sure then that VVord light life and Spirit from which they came Had not the Scriptures all their sureness from the inward testimony of the spirit How then can they be more sure Thy example of the Schoolmaster the coppy servs not thy turne for the Spirit is unto the Saints both their teacher their Coppy And they need not goe forth for a Coppy if they vvalk according to this by looking upon it eying it they shal be good Schollers Proficients hee writes them a living Coppy in their hearts engraves it on fleshly tables whereas they who looke upon no other Coppy but the VVords without them are those who are ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Pag. 19. Thou askest why wee disjoine the Spirit and the Scriptures citing Isaiah 50. 21. Answ. Wee are not to disjoine what the Lord putteth together somtimes the Spirit joineth or concurreth with the Scripture VVords and sometimes not how many preach and pray and read the Scriptures and talke of them without the joint concurrence of the Spirit Which wee say they ought not to doe the Scriptures should never be used to preach and pray c. But in the concurrence and assistance of the Spirit for they are not of true use to any without the Spirit but yee disjoine them who would have praying in the letter and useing of it without the motion of the Spirit to such the Scripture is indeed but a dead letter and it is nowayes a reproach unto them to be so called Yea what are the best of men without the Spirit but dead men and this is not a reproach to them but their Glory so nor is it to Scripture Thou sayest they are said to be a killing letter and this shewes that they are not dead Answ. A poor argument indeed Can not dead things kill if men feed upon them If thou feedest upon sand gravell stones shells will not these things kil thee though they be dead And if thou feedst upon the letter without thee and not upon the life thou canst not live yea if one that lived did depart from feeding upon the life to feed upon the letter it would kill him And as for that Scripture cited by thee it makes very much against thee to wit Isaiah 59. 21. For it is one thing for God to put VVords into mens mouths and far another for men to gather these VVords from that without and put them into their owne mouths nor doth it say that the VVords God shall put into their mouths shall be no other words more or lesse but the expresse scripture words why art thou not ashamed to cite this scripture doe yee not say to speake as the infallible Spirit givs utterance is ceased aâ—d consequently Gods putting VVords into the mouth Gods furnishing them with VVords suggested from his owne Spirit and life which the holy Prophets and Apostles vvitnessed to speake as moved by the holy Ghost doe yee not say this is ceased why then citest thou a scripture which is so plaine and clear for it but that thou art in blindnes and confusion Pag. 19. In thy procedure upon the point of justification thou makest a large step in that crooked path of deceipt wherein Thou hadst too much traced from the beginning but now more abundantly then ever thou displayest the Banner of thy disingenuity and gatherest all thy forces together it should seeme resolving to give the Quakers a finall over throw And to make the matter misty in the very entry of it thou raisest Dust to thy self venting thy own filthy imaginations under the notion of coming from them applauding thy endeavours as if thou wert studying to preserve pure the principle of justification in a point where none is jumbling it among us as thou advancest a litle further Pag. 20. 21 having given a very scant account of their doctrine in this matter couching it in most disadvantagious terms thou takest great liberty to extend thy selfe in a foolish and vaine excursion as if having fathomed the Quakers thou hadst discovered them to be either turned or turning rank Papists therefore to trace thee throughly in this matter that if it be possible thou maist come to have a discovery of thy Vanity and malice or though thou shouldst prove irrecoverable yet others may have a view of both I shall first in honesty and plainnes declare the principle of truth in this matter thereby observing thy misrepresentations Secondly shew what vast difference is betwixt us and the Papists therein And thirdly make manifest how much nearer of kin yee are to the Papists even as to this particular and the things relating thereunto then wee which may serve as a seasonable shower to allay that windy triumph vvhich thou endeavourest to establish unto thy selfe As to the first vvee are justified by Christ Jesus both as hee appeared and was made manifest in the flesh at Ierusalem and also as hee is made manifest and revealed in us and thus wee doe not divide Christ nor his righteousnes without from his righteousnes within but wee doe receive and embrace him wholly and undivided THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNES Ieremiah 23. 6. 1. 30. By which wee are both made and accounted righteous in the sight of God and which ought not nor cannot be divided And the manner and way wherby his righteousnes and obedience death and sufferings without become profitable unto us and is made onrs is by receiving him and becoming one with him in our hearts embraceing and entertaining that holy seed which as it is embraced and entertained becometh a holy birth in us which in Scripture is called Christ formed within Christ within the hope of glory Gal. 4. 19. Coloss. 1. 27. By which the body of sin and death is done away and wee cleansed and washed and purged from our sins not imaginarily but really and we really and truly made righteous and holy and pure in the sight of God which righteousnes is properly enough said to be the righteousnes of Christ for it is immediatly from him and stands in him and is as unseparable from him as the beams are from the sun and it is through the union betwixt him and us his righteous life and nature brought forth in us and wee made one with it as the branches are with the vine that wee have a true Title and right to what hee hath done and suffered for us for being so closely united to Christ his righteousnes becometh ours his obedience ours his death and suffrings ours thus wee know hiw and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffrings being made conformable to his death Philip. 3. 10. By which nearnes and fellowship wee come to know an unity with the suffring seed both in our selves and others and therein to travell for its raising and deliverance which yet no wayes derogats from the worth of the sacrifice hee offred up unto God without the gates of Jerusalem while
Scriptures cited by thee for all these Scriptures speake of works with a limitation as Rom. 3. 20 by the deeds of the law there shall no fllesh be justified and Gal. 2. 16. knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law here the works of the law are excluded but not the works of Christinus which are not of the law for the law or first Covenant was weak and gave not strength to them who wer under it to fulfill righteousnes but these who were in Christ Iesus witnessed the righteousnes of the law fulfilled in them who walked not after the flesh but after the spirit And as for that other Scripture Tit. 3. 5. though it exclude works of mens doing as of themselves yet it excluds not all works nor inward righteousnes of Christ but expressely includs it according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy holy Ghost thou cauldest not have brought a more plaine proof against thy selfe for thou citest this Scripture as holding forth justification Now the Apostle sayeth he saved us according to his mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost and is not the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost a vvork which comprehends many particular works of the Spirit of Christ in the Saints And is not regeneration and the renewing of the holy Ghost a righteousnes wrought in us How is it then that thou art not ashamed to charge us with rank Popery for saying wee are justified by a righteousnes wrought in us seeing the very Scripture cited by thee is expresly for it May wee not pertinently returne these words upon thee which thou misappliest to us Oh tell it not in Gath publish it not in the Streets of Askelon c. That a man who pretends to teach others aright in the matter of justification hath so confounded himselfe that to prove that justification is not by a righteousnes wrought vvithin bring a Scripture which speaks expresly of a righteousnes vvithin to wit that of regeneration and renovation by which wee are saved And if any should say the vvords doe not say vve are justified by the vvashing of regeneration and renevving of the holy Ghost but vvee are saved therby as intending sanctification and not justification I answer This helps not the Author out of the ditch for he brings this Scripture forth applying it to the matter of justification But againe if these vvords exclude all works generally and vvithout any limitation then they exclude all works vvhich are vvrought by the Spirit of Christ from sanctification as if men vvere sanctified by no vvorks of the Spirit of Christ within them or if it be said that vvorks of our ovvne doing selfe-righteousnes are only excluded from having place in our sanctification but not the vvorks vvrought in and by the Spirit of Christ then I say vvhy may not the same distinction have place in all these other Scriptures vvhich say vvee are not justified by vvorks c. and indeed in all these Scriptures it holds true no lesse concerning sanctification then concerning justification As thus by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be sanctified knovving that a man is not sanctified by the works of the Law c. but it vvere vaine to infer from this that men at Sanctified by no vvorks of righteousnes wrought in them by the Spirit of Christ therefore it is as vaine to infer that men are justified by no vvorks of righteousnes wrought in them by his Spirit Pag 22. Thou sayest wee can shift of popery with this that they are not our good works which deserve and merit justification but the good works of Christs working in us yea I say wee doe justly cast of the accusation of Popery as having the expresse testimony of Scripture that wee are justified by works to wit such as are wrought in Christ and by him in us Iames. 