that that is past halt not so between both if either be sufficient to uphold your Doctrine then cleave to that but you seem to doubt either alone why else make you such use of both A. For do not you say page 32. as before is noted That you have the â—ull use and benefit of the Holy-Ghost which was formerly given which if true is sufficient without your having it now your selves in particular for it alone was sufficient to them that then had it and if you have the full use and benefit of that now it alone is sufficient for you also and now to have it your selves too is supersluous and over and above what is sufficient but they formerly manifested their having of it so must you before any wise man will believe your having it because the manifestation of the Spirit was given to every one that had the Spirit to profit withal 1 Cor. 12. 7. Page 38. B. Christ hath now delivered up even all the Learning in the world that is worth the speaking of unto his Church and continued even these common gifts of the Spirit therein N. The Church of Rome will challenge this as much as you if not more A. But the Church of Rome is more wise and reasonable then to account humane Learning any gift of the Spirit or to make it any mark of a true Christian since Heathens and Unbelievers may have humane Learning and had it in great measure among their Philosophers c. but the gifts of the Spirit were given onely to believers and that after they believed Eph. 1. 13. Act. 19. 2. Act. 2. 38. Page 46. B. The Scripture being true and the Christian Religion certainly true every part of it must needs be true N. Where is that Bible or Scripture A. And is not the Church of Rome the Quakers the Antinomians and divers other whom you oppose all Christian and their Religion Christian Religion and if true in every part VVhy do you then oppose them in many if not in most parts of their Religion but haply by Christian Religion you mean onely your own Religion Let me then ask you Is your Religion true in every part If it be why then do so many as learned Christians and as true Ministers of the reformed Churches as your self oppose you and you them in so many parts of your Religion being all Christian Religion and true in every part and all of you also true Ministers of Jesus Christ as you assert How fell you out and How comes it to pass that you be at so great Odds even about the most essential Doctrines of the Gospel yea and about the very Person and Nature of Christ himself Nay How comes it to pass that you so heave and cast out one another out of Habitation Liveli-hood and Maintenance and so much seek to get places of profit from one another as you do all of you being the true Ministers and Officers of the Kingdom of Christ Surely the Apostles may fear to admit you as such into the true Kingdom of Christ lest you should there likewise heave them out of their places appointed for them to eat and drink at Christs Table and also justle them besides their Thrones whereon they are to sit to judge the twelve Tribes of Israel in the Kingdom of Christ Luk. 22. 29 30. Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum Page 57. B. As the bodies of men do live and speak and reason by the soul so doth the Church live and move by the spirit of Jesus N. In which of the many sorts and Sects of Christians is this Church to be found since Rome and all other challenge to be the true A. And also to have this Spirit of Jesus yea and to live and move thereby yea and by that Spirit of Jesus which each will pretend to have they will judge each other sort dissenting from them to be led by the Spirit of Error Page 80 81. B. Jesus did send forth his Spirit into his prophets before his coming and more fully into believers since his coming to be his infallible witness to the world to convince the unbelieving and confirm believers and that this Spirit was poured out on the Church especially on the Apostles causing them to prophesie and speak with strange Languages and cast out Devils and heal Diseases and that the same Spirit is given to all true believers in all ages to guide c. N. Is it the same and not the same powerful works of manifestation to accompany it A. Yea and which did and will alwayes accompany it for by Spirit of God and Power of God is one and the same thing meant in many places of Scripture As Stay until ye be endued with power from on High i. e. with the spirit Luk. 24. 49. Ye shall receive power when the holy-Holy-Ghost is come upon you or the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you Act. 1. 