Skill and Learning and not to the mighty Power of God Answ. The Reason holds good still Experience shews that these learned men that call themselves Ministers of the Gospel now do extol and cry up their humane learning beyond the Power of God for they make that Learning such an indespensible Qualification and of such absolute Necessity that though a man be indued with Power from on high though he hath received the Promise of the Father though he be full of the Holy Ghost and of Faith yet if he be not skâ—lled in humane Learning or at least supposed to be they say he is not fit to preach the Gospel But he saith That was a time extraordinary the Disciples being to plant the Gospel in all Nations and probably understanding no Language but the Syrian Christ therefore rains upon them cloven Tongues whereby they were capacitated to preach the Gospel to all People and Nations under Heaven page 100. Answ. If that was an extraordinary time and occasion in and upon which Tongues were given he is the more to blame for inferring from thence a Necessity of Humane Learning in ordinary times and upon ordinary occasions He should have remembred what himself saith page 128. That it is a most grand Fallacy to draw an universal Conclusion from particular Premises But a time he saith was coming when these Tongues should cease the main Work being done page 101. Answ. 'T is true Tongues being given but for a particular Service were to cease that Service being answered but the Teaching of the Spirit was not to cease it had no Dependency upon Tongues and therefore was not to cease with them it was before them and was to continue after them The Comforter the Spirit of Truth which Christ said he would pray the Father to send to his Disciples was to abide with them forever and he was to be their Teacher and to guide them into all Truth Besides the Apostle Paul writing to the Church at Ephesus amongst whom being of one Tongue there was no need of Tongues and by whom we read of no Miracles wrought tells them He ceaseth not to pray for them that God would give them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of himself From whence it is evident First That divine Revelation had no Dependence upon Tongues or Miracles Secondly That although Tongues were for a particular Service and Season and therefore were to cease yet that the Ministration of the Spirit by divine Revelation was not to cease but to continue in the Church of Christ therefore also he exhorts the Thessalonians not to quench the Spirit 1 Thes. 5.19 But he saith It would be presumption in them who pretend to be the Apostles Successors to expect to receive all Gospel Knowledge in the same manner and in all those Wayes wherein it was communicated to the Apostles page 101. Answ. How far he will strain the Word all in the last Clause I know not but if by all those Ways he intends no more then an inward Manifestation and immediate Revelation of the mind and Will of God to them by the Spirit of Truth which dwells in them I will adventure to tell him it is no Presumption at all in those who are the Apostles Successors to expect to receive the Knowledge of the Gospel in the same manner for as our Saviour prayed not for them only but all such also as should believe on him through their Word So what he promised concerning sending the Comforter to be in them to teach them to take of his and shew it unto them to guide them into all Truth and to abide with them forever he did not promise with Restriction and Limitation to them only but with an extensive Relation to all that should believe on him This appears First from the Words of Christ He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Water But this spake he of the Spirit which they that believed on him should receive This is spoken indefinitely of all Believers without any Restraint to Persons time or place for the Invitation is general If any Man thirst let him come unto me and drink c. Secondly It does appear that this inward immediate and spiritual Teaching was known and received by the Saints of old in general of whom we read not that they spake with Tongues or wrought Miracles The very little Children Babes in Christ to whom Iohn writ had received the Anointing Ye have an Vnction from the holy One and ye know all things the Anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things and iâ— Truth and no Lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him Hence it is manifest that in the Primitive Church the Saints in general had the Spirit poured on them had the Anointing in them that the End of it was to teach and guide them and that they were taught and guided by it Thirdly Besides this inward and immediate Teaching of the Spirit of God by which the Knowledge of the Gospel is communicated being the very End for which the Conforter was sent and as I may say the natural Effects of his coming implied in those Words of Christ He shall teach you all things he shall testifie of me he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you he shall guide you into all Truth c. it must either be granted that these Effects of his Coming are now received and known in the true Church or denied that the Comforter is now received and doth abide with Believers at all The Consequence whereof would be that Christ hath left his People Comfortless which he hath assured them he will not do but if the Comforter the Spirit of Truth be now to be expected he is faithful that promised if he is to be in the Saints and to abide with them forever if his Office be to testifie of Christ to receive of Christ's and shâ—w it unto them to teach them all things and to guide them into all Truth I hope Reader thou wilt not think it Presumption in them that are truly the Apostles Successors in Faith and Doctrine to expect to receive the Knowledge of the Gospel in the same manner as they received it Again he saith it is as ungodly and absurd to depend upon extraordinary Revelations and Miracles while we neglect the ordinary means under which we live as it is for an Husbandman to give over his Husbandry in expectation of being provided for by daily Miracles page 102. And a little lower he saith Though God's Hand be not shortned but that it is in his Power to give the Church now the same Gift of Tongues of Working Miracles and the rest as he was pleased to do in the Primitive Age of the Church c. Answ.
By this he seems not rightly to understand how the Apostles and primitive Christians received the Knowledge of the Gospel for he is still harping upon the Gift of Tongues and Miracles as if he apprehended they had received the Knowledge of the Gospel by these means and that therefore it is Presumption in any now to expect to receive the Knowledge of the Gospel in the same manner as they received it but in this he greatly errs not distinguishing between the Effects and the Cause Tongues and Miracles were but the Effects of that divine Power wherewith they were filled of that holy Spirit which rested on them and dwelled in them Now the Apostles did not receive the Knowledge of the Gospel by Tongues and Miracles these were but Mediums to convey their Message to others and perswade a Belief of it but that which they received the Knowledge of the Gospel from was the Divine Power it self the Holy Spirit it self which dwelt in them from which the Tongues and Miracles did sometimes flow I say sometimes for they were not inseparable Effects of the Spirit for if they had been so then when and wheresoever the Spirit had appeared these Effects must unavoidably have followed but that they did not for all the true Believers received the Spirit yet did not all work Miracles nor speak with Tongues Thus Paul having told the Corinthians that the God of the World hath blinded the Minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the glorius Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them shews them how the Knowledge of the Gospel is to be received for God saith he who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Iesus Christ. And in his Epistle to the Galatians he plainly shews that he received the Knowledge of the Gospel and Ability to preach Christ from the Revelation of Christ in him Seeing then that the Apostles and primitive Christians did receive the Knowledge of the Gospel from the immediate Teachings of the holy Spirit which dwelt in them and not from Tongues or Miracles and seeing this holy Spirit as I have before proved was promised to abide with the Saints forever to be their Teacher and Guide into all Truth I thence infer that the Cessation of Tongues and Miracles doth not at all render it any Presumption Vngodliness or Absurdity in those who are the Apostles Successors in Faith and Doctrine to expect to receive the Knowledge of the Gospel now in the same manner as it was communicated to them of old Yet that he may not seem wholely to exclude the Spirit he thus saith That the Spirit helpeth us to understand old Truths already revealed in Scripture we confess and pray for his Assistance therein c. page 103. Answ. Either he doth not speak sincerely or else he hath forgot himself but a little before page 92 93 94. he said that All the necessary Points of Religion whatsoever is necessary to Salvation whatsoever is either to be believed or done is in some Place or other in the holy Scriptures fitted to the most vulgar Capacity and shallowest Vnderstanding that the History of Chist's Birth Death Resurrection and Ascention is plain to be understood that the Duties of the first and second Table of the Law and the Love of God and our Neighbour which I have elsewhere shew'd comprehends the whole Law and the Prophets all the Evangelical Precepts and the Essentials of Religion are in the Gospel made 〈◊〉 easie Doctrines that he that runs may read them being fitted to the Capacity of the most unlearned that those Passages in the Scriptures which are of the greatest Concern are written in such a plain and familiar Style that the weakest and most illiterate shall never be able to excuse the neglect of them In a Word The great Law-giver he saith hath made those Doctrines most plain which are most necessary to be believed and those least necessary which are most difficult Now if he did believe himself when he said all this I wonder what he expects his Reader should believe of him when in behalf of himself and all his Brethren he here saith page 103. we confess the Spirit helpeth us to understand old Truths already revealed in the Scriptures and we pray for his Assistance therein Do they pray for the Assistance of the Spirit to help them understand those things which he saith are already fitted to the Capacity of the weakest most illiterate and unlearned which are suited to the shallowest Vnderstanding nay which are made so plain and easie that he that runs may read them What else were this but to mock the holy Ghost by invocating his Assistance to help them understand that which they confess they understand already and which they affirm to be so plain and easie that the weakest the shallowest the most unlearned may understand And yet of this kind do they reckon all necessary Points in Religion all the Duties of the first and second Table of the Law the Love of God and our Neighbour the History of Christ's Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension all the Commands of the Gospel all the Essentials of Religion and in short whatsoever is either to be believed or done necessary to Salvation but what then hath he left for bimself and his Brethren to pray for the Assistance of the Spirit to help them to understand Nothing that is necessary to Salvation to be sure no Essential of Religion no Gospel Precept no Part of the History of Christ's Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension none of the Duties of the first or second Table nothing of the Love of God or our Neighbour what can it be then Some difficult Passages which himself confesseth are least necessary to be believed as the Circumstances of the Levitical Rites the Genealogies in Scripture and Apocalyptical Propheâ—ies these are his own Instances page 93. nay in order to Salvation not at all necessary either to be believed or done See now what his fair Flourish of Praying for the Spirit is come to Besides to say they are already 〈◊〉 in Scripture and yet say he want the assistance of the Spirit to help him understand them is a Contradiction for what he doth not understand is not already revealed but vailed to him if he already understand it he in vain implores Assistance to help him to understand it if he doth not already understand it then it is not yet revealed to him but hid or covered from him in praying for the Assistance of the Spirit to understand it he acknowledgeth the Necessity of the Spirit 's Teaching and confesseth that Revelation is to be expected in this Age. But saith he to pretend to such Miraculous Inspirations as the Apostles once had or to nâ—w Revelations beyond what was discoverâ— to them is an horrible Cheat c. Answ
