore could not reject it An. Judas had part of the Ministry that the other Apostles had and Did not that proceed from saving Grace Or What Grace How blind art thou And wherefore was Judas condemned then Was it because God refused to give him saving Grace or for his own transgression Pr. The Scriptures import that Christ is a propitiation for all the Elect which are called all the world An. John said He is the propitiation for our sins and were not they the Elect and not for ours onely but for the sins of the whole world Must we believe thy meaning contrary to the very words of Scripture or were the whole world all the Elect How hast thou wrested plain Scripture herein Pr. Who is it that hath put the difference betwixt Peters believing from Judas mis-believing Whether it be Gods Grace to Peter denied to Judas An. Where provest thou it was denied to Judas or that Judas had no part of the same Grace For before thou sayest wicked men have the common work of the Spirit but in contradiction sayest which is not supernatural from Rom. 2.14 Were thâ—y then wicked men spoken of there Which did by nature those things contained in the law and shewed the work or effect of the law written in their hearts What then are they that Rebel against the law if they that
taken from him by a greater then he We have peace with God but are all compassed about with infirmities and subject to passions as was Elias We are cleansed from all sin by the Blood of Christ. Aâ—l passions are not sinful passions for passions are sufferings for it could not be that Paul and Barnabas were subjects to the like sins with those Idollaters Act. 14.13 14 15. when subject to like passion with them Here is another Arminion and Popish error that believers may fall from Grace A believer may fall Peter and David sinned foully Surely their sinning so foully was not in the Faith but when they were turned from it which required their repentance That Peter and David fell from Faith is an Arminion and Popish error Evil works come not from Faith Then the evil works they did were out of and against the Faith and had they stood in the Faith they had been kept from those evil works Peter and David had their failings Viz. till deaâ—h Eliah an old Prophet subject to like passion as we are c. Christ said to Peter I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Doth signify when he should be fully recovered And surely Peter was so converted or fully recovered as to strengthen his Brethren before his decease and like passions were like sufferings which may relate to sickness Jaâ— â— 13 14. or other afflictions for Paul and Barnabas were not subject to the like Sins or Idollatry with those heathens Act. 14.15 It is not sad Doctrine as you say but comfortable that as believers may fall as Peter and David whereas he doth not fall wholly away but hath still the Seed of Grace remaining in him p. 24. The sad breach that Peters fall made on his Soul did weaken his Grace and cloud his comforts very much There are remains of sin within us which we are to mourn for If sin did very much cloud his comforts and be the cause of mournings as it was both to David and Peter then for you to plead for sin term of life cannot be a comfortable Doctrine unless to such as be hardened in sin and take pleasure in it Which improvment of the Light within must indeed come from free will and consequently ye hold Merit We must put on the whole armour of God and war against sin pa. 23. Do not they improve the Light who war against sin and this is not of or from mans will in the Fall but from the power that converts and works in him to will and to do There are remains of sin within us while we live here which we are to mourn for The kingdom of God is Righteousness Peace Joy in the holy ghost Twenty sixth Page Therefore sin which is the cause of sorrow hath no place in the kingdom of God which the Saints attain to here Faith is an habit and an imperfect creature Saving Faith is given of God and is a saving enlightning of the Soul to know Christ Faith is a Sanctifying Light What strange Doctrine is this that an imperfect creature is a Saviour an Enlightener a Sanctifier and doth the Kirk of Scotland receive this for Orthodox The Gift of God is perfect and every good and perfect Gift comes from God Those who tell us of a Faith in Christ without Scriptures have no Light in them pa. 28. Twenty sixth Pag. The Jewes wilfully rejected the Light and shut their eyes against it wicked men who rebel against the Light have the Light of a natural Conscience and the common work of the Spirit Then they had the Light and the work of the Spirit is not natural but no Light in them excludes natural Light as well as spiritual from being in them whereas in that Isa. 8.20 it should be no morning in stead of no Light Jesus Christ bid them search the Scriptures for to find him in them They might have Life by the true spiritual knowledg of Faith these who believed and had Life did own the Light within and who denieth that is Christ sheweth by the Spirit of Revelation and Wisdom within Now Supernatural Knowledg Light within Spirit of Revelation and Wisdom within is confessed but another while imediate teaching power c. is denied by those who think to find Christ in the Scriptures but Is that Christ that suffered at Jerusalem to be found in the Scriptures How blind are you Priests of Scotland The Child of God cannot sin Totally and Finally There is no man liveth and sineth not Those for whom Christ hath given himself he Redeemeth from all iniquity How from all iniquity and yet sin so much contended for by you These all for whom Christ died cannot be meant of each individual person of the world how are they lost if he came to save them this argueth defect of wisdom to foresee want of power to effect his intention pa. 31. He died for all some have wilfully rejected the Grace given that wilfully trample under foot the blood of the Son of God There is neither defect of wisdom nor want of power in Christ but wilfulness and rebellion in man that lets he died for all his Grace is freely tendered that they may believe and be saved But this is not by absolute compulsion and force as if therefore he were absolutely intended to save all but Love and Good Will is shewed towards all many wilfully reject and trample upon it as is confest Motions of Satan and our deceitful hearts are to be tried it is comfortable Doctrine that a believer may fall as David and Peter Those that got a new heart from God and his fear put in them they do not depart nor revolt It is the deceitful hearts that are comforted with such Doctrine that is for falling as David and Peter did and not the new heart in which Gods fear is put The Scriptures do reveal the Mysteries pa. 27. Jesus Christ sheweth by the Spirit of Revelation and Wisdom within pa. 30. The Scriptures testifie of the Mysteries but then Christ by that Spirit within Reveales them The Scriptures being many words of God taken together they are called the Word of God pa. 25. The Scriptures calleth Christ the Word of God in some places Christ the Word was before the Scriptures or the Words besides one word is not many words nor many words properly to be taken for one word Is not the Father distinct from the Son and the Spirit in the personal Subsistance pa. 31. Both the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost are a Spirit pa. 33. Both â—or all a Spirit and yet distinct in personal Subsistance Where learned you this Doctrine Not from the Scriptures Ye do not own what the Scriptures assert but your own blasphemous fancies Viz. about the Deity three Persons distinct in the personal Subsistance pa. 32. Ye say ye own what the Scriptures of Truth assert of the God-head That there are three that bear record in heaven