8. My speech and my preaching came not with perswasive words of mans wisdom but with evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and power that your faith might not stand in the wisdome of men but in the power or Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. And it cannot be imagined that this self same Spirit which was then so powerful is now grown old weak and feeble nor that it hath lost or is separated from that its might and power Page 81. B. That it is and must needs be the holy Spirit of God which doth such Miracles as were then wrought and attesteth and revealeth so holy a Doctrine N. But where are any such to attest the Truth of your Doctrine or are we bound to take it on trust Page 83. B. It is most expedient that Christ our head should be bodily present in Heaven but send his Spirit to his lowest and remotest Members N. In 1 Cor. 12. these spiritual Members of Christs body are set out by manifest gifts onely Page 84. B. It actuated the first Church after Christ with a force extraordinary by Miracles Prophesie Healing Languages c. N. Here you make a difference without warrant see Mar. 16. 16. Joh. 14. 12. and by limiting it to the first you contradict your self elsewhere in proving these continued long after the first Church Page 85. B. John 14. 16. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever N. The same Spirit and Power to be with the true Church for ever A. A little before to wit in page 80 81. you say That the same Spirit by which the mighty works were wrought formerly is given to all true believers in all ages Whence will necessarily follow That all true Churches and all true Ministers of the Gospel must be endued with the same power as formerly And thus and not otherwise the text in John 14. 16. is truly expounded Page 87. B. He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is said to be none of his N.
disagreed about the Definitions of Faith Repentance and almost all Graces N. This proves them no true Divines The Third PART Page 9. B. If we can evince this That Christs great works and his Disciples were done by the Holy Ghost and not by evil spirits then I think we shew the credibility and certainty of Christian Religion N. I conceive the doubt lies not in this A. For it being granted That those works were done by the Power of the Holy Ghost yet the doubt still remains in full force namely How your Doctrines are any more confirmed by Christs or the Apostles works then the Jesuites or Dr. Kendals Mr. Crandons or Mr. Tombes his Doctrines by all whom most of your Doctrines are contradicted or then his Doctrines who may contradict both yours and theirs also Page 55. B. And what I speak of sight I say also of just report he that will not believe c. N. But by what warrant do you equalize these since Christ hath put so vast a difference between them John 15. 24. John 10. 37. Page 59. B. What evidence can be mentioned de facto of a divine attestation that ever God gave to mankind in any case that is higher clearer and more convincing then those works by which he hath sealed the Scriptures N. This is most true being applied as it ought to the preaching of Christ and his true Ministers whose preaching they did seal and attest but not the Scriptures nor any mans preaching from them is sealed by those mighty works formerly (k) This and divers other reasons are here urged which are not so much as hiâ—â—ed by the Author of Fides Divina done for a thing sealed precedes the sealing thereof Page 62. B. The inward work of the Spirit is either of common gifts as Learning or the like succeeding our industry or extraordinary as Miracles Tongues Prophesie c. N. Is it learning which makes Learning attained by Industry a Gift of the Spirit or is it not at least in consideration and if this may be justified by a distinction of Common and special or extraordinary then every natural gift and Science or Trade may as well be accounted a gift of the Spirit and given forth upon Christs Ascention A. Wherefore as the Art of making Hats Gloves Shooes Kettles or Pots and other the like Crafts acquired by Industry be not any of the gifts of the Spirit shed forth by Christ upon his Disciples mentioned Act. 2. so the Craft of humane Arts and Sciences acquired by Industry is no gift of the Spirit given forth by Christ for whatsoever is attained by Acquisition is not by gift and so on the contrary Page 67. B. Such works were done when in all Churches many of them were so common c. N. Were these common why then do you elsewhere term them extraordinary And why might not we expect them to be as common now as then if we had true Ministers and Churches now as then Mar. 16. 17. Page 69. B. There being but one Regeneration but one Baptism to signifie and seal it N. Where in Scripture is Baptism termed a seal of Regeneration A. Or of any other thing Page 71. B. If I had not done the works which no man else could do c. N. Among them is here and elsewhere omitted A. Which is no fair play nor just dealing Page 73. B. In case they hear onely of Christs Person Sufferings and Doctrines c. N. This hearing of Christs Person c. need to be attested likewise to bind men to believe else men may wave it without sin unless the Servant be greater and of more Authority then Christ their Master John 10. 