2. 24. you see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only compared with Tit. 3. 5. before-mentioned and as for the Papists works by which they seeke to be justified wee doe not acknowledge them to be such works as whereby or wherein any can be justified And vvhereas thou pleadest that the good vvorks of Christs vvorking in us are ours citing Isai. 26. 12. Matth. 5. 16. c. Wee grant it but they are not ours in that signification as vvhere it is said hee that is entred into his rest hath ceased from his owne works Hebr. 4. 10. There are works which are so ours that they are not the works of the sanctifiing renevving Spirit of Christ in us and such are works both of open unrighteousnes and of selfe fained righteousnes vvhich has no better root to bring them forth then mans ovvne will and Spirit and by such vvorks vvee deny to be justified yea vve deny all such vvorks and the justification by them and desire to stand in a continual denyal unto them and forbearance from them But againe there are such vvorks vvhich are so ours that they are Christs also vvho vvorks them in us and by us and are ours by his free grace and by such works vvee affirme men are justified Pag. 23. Thou pleadest That men cannot be justified by any works of Christs working in them because they are imperfect And for their imperfection thou instancest 1. Faith becaus it is said O yee of litle faith why doubt yee Answ. By this thou mayst as well exclude faith from justification every way as vvorks if it vvere granted that their faith vvas imperfect but that Scripture nor no other speaks not of imperfect faith but of little faith Novv little Faith is perfect in the measure of it as a little Gold is perfect Gold And though the Disciples had doubting yet the faith vvas not the doubting nor vvas it made impure by it for the least measure of true faith can never be defiled othervvise it could not purify the heart it is like the fire vvhich cannot be defiled vvith the impurities of those things it vvorks upon And as for the Disciples at that time as they vverein part justified or approved by the Lord in relation to their faith so were they reproved and not justified of him in relation unto or becaus of their doubting But this Scripture nor none other provs not that faith was or is alwayes accompanied with doubting Abraham beleived Gods promise without doubting and was strong in the faith giving glory to God and it was imputed to him for Righteousnes Rom. 4. 20. 21. 22. And said James His faith was perfected by works Chap 2. 22. For that which is perfect in a lesse measure can be further perfected in a greater Secondly Thou pleadest that knowledge is imperfect becaus the Apostle saith VVe know but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9 But the Apostle does not say our knovvledge is imperfect or impure Wee may knovv a thing in part and yet that
that I deny for on the contrary Conversion presupposeth having light and grace by which and to which men are to be converted So that before a man be converted hee must have Saving grace in order to convert him even as the being healed of a wound presupposeth the plaister or salve but not on the contrary for the application of the plaister presupposeth not the being healed But whereas thou sayest what need is there of his turning when men are in this state already thou misrepresentest us for wee doe not say that all men are in a state of light and grace to be in a state of grace is to stand in grace which the wicked doe not stand in yet this hinders not but that grace is communicated unto them whereby they may come to a state or standing in it while the day of their visitation remains Againe thou undertakest to prove that all men have not sufficient light two wayes first that all men have not the Spirit of God jud 19. to which I answer that there may be a sufficient light in men who may be said after a certaine manner not to have the Spirit as being such vvho though the Spirit be in them to invite call and dravv them unto God yet resist his dravvings and so separate themselves from it so continuing untill the day of Gods visitation unto them come to an end concerning vvhom it is true that then they have not the Spirit so much as to invite and call them unto God or to give unto them the least tender of his love And though all have not the spirit bringing forth the fruits thereof in them to vvit love mecknes gentlenes c. as no vvicked persons have yet all even the vvicked in a certaine day have the Spirit in them to reprove and convince yea to call upon them and strive vvith them in order unto their Conversion for the Spirit of God reproves the world of sin John 19. 8. and Acts. 7. 50. Yee stiffe necked and uncircumcised yee doe alwayes resist the holy Ghost and Gen. 6. My spirit shall not always strive vvith or in man and many more to that purpose For a Second reason of its insufficiency thou sayest it reveales not Iesus Christ a saviour in respect it gives not a discoverie of his incarnation passion resurrection c. Citing 1. Cor. 2. 2. and from this place thou wouldst inferr that the Apostle preferred the knowledge of Christ as crucified outwardly to all other knowledge Answer Though wee willingly acknowledge that to know him even as he did outwardly come and was crucified c. Is a Good knowledge and of great profit and comfort to them who believe yet wee deny that the knowledge of him as outwardly crucified is the best of all other knowledge of him or to be preferred to all other wayes of knowing him nor does that Scripture 1. Cor. 2. 2 prove it For Paul is not speaking there of Christ as crucified outwardly in Iudea but of him as hee was inwardly crucified in the Corinthians when Paul first came unto them to preach the Gospell as the words doe plainly import being rightly translated out of the Greek for I determined not to know any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in you but Iesus Christ and him crucified This was the Apostle his care and travell in his ministrie to declare and hold forth unto the Corinthians and other gentiles Iesus Christ who was crucified in them in his suffering seed even that seed of light and truth which suffered and was crucified in them under the burden of their transgression in the time of their unbeliefe and to preach salvation and deliverance from sin and wrath through Iesus Christ according to his weak and low appearance in them in the suffering seed through their beleving in him and closing with him as manifest therein according to which hee said to the Galathians that Iesus Christ was evidently set befor their eyes crucified in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Ephes. 3. v. 8. hee said this grace was given unto him to preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in the gentiles the unsearcheable riches of Christ parallel to which is that of the Apostle 1. Col. 27. for so should all these places be translated which riches of Christ lay hid and wrapped up in them in the seed of the Kingdome which was the least of all seeds even as the riches and fruitfulnes of a tree lyes hid in the seed of it which coms to be brought forth as the seed takes root and gets liberty to grow up unto the due stature so for this the Apostle laboured that people might know Christ in them and might embrace him in their hearts that so hee might be formed in them Gal 4. 19. And they might know him to lâ—ve in them and his life to rule in them which is more then to know him as outwardly crucified and indeed none know the weight and greatnes of vvhat hee suffered outvvardly but vvho knovv him first as hee hath suffered in them and suffer and become crucified vvith him so as to have a Sympathy fellovv feeling vvith him even as the members suffer and are pained vvhen any thing hurts the head or heart And vvhereas thou sayest you see the Apostle judges the knowledge of Christ crucified to be that one thing necessary Wee deny that the knovvledge of his being outvvardly crucified is that one thing necessary for people must knovv him in them Know yee not that Christ is in you unles yee be reprobats 1. Cor. 13. 5. As for thy charge upon the Quaker saying with what face can you blame me for being in darknes seeing your opinion is that all men have sufficient light in them It is frivolous for though the light vvhich is sufficient be in thee thy opposition to the light blinds thee and hinders thee from seing light a man may have a candle burning in his house but if hee put it under a bushell it vvill not give him the sight of things in the house That there is no other name under heaven wherby any can be saved but the name of Iesus Christ is granted but that name is another thing then the bare expression or declaration and knovvledge of vvords or things as with out becaus his name is said to be a strong tower wherunto the righteous fly and are safe vvhich is another thing then the bare nameing of his death and crosse vvithout for many unrighteous plead a right to that and can fly unto it as vve see by the example of the Papists To vvhom it seems yee vvill needs joine your selves in this matter vvho say that the outvvard naming of Christ and signing vvith the crosse puts avvay Devils and that vvee are of another mind then you in this matter is much to our advantage becaus vvee knovv the inward is the maine thing and vvher it is enjoyed the efficacy benefit of the outvvard can not be vvanting though