The Principal Controversies BETWEEN The Litteral Presbyters of the Kirk of Scotland and the Illuminated Members of the Church of Christ CALLED QUAKERS Truly Collected Stated and Opened in a particular Reply herein specified for general Information and undeceiving the deceived By an earnest Contender for the most Holy Faith which was once delivered to the Saints G. W. 1 Tim. 6.20 Avoiding prophane and vain babling and oppositions of science falsly so called 2 Pet. 2.12 But these as natural bruit Beasts speak evil of the things they understand not c. Vers. 13. Sporting themselves with their own deceivings Vers. 14. Having Eyes full of Adultery and that cannot cease from sin Printed in the Year 1672. A Brief Introduction Reader HErein is asserted the real sufficiency of Divine Illumination and Inspiration together with the Doctrine of the Saints Perfection in Christ and his Universal Light and Grace to Mankind and thereby the real Use and End of the Holy Scriptures made known and the pretious Truths therein Owned and Vindicated from the gross Errours Perversions Absurdities Reproaches manifest Confusions and Contradictions of some Rigid Presbyters of Scotland to whom this Tract containes a brief Reply in many short Paragraphs which was thus occasioned Viz. Some of the Presbyterian Priests or Teachers in Scotland having some years ago writ a great bundle against us the People of God called Quakers in a way of slighting and deriding some things of Truth which above ten years ago I wrote in Answer to a Paper containing a pretended Answer to 26 Queries of Geo. Fox's Junior with some Queries written by one Edw. Jamison in whose Name with two more the said bundle against us was conveyed in Manuscript to divers hands as a pretended Answer to mine which providentially after a long time was brought to my hands about four years ago which then I perused and collected the principal Heads and Passages in it both of Doctrine seeming Argumentation and their Objections which I have here inserted in their own very words as I have their Book in Manuscript to evince and I wrote a Reply to each particular for the clearing the Truth and to manifest his and their abuse thereof and their gross perversion of the holy Scriptures together with their self Contradictions which are very apparent and easie to be seen by any unbyassed And not only their weakness and defection appears but their enmity against the Doctrine of Perfection both as it relates to the truly Sanctified and to their Faith and graces which these Presbyters accuse not only with Imperfection but with Sin Their darkness against the Light of Christ within Their cruel partiallity against the free extent of Saving Grace their sinful unbelief against the Sufficiency of the Holy Spirits teaching their gross ignorance and scorn against Divine Inspiration and Immediate Teaching in these dayes their carnal mindedness for their Traditional Ordinances of men against the Spiritual Dispensation of the Gospel and New Covenant wherein the Antitype of all even the enduring substance and heavenly things themselves are enjoyed by the clear sighted Children of the day beyond and above all Types Shadows and outward Representations or Memento's whatsoever These and the like things are spoken to in my following Reply A Coppy whereof was sent into Scotland for those concerned soon after it was written whereof as I am informed Edw. Jamison had a Coppy but since I had no further Answer nor Reply from him And now since some of our Friends in Scotland considering that there would be a service in making the following Reply more Publick and knowing that the said Edw. Jamison with divers more of his Brethren are of contentious and boasting spirits and yet seem not ready or willing to take notice of such things as pinch them while not made Publick as in this Case divers of our Friends in Scotland have hereupon desired the Printing and Publishing of this my Reply And in Answer to their Requests I have given them my first Copy thereof to divulge desiring that all who Read it may weigh the things therein contained and that they eye and have regard to that Light of the Son of God in their Consciences which manifests those things that are reprovable and is able to endue the Creature with a Right Judgment between those things that are of God and those things that differ and so to try all things and hold fast that which is Good London the 22th day of the 6th Mon. 1672. From a Real Friend to all who desire to know the Way of Life and Peace George Whitehead THE PRINCIPAL CONTROVERSIES BETWEEN The Litteral Professors of the Kirk of Scotland and the Illuminated Members of the Church of Christ called Quakers c. Here are the Doctrines and Principles of some of the Presbyterian Priests of Scotland Collected out of a great Bundle in Manuscript Subscribed Edw. Jamison with other two Names on the outside viz. Oswald Harland Edward Orde Together with the Heads of many of his corrupt Reasons and perverse Arguments against the Truth and Scriptures which are here detected and the People of God called Quakers vindicated from his and their Aspersions Calumnies and false Accusations therein The Priest YOV Have renounced Learning as Antichristian Answer That 's false For not Learning in it self simply considered do we renounce but the absurd and corrupt Idolatrous Use of it by men of corrupt mindes who have not Learned of Christ but in their Antichristian Spirit deny his Immediate Teachings Priest Absurd arguings against clear and abundant Scripture-Proofes which have been held forth by far more able than I am Therefore that my Answers have not Converted you is not to me either Strange or a Disappointment Answer False again I argue not against clear Scripture c. but against thy abusing and perverting of it as will yet further appear and much unprofitable labour thou mightest have spared and forborn whilst thy end was not to convert us what was it for to insult and boast over us And yet art far short of some that have dealt with us if we were conquered and confuted before hadst thou a mind to shew thy vallor over us thou hast missed of this end also Priest I have born witness to the Truth against your way Answ. Thou hast born witness to his work who is the Father of Lies against the Truth as will further appear to the shame of thee and thy confederates Priest There can hardly be brought any absurdity grosser for defence of your Cause then it self c. Answ. Then it was gross and absurd in thee to make raise and forge so many absurdityes upon our Cause as thou hast done though they be very groundless light frothy and frivilous as in this sequel will appear and become more obvious to the impartial spectators Priest The Light the Spirit Kingdom within are taken in a dangerous unsound sence by Quakers in an enthusiastick sence as communicate without Scripture Answ. It s both dangerous and