That the Inspirations which the Apostles had or the Teaching of the Spirit whereby the mind of God was communicated to them had no Dependency upon Miracles I have shewed before As for New Revelations it is a Phrase of his own not used by us and if by New he intend New as to Substance he doth not rightly represent us for we do not expect a Revelation of any other Gospel of any other Way of Salvation of any other Essâ—ntials in the Christian Religion then what were revealed to the primitive Christians and have been in all Ages revealed to the â—aints in 〈◊〉 Dâ—gree or other and which by the divinely inspired Penmen were committed to writing and are declared of in the holy Scriptures but as no Prophecy of old â—ime came by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost so nâ—ither can the true Sense and Meaning of thoâ—e heavenly Doctrines contained in the holy â—criptures be comprehended or understood by the Wit and Wisdom of man in his highest Natural Attainments but only alone by the Openings and Discoveries of that holy Spirit by which they were at first revealed Those divine Mysteries are Mysteries indeed and remain so as a sealed Book which neither the unlearned nor yet the most learned in the wisdom of this World is able by that Learning to open until Christ the Lamb doth open them And these Heavenly things and divine Mysteries so opened by him who hath the Key of David wherewith he openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man with all his humane Learning openeth are not New Revelations that is New things revealed but rather renewed Revelations that is Old things revealed anew The same Gospel the same Way of Salvation the same Essentials of Religion the same Principles and Doctrine in a word the same Good Old Truths which were revealed to the Saints of old and are recorded in the holy Scriptures revealed now anew And this Revelation is absolutely necessary for without it there is no true no certain no living Knowledge of God the Father or of Jesus Christ his Son This our Saviour told the Iews No man sayes he knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him Humane Learning cannot do it Nor can the Doctrines of the Gospel or the Mysteries of God's Kingdom be known to man but by the Revâ—lation of the Holy Spirit Humane Learning cannot discover them for The things of God saith Paul knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Perhaps the Priest will say They are revealed in the Scriptures But I shall then tell him That Revelation is necessary yea of Necessity even to understand the Scriptures For he himself observes p. 96. that it is not the Letter but the Sense that is the Word of God If so it is not enough for any man to have and read the Letter only though he spend his Age therein but if he expect profit thereby he must come to the true Sense which how learned soever he be in the Wisdom of this World he never can attain unto until the holy Spirit reveal it to him And to this purpose must his own words serve if they will serve to any purpose at all namely We confess that the Spirit helpeth us to understand old Truths already revealâ—d iâ— Scripture and we pray for his Assistance therein pag. 103. In which words though he mistakes in saying they are revealed already to him that doth not understand them yet by confessing that the Spirit doth help to understand and praying for his Assistance therein he acknowledges that the Truths contained in the Scriptures are to be revealed by the Spirit Having promised this I hold my self the less concern'd to take notice of what he sayes concerned new Revelations because he speaks upâ—n a false Ground and shoots at random Yet some things scattered here and there in his Discourse I may speak briefly to to make him more sensible of his Mistakes 1 st He says These New Revelations highly disparage the Scriptures Answ. He that desires and waits to have the Truth 's Record in the Scriptures revealed to him by the same Spirit from which they were written doth not at all disparage the Scriptures but honours them But he sayes The Scripture if it be true and may be believed declares it self to be a perfect and sufficient Rule in order to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.17 Answ. The Scripture so far as it hath escaped Corruption from Mis-transcribing Mis-translating Mis-printing and the like is true and not only may but ought to be believed But I do not find it declares that of it self which he hath here declared of it from 2 Tim. 3.17 namely that it is a perfect and sufficient Rule in order to Salvation That place sayes thus Vers. 16. for the 17th Verse depends on that and is imperfect without it All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness Vers. 17. That the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnisht unto all Good Works Now to let pass the Translation which is not altogether so well as it might be here is no mention of a Rule at â—ll The Scripture is here said to be profitable but I hope the Priest will not say every thing that is profitable is a perfect and sufficient Rule He sayes humane Learning is profitable and not only so but necâ—ssary yea of Necessity to the Understanding Preaching the Gospel will he therefore make humane Learning the Rule But how regardless is this man of speaking Truth who so confidently sayes the Scripture declares it self to be a perfect and sufficient Rule in order to Salvation whenaâ— that Scripture which he brings to prove this hath no such words in it But he adds That the Scripture accurses all that shall preach any other Doctrine Gal. 1.8 9. Answ. If he means any other Doctrine then this which he has preached concerning the Scripture being a perfect and sufficient Rule he errs and wrongs the Text. For the Apostle there sayes If any man preach any â—â—her Gâ—spel unto you then that we haâ—e preached and you have received let him be acursed And so say I He that preaches any other Gospel then what was then preached by the Apostle the Curse and Wo is to him But let me withal tell my Adversary he did unadvisedly to bring these two Scriptures together For in that to Timothy the Apostle saith That the Man of God may be perfect but that the Priest denyes it is possible for him to be So that he preaches not only another but a directly contrary Doctrine to what the Apostle preacht Let him look again then and consider whether he has not brought the Curse to his own Door Again he sayes pag. 104. Consider how contrary these new Revelations are to God's
thing and speak another But if the Letter be not the Word of God how can the Bible be the Word of God seeing the Bible is only the Book wherein the Letter is written Yet does this man so confound and jumble them together that it is hard to know what at last he intends to be the Word of God One while he sayes it is not the Letter but the Sense that is the Word of God by and by he sayes The Bible is the Word of God as if he took the Bible in which the Letter is written to be the Sense of the Letter for he makes the Bible and the Sense of the Letter to be one and the same thing namely the Word of God But the Word of God which is quick and powerful he appears to be a Stranger to But he asks Whence we know that the Word of God is Quick and Lively Answ. By Experience For though he being with the Iews in the Unbelief has never peradventure heard the Voice of God at any time yet blessed be the Lord we have and when the Lord hath spoken in us we have felt his Word living and powerful discerning and discovering the Most Secret Thoughts and Intents of our Hearts But this Answer I conclude will not answer his End He has fitted an Answer to his own Design and put it into his Parishioner's Mouth to speak as for us which is That We learn out of the Bible that the Word of God is Quick and Lively Whereupon as apprehending some Advantage he layes about him with all his Might What! sayes he Out of that Bible which they call a Dead Letter and so goes on for three or four pages together in such an insulting strain as if he had gotten some petty Conquest and were now riding in Triumph But a Wise Man would have defer'd his Boasting until he had put his Armour off That the Bible barely as it is a Book is a Dead Thing that the Scriptures barely as Writings are Dead Letters none I think that considers what he sayes and dareâ— put his Name to it will deny But sayes he Though the Leaves and Letters have no Natural Life in them is therefore the Sense of the Scriptures dead No say I The true Sense and Meaning of the Scriptures is not dead But that Sense which man by his Natural Understanding and Humane Learning only doth invent and form to himself as if he had it from the Scriptures is dead for the true Sense and Meaning of the Scripture is received and understood in by the Openings and Revelation of the Divine Spirit and not otherwise Now we never call the Scriptures a dead Letter in disâ—respect to or dis-esteem of the Scriptures but to manifest the Mistake and Error of those who think it sufficient that they have the Scriptures although they dâ—ny the Revelation of the Spirit by which alone the true Sense and Meaning of the Scriptures can be understood And though the Scriptures without the Spirit be a Dead Letter yet being opened explained applyed and the true Sense of them given by the Spirit they are then truly serviceable and profiâ—able for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness and may be so used by them that are led and guided by the Spirit without any of those Absurdities which this man irreligiously would fasten on them Besides when the Bible is called a Dead Letter it is as in his Book in Opposition to them that call it the Word of God as this Man expresly