37. Page 74. B. It is a not believing when they have fullest evidence to force belief N. The fullest evidence was to them in whose sight and presence the mighty works were done but not to such who onely hear of them by the report of another or by tradition or the like Page 75. B. The Spirit of Christ especially in his extraordinary works is the convincing attesting seal to draw men to believe and there is but one such Spirit and Seal N. Then where this one is wanting convincing is wanting John 16. 7 8 9. Whence I quere Whether the ground of this sin against the Holy Ghost be not also wanting since it is granted That there is but one such Spirit and Seal and this one being wanting A. You your selves confess That those convincing gifts poured out upon the Apostles are ceased against which the sin against the Holy Ghost might be committed and you never yet produced any thing in its stead armed with like Power and Authority for Convincement whereby to bring men under sin much less under the sin against the Holy Ghost for not believing any of you all Page 76. B. It is now the duty of all men to believe and repent N. Mens duty is in their power else not their duty required by the Gospel unless you can make it good news to any man to be required either to carry Pauls Church on his back or else be hanged Page 133. B. They to wit the Mahometans will not suffer it to be disputed nor reasoned of but absolutely to be believed without asking any evidence for its truth N. This is a fault among many who call themselves Christians as well and as much as mong Mahometans A. Yea and most of all among such as call themselves Ministers of the Gospel Page 191. B. The first Declaration of this undertaking to wit of Christs conquest over the Serpent c. was to the Serpent himself Gen. 3. 15 but doubtless in the ears of man to his comfort N. This is more then you find made known in Scripture Page 191. B. Here is meant the Devil himself the tempting Serpent N. So also is this and many other things affirmed by you A. Besides the Scripture tells us The tempting Serpent was a Beast of the field Gen. 3. 1. but so is not the Devil Page 195. B. Whether the Angels were ministring Spiritâ— to Adam in Innocency is more then I finde made known in Scripture and therefore I think it unsafe and imprudent to conclude either that they were or they were not N. This Moderation had been well used in many other places instead of your peremptory Assertions in things as doubtful A. Yea and more improbable by much Page 219. B. He to wit Christ telleth us That it was he to wit the Devil that deceived Eve 2 Cor. 11. 3. N. How doth this appear or Where doth Christ tell us so A. Not in the Text cited by you for that tells us It was the Serpent that beguiled Eve Page 245. B. Christ hath appointed the first day of every week for this end N. Where is this to be found Page 244. B. Christ used other kind of weapons then theirs they pleaded by words and he with mighty works they used Sophisms c. N. If we consider by what argument did
and principally to the Eleven Apostles and to their Successors in the Apostolical Office Whence will follow That if this promise be absolute as R. B. would have it then it will prove the Apostolical Office to continue alway even to the end of the world but this promise though it should be absolute yet it will neither prove the continuance of the Church nor of any inferior Officer any otherwise then by a Consequence and that from the continuance of the Apostolical Office which together with the prophetical and the rest of the powerful gifts of the Spirit R. B. grants is ceased long since and by consequence both Church and inferiour Ministry likewise for the inferiour Ministry was by gift as well as the superiour and the superiour as well as the inferiour and both were of equal continuance and for many reasons were both of them useful and necessary to continue with the true Church the one as well as the other and the superiour office most necessary of any Eph. 4. 8 11. 12. 13. 1 Cor. 12. 28. Wherefore it is the less to be marvelled at That R. B. being so learned and so wise yet makes no learneder nor wiser a Reply to Clem. Writers foolish or no wiser an Answer And now I hope a man may without any blasphemy or forgery either say to this great Clerk That he erreth not knowing the Scripture nor the power of God As for the Scripture see how grossly he hath wilfully or ignorantly perverted it And as for the power of God which always did accompany the true Ministry of the Gospel and Church for the Conviction and Conversion of unbelievers to the Faith this he denies rendring it now useless and unnecessary as if now there were no unbelievers in the world nor any Children born unbelievers to be converted and as if Christs sending of that his powerful gifts of the Spirit to accompany and abide with his true Ministry and Church for that purpose for ever had been for the most part useless and unnecessary John 14. 