which gave them forth and to him whom they testify of to wit Christ by whom they are to be fulfilled unto the true believer that reads them in a right mind and Spirit Secondly But where having Life in them Viz. in the Scriptures is laid down as following believing This is an error depending upon the former and a contradiction to the Scripture that saith That believing ye might have Life through his name he doth not say in the Scriptures nor by searching them but through his name of whom they testify and those to whom these things were written that they might beleive that Jesus is the Christ c. and have Life through his name They were in some measure prepared by the Spirit or Light of Christ allready manifested to receive those things which tendâ—d to the furtherance of their Faith and confirmation of their Belief concerning Christ that they might have life through his name Pr Whoso holdeth this denieth them really and interpretatively Answ. Is this thy proof of thy false accusation against us of denying the Scriptures that we deny them interpretatively so then our denying the Priests Interpretations upon Scripture which are not Scripture must be deemed a denial of Scriptures as if they were either the same or of equall authority with Scripture or when they tell us of finding Life in the Scriptures we must take it for granâ—ed that they mean in their Interpretations upon them whereby in many things they contradict plain Scripture as hath been proved any times so however when they bid People search the Scriptures for Life Eternal in them they intend they should take their meanings along with them and believe as they say and so people must run into an implicite Faith if they take things on their Authority and Credit for by their meanings and Interpretations they can sit as Judges over Scriptures and tell people they must give the sence and reconcile them and over the Ligâ—t and Spirit within and tell them its but an Enthusiastick Fancy but who are not so Ignâ—ble as to receive a Belief or Faith from them on such a dark implicite and slender account as this of Priests But wait in the Light of Christ within for a right understanding of things that are Spiritual relating to Faith and Salvation Such find they have cause from the certain demonstration and testimony of the Spirit of Truth within to believe Christs Light and Spirit rather then the Priests meanings and private Interpretations wrestings and perverting of Scriptures Priest It is not about the expression of the Word of God that debate should be kept up if in a sound sence granted that they are called the Words of God Answ. So Then the Scriptures are granted to be words of God why then holdst thou debate against us but to shew thy cavilling Spirit For the Word was that from whence words and Scriptures procâ—eded and came to the Prophets and Messengers of God before they spoke the words to Write them Priest Ye deny that Faith cometh by hearing of the Scriptures which is the Word of God for that we receiving them by Faith are saved which is plainly asserted Joh. 5.39 Answ. We deny that Faith comes barely by hearing the Scriptures for if it did so come then all that hear or read Scriptures must have Faith and hear the Word but we see the contrary and Christ told the Jewes they could not understand what he said because they could not hear his words and yet they could hear Scriptures and him speak outwardly to them But this is a mistery hid from such as thou art and there were those whom the Word Preached did not profit bâ—cause it was not mixt with Faith in them Priest Your selves acknowledg that they are the words of God then this or that perticular saying is the Word of God seeing there is a singular where there is a plural Answ. But Singular and Plural differs and though there be a Singular included where there is a Plural is it therefore good Logick to say that Singular includes Plural or they are both one Or to saâ— that because there are Words of God in the Scriptures and where there are words in the Plural there must needs be a word in the Singular therefore these words are the Word and so are the Scriptures Is this thy Lâ—arning and Logick Surely thou art so far from knowing the Word which lives for ever and was before either the Scriptures or words in it were given out that thou art yet as one senceless and confounded in thy expressions and cavilling against â—ruth Priest The Scriptures in the Bible are called the Word of God Mark 7.13 Answ. This is a very general expression of the Scriptures in the Bible being the Word of God when they do not say so of themselves whereas all the Scriptures in the Bible are so far from terming themselves the Word of God in such an eminent expression that they cannot all be truely termed his Words there being in many places Recorded both words of Wicked men and Devils though the Historical part that relates these things be true as to the narration of them And they Mark 7.13 that made the word of God of none effect by their Tradition and rejected his Commandment did really act contrary to the Word within which Moses preached and against the Law of God without so that 's no proof of the Scriptures in the Bible being called the Word Priest That which maketh wise to Salvation or maketh the man of God perfect c. is inspired of God that is the Word of God which maketh wise profiteth 2 Tim. 3.15 Answ. Here again hast thou fallen short of proof of thy matter for where it is said All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God c. Is is added So it 's All Scripture given by inspiration But if that must be called the Word of God in thy sence then it may be read All the Word of God is given by Inspiration of God How will that sound and signify Or All the Word of God given by inspiration of God c. See thy ignorance and impertinency for though we grant that all Scripture given by Divine Inspiration is profitable to the man of God for the making Wise to Salvation but it is through Faith which words through Faith I find theâ— to have taken little notice of if any or of his being the man of God first that knows the profit of the Scriptures which are given by Inspiration that he may be Perfect which the Priests deny in denying Perfection and that he may be thorowly furnished And many things were written and directed to the Saints and not to the world c. But what thou concludest from hence doth not follow Priest Is there any Prophesie almost or Book of the Scripture but it calleth the things contained in them the Word of God Thus saith the Lord c. Answ. For as was hinted there are many things written in the Scripture
that can neither properly be called the Word nor are they words of God as what the Serpent said to Eve Pharaoh to Moses false Priests and Prophets in the true Prophets dayes many things and accusations which the Jewes said to Christ Were these the Word of God Mayest thou not here see thy error and confusion Priest There is nothing so much commendeth the necessity of the knowledge of Scriptures and Learning as the horrid detestable absurdityes which men unlearned c. wresting Scriptures to their own perdition however they revile Study of Scriptures and Learning Answ. There is nothing more discommendeth things and the Priests Way of Learning and Studying the Scriptures as your perverting and abusing them for your own ends and turns and the Pâ—iest making a Trade of them by their Learning and must people depend upon the fruits of your Study and Learning to know the Scriptures And yet other whiles they must expect to find Eternal Life in the Scriptures to be made Wise unto Salvation by them What contradiction's here But if the Scripture given by Divine Inspiration be profitable to the man of God and by the same Inspiration be understood and make Wise to Salvation through Faiâ—h and that the Spirit of Truth lead into all Truth then wee 'l not be beholding to thee and such as thou art for your Learning and Study who deny the immediate Teaching of the Spirit and so are but still unlearnd as to the things of God And why doest thou villify us as unlearned and make a flourish as if thou art some Eminent Learned man This shews thy