dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the Forgiveness of Sins the Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting Amen Quest. Doth this Creed contain all points of Doctrine necessary to be believed by every Christian Ans. Yes for it was given for a Confession of Faith that should fit Men for Baptism and shew any Person to be a Christian and they had better have made no Rule or Confession of Faith at all than an imperfect one Quest. What do you make the first Article in this Creed Ans. I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth Quest. How doth it appear that there is a God Ans. From this vast World that he has made Even as we are unquestionably assured of the Being of a Skilful Architect where we see a stately and well contrived House erected or of a learned Author from an excellent and well-penned Book or of an Ingenious Artificer from a Watch of exact and various Movements or other elaborate and curious piece of Workmanship And this shows us not only that there is a God on whom we and all this created World depend but also that he is most Wise Powerful and Good because the greatest Power Wisdom and Goodness are every where apparent in the contrivance and formation of it For the invisible things of God even his eternal Power and Godhead are clearly seen from the Creation of the World being understood by the things that are made as S. Paul says Rom. â— 20. Quest. Indeed nothing in reason seems more obvious than that all this World must have an Architect and that we and all the things about us which every where spring up and perish could never make our selves and that things of such admirable Order Harmony and Usefulness could not any one and much less all of them be put together by blind and uncontriving chance And therefore methinks this proof of God's Being from the voice of his Works must needs convince all his reasonable Creatures Ans. Yes and ever since the World began so it has There is neither speech nor language where their voice is not heard their â—iâ—e is gone out through all the earth and their words unto the end of the world Psal. 19. 3 4. On this or other Arguments all People in every Age and Nation believed and acknowledged that there is a God and delivered down that Belief to those who followed them And therefore no Person can ever oppose this and pretend to reason since thereby he sets up himself against all People of every place and time and against what passed for the plainest and most uncontestable Principle of humane reason ever since there was any such thing So that if therein he has reason he has it to himself alone and all the present World besides yea and all Ages too that went before him had none Quest. What things are we to know and believe concerning God Ans. First His God-head and Divine Attributes Secondly His Providence Quest. There is nothing in all Religion more necessary or useful for us than to have a right apprehension of Almighty God. Is he like any thing which we behold with our Eyes or feel with our Hands or discern by any Bodily Senses Ans. No in Scripture indeed he is said to have Ears and Eyes and Hands and Feet But therein as the Jewish Rabbins say the Law speaks of God with the Tongue of the Children of Men. And we are to understand not that he has any such parts but only that he has as full perceptions and performs the same things as we do by them The invisible God whom no man hath seen or can see 1 Tim. 6. 16. is a Spirit says our Saviour John 4. 24. And this must teach us in all our Services which we pay to him never to think of putting him off with outward Shows Gifts and Ceremonies but to be inwardly affected in all we do or say and always to offer him our Hearts and Spirits For he being a Spirit must be worshipped as Christ said in spirit and in truth John 4. 24. And moreover never to make any Bodily Images and representations of him or fancy to give him Worship and Honour by them since a pure unbodied Spirit is not represented but belyed not honoured but debased by any such thing Ye saw no manner of similitude of God when he came and spake to you said Moses to the Jews therefore take good heed left ye corrupt your selves in making any of him Deut. 4. 15 16. And thou shalt not make to thee any likeness of any thing either in Heaven or Earth to bow down to them said the Law Exod. 20. 4 5. Quest. But although we cannot see him with our Eyes yet we may apprehend several things of him in our minds And one you say is his God-head what mean you by that Ans. His Sovereignty or being the Supreme Being that depends on none and that all other things depend upon Particularly Men who were at first made by him and still absolutely depend on him In him we live move and have our being Act. 17. 28. Quest. If he depends on none he must be an eternal Being which never had beginning Ans. Yes because there was nothing before him to give beginning to him So that if he had not been from all Eternity he could never have been at all Quest. And if all things else but especially all Men do absolutely depend on him that will make all careful to serve and please him and found Religion Ans. Undoubtedly so it should And where it is not only believed but seriously laid to heart so it will. Quest. What are the Divine Attributes or Properties of God which will show us how he stands affected and what will please him Ans. He is all Holiness Goodness Justice Faithfulness Wisdom Almighty every where present and can never change Quest. What is meant by God's Natural Purity and Holiness Ans. His absolute exemption from all sin in himself and his perfect aversation and immutable hatred of it in all others He can take no pleasure in wickedness he hates all workers of iniquity and therefore evil shall not dwell with him Psal. 5. 4 5. Quest. If this be his unalterable Nature he can never be reconciled to Mens sins nor take delight in any Man whilst he goes on to be a sinner Ans. No as soon may we hope to bring Light and Darkness Snow and Fire to dwell together So far is he from living with it that he cannot endure to look upon iniquity Habak 1. 13. Quest. Since God's Holiness bespeaks such absolute abhorrence of all vice and wickedness I see it implies something more than barely his affectation of External Decency or his hatred to be treated rudely and unmannerly Ans. Yes so it doth It implies that too For God's Holiness often notes his supereminent Power and Greatness And to use this peerless Majesty or any things
Place of Bliss Of Eternal Life wherein there is Full and unmixed Happiness Of the satisfaction of their Senses Their clear and distinct Knowledge Perfect Holiness And without Reluctance Blissful Companions Perfection of Love and Kindness Honour and Eminence of Place All these to be injoy'd in the Highest Heavens without satiety or weariness For evermore Of the miseries of the Damned in Tormenting Passions The worm of Conscience Fire and Flames Disgrace Under all which no favour of God. No company but of Tormenting Devils and damned Spirits None to condole when they cannot relieve No rest and sleep for Recruit of Spirits No end of their miseries The Use of this The Practical Believer PART II. Of the Knowledge of Jesus Christ. CHAP. I. Of the Office and Natures of Jesus Christ. The Contents In what Salvation by Christ consists Being Christ notes his being 1. A Prophet to teach his Church We must hear and learn of him in the Holy Scriptures and at the mouths of his Ministers 2. A Priest to Redeem and Intercede for it 3. A King to Govern it by his Laws And by his Officers whom we are to submit to in his place Also to Protect it against all visible and invisible Enemies Jesus Christ is the Son of God as having receiv'd from the Father the Nature of God. And the Power of God. On both these Accounts and others he is our Lord. And to be worshipped What we learn from his being our Lord. Of Christ's being Conceiv'd of the Holy Ghost and Born of a Virgin. He was truly Man. And why he was so Quest. WHat is the Second Article of the Creed Answ. And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord. Quest. Jesus signifies a Saviour from what doth Christ save us Answ. From two things 1. Our sins 2. Those eternal Torments which are the Punishment of them Quest. If he prove a Saviour to us must he Reform and save us from our sins Answ. Yes for this is the main Reason why that Name was given him Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his People from their sins Mat. 1. 21. Quest. Will he save none from the Punishment but whom he saves from the sins first Answ. No for except ye Repent ye shall all perish Luke 13. 3. and at last he will say Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Mat. 7. 23. Quest. But when once they are delivered from their sins they may make sure of being freed by him from Eternal Death too Answ. Yes for there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 1. Quest. Christ signifies anointed among the Greeks as Messiah doth among the Hebrews Messiah if interpreted being the Christ or anointed as St. Andrew said John 1. 41. But what mean you when you call Jesus the Messiah or Christ that is the anointed Answ. His being invested with the Office of a Prophet to teach his Church of a Priest to make Reconciliation and intercede for it and of a King to Govern and Protect it Quest. Why do you call such Investiture his Anointing Answ. Because anciently Investitures into these Offices were according to the Eastern Custom by pouring Oyl upon them as in the case of the Arch-Prophet Elisha 1 Kings 19. 16. and High-Priest Aaron Lev. 8. 12. And in Kings as the Jewish Doctors note when they received not their Office and Authority by Succession but by extraordinary Designation as in the case of King Saul 1 Sam. 9. 16. 10. 1. and King David 1 Sam. 16. 