16. John 16. 7 8 9. whereby he casts a foul aspersion on the Wisdom of Christ himself in his doing that by much which he might have done by little a sault seldome or never committed by a wise man But the task here undertaken by me was onely to make some necessary defence for my self against his open assault made upon me by his fourfold Charge which having done I shall not follow him in the rest of his fallacious Arguments to discover the vanity and falshood of them but shall leave that to be done by some abler pen who can throughly anatomize and lay the faults of them open particularly and in their Colours which I am as unable to do as that plain and unlearned man was who assembled at the first Nicene Councel of whom Socrates Lib 1. Chap. 5. relates this Story viz. Before the Bishops met together in one place the Logicians busied themselves propounding against divers others certain Preambles of Disputation and when divers were thus drawn to Disputation and allured as it were by bayts a Lay-man one of the number of Confessors of a simple and sincere mind set himself against the Logicians and told them this in plain words That neither Christ neither his Apostles had delivered unto us the Art of Logick neither vain fallacies but an open and plain minde to be preserved of us with faith and good works The which when he had spoken all that were present had him in admiration and held with his sentence then the Logicians after they had heard the pure words of plain truth quieted and setled themselves aright so that at length by that means the stir raised by reason of Logick was wholly suppressed From which we may observe how great the bashfulness of humane learning was in former times as so to be repulsed from medling or intermixing it self in matters of Divinity by the check of one plain man and how impudent it is now become even to bear all the sway therein getting admission no doubt at first under the colour of being but a Servant or Hand-maid to Divinity but now this Hand-maid maid hath gotten into the Chair and Room of her Mistris the gifts of the Spirit and justled her quite out both of Doors and esteem These being now deemed both useless and unnecessary matters and Humane Learning having now gotten the sole possession of all the Glory Honour and Praise due onely to her Mistris for do not some make great boast What a g Whereas the more learned they are in humane Arts and Sciences the more able they are to delude by transforming the grossest Errors into the similitudes of the purest Truths learned Clergie is now amongst us that the whole world hath not the like Yea and how doth my Assaylant R. B. glory and boast therein and that so transcendently in his Book of Infidelity part 1. pag. 37 38. as there to express himself thus viz Let the wisdome of God be observed both in the stream of Doctrine and in the effect of the Holy-Ghost in illuminating the Church so that you may look over all the rest of the world at this day and easily see that they are all but Barbarians even in humane and common knowledge in comparison of the Christians especially in the things of God they are utterly blind He further goes on Indeed Christ did at Rome and Athens cause a Star of humane learning to arise but it was only for a time and that at that season a little before his own coming in the flesh of purpose h Note how he all along denies the powerful gifts of the Spirit to be now useful or necessary yet see how useful and necessary he here makes humane learning as to be even a Star caused by Christ to arise of purpose to direct men to the Son of righteousness and to be an Usher to prepare the way for the Gospel and after all that he makes it a gift of the Spirit and continued in the Church by Christ as if Christs being exalted at the right hand of the Father and by his receiving of him the promise of the holy-Holy-Ghost and his shedding it forth on his Disciples Act. 2. 33. was meant humane Learning Is not be with the cloven foot filled with this gift of the Spirit as much as R. B. or the most learned in Europe to direct men to the Son of righteousness and to be an Usher to prepare the way for the Gospel and when the Gospel was come he hath now delivered even all the learning in the world that is worth the speaking of unto his Church and continued even these common gifts of the Spirit therein If this be the best Divinity he can afford us I shall send him to a Cobler Samuel How by name to learn better out of a Book extant entituled The sufficiency of the Spirits teaching being a Sermon of his upon a Text given him by Mr. John Goodwin and