Shallowness Pride and Conceitedness And were not Peter and John unlearned men and so accounted by the Learned among the Jewes Yet were full of the holy Ghost and learned by it Wouldst thou and thy Companions limmit the Gift of God or a right understanding of Scriptures to your natural drossy Learning and imaginary Study O! The Lord hath raised up and brought to light that Life and Spirit which has brought many to see thorow you and your corrupt Learning and Babylonish stuff And whereas thou dost villify and jeer upon these words Viz. That the word which the Bereans received with all readiness of mind and the Scriptures which they searched are two things and sayest I purposely pass by that which follows Viz. Whether these things were so Answ. Are they not mentioned distinctly as two The Word they received c. the Scriptures they searched to see whether these things were so Now there was more in Preaching then bare words or Scripture For their gospel came not in word onely but in Spirit and in Power which when that had touched their hearts and they had received a sence of the Spirit and Life which the Apostles were Ministers of this prepared them for a further understanding of things and matters relateing to the Testimony of Truth and of the Scriptures when they searched them in that weak state wherein they were at first receit of Truth for a further or additional confirmation of their understanding of things declared upon Scripture account touching Christ but if according to thy sence the Word which they râ—ceived with all readiness of mind and the Scriptures which they searched to see whether these things were so were but one thing then Is it good Doctrine to say that when they received the Word with all readiness of mind they searched the Word to see if those things in it were true or to try the truth of them How then was it received with all readiness of mind Or was it the Scripture which they received with all readiness of mind and thâ—n when they so received them searched them to see whether those things where so Is this thy excellent Logick If so then thy Doctrine runs thus They received the Scriptrues with all readiness of mind and they searched the Scriptures to see whether the Scriptures were so or for proof that the Scriptures were true they must search the Scriptures to prove them true by themselves Will this be admitted of as excellent Logick in your Schooâ—es to prove an assertion by the same assertion and to beg the question in controversie If so then in all points asserted and disputed of it is so because it is so will serve for proof Priest The Word you say is one How can it be called those things Answ. If the Word which I say is one cannot be called those things thâ—n it proves what I said befâ—re that the Word and Scriptures are two things and that their receiving the Word with all readiness of mind was inward but the Scriptures are outward which they searched after they received the Word Priest Are the things written in the Scriptures and the Scriptures two things What excellent Logick is this Answ. If they be not two things and yet the Word which is but one and those things contained in them be two things How are the Scriptures the Word seeing the Word and those things are two Yet here again thou shâ—west very little Learning as professed by thee for the Writing and the things written of are two things as well as Scriptures and the things contained in them for there is the thing containing and the things contained according to the distinction of them and some of your selves Priest Or ye must take the Scriptures in the abstract for the writen Characters as distinguisht from the things that are writ so nothing can be either searched or found in a number of Characters Answ. I know of none that appear so ridiculous as to search them meerly as a number of Characters so abstract to prove things or matters but to search them for those things or declarations contained in them which appear to the eye of the understanding and not to the outward eye in the bare Characters and yet Scriptures signify Writings Priest Whereas ye ask whether I think none hath Faith so none shall be saved but those that hear the Scriptures by the outward ear or can read them What God may do or doth in an extraordinary is not the question for his absolute Soveranity in his dispensations of Grace is not tied c Answ. Then God and his dispensations of Grace are not limitted or tied as many other times thou and others of you seem to tye up all now to Scripture for Life Eternal for Faith c. other whiles to your Interpretations Learning and the fruits of your study but the way to God and Salvation is Christ And no man comes unâ—o the Father but by him nor none comes to the Son but by the Fathers drawings which are known in the Spirit and Light by which we have access to God Priest The Scriptures search the thoughts as an Instrument and Christ is the principal searcher Answ. That 's Christ or the Word of God which is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart that searches the heart And it s the Lord God of hosts that telleth unto man
what his thoughts are and searcheth the heart who both can and doth spâ—ak what he pleaseth both of things declared in Scriptures and without them as he sees meet to the perticular states of men and persons and so to lay so much upon Scriptures which belongs to God and Christ and is properly their Work is unsound And Whâ—re provest thou the Scriptures search the thoughts And wherâ— say they so of themselves when they do not speak and direct to any perticular Person and shew him his thoughts and actions perticularly which the Light doth And the Spirit of Truth reproves and convinceth of the several evils whereof persons are guilty It s the Lord that sets their sins in order before them Priest It is false That any have a sincere supernatural Faith of the Scriptures that are ignorant of Christ c. They testify of him Answ. So then they must have some knowledg of Christ and from thence have a supernatural Faith of the Scriptures But how doth this agree with much more of thy work about searching the Scriptures for Life Eternal in them for begetting Faith c. Priest The foundation of the Saints and houshold of God are the Phrophets and Apostles Jesus Christ being the cheif corner-stone Eph. 2.20 Answ. Were not the Prophets and Apostles of that houshold of God If they were then they were their own foundation according thy to assertion here but thou hast wronged the Scripture for it was the foundation of the Propheâ—s and Apostles mark of the Prophets and Apostles they were built upon Christ Jesus the cheif corner stone Priest By the Prophets and Apostles that are the foundation is meant their Doctrine contained in the Scriptures not the persons Answ. Their Foundation was before their Doctrine or Scriptures Another foudation can no man lay then that which is already laid which is Christ But sure the Prophets and Apostles and Scriptures were not he Priest The Scripture makes known inward sins of thoughts and lusts Rom 7.7 Is able to makâ— the man of God perfect if they did not search into the thoughts of the heart discovering who are blind and carnal How can they make Wise unto Salvation Doth not the Scriptures make us Wise unto Salvation Therefore Are they not able to save us Christ as the principle cause of our Salvation is said alone to save us Answ. Thou meanest Christ as the principle searcher or the Spirit but the Scriptures as the instrument and then thou shouldest have said Christ makes known inward sins the Spirit searcheth all things And God Judgeth the