doth in the very same page 107 though to his own Contradiction he had said but a few Leaves before pag. 96. It is not the Letter but the Sense that is the Word of God So that although he will not have the Letter to be the Word of God but the Sense yet by an incomparable Piece of Ignorance and Self-contradiction he will have the Bible or Book to be the Word of God as if the Book wherein the Letter it written were the Sense of the Letter Thus all his great Bluster and Vapour against others ends in the Detection of his own Confusion He sayes pag. 112. To look for more Revelations or a Repetition of the former would be equally an Act of Impudence and Infidelity Why of Impudence and Infidelity He replies Would it not be an Act of Infidelity not to believe God when he plainly tells us that the Scriptures themselves are able to make us wise unto Salvation through Faith c. and to furnish us throughly to all good Works Answ. He corrupts the Scripture Where doth God plainly tell him that the Scriptures themselves are able c This word themselves he puts in of his own Head and yet sayes God tells us plainly that the Scriptures themselves are able c. wherein he speaks Untruth of God If this be not Infidelity yet it looks as like Impudence as I have seen If the Scriptures themselves were able to make wise unto Salvation through Faith c. there were then no Need of the Help of the Spirit But I have already shewed that unless the Spirit reveal and open them the Scriptures themselves cannot be rightly understood And he himself in saying The spirit doth help them to understand them and that they pray for its Assistance therein pag. 103. doth implicitly acknowledge as much But if there be a Necessity of the spirit 's Teaching in order to a right understanding of the Scriptures then it is evident that the Scriptures themselves are not able to make wise c. without the Help and Assistance i. e. the Teaching and Revelation of the Spirit Whether then it can be an Act of Infidelity to expect that which there is so great a Necessity of that men cannot be wise unto Salvation without it I leave to the Reader 's Judgment Nay let it be well considered seeing Christ hath plainly and expresly told us That he will send the Comforter the spirit of Truth to his Disciples that this spirit shall be in them and shall abide with them forever that he shall testifie of Christ that he shall take of Christ's and shew it unto them that he shall teach them all things and guide them into all Truth as appears in the 14 15 16. Chapters of Iohn I say let it be well considered whether it is not an Act of Infidelity in any who profess themselves to be Christ's Disciples not to believe and expect the Performance of this so absolute a Promise Thus far as to the Infidelity of expecting to have the Truths formerly revealed to the Saints revealed now to us by the same spirit by which they were then revealed unto them which I take to be the Meaning of that Phrase of his a Repetition of the former Revelations Now to the Act of Impudence for he sayes To look for a Repetition of the former Revelations would be equally an Act of Impudence and Infidelity And is it not an Act of Impudence sayes he
by the Rabbins and Jewish Doctors of old the Bishops and Clergy men in the Arrian and other Controversies the Cardinals Iesuits and Popish Priests in latter times How came it to pass that these men wrested the Scriptures was it for want of Humane Learning that could not be for that most of these men were profound Schollars great Linguists Vniversity men men of much Reading and great Learning is undeniable and yet these are the men that of all others have wrested the Scriptures most frequently and most perniciously What was the Reason of this surely if Humane Learning had been designed by God as the proper and necessary means of understanding the Scriptures aright they who had so much of that Learning should have understood them better then they did then whom none hath ever understood them worse nor is it a thing to be wondred at by any who shall consider the words of Christ I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Here then is the true cause why these learned men wrest the Scriptures They seek to understand them by that Wisdom from which the true Sense of them is hid they trust too much to their Brain Knowledge and Humane Learning and with that undertake to interpret Scripture not waiting for the Guidance of the Holy Spirit whose Office alone it is to lead into all Truth Experience therefore shews by the Errors of learned men in all Ages that Humane Learning whatever this Priest says is not the Key that can open the Scriptures aright none having more missed of the true Sense of them then they that have sought it by that Learning But saith he Though the Apostles were unlearned when Iesus called them yet to the Eternal Honour of Learning he made them learned in all Tongues by a Miracle before he sent them abroad to teach all Nations teaching us thereby that men wholely illiterate are not fit to preach the Gospel Answ. This at first Sight makes a shew as if it had something in it but look well upon it and it appears to be but a meer empty Flourish Christ he saith by a Miracle made his Apostles learned in all Tongues before he sent them abroad to teach all Nations Well what doth he infer Teaching us thereby saith he that men wholely illiterate are not fit to preach the Gospel Herein is a Fallacy he should have said if he would have said any thing to the Purpose that men wholely illiterate are not fit to preach the Gospel to all Nations which if it were true as it is not for illiterate men may speak by Interpreters which also was in use in the Primitive Church what is it to the Purpose If not having all Languages they should not be fit to preach to all Nations because all Nations could not understand their Speech will it therefore follow they are not fit to preach to their own Nation that doth understand their Speech But these Words All Nations he was willing in the last Clause to leave out that he might beguile the ignorant into a Conceit that none but Book-learned men can preach the Gospel but though he may twattle after this rate to his Parishioner whose Respects to his Person may perhaps induce him to swallow any thing that comes from him yet let him not think to impose such Sophistry upon us as ignorant as he takes us to be we understand Words better then so The Gift of Tongues to the Apostles doth not imply that men wholely illiterate are unfit to preach the Gospel What was the End of the Gift of Tongues was it to give the Apostles themselves the Knowledge and Vnderstanding of the Gospel was it to enable them to preach the Gospel sincerely and truly or was it that they might express themselves to the Understandings of those several Nations to whom they were to preach They were commanded to preach the Gospel to all Nations which that all Nations might understandingly hear it was expedient it should be preacht unto them in their respective proper Languages which that it might be the Use of Tongues was requisite and therefore given unto them who were designed to that so Vniversal Ambassage Observe then Reader what was indeed the very Reason and proper Service of Tongues namely that all Nations might hear and understand what was spoken So that the Gift of Tongues was not designed to enable the Apostles to preach the Gospel in such a Sense as if they had not been able to preach it at all without them but to enable them in the preaching of it so to express themselves in every Nation 's proper Dialect that they to whom they spake might understand what was spoken to them but as for the Ability which they had to preach the Gospel simply it self without Relation to other Nations that they received immediately from the Holy Ghost which was poured forth upon them and dwelt in them and by Virtue of this indwelling of the Spirit the most illiterate amongst them were able to preach the Gospel fully and effectually to those of their own Nation and any other who understood their Language without the additionall Gift of Tongues but the Priest in comparing humane Learning with the Gift of Tongues and then inferring that because the use of Tongues was needful to the Apostles in order to preach the Gospel to all Nations who could not otherwise have understood them therefore humane Learning is needful yea absolutely necessary in order to preach the Gospel to them of their own Nation and Language and who can understand us as well without it In this I say he covertly imposeth a Falshood upon his Reader which he ought not to have done He might rather have inferred thus That if the Apostles having received the Promise of the Father in the pouring forth of his Spirit upon on them were thereby enabled and fitted to preach the Gospel to their own Country-men in their own Mother-Tongue without the help of other Languages then such now as have received the same Spirit whether in the same measure is not material it being sufficient if the Measure received be suitable to the present Service are thereby made able to preach the Gospel in their own Mother-Tongue to such as understand that Tongue without the help of Humane Learning and this sets Humane Learning quite aside as to any Necessity of it in preaching the Gospel But he saith There was great Reason for choosing illiterate men then in order to the most succesful Promulgation of the Gospel and the Glory of God for had our Lord chosen the Philosophers and learned Rabbies of the time his whole Doctrine might have been opposed with greater Force of Argument and would have lost much of its Reputation by being ascribed to such mens Invention as if its Success had been wholly owing to their