their tâ—stimony but by the inward testimony of the spirit Calvin after hee has said all that can be said of outward wayes at last concludes the only certaine way to know it in deed is by the testimony of the spirit l. 1. c. 7. Sect. 4. of his Inst. as to the course that Paul tooke with the obstinate Jewes it was very commendable becaus they said they beleived the Scriptures and seemed to esteeme them much though they opposed the truth witnessed to in the Scriptures so that it is evident that some great pretenders to the Scriptures can make a cloak of them to deny Christ himselfe as yee doe at this day And though Paul tooke that course with the Iewes yet wee see hee tooke no such course with the Athenians to whâ—m he cited no Scripture nor endeavoured to perswade them by it but told them they were the off spring of God and wished them to feel after him who was not afar of from every one of them thirdly sayest thou the saints had recourse to the Scriptures in the examination of Doctrines So have wee too as befor has beene declared but that will not prove the Scripture is the rule Pag. 16. Fourthly thou sayest wee ar commanded to search the Scripturs Iohn 5. 39. Answer The words may be translated you search the Scriptures as Pasor translateth them But wee doe acknowledge the Scriptures are to be searched but are not to be rested in which was the Iewes fault who vvould not come to Christ to get life thinking to have eternal life in the Scriptures vvhich Christ cheks them for and that the Scriptures are profitable for doctrine correction instruction vvee owne and are commended for their dignity and authority but they are thus profitable onely to such as come to the Spirit to guide and direct them hovv to make use of them else they may prove an occasion of stumbling as they did to the Pharisees hence it is said that the man of God may be perfect mark the man of God not every Man novv no man can be truely called the man of God but hee that is led by the Spirit of God Next thou vvouldst undertake to prove that it is not the mind of God that the Spirit within men should be the Rule in which thou fallest very short as appears by saying that Christ made use of the Scripture to prove himselfe c and not the light within And did these Jewes receive him who had the Scriptures did they not reject him and why because they hearkned not unto the inward voice and testimony of the Father concerning him and this was the testimony which hee said was greater then that of Iohn though Iohn was the greatest of the Prophets and those vvho beleeve had the witnesse in themselves 1 Ioh. 5. 10. but to thâ— unbeleiving Iewes hee said yee have neither heard his voice nor seene his shape Secondly Thou sayest there is an expresse command to try the Spirits 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Answ. but is there any word there of trying them by the Scripture Cannot the Spirits be tryed by the Spirit of God or is there any better way to try them How tryed Peter the spirit of Ananias and Saphirah And is not the tryall and discerning of Spirits the priviledge of the Saints now And how is it a peculiar priviledge to saints unles it be done by the Spirit of God For the Scriptures any can make use of the Apostle Iohn writing to the Saints concerning seducers points them to the Anoinâ—ing which remained in them and did teach them all things and by this they did know all things and consequently Spirits 1. Iohn 2. 20. 26. Thirdly thou sayest undoubtedly there are strong delusions c. Ans. there are so indeed But was there any more strongly deluded then the Pharisees Yet how much did they lay claime to the Scriptures how came they then to be deluded who wer so skilled in the Scriptures according to the letter of them and the poor People who were not so skilled so rightly to hit the matter And as to thy question what way shall the delusion be tryd if you neglect the VVord of God and look only within Answ As for the VVord of God nor yet the Scriptures testimony wee neglect not but what way thinkest thou shall the delusion be tryed If you neglect the Spirit within and look only upon the letter and words vvithout you if the Delusion be strong in the heart will it not twine and vvrest the Scriptures without to cause the Scriptures to seeme for it and suppose a man be deluded with a Spirit of delusion what can help him but God whose Spirit searcheth all the deepest things of Sathan and can and doth dscover them to those vvho love to be undeceived and are faithfull to God in what they certainly know And though the same deluding spirit who deceived first may deceive over againe that makes nothing against the insufficiency of the Spirit to discover the delusion but if a man be deceived either first or againe he is to blame himself for his defect in not being duely watchfull and faithfull in what is discovered to him of God truly and certainly Consider the tendency of thy argument which strikes not only at the certainty of the Saints faith now from the Spirit within and the assurance of knowledge there from but also strikes at the very certainty and assurance of all the Faith and knowledge the holy Prophets and men of God had from the Spirit vvithin when Seripture was not Wee are in no greater hazzard to be deceived now then they were then You that set up the Scripture as your only rule the many sects of you what jangling and contesting is among you while one pleads for his sence and another for his which all proceeds from their wandring from the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures And as to satisfying of others wee refer recommend them to the same Spirit in them to receive their satisfaction from that which only can and will satisfy them who wait for it in singlenes Pag. 18. And whereas thou sayest the Saints are led and guided by the Spirit but it is according to the Scriptures So say wee too But it doth not therefore follow that the Spirit hath so tyed and limited himselfe to the use of the scriptures as alwayes to use them in every particular step of his guiding the Saints the Spirit is free to use or not use the scriptures at his pleasure and guideth the Saints in many particular steps of their life for which there is no particular scripture either to approve or disprove them in As for the more sure VVord of Prophesy wee grant it is the rule but deny that that more sure VVord is the Scriptures but it is that VVord in the heart from which the Scriptures came and in and by which the Scriptures are to be interpreted and is it not grosse blindnes darknes to say the Scripture is more
ignorant of the differences according to his owne Confession he is not ashamed to forge numbers of lyes upon the Lords People and as if they had been truths consisting in his knowledge to vent them before a publick auditory which sermon is largely answered by G. K. together with some animadversions upon it from A. J. Also severall papers past betwixt W. M. and G. K. which haâ— their rise from some queries sent by P. L. to W. M. answered by W. M. to which was returned a reply by P. L. the saâ—e was replyed â—o by G. K. which having received a reply from W. M. was again replyed to at length by G. K. it is now two yeares and upwards sineth last papers from our friends hands were returned to the respective Priests unto which as yet there is no answer nor any of them published but instead of all at last comâ—s out a Dialogue of which the proverb is verified pâ—rtâ—riuâ—t montes nascitur mus subscribed by no hand but generally understood to be W. M. and by him not denyed which whether it bee to deale fairely or ingenuously the ingenuous may judge Ingenuous dealing would have stated things as related from our own friends hands and given an account of the many Scripture proofes and arguments made use of in our friends papers which this author in his Dialogue hath done nothing lesse but deceitfully hath represented us considering what had past before to which he himselfe who ever he is could not but be privy and disingenuously hath dissembled and waved almost all the Scripture proofes arguments used by our friends in their aforesaid Papers as any may see who are willing to looke into the said Papers Coppyes of which are in several hands and any who desire to read them may have them readily from our friends Therefore however this worke of his may satisfy and deceive a benighted multitude whose faith is pinned upon other mens sleeves neverthelesse I hope it shall be an occasion to discover these men to any who are ingenuous and love not to be hoodâ—incked but are willing to know the Truth So Reader having given thee this account I leave thee to the perusing of the following Papers omitting these needlesse Apologyes and flattering insinuations usual in Epistles of his Kind my end being to answer the good in all and to starve and not to feed the evil in any And I referre my selfe to that innocent and pure principle the Light of Christ Jesus in thee which beares testimony against all evil that thereby tbou mayest try and examine what is here writ and who are the owners of Scripture and who are the wresters of it which thou canst only truly discover and discerne by the Spirit from which the Scriptures came even that inward Light and Word of Grace that is able to build thee up and establish thee in the Truth unto which I recommend thee Urie the 19 of the 2 Month 1670. R. B. To the AUTHOR HAving taken a serious view of the Dialogue lately published by thee and having weighed and considered it in the fear of the Lord I found it incumbent upon the to reply unto it both upon the account of Truth at which it strikes and for thy Soules sake as also for others that any simple hearts who have received hurt by it may be undeceived and thy unfaire dealing may be manifested in order whereunto before I enter