secrets of men by Christ according to the Gospel without the knowledg of Christ there 's no supernatural faith of the Scriptures nor can any be made Wise unto Salvation but through that Faith And that Christ and the Spirit makes use of speaks and opens things contained in the Scripture many times Who denies that For then he speaks and opens those things immediately and thus the Law was made convincing to Paul not before it came thus and if on that account they be the instrumental cause then its Christ or the Spirit by hâ—s own speaking or teaching and openings that is the searcher and saviour And then it were most proper to lay the stress upon him as the searcher and Saviour and not thus often tell of the Scriptures being the searcher of the thoughts and of having in them Life Eternal lest also that ignorant persons go Idolatrously according to the tendency of much of thy matter to put them in the place of Christ or seek to make them the Saviour seeing that Christ the principle cause of our Salvation as thou confessest is said alone to save us and if he alone save its sufficient people be directed to him for that end for in him all sufficiency is who can now immediately speak matters contained in the Scriptures as well as when they were first given by inspiration And it is the inspiration of the Allmighty that giveth the true understanding without which the right use and end of the Scripture is not known Priest The Scriptures of Truth not I make four Saviours Viz. The ingrafted Word Faith Scriptures Timothy c. Answ. To us there is but one God one Christ one absolute Saviour one Faith c. Priest There is a Faith of the Scriptures that is historical this is not sufficient but this Faith may be of Christ as well and yet they not be saved but who has saving unfeigned Supernatural Faith of Scriptures cannot waâ—t it of Christ. Answ. Well Then this saving Supernatural Faith of Scripture and of Chrâ—st must come fâ—om a Supernatural Light or Christ who is thâ— Light and Author of Faith Priest How shall they believe without a Preacher sent Joh. 20. verse last They must have the Scriptures who have the knowledge of Christ for without this they cannot be kept from hell Answ. Who must send them if there be no immediate Teaching or Revelation now How provest thou thy Call from Scripture and that thou art Comissionated by Christ to Preach Thou shouldest rather have said they must have Christ who truely know the Scriptures and without him they cannot be kept from hell Priest In thâ—se Commandments written is our Life Deut. 30.15 16. Answ. The Word and Commandment was nigh them in their hearts that they might obey it and walk in the Commandments and live see Verses 11 12 13 14 15. how herein thou hast diminished and wrested Scripture and that Word which was nigh in the heart the Apostles preached It doth not say in the Commandments written is your Life Priest But that all Nations have the knowledg of Christ It s in an Enthusiastical Bible c These places He enlightens every man that cometh into the world and hath no respâ—ct of Persons are far wide from this conclusion therefore all have the knowledg of Christ all the Turks Jewes Pagans c. Oh! What monstrous horrid Doctrine c. Answ. It is not our Assertion nor Conclusion that all Nations or People have the knowledg of Christ herein hast thou abused us and our Principle for though he enlightens all they all do not walk in the Light nor believe in it But all Nations and People that come ever to know Christ and be saved must walk in his Light Who is the Way the Truth and the Life Priest Christ as he is God equal with the Father hath planted some Light of a natural conscience in every man of the world Answ. In him was life and the life was the light of men And he was that light which enlighteth every man that comes into the world who is not natural nor his Light that shines from him in the Conscience And God is Light who enlightens the World and gave his good Spirit in the dayes of old to the Rebellious and sent his Son a Light into the World That whosoever believes on him might not perish but have eternal life And here is the power and
sufficiency both for Believing and Salvation Priest All men have a Light of a natural Conscience from him which tells that there is a God and somewhat of the nature of God that he is Eternal which they may read in the creatures Rom. 1.19 20. and of the morral Law which yet is but very dark c. Answ. Where do the Scriptures call it a Light of a natural Conscience What great Ignorance is here seeing Christ is the true Light that enlightens every man c. And that which might be known of God was manifested in them which gave the knowledg of the Eternal Power and God-head from the creatures and of the Law of God in the heart and that Light or that which might be known of God which gave this knowledg was not natural of a natural Conscience as blindly is conceived and asserted for the natural man with his natural knowledg perceives not those Spiritual or Invisible things nor can he know them but he that 's turned to a Spiritual Light and Principle within where that which may be known of God is manifested Priest But of Christ in his nature and the nature of Faith they cannot without the Scriptures so far as it is Gods appointed Way Answ. Christ is Gods appointed Way c. This high and general opinion of the Scriptures depends upon the former conceit of finding Eternal Life in them by searching of them but that 's answered and contradicted by this our Antagonist himself over and over Supernatural knowledge and Faith of Scriptures being not had without the knowledg of Christ but there are many search and read Scriptures that are both out of this knowledg and Faith so that t is evident that the bare reading Scriptures doth not attract supernatural Faith Knowledg Light Spirit c. but it is the supernatural Light and Spirit that brings to the serious reading and supernatural knowledg of Scriptures And it s also confessed in contradiction to much more however that the Light in all men teaches them of the morral Law and Is not that Scripture or things contained in it Priest The Light wherewith Christ enlightens all all Nations had before Christ came in the flesh as well as now and yet Who will say that they all knew Christ Answ. It is not our saying nor assertion that they all knew Christ though some by his Spirit or Light then had a fore-sight of his coming before he so came though since he has given a more full demonstration and discovery of his Light Priest If all men are taught to know Christ by the Light within them Why sent he Apostles to all Nations to make them disciples Mat. 28.20 Answ. All men are not taught that knowledg by the Light because all obey it not but many love darkness rather The Apostles were sent to turn them from darkness to the Light that therein they might know their Doctrine fulfilled and be Christs disciples Priest Why did he give gifts to Apostels Pastors Teachers which should continue till we all come to that unity of the Faith and fulness of the Stature of Christ Was that Light within dim in those times that it needed the help of outward Light How was it a mystery hid from Ages Answ. The dimness was in the Persons that were to be turned and directed to the Light not in the Light it self and the Apostles went by virtue of the Light and Gifts in them for the help of people and not the Light for their sufficiency and help was in it and from it which was not outward nor natural and having confessed Gifts Teachers c. to continue till we all come to the unity of the Faith and fulness of the stature of