13. Answerable to which Messiah's Designation to his Office which was to include all these is call'd his being Anointed Isa. 61. 1 2 3. Quest. Was Christ invested in these Offices by pouring Oyl upon him Answ. No but by pouring a nobler thing the miraculous Powers and Gifts of the Holy Ghost which install'd him and answer'd to their anointing God anointed Jesus with the Holy Ghost and with Power Acts 10. 38. Quest. Was Christ in the Office and Quality of a Prophet to teach his Church Answ. Yes he was a Teacher sent from God John 3. 2. What he said he spake not of himself but as the Father gave him Commandment so he spake John 12. 49 50. So that the People spoke a great truth when they said This is of a truth that Prophet who was to come into the World John 6. 14. Nay he was not in the rank of an ordinary Prophet but in a pitch of Eminence far above all others For he not only had a Prophetick Spirit resting always on him which the best of them enjoy'd but on certain times and occasions but he knew the will of God by Personal Acquaintance and immediate intuition not barely at second hand by the Message of an Angel or by a Vision or a Dream as they all did The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him John 1. 18. And on this account among others of all Prophets and Interpreters of God's mind he alone is call'd the Word because lying in God's Bosom he had his mind without any thing intervening as immediately as a word expresses ones meaning Quest. What must this teach us Answ. Whensoever we would know the mind of God to seek only unto him and never to hearken to any other New Lights or Enthusiastical Pretenders In all times both in the Apostles days and ours several Impostors and false Prophets have come with pretended Messages to shew men the will of God and the way to Happiness But we are to give ear to none of these this work of communicating God's mind to men not being left at random but peculiarly intrusted with Jesus Christ that great Prophet of the Church who is especially constituted by God and anointed for this purpose This is my beloved Son said God in the voice from the bright Cloud in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Mat. 17. 5. Quest. But how shall we do to learn of him since now he is no more among us here on Earth but is gone to Heaven Answ. Two ways he exercises his Prophetick Office to communicate the mind of God to us 1. By the Scriptures What God told him he first by Personal Converse and afterwards by his Spirit leading them into all truth told the Apostles and Evangelists and they put it in writing in the Book call'd the Holy Scriptures to be preached and published to all others thro' all times So that when we hear them read we must think we hear Christ our great Prophet speaking to us And to be debarr'd or debar our selves of the use of them what is it but to be debarr'd of this great Prophet's free Communication 2. By his Ministers whom he has left and appointed to declare God's mind to the People in his place Thus the Priests were appointed among the Jews The Priests lips should preserve Knowledge and the People should seek the Law
tender plant out of a dry ground he hath no form nor comeliness there is no beauty that we should desire him He is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him being ashamed to own him Isaiah 53. 2 3. By these accounts in outward appearance he was to come more like a Peasant than a Prince But his Kingdom so much cried up was to be Spiritual giving Laws not only to Overt-Acts which are triable in Secular Courts but to Mens Hearts and Consciences protecting and aiding them by unseen Providences and Spiritual Assistances rewarding and punishing not with Temporal but Eternal Recompences not medling with a Secular Domination over Mens Persons or Purses in things relating to this Life but leaving that Power in the same hands where it was lodg'd before And such a principality as this our Saviour claimed telling Pilate he was a King but that his kingdom was not of this world for if it had his servants would have fought to have delivered him from the Jews John 18. 36. Quest. Was Messiah to do any other notable thing which would still be a further manifestation of him Ans. Yes Sixthly He was to convert the Heathen world from their Idol-worship and make Pagan-Idolatry fall before him In that day saith Isaiah describing Christ ' s Kingdom both over Jews and Gentiles the Lord alone shall be exalted and the Idols shall he utterly abolish Isaiah 2. 17 18. In that day says God by Zechary I will cut off the names of the Idols out of the land and they shall no more be remembred Zech. 13. 2. All nations then shall serve him all nations shall call him blessed saith the Psalmist Psal. 72. 11 17. Quest. Did Jesus perform this when he came Ans. Yes he drave the proud Spirits out of their Temples and silenced them in all their Oracles and other Divinations and convinced the World that those they had hitherto worshipped for Gods were Devils and that those are no Gods which are made with hands And of this there were so many instances as there were of Heathen Men and Heathen Nations that turned Christians Quest. Those Converts indeed are so many plain proofs of the overthrow of Idols since the first step in Christianity is the renouncing of the Devil and of all Idol gods But how doth it appear that he put an end to their Oracles and other Divinations which were the strongest argument of their Divinity among their Worshippers Ans. As his Birth drew near they all grew dumb God stopping all their false mouths against that time that his own Eternal Word might be heard alone The famed Apollo was then so sparing of his Responses that Cicero thought his renowned Oracle at Delphos had ceased in his days And though afterwards he did speak sometimes as I shall note in several instances yet by the Power and Spirit of our Lord when his Religion had got footing in the World his Mouth was wholly stopped and locked up with the Keys of never Divining silence as he himself says in a Farewel Answer recorded by his Champion Porphyrius And so were also the Mouths of Jupiter Ammon and of all other impure Spirits most famed for Oracles in other places This their devout Worshippers with grief beheld and admired and Plutarch a learned Heathen who lived within an hundred Years after Christ writ a Book about it still extant wherein he inquires the best he can into the causes of it Quest. I see their general silence is beyond question But can you show that Jesus silenced them Ans. Their own professed Advocates make him the cause of the Demons withdrawing themselves from Men both in this and in other effects of their presence with them For since Jesus began to be worshipped says Porphyry the Gods are no longer conversant with Men nor has any Man received any publick benefit by them Nay the vanquished Spirits themselves who gave so many Testimonies to him when he drove them from before his personal Presence here on Earth in their Oracles and other Divinations confessed so For when Augustus in whose time our Saviour was born inquired of Apollo who should succeed him in the Empire his Reply was as Suidas reports That an Hebrew Boy who rules the blessed Gods had commanded him to pack away to Hell and leave that place so that he was like to give them no more answers Again in the days of Diocletian as Constantine relates in his Edict to the Provincials of the East he gave out another Oracle Declaring he could give no true Answers because of the just Persons upon the Earth And when Diocletian asked Who were those just Persons the Priest answered They were the Christians Which Constantine declares and calls God to witness was said in his hearing who being a very Youth attended the Emperour at that time Afterwards in the Reign of Julian when his Temple at Daphne celebrated for Oracles was confronted by a Christian Church wherein were laid the Bones of the Martyr Babylas he presently grew speechless And when Julian pressed him for an Answer by magnificent Gifts and Sacrifices at last he told him He was hindred from giving Oracles by the dead Bodies in that place Which the Emperour well understanding singled out the Coffin of Babylas without disturbing the other dead whereof many lay there interr'd and ordered the Christians to remove it Indeed when the Heathens at any time consulted their Gods by Sacrifice and were to read their Answer painted upon the entrails if any of their Christian Servants happened to stand by the wicked Spirits fled away without giving the accustomed signs and their deserted Prophets could make no Predictions Which being complained of to their wicked and superstitious Princes was several times the chief cause as Lactantius notes which enraged them to persecute the Christians In particular it inflamed Diocletian to begin his Persecution the Bloodiest of all others For his madness against them as the same Author reports was because their presence and profession of Faith in Jesus stopped the mouth of his Gods and troubled all his Sacrifices So that whilst any of them was there though he offered often one time after another this superstitious Man an insatiable inquirer into Futurities could receive no answer Nay to shew further the Power which as I say not only Christ himself but every common Christian had to command and controul these unclean Demons Tertullian desires the Emperours to make the Experiment and bring any that is vexed by a Demon or any Prophet that is thought inspired by him before the Judgment-seat and there set any poor Christian to command that Demon to speak who he is And if saith he not daring to lye to him he doth not as truly there before you all confess himself a Devil as he had falsly otherwhere proclaimed himself a God then let that malapert Christian be put