upon the examination thereof particularly I have some things to lay before thee And first as to the manner and method of thy book by way of Dialogue it is no wayes allovvable from thee being but a meer shift to shuffle by those other papers aforesaid from being noticed oâ— regarded where all these controversies are spoken to aâ— large Secondly the nature of this kind of wroâ—ng ought to have engaged thee to set dovvne as largely what could be said on the one hand as on the other and to have brought in all the proofs and arguments alledged by the Quakers or at least the most considerable but in that thou hast done nothing so much as becoms a man far lesse a Christian as any who have converseâ— with that people cannot but be sensible of Thou hast made a bare representation of the Quakerâ— principles and that so scantly and mincingly that thou frequently giveâ—t thy self occasion to fight against a man of straw But that wherein thou hast manifested the baâ—nes of thy Cause and thy weaknes in pleasing for it is that the substance of what thou hast said is nothing else but that which was writ in the papers before mentioned and so largely answered already Whereof thou art altogether silent and wouldst insinuate that what thou hast here writ was never answered by any Quaker yea is unanswerable Thirdly In the beginning of thy Epistle thou alledgest that thou hast examined divers Opinions of the people called Quakers and after â—â—yall found them to be naught where as thou hast not so much as mentioned far lesse answered the Arguments used by them and in the manner of signifying their principles thou givest not their own words but couchest them in such words of thy own framing as may bear the most disadvantagious construction hence thou sayst that they deny original sin that they overturn the doctrine of the Saints perseverance that they call the ordinances of Christ the inventions of men all which things as so conceived are false 4. There hath appeared in thee ane airy spirit full of vanity and selfe conceit a thing which thou seemest much to cry out against in others and wil not see it in thy selfe hence in thy Epistle thou boastest that thou hast so succinctly confuted their errors highly commending the manner of thy writing as that which for ought thow knowest was never done by any who never handled these things with greater plaines and condescendingnes to the meanest capacity and in so narrow a compasse as thy owne words bear The signifying that it was the judgement of some that the publishing of thy papers might tend to edification the crying up of thy Zeale for the ordinances and many other passages too tedious to relate doe very much evidence an itching desire in thee to be commended and applauded in thy enterprise 5. In the writing and framing of thy discourse thou hast introduced thy selfe most childâ—shly and ridiculously and takest frequent occasion to play upon thy own worâ—s and snatch at them as if thou hadst got some great advantage not unlike dogs that bark at their owne shadow or these crâ—aturs that run and are mad when they see themselves in a looking glasse supposing it to be some other when indâ—ed it is but their ownâ— Image that this is thy way appears in many pages in thy book as they are heerafter examined Now more particularly So soone as thou enterest upon the matter of debate Pag. 2. thou beginnest with great disingenuity an evidence of what may be expected or will be found throughout the rest
For notwithstanding the words of the Quaker are of thy owne framing and that they lye patent before thee yet thou hast not had so much honesty in thy answer as to subsume them aright The Quaker sayes I use not flattering titles and give thee not heathenish salutations and bowings least I should sin and be found an Idolater in answer to which thou beginnest with a false subsumption saying thou wonderest that he should call salutations and bowings heathenish and Idolatrous Indeed it is no strange thing that thou and others misrepresent us and belye us in repeating our words at a distance when in this manner of writing thou canst not truly repeat those words which thou placest for ours when they be just written before thee Is it not one thing to say that Salutations that are heathenish or heathenish salutations cannot be used without sin and idolatrie and another thing to say that salutations and bowings are heathenish and idolatrous Who is so blind as not to see here a vast difference As to the first who dares deny it to be a truth that vvill offer to call himselfe a Christian to vvit that salutations and bovvings that are heathenish cannot be used vvithout idolatrie and sin But as to the other that Salutations and bovvings are heathenish and idolatrous being taken in generall vvas never said nor judged by the Quakers and therefore to charge them vvith it is utterly false and a lye for such salutations as Christ commands and the Apostles practised the Quakers dearly ovvne and frequently use and find in them great refreshment becaus there through the life flovves and is communicated from one vessell to another but such salutations thou art ignorant of and of the life that is there through communicated vvhich bears testimonie against all that is heathenish and idolatrous and leads out of it and therefore in thy dark mind vvouldst from thence plead for the customary salutations of the heathen as appears by the proofs thou bringest vvherein thy folly is very much manifested Christ sayest thou commanded his disciples vvhen they entred into a house to salute it hee did so and what more And if the house be vvorthy their peace shall be upon it to vvit the peace through the salutation intimated or offered becaus they brought to that house the tender of the Gospell and glad tydings vvhich vvas a good salutation but vvhat vvouldst thou inferr from that that vve ought to doe of our hats one to another a thing vvhich they never did by vvhose example thou vvouldst presse us to doe it and it is knowne that it is a thing unusuall in that part of the world to this day That other proof alledged from Paul saluting the Churches makes as litle if not far lesse to the purpose Paul in his Epistles who was at a great distance vvisheth grace and peace to the Churches from God the Father and the Lord Iesus Christ Ergo wee ought to take of our hats Can there be any thing more ridiculous is this the great esteeme yee put upon the scriptures to take the salutations of the blessed Apostle Paul signified by the motions of the Holy Spirit vvhich vvas the very blessing of Paul to the Churches or rather of the Spirit through him for to prove your doing off hats one of the corrupt customs of this vvorld Is not this to make a mock of the Scripturs and a stretching them to plead for that against vvhich is the naturall tendencie of their testimonie Next thou givest us Abrahams practise but every practise of Abraham is not a rule to us nor to you either the like may be said of that of Moses Though Moses did obeisance to his father in law that makes nothing against us far lesse his kissing of him and asking him of his vvelfare both vvhich things the Quakers deny not Thou acknovv ledgest that religious vvorship given to the Creature is idolatrie What is Religious Worship but that vvhich is given to God and is not the bovving of the body and uncovering of the head the signification of your Worship to God And if yee give the same to the Creature also where is the difference for in the external signification it is not distinguished unles it be said to be the intention which if it be wee shall have the Papists pleading the same for their adoration of images and the relicts of the saints And truly your being found in these things gives them advantage in that matter That courtesie and Christianity are not repugnant vvee deny not and therefore for Christians to be Courteous one to another is very fit vvhich indeed that the Apostle commands wee acknowledge But that Courtesie consists in taking off hats and bovving to one another that rests for thee to prove In the next place to prove the indifference of using the plurall number instead of the singular to one person thou sayest thou art very confident the Kingdome of God consists not in vvords so am I too yet I strange thou shouldst say so considering thy principles for vvhat is all your preaching but words yea vvhat is the Scripture it selfe I meane that vvhich yee have of it to vvit the letter but words And seing the very Gospell according to you is but a company of words being a declaration of vvhat past many hundred years agoe hovv has thy zeale here to oppose the Quakers made thee forget thy selfe in this matter Thou sayest that to vvhich the singular number is agreeable the plurall may be applyed to without making a lye The proofs alleged for that be Matth. 23. 37. Luk. 22. 31. 3 Epistle of Iohn vers 13 evince nothing in this matter for the Contexts being rightly considered vvill clearly make out that the vvords are not applyed to one single person only exclusively of others and that of Luke is to a flock comprehending the disciples to vvhom hee vvas speaking just before but there is no confounding of the number vvhere one single person is only spoken to and that vvithout understanding of any more And though indeed it vvere good that the difference vvere not greater yet the differences in these things evidence that there be differences in greater matters And in respect that yee are estranged from the principle that leads out of corruption in all things therefor yee cannot see the vveight that is in these things vvhich is more then yee are avvare of Pag. 3. Thou seemâ—t to take great advantage of these words Heretofore I walked according to my light and the same I doe still and while in the integritie of my heart I walked in the way thou art now in I dare not say but God countenanced me in it Here thou makest a great stirr as if thou hadst brought the Quaker to a great Dilemma But to passe by thy examining of the weak objection which thou makest in the Quakers behalfe which I beleive was never alledged by any of them unto thee as that wherwith they either only or cheifly defend