Christ. How obviously hast thou herein contradicted thy former Doctrine for imperfection and sin till death c. Priest You have made the visible Church very large who have taken all the men of the world that ever hath been into it If the Lord has given Grace and Knowledg equally to all men Wherein stands the freedom of his Grace towards them that are saved Answ. These are both forged and false accusations depending upon the former against us for neither did we ever make the visible Church of that largness nor is it our Principle that Grace and Knowledge is given equally to all men that 's but thy false inference against us whereupon thou hast grounded much of thy caviling against us like one that loves to fight with thy own shadow or a man of straw of thy own makeing to make and forge lies against us and then go to confute them Unprofitable and vain Priest Never did the greatest Enemy of free Grace so tye up and limmit God in the dispensations of Grace as you that with good words and fair speeches would deceive the Soules of the simple Answ. Nay Thou and such like go about to tye up and limmit God in the dispensations of Grace who would tye it up onely to a few and deny its universal extent to all and as those Priests of Scotland that formerly curst all them that held Grace is free and that with good words and fair speeches we would deceive the hearts of the simple is a slander against us and against our end and intentions and contrary to the tendency of our words and speeches Priest Judas got as much from God as Peter did but he rejected it but Peter made better use of it Your free Grace that all men have received alike doth not exclude boasting but say Well was it with us that made better use of that which others in hell got as well as we Thanks to our deligence and good intentions and tractableness in harkning to the Light within which all the damned got as bright shining as well as we but for Christ we have no cause to thank him more then the damned have This is the Language your Doctrine of free Grace teacheth men to say in their thanks-giving Answ. Here-upon several of thy false conclusions and inferences against us thou hast thus uanted and made a false Language of our Doctrine contrary to the very nature and tendency of it Who but men in hardness and impudent boldness would go to confute and raise absurdityes on our Principles when they do not know them but are yet to learn as thou art with thy companions For it is not our Principle nor the Language of our Doctrine that all have the knowledg of Christ equally and that Judas got as much from God as Peter nor that free Grace all have received alike nor that the damned got the Light within as bright shining as we but that God is no respecter of persons in that he gives liberally to all so much of his Grace to every one as is sufficient yet not that all have received alike or the same degree of Grace and Knowledg c. for all receive not or accept not that measure of Grace given to them to obey it But whereas we are scoâ—â— at
for saying the cause of somâ—s condemnation is their rejecting the Light and their disobedience stubborness c. this is according to the Scripture Language as might be proved ar large For the fault is not to be laid upon God but upon man for his disobedience when he is consumed because of iniquity which is stubborness rebellion c. For God willeth not the death of sinners but rather their return that they may live and O man thy destruction is of thy self But thy help is of me saith the Lord so as God is clear when he judges Now we can thank God without boasting that he hath shewn such Love Mercy and Good will in Christ unto us and Christ that he hath shewn us Power Life and sufficiency in himself both to believe obey and give diligence and the name of God we may praise for all his Mercies and Blessings he attends us withal in the way whereunto he hath called us and indeed all Nations are called to praise the Lord which if all do not the fault is not Gods nor to be charged upon him or his free Grace but theirs that reject it And have treasured up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath and on the other hand they that count God a hard Master and they that blaspheme against him in their Torment and Anguish are but the slothful servants and such as have not recieved the truth in the love of it but have had pleasure in their unrighteousness And thereby have incurred displeasure from the righteous God whose severity follows on them that reject his Love and Good-will So these have not the Light as bright shining as we These being condemned from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power Priest How comes it that there is none among all these persons throughout the Nations where the Scriptures have never been heard that have Written in the defence of the Christian Faith and against the Paganish worship c. Travellers should have given some account of it c. Answ. As if the Scriptures were not onely the cause of Life Faith and Salvation according to thy former stuff but of all Writing in defence of the true Faith c. Then what was the cause and ground of Sciptures However it appears thou art no great Traveller nor hast had much acquaintance with such Travelers as we know have given account of more Christianity among divers of the heathen that have not Scripture then is among many in England and Scotland professing Christianity besides we find in divers of the heathens so called their Writings many things both Morral and Divine both favouring of Christianity and of some spiritual sence several of them had of the Nature and Life of Christianity which in it self is against all Idolatry of Pagans and others though not in your borrowed terms and expressions of Religion and Christianity And further why should the Apostle make use of some of the heathens expressions and Gentils experiences for proof if they had no tendence to Christianity Pr. But the best of those Nations and wisest were the greatest Enemies to the Gospel Answ. How provest thou that for we deny it and the ground of this thy peremptory censure and judgmâ—nt against all them that had not Scripture Many of whom we believe were better then thy self and hast thou known the best and wisest of them that thou art thus positive against them Pr. You have no warrant to say that deaf persons to whom the Scriptures have no way been known shall be saved Answ. As much as to say They that know not the Scriptures know not Salvation or shall not be saved thou shouldest have said They that know not Christ or come not to him fall short of Salvation the coming to whom is through the Fathers drawings who drawes by his own Spirit and darest thou say that deaf and blind persons shall not be saved because they cannot hear and read Scripture Pr. Before the Scriptures he taught by audible Voices Revelations c. but now you make all to be the Light within Answ. No Revelation is truely known without the Light within for what may be known of God is manifest within Pr. We deny that the Power of God is immediate Viz. in his people Ans. You may as well deny its being in his people and their inward Communion with it and therein you deny the very tenuor of the new Covenant and hereby limmit that power to mâ—diate teaching Scriptures c. what in you lies which tends to eclipse and detract from that Glory Sufficiency and Prerogative that is in Gods Power this is very gross and ignorant Pr We grant it is true which the Metaphysitians and Divines say of God that he concurreth in all works of creatures immediatione vertutis suppositi but this ye know not what it