of the Prophets themselves who if they gave any hints and interpretations of what they delivered in their own days were most likely to gather up and understand such traditionary Explications The reason of this difference is pretty obvious For those ancient Jews living before Christ looked only to the Prophecies themselves and the general sense and expectation raised about them by the Prophets But among the Jews since Christ several look also at personal prejudices and had rather deny any thing than own Jesus to be Messiah which they cannot well avoid doing if those places are spoken of him CHAP. III. Proving Jesus to be the Christ from other Divine Testimonies The Contents Jesus proved to be the Christ 2. From the testimony of John the Baptist. John knew this by Revelation and had it confirmed by a sign He was an acknowledged Prophet and of most clear and currant fame And gave this testimony before he was personally acquainted with Jesus 3. From the testimony of Jesus himself several considerations shewing the validity of this testimony though it were in his own case This not impugned by Christ's words John 5. 31. nor gives any colour or advantage to Fanatical Enthusiasts 4. From his Miracles These no lying wonders as may appear because shewn in several instances not imitable by Demons As 1. Foretelling future Contingencies An account of Demon-Predictions among the Gentiles 2. Discerâ—ing Hearts and Thoughts 3. Raising the Dead 4. Casting out Devils of most stubborn ranks and in greatest numbers and combinations It may also appear from their iâ—â—ent and design and from their numbers and the manner of working them No opposing the Miracles of Moses against Christ's Miracles because they were wrought to set aside the Law of Moses That Law was given with a design to be altered An account how for all that several of its Precepts are justly called Statutes for ever 5. From the testimony of the Father who declared Jesus to be the Christ by audible voices And by raising him from the dead and shewing him in full possession of his pretences Question BUT besides this proof of Jesus being the Christ from ancient Prophecies you said the same would be evidently made out by several Divine Testimonies other ways Pray what are those Testimonies Ans. The Testimony of John the Baptist who was sent into the World to give Witness to it the Testimony of Jesus himself which very well deserves to be trusted the Testimony of his miraculous works which are an evidence drawn up by the Finger of God and to name no more the Testimony of God the Father who himself became a Voucher of it So that he must give the lye both to Heaven and Earth to God and Men who shall disbelieve or gainsay it Ans. Did John the Baptist testifie Jesus to be the Christ Ans. Yes and that upon a most publick occasion when the great Council of the Nation the Sanhedrim sent Priests and Levites to him on purpose to know whether he himself were the Christ John 1. 19. For then his answer was That he was not the Christ verse 20. but that the Christ was come and was then among them verse 26 27. Yea the next day seeing Jesus coming to him he points at him and declares to them all that he is the Person Behold saith he the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world This is he of whom I said after â—e comes a man which is preferred before me verse 29 30. which Testimony he repeats again the next day upon another occasion verse 35 36. And this Testimony Jesus alledged for himself when he reasoned with the Jews in vindication of his own Authority Ye sent unto John viz. in the message from Jerusalem and he bare witness unto the truth John 5. 33. Quest. But how came John to know it and why in this case must we take his word Ans. Because he was a Prophet all the Jews as the Scriptures testifie held John for a Prophet Matth. 21. 26. Nay as Christ says he was one of the greatest of Prophets for of all that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist Matth. 11. 9 11. And he declares that the Spirit revealed this to him nay that for his greater confirmation it gave him a visible and most illustrious sign saying unto him Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descend and remain on him that same is he And this Spirit John declares he did see descend in a bodily shape upon Jesus at his Baptism and at the same time as S. Matthew adds heard a voice from God calling him his beloved Son for his fuller conviction John 1. 32 33. Yea since as the Nazarene Gospel relates it upon this descent presently there shone a great light about the place and a fire was lighted in Jordan wherein John Baptized him as Justin the Martyr testifies what would still be a more assuring proof to John in this case this bodily descent of the Holy Ghost was in a body of Light and dazling Splendor the usual Glory wherein God himself was wont to appear which hovering over our Saviour as a Dove doth when it lights and darting forth its bright Beams round about him did plainly represent what the Jews call the Schechinah and proclaim him to be a Divine Person Thus did John know Jesus to be the Messiah by an evidence infallible and every way convincing And this he testifies of him not as a thing by the bye but says it was the very Errand whereon he was sent and for declaration whereof he was called out by God to be a Prophet That he should be made manifest to Israel says he therefore am I come John 1. 31. Quest. Indeed if John had such Revelations of this matter as he declares 't is plain he was not deceiv'd about it himself but spoke out of sober knowledge and certain grounds So that if there is no cause to question his honesty there is no getting off from his Testimony But what can you say to show him a true and honest Man who would not feign things to deceive others Ans. His Sanctity and Integrity were the honour and admiration of his own times He led a most mortified rigid Life neither caring how hard his Fare was nor how coarse his Habit. He neither eat Bread nor drank Wine whence in Scripture he is said to come neither eating nor drinking i. e. not living upon the usual Diet of other Men Matth. 11. 18. compared with Luke 7. 33. His meat was locusts and wild hony and all his rayment of camels hair girt about him with a leathern girdle Matth. 3. 4. And thus voluntarily abandoning I will not say the pleasures but even the ease and common conveniences of the Flesh he was not capable to be tempted by them He was eminently above all affectation of Power or Praise insomuch that when all were ready to receive him for Messiah he told them he
was not worthy to unty his shoâ—s and was glad when he could fix that Honour on Jesus whose right it was declaring openly he must increase but I must decrease John. 3. 29 30 31. He was illustrious for Piety and most bold and zealous in reproving Vice as he fully manifested by his undaunted freedom in censuring the sins of all states and sorts of People as they came to him for Baptism Matth. 3. And as for his sincerity and plain-dealing till Jesus came they could not in all that Age show such a down-right honest Man. When Herod set his heart upon him and loved to hear him his growing great at Court did not make him swerve in the least from his Country simplicity or teach him how to flatter nor would he there so much as connive at his Prince's sin though he was to lose not only his Favour but his own Hearts Blood for his plain freedom in taxing and reproving it Matth. 14. 3 4. 10. Quest. These are signal proofs of an upright honest Man. But did the Jews who lived in those days see all this in him Ans. Yes and honour and admire it too He was as Christ says a burning and a shining light among them and for a while till he had disgusted them by testifying so fully for Jesus they were willing to rejoyce in him John 5. 35. They all held him for a Prophet and so if they would be true to themselves ought surely to rely upon his word Matth. 21. 26. They thought it not enough to Admire and Praise but thronged in to become his Disciples and Followers and those that did so were not only the ignorant vulgar but the most learned and best reputed Sects the Pharisees and Sadducees who came desiring to receive Baptism at his hands Matth. 3. 7. Nay they did not only repute him for a Prophet but fancied him the greatest of all Prophets the Christ whom all desired and expected And this was not barely the surmize of some private Men but the opinion of the Sanhedrim that Great Council and Representative of the Jewish Nation For they sent Deputies to him a select number of Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him this Question John 1. 19. Thus great and currant was John's Fame in the Jewish Nation as is declared also by Josephus a Jewish Historian which when they begun to value him less out of their hatred to Jesus to whom he bore witness was yet of such awful Authority and Account that they who would not receive durst not openly gainsay it as the Pharisees durst not who when Jesus pressed them with John's Testimony for his Authority pitifully sneaked and openly refused to give any Answer to it Matth. 21. 27. Quest. But was not Jesus John's Friend And though he was too mortified to be tempted and too honest to be gained by any thing else yet might not affection blind his Eyes and he fancy more and speak things greater than were true of Jesus out of Friendship Ans. No if he had been an old Friend the grounds John gives are so clear and full as could not in any reason be questioned But what is still a further circumstance in this Testimony he is careful to tell us that he declared this of Jesus before they were acquainted For when he gives his Testimony to him after he had seen the Holy Ghost descend upon him at his Baptism I knew him not says he but he that sent me to baptize with water the same said unto me Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him that same is he that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost And this I saw by him and bare record John 1. 