constant Method in regard they come naked without any Miracles to attest them for when did God ever send any new Doctrine and did not also give the Preachers thereof a Power of Working Miracles c Answ. This all depends upon the word New New Revelations and New Doctrines which â— have before shewed to be a Mistake and that we are not concerned therein if by Nâ—w Doctrines he means such Doctrines as are essâ—ntial to Salvation we do not pretend or expect to have any New Gospel or such New Doctrines revealed to us but we say the Good Old Gospel and the Doctrines of it which were of old revealed to the Apostles and Saints in the first Ages of Christianity and which are declared of in the Scriptures of Truth are now after the long Night of thick Darkness which hath covered the Earth and that general Apostacy wherein all the World wondred after and worshipped the Beast and the Inhabitants of the Earth were made drunk with the Wine of the Fornication of the great Whore of which all Nations had drunk again revealed by the same Spirit which Christ promised to send to his Disciples to be in them to teach them all things to guide them into all Truth to take of his and shew it unto them and to abide with them forever the Spirit of Christ being still free in his manifold Discoveries and Revelations beyond Utterance the highest Degree whereof is in no wise repugnant to those Essential Truths declared of in Scripture And it is observable that although the Gospel was preached in Demonstration and Power by the Apostles and Disciples in the Beginning and that too universally yet Iohn in his Vision of the future State of the Church saw the Gospel preacht again by an Angel flying in the midst of Heaven thereby intimating that the Gospel should be preached in the Demonstration of the Spirit and Power after the â—postacy as well as it had been before Yet we read not of any Miracles he wrought though he was an Angel Yet in the next page he has another fling at New Revelations which he sayes do manifestly contradict the Faith of the primitive Christians Answ. To this I shall not need to say much Let them look to it whom it concerns That it concerns not us I have already shewed The Faith which we have received is the same with that of the primitive Christians the Author of it is the same the Finisher of it the same and we have received it after the same manner that they received it of old namely by the Gift of God But other Gospel then that which they had we do not expect Again in pag. 106 107. Upon his old Text of new Revelations he runs into an Extravagant Vein of Rayllery charging us with Falshood Rayling Nonsense and Blasphemy that we would bring the World into Egyptian Darkness and all this and much more for a Dream a meer Fancy a Miserable Mistake c. that we follow a False and Fantastick Light and adore a Lye for divine Revelation c. Answ. In this Case what fitter Answer can be given then that which Michael gave the Devil The Lord Rebuke thee Unhappy Man whom nothing less would satisfie then to dash himself against that Stone which if it fall upon him will dash him to pieces 〈…〉 enough that he hath reviled and vilified â—s throughout his whole Book but he must also blaspheme the Light of the Son of God and the Operaâ—ion of the Holy Ghost in calling the one a False Fantastick Light and the other a Lye Well let him remember that the Apostle hath said He that despiseth despiseth not Man but God who hath also given unto us his good Spirit And let him beware of persisting in this Course lest he bring on himself an irreversible Doom which he may read Mat. 12.31 32. Yet would not this man for all this be thought to deny all Revelation neither For sayes he I own those Revelations which are upon Record in the holy Bible which iâ— the Word of God wherein he hath revealed his Will to the Church c. pag. â—07 Answ. He seems not rightly to understand Revelation but rather to have taken in some strange Notion concerning it I would gladly know of him how he would be understood when he sayes God has revealed his Will to the Church in the Holy Bible He sayes The Letter is not the Word but the Sense pag. 96. Does he mean then that this Sense is so revealed in the Bible that he that reads the Letter though he hath no Assistance therein but only his own natural Understanding shall be sure to find the true Sense and understand the Will of God This his words import Yet this he cannot reasonably intend if he will consist with himself because he else-where not only urges the Necessity of Humane Learning but also confesses the Spirit doth help them to understand the Scriptures and that they therefore pray for his Assistance therein pag. 103. But if he means that the Will of God is so revealed in the Scriptures that they can understand it with the Help and Assistance of the Spirit but not without which is the fair import of confessing the Spirit doth help and praying for its Assistance therein what else then I pray is this but to say They can understand the Will of God in the Scriptures when the Spirit revealeth it unto them but not otherwise For if they could understand the Will of God without the Help of the Spirit in vain do they invoke his Assistance but if they cannot understand the Will of God in the Scriptures without the Help of the Spirit and therefore implore his Assistance that shews the Necessity of the Spirit 's Teaching and if the Spirit vouchsafe his Help and do open and make known the Will of God to them that is Revelation How egregiously absurd then it is for this man to exclaim as he does against Revelation who upon his own Principle cannot understand the Will of God without it let the Reader judge But he charges the Quakers with saying The Bible is a Dead Letter but the Word of God is Quick and Powerful so is not the Bible p. 107. Answ. The Word Bible signifies a Book and the Book or Bible the Priests call the Word of God This Man called it so but just now I own said he those Revelations which are upon Record in the Holy Bible which is the Wâ—rd of God pag. 107. Hereupon to shew them how grosly they mistake they have been sometimes asked How it can be that the Bible should be tâ—e â—ord of God seeing the Word of God is quick and powerful and the Bible or Bookâ— a Dead Letter Some of them being by this a little awakened to avoid the Absuâ—dity tell us They do not 〈◊〉 can that the Letter is the Word of God but the Sense so says this man p. 96. But why then do they mean one
when God has plainly told us that we have sufficient not to be contented with them to wit the Scriptures but to expect and call for more Answ. Here again he lets his Pen run too fast without due Consideration I read indeed in the Holy Scriptures that God hath said My Grace is sufficient but I never read that God said The Scriptures are sufficient Yet this man confidently sayes God has plainly told us He should have done well to have shewed us where God hath plainly told this and indeed it behoves him yet to produce the place if he can otherwise it will appear an Act of great Impudence in him to say God hath plainly told that which he hath not told at all That the Scriptures themselves as he speaks are sufficient without the Teaching and Revelation of the spirit I have before disproved That the Help and Assistance of the Spirit is needful to understand the Scriptures he has before granted The spirit 's helping to understand the Scriptures is by its Teaching the true Sense and Meaning of them by opening discovering and making known the Mind and Will of God therein exprest This is Revelation for whatsoever is discovered or made known is revealed Now then if the spirit doth open discover make known the Mind and Will of God then the spirit doth reveal the Mind and Will of God And if the Mind and Will of God although exprest in the Holy Scriptures cannot be truly understood or known unless the Spirit open discover and make it known then it follows that the Mind and Will of God although there exprest cannot be truly understood or known unless the spirit reveal it So that still here is a Necessity of Revelation And these very same things having been before revealed unto others is not this a Repetition of the former Revelation that is a Revealing of the same things to us now that were formerly revealed to others And will he upon second Thoughts call it an Act of Impudence to expect this If he shall I am sure that will be an Act of most audaciouâ— Ignorance In the next place he takes upon him to give the True Sense of Christ's Words in Mark 13.11 Take no Thought before hand what ye shall speak neither do ye premeditate but whatsoever shall be given you in that Hour that speak ye for it is not ye that speak but the Holy Ghost Which words he sayes import no more then this that whereas the Disciples were to be brought before the Kings and Potentates of the Earth to vindicate the Doctrine of Christianity that they might be under no Discouragements either from the Presence of those before whom they were to appear or from a Sense of the Meanness of their own Education he promiseth to supply all their Defects miraculously and whereas they had extraordinary Work to perform they might be assured of an extraordinary Assistance from him but this he sayes reacheth not to an Ordinary Case pag. 113. Answ. That the Words do indeed import that the Disciples when brought before Kings and Potentates to vindicatâ— the Doctrine of Christianity should without â—râ—mediâ—ation or taking Thought having given to them what to speak is evident but with what colour of Rea on he will restrain this to that Age only so as to make it an Extraordinary Case I see not Was any thing more ordinary in the succeeding Ages under the Heathenish Roman Emperors then for the Disciples of Christ to be brought before Kâ—ngs and Potentates to vindicate the Doctrine of Christianity Were not these for the most part under equal Discouragements either for the Presence of those before whom they were to appear or from a Sense of the Meanness of their own Education with the former and had they not need of equal Supply Nay hath it not been the ordiâ—ary Case of Christ's Discâ—ples in all Ages to be brought before Rulers and Magistrates to vindicate the Doctrine of Christianity why then doth he call theirs of old an extraordinary Case and have they not for the general been of mean Education and from thence under the same Discouragements with the former why then would he abridge them of the same Assistance Besides observe the Reason which Christ gives why his Discipler shâ—uld not take Thought nor premeditate or study what to speak For saith Christ it is not ye that speak but the holy Ghost But if the priest will restrain this Promise to them of that Age only what will he thereby seem to say to the Disciples of this Age in the like Cases but this When ye are brought before Rulers and Magistrates to vindicate the Doctrine of Christianity do not ye have your Eye to God in expectation that he should give you any thing to speak but bethink your selves before hand and go provided with your Answer for it is not now the Holy Ghost that speaks but it is ye But consider Reader how unsuitable this would be to that Promise of Christ of sending the Comforter to be in his Disciples and to abide with them forever Our Saviour Christ when he was ready to ascend unto his Father made this solemn Promise to his Apostles Lo I am with you alwayes even unto the End of the World This cannot be restrained to them only to whom it was spoken for then it had extended to none but the eleven Apostles by which means the seventy Disciples had been excluded besides the Priests use to tell us that this Promise of Christ did not relate to the Apostles and Disciples of that Age only but is extensive to the Ministers of Christ in all Ages to the World's End Now that Christ was with his Apostles and Disciples in that Age by his Spirit by which he gave them in the very hour that which they should speak so that it was not properly they but the Holy Ghost in them that spoke and by which he revealed the Gospel and Heavenly Mysteries of God's Kingdom to them enabling them thereby to preach them powerfâ—lly and effectually to others in the Demonstration of the Spirit this is on all Hands confest but what Reason then can there be that any should put in for a Share in this Promise of Christ's Presence and yet deny and his refuse to enjoy his Presence in that manner which themselves confess they to whom the Promise was directly and immediately made did enjoy it in But he takes notice of some Speakers that said they did not know before they began what they had to say but as the Spirit gave them Vtterance that only would they speak and al though they came without Preparation yeâ— speak notably This he rails extreamly againstâ— and calls it the Sacâ—ifice â—f a Fool. Answ. Had he forgot that so to speak was the Apostles Practice or did he design to call them Fools by Craft as the Proverb is for certain it is that the Apostles spake as the Spirit gave them Vtterance yet this way of speaking he prophanely calls