meaneth Answ. This makes against your selves if rightly considered and falsly thou hast said of us or of me for I do know what that phrase means both as to words and matter but and if we did not know what is meant why didest thou use thy Latine phrases and Scholastick terms to such as thou deemest so illiterate Hast thou not herein shewed thy self a Bravado Pr. He told us he will exercise his power for us and in us Answ. He will exercise his power in us and yet not immediate What contradiction's here Pr. Why the Grace of hope should be Christs more then the Grace of faith c. Answ. Châ—ist is the Grace of all our Graces and our all a mystery hid from thee and those of thy spirit Pr. Faith is a habit and an imperfect creature for all habits are in the category of quallity which is an accident and so an imperfect creature Answ. What Scripture have you Priests of Scotland for that Of Faith being a habit an imperfect creature or accident and Is accident and habit all one Where learned'st this Phylosophy to define Faith True Faith is not natural nor a natural habit however for thou hast granted a supernatural saving Faith but t is but a habit an imperfect creature whereas Faith is a fruit of the Spirit which is pure and perfect and the mystery of it is held in the pure conscience but if thou meanest imperfect creature as to the kind or quallity its false Doctrine and its being received by degrees doth not prove it for it s as truly and purely Faith and that of God and supernatural in the least degree yea if but as a grain of mustard-seed as in the greatest measure of it Pr. It is as impossible it should be otherwise as it is that a man abiding a man should essentially be a beast Ans. Is it as impossible Faith should be otherwise then an imperfect creature as for a man to be essentially a beast Sad Doctrine This is worse and worse Faith ovâ—rcomes the world purifies the heart justifies the mystery of it is held in a pure conscience yet not possible
Supernatural Knowledg and Faith of Christ before the Scriptuâ—es be truely known or believed I deny any immediate teaching by God Christs immediate teaching will no wayes follow Christs opening the understanding to know the Scriptures for he doth by the same Supernatural Influence shine on the understanding and Scriptures Luke 24.22 Christs opening and shining by a Supernatural Influence plainly proves immediate teaching as we called Quakers do hold and against the Priests of Scotlands denying it who thus confute themselves If there be any Pryority or Posteriority of Christ in the Soul the Scriptures hath it in the order of nature The Lord in the comunicating of the knowledg of them he is in his being first the cause must be before the effect so the giver of knowledg before the knowledg given So that he that is the first and cause of true knowledg hath the Priority and Preheminence in all things without whom the Scriptures are not known and if it be a Priority of Christ as is said then Christ hath it Without the Sanctifying knowledg of Christ one may understand the Scriptures without error and jangling None can know the Truths of the Scriptures without the Sanctifying Knowledg of Christ. So then without that Sanctifying Knowledg none can understand them without error We may find Eternal Life by searching Scriptures they thought to have Eternal Life in the Scriptures this thought could not be a delusion He that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to him Viz. to Christ he to wit the Spirit of Truth shall lead believers into all Truth So then the Father is to be heard and learned of that the Son may be come to and the Spirit to be followed to lead into all Truth and this way was before the Scriptures Sin is remaining in part in all the faculties of Gods Children Viz. in the Will Mind and Affections Cleanse thou me from my secret sins Peter exhorted the believing Hebrewes to abstain from their lusts Then let not sin nor sinful lusts allwayes remain in believers If you find out any other faculty of the Soul which can be a seat for sin to dwell in then the Schooles will be beholding to you for your new Phylosophie When they are believers and begotten they are so freed that the evill one cannot touch them many are commended for keeping his Commandments If the evil one cannot touch them much less hath he power to lead them into sin all their time or to uphold sin in all their faculties and the Schools that would have more place for sin allow Christ no place Believers are not freed from sin wholy till death To be unblamable is that Grace which is universal in all parts of the renewed man Unblameable is inconsistant with sin for sin is blameable where ever it is A believer ever after he is begotten of God is not free of sin they do not perfectly mortify lusts in them In the Book of Common Prayer there is a promise to forsake the Devil and all his Works the vain Pompe and Glory of the world and sinful lusts of the flesh and be led by Gods Spirit to keep his Commands many of those who promise may do this and keep it What greater promise can there be of freedom from sin then to forsake the Devil and all his works to be led by Gods Spirit to keep his Commands Your new Light you pretend is nothing but old Damnable Popery The Spirit of truth will lead believers into all truth He that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to him Viz. to Christ. Our Light is the Light of the Spirit of Truth which cometh from Christ and guides both to hear and learn of the Father and this Light was before the Scriptures were and its blasphemy to call it Damnable Popery In the present time I am sold under sin that good I would do I do not Groaning under a body of death It was not a by-gone state Paul speakes of in the present time I am Paul was giving thanks for victory through Jesus Christ yet all these are knit together Victory and being sold under sin are two differing states as warring and being more then a Conqueror are Paul spake to the Romans after the manner of men because of the infirmity of their flesh and therein condescended to their capacities below his own present state and injoyment Perfect holiness of both Soul and Body is not to be till the Resurrection Viz. after death Believers at their death which is upon their dying are made perfectly holy Perfect holiness ought not to be put off neither so long after death nor till death for what time do you allow Christ to reign in man and to serve him if all your life time sin must remain and so long the Devil be served The Godly falleth into sin seven times a day Christ saith to Peter that he should forgive his brother seventy times seven which implyeth that a brother may offend often in the day time As for my saying a day it was a mistake of the citation of the place That of the Spirit is most prevailing with Gods Children as unto which they do adhere the flesh they renounce and resist and which by little and little they overcome It had been well thou hadst confest thy mistakes as ingenuously in other things the controversie had been the less but Do the Brethren sin all their dayes When then do they overcome What gross confusion art thou in While we live we must put on the armour of God and war against sin which is not to be ended till we lay down this Tabernacle We are cleansed from all sin by the Blood of Christ in Justification when we do believe If believers be cleansed from all sin when they do believe How have they it to war against till they lay down this Tabernacle Surely they believe before Our peace stands in our Justification by Faith and yet there are remains of sin in us which we are to mourn for There is a perfect cleansing from the guilt of sin What a cleansing from the guilt of sin and not from the sin it self this is quite contrary to Scriptures Christ was given for an advocate for the sins of those whom John calls little Children and his own which therefore were to be That of 1 Joh. 1.12 I write unto you that you may not sin Page 30. Christ Redeemeth from all iniquity is a Saviour and saveth them from their sins Math. 1.21 Luke 19.10 Christ being thus a Redeemer a Saviour an Advocate therefore sins are not to be and there was young Men and Fathers as well as little Children The Devils work remains unsubdued in the Child of God appeares by that Paul saith to the Romans The God of peace c. The God of peace shall tread down Satan under your feet shortly Rom. 16 20. And sure when Satan is thus trodden down under foot his work cannot remain unsubdued for both his power and possession is