by which they are united to him and as to that other Scripture 1. John 3. 24. these and other Scriptures which might be cited hold forth that in being of Christ which is by union but say nothing against his in being in them where the union is not for he is in them who knovv him not and are Darkness Ioh. 1. ver 10. and 5. and he was crucified in the Corinthians and Galathians which was in the tyme of their unbeliefe 1. Corint 2. ver 2. and Galat. 3. ver 1. for the words in the greek are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. In you and indeed there can be no greater absurdity them to say that Christ is in no man but in them with whom hee is united for Christ is not separated from that light and seed which is of him that is in every man but is united with it which bears testimony against all iniquitie but many tyms men are far from being in union with that in them which witnesseth against all sin as experience sufficiently teacheth Then if that be in them which is pure and if Christ be in that pure theâ— Christ is in them and if they be not united with that which is pure in them then are they not united with Christ which is in the pure that is in them It seems strange to thee that Christ should be in the heathen and they not know him Was it not as strange that hee should be among the Jewes who had tho letter that did bear a testimony of him they not know him 8. that notwithstanding his miracles and other proofs hee gave of himselfe they should so far mistake him to judge him to be an impostor blasphemer Thou sayest is Christ so uâ—couth to them hee dwalls in as not to reveâ—l himselfe unto them but though wee say that Christ is in all men wee doe not say hee dwelleth in all men for dwelling signifieth more then in being and yet I say hee does reveale himselfe in some measure unto all in whom he bears witnes against iniquitie for the revelation of Christ unto one is not alwayes by giving the knowledge of what past externally but is a revelation of the righteous judgement against the transgressour in them which to say that the heathen wanted is false and contrary to scripture Rom. 1. 18. 19. 20. Ioh. 3. 18. 19. 20. yea and contrary to the very acknowledgement of Americans who have confessed that there was that in them which judged and reproved evill Whither or not their ignorance of the outvvard transaction derogats any thing from their capacity of salvation coms here after in its place to be examined together vvith that other saying of thine vvherein thou shevvest the like disingenuity viz. that the saying that every man hath sufficient light to lead him to life and salvation tends to put Christians in the same condition vvith Pagans becaus sayâ—st thou Christians have no more and the preaching of the Gospell and the benefitt of the scripturs are little to be regarded for vvithout them men have sufficient light to lead them to thâ— things of God for the saying that men have sufficient Light hath no such tendency for hee that is truâ—y and realâ—y a Christian and not nominally only is one that is united to Christ and bâ—lâ—ives in him now it is one thing to have the Light and another to beleive in it which is clearly made out by that scripture whâ—le yâ—e have the Light beleive in the Light 〈…〉 may become the children of it And that it is a great advantage to have the knowledge of the scripture as outvvardly vvee deâ—y not forth reaching aâ—d raising of thâ— feed in them that are a far off and also for the comforting and refreshing of them in vvhom it is raised as the scriptures are used in that Spirit vvhich gave them forth Therefore vvee labour travel so much for that end and are found using the Scriptures testimony If it be said that therein vvee contradict our principle seing it is possible that people may be saved vvith out the scriptures I ansvver Iay. For many things are profitable vvhich are not of absolute necessity you your selves acknovvledge that other bookâ— besides the scriptures are not of absolute necessity unto mens salvation and yet you judge not all other books useles yea yee to much relye upon books Also you doe not say that it is impossible that any can be saved vvithout preaching upon the scripturs and yet you reckon not preaching to be in vaine But doe yee not rather contradict your principles who say that the number of all those who ever can be saved is so definite from all eternitie and that without respect to their faithfulnes or diligence in the using of the means in the foreknowledge of God that none of them can misse of Salvation and yet keep such a stirre about preaching and ordinances for you deny that God hath decreed men unto savation whom in his foreknowledge hee did foresee would be faithful and diligent in the use of the means Pag. 7. Thou sayest all men have not saving and sufficient light in them becaus the Scripture saith that some men are brutish in their knowledge â—erem 10. 19. But why didst not thou cite these words For the pastors are become brutish and have not sought the Lord therfor they shall not prosper Wee see the proofe of this at this day but from thence how makest thou it appear that some men want Saving light the pastors are now as brutish as they wer then and it is becaus they turne their backs upon that light and will not follow it therfor wee have the more need to bear testimony unto it and against their brutishnes who reject and despise it Next thou citest Rom. 3. 11. There is none that understandeth But will that inferre that there is not any saving light in them Why understand they not but becaus they are not turned to the light that can give them understanding It is supposed sayest thou that the light in some may be darknes So it may indeed to wit that light that is gathered from the carnal and earthly wisdome which is from below where it takes the letter of the Scripturs and ads thereunto its commentaries and consequences setting up this in them as their only light wee find that light proves but darknes but that will not inferre that the true light which coms from Christ is or can be darknes unles in that sence as the day of the Lord is called darknes in Scripture for even the true light unto them who reject it is as darknes in that it gives them not that comfort and joy which it giveth unto them who love it and owne it but troubleth and affrighteth them as the night and the darknes So that these Scriptures stand in good unity with the Principle of all mens having saving light in them Next thou objectest that having of saâ—ing light and grace presupposes Conversion But
and vertue as a candle extinguished For by the fall the lamb the witnes came to be slaine and remained so until the Spirit of life againe was sent from God into it to give it life and power to witnes against mens transgressions for a witnes that is wholly dead cannot witnes unto particular things of fact against men as this inward witnes in all men doth who doe not againe crucifiâ— it in themselves And seing Christ tasted death for every man and the grace that brings salvation hath appeared to every man and the Gospel is preached in every creature as it is according to the Greek in Hebr. 2. Tit. 2. Col. 1. 23. It is manifest that the illumination given to every man is a new and fresh visitation of Gods love in Christ freely given unto them for salvation Now as to the word Nature if it be rightly understood there shall be no great difference about it For if by Nature thou understandest the Nature that is corrupt and fallen and that which simply is derived from Adam then wee deny that that Nature can claime any right to this Light or that it can be said to proceed from that Nature But if thou understandest by nature the nature that is spiritual and heavenly and is derived from Christ the second Adam the quickning Spirit the Lord from Heaven then I say the Light may properly be called the Light of that Nature in which sense is to be understood that place of the Apostle Rom. 2. v. 14. cited by thee where hee sayeth The Gentiles which have not the Law did by nature the things contained in the Law For who will be so grosse as to say that the Gentiles by the corrupt Nature could doe the things contained in the Law which is pure and Holy But by that Nature which is one with the Law towit divine and heavenly they might doe them So that thou canst not but still be accounted a wilful enemy to the Light whilest thou opposest it and dost not turne to it and by it come to see the evil of thy wayes and forsake them Pag. 12. Though it â—e here asserted in name of the Quakers that the Scriptures are of excellent and blessed use yet thou wilt not beleeve it and alledgest they will not make the due use of them for these Reasons First Because a Bible thou sayest Is not to be seene in all our meetings But that will inferre nothing at all for wee meet not to read the Scripture but to wait on the Lord and be taught of him and receive from his Spirit what hee pleaseth to administer either in our selvs or through the mouthes of his servants wee meet to Worship God whos worship is to be performed in Spirit and in truth and not in externall reading Thou sayest Christ tooke the book of the prophet I saiah and read out of it But was not this the performance of a legal duty and in condescendence to the Iewes manner for it was in the synagogue but did he ever coustitute it as a part of the Christian worship for one man to take the bible and speak upon it and all the rest to be excluded from speaking while hee pratles his owne barren empty notions about it shew me where that was the practise or order