and shall eat your Flesh as Fire ye have heaped Treasure together for the last Days In which Places the last Days cannot reasonably be understood of the time of Ierusalem's Destruction But to shorten the Work I will grant him that the Last Dayes did then begin to which that Prophecy had relation let him prove that the Last Dayes are at an end or that the Spirit was to be poured out in some part only of the Last Dayes and not in all if he will have the pouring forth of the Spirit to be now ceased Our Saviour when he promised to send the Comforter told his Disciples He should abide with them forever And at that very time when he commanded his Disciples to wait at Ierusalem to receive the pouring forth of the Spirit he promised to be with them alwayes even unto the End of the World I have now done with his Discourse upon this Subjâ—ct namely of Humane Learnâ—ng and Divine Revelation I will add a Testimony or two of other men of sufficient Note and Credit to shew we stand not alone in this matter and leave the whole to the impartial Reader 's Judgment The first shall be of W. Tindall a faithful Martyr who thus writes It is impossible to understand in the Scriptures more then a Turk for whosoever hath not the Law of God written in his Heart to fulfill it Again Without the Spirit it is impossible to understand them And in his Answer to Morâ—'s Dialogue he sayes When thou art asked why thou believest thou shall be saved â—y Christ answer Thou feelest that it is true and when he asketh How thou knowest that it is true answer Because it is written in thy Heart if he ask Who wrote it answer The Spirit of God and â—f he ask How thou camest first by it tell him Thou wast inwardly taught by the Spirit of God and if he ask Whether thou believest it not because it is written in Boâ—ks or because the Priests so preach answer No not now but only because it is writtâ—n in thy Heart and because the Spirit of God so preacheth and so testifieth unto thy Soul c. Thus far Tindal To him I will add Iohn Iewel a zealous Defenceâ— of the Protestant Religion The Spirit of God sayes he is bound neither to Shaâ—pness of Wit nor to abundance of Learning Oft-times the UNLEARNED see that thing that the LEARNED cannot see Therefore saith Christ I thank thâ—e O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes even so Faher for so it seemeth good in thy sight Mat. 11. Therefore adds he Epiphanius saith Only to the Children of the Holy Ghost all the Scriptures are plain and easie Again True it is sayes he Flesh and Blood is not able to understand the Holy Will of God without SPECIAL REVELATION therefore Christ gave Thanks unto his Father for that he had revealed his Secrets unto the Little Ones and likewise opened the Hearts of his Disciples that they might understand the Scriptures Without this SPECIAL HELP and prompting of God's Holy Spirit the Word of God is unto the Reader be he never so wise or well LEARNED as the Vision of a sealed Book But this Revelation is not special unto One or Two but GENERAL unto ALL them that be the Members of Christ and are indued with the Spirit of God Thus far Iewel These men we see although themselves very well learned yet aâ—cribe not their Knowledge of God and their understanding of the Scriptures unto their Humane Learning â—tudy or Natural Abilities but to the Inspiration and Revelation of the Divine Spirit Bâ—t let us further observe what some others also of that Age have said on the same Subject Iohn Bradford an eminent Martyr in his Answer to the â—rch Bishop of Yâ—rk says thus We do believe and know the â—criptures as Christ's Sheep not because the Church saith they are the Scriptures but because they be so being thereof assured by the same Spirit that spake them I. Philpot another Godly Leaâ—nâ—d Martyr having in the beginning of his Bâ—ole written this Sentence Spiritus est Vicarius Christs in terris i. e. The Spirit is Christ's Vicar or in Christ's stead on Earth gave this Answer to B. Bonner inquiring the Reason of his so writing Christ since his Ascension worketh all things in us by his Spirit and by his Spirit doth dwell in us c. I conclude with Bullenger Unless the Holy Spirit inspire our Minds and guide our Tongues we can never either speak or hear any thing concerning him with any Worth or Profit For as none knoweth the things of God but only the Spirit of God so men fetch the understanding of Divine Things and Knowledge of the Holy Ghost from NO WHERE ELSE then from the same Spirit By this Reader thou mayest see that it was not Humane Learning Natural Study or Vniversity Education that these Good Men trusted to of old for the right understanding of the Scriptures but the Spirit of God which dwelt in them from which they received the Understanding of Heavenly Things CHAP. IX Of Tythes I Am now come to the Priests Delilah the very Darling and Minion of the Clergy TYTHES which were wont to be claimed as of Divine Right but I do not find this Priest hardy enough to adventure his Cause upon that Title No though he pretends to be a Minister of the Gospel yet he takes the Law for the surer holding and therefore betakes himself chiefly to that Yet something he would say for the other too though not so much from himself as others Let me tell you sayes he that those that insist upon the Divine Right of Tythes as much as to say I do not derive them not from Levi but Melchizedeck It is then inquirable Whether or no Tythes were ever due to Melchizedeck That which should make them due must be a Command They were not due to the Levitical Priesthood until they were commanded to be paid but after they were commanded to be paid they beâ—â—me due and so long as that Command stood â—n force it was an Evil to detain them But we do not find throughoâ—t the Scriptures any Command from God that Tyâ—hâ—s should be paid unto Melchizedeck With what Reason then can any affirm â—hat Tythes were due unto him That he did once receive Tythe of Abraham I grant but that it was not a proper Debt or just Due belonging to him and which Abraham had done Evil in detaining I offer these Reasons to prove First That Moses sayes expresly He gave him Tythes He does not say He paid him Tythes but He gave him Tythes which the Apostle referring to useth also the same Phrase To whom also Abraham gave a Tenth Part and again Vnto whom even the Patriarch Abraham gave the Tenth c. To gave we know imports one thing to aâ— another
is and thereupon he confidently inferâ— Then the Quakers are 〈◊〉 and highly to be blamed Why what are the Quakers concerned in the Parishioner What 's he to them or they to him Oh sayes the Priest He is inclinâ—ning to Quakerâ—â—m and more than than He approves of some Quakers p. 19. What then is that sufficient to intitle the Quakers to whatsoever 〈…〉 Priest has a mind to cast upon them Observe Reader the Injustice of this man who from a bare Supposition of his own suggesting to a Parishioner of his own making adventures to charge a Fault and Blame upon all the Quakers in general What Man or People after this way of writing might he not Abuse and Traduce But as he hath dealt dishonestly with us so has he also befool'd himself for he makes the Parishioner for nine or ten pages together contend with him against Respecting Persons forgetting that at their very first congress he brought in the very same Parishioner speaking to him thus Take it not for Flattery if I tell you that the Respects which I bear to your Person are most sincere and cordial What thinkest thou Reader Did the Priest remember his Decorum here Was this a fit Person to represent the whole Body of the Quakers and dispute against Respecting Persons Nay does it not look like a Design laid to mistake our Principles and misrepresent us to the World But our Confidence is in the Lord our God whose Truth we are engaged to defend Let us therefore go on and see what Strength our Adversary hath brought forth The Parishioner after his solemn Respect to the Priest's Person urges against Respect of Persons those words of the Apostle Iames My Brethren have not the Faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of Glory with Respect of Persons c. This sayes the Priest is not meant of Civil Respect but such sort of Respect only as did violate Iustice in their publick Consistories when the gaity and outward splendor of the Rich tempted them to partiality and to give such a Sentence as agreed not with the Merit of the Cause p. 21. Answ. That this was not the Apostle's Drift let it be considered to whom he writ namely to the Twelve Tribes that were â—â—attered abroad which cannot reasonably be supposed to be the whole People or Political Body of the Iews but such of them as had received the Christian Faith as theâ— Text in Controversie plainly shews My Brethren have not the Faith of our Lord Iesus Christ with Respect of Persons This also Bâ—za well observes in his Marginal Notes upon the place Fidelibus omnibus Iudaeis sayes he cujuscunque Tribus sint per terrarum Orbem dispersis i. e. To all the Faithful Iews of what Tribe soever they are dispersed throughout the World Which dispersion may not improbably relate to that great Persecution which upon Stephen's Death was raised against the Church at Ierusalem by means of which the Believers there were all scattered abroad through the Regions of Judea and Samaria Now this being premised consider Reader what Consistories or Courts of Judicature these poor scattered Believers could then have who being exiled as it were from their own travailed through other Countries to preach the Word But he sayes This Supposition for he maketh no more of it namely that by Assemblies the Apostle here means Places of Iudgment will appear to be well grounded when we consider that the Jews had a Law whereby it was provided that when a Rich Man and a Poor had a Suit together in their Courts of Iudicature either both must Sit or both stand in the same rank to avoid all Marks of Partiality To the Terms of which Law the Apostle here has reference p. 22. Answ. He had done but his part to have quoted his Authority for this Law If such a Law the Iews had whence had they it If it had been given them of God doubts less we should â—ave found it amongst those Laws which they received from him If it was not from God but an Invention and Tradition of their own it is altogether improâ—able that the Apostle of Jesus Christ would have any reference thereunto especially writing to those who were then coming off not only from the Traditions of the Iewish Elders but even from the whole Iewish Polity Besides If this Law was but a Sanction of their own which for ought I yet see it mâ—st be or be nothing The Iews were so superstitiously Zealous for the Traditions of their Fore Fathers that it is no way likely they would so positively violate a Law of their making He sayes The Law was that the Parties to the Cause must either both Sit or both Stand in the samâ— rank whereas here the one is said to sit and the other to stand and so not both sit or the one to sit in a good Place and the other under the Footstool and so not both in the same rank This had been directly to thwart their own Tradition if this Law he speaks of was a Tradition of theirs a thing they were seldom guilty of for they too often preferred their own Traditions even to the Law of God But sayes he The Apostle could not mean by Assemblies Civil Meetings because he then had contradicted what his Lord had plainly allowed Luke 14.8 9 10. When thou art bidden of any man to a Wedding sit not down in the highest Room lest a more honourable man then thou be bidden c. Where he sayes Difference and Degrees of Honour and Place are evidently allowed by our Saviour c. Answ. For the right Understanding of this Scripture it must be considered in what time and to whom these words were spoken For the time it was under the Law before the One Offering was actually offered up That was an Outward State the People of God was then an Outward National People their Religion and Worship was much outward and shadowy their Wars were outward their Ornaments were outward their Honours and Respects to one another were outward And in this State many things were indulged to the Iews many things permitted and connived at partly because of the Hardness of their Hearts and partly by reason of their Weakness But this State was to last but â—ill the Time of Reformation and when the Time of Reformation was fully come these things grew out of Use. Old things were done away all things became new That People were put away from being the People of God upon those former Considerations and He is the True Jew now which is one inwardly whose Praise is not of Men he regards not the Honour and Respect which men give but of God That Outward Worship is laid aside and now the true Worship is neither in the Mountain nor yet at Ierusalem but in Spirit and in Truth The outward Wars were ended as to Christians the Swords were beaten into Plow-shares and Spears into Pruning-hooks as