33 34. 'T is true when he came to him for Baptism which was before he had seen this sign or made this declaration S. Matthew says John knew him and thereupon would have put him by as having more need to be baptized of him Matth. 3. 14. But that was purely by Revelation the same Spirit then suggesting the presence of Messiah to John that made him leap for joy in the womb at the salutation of the blessed Virgin after She had conceived him Luc. â— 44. But till he gave this Testimony to him he knew him not as a Friend or Acquaintance nor had any former Conversation or correspondence passed between them Quest. No wonder this Testimony should over-awe the Jews when Jesus urged it for himself though it could not convince them But besides this Testimony of John the Baptist you mentioned also the Testimony of Jesus himself as deserving credit Pray clear up that Ans. This also Jesus alledges for himself and stands upon it I am one that bear witness of my self and my record is true for I know whence I came and whither I go John 8. 14 18. Quest. But this is only his own word in his own case And Men are too apt to say great and undue things of themselves out of a desire of Honour or Advantage And if we believe all on their own sayings we must believe all deceivers for the rankest Impostors are true Men if we dare trust themselves Ans. True indeed it were as unreasonable to believe all as to believe none But in these cases we are to put a difference between Witnesses and not to trust the accounts given of themselves by all but only by credible Persons In particular if it appears of any Man that he is not fanciful false or designing we should be very inclinable to believe his account especially if God had set some extraordinary attesting marks upon him or shewed some Miracles about him or if he himself which was the Legal Test of Prophets should give some extraordinary sign to gain credit All which most eminently concur in this Testimony which Jesus gave of himself for his being the Christ. Quest. Doth it appear that Jesus was no fanciful Man apt to take up Opinions on slight grounds or presume things especially in favour of himself without reason Ans. Yes for in all his carriage as he appeared most humble and self-denying so did he clearly manifest not only a most quick and penetrating but also a most sober and considerate Wisdom In all his life he was never seen to be precipitate in any Counsels nor presumptuous in any Conceits nor mistaken in any Opinions and Resolutions but could solve clearly all Questions and shew the true weight and just validity of all Arguments Even they who would not receive his Wisdom could not but admire it and the very Officers sent to apprehend him returned saying Never man spake like this man John 7. 46. Besides the things whereon he builds his own Credit are not any conjectural Speculations or disputable Opinions but plain matters of Fact such as his living and conversing with God in Heaven long before he came into the world his coming out from him and speaking what he saw and heard him declare whilst he lay from Eternal Ages in
go and do so as Christ bid Judas when he went out to betray him as also the Devils when they entred into the herd of swine not thereby commanding and authorizing his Practice but only taking off his restraint and letting him loose to his own wicked purposes by way of permission and sufferance 1 King 22. 19 20 21 22. Quest. And is that S. Paul's meaning when under the great mystery of iniquity or Man of sin he says God shall send men who loved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness strong delusion 2 Thess. 2. 11. Ans. Yes that delusion was to be by giving evil Spirits Licence to delude them It shall come with all deceivableness of power and signs and lying wonders after the working of Satan verse 9 10. So that God's sending strong delusion in those days is letting Satan loose and permitting him to give plausible proofs and shows to seduce Men. Which with those that loved unrighteousness and had no love for the truth but would be glad of any pretence to embrace a pleasing error instead of it would be like enough to prevail Quest. Doth God often give Men up thus to evil Spirits to delude them Ans. Yes evil Spirits have a general influence in producing the errors as well as the sins and transgressions of all Men. But they have often a more especial Licence and extraordinary power of delusion in degree sometimes greater and sometimes less according as any Persons or Places through their own wickedness their pride and wantonness are left more or less to themselves and thrown out of God's protection Thus the darkness of the Heathen World or Age S. Paul ascribes to the spiritual wickednesses in high or heavenly places or to the wicked Spirits in the Air called Heaven in the Jewish Books who were the Rulers of it Eph. 6. 12. And in account of the deluded nations we are told that the old Serpent which is the Devil and Satan had deceived them Rev. 20. 2 3 8. And the general Apostasie and Delusion by the Man of sin is ascribed by the Apostle as I noted to the working of Satan 2 Thess. 2. 9 10 11. And on the rising of any notable Hereticks and perverters of the truth the crafty and malignant Devil is usually said to stir and rage in the Ecclesiastical Language The great deceits and delusions of the World are not owing only to the darkness of Mens own minds and hearts but to the malignant fraud of wicked Spirits who by themselves and their instruments miserably blind and mislead such as are forsaken of God and delivered into their hands And therefore it need not seem strange to us if we see Men abused into such gross absurdities as are against the plainest Scriptures Reason and common Sense Nay though they be as confident of them as if they received them by immediate inspiration and a voice from Heaven and think they have as sure Revelations for their sensless and absurd dreams as ever the blessed Apostles and Evangelists had for the Holy Scriptures For though several of these seem too gross for the natural folly of Men yet are they not for the malignity of a delusive Daemon When he has gained a Licence to besot and abuse Mens minds we need not stand astonished at the most extravagantly sensless or ridiculous Opinions Quest. If this is one method of God's Justice to give up those who abuse the Light and the means thereof to Satan's delusion must not this make us all exceeding careful with Humility and Reverence to keep in his ways and appointments that so we may abide under his Protection Ans. Most certainly And therefore by all means we must have a care not to set our selves above Ordinances to vilifie Prayers or Preaching to despise Sacraments to disparage the Sacred Scriptures to contemn superciliously and outbrave our Ministers making our selves wiser than our Teachers to cast off the Government of our Lawful Pastors or break the Unity of the Church or such things For this is breaking all God's Bounds and discarding his Methods appointed to keep us all stable in the knowledge and practice of the Truth And if we thus leave him and wantonly leap out of all his ways we have just cause to fear lest he leave us and then we are ready to become a prey to evil Spirits who as they get leave in more or less degrees will carry us away with their delusions Quest. You think then that there is less danger of these delusions whilst Men keep humbly and awfully in the Unity and Communion of Christ's Church than when they depart from it Ans. Yes by breaking out thence they are got into a place more insecure and more full of danger As out-lying Deer no more under the Eye and Care of the Keeper are ready to become a prey to every Hunter Or as Sheep without the Fold whilst they straggle from the Flock and out of the compass of that special Providence which protects it are in danger by every hurtful Beast to be made a prey and picked up Or as near an Enemies Quarters they who will run abroad without the Camp are in danger of being seized or slain by Adversaries so are Men without the Church by evil Spirits For they are more at liberty and let loose in the World though chain'd and fetter'd in the Church and if they find any leap'd out thence are more likely to seize them as straves in their own Dominions Quest. Indeed that which restrains their malice is the Protection of God which is called the Hedge that fenced off Satan from Job Job 1. 10. And since all have not an equal share in the Guardianship of Almighty God and of his good Angels 't is obvious to infer that these impure Spirits have more power in some Places and over some Persons than over others Ans. Yes and this the Daemon in Tertullian urged for himself who being charged by some that in those days of Miracles came to eject him and rebuked for daring to attempt and possess a Christian Woman who was listed under Christ's Protection constantly pleaded his seisure was most just because he found her in his own Precincts viz. at the lewd bloody and ungodly shows in the Heathen Theatres This Power of evil Spirits is greatest in the unhallowed World as the Scripture sufficiently intimates when Satan is called by our Lord the Prince of this world John 12. 31. and chap. 14. 30. and 16. 11. and by S. Paul the God of this world 2 Cor. 4. 3. and when the Apostle ascribes the darkness of the Heathen world to wicked spirits who had the rule and Empire of it Eph. 6. 12. and wrought in those that were disobedient or the unpersuadable part of Mankind Eph. 2. 2. So that they are able to do most before Men are entred into the Covenant and Church of God as from the danger Moses was in before he had Circumcised his Son the