among the Apostles and primitive Christians In the churches way 1. Cor. 14. there is no such thing but on the contrary vers 29. let the Prophets speake two or three and let the other judge if any thing be revealed to another that sits by let the first hold his peace for yee many all prophecy one by one that all may learne and all may be comforted By which it plainly appears there was no such setled custome among them but it is one of the maine inventions brought in in the Apostacy wherby barrennes and drynes hath entred and wherby the quickning unlimited life has beene stopped from flowing through many vessels It is true the Apostles at times cited Scriptures out of the law and the Prophets to shew their fulfilling or to open the mind of the Spirit concerning them which is frequent is our meetings to cite Scriptures and open them in the same life and Spirit that gave them forth in the order of the Spirit but not in the order and way of mans wisdome and Spirit as is your way which savours more of Aristotles School then of the Church of Christ. Secondly as to what thou sayest that it is not our way to encourage the People to read the Scriptures and to try doctrines by them 't is utterly false for wee desire that all may come to try doctrines even by the Scripture but wee bid them also come to the light in them to read and try doctrines and understand the true sence of the Scriptures therein and if People did so wee know that then your jugjuglings about them would be made manifest but indeed wee are far from desiâ—ing People to heed your false Glosses and commentaries upon them wherby yee darken them rather then interpret them Thirdly thou sayest when you want an inward command to a duty I trow the 〈◊〉 command of the Scripture is not regarded Ans here thou writest as one unacquainted vvith the Law and new Covenant vvritt in the heart the inward command is never vvanting in the due season to any duty as it is vvaited for and the outvvard testimony or signification of the command vvee regard in its place Is it not a regarding the outvvard to mind the inward unction and spirit to vvhich it directs vvhich invvard teacheth all things and leadeth into all truth 1. Ioh. 2. 27. 1. Cor 14. 15. Iohn 16. 13 yea doe not such more regard the outvvard then they vvho under a pretence of an outward command doe run about these things in their ovvne natural will and Spirit neglecting to vvait upon the Lord for the leading and help of his Spirit Thy comparing us to servants who will not be moved to work by their masters letter c. is vaine and riduculous nor doth it reach us for our Masters letter is vvritt in our hearts and ther wee ar to find it neither is our Master separated from us as those Masters are vvho use to vvrite letters to servants to set them on vvork while they are absent and cannot help them by their presence for our Master is alvvayes vvith us and hee requires us to doe all our vvorks by his imediate counsell direction and assistence as present vvith us and in us And that nature vvee vvitnes brought forth in us vvhich does not shift his vvill but delight in it to doe it and knovv it vvhether told us by a lively voice or by any other invvard signifification of his Spirit Fourthly and becaus thou art ignorant of that great duty of wayting upon the Lord in silence out of all thy ovvne thoughts and words and art trampling it under foot thou lookest upon it as mispent time or a meer
looking upon the ground vvhereas if ever thou comest to knovv the Scriptures a right or to confer a right concerning them so as to proffit thou must first come to that silence thou novv so much despisest So that these things very vvell consist though the vvorld may judge othervvayes vvhom thou vvilt have to be judges in the case but in the judgement of those vvho are redeemed out of the vvorld vvee shall be found to put the scriptures in their true place Thou canst not but smile thou sayest that a man of understanding should grant the Scriptures to be a declaration of Gods mind and yet deny them to be Gods VVord for what is a VVord but a declaration of ones mind Ansvv. Here thy lightnes appears vvhich darkens thy understanding if thou must needs smile doe it at thy impertinent reason for though a mans VVord be the declaration of his mind yet every declaration of his mind is not his word for signes may be a declaration of a mans mind without his word and people usually distinguish betwixt a mans VVord and his writ And so though the scripture be a declaration of Gods mind yet it is not his VVord properly nor can those properties which are declared of the VVord belong to the scriptures as hath oft beene demonstrated but to that inward and living VVord as it doth declare it selfe whether in the heart or in the mouth The VVord of God is like unto himselfe spirituall yea Spirit and life and therefore cannot be heard or read with the natural externall senses as the Scriptures can nor does the Scriptures cited by thee as Hosea 1. 1. Ioel. 1. 1. Isaiah 38. 4. Ieremiah 14. 1. prove thy intent For that VVord vvhich came unto the Prophets vvas that from vvhich the scriptures vver given forth vvhich VVord you confesse vvas immediate from God but you say it is ceased to come novv And did not all the Prophets prophecie from Christ the Word Thou mightest ss vvell reason thus that vvhen it is said the Spirit of the Lord came upon such a one or to such a one that therefore the scripture is the Spirit and so deny all Spirit but that vvhich is the Scripture as some doe in other Sects calling the vvritings of the Apostles and Evangelists the Spirit and denying the necessity of any other thing vvhich is abominable deceâ—pt and vvresting of Scriture and that the Prophets declaring their message said thus saith the Lord provs that vvhat God spake in them and through them as the living VVord declared it selfe vvas the VVord of God but not the letter or vvriting And vvhereas thou sayest it is all one to say the scripture saith and God sayeth Answer by vvay of inference and collection it may be said they are one becaus of their agreement yet the living VVord and speech of God is not the scripture more then the sun beame is the shadow â—hough the one agrees vvith the other every one that reads or hears the scriptures read hears not God immediatly now that vvhich God speaks to any or in any immediatly that is only his VVord properly unto them As they vvho only read my Letter cannot be said properly to hear me by VVord of mouth Christ said to the jewes yee have not heard his voice though they heard the scriptures and though the Apostle useth some scriptures out of the old Testament it prove not hee had not the VVord of the Lord speaking them immediatly in him and to him That scripture thou biddest remarke 1 Thess. 2. 13. provs not thy intent neither for the VVord which they heard of the Apostles was that living VVord declaring it selfe through the Apostles which was answered by the same in them who heard they heard Christ of in and through the Apostles does it therefore follow that Christ is the Scripture And lastly Mark 7. 13. Servs thy purpose no more then the rest for the Pharisees in striking at the fift commandement did conesquentially strike at the living inward VVord which gave it forth as those who strucke at any of the Apostles struck at Christ yet none of the Apostles was Christ as nether is the 〈◊〉 as it is outwardly vvritt to speak properly the VVord of God And truly the reason why vvee may not call the Scriptures the VVord of God to speak properly is that people may be directed to that invvard living VVord for by their being so much called the VVord of God they have beene putt in Christs stead and have beene set up as an Idoll in stead of that from whence they came so that to avoid this hazard vvee have putt them in their due place Pag. 14. To prove that it is the mind and VVill of God that the Scriptures should be the Rule thou citest Isay. 8. 20. To the Law and to the testimony c. But it rests to be proved that the Law and testimony vvas not the inward Law and that that Word according to vvhich they vvere to speake vvas not the inward VVord vvhich is said to be in the heart It is observable that to prove this thou bringest Ioh. 7. 49. vvhere the Pharisees say have any of the Rulers or Pharisees beleived in him but this people that know not the law are accursed This place sutes the matter very vvell but makes much against thee For the Pharisees here were crying up the outward Lavv and the knowledge of it averring that the ignorance of it caused the meane people to beleive in Christ. So doe yee novv yee pretend to cry up the Law and say the ignorance of it occasions so many to leave you And as they then were setting the Law above Christ and covering themselves with a zeal for it persecuting him and reviling his followers as ignorants So yee now whilst yee are boasting of your great knowledge in the Law and in the scripture and your high esteeme of them yee are despising crucifying the same Christ in his spirituall appearance and upbraiding his followers now as thâ—y did then as ignorants and contemners of the Law And as to Luk. 10. 26. how readest thou This was spoke to one that was a Lawyer or interpreter of the Law and relyed upon it so Christ spoke this to check him and beside the dispensation of the Law which this Lawyer was under was different from that of the Gospel in this matter as may appear Heb. 8. 10. Againe as for Christ and his Apostles useing the Scriptures for convincing of their opposers so doe wee and yet this proves not that either hee or wee judge them to be the Rule wherby to try all things and Spirits yea even the Spirt of God himselfe Pag. 15. Thou seemest to lay much stresse upon this that it wer impossible for us to prove to a Iew or a Turk that Iesus the Son of Mary is in very deed the Christ without the Scripture But I Answer thee to that easily by what way wilt thou perswade a Turk to believe the Scriptures or