declare his Faith if he were in Spain He answered me No But soon after he would have supped up again that his answer by telling me If it concern'd the Glory of God he would After all which with a low voyce I told him That if we were alone I might haply be freer to speak and to tell him more of my minde Then stept he to the Lurcher and dismist him with words to this effect You may now be gone I have done with you there 's no more need now of your stay Which hearing I concluded as before I suspected that he was on purpose appointed in that manner to be there which made me think it best to say little more to him but rather to forbear until I had studied and found out the man and his aims more perfectly onely I wish'd him to answer the Book and not to be so inquisitive to know the Author and also to seek out some meeter Match then my self for him to Dispute and Contest withal Telling him in effect thus much further That when any great Boy encounter'd with a little one in the Street the very Women and Wenches passing by will reprove him saying Thou great Knave why quarrelest thou with this little Boy who is quiet not medling with thee nor is he any meet Match for thee so great a Lubber For shame let him alone and meddle with thy Match And having thus spoken I took leave and departed being glad to be so well quit of such a Companion well discerning of what Spirit he was Loe this is the sum of the whole that is worth the relating which then passed between this busy Bishop and my sel Since which came out his second sheet thus publiquely charging me which I have here answered and freely told him part of my mind and something of my Faith too which he so much desired to know for which I hope no Impartial Wise Just or Rational Man will in the least blame me doing it in my own Defence being so much assaulted and provoked thereunto and that both publickly in print and otherwise as is here already declared And now lest my Notes being in his hand should likewise be sent abroad either in some disguise or without the right and proper Sentences of the Book to which they relate I shall here make bold to publish them my self even as they came rudely and hastily at first from my Pen not in the least suspecting that I should ever have been thus caused to publish them in my own Defence as now I am Wherein for the Readers better satisfaction I shall first set down the Sentence as it is in the Book and the page where it is this shall be marked in the Margent with the letter B. for Book Next to which shall be my Note thereupon and this shall be marked with the Letter N for Note And where any need is to add a word for explanation this shall be marked with the letter A. for Addition The Title of the Book The Unreasonableness OF INFIDELITY Divided into Four Parts By RICHARD BAXTER 1. The Spirits Extrinsick Witness 2. The Spirits internal Witness 3. The sin against the Holy Ghost 4. The Arrogancy of Reason The First PART Page 16. B. TO one is given by the Spirit the word of Wisdom to another the word of Knowledge by the same Spirit to another working of Miracles to another Prophesie to another discerning of Spirits to another divers Tongues to another the interpretation of tongues but all these worketh that one and the same Spirit N. Why is Faith here omitted seeing the Text hath it Page 18. B. If we were in a case of doubt between several Teachers and one of them should write thus to publick Churches even the Churches of England Scotland Holland and Germany I appeal to your selves whether you did not by that Doctrine which I delivered to you receive the Holy-Ghost by which you all received either the gift of tongues healing prophesie or the like N. Can any Minister now truly so write to any Church or infallibly tell what that Gospel or Doctrine was which was so confirmed to the Galatians Page 30. B. We have yet Copies of Scripture extant of very great Antiquity N. Admit all this and that they all accorded as they do not yet the Quere will be Who gave those Copies or any Translations Authority to be a ground of true Faith to the world whereby they might be saved by their believing them or damned everlastingly for not believing them Page 32. B. Men must not believe Gods Law ceased or abrogated without good proof N. But the Gospel was in like manner confirmed to the Centiles also who had not the Law Page 32. B. We have the full use and benefit of the Holy Ghost which was given then that seal that was then set to the Christian Doctrines and Scriptures stands there still N. Hereby every several Opinion and Doctrine drawn from Scripture is justified the one as well as the other Page 33. B. Tongues are not for them that believe but for them that believe not saith Paul 1 Cor. 14. 