please God and go to Heaven But do you suppose that some may still be Prophets and have Revelations about other things Answ. Perhaps they may about Particular accidents to particular Persons or Families or about great Revolutions to States or Empires As to these Matters it is not for me to stint the kindness and care of God or to determine what intimations he may sometimes vouchsafe from the other World. And if any wise sober and good men by the forcibleness of the impression on their minds after the Prophetick way which convinces and satisfies themselves and by the correspondence of events which may satisfie others find they have any such thing I shall not withstand them and so long as they do not offer these to innovate in Religion the Revelations of the Scripture are no bar against them Quest. You have fully explained this first miraculous Gift of the Holy Ghost the Gift of inspirations Were there any other miraculous Gifts subservient to it which you would explain to me under this Head Answ. Yes First the Gift of discerning Spirits i. e. among all the Pretenders to inspiration who spoke true inspirations and who meer pretences of it or Satanical delusions We have received the Spirit of God saith St. Paul which reveals to us the Things of God. And he that is Spiritual judgeth all Things that are pretended by others yet he himself is judged of no man i. e. they who want his Spirit cannot judge of him For who i. e. of those who want this Spirit hath known the mind of the Lord to discern when another meerly pretends to it 1 Cor. 10. 12 15 16. And this Gift of Discerning Spirits was very necessary in that Age to warn the Church against False Prophets For when there was such a commonness of true Revelations it gave the greatest opportunity to Diabolical Enthusiasts or wicked Impostors to obtrude their inventions or delusions upon the Church hoping they should pass for inspirations among the crowd of others Now are there many False Phrophets gone out into the World saith St. John which makes it necessary not to believe every Spirit 1 Joh. 4. 1. Quest. This Gift indeed was necessary to discover them before the Scriptures were written but when once they had them could not any Christians thereby detect Impostors without the Gift of discerning Spirits Answ. Yes and so St. John and the other Apostles in their Epistles gave ordinary Rules for this purpose One of these Rules was confessing Christ to be come in the Flesh. Try the Spirits says he whether they be of God and hereby know ye the Spirit of God every Spirit that confesseth Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh is of God and every one that denys it is not of God 1 Joh. 4. 1 2 3. and 2 Joh. 7. Another Rule was their submission to the Apostles and Governours of the Church since God would inspire no man to break Unity and make needless Schisms We are of God. He that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Errour 1 Joh. 4. 6. But the most comprehensive Rule of all was their agreement or dissonancy with the Holy Scriptures as I noted before and the Revelations of the undoubted Apostles If any man think himself to be a Prophet or Spiritual let him acknowledge that the Things which I write unto you are the Commandments of the Lord 1 Cor. 14. 37. But if any Man or Angel from Heaven preach unto you any other Gospel than that you have received already let him be accursed Gal. 1. 8 9. Quest. What other miraculous Gifts besides this of Discerning Spirits were subservlent to this Gift of inspirations Answ. Secondly the Gift of utterance i. e. of assurance fluency and volubility of speech whereby they were enabled to declare and make known their Revelations to advantage This St. Paul desired the Colossians to beg of God for him Praying for us that God would open to us a Door of utterance to speak the mystery of Christ that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak Col. 4. 3 4. Under which is comprehended that miraculous boldness which these poor men shew'd to admiration in asserting undauntedly a most exploded Cause in the face of their numerous and potent Adversaries That utterance may be given to me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel that therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak Eph. 6. 19 20. Quest. Was this miraculous Boldness a Gift bestowed upon the Old Prophets Answ. Yes it was a part of that Spirit of Fortitude the Jewish Writers speak of wherewith God armed a Prophet before he sent him with a difficult and perillous Message in which he might foresee the greatest terrour and dread of men to stop his Mouth Thus God told Ezekiel when he sent him to the impudent and hard-hearted Israelites Behold I have made thy face strong against their faces and thy forehead strong against their foreheads As an Adamant harder than Flint have I made thy Fore-head Fear them not neither be dismayed at their Looks though they be a Rebellious House Ezek. 3. 8 9. Thus also he bid Jeremiah speak and not be dismayed at their Faces for he had that Day made him a defenced City an Iron Pillar and Brazen Walls against the whole Land against the Kings of Judah the Princes the Priests and the People thereof Jer. 1. 8 17 18 19. Quest. And did the Holy Ghost give this miraculous Boldness to the Apostles Answ. Yes in a wonderful measure They were all filled with the Holy Ghost and spake the word of God with Boldness Act. 4. 31. And when the Jewish Rulers saw the Boldness of Peter and John asserting freely the Power and Authority of Jesus and taxing them openly as his wicked Murderers to their very Faces they marvelled ver 10 11 12 13. Quest. Had they this boldness of Spirit at all times Answ. No. For at Corinth St. Paul says of himself that he was with them in Weakness and Fear and much Trembling 1 Cor. 2. 3. In some great Dangers and pressing Necessities their Natural Fears would return upon them to trouble them for some time Thus it sometimes happen'd to St. Paul where he expected the most perillous opposition for after the hardships and hazards he had run through at Philippi and at Thessalonica expecting the like at Corinth too he was with them as he says in much trembling and so discouraged that he needed a Revelation to embolden him Act. 18. 1 9 10. And thus it did especially if at such time he were alone and had not his Companions with him When he came into Macedonia whilst he was by himself his Flesh had no Rest but he was troubled on every side without were fightings and within were fears But as soon as his Coadjutor Titus came to him he took heart and God who
Foundation What mean you by the Foundation of Faith Answ. Such points of it as are the very Bottom and Ground-work of the Christian Covenant whereinto we are all Baptized and whereon the Church is Erected They are such Articles as are the Root of all that Worship and Obedience we are to pay to God of all that Submission Trust and Adoration we are to shew towards Jesus Christ and of all that Labour and Success we are call'd to here in the Prosecution of an Holy Life All the Points of our Christian Faith are a-like True but all Truths are not a-like useful nor all useful Truths a-like necessary 'T is necessary for us to believe all when we are sufficiently shew'd that Christ has taught them But 't is moreover necessary for us all to see he has taught some which are not only to be Believed because they were Revealed but were therefore Revealed because necessary to be Learned and Believed of all that retain to him And these Points which are not only Profitable but necessary to the Worship and Service of God by Jesus Christ and to the maintenance of the Christian Covenant and of the Church which is Built upon it are called Fundamentals Quest. Can you shew me what points are such Answ. One is the common foundation of all true Religion Mosaical and Natural as well as Christian and that is the Belief of the one True God not only of his Being but also of his Providence and Care to Reward those that seek him Thus St. Paul sets down Faith towards God as one Article to be first laid Heb. 6 1. For he that comes to God in any way saith he must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. This Faith in the one true God is overthrown not only when Men overlook or deny him but also when they joyn any Gentile Gods who were Apostate Spirits in Copartnership with him For every true Church must have Repentance from Idols towards God as well as Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Act 20. 20 21. And this is Life eternal says our Saviour to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Joh. 17. 3. And he is Antichrist saith St. John that denies the Father and the Son 1 Joh. 2. 22. If she cast off the Belief of the one true God the common Principle of all true Religion she is the Congregation of some Faln Spirits which set up for false Gods and not the Church of the Great God of Heaven As well as if she have not Faith in Christ she is no longer Christian. Quest. But when a Church professes Faith in the one true God the common Ground-work of all true Religion What is the Particular Foundation of the Christian Religion Answ. Belief of Jesus being the Son of God and the Christ and of Salvation by his Merits and Mediation When Peter confessed Jesus to be the Christ the Son of the living God our Saviour said upon this Rock will I build my Church Mat. 16. 16 18. And St. Paul says the Foundation which he had laid and other than which no Man can lay is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. And the compass of saving Knowledge marked out by our Lord himself as I noted is together with the Knowledge of the one true God to know Jesus Christ whom he has sent Whilst any Church retains this Faith in Christ it is Christian and has Right to Baptism as St. Philip declar'd to the Eunuch who was Baptized upon his making this Confession Act. 8. 