hee humbled himselfe unto death even unto the death of the crosse tasting death for every man This is an honest and plaine and true account of our beleife in this matter and is in substance one and the same with that which at sundry tymes thou and thy brethren hast received from us notwithstanding the bare scanty and disingenuous account thou givest of us in this matter Secondly As to the vast difference that lyeth betwixt us and the Papists any who are not willfully blind may see it who know their Doctrine and ours in this thing It is not the works of Christ wrought in us nor the works which wee work in his Spirit and power that wee rest and relye upon as the Ground and foundation of our justification but it is Christ himselfe the worker revealed in us indwelling in us his life and Spirit covering us that is the Ground of our justification and wee feeling our selvs in him feeling him in us and his Spirit his life covering us wee feel our justification and peace with God in him and through him the alone Mediatour betwixt God and Man Now this manner of justification by the indwelling of Christ in the Saints and of his Spirit is not held by the Papists but is expressly denied by them and disputed against particularly by Bellarmine And Christ Iesus himselfe is both first and last our justification and foundation of it and as to being justified by works the Scripture is plaine for it and so wee may not deny it but plead for it according to the true sence and mind of the Spirit as wee are taught of him But to be justified by him is more then to be justified by works and therefore are wee justified in our works which wee work in him because wee are in him and work them in him and because the Lord accepteth and justifieth us in him therefore hee accepteth and justifieth our works wrought in him and accepteth and justifieth us in relation to these works and though it hath beene said by us that Good works which are wrought in Christ and are rather his then ours are meritorious yet wee understand it not any otherwayes then thus that all their Merit or worth is from Christ and seing they are said in Scripture to have their reward and Reward and Merit are relative terms inferring one another in that sence wherin they are said to be rewarded they may also be said to be meritorious which yet hinders not the freedome of Gods grace in justification for wee doe verily beleive and confesse that both the VVorks and the Reward are of the free grace of God and that the Lord giveth us all things not of Debt or as being in our Debt but of free gift and his infinite goodnes and VVisdome hath seene it meet to promise a Reward to good works and so hee doth reward them becaus of his goodnes and faithfulnes and not because he is addebted unto any of us otherwise then as hee hath bound himselfe by his promise And this is contrary to that â—alse Popish Doctrine which affirms that men deserve a Reward from God for good works upon the account of strict justice without respect to the Promise And if it be answered that all Papists doe not say so but are more moderate well then I say If some of them be moderate and passe from the erronious opinion of Popery and speake that which is true if others speake what is true also in that particular should the truth be accused and condemned for ranck Popery because some Papists at times confesse to it You your selvs know that Papists contradict one another in divers things and where men directly contradict one another one of the sides must speake true But as to that wherin the justification stands and on which it is grounded to wit Christ himselfe as in dwelling in the Saints none of all the Papists for ought wee ever heard or read doe owne it but are against it Againe as to the works by vvhich the Papists seeke to be justified they are such as vve beleive none can be justified by viz. their outward observations their invocation of Saints bovving to images saying Ave maries telling their Beads their Pilgrimages their whipping themselvs their keeping Lent and many other such like works of voluntary humility by which they seeke to be justified though they are evill vvorks as not done in the faith and povver of God nor does it serve thy turne to say that Papists think not that vvorks considered as evill and sinfull are sufficient to justify them for that is not the question vvhether the Papists think to be justified by vvorks sinfull and evill but this is the Question vvhether the Papists think to be justified by VVorks vvhich are really sinfull and evill hovvever they may imagine them to be good and herein I say vvee differ vastly from Papists they think and seek to be justified by such VVorks as are evill in the sight of God vvhereas vvee beleive that by no such vvorks can any man be justified Other vveighty differences cold be shevved in relation to this matter but vvhat is here in short declared may suffice to evince that vvee differ vvidely from the Papists concerning justification Thirdly looke hovv near a kin yee are to Papists as in many other things So in these relating to justification First doe yee not say that yee are not justified by Christ in dvvelling in you so say the Papists Secondly Doe yee not say that the vvay to attaine to a state of justification is not by beleiving in the VVord of faith vvhich is in every man and in the Light vvhere vvith Christ has enlightned every man that coms into the vvorld And so say the Papists vvho though they talk of universall Grace yet they deny that this Vniversall Grace is an Evangelicall principle of Light by beleiving in which men can attaine unto a state of justification immediatly 3. Doe yee not say that Gods act of justification is not an immediat testimony of his Spirit declaring or pronouncing men righteous And so say the Papists 4. Doe yee not say that men are not to know their justification or that they are in a justified state by an immediate testimony of the Spirit in them by vvay of object for this vvere to assert immediate revelation so doe the Papists So by these fevv instances given here and by many other instances given by others in other particulars try your selvs and first clear your selvs of Popery before you or thou doest throvv it upon us Now wher as thou alledgest that the Apostle in the matter of justification excluds all works even those of Christ his working in the Saints and which they work in him 'T is falfe nor doe the Scriptures cited by thee prove thy intent as Rom. 3. 20 gal 2. 16. Tit. 3. 5. thou sayest the Apostle speaks of works in generall without any limitation But herein thou contradictest the very expresse
no commission to baptise vvith water is clear from that of Paul vvhere he sayeth I thank God I baptised none of you but Crispus and Gajus and the houshold of Stephanus c for said he I was not sent to baptise but to preach the Gospell 1. Cor. 1. 16. 17. Novv it is not questioned but his Commission vvas as large as any of the rest for he himselfe said that hee vvas not inferiour to the cheifest of the Apostles but that hee thereby denied hee vvas sent to administer the holy Spirit vvhich is the baptisme of Christ is absurd to think for a Fifth Reason thou sayest it is the will of Christ that this ordinance should continue and abide in the Church because hee promised to be with his Ministers to the end of the VVorld To which I answer that this promise related to the Baptisme of the Spirit which is Christs Baptisme is granted but that it related to the Baptisme of water is denied for hee was with Paul who yet professed hee was not sent to baptise with water And whereas some give their meaning to Paul his words that hee was not sent only or principally to baptise with water this is an addition to the Scripture Words for which they can shew no sufficient ground And if men will take a liberty to adde to Scripture Words from their owne Spirit they may wrest the Scriptures to defend the worst of opinions as when it is said Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor VVorship them one should put this meaning upon it thou shall not bow downe to them not Worship them principally and therefore would averre that graven Images may be worshiped this were a most perverse abusing of Scripture Sixthly Thou sayest Thoâ—e who cast off this ordinance doe what in them lyeth to rob themselves of all the excellent ends and uses of it which are held forth in these Scripture expressions Ans. I hat such who cast off the Baptisme of Christ by the Spirit may incurre that hazard it is granted but that any such thing will follow from the not useing of water is denyed as shall appear by examining the Scripturs cited The first is Act. 2. 28. Repent and be baptised every one of you for the remission of your sins Ans. Here is no mention made of outward VVater and Repentance and Remission of sins may be and are found without it and where it is both these are frequently wanting But though it should be understood of outward water it is spoke but to particulars and is no universal command The Second is 1 Pet. 3. 21. The like figure whereunto even baptisme doth also save us But the very follovving vvords doe give an ansvver to that and clear the meaning not to be of Water baptisme saying Not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ. The Third is Act. 22. 16. Arise and be baptised and wash away thy sins But that a being baptised vvith vvater is a vvashing avvay of sin thou canst not from hence prove seeing the contrary is abundantly vvitnessed and suppose Water-baptisme vvere here to be understood it being but spoke to one infers no universal command The Fourth is Ephes. 5. ver 26. That hee might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water But by vvater cannot here be understood outvvard VVater but that of the VVord and Spirit for the next Verse speaks of presenting it vvithout spot or vvrinkle Which the outvvard VVater cannot doe see the like place Iohn 3. 