22. that is to shew them the power of Christ and so convince them N. What are not now unbelievers in the world as well as then Page 33. B. But now the Scripture is sealed by these N. Who but Mr. Baxter dare to affirm this Page 34. B. These glorious Experiments and potent Workings will not suffer them to change their Religion N. This justifies the Quakers as well as Mr. Baxter if not more at least they may pretend the same as well as he Page 35. B. The gifts of strange Languages healing casting out of Devils fell on men ordinarily N. These gifts being ordinary Why do you elsewhere term them extraordinary A. Yea and why do you in the seventh page of your second sheet for the Ministry say If Miracles were ordinary few would be moved by them as any proof of a Divine Testimony And also in the thirty sixth page part two of your book of Infidelity say Miracles if common would lose their convincing force and be as none Yet here you tell us That they were ordinary when no such inconvenience followed their being so But these with other like slights and juggles are so common in your VVritings as no man in his VVits can take them for Miracles nor your VVritings for any proof of a Divine Testimony Page 35. B. That putteth such a new nature into the soul of every Saint N. â—quere VVhether this be any otherwise then by Faith or their believing the promise of having it 2 Pet. 1. 4. A. Afterward viz. at the Resurrection and now to have it meerly by promise See the Text. Page 36. B. If you would open your eyes you might see very much of it i. e. of the gifts of the Spirit before specified in the holiness of the Saints N. If it be with any now shew it and so end the Controversie but if not then rest onely on
afterwards preacht before him and divers other earnedmen upon very short warning and far shorter prepaâ—â—tion of my knowledge But what may we think â—e plain honest man before mentioned were he now alive might and would say â—pon his seeing how much honour humane â—earning had now got even among reformed Christians as to be esteemed essentially necessary to Christianity and to be so much advanced as even by eminent Pastors of the reformed Churches to be accounted a gift of the Spirit and to be continued in their Churches in the room and place of those powerful and true gifts of the Spirit which were at first established by God in his Church whereinto Christians were all baptized by that one Spirit and thereby made partakers of some manifest gift thereof whereby to become serviceable and profitable to the Church or Body of Christ even as all the Members of a natural body are serviceable and helpful one to another Answ I conceive he might and would tell us That it is no marvel that the true-born gifts of the Spirit are now ceased and withdrawn from all their Churches upon their entertaining such a Bastard as humane Learning into their Communion and Fellowship as a necessary Fellow-helper and gift of the Spirit And that God who had commanded them not to be unequally yoaked could noâ— possibly endure to have his own holy and blessed Spirit so unequally yoaked For whaâ— Communion hath Light with Darkness Anâ— what concord hath Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6 14 15. Yea he might tell us That no virtuous anâ— Christian Woman in his days would endurâ— Co-habitation with a nasty Strumpet thâ—â— did partake of her Husbands Affections anâ— Conjugal rights with her self but woulâ— make use of her Christian liberty and depart He might also tell us That humane Learning and the true gifts of the Spirit are not necessary to be both in one Church for they having the gift of Tongues what need have they to acquire them by humane Learning And if they have them by Acquisition what need have they of them also by meer gift of the Spirit Besides if these were both in one Church there would be some Emulation between them and a contest for Superiority He might also tell us That humane Learning is no gift of the Spirit given forth by Christ Act. 2. 1. Because Peter and John who had these gifts of the Spirit poured on them were both of them ignorant and unlearned men in respect of humane learning Act. 4. 13. yet were both of them able to communicate the gifts of Tongues to others by meer laying on of hands Act. 18. 14 17. compared with Act. 19. 6. 2. Because the gifts of the Spirit as that of Tongues were given by Christ to attest the Truth of the Gospel and to convince unbeâ—ievers giving them a sure ground of Faith But so are not Tongues nor any other Science acquired by humane Learning or Induâ—â—ry For 1. In case we would fain know whether R. â— his dogmatizing the baptizing of Infants to be a divine Ordinance of Jesus Christ be true or not this cannot certainly be determined by humane Learning nor is it any divine evidence to prove it because Mr. Tombes and many more by humane Learning maintain and attest the contrary But if either of them had the gifts of the Spirit to attest the truth of his respective Doctrine then it might soon be determined whether taught the truth because the true gifts of the Spirit never did nor can witness any false but always true Doctrine but all Heresies and false Doctrines yea the most absurd Doctrines among the Papists or that are or can be invented are maintained and attested by