he that when they so prayed they had no Trespasses to forgive pag. 39. Answ. This will not seem so strange if it be considered that when our Lord taught his Diâ—ciples thus to pray they were but young and weak their Faith which should have given them Victory over Sin was weak and sometimes almost ready to wavâ—r and therefore in the very same Chapter he blames the Littleness of their Faith and frequently after in the same Book of Matthew calls them O ye of Little Faith They had not yet experienced the Work of Faith with Power in that Degree which afterwards they did for the Holy Ghost was not yet poured forth because that Iesus was not yet glorified Now this Form of Prayer was suited to their present Condition but it doth not appear that it was intended to be a standing Rule for them to pray by as long as they lived but as a Supplement to their Weakness until the Comforter the Spirit of Truth was come unto them which Christ promised to send them immediately after his Departure and as it were in his room But when the Comforter was come when they had received the Spirit of Truth in that more eminent Degree He was then to lead them into all Truth He was to teach them what they should pray for and that after an higher manner then hitherto they had prayed as our Saviour's words imply Iohn 16.2 and he did so as the Apostle witnessâ—th Likewise the Spirit helpeth our Iâ—firmities for we know not what we should ask for as we ought mark that for all their former Teaching but the Spirit it self maketh â—ntercâ—ssion for us with Groans which cannot be uttered From Scripture-Arguments he comes to Reason Who sayes he can be so confident to say He is free from all the Infiâ—mities of his Nature Answ. Every Infirmity of Nature is not Sin A man therefore may be free from Sin though not from all the Infirmities of his Nature Again He that saith he cannot fall by Error is already fallen by Pride Answ. This relates not to a Possibility of not sinninâ— but to an Impossibility of sâ—â—ning which is not the Subject of the present Controversie He goes on to shew That it is not they that give Incouragement to sin by denying a Possibility of being freed from it but we who believe such a Possibility Pray says he who is your Friend he that saith you have no Enemy or he that informs you where he lurks pag. 41. Answ. He all along mistates the Case either through Ignorance or Design yet I would not think the worst of him By Perfection by a State of Freedom from Sin we do not mean a State free from being tempted to sin Our blessed Saviour in whom was no sin in that sense was not free he was tempted by the Devil But to be tempted is no sin So that we do not tell People they have no Enemy but we tell them they have an Enemy we tell them where this Enemy lurks and how he works We tell them this Enemy may be overcome and also how Now then turn the Question the right Way and let me ask Who is thy Friend O Man He that tells thee Thou canst never overcome thy Enemy will be too hard for thee 't is in vain to expect a Compleat Victory or He that incourages thee to fight the good Fight of Faith and tells thee that Satan if thou resist him will flee before thee and not only â—o but that the God of Peace will â—râ—ad Satan under thy Feet and that shortly too Again He says It is one Step to Conversion to see our selves unconverted and one Step more to Happiness to percerve our selves Miserable Sinners Answ I grant indeed it is so But mâ—st we alwayes stand upon this one Step Must we never take another Step Never step forward He moves very slow indeed that takes but one step all his Life If we see our elves misererable sinners at the first step must we see our selves miserable sinners at the last step too which they do from the first step to the last confess themselves such or else they sin in so confessing this is miserable indeed miserable Comforters are all they who tell men they must be miserable Sinners as long as they live Let such take heed that they run not in vain Again He saith I need not guard my House when I am sure that no Thieves can enter Answ. This is also quite besides the business The Question is not whether no Thieves can enter although I do not guard my house but whether it is possible for me to keep the Theives from entring if I do guard my house That this is possible our Saviour expresly tells us If saith he the good man of the House had known at what Hour the Thief would come he would have watcht and not have suffered his House to be broken through So that the good man had Power and was able to have kept out the Thief if he had stood upon his Guard and the intent of this Parable was to excite the Disciples to Watchfulness which our Saviour did frequent lyinculcate to them What I say unto you I say unto all watch And again Watch and pray that ye enter not unto Temptation for there 's the Sin It is not a Sin to be tempted but it is a Sin to enter into the Temptation Now tâ—en if the Disciple watches and prayes it is possible for him to be kept from entring into Temptation and consequently possible for him to be kept from sinning which is directly to the Case Again he saith it is in vain to offer him Physick wo concludes himself well Answ. If any man that is not well concludes htmself well he is to blame but that is nothing to our purpoâ—e The Questionis Whether he that doth really receive the Physiâ—k and doth carefully observe the prescriptions of the Physician can be perfectly cured or no The Disease is Sin can man be perfectly cured of this Disease If he grants he may he yeilds the Cause if he denyes it her stâ—cts upon the Abilâ—ty of he Physician The poor Woman with the bloody issue had suffered much from many Physicians and spent all she had upon them but was never a whit the better Miserable Sinners at the first and miserale Sinners to the last her bloody Issue ran twelve Years together but when once she came to Christ he made her whole He works perfect Cures Will the Priest say that man may and shall be cured of his Disease of sinning but not in this Life not till he dies this is not Gospel surely for that is Glad-tidings but this is Sad-tidings to the poor patient that he must carry his Disease with him to his Grave and yet alwayes be taking costly Physick this if he believe it were enough one would think to send him forth with thither If such a cure could have
the Hands of the Wicked that he returneth not from his Wicked Way by promising him Life And thus like the Scribes and Pharisees of old against whom our Lord denounced so many and such dreadful Woe Ye shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men neither entering in your selves not suffering others to enter CHAP. VI. Of Swearing FROM the Doctrine of Perfection the Priest passes on to that of Swearing at his very entrance into which he makes a Digression to deliver himself of a Notiâ—n wherewith it seems his Head was pregnant concerning the two Covenants namely of Works and of Grace The Covenant of Works he sayes was madâ— with Adam before he fâ—ll Thus he sayes is called by Divines a Covenant of Works because an exact Obedience was required of him and a Reward promisâ—d him upon that Obedience pag 48. And this Covenant he sayes none lived under but Adâ—m only pag. 50. Answ. Of this he offers no Proof at all which he had great Reason to have done if he had any to offer considering that he treadeth an unbeaten Path. Where doth the Scripture say that Adam was under a Covenant of Works or what were the Works he was under Adam indeed was commanded not to eat of the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge Will he say that was a Covenant If of every Command he will make a Covenant he may find more Covenants then Chapters in the Bible And upon the same Reason he may call this a Covenant of Works too under which Believers now live because many things are commanded and forbidden them therein But if Adam had fallen from a Covenant of Works to a Covenant of Grace what had his Loss been what had he suffered He had not then fallen from better to worse which he did but from worse to better for the Covenant of Grace is better then the Covenant of Works was or could be as the Apostle argue Hebr. 8.6 But as this Man would make Adam in his state of Innocency to be under a Covenant of Works without any Scripture-Proof so he would make the Covenant of the Iews or the Covenant of the Law under which the Iews were to be not a Covenant of Works quite contrary to the Scripture That that Covenant that Moses and David lived under was a Covenant of Works I utterly deny sayes he Whereas the Scripture speaking of the Law and the Works thereof which was the Covenant under which Moses and David lived sayes exprâ—sly Ye shall keep my Statutes and my Iudgments which if a man do he shall live in them Was not this a Covenant of Works Was not here an Obedience required yea an exact Obedience too for Cursed is every one that 〈◊〉 not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them and Life promised as a Reward upon that Obedience The same said the Lord by his Prophet complaining of Rebellious Israel They walked noâ— in my Statutes neither kept my Iudgments to do them which if a man do he shall even live in them To the same purpose also speaketh the Apostle Paul And will this man notwithstanding adventure to say that this was not a Covenant of Works When Moses had told the People all the Words of the Lord and all the Judgments then all the People answer'd with one Voice and said All the Words which the Lord hath said wâ—ll we do the same is repeated Deut. 5.27 Here are Works commanded to be done Here 's an undertaking on the Peoples's Part who promise to do them Reward also