37 38. But if it denys this Authority of Christ and its dependance upon him for salvation it is thereby unchurched and becomes unchristian like Jewish Mahometane or Heathen Churches and is put out of the ordinary way of Salvation there being no Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we may be saved but his alone Act. 4. 12. Quest. But doth not this Grand Article of Jesus being the Christ and Saviour imply in it sundry other Articles Answ. Yes if we Believe Jesus to be the Christ we must believe all the Holy Scriptures as his Word and they contain all Articles But it more especially implies his Incarnation Passion Resurrection and other great Articles of the Creed which must be expresly owned by every one that rightly understands it And accordingly in the various Repetitions of this Grand Article and Representations of the saving Faith one or other of these is oft-times added and given as the instance of it Believing Jesus to be the Christ the Son of God you may have Life through his Name saith St. John shewing the necessity of this main Foundation Joh. 20. 31. But St. Paul speaking of this Grand Doctrine says I determined to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and him Crucified setting out the knowledge of Christ in the knowledge of his Passion 1 Cor. 2. 2. And if thou confess the Lord Jesus and believe God raised him from the Dead thou shalt be saved exemplifying the saving knowledge of Jesus in the Belief of his Resurrection Rom. 10. 9. And when he commanded us to preach him saith St. Peter he commanded us to preach and testifie that it is he who is ordained of God to be the Judge both of quick and dead illustrating the Preaching Christ by preaching the Judgment to come Act. 10. 42. Every Spirit that confesseth Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh is of God And every Spirit that confesses it not is Antichrist and not of God saith St. John explaining the Confession of Jesus Christ by the Confession of his Incarnation 1 Joh. 4. 2 3. And speaking of the Record or Witness God had given to the Christian Doctrine he thus declares the matter attested by him This is the Record God hath given us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not Life Setting off the Christian Religion and the Saving Faith by the Belief of the Life everlasting 1 Joh. 5. 10 11 12. And as for the Belief of the Holy Ghost the necessity of that and of our Dependance on him to make any man a Christian our Saviour has sufficiently expressed by ordering our very Baptism which initiates us into Christianity to be into his Name Mat. 28. 19. All these Points are the very Ground and Foundation of our Subjection to the Father Son and Holy Ghost the Parties we contract withal in the Christian Covenant of all our Adoration Trust and Submission to the Blessed Jesus of our worshipping and serving God by him and of all that Holiness of Life which must gain us the Divine Acceptance on all which Accounts they are necessary and Ground-work Articles of Christian Faith and properly call'd Fundamentals Quest. By this it may seem as if the Believing Jesus to be the Christ were in more explicit words to believe the Apostles Creed since that sets
But as for Pastors and Teachers to govern the Church and ordain Successors and to minister the Word and Prayers and Sacraments they will be equally wanted in every Age and therefore the Holy Ghost has appointed them to continue always Go Baptise all Nations teaching them to observe all my Commandments And lo in such Teaching and Baptising I am with you always even to the end of the World Mat. 28. 19 20. And tho as I say some of the Offices mentioned by St. Paul were necessary only in the first Age yet others which are equally necessary to the edifying of the Church and the Work of the Ministry in every Age are to continue as he says tiâ— we all i. e. all Christians that are and aâ— that shall be come in the Unity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God untâ— a perfect Man unto the Measure of the Stâ—ture of the Fulness of Christ. So that the Church is to enjoy the Benefit of them to the Worlds end Eph. 4. 12 13. Quest. Since all that are at any time in these Offices die in one Age how are they to be continued in the next Answ. The Bishops or Governours are stilâ— to Ordain others to remedy their owâ— Mortality and supply the Necessities of the Church through all Times Thus Christ told his Apostles As my Father sent me viz with a Power of Commissioning you to succeed in this Ministry when I am gone sâ— send I you i. e. with Power of Ordaining others in like manner of Succession John 20. 21. Pursuant to this they Ordained Bishops in all Churches as St. Paul did Titus at Crete and Timothy at Ephesus And these in a constant Succession were to Ordain others as Paul bid Timothy give Commissions as he had been Commission'd himself or commit what he had heard of him to faithful Men who should be able to teach others also 2 Tim. 1. 14. and 2. 2. And with these in their Work of the Ministry God would be present and assistant in all after Times as he had been with the Apostles in the First Age. In thus Preaching and Baptizing lo I am with â—ou always even to the end of the World Mat. 28. 20. With you that is with your selves during your own Lives and your Successors in all after times which is the only way that in this Work he could be with them to the Worlds end who were all to die in that Age. Quest. Is the Holy Ghost the Author of these Offices Answ. Yes God hath set these Officers in the Church saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 12. 28. and Christ gave them as a Gift after he was ascended Eph. 4. 8 11. That is God gave them and Christ gave them by the Holy Ghost who now since Christ is gone to the Right-hand of God is come down to his Church as his Substitute from whom both the Authority and Ability of all these Officers is derived Feed the Flock saith the Apostle over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers Acts 20. 28. And when Christ ordain'd his Apostles giving them Power to send others as the Father gave him and to remit and retain Sins he breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost Joh. 20. 21 22 23. And accordingly to shew from whom these Powers are derived in Ordinations of these Officers whether Bishops or Priests the Power is to this day conferr'd by saying Receive thou the Holy Ghost Quest. What shall we think then of those who reject the Ministry and cast off all Church-Officers and Ordinances and yet pretend in all this to be guided by the Spirit Answ. You may be sure it is not by that Spirit which Christ sent down upon the Apostles and which indited the holy Scriptures For that Spirit gave these Offices as the most necessary and greatest Blessing to the Church Whereas this Spirit of theirs plucks up what he planted and endeavours to abolish and overthrow them Quest. From what you have said I perceive how infinitely we are obliged to the Holy Ghost for that care he has taken in Planting and Propagating Christ's Church and Religion both in the miraculous Gifts he bestowed upon his Church so amply in the First Age and in the Offices and Governments he has appointed to Feed and Rule it in all succeeding Ages But besides these extraordinary Gifts bestowed only on some for the Propagation and Establishment of Christ's Church and Religion you mention'd another sort of Gifts for the effecting this Great Work of our Salvation which the Holy Ghost bestows ordinarily on Persons of all Times and Places What Gifts are those Answ. All the inward Graces and vertuous Endowments which are necessary to the Salvation of all particular Persons such as the Apostle reckons up Gal. 5. The Fruits of the Spirit are Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance and such like v. 22 23. Particularly he excites Devotion and helps to raise in us holy Desires and Life and Quickness in our Prayers There says the Apostle the Spirit helps our Infirmities making Intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God by inspiring them with such Desires and Groanings as cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 26 27. Quest. Is the Holy Ghost the Author of all these inward Graces in us and can we not have them without his Gift Answ. No for the Renewing of our Nature is ascribed to the Holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. And St. Paul calls all the recited Virtues Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. And no Man can come to me saith Christ i. e. believe on me and obey me except the Father which hath sent me draw him John 6. 44. All our Graces come from God and must be sought of him And because we are daily in want of them we are taught by our Lord himself to pray Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done Deliver us from Evil c. as constantly as we say Give us this Day our Daily Bread. Quest. If the Holy Spirit gives these then any Man that has them may know he has Grace and that the Holy Ghost dwells and acts in him Answ. Yes if he is affected and influenc'd not only by some few but by all of them For they are the Fruits of the Spirit as I noted and where we see the genuine Fruit we may make sure of the Principle that gives Birth to it as our Saviour said the Tree is known by its Fruit Luke 6. 43 44. Mat. 7. 16 20. And accordingly they are given as Marks of Grace and a sure Proof that Men belong to God in the Scriptures Hereby know we that we know him and that we are in him if we keep his Commandments 1 John 2. 3 5. We know that we have passed from Death unto Life because we love the Brethren 1 John 3. 14. He that doth Righteousness is righteous in this the Children of God are manifest 1 John 3. 7 10. Quest. But may