humane learning And 2. In case we would know whether the many Arguments produced by R. B. to prove the Ministry of the reformed Churches to be the true Ministry of Jesus Christ be true and sound or not And whether the multitude of Scriptures prest by him to that service be truly and in their genuine sence cited or not this cannot be determined by humane Learning Because the Papists be furnished altogether as well and have as great a measure of humane Learning whereby they are as able to pervert Scripture and produce as many Arguments to prove their Ministry to be the onely true Ministry of Christ as any of the Ministers of the reformed Churches can do to prove theirs the true Ministery of Christ but by the true gifts of the Spirit all these doubts and questions would soon be determined and that infallibly And since the true gifts of the Spirit are now wanting let us yet see what may be said for the determining of these questions and doubts and that from grounds granted by R. B. himself wherein I shall be very brief leaving the further Amplification thereof to others more able The Grounds on which I shall raise my proof are onely two The first is in page the fourth of his first sheet where he citeth Luk. 10 16. He that heareth you heareth me c. This saying of Christ he useth in the behalf of the Ministers of the reformed Churches holding them to be the true Ministers of Jesus Christ whereby he grants That this speech of Christ is truly applicable to all true Ministers of Jesus Christ This is the one Ground The other is in the sixteenth page of his second sheet where he proposeth If a Minister be in quiet possession of a place and fit for it the people are bound to obey him as a Minister without knowing that he was justly ordained or called For the proof whereof he produceth three Arguments the last whereof he draws from an absurdity which would follow thus viz. Else saith he the people are put upon impossibilities Whereby he grants That God puts not people upon any impossibilities This is the other Ground From both which true and undeniable Grounds the plain man before mentioned might conclude That the Ministers of the reformed Churches are not the true Miniâ—â—ers of Jesus Christ for this Reason Because they of the Synod of Dort were all Ministers of the reformed Churches both the Remonstrants and Contra-Remonstrants Now it is impossible for any to believe both these parties nor doth God require any to believe them nor can he in justice require it of any it being impossible but he requires the obedience of Faith to all his true Ministers therefore the Ministers of the reformed Churches are not the true Ministers of Christ And (i) To instance in particular all the contradictory Doctrines and Tenâ—nts which have been and are between the Ministers of the reformâ—d Churchâ—s would be a task too hard for any man to undertake they being so inâ—inâ—te I have here instanced in … which may serve as well as many to state and determine the case of the rest then again For us to believe onely one of the parties they being all Minister of the reformed Churches and so true Ministers of Christ as R. B. asserts
Gospel preacht by this Author R. B. and the Gospel preacht by St. Paul to be different and not the same First because the Gospel preacht by St. Paul was accompanied with infallible Divine evidence to attest the truth thereof for the conversion of men and whereon infallibly to ground their faith and obedience thereunto without which he neither would nor could binde any to beleeve and obey it but the Gospel preacht by this Author hath no such evidence yet he will dare to say That all at least those that hear it are bound to beleeve and obey it Secondly Because illiterate men are uncapable of the Gospel preacht by this Author without their taking many things implicitely upon trust and upon the word of their Teachers as he himself tells us in page 238 239. of his Saints Rest where he thus expresseth himself viz. Something must be taken upon trust from man whether we will or no yet no uncertainty in our faith neither For First saith he The meer illiterate man must take it upon trust that the Book is a Bible which he hears read for else he knows not but it may be some other Book Secondly That these words are in it which the Reader pronounceth Thirdly That it is translated truly out of the Original Languages Fourthly That the Greek and Hebrew Copies out of which it was translated are true authentick Copies Fifthly That it was Originally written in these Languages These with many more as he there tells us the vulgar must take upon the word of their Teachers Behold here what use and benefit this Author makes of his having now the full use and benefit of the Holy Ghost which was formerly given and then sealed the Christian Doctrines and Scriptures and stands there still as he tells us if we could beleeve him in his Book of Infidelity