5. Vnlesse a man be borne of the vvater and of the Spirit hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Novv if by Water here vvere to be understood outvvard VVater it vvould inferre that VVater baptisme is absolutely necessary to Salvation vvhich thou sayest thou canst not affirme vvith Papists Lastly thou citest Gal. 3. 7. For as many as have beene baptized into Christ have put on Christ But VVater Baptisme cannot be here understood because many vvho are baptised vvith VVater never put on Christ nor bear his Image but the Divells and are found doing the Divels vvorks So that none of these Scriptures prove the VVater Baptisme to be of continual necessity in the Church for it being but a figure it vvas to give place to that one Baptisme Eph. 4. 5. And vvhereas it is said by some that the Water Baptisme and the Baptisme by the Spirit is but one because of that agreement betvvixt the signification of the Water and the Spirit thereby signified this is a vvresting of this Scripture as much as if one should say rhat all the tipes figures and shadowes of the old Testament were one with the substance signified by them and consequently that these Tipes are all now to be upheld and used whereas indeed the coming of the Substance ends the figures among which are the divers Baptisms for so should the place be translated Heb. 9. 10. which were imposed untill the time of Reformation but are no longer binding since the Reformation is come Thou endest this matter vvith asserting That thou canst safely say that the Spirit of God concurring with and blessing this ordinance It is a profitable meane to further our Salvation but if so be it be no ordinance of Christ as heretofore is proved then wee cannot expect that the Spirit will concurre with it but indeed that hee is provoked by it considering the abuses in your administration of it as First in administring it to Infants for which yee have no command nor example in Scripture Next in causing ignorant people to promise and engage before God that the Children shall forsake the Divel the VVorld and the Flesh while they themselves be slaves to all the three and many more abuses as that vvhereby yee pretend to inroule Children as Members of the Church of God which is pure and holy it being oftentimes an occasion of excesse and drunkennesse and is indeed rather like an inrolling under the Divels banner seeing it is for most part accompanied with doing his work therefore it is so farre from being hazardous to contemne such an ordinance of man that it cannot be but hurtfull to continue in it In the Third place Pag. 39. thou comest to prove that the Lords Supper so called is an Ordinance of Iesus Christ For which thou bringst as a First Reason that Jesus Christ was the Author and Ordainer of it but that proves not That it was to be of perpetual continuance Nor thy Second Reason for though the Disciples were bid doe it in remembrance of him they were not bid doe it alwayes Neither will Act. 2. ver 42. which thou bringest as a Third Proofe serve thy turn for by comparing it vvith Verse 46. it is evident that their breaking of bread was their ordinary eating for it is said they continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread froâ— house to house did eat their meat with gladness and
seeketh after miracles and though Miracles should be given they who will not beleive the testimony of the Spirit of God in their consciences bearing witnesse to the truth will not also beleive becaus of Miracles as wee see plainly in the Jewes And whereas thou sayest Iohns immediate call is evident by the special predictions both of Malachy and Isayas concerning him So are there many speciall predictions concerning the Lord his pouring forth of his Spirit upon many in these latter dayes to prophecy or minister as the Spirit should putt words into their mouths And as for these Scripturs Tit. 1. 5. Ast. 14. 23. which thou bringst in the Fifth place they prove not that those Elders had not the Authority and call of the Spirit of God in themselves And whereas in the Sixth place thou sayest though Ministers be set apart and ordained by men yet their Ministry is not from men but from God I answer where the inward call and Authority of the Spirit of God is not witnessed it cannot be said to be of God And though Moses be said to consecrate Aaron yet it doth not follovv that Aaron had no immediat call from God Seventhly thou sayest The ministry is so necessary that it is the will of Iesus Christ that it should continue unto the end of the VVorld Eph. 5. 12. 13. But thy proofe from that Scripture is altogether impertinent as to you vvho believe not that the Saints can be perfected in this life seeing the Ministry is given for the perfecting of them And that this perfection is on Earth is clear from the follovving verse That hence forth wee be no more as Children tossed to and fro for in the other life there is no hazard of being so tossed And if the Ministry perfected not men in this life it no where perfecteth them for in the other life it hath no operation upon them The Law and Priesthood therof was abolished becaus it made nothing perfect and if the Gospell Ministrie should not make perfect it should also be abolished And seeing your Ministrie perfecteth not it is not the true Ministrie of the Gospell as indeed it is not for it standeth not in the power of God nor is it exercised in the will motion of God your Ministrie being such that the whole ESSE or BEING of it may be without saving grace or true holines you expresly affirming that holines is not necessary to the being of a Minister but that a man may be a Minister of the Gospell who ought to be received and heard though hee have not the least graine of holines Eighthly thou sayest they who cast off the Ministerie of the word wrong their owne soules c. Ansvv. if it be understood of the Ministry of Christ it is granted but of yours it is denyed In the Fifth place Pag. 44 Thou vvouldst prove that the Lords people are under a tye engagement to keep the first day of the vveek for a Sabbath For a First Reason thou sayest the Fourth commandement requires the keeping holy of one day of seven but as it requires the observation of one day of seven so it expresly instanceth that day to be the seventh vvhich day yee keep not vvherfor as to the Second Reason If the command be morall and perpetuall as thou callest it it ought to be kept in every point of it vvhich yee not doing therein condemne your selves but the outvvard Sabbath or the keeping one day of the vveek for a Sabbath is not perpetuall but abolished together vvith the new moons and other feasts of the Jevves see Coloss. 2. 16. 17. Let no man judge yâ—u in meat or drink or holy day or new moone or sabbath dayes which are a shadow of things to come See also Rom. 14. vvhich plainly holds forth all dayes under the Gospel to be alike and said Paul to the Galathians yee observe dayes c. I am afrayd of you For a Third Reason thou sayest that Iesus Christ plainly intimates the continuance of a Sabbath becaus that speaking of the desolation of Ierusalem he said pray â—hat your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath day Ansvv. but that Sabbath day is neither here nor else vvhere said to be the first day of the vveke The Jevves vvere to fly at that time and Christ holds forth their difficulties that it should be grievoâ—s unto them to be put to it to fly on their Sabbath day or be killed For they kept it in the strictnesse of it but as for any of your Sabbath keepers they are not so strait-laced but they will doe lesse necessary things then to fly from a danger on that day And as the outward Jew deâ—ireth that hee may not be putt to fly on his outward Sabbath so the inward Iew in Spirit desireth much more that hee may keep his Sabbath which is his Spirituall rest in Christ that the enemy oft seeketh to breake to cause him to fly on his Sabbath day but this to you is a Mistery Viz. what the Sabbath of them who beleive is Heb. 4. 9. 10. There remaineth therfor a Sabbatism to the people of God and hee that is entred into his rest hath ceased from his owne works as God did from his And that this Sabbath or rest is not an outward day is plaine becaus in the next verse hee saith let us labour therefore to enter into that rest But if it were an outward day it might be easily entred into but this is such a rest as none can enter into who hearken not to the voice of the Lord by beleiving and obeying it For a Fourth Reason thou sayest though yee keep not the same day the Iewes did yee have the same authority for keeping your day that they had for theirs Hence this day that wee keep sayest thou is called the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. it being set apart by the Lord for his service and as a Special memorial of his Resurrection Answ. but for all this here is no probation at all but meer assertions If yee have the same Authority produce it and let us see it Iohn was in the Spirit on the Lords day therfor the first day of the week ought to be kept how hangs this together Prove that Iohn meant the first day of the week wee read much in Scripture of the day of the Lord which is the Lords day but no where doe find it called the first day of the week or any other naturall day For it is spirituall and as God called the naturall light day so hee calleth the Spirituall light of his appearance where the Sun of righteousnes ariseth with healing under his wings Day And this is the day of the Lord wherin his people rejoice and are glad And whereas thou sayest it is set apart by the Lord as a Speciall memoriall of his resurrection This is thy naked assertion without any shadow of proofe if thou wilt say that therefore it is to be a holy