not an ill Man have some Good in him And have not several practised some Virtues who yet were void of the Spirit and saving Grace Answ. Yes For Herod an ill Man heard John Baptist gladly and did many things Mark 6. 20. And the Foolish Virgins kept pace in some Points with the Wise Mat. 25. 1 2. Either that general Grace which is common to all Persons or their particular Inclination or Interest or Natural Conscience can carry on Men who are Enemies to God in the main to the Performance of some Duties And therefore I said these Vertues are a Sign of the Spirit and of Saving Grace not when some few or more of them meet by chance in an otherwise evil Man but only in those who have a general Care and Conscientious Regard to all of them Quest. You have shewn how these Graces are the Fruits of the Spirit and the Gift of God. But since God's Spirit is thus to work them in us may we not leave God's Work to himself and think our selves free from any Care or Pains about them Answ. No by no means For he that made us Men will not also make us Saints without our selves He created us by himself alone but will renew and save us only through our Concurrence with him Quest. In carrying on this Work of God what must we do towards it Answ. Our Heart and Will must go along with it and our Care and Endeavour too t Quest. When God's Spirit begins any Grace or Vertue in us must our Heart go along with it and are we readily to embrace and make choice of it Answ. Yes for he will not force an unwilling Mind into Goodness And therefore our own Wills are call'd upon when we are press'd to become Good. I have set before you Life and Good Death and Evil Chuse Life Deut. 30. 15 19. And when we obey such Calls some good Tempers of our Wills are noted as the Cause of it The Word and Grace accompanying it brought forth Fruit because it wat received in an honest and good Heart Luke 8. 15. And if we refuse them and continue Bad our own Wills still are charged with it Ye will not come to me that ye might have Life Joh. 5. 40. and Why will ye die O House of Israel Ezek. 18. 31 32. Quest. And when our Heart is thus bent upon any Graces and Good Things must our Care and Endeavour also be put forth in attainment of them Answ. Yes for God gives these Graces as a Blessing upon our own Care and Pains and works them in us when we work with him So that they are to be the Fruit of our Industry as well as of his Bounty God calls to us Make you clean Isa. 1. 16. Turn your selves Ezek. 18. 30 32. as well as we pray to him Turn thou us Jer. 31. 18. and Give us clean Hearts Psal. 51. 10. Quest. But is not God before-hand with us and gives us some Grace before we endeavour any thing I was found of them that sought me not saith the Prophet Isa. 65. 1. Answ. Yes the Grace of outward Revelations and Opportunities These prevent our Care and are given before we ask them In this Kingdom for Instance we have the Light of the Holy Scriptures the Guidance and Care of Pastors the Benefit of Publick Assemblies and the Protection of Laws for Christianity which is not so in Heathen Countries And we have the Scriptures in our own Language and Purity of Doctrine and a truly Primitive Edifying way of Worship which is not so in many Christian Nations And all these with other Advantages came to us unasked we did not seek them but were born to them And of these Isaiah speaks who is not treating of inward Assistances but of outward Revelations which God would make to the Gentiles who made no inquiry after them but had the Revelations brought to them For the Heathen World did not seek out to the Apostles but the Apostles sought them Quest. And doth not he prevent us too with good Desires and inward Motions Answ. Yes he doth with the First Motions and Beginnings of his Grace But as for the Ripening of these and our growing up to a Mastery over our Lusts and a Saving Pitch that requires our own Care and Endeavours which these First Stirrings of Grace must awaken in us And when we do so endeavour after them God will still give more Grace and by his Spirit effect in us such Virtues as we labour after but he will withdraw what he has already given if we are idle and labour not at all For concerning this Improvement of God's Grace by our own Care and Pains our Saviour says To him that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance but from him that hath not i. e. hath not improved what God bestowed shall be taken away even what he hath Mat. 25. 29. Quest. God's Giving then is only an Encouragement for our Seeking since he gives those Graces as he gives our Food and Maintenance not to idle careless Men but only to such as diligently and wisely labour after them Answ. Very true and therefore we are press'd to work them out our selves by that very Reason work out your own Salvation for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do Phil. 2. 12 13. Quest. What way should we seek these Graces of the Spirit that by God's Blessing we may attain them Answ. First Pray for them If any man lack Wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all Men Liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him Jam. 1. 5. And God will give the Holy Spirit to those that ask him Luk. 11. 13. Quest. And must we pray in Faith that is ask with an expectation to Receive them Answ. Yes for God cannot bear to see us question his kindness or distrust his Promise Our distrust is enough to make him deny us any thing but we are sure to receive the Graces he has promised if we dare confide in him Whatsoever ye shall ask Believing you shall receive Mat. 21. 22. And if any man lack Wisdom let him ask of God. But let him ask in Faith nothing wavering Jam. 1. 5 6. Quest. What other ways of seeking these Graces would you direct to Answ. Secondly a frequent and serious use of the Holy Sacrament That is no unfruitful Ordinance but conveys Spiritual strength into our Souls as Bread doth to our Bodies This the Scripture intimates when Christ's Eucharistical Body is called Bread Joh. 6. 51 55. And when the eating Bread and drinking Wine is called the Communion of his Body and Blood that is the Communication of all those Graces and Benefits to us which were purchased by them 1 Cor. 10. 16. Quest. Have you any other Rules Answ. Yes Thirdly with Prayers and Sacraments we must joyn a Diligent use of wise and likely means of attaining the Desired Graces When we seek to God for Daily Bread and maintenance it
Apostle loads with such heavy consequences telling the Judaizers they were faln from grace and Christ would profit them nothing or be of none effect to them and the Denyers of the Resurrection that then is Christ not risen they are yet in their Sins their Faith is vain and so is the Apostles Preaching c. as give us cause to think had they prevailed and become the common Profession in those Churches they would have rendred them Christians meerly in Name but in Truth would have unchurched them But other Churches that kept true to the Foundation did in those days build many great errors thereupon At Corinth they built Wood Hay and Stubble upon the Foundation and fell to hold not only speculative Errors but some very dangerous Tenets in practice such as the lawfulness of incestuous Marriages esteemed as may seem as a thing indifferent even by the Pastors themselves and of Communicating in Idol-Feasts wherein they thought they did not sin so long as they believed an Idol is nothing At Colos they were prone to superstition to place Religion in uncommanded Abstinencies such as touch not taste not handle not which were the Doctrines and Devices of men Col. 2. 20 21 22. At Ephesus St. Paul foretold that several would arise speaking perverse Things Act. 20. 30. And at Rome and abundance of Churches in the Provinces where the Jews had Synagogues besides those rigid Judaizers who deny'd the Redemption by Christ and merit of his Sacrifice there were others who believed these but yet maintain'd together with them the necessity of the Mosaick Rites observing the Jewish difference of Meats and Days and teaching the Gentiles to live as do the Jews Ro. 14. 2 5. Gal. 2. 14. But amidst all these errors which were held sometimes by Parties and Factions and sometimes by the greatest numbers in the Churches the Apostles preach'd to them to own the erroneous as Brethren whom upon the account of those great Truths they held God had received Rom. 14. 3. to beware of Schisms and Divisions as things that shew'd Carnal Professors 1 Cor. 3. 3. and to keep the Bond of Peace Eph. 4. 3. And upon these Christian Grounds and in correspondence to these Apostolical Ordinances it is that the Protestants of the opposite Confessions are ready to Communicate with the Lutherans notwithstanding their Errors of Ubiquity and Consubstantiation And that the Champions of our own Church have sundry times declared their readiness to Communicate even with the Church of Rome in any truly Christian thing notwithstanding the Errors that Church has added to the Foundation But that they have barr'd us all out by imposing their Errors and so staining and polluting their Worship that with a good Conscience we cannot joyn with them And accordingly whilst they were free to come and till the Pope forbid them the Romanists were for many years admitted to our Publick Service and Sacraments notwithstanding their different apprehensions in the first part of Queen Elizabeth's Reign Quest. I suppose you speak this of our uniting with them only whilst their Errors are meer Errors of Faith and consist in Opinion Answ. Yes for 't is not so when they found any corrupt Worship thereupon But if together with such unfundamental Errors they have a faultless Worship which they call us to joyn in we must not separate for their Errors whilst they keep them to themselves and we are under no necessity of sharing in them And that we never are whilst they do not impose them but leave us at liberty either to dissent where their errors are in little Matters or to gainsay and confute them where they are of more importance to Religion and