Part â— pag 32. And must we needs therefore take these and all other his Doctrines which he hath raised or may raise either from Scripture or out of his own fancy for true and undoubted Christian Doctrines formerly sealed by the Holy Ghost upon the account of his bare saying That he hath now the full use and benefit of the Holy Ghost formerly given c. Sir If this be your meaning then speak it plainly out and for shame doe not impose upon the world such Gâ—olleries as these meerly by implication But the Gospel preacht by St. Paul and other the true Ministers of Jesus Christ needed none of all this it being preacht to all people in their own Languages and to the understanding of the meanest and this was all the Originals Copies and Translations that they were troubled withall or needed to bring them to the faith of the Gospel they not being necessitated to take the least tittle thereof impliâ—itely upon trust or upon the word or credit of their Teachers For When Philip went down to the City of Samaria and preached Christ unto them the vulgar people as illiterate as they were with one accord gave heed to the things which Philip spake hearing and seeing the Miracles which he did and without more ado they beleeved and were baptised both men and women Act. 8 12. All which was done before any of these beleevers had received the Spirit for after this were sent from Jerusalem Peter and John who administred the Spirit to them by laying their hands on them ver 17. Even as Peter declared their ordinary method of administring of the Spirit to be after faith and baptism Act. 2. 38 39. by his bidding the Jews to repent and be baptized every one of them and that they i. e. every one of them should then receive the gift of the Spirit because the promise to wit of the Spirit was to them and their children and to all that should afterward be converted or called to the faith of the Gospel as well all afar off as those that were neer And therefore it was that Paul demanded of the Disciples at Ephesus If they had received the Holy Spirit since they beleeved and they answering That they knew not whether there were any Holy Spirit or not He presently asked them Vnto what then were they baptized He well knowing that the gifts of the Spirit was necessary to be administred to all and to every one after their beleeving and being baptised and therefore by laying his hand on them he administred the gifts of the Spirit to them for thereby the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and prophesied Act. the 19. 1 2 3 6. compared with Ephes 1. 13. This also is contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel now preached by this our Author and others So then it is most evident that to the true Ministery of the Gospel appertained these three special administrations as essentially necessary thereunto 1. The administration of the Word infallibly and evidently attested for the conversion of men to the beleef and obedience thereof 2. The administration of Johns baptism by water for the remission of sins 3. The administration of Christ's baptism with the Spirit by the laying on of hands whereby the gifts of the Spirit were conveyed on the baptised beleevers Moreover St. Paul tells the Corinthians That his preachâ—ng to them was not for them to take any thing from him implicitely upon trust or upon any perswasive words of his or of mans wisdome but upon the demonstration of the Spirit and power which he produced before them to attest the tâ—uth and Divine Authority of his Doctrine that so their faith should not stand upon the word credit or wisdome of men but upon the power of God 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. for if they should have taken it implicitely upon the word and credit of Paul so great an Apostle as â—e was without the aforesaid Divine infallible evidence This had not been to beleeve God but to have resolved their faith into some humane testimony even to have laid their foundation upon the sand where all would have fallen at the next assault as this Author himself hath told us in his Saints Rest pag. 20â— 3. The Gospel preach'd by St. Paul was joyful news to every creature under Heaven Col. 1. 23. But the Gospel preach'd by this Author is far short of that being sad news to most men especially to such as beleeve not his Doctrines when they often interfere thwart one another as in part is here already shewed yea and some things published by him in print hath he already in print * Next to the 160. pag. of his Saints Rest part 1. He thus writes viz Reader understand that since I wrote this I begin to doubt of the soundness of what is expressed in the four next foregoing pages which I am not ashamed to acknowledge but ashamed that I published it so rashly revoked and so may he doe as there is just cause many more before he die yea it is hoped that he will ere long publickly own this truth which he now