is propoâ—ed upon Obedience Punishment upon Disobedience If this be not a Covenant of works what is Divines he sayes do therefore call that a Covenant of Works which was made with Adam in his Innocent State because an exact Obedience was required and a Reward thereupon promised But if an exact Obedience was required in this Covenant under which Moses and David were and a Reward thereupon promised as is most clear from Deut. 5.32 33. How can he without conâ—radicting himself and his Divines deny this to be a Covenant of Works Let the Reader judge Again He would make that Covenant under which they lived and the Covenant uâ—der which we now live the Covenant of the Law and the Covenant of the Gospel to be one and the same Whereas the Lord not only calleth this latter a New Covenant but also saith It is not according to that which he made with Israel of old Which Words the Author to the Hebrews referring to argues this latter Covenant to be not only not the same with the former but to be a better Covenant and established also upon better Promises then the former And in his Epistle to the Galatians The Apostle who knew how to deliver himself as well it may be as this Priest does calls them expresly Two Covenants not 2 Forms or Modes only Administration of one and the same Covenant as the Priest does and plainly sheâ—s by the Allegory of Abraham's two Sons that they were distinct and different Covenants For sayes he it is written that Abraham had two Sons the one by a Bond maid the other by a Free-woman But he who was of the Bond woman was born after the Flesh but he of the Frewoman was by Promise Which things sayes he are an Allegory for these are Two Covenants c. the one gendring to Bondage the other free So that the Priest might as well have said that Abraham's two Sons Ishmael and Isaac were not two distinct men but one and the same man differing only in Name Time or Habit or that the two Mountains Sinai and Sion are not indeed distinct and several Mountains but one and the same Moâ—ntain differenced only by divers Names as that these Two Covenants of which those things were the Allegory are not really two distinct Covenants but one and the same differing only in the Forms or Modes of Administration and various Dispensations of it But not to insist over long on that which himself makes but a Digression from his Theam I return with him to the Case of Swearing He takes an Offence at R. Hubberthorn for setting in the Title page of a Book which he writ against Swearing these Scriptures Because of Oaâ—hs the Land mourns Hos. 4. And as said the Prophet Every one that sweareth shall be cut off Zach. 5.3 These he saith are his Proofs though R. H. doth not call them so himself and hereupon he falls foul not only upon R. H. but all the Quakers also calling this the horrible Abuse the Quakers put upon the Scriptures and the Spirit of God by which they were writ and that it discovers a most dishonest Principle in the Quakers c. page 53.55 What 's the Ground of this great Clamour Why saith he they coâ—fess Oaths were lawful in the time of the Law yes do bring in Hosea and Zachary wâ—o lived in the time of the Law speaking against
was given him by the holy Ghost was not humane nor acquired Doth he not say adds he that the Vnlearned and Vnstable wrest the Scriptures to their own Destruction and is he himself Vnlearned Answ. Yes he himself notwithstanding all this was Unlearned in that Learning by which they who were Unlearned in the Heavenly Learning did wrest the Scriptures Now that this may not seem strange I desire the Reader to consider that there is a two-fold Learning Knowledge Wisdom and Understanding There is a Learning that is acquirable by natural Study and Industry and this is called Natural or Humane Learning and this Learning Man as Man though never so ignorant of God or never so great an Enemy to God is capable of this Learning Peter was Vnlearned in And there is a Learning which is given by and received from God without the Help or Means of Natural Study and Industry and this is called Divine or Heavenly Learning and this the Natural Man is not capable of but he only that is led by and taught of the Spirit In this Learning Peter was well versed So also there is a Twofold Knowledge There is a Knowledge which he that encreaseth encreaseth Sorrow but there is also a Knowledge of which the Fear of the Lord is the Beginning or pricipal Part In like manner there is a Twofold Wisdom There is the Wisdom of the World and the Wisdom of God There is a Wisdom by which the World knew not God and there is a Wisdom by which God is known There is a Wisdom that is not from above but is Earthly and sensual and there is a Wisdom that is from above that is Pure Peaceable c. There is also a Twofold Understanding There is an Vnderstanding by which the things of God cannot be perceived an Vnderstanding which God will destroy And there is an Vnderstanding which the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Now this Divine this Heavenly Learning this Spiritual Knowledge Wisdom and Understanding Peter had received of God in this he was indeed learned and by this sufficiently able to understand the Scriptures but that humane Learning that that was acquirable only by Natural Study and Industry that he was unlearned in notwithstanding he was a Disciple as appears plainly in the place before quoted No Ground at all then had the Priest so scornfully to insult and vainly triumph over R. H. as he doth nay it more nearly concerns himself to beware lest while he is glorying in that Learning which the Pharisees of old whom Christ called blind Guides did so greatly dote upon and wherein he seems to Place his Strength he fall himself into that Ditch which his Envy and Evil Nature hath assigned for others He takes upon him in the next Place to open and explain those Words of the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.16 In which are some things hard to be understood which the unlearned and the unstable wrest as they do other Scriptures to their own Destruction Upon these words he makes four Observations The first is that some Passages of Scripture aâ—e so obscure and dark that they are hard to be understood page â—0 from whence he infers the Necessity of Learning I for Distinction sake will call it Natural Humane or School-Learning in the Interpreting of Scriptures the great Danger of mis interpreting them without it and therefore that they that want it are very unfit to be Preachers and Interpreters of the Holy Word of God Answ. Thou seest here Reader to what a Pitch he hath advanced humane Learning as if the Scriptures could not be rightly understood without it Not a Word of the Spirit of God but humane Learning all in â—ll There is a Necessity of it he saith great Danger of mis-interpreting without it yea they that want it are very â—â—fiâ—â—te preach c. What could he have said more to magnifiâ— hmane Learning but as Children use with one Blast to blow up a Bubble and with another to Blow it down again so this Man after he hath with one Hand to exalted Learning as that without which there is no safe interpreting of Scripture and consequently no certain Knowledge of the will and mind of God therein exprest with the other Hand â—ulls it down again and renders it as needless in Relation to man's eternal Happiness as before he asserted it not only needful but even of absoluâ—e Necessity Hear what he saith page 92. The Parishioner asks this Question Are then the necessary Points of Religion in the Scriptures hard to be understood No saith he they are not for whatsoever is necessary to Salvation either to be believed or to be done are in some Place or other of holy Scripture fitted to the most vulgar Capacity and shallowest Vnderstanding as for Example the History of Christ's Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension is as necessary to be believed so plain to be understood Then the Duties of the first and second Table of the Law and the Love of God and our Neighbour all the Evangelical Precepts and the Essentials of Religion are in the Gospel made such easie Doctrines that he that runs may read them being fitted to the Capacity of the most unlearned Where now is this grand Necessity of humane Learning The necessary Points of Religion he saith are not hard to be understood whatsoever is necessary to Salvation either to be believed or to be done is in some Place or other of holy Scripture fitted to the most vulgar Capacity and shallowest Vnderstanding The History of Christ's Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension is plain to be understood The Duties of the first and second Table the Love of God and our Neighbour on which Christ said the whole Law and the Prophets depend All the Commands of the Gospel and the Essentials of Religion All these he confesseth are in the Gospel made such easie Doctrines that he that runs may read them Nay he saith they are fitted to the Capacity of the most unlearned Are they so what and yet a Necessity of humane learning still to what End I would fain know why to enable men to preach the Gospel for saith he They that want this Learning are very unfit Persons to be Preachers and Interpreters of the holy Word of God pag. 90. This is strange indeed more strange then true I am sure If all things necessary to Salvation if all things that men are required either to believe or do are fitted to the most common Capacity and to the shallowest Understanding if the History of Christ's Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension is so plain to be understood if the whole Law and the Prophets if all the Commands of the Gospel if all the Essentials of Religion are in the Gospel made such easie Doctrines that he that runs may read them in a Word if all these things are fitted to the Capacity of the most unlearned as he affirms they are then I hope men may preach any
of God Now we saith he have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God The Apostle here layes the Capacity of knowing the things that are given us of God upon our receiving the Spirit of God and wholly shuts out the Spirit of the World from having any thing to do in it and that not without great Reason for he that hath most of the Spirit of the World he who is deepest in the Wisdom and Understanding of the World and who hath climbed to the highest Pitch of humane Learning is by all these Attainments but a Natural Man And the Apostle saith expresly ver 14. The Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are Foolishness unto him neither can be know them because they are spiritually discerned Where then is the Necessity of humane Learning to interpret the Scriptures But he intimates That there is still a Necessity of understanding these Tongues for the Translation of Scripture Answ. Not if the Scriptures be already rightly translated but by this he implies that the present Translation is not true And what a Condition doth he leave them in then to whom he proposes it as a perfect and sufficient Rule for if the Scripture not the Spirit is to be their Rule then to them that understand it not in other Languages which not one of an hundred doth the Translation of the Scripture must be the Rule and if that Translation be not true the Rule is not true and what will the Consequence of that be but if the Translation be true then there is not a Necessity still of understanding those Tongues for the Translation of Scripture But saith he I pray by what way and means must we attain the Knowledge of it speaking of the Scripture just before but by the ordinary means of Study Industry or Vniversity Education Answ. The Question implies he knows no other Way and indeed I doubt he doth not yet if he thinks there is no other Way I would ask him why he saith page 103. He prays for the Assistance of the Spirit to help him understand the Scriptures Is not that another Way then by Study Industry or University Education He next attempts to shew the use of Learning in unfolding difficult places in Scripture namely for the Vnderstanding the Literal Moral Mystical Tropical Metaphorical Allegorical Hyperbolical Senses which he confesseth are hard Words and hard indeed would the Case of Mankind be if the Gospel could not be understood and preacht unto them without understanding these hard words but the best on it is these hard words relate but to the difficult Places which he saith page 93. are least necessary nay not at all necessary to Salvation All Points whatsoever necessary to Salvation either to be believed or done the History of Christ's Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension the Duties of the first and second Table the Love of God and our Neighbour all Evangelical Precepts and the Essentials of Religion being fitted to the most vulgar Capacity and shallowest Vnderstanding suited to the Capacity of the weakest and most unlearned written in such a plain and familiar Style and made such easie Doctrines that he that runs may read them So then here is no need of a leaâ—ned Priest to puzzle Peoples Heads with hard Words and pick their Pockets by Tropes and Hyperbolies for the Gospel with all the Doctrines and Precepts of it the Essentials of Religion and whatsoever is necessary to Salvation being so plain and easie to be understood may very well be preacht without Study or humane Learning by such as having freely received are willing freely to give But he chargeth the Quakers with mis-timing and abusing the Prophecy of Joel in applying it to this present Age. The words are And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh c. chap. 2.28 This Prophecy he tells us a learned Commentator tells him was cited and applied by St. Peter Acts 2. to the times of the Gospel Answ. What doth he mean by the times of the Gospel are not these times which we live in the times of the Gospel what times I wonder doth he take these to be But Peter explains the Word afterward by the last days for whereas the Prophet had said It shall come to pass afterward c. The Apostle saith It shall come to pass in the last Days c. Upon this the Priest recites these Words of his learned Commentator Whatsoever can be collected from this Place tâ— the Benefit of the Pretenders will receive a short and clear Answer by considering the time to which this Prediction and the Completion of it belonged and that is expresly the last Days in the Notion wherein the Writers of the new Testament constantly use that Phrase not for these Days of ours so far advanced toward the End of the World but for the time immediately preceding the Destruction of the Jewish Polity c. page 123. Answ. That this Prophecy then relates to the last Days whensoever they fall to be both he and his Commentator grant us but we do not agree which are the last Days He saith these days of ours are not the last Days but those Days immediately foregoing the Destruction of Jerusalem That the last Days did then begin I grant but that they are already ended I deny Will he call them the last Days and yet say thâ—se which are sixteen hundred Years latter then they are not the last Days What can he say more repugnant to Reason Which is more properly the last the foremost or the hindermost that that is gone before or that that followeth after But I observe he saith The last Days are not these of ours so far advanced towards the End of the World c. as if he thought the advancement of these Days so far towards the End of the World a fit Medium to prove them not the last Days then which I think he could not have found an unfiâ—ter since by how much the further they are advanced towards the End of the World by so much the more properly they may be called the last Days But he would have it That the Writers of the New Testament do constantly use that Phrase the last Days with relation to that time immediatly preceding the Destruction of Jerusalem Answ. No they do not constantly use that Phrase with relation to that time the Apostle Paul to Timothy saith In the last days perilous times shall come Peter also saith There shall come in the last days Scoffers This must not be understood of that time only wherein they lived because they both speak in the future Tense shall of a time hereafter or then to come saith the Apostle Iames to the rich men Your Gold and Silver is cankred and the Rust of them shall be a Witness against you
pag. 119. is not yet transformed into the Meckness and Innocency of a Lamb. But letting these things pass I shall conclude with that Saying in Cornelius Tacitus Didicit illâ— maledicere et ego contemnere i. e. He hath learned to speak Evil and I to disregard it T. E. THE END Ezek. 34.2 3. Deut. 30.14 Rom. 10.8 Ier. 23.29 Vers. 28. 2 Pet. 4.11 pag. 98. Mat. 28.19 Chap. 24.49 1 Cor. 9.17 Ephes. 4.8 12. pag. 5. 2 Cor. 4.2 Câ—ap 5.11 Acts 2.37 Vers. 41. 1 Iohn 5.4 Ephes. 6.16 pag. 5. Luke 8.15 Psalm 37. â—1 Psal. 119.11 Mat. 12.35 1 Cor. 2.4 5. pag. 11. Mat 7.16.20 ver 21 22 23. page 14. Minister a Servant 1 Cor. 5.11 L 3. c. 26. Praeâ—â—pâ—a monent Exempla movent vivâ—tur Exemplis 1 Tim. 4.12 Titus 2.7 1 Pet. 5.2 3. 2 Tim. 3.5 Ephes. 5.11 pag. 16. See Howel 's Epist. to Cotgrave his Dictionary See his Title Page page 3. Iam. 2.1 2 3.4 Acts 8.1 chap. 11.19 Mat. 19.8 Hebr. 9.10 2 Cor. 5.17 Rom. 2.28 29. Iohn 4.21 22 23. Isa. 2 4. Mic. 4 3. 2 Corin 10.4 1 Pet. â— 3 4. Iohn 5.44 Rom. 2.29 Luke 14.1 3. ver 7. Moses Aaron l. 1. c. 10. Iohn 5.44 Mat. 23.8 Luke 22.24 25 26 Iob 32.21 22. Acts 1.1 Prov. 10.19 Prov. 28.13 1 Iohn 1.9 Ephes. 5.8 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Mat. 5.48 1 Pet. 1.16 Gen. 6.9 Iob 1.1 Chap. 1. Vers. 8. Vers. 10. Vers. 11. Vers. 12 Vers. 15. Vers. 17. Vers. 16. Vers. 19 Vers. 21. Vers. 22. Chap. 2. Vers. 3. Vers. 4. Vers. 5. Vers. 6. Vers. 7. Vers. 9. Vers. 10. The Word FULLY he ought not to thrust in for it alters both the text and the case as relating to the degree of Perfection not the kind which is the Subject we are upon Rom. 3.23 Job 10.7 chap. 27.5 6 1 Iohn 1.7 Vers. 9. 1 Iohn 2.12 21. Iohn 8.32 1 Iohn 2.14 Vers. 28. Chap. 3.6 Chap. 2.6 Chap. 5.18 Chap. 2.1 Chap. 3.6 1 Iohn 5.4 2 Thess. 1.11 Iohn 7.39 Iohn 15.26 Chap. 16.13 Rom. 8.26 Mat. 4.1 1 Iohn 2.13 1 Tim 6.12 James 4.7 Rom 16.20 Luke 12.39 Mark 13 27. Mat. 26.41 Mark 5.25 Iohn 7.23 1 John 5.18 Numb 13. Ezâ—k 36.26 Mat. 5.8 Luke 8.15 page 42. John 5.4 James 1.27 John 5.18 Col. 1.27 Ephes. 6.11 to 17. John 8.21 24. Luke 11.21.22 1 Iohn 44. 1 Iohn 16.33 1 Cor. 12.9 Mark 3.27 2 Cor. 12.7.9 Phil. 2.13 Isaiah 26.12 Mat. 1.21 Mat 3.12 Heb. 7.25 Rom. 6.6 ver 7. verse 2. verse 18. Galat. 5.24 1 Pet. 4. Rom. 8.1 Ex. 28.7 1 John 1.7 2 Cor. 7.1 2 Thess. 5.23 Numbers 32.9 Chap. 13.31 Mar. 23. Lev. 18.5 Galat. 3.10 Ezek. 20.21 Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3.12 Ex. 24.3 Ier. 31.31 32. Hebr. 8. Galat. 4. Vers. 22 Vers. 23. Vers. 24. The Word natural hath divers Acceptations for there is the pure uncorrupteâ— Nature wherein man was at first made There is the corrupt degenerate Nature of man in the â—â—ll in which Sense natural is in Scripture opposed to spiritual as where the Apostle saith The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him 1 Câ—r 2.14 And there is the divine Nature of which the Saints are mad Partakers as Peter witnesseth 2 Pet. 1.4 Ephes. 4.25 Bp. Gaudeâ— of Oaths page 42. Stobaeus Ser. 28. Stob. Serm. 25. Bp. Gauden of Oaâ—hs page 42. â—bid 〈◊〉 â—â—id ibid. idem page 36. Q. Curt. l. 7. Rom. 2. Vers. 14. See Acts 17.22 23. Rom. 1.21 page 23. * Frustra fit perplura quod fieri potest per panciora Of Christian simplicity fol. 228. Psa. 116.11 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Discourse con pub Oaths pag. 17. Hom. 12. in Mat. 5. Hom. 9 in Act. Apost cap. 3. lib. 1. Epist. 155. Comment in Iac. 5. Qui non râ—â—â—rentur 〈◊〉 falâ—unt Dâ—os sayth 〈◊〉 ad Alexand. in Q. Curt. lib. 72. Qâ—i 〈…〉 Virop 〈◊〉 insarit Antipho 〈…〉 Serm. â—5 Nullum jusjurandum 〈◊〉 est sari et impâ—stâ—â—i Sopâ—oc in Stob. 〈◊〉 26. Discourse concerning pub Oaths pag. 41. page 22 2 Cor. 10.3 1 Cor. 3.3 Heb. 9.10 Hebr. 8.3 Hebr. 9.3 Iohn 8.35 Iohn 1.17 Prov. 29.25 Chap. 16.6 Isaiah 32 17. Exod. 20.29 Discourse of pub O. p. 36. Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 5.7 8. 1 〈◊〉 2.1 Zeph. 3.8 ver 13. Ephes. 4. John 1.17 Isa. 45.23 Rom. 14. Gen. 17. chap. 21. Levit. 12.3 Rom. 9.3 4. Hebr. 7.19 Hebr. 6.13 Gen. 22.16 Ier. 22.5 Acts 22.5 * So Bp. Gauden makes the lawful Cal of Authority one of the due Circumstances which are necessary in a lawful Oath p. 45. About 300. l. Isa. 57.20 Rev. 14.3 Phil. 3.30 Levit. 16.12 Rev. 8.3 Iames 3.15 Discour of pub Oaths pag. 20. Mat. 6. Discourse of publick Oaths p. 27. 2 Cor. 9.3 Col. 1.18 Lev. 19.12 Deut. 6.13 Eusebius l. 4. c. 15. L. 6 c. 4. This in our English Bibles is the 15. Psalm B and A denote the Persons speaking Of Christian-simplicity fol. 228. Discourse of publick Oaths p. 36. 23. pag. 41. Val. Max. l. 2. c. 10. pag. 41. Acts 2.14 1 Iohn 5.20 Luke 24.45 Coloss. 1.9 Ecles 1.18 Prov. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.21 Iames 3. â—5 ver 17. 1 Cor. 2.14 1 Cor. 1.19 Job 32.8 Acts 4.13 Mat. 22.40 Prov. 14.1 Isa. 55.2 Luke 10.21 1 Cor. 14.27 Iohn 14.16 and ver 26. chap. 16.13 Ephes. 1.17 John 17.20 John 7.38 ver 39. ver 37. 1 John 2.20 ver 27. Iohn 14.18 v. 16.17 chap. 15.26 chap. 16.14 chap. 14.26 chap. 16.13 Rom. 8.9 1 Corin. 12.29.30 2 Cor. 4.4 ver 6. Gal. 1.16 Eph. 3.3.7 2 Pet. 1 21. Isa. 29.11 Rev. 5. chap. 3.7 Mat. 11.27 1 Cor. 2.11 Rev. 13. â— 4 Chap. 17.2 Chap. 18.3 Ephes. 3.10 1 Cor. 2.9 10. Rev. 10 4. Chap. 14.6 Jude 9. 1 Thessal 4.8 2 Tim. 3.16 John 14.16 17. Mat. 2â— 20 Acts 2.4 Ecles 5.2 1 Cor. 2.11 12. 2 Tim. 3.1 2 Pet. 3.3 Jam. 5.3 Iohn 14.16 Mat. 28.20 See his Works p. 319 and p. 80. See his Reply to Hardings Answer p. 393. of his Works and page 394. Martyrâ—log vol. 3. pag. 296. Martyrology vol. 3. pag. 573 Decad. 4. Serm. 8. Gen. 14.20 Hebr. 7.2 Vers. 4. Deut. 14.25 26. Luk 10.6 7 8 Mat. 10.10 * Aliquam portionem terrarum haereditariam â—re the words both in Ingulfe Malmesbury * Aliquam portionem terrae mâ—a decimam Scil. partem terrae meae are thâ— words in Mâ—tthew of Weâ—â—minster Decimam Hydam terrae totius 〈◊〉 Saxiae are the words in Jornalensis Fascic Temp. in Zach. Pap. Burdegal Chronog in eundem See Fascic Temporum Platina Burdegalensis Platina in Vita ejus Platina in vita ejus Platina in vita ejus Burdegal Fascicul Tempor Lib. 3. c. 11. 13. Lib. 3. c. 2. Lib. 5. cap. 4. Acts 16.3 18.18 21 2â— * Remissione animarum peccatorum nostrorum are the Words of the Charter in Iâ—gulf as Spelman gives them is his British Councils Anno Christi 855. * Error minimus in principio fit major in medio maximus in fine * Câ—ssante Ratione legis câ—ssat lex Asinus asino sus sui pulcher