mens Souls Quest. I think I see when a Church errs so foully in Faith that we ought to forsake her But another ground of withdrawing our Communion you said is Corruption of Worship And when is a Church so far corrupted in her Worship that we ought not to joyn in it Answ. That may be either in case of intrinsick impediments in the matter of her Offices Or when good Prayers and Devotions are put up to God but in an unknown Language Quest. When is she so far corrupted in the very matter of her Worship and Publick Services Answ. When she falls off either from Worshipping the one true God or by one Mediator Jesus Christ or mixes Sin in all her Prayers whereby Grace and Mercy are to be sought or in her Sacraments of Baptism or the Lords Supper wherein that Grace and Mercy are sealed and convey'd We cannot live Religiously without Prayers nor pray to any but the true God except we pray like Idolatrous Heathens nor Pray to him by any other but by Jesus Christ the defective Prayers of Sinners needing to be expiated as was †observed before they are preferr'd and not being acceptable from any other hands nor claim the benefit of his intercession for our Prayers 'till we are Baptized and made Members of his Church nor shew our selves worthy of such a Saviour and assure as much as may be the Blessings we pray for without partaking of the Lords Supper So that if any Church has embody'd Sin into her Service in these particulars we cannot perform the necessary parts and vital acts of Worship in her Communion with a good Conscience Quest. So that if the Publick Offices of any Church direct their Prayers and Adorations not only to God but also to Creatures either Rational Beings or senseless Images or if they prefer not these Prayers to God by Jesus Christ alone but make use of other Mediators as Departed Saints or Angels or if they pollute their Baptism and the Lords Supper by unlawful mixtures the twisting of these Corruptions into her Worship without any further Imposition is enough to bar all good People from joyning with her in these Offices Answ. Yes For as we must be careful publickly to Worship and serve God so must we be as careful not to offer up any sinful and forbidden Thing in service to him which is not to honour and please but affront and provoke him So that when any particular Office is thus tainted in any Church we must separate from that although at the same time whilst that will be allowed we be ready to joyn in others When 't is generally corrupt and sound and unsound lye intermixt thro all their service we must separate from them in all Offices Quest. But what if the Devotions themselves are good and directed only unto God by Jesus Christ but in a strange Language which we do not understand Were it enough to desert a Churches service for that reason Answ. Yes because God will have Prayers with the understanding 1 Cor. 14 15 16. and God being a Spirit receives such only as Christ notes who Worship him in Spirit which a man doth not whose Spirit is idle and understands not what he says to God John 4. 23 24. So that if
any Church locks up her Publick Prayers and Offices in an unknown Tongue good People must seek out another where they may offer up the same Services in a Language their Spirits can joyn in and Worship as the Scripture requires to Edification 1 Cor. 14. 26. We must not separate as I said from a sound Church only because it seems less edifying But we must separate when there is no Devotion but what is directly contrary to Edification Quest. If we may not separate where there are such real Faults in a Church then much less for the dislike of received Customs Rites and Usages when confessedly as you said in indifferent matters Answ. Most certainly To rend the Body and make disturbance for light things shews an ill Member in all Societies Not to yield to an innocent Custom as I noted before from St. Paul shews a man to be no lover of peace but a lover of contention 1 Cor. 11. 16. Nay if any man would shew himself a Catholick Christian he must not only readily comply with the indifferent Rites and Usages of his own Church which has Authority over him but as he has occasion to pass by them or converse among them with the Usages of other Churches or Christians tho' very different from his own so long as there is no sin in them a Catholick Christian must have a Catholick Spirit and be ready to shew he owns all other Christians 'till they are regularly cast out of Christ's Church for Brethren and fellow-members and never stick out from exercising with them the common Christianity whereby all Christians serve and honour Christ by reason of the particular Rites in any Church or Place which are no offence to him Quest. If we may not lawfully separate from a Church whose Constitution has some Faults yea some great ones as were among the Churches in the Apostles times I suppose we may much less separate when the Church it self in its constitution is faultless meerly for the ill and scandalous Lives of its Members Answ. Most certainly And accordingly St. Paul is most severe against the Schisms at Corinth tho' in the same Church he complains of the horrible prophaneness of many among them who came drunk to the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. 21. and of the Wraths Envyings Strifes Back-bitings Swellings Tumults unrepented Uncleanness Laciviousness and Fornication for which he feared God would humble him when he came among them 2 Cor. 12. 20 21. The Church of God in all times under the Ancient Patriarchs and afterwards in the Nation of the Jews was a mixt Society of good and bad livers And in Christianity it is compared to a Net that catches Fish of every kind and to a Field sown with Tares as well as Wheat and wherein both must grow together till the Great and General Harvest 'T is always its misfortune here together with some true Saints to have some Hypocritical Professors So that were we to separate from a good Church for this Cause we must separate from all Churches and could hold Communion with no Church on Earth And therefore men must never think of leaving a good Church because it happens to have some corrupt People or scandalous Ministers From the Sins we must separate which give the scandal but unite and adhere to the Church which condemns them the good must not desert it because the bad will not obey and be ruled by it Quest. But what if it doth not use the Rod of Discipline to correct them Answ. We are not to separate notwithstanding as the Apostles told the Churches where the Sins were too strong And the Sinners too numerous for Discipline or the Pastors too remiss in using it Thus the Pastors were at Corinth who instead of mourning over the incestuous Person were rather puff'd up with him 1 Cor. 5. 2. And yet for all this St. Paul would not bear to hear of any tendenoies towards Schism among them 1 Cor. 3. 3. Thus also it was at Pergamus where several were infected with the scandalous Doctrines of the Nicolaitans Rev. 2. 15. and at Thyatira where the followers of Jezabel the False Prophetess were suffer'd to go on in their Spiritual Fornication and Sacrificing to Idols v. 20. And in other Churches which either out of necessity or neglect relaxed the reins of Discipline and tolerated scandalous Persons in the Apostles own times But yet no plea for separation would ever be admitted by them on this pretence In these cases the Church must answer for the neglect of its power and scandalous Sinners for the scandals they give but as for any private Christians whilst they neither help on their scandals nor imitate them their Consciences are not defiled with them Besides the growth of Schism has been one of the greatest weakners of Discipline one Congregation admitting and harbouring men when another rejects them And therefore to pretend want of Discipline for separation is not only a most dis-ingenuous thing but the way to bring Discipline which they complain of as too little already to be none at all Quest. By what you have discoursed on this Point I perceive we are never Guilty of Schism in separating from any Church when we have just cause But that all breaking off from any Part of Christ's Body is Schismatical which is Causeless Answ. Yes And so is all Driving others into Separation by imposing sinful Terms as the Condition of their Communion And then which is the last thing I shall note concerning it Schism from any Churches is most compleat when we do not only separate from their Religious Assemblies and Divine Offices but withal deny them to be Members of Christ's Body or Parts of the Catholick Church This is the Highest step in Separation and leaves not the least Ground for Church-Communion For 't is only the Members of Christ's Body that must Communicate under him their Head in the proper Offices of Christianity and the Communion of Saints profess'd in the Creed is only within the compass of the Catholick Church So that if we cut off any Societies from being Members of Christ and a true Church we must have no more Communion with them than if they were profest Heathens And this was the Sacrilegious Breach of the Donatists and Novatians the Consummation of whose Schism was their confining the Catholick Church to their own Party and allowing no Church no Sacraments or Promise of Salvation but among themselves Quest. There remains yet one instance of the Communion of the Primitive Christians mentioned by St. Luke viz. Continuing in the Apostles Fellowship Act. 2. 42. I pray you what is meant by that Answ. Owning their Authority and continuing under their Government They were appointed by Christ as his Deputies to Govern his Church and therefore adhering to them as the Delegates of Christ is call'd living in their Fellowship Quest. But how can we live in their Fellowship and adhere to their Government now they are dead Answ. By adhering to and