the Father the word and the spirit and those three are one Then we own what the Scriptures assert of the Deity oâ— the Father Word and the Spirit which are one this is no blasphemy no fancies as malitiously we are accused Except ye call all the words of Scriptures clearly confered together a cavilling Viz. touching three distinct Persons in the Deity c. Although the Scriptures do not in so many words make mention of the three Persons c. who are one God we disalow all Traditions or any unwritten Rule which is not Scripture Then three dictinct Persons in the Deity distinct in the personal Subsistance are not the words of the Scriptures but a Tradition and why do you then alow of that which is not Scripture but that There are three that bear record in heaven and these three are one is Scripture The Apostles telleth that the Corinthians were to shew forth Christs death till he came again The Bread spoken of to them behoved to be this of outward Bread c. It behoved to be such a coming againe as was yet future and unaccomplished in the Corinthians time Were the Corinthians then to eat and drink outwardly after their time or so long after their deceases What absurdity and grosness is here Infants Baptism was approved by the Orthodox Church and the Renouned Teachers and Guides thereof and sound Father as Tertullian Ciprian Lactant Augustine Jerom Basil c. It s derived from the Church when pure We disallow all Traditions or any un-written Rule which is not Scripture whether they be under pretence of Revelation which Enthusiasts hold or Traditions as Papists in this agree Then Infants Baptisme not being Scripture but a popish Tradition is therefore to be disalowed of Children of believers should be under the Initial Seal of the Covenant as Abrahams were Circumcision was the Seal of the old Covenant and it was administered on Males onely page 35. Circumcision of the Males onely was in its time Commanded of God which is no proof of sprinkling Infants both Males and Females which was never cammanded of God pa. 38. The Fathers or Isralites who fell into gross sins professed the same Doctrine of Salvation to profess Christ is called a drinking of Chrâ—st c Abraham and his Seed under the old Covenant had the same Mediator which is Jesus Christ he was the same yester-day to them that he is to day to believers Their having the same Mediaâ—or Jesus Christ the same c. And drinking of Christ was more then to profess him or the Doctrine of Salvation And Did such fall into gross sins What fell they from if not from Grace Ye say thereis no express command for sprinkling of the Infants of believers pa. 36 But we disalow all Traditions or any unwritten Rule which is not Scripture pa. 35. You ' have confest what I said that there is no express command for sprinkling Infants therefore in alowing of it you contradict your selves Though there be no express command yet it s of Divine Institution and Warrant if it be drawn by good consequence from the Scriptures Truths and Doctrines is to be tried by the Scriptures so far as can be found in the Scriptures page 29. Christ bid search the Scriptures they reveal the Misteries page 27. I deny any immediate teaching by God page 14. Although a great stress and necessity is laid upon the Scriptures and immediate teaching so confidently denied yet no Sprinkling Infants to be found or required in Scripture and whilst any imediate teaching is denied How is it of Divine Institution Surely Edward Jamisons consequence herein is not Divine who denies any immediate teaching pa. 37. If I had said it Viz. Infants Baptism brought them to the Church those places and many others do hold it as Gal. 3.27 it s the ordinary way of putting on Christ c. I said not that it did bring them into the Church but that it is a Seal of our entry into the Church page 26. sprinkling of water is enough to signify inward washing If it doth not bring into the Church it is but a signe of inward washing it s not a putting on Christ neither can the Scripture prove it when there is no Scripture for it and were the Scriptures deemed the ordinary way and means but now sprinkling Infants What ignorant and gross contradictions are these Ye say Baptisme doth not bring them into the Church it s a bold Sacrilegious usurpation in detracting from the words of the Book of God which shall be punished with all the curses of that Book Though there be no express command for sprinâ—ling Infants yet it s of Divine Institution if it be drawn by good consequence pa. 36. See what Curses these Priests have laid upon them that deny the Infants Baptisme their Scripturles Tradition to bring into the Church and are not they herein evidently Guilty of Sacrilegious usurpation and adding to the words of the Book of God by their false consequence Baptizing of Children or others a standing Ordinance of Christ which he hath appointed to continue to the end of the world Mat. 28. and ordinary means for Salvation Maâ— 16.16 There be no express commands for sprinkling Infants Act. 2.38 repent and be baptized Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved They to whom Repentance and Faith was preached were not Infants such as the Priests sprinkle of a few dayes old which is not the Baptisme that saveth but that of the Spirit or the answer of a good conscience is saving Page 37. That many Ministers baptize the Children of those who are prophane and drunkards and so not believers They that profess the Gospel though they be not sincere believers yet they are in this sence accounted belivers Page 85. The Children of believers should be under the Initial Seal of the Covenant to believers and their Seed that promise belongeth those to whom that promise That God would be their God and the God of their Seed should be baptized Viz. Infants who are in the Covenant with God Page 36. It seems these Priests can make believers at an easie rate whilst they can take the prophane drunkards for believers upon their professing the Gospel but surely God is not the God of the prophane and drunkards nor are they in Gods Covenant as true believers are but under Satans power and their taking it for granted that the sprinkling Infants is the Initial Seal of the Covenant is false and but a beging the question Those who are under the profession of the Gospel are to be reputed as in Covenant pa. 39. Unbelievers who have a profession and yet have not sincere faith c. are not Righteous nor Holy c. Then it is not the profession of the Gospel that makes them believers or in Covenant with God An Arminion and Popish Doctrine that believers may fall from Grace The Fathers